“Dr. Sain?” Ryan chuckled, then slapped Slade on the back again. “Your wife calls you Dr. Sain?”
Slade glanced at Taylor’s scowl, the stiff set to her shoulders and the tight line of her mouth. He was an idiot. He deserved her anger. He didn’t even know why he’d made the stupid announcement. Other than the fact that he’d been overcome with jealousy. “When she’s upset.”
“Trouble in paradise already. That’s a Vegas wedding for you.” The man laughed again, not realizing just how much he was getting on Slade’s nerves. Odd, as he usually liked the doctor, who also practiced in Nashville.
“Well, congrats anyway.” Cole gave them a wry look. “For however long it lasts.”
Slade packed up his briefcase and followed Taylor from the conference room and down the long hallway that led out into the hotel’s main lobby.
Ignoring the lush Christmas decorations and colorful slot machines scattered around the huge lobby, Taylor didn’t say a word directly to him until they were alone in the elevator. Then she rounded on him, opened her mouth to speak, then stopped, closed her eyes in disgust and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, anger still flickered there. “How dare you make that little announcement during our presentation?”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You made a joke of our presentation,” she accused, practically snapping at him.
“No, I didn’t.” He would never intentionally do anything to take away from the importance of Interallon and the results they were getting with the medication.
“Yes, you did. Rather than paying attention to what you were saying, half the people in the room were busy Tweeting that we’d gotten married.”
“You’re exaggerating.” He hoped she was exaggerating.
“Really?” She dug in her bag and held up her phone. “This thing has been buzzing like crazy since you made your little comment. Forget the fact that our marriage is a sham, but how dare you make a mockery of my work?”
“That’s not what I was doing.” Guilt hit him. She was right. They were getting a divorce as soon as it could be arranged. The fewer people who knew of their mistake the better. He’d been out of line to say anything.
“That’s exactly what you were doing.” She looked as if she’d like to hit him, but instead just gritted her teeth and made a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a sigh.
“You’re right,” he agreed with sincerity and regret. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m sorry, Taylor.”
That seemed to take the steam out of her argument, as if she hadn’t expected him to apologize. Rather than say more she just rolled her eyes upward, her long lashes brushing the lenses of her heavy-framed glasses.
The elevator beeped and the door slid open. She practically ran out. Slade followed, his eyes never leaving her as she marched to her door, dug in her bag for her room key card, then slid the card into the slot. He got there just as she pushed open the door and went inside, not waiting for him.
Slade hesitated only a second, then caught the door before it closed, and went inside to try to repair the damage he’d done.
He wasn’t very good at this husband thing.
Good thing he didn’t plan to be one for long.
TAYLOR GLANCED AROUND her hotel room and wanted to scream. Those weren’t her things.
They were Slade’s things.
Her blood boiled. How could he have been so stupid as to have announced that they’d married? She’d just wanted to have a quiet quickie divorce. She had not wanted anyone to know. Now everyone knew. Right before Christmas. Ugh.
She threw her bag down on her bed, wincing when she recalled her laptop was inside. She clicked on her phone to see who the latest text was from. Her parents? No doubt they’d hear of her latest “major life mistake” soon enough.
The text was from Nina. Great. Had her friend said anything to Gracie? She prayed not. No way did she want Gracie to know what an idiot she had for a mother.
Married in Vegas to a virtual stranger. Brilliant example she was setting for her impressionable young daughter. Shame on her. No doubt her parents would remind her of that over and over.
I just read that you married Slade Sain! Is that true? Hello, girlfriend, have you been holding out on me? I didn’t know you two were an item and I’m your best friend!
“We need to talk.”
Clutching her phone, Taylor spun at Slade’s words. “You need to get out of my room.”
“This is our room.”
“Get out,” she repeated.
“Taylor.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry I messed up. You’re right that I shouldn’t have said anything. Unfortunately, I did and I can’t take the words back.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know I married you!”
Something akin to hurt flickered across his face. “Not that I want to be married any more than you do, but am I such a loser that you’re ashamed of me?”
Surprised that he sincerely looked offended, Taylor sank onto the foot of the bed and sighed. “This is crazy. I don’t want to argue with you, Slade. I don’t want to say hurtful things. I don’t want you here. I don’t want to be married to you. I don’t want anyone to know. I don’t want to face our colleagues at this dinner tonight, knowing that they’re going to be watching us.”
“That’s a lot of ‘I don’t wants,’” he mused, his voice gentler than before. He knelt down on the floor in front of her. His eyes searched hers. “What is it you do want, Taylor?”
Although he wasn’t touching her, his nearness made her insides tremble. Probably from disgust that she’d married him. “To forget this ever happened and to not be married to you of all people.”
“Of all people? Ouch.”
“I’m sorry if I’m wounding your ego, but don’t pretend that it’s anything more than that,” she pointed out, wishing he’d move away from her. How was she supposed to not look at him when he was right there, kneeling in front of her? “Yes, we had sex together and it was good. But we aren’t in love and we won’t ever be. This was a mistake and what’s worse is that it’s now a public mistake.” Oh, how she hated that anyone knew how big a mistake she’d made. “And above all else I don’t want Gracie to find out.”
Confusion furrowed his brows. “Who’s Gracie?”
She might as well tell him. “My daughter.”
Shock registered on his face and for a moment she thought his knees were going to give way. “You have a daughter?”
“Yes, I have a daughter.” She snorted. Just as well Slade wasn’t the man of her dreams, because his reaction to the news of Gracie would have killed any chance he had.
Face a little blanched, he shook his head. “You don’t have a kid.”
He sounded so confident in his immediate response that Taylor wanted to laugh. Only she wasn’t feeling very amused at the moment. She was feeling crowded with him so close to her and annoyed at his reaction.
“Sure I do.” She narrowed her gaze, hoping he’d take the hint at how much she disliked him. “Perhaps you noticed the stretch marks along my hips last night when we were...” Her cheeks heated. Crazy after the