Page 7 of Vegas Baby

She raked her fingers through her tangled hair and tilted a defiant chin. “I don’t recall what I said but I do believe in love. I don’t believe it’s the end all or be all for marriage. There’s a reason a large number of people get divorced after the first year. Pheromones wear off and then you’re left with someone you either have a lot in common with, or a stranger.”

“And I thought I was a cynic on the subject.” He rubbed his thumb along the plastic case of the tablet and frowned, unable to watch the absent way she fiddled with the long strands of hair, the same heavy mass he’d rolled into his fist while kissing her wide mouth.

“No, I’m practical but we digress. Veer’s father-in-law doesn’t trust you. And if he forces Veer to find another agent, our deal is off?”

“Our negotiations would be over. We don’t have a deal. Not yet.” Turn the conversation to business, a safe subject. He might be pissed at Veer. When this was all over, he’d still need to get the guy the best deal possible and he’d yet to meet with the Vegas team. He couldn’t let Raina in on his secret. They weren’t friends and even if they were, business was business.

“I thought our bet was over him signing with the team.” Raina rubbed at her temples. “This is all making my head hurt.”

“You told them to get married. When Anaya balked, you said we’d do it with them. Then they backed out. We went through with it because you said it wasn’t legit.” He hit the video and watched his recorded self clasp Raina about the waist before cupping her ass. More visual torture.

“And you believed me?” she asked, her bottom lip quivering. She was close to tears and he curled his hand into a fist to stop the instinct to comfort her. He had no right to touch her. Yes, she was his wife but in name only. They weren’t friends nor lovers.

“You’re an attorney. Of course, I believed you. I was drunk off my ass and honestly, I only recall snippets.” What he had recalled was steamy, but he’d spare her the details. It was a shame he wasn’t allowed the same luxury. He clicked the left facing arrow on the screen and the video resumed.

“Yes, we’ll come to your wedding but…and there’s a big but…Howler, stop grabbing my butt...” video Raina said, her own hands covering his, laughter spilling from her lips. Then she raised onto her toes and kissed him.

“Are you showing this to torture me?” Raina asked in a barely audible whisper.

She wasn’t the only one tortured by the scene. The sight of them kissing triggered a vivid recollection of her leaning over him in bed, her naked body straddling his own. He willed his mind to forget the visual. “It’s almost over.”

“If you promise to sign with the team, I’ll convince your father. I’m persuasive, aren’t I Howler?” video Raina said, holding out her hand to Veer. “Let’s shake on it.”

“No, don’t shake on it,” video Howler advised Veer. “We’ll figure something out.”

“If you can convince my father, then yes, I’ll sign with you.” Veer took her hand.

A big mistake in Howler’s eyes. While he thought Veer would fit in better with the Pioneers, he owed the Scorpions a chance. He clicked off the video and heaved a heavy sigh. “The wedding is in two days.”

“Excuse me? You really think I’m going through with this? I was drugged up and drunk. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.”

“Fine, then you call Veer and tell him he has no deal. If he loses me as an agent, there’s no guarantee he’ll get another agent, or if he does, that he’ll sign with the Pioneers. Do you really want to tell Miller you lost this deal because you took a sleeping pill and couldn’t remember?”

“You’re trying to blackmail me.”

“Perhaps. I’d hate to lose Veer but it’s not the end of the world for me. I have plenty other talent. The Pioneers are last in the league since Sam left. Jake is a great quarterback. He needs a strong offensive line and the Pioneers don’t have it.”

He wasn’t lying, technically he could walk away but at a price, one he wasn’t keen on paying. “It’s your decision. We have a car and reservations at the resort where the wedding will take place. And before you ask, yes, I said room. Not rooms and no, I have no idea if it’s a suite because Anaya’s wedding planner made the arrangements.”

She huffed out a breath and stood, the robe riding up to her upper thigh before she adjusted the material. “I guess it’ll be okay for a night.”

“It’s not a night, it’s two nights. Indian weddings are huge, elaborate events.” He’d done an internet search on them. From the looks of it, he’d be thrown together with Raina a lot. Howler shook his head. He wasn’t any more enthused about sharing a room with her than she was with him. For all intents and purposes, they were work acquaintances. Strangers. Except they’d had sex and he wouldn’t be averse to having a repeat, which was twisted in its own right.

Strangers with benefits then?

Oh, hell, he had no idea what to call them. He’d damn sure wasn’t calling them husband and wife.

Chapter Four

You can do this. Raina squared her shoulders and exited through the hotel’s double doors. The displaced air blew the skirt of her dress against her legs and she gripped the travel coffee mug in her hand tighter. Three days of pretending to be something she wasn’t, Howler’s wife. No, not necessarily a lie. They were legally married.

Howler leaned against the tail end of a white Camaro; head bent while he scrolled through his ever-present phone. Her heart began to pound harder and her feet turned leaden. Sheer determination kept her moving forward. Too much rode on their success to quit now.

“Sorry, I’m late.” She approached the car parked between a gaudy yellow Hummer and a red SUV.

He straightened, glanced up at her, his brown eyes widening. “You cut your hair.”

She felt his intimate inspection to the tips of her toes and resisted the urge to fiddle with the much shorter strands. After he’d left her room the previous night, she’d been too keyed up, unable to sleep. A little retail therapy and a visit to the hair salon had helped get her mind off the drama in her life.

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