by Minx Malone
“No. I’m not holding anything over your head. I’m not going to go running to the press with this story if you say no. I would never hurt you like that. I’m just telling you my conditions for helping you. You want something from me. Something huge. But you have to give me something I want just as much.”
“Me,” she whispered. “That’s really all you want?”
“Yes.” Talk about the understatement of the century. His obsession with her was on the verge of taking over his life. He had to have her. It didn’t even matter if she didn’t love him. If you only knew, pretty girl. I’ll take you any way I can get you.
“What happens when you wake up and realize the infatuation is over? Aren’t you going to feel trapped?”
“What was it you said earlier? Oh yes, marriages built on commonalities have a higher success rate than ones based on emotions. Let’s look at our common traits. We’re both intelligent, hardworking, driven, and value family. If you know nothing else about me, you know how much family means to me. I had the best possible role models for a successful marriage. My parents have always been a team. I think we could have that kind of partnership, too. Like I said, this is a little earlier than I’d planned, but I knew I’d want kids eventually. If we start now, our kids won’t be too much younger than their cousins.”
He pulled her to the chair he’d been sitting in and knelt at her feet, his eyes holding hers. Her hand covered her mouth.
“This is all just crazy. I don’t know what to say.”
“At the core of all this, what do you want most? A baby?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let me make that happen for you.”
Raina looked into his eyes and he let her, hoping she could see his certainty, his absolute determination to give her what she wanted. It wasn’t just that he wanted her more than his next breath. It wasn’t just that this was the only woman he’d ever wanted to give his last name to.
It was the fact that he could give her the thing she wanted most.
“Come on.” He tugged her up and before she could protest, picked her up, and cradled her against his chest.
“Where are we going?” Raina squirmed in his arms.
He didn’t answer, just walked down the hallway leading toward his bedroom. He set Raina carefully on her feet and turned on the small lamp on his bedside table.
She stood still, looking as vulnerable as a child as he stripped her tiny excuse for a dress from her body. He gritted his teeth as every inch of her honey-colored skin was revealed. Finally she stood before him in nothing more than a heart-attack-inducing black lace bra and panty set. He didn’t even want to contemplate if the panties had a thong back.
“Jesus. We have to find something for you to wear.” His goal was for her to rest, which wouldn’t be happening if he had to look at her in those scraps of black lace much longer. He turned blindly to his closet and yanked the first shirt his fingers touched off the hanger.
“Here, put your arms in this.” He helped her slide her arms into the sleeves of one of his dress shirts. Once she was mainly covered up, he picked her up again and carried her into the bathroom.
“Nick, I can walk,” she complained.
“Humor me, please. I’m very much enjoying the opportunity to carry you.” He set her on the counter and took a clean washcloth from beneath the sink. He wet it and dabbed at the mascara trails on her cheeks.
“Pervert,” she replied, but she was smiling as she said it.
“I have never pretended to be anything else.”
After her face was clean, he left the bathroom briefly to go get her a new toothbrush. When he returned, he stopped at the sight of Raina with her hair loose around her shoulders and her skin shiny and clean. A bunch of black pins sat on the counter in a neat pile.
He couldn’t say why the sight pleased him so much.
“Thanks,” she said as he handed over the new toothbrush. He couldn’t stop staring at her as she wet the brush, squeezed on a glob of toothpaste, and leaned closer to the mirror to inspect her teeth as she brushed.
“What,” she mumbled around her mouthful of soap. “Why are you staring?”
Nick chuckled. “Sorry. It’s just not every day that I get to see you like this.”
She spit in the sink and cupped her hand under the faucet to rinse her mouth. “Like what? A hot mess?”
He shook his head. “Normal. Human. You look adorable.”
She wiped her face on his towel and then flicked the light off. “Now I know you’re lying. There’s nothing adorable about this.”
He pulled back the comforter and she slid beneath it, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. When he turned the light off, she sat up straight.
“Wait? Where are you going? You aren’t going to…”
Nick turned the light back on. “Raina Winters,” he said mockingly. “Did you think I was going to get you half-naked in my bed and then take advantage of you while you’re too weak to resist me?”
Raina stared at him for a minute before saying, “Well, yes.”
Nick leaned down and took her lips in a soft kiss. He swallowed her soft moan, teasing her lips with his until she opened for the first stroke of his tongue. Her hands tangled in the front of his shirt, pulling him closer as she kissed him back.
Just before he lost his mind, he pulled back and nipped her bottom lip gently.
“One of the things a husband does is put your needs ahead of his. You need to sleep on this decision.”
Raina cupped his cheek. “I’ve already decided. Let’s get married.”
Nick was quiet for a moment, then he nodded. “Okay. I’ll wake you early tomorrow and we’ll fly to Vegas. I’ll go book our seats now.”
Then he turned the lights out and left her alone in his bed.
* * * * *
LATER THAT NIGHT, Ridley got into bed and pulled the covers up to her neck. Jackson was still in the shower, so she had a few minutes to brood before he came back.
