What Happens in Vegas... (6 page)

She walked Nick to the door, the uncomfortable tension between them so different than what she remembered from before. When the door closed behind him, Evie leaned against it and banged her head gently. This was absurd; she was marrying
a man she barely knew simply because she was carrying his child. How had she ended up here?

She’d allowed herself one tiny romanticized daydream where this conversation worked out completely differently…But no. This was a business agreement. She knew that. She swallowed her disappointment Nick was treating it as such.

Evie looked at her watch and sighed. She needed a dress, but the last thing she felt like doing was shopping. Thankfully, there were plenty of great shops right here in the Bellagio. They’d have something for her to wear.

By fifteen to eight, she’d showered and redone her hair and makeup and was sliding the zipper up on the simple ivory sheath she’d found. It was perfect for a simple wedding, and were the circumstances different, she’d be thrilled to wear it. This was a far cry from the princess-style wedding she and Gwen had talked about when she was a teenager. Not that that kind of wedding had been her dream—she always imagined something more intimate and private—but this wedding was falling far short of
any
kind of romantic fantasy.

Instead, she was getting ready for her wedding alone in a hotel suite. She should have let Bennie come with her; it just seemed wrong to get married without any of her family and friends around.

Her fiancé was gorgeous and sexy and made her heart pound to think about him; Nick was practically the groom of adolescent fantasy weddings in the flesh. But…

This wasn’t going to be a romantic story she’d share with her child in the years to come, that was for sure. The disappointment in her stomach was real—a physical pain. She’d always assumed that when she did get married, it would be forever; a marriage like Will and Gwen’s, like her parents’.

The sharp knock at her door startled her. A glance at the clock told her Nick was punctual, if nothing else.

She said goodbye to her girlish fantasy and faced reality.

Evie slid her feet into her shoes and grabbed her purse. With one last deep breath to steady her nerves and fortify her resolve, she went to get married.

W
HEN EVIE OPENED THE DOOR
, she was steeled for the worst. She wasn’t prepared, though, for the physical reaction that slammed into her, stealing her breath and causing heat to coil through her veins. She’d seen Nick in jeans; she’d seen him in a work-appropriate shirt and tie earlier, but in black slacks and a black button-down silk shirt…
damn.
He looked wicked and delicious, and only showing up naked at her door could have affected her pulse more.

He had showered and shaved, and his dark hair fell casually over his forehead in a tousle most men would have to spend hours to achieve. If things were just a little different…

But the arching of Nick’s eyebrow was a harsh reminder of the reality of the situation. Things weren’t different. Things were what they were. He tempered that reminder, though, with a simple, “You look nice, Evie,” that caused her heart to stutter regardless.

“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.” She pulled the door closed behind her and gripped her handbag tightly to keep her fingers from sliding over that silk shirt to feel the man beneath. As they walked toward the elevator, Nick’s hand landed on the small of her back.

It was a simple gesture—commonplace, even—but Evie
felt as if she’d been touched by a live wire. Had she really offered Nick a marriage in name only? That they’d live simply as roommates? She had to be insane. How had she forgotten the magnetism of this man?

In the close confines of the elevator, each breath she took was filled with his scent, and her thighs were trembling as they descended.

“That’s a nice dress. Didn’t they have anything in white?”

She cut her eyes at him. Was that an insult or a tease? His dry tone didn’t help; he could have been discussing the interior decor of the elevator. “White’s not a good color for me. Too harsh against my skin tone.”

Nick merely nodded, which didn’t tell her anything,

She swallowed. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Kevin and Lottie are meeting us in the lobby. We’ll go to the license bureau first—”

Whoa.
“I’m sorry, who are Kevin and Lottie?”

“Kevin is my friend and business partner. Lottie is his wife. I couldn’t get married without telling them.”

That
caused her conscience to twinge in guilt, and she thought sadly of her family again. “I see.”

The elevator doors opened, and Nick took her hand as she stepped out, stopping her just beyond the threshold. “My friends don’t know the true circumstances surrounding this wedding, and I’d like to keep it that way—although for different reasons than you.”

She hadn’t thought about what Nick might tell his friends and family. Realizing all the things she’d forgotten in her plan was quickly becoming a full-time job. “Of course. One happy couple, coming up.”

Nick smiled for the first time and butterflies battered her insides. He didn’t let go of her hand, either, and a nice warmth moved through her as they crossed the lobby in the direction of a couple wearing bright smiles.

“Kevin, Lottie, this is Evie.”

Kevin had average Irish good looks—tall and ruddy—an open, honest face and a contagious grin that put her at ease almost immediately. Lottie, in contrast, was petite, with beautiful olive skin and long black hair that hung to her waist. Lottie immediately wrapped Evie in a hug that made her feel welcome and slightly guilty for deceiving this nice woman.