What was I thinking telling Nick all that?
As much as she loved her future brother-in-law, she was well aware of his faults. He was so used to women throwing themselves at him that a woman like Raina, who was genuinely hard to get, had to present an unusual challenge.
One he couldn’t resist trying to conquer.
But what if it was more than that? Ridley couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, but there was something about the way Nick looked at her sister. Something that made her think his continued attempts to romance Raina were about more than just sex. He watched her when he thought no one else was looking and his eyes revealed more than the words coming out of his mouth.
“Okay, I was going to just let you stew in peace, but I can’t take it anymore. What’s wrong with you?”
Ridley turned to see Jackson standing in the doorway that connected to the en suite bathroom, rubbing the water from his arms with a towel. Her mouth went dry as she followed the path of a single drop down his muscular chest, below his belly button…
“As much as I appreciate your distraction, I actually want an answer to this question,” Jackson remarked dryly.
Ridley reluctantly pulled her gaze up to meet his eyes. Good grief, the man was fine. Too fine for his own good. It was scary at times to think what her life would be like if she’d turned left instead of right, or done anything that would have prevented her from coming to Virginia last month. She would have missed out on the best thing that had ever happened to her. She was just trying to make sure that Nick and Raina didn’t miss their chance. Which made a little bit of meddling okay, didn’t it?
“Nothing. I’m just thinking about everything that happened tonight. The tabloid picture and then that awful press conference. And then Nick going on stage. I’m just worried.”
Jackson threw the towel over his shoulder and walked across the room stark-naked to rummage through his dresser. “I know she’s your sister and worry comes with the territory, but Nick would never hurt her. Plus, I t
hink we might need to be more worried about Nick.”
Ridley sat up. “I did something tonight. Something I probably shouldn’t have.”
Jackson finally selected a pair of sweatpants and pulled them on. He padded over to the other side of the bed and slid beneath the covers. “Does this have anything to do with Nick’s insane behavior tonight?”
Ridley bit her lip. “Um, it might. I sort of told him about Raina’s fertility issues and how she wants to have a baby. I may have suggested that he make her the same offer he made us.”
Jackson sat straight up in bed, dragging the covers off her. “You did what? Why would you do that? I thought you wanted Nick to stay away from her?”
Ridley drew her knees up to her chest. “I know, I know! That’s what I thought was best, but you didn’t see the way he was looking at her. I think he really loves her, Jackson.”
Jackson made a noncommittal sound. “You may be right. I’ve actually never seen Nick like this over a woman. Any woman. But still, that doesn’t mean I think he should offer to be her sperm donor.”
“If he offers to father her child, I very much doubt if he’ll be donating in a cup.”
Jackson smirked. “Well, yeah. This is my brother we’re talking about.”
“I’m worried she’ll regret this. Raina pretends to be so modern and unaffected, but she’s not. I think inside she wants the same things I do. Family. And not by some guy who’s a random number in a database.”
“Is this about your dad?”
“What? No! This is about Raina.”
“I know you love your sister, but I think you’re also worried about the baby. Growing up without a father. Without even knowing who he is…”
“Okay. It’s a little about that. I just don’t want her to do something she’ll regret because she feels like she’s running out of time. I’d rather she gets pregnant by someone who cares about her than some guy she doesn’t even know. No matter what else happens, I know Nick would love his child.”
“That is, without a doubt, true. And she would have a big, rambling, loving family to help her out if she needed it. No matter what, Alexanders stick together.”
Ridley clapped her hands over her face and fell back against her pillows. “I really hope this doesn’t end up being a disaster.”
“Come on, let’s go to sleep. There’s nothing more we can do about it tonight. I doubt Nick is going to kidnap your sister and steal her away somewhere. You can always go check on her in the morning.”
“Okay,” Ridley agreed. But even after they were snuggled under the covers and Jackson had her spooned right up against his chest, it was a long time before she was able to fall asleep.
CHAPTER SIX
THE BUSTLING TERMINAL did nothing to soothe Raina’s nerves as they waited for their flight to board. Nick had woken her at the ungodly hour of four a.m. so they could catch the first flight to Vegas leaving from Norfolk International.
The past two hours had been a flurry of excitement. He’d loaned her a small suitcase and they’d stopped at the store so she could buy a few weekend outfits. He’d been able to get tickets in first class so at least she would have enough room on the flight to stretch out a little and rest her head. She typed out a text to Sam and then sent it before switching off her phone.
She could already feel the beginning of a migraine swimming around the back of her skull.
She glanced over at Nick, surprised to find he looked almost as nervous as she felt. She couldn’t help wondering if he was having second thoughts about this whole crazy plan. After all, the majority of the benefits to this alliance were on her side. She was going to get the baby she’d always wanted, an extended family and support system, and a doting father to help her care for the child.
What was he getting? A wife who acted like she could barely tolerate him.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked up from the magazine he was reading, some kind of business journal with a picture of a stack of coins on the front.
“Sorry? For what?”