“You’re even more beautiful than Nick said,” Lottie gushed, “but I’m sure we’re going to be great friends, regardless.”

Evie was still reeling over the news Nick had told these people she was beautiful as Lottie rushed on. “Later, you’ll have to tell me how you managed to snare Nick. I’d all but given up on him finding someone.”

“Let her breathe, Lottie,” Kevin admonished his wife. Turning his grin at Evie, he extended a hand and continued, “You’re a brave girl, tying yourself to this guy.”

Evie felt a bit overwhelmed and unsure of what to say. “I’m very happy to meet you both. Nick has told me so much about you.”

From the identical shocked expressions on Kevin and Lottie’s faces, she worried she’d stepped in something, but she wasn’t sure what. She knew she wasn’t the
best
actress, but had she blown it already?

Then Kevin laughed. “Nick talking. That’s a first.”

Confused, she looked at Nick, who merely shrugged.
Great. That’s helpful.

Lottie took her husband’s hand. “I told you she’d have to be something special.”

She didn’t feel very special at the moment. “He is the strong, silent type, isn’t he? That’s okay, because I can talk enough for both of us.”

Lottie beamed, and Evie wanted to like her—felt as if she
could
really like her and maybe have a friend in Las Vegas
already—but the guilt was killing her. If the guilt of deception was this bad just with Nick’s friends, how on earth would she survive her family?

Nick continued to hold her hand as they followed Kevin and Lottie out and into a waiting SUV. Kevin held the door open for her with a mock bow. “I’ll be your driver for the evening. Sit back and relax. First stop, marriage license bureau.”

She’d been surprised to learn that any government agency in the world was open until midnight seven days a week, but as she filled out the paperwork for her marriage license along with several other couples, she understood the necessity of it in Las Vegas.

Her license was still hot off the printer when Kevin herded them back into the car and screeched out of the parking lot. Just a few minutes later, she was entering a chapel, and Lottie was pushing a small bouquet of roses and daisies into her hands.

Her chest constricted, and it became difficult to breathe.
Back out. Run. Forget this whole plan.
Then Nick tucked her arm under his. She jumped in surprise.

He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You’re not planning on ditching me at the altar, are you?”

The humor in his voice banked the onset of her panic attack, and she looked up to see an amused glint in his eyes. “Actually, I am.”

“Too late,” he countered, as a balding man waved them forward and Kevin and Lottie took their places on either side of them.

She’d never realized how quick a wedding ceremony actually was, and the minister was looking to her for a response before she’d had a chance to catch her breath. Nick’s “I do” seemed to boom in her head, even though she knew he’d said it at normal volume.

At least she wasn’t in a tacky chapel being married by an Elvis with fake sideburns. This chapel was actually rather nice: understated and charming, lit by soft candlelight and peaceful. While she’d been floundering in confusion and trying to find a decent dress to wear, Nick had been busy planning something nice for their wedding. Her stomach gave a funny flip at the idea.

She panicked when the minister asked for the rings, but Lottie touched her arm gently and passed her a heavy gold band with a faint outline of Celtic knots across the surface. Evie fought back tears as Nick took her hand and slid a matching band over her knuckle. This wedding was perfect and beautiful and totally false. It was killing her.

When she turned her head, she saw Nick’s strong profile as he listened to the minister pronounce them husband and wife. Nick turned to her and smiled wryly as he lowered his head to brush a gentle kiss across her lips. Time seemed to stop, and her heart beat faster as that kiss arced through her, stirring her blood with desire. But the gentleness of it caused her stomach to flip over again, making the moment feel poignant and important and one she wanted to remember for the rest of her life. She leaned in, pressing her mouth more fully against his, and she felt his lips soften as if he were going to deepen the kiss, make it…

Then Kevin clapped and Lottie was snapping pictures and horrid reality crashed in. Rice landed on her shoulders and slid inside her dress, and they were back outside with a certificate proving they were married before she could wrap her head around it. Another couple was already taking their place at the chapel doors; a very young couple with ear-to-ear grins and an inability to keep their hands off each other. She was suddenly irrationally jealous.

Needing a moment to regain her equilibrium, Evie pretended great interest in the envelope containing her marriage
certificate. The date and “Mr. and Mrs. Nicolas Rocco” were written in fancy script across the front.

Mr. and Mrs.
She was now Evie Rocco—a name she hadn’t known until a couple of hours ago. Or maybe she should do like Gwen and hyphenate: Evangeline Harrison-Rocco. No. Too many letters. She guessed it didn’t matter too much; she wasn’t going to be keeping the name for very long.

That bothered her more than she liked.

Nick was being very quiet; something she found a little odd, but Kevin and Lottie didn’t seem at all bothered. Evie got the feeling Nick’s silence really was normal as far as they were concerned. In the backseat of Kevin’s SUV, she leaned as close to Nick as her seat belt would allow.

“Thank you for arranging something so nice. I really didn’t want to get married at a drive-through,” she whispered, hoping Kevin and Lottie would think they were simply nuzzling newly weds.

He shrugged. “Thank Lottie. It was mostly her doing.”

Oh.
So much for warm fuzzies. “I see,” she whispered, trying to keep the deflation out of her voice by thinking of the way that kiss at the chapel had almost…

“None of that,” Kevin shouted from the driver’s seat, and Evie jumped back to her side of the backseat. “I know you’re eager to get to your bridal suite and—” Lottie’s hand smacking his arm cut Kevin off.

Evie choked back a laugh. Lottie and Kevin reminded her a little of Will and Gwen, the way she kept pulling him back into line. The amusement faded, though, at the thought of how disappointed Will and Gwen were going to be when she showed up at home with her new husband.

“Ahem,”
Kevin started again. “Lottie has a surprise for you two first.”

She felt she’d had enough surprises recently, but it would be ungracious to say so. But déjà vu set in along with surprise
when Kevin parked in the lot at Blue and indicated they should get out.

“Obviously your last date here worked out pretty well,” he grinned lasciviously and winked, “so Lottie thought it might be a nice place to start off your new life together.”

Nick’s eyebrows drew together. “The roof is booked tonight.”

“It
was,
” Kevin corrected. He looked at Evie. “I had to tick off a few B-list celebs by cancelling their party, but they were happy enough to be rebooked in the VIP room at Starlight.”

“Kevin,” Nick growled.

Kevin waved him off and leaned into Evie as they walked. “Nick’s partial to Blue since it’s his pride and joy, but really, Starlight will work for them just fine. It’s not like he’s really losing any money off of it.”

All kinds of details were pressing their way through the fog that had entered her brain the moment she met Nick, and now she needed some answers. Answers she
should
have gotten before she waded into this, but Nick and clearheaded thinking didn’t come as a package deal. Evie plastered a smile on her face. “Could you excuse us for just a second? I haven’t had a chance to be alone with Nick since…”

Kevin lifted his hands as he backed away. “No problem. Lottie and I will go check on your surprise. Just don’t get too carried away.” He winked and disappeared through Blue’s door.

Evie grabbed Nick’s hand and pulled him out of the direct line of sight of the door. “Explain to me how you ‘know the owner’ of this nightclub?”

Nick cleared his throat. “Well…”

“You and Kevin own this place, don’t you? This is how you’re business partners, isn’t it?” Why hadn’t he told her?

“Not exactly.”

“Oh.” She felt foolish and wished it was a little darker in this parking lot so he couldn’t see the flush she felt on her cheeks.

“I own Blue. Kevin runs a different part of the business.”

She felt her jaw drop. “You own Blue outright?”

He smirked. “And four other clubs.”

How’d she miss
that
piece of information? All those details she’d overlooked—first in lust, and then in her marriage panic—jumped to the forefront to scream at her. Nick’s expensive car, the obviously custom cut of his clothes, the deference of the employees here at Blue and Starlight…

“Including Starlight?” She waved the question away before Nick could reply; she didn’t really need an answer that obvious. “No wonder you didn’t need a divorce settlement spelled out in the prenup.”

Nick stiffened. “So you did think you could buy me off with money. Go slumming and use your trust fund to get out of the mess?”

She lifted her chin at the insult. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“Don’t bother to try.” His jaw hardened. “You’re not the only one who can afford to support this child.”

That seemed a gross understatement.
“I see that now. Why didn’t you just tell me this that first night?”

The corner of his mouth curled again, but this time it was in sarcasm. “Probably for the same reason you didn’t mention your trust fund.”

She would
not
feel guilty, damn it, for not advertising who she was on their first date. “I wanted you to think I was just an average girl.” Her voice dropped. “I guess we both surprised each other.”

Nick crossed his arms over his chest. “And this disappoints you somehow?”

His attitude rankled her. The last warm fuzzy feeling from earlier evaporated. “Not at all. In fact, it will make things much easier at home. Less speculation about
why
we got married.”

He looked at her stomach pointedly. “I think the
why
will become obvious soon enough.”

She wanted to hit him just hard enough to knock that sarcastic look off his face. “Yes, but at least no one should be able to accuse
you
of knocking me up just to get a piece of my inheritance.”

“Or think you’re a fool for letting it happen,” he finished for her, the words dripping with bitter disdain.

The urge to smack him was growing stronger by the second. “Exactly. It’s all about me, you know.”