Raina shrugged. “I’ve been nothing but bitchy to you this whole time. What you’re doing is really sweet. I can’t pretend I understand all this yet, but I do appreciate it. A lot.”
He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling slightly at the edges. Her stomach did that weird drop-and-roll thing again. She coughed and sat up straighter, hoping to get her equilibrium back.
“I told you. I’m getting something pretty huge out of this deal, too. I get to be married to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. There are tons of men who’d pay good money to be in my shoes right now, believe me.”
She smiled at his joke because she knew he’d been trying to amuse her. But inside, she couldn’t help wondering about the women in Nick’s past. Had he ever wanted to marry any of them? Surely his family was used to seeing a different woman on his arm every year. They probably wouldn’t even try to get to know her since she was more than likely just the flavor of the month, anyway.
But then why would he want to make this permanent?
Nothing about this proposal made any sense to her.
Pushing these negative thoughts to the back of her mind, she hurriedly gathered her belongings when the voice on the PA system announced that their flight was boarding. Nick reached over and picked up her small carry-on suitcase.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
He gave her a look like she was crazy. “Raina, it’s not a problem. Chivalry may be considered dead to most people, but not in my family. I can’t stand back and watch a woman lugging a bag. If that’s antifeminist, then so be it.”
“No, I think it’s nice.” Raina stepped back and allowed him to carry her bag up to the gate. They showed their tickets to the agent and then walked down a long hallway to board the plane.
Once on board, she stretched out her legs and gratefully accepted the orange juice the flight attendants were handing out. She waved away the offer of champagne, knowing the frothy drink would only make her headache worse. Settling back, she closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them again they would have reached their destination.
When Raina woke up, she found she wasn’t in Sin City but instead still on the plane. Her right hand was encased in Nick’s large grip and she could feel the slight calluses on his palm. Turning her head, she found him staring right at her.
“We’re almost there.” He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. Unsure of how to respond to the tenderness in his gaze, she nodded mutely and turned to face the front.
Thirty minutes later, the captain announced that they were approaching McCarran International Airport. As the flight attendants walked down the rows checking seatbelts, Raina noticed for the first time that Nick had a death grip on the armrest.
“You’re scared of flying?”
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “I’m not scared of flying. I just don’t enjoy flying. There is a difference.”
Despite how conflicted she still felt, Raina couldn’t help smiling. “Right. I’ve noticed you’re big on rephrasing things. But it still comes down to the same thing.”
“Actually, I think words do matter. Words have power. That’s why I say exactly what I mean.” He turned to look at her, their faces so close she could feel the soft puff of his breath against her lips. “For example, some men think it’s okay to promise marriage to a woman and then back out without any warning. But I would never do that. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. When I make a promise, I keep it. And when I tell a woman I want her to be my wife, I mean forever.”
Raina sucked in a breath. They stayed like that, staring at each other, until a flight attendant stopped next to their row.
“Sir, we need your seat in a full upright position.”
Nick looked away, breaking the spell. “Of course,” he replied.
They touched down without incident and then the next half hour was filled with the hustle of deplaning. Once they finally cleared the secure are
a, they stood in the middle of the airport, their bags at their feet.
Nick turned to her. “Did you want to go to the hotel first? You could rest a little. Put your feet up.”
Raina glanced around the bustling terminal. She’d been to Vegas for a shoot before, but she’d never been just for fun.
You’re not here for fun now, either. This is not about fun. This is about getting pregnant.
Her face heated and she looked up into Nick’s concerned gaze. As sweet as it was that he was worried about her welfare, she wasn’t here to rest or relax. They were here to get married so he would get her pregnant. Anything else was veering dangerously close to the kind of emotional territory that she was determined to avoid.
“Actually, no. I just want to find the closest Elvis impersonator who can marry us. Then I want you to take me back to the hotel and make love to me.”
Nick’s mouth fell open. Raina leaned up and kissed him softly on the cheek, strangely satisfied with his reaction.
“Sound good, baby?”
Then she turned and walked outside to see about getting a cab.
* * * * *
“OKAY, WHAT HAVE we got? There are three chapels near us. The Wedding Bell, Little Love Chapel and Chapel O’ Love.”
They’d decided to stop by the hotel first after all when Nick pointed out they’d have to lug their bags up and down the Strip and she’d have to do it in heels. Nick had booked a suite at the Aria, which was gorgeous and large enough to house a small family.
After checking in and dumping their bags, Raina had changed from her strappy high-heeled sandals into the pair of rainbow-colored flip-flops she’d purchased just for the weekend. Now they were standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, searching for the nearest wedding chapel.
Raina shrugged. “Let’s just pick whichever is closest.”
“Chapel O’ Love it is.” Nick grabbed her hand and they made their way down the Strip. Raina was surprised at how busy it was. It was a Thursday afternoon and the Strip was packed already.
“Wow. This is so great. Ooh, look, a mime!” Raina stopped to watch a man dressed in all black with the traditional face paint of a mime as he went through the standard repertoire.
