скачать книгу бесплатно
She frowned. “You will?”
“Yes, of course. I promise.”
“But I will be your wife.”
His heart beat faster. “Yes, but not—” He stopped himself. Great. Now he was the one having problems with their secret. “We’ll talk later.”
The pilot spoke over the loudspeaker. “We’re now approaching Las Vegas airport, so please be seated and fasten your seat belts. Thank you for flying with us today.”
Joe leaned over and snapped her seat belt.
“I can do it,” she protested gently.
“I know, but I like to help you. In a few minutes we’ll be on the ground. Are you excited?”
She met his gaze briefly, then looked away. “Of course.” She thought that was the answer he wanted. But she hated the idea that she was trapping him into marriage.
Joe was a kind man, offering her his protection. She must try not to take advantage of him. Some of the men at the club, especially when they were in the Men’s Grill temporary facilities, where their wives never appeared, were eager to take advantage of her, not to protect her. But she’d always turned them down. She’d never had to turn Joe down. He had never seemed interested in her in that way.
She sent up a small prayer that she would never shame Joe, that she would repay his kindness with loyalty and patience.
The pilot set the plane down smoothly, and when they were parked at the gate, Joe stood in the aisle to gather their luggage from the overhead bin.
Her cloth bag looked shabby beside his sleek leather one, but he showed no concern about what people might think. “Come on, Ginger. Time for us to go.”
She slipped out of her seat and stood beside Joe, ready to go where he led her.
Much to Ginger’s surprise, they didn’t take a taxi when they exited the airport. A man was standing on the sidewalk with a sign with Joe’s name on it.
“Does he know you?” she whispered to Joe as he waved to the man.
“No, honey, I hired him to meet us.”
“Oh.”
The man opened the back door to his limo and waved for her to enter. She slipped onto the seat and stared, then scooted over as Joe followed. “Joe, there’s room for many more people,” she whispered as the car began to move.
“Yeah, but it will just be the two of us. So we can have privacy.”
“But everyone is staring.”
“Don’t worry, they can’t see us. Now, we’re going to go to fill out papers and then find a marriage chapel. They’ll have a room where you can change. Is that all right? You have your dress ready?”
“Yes.” Her dress was a simple sheath in pale blue that her mother had made her for her own marriage to Harold, Ginger’s stepfather.
Something in her voice must have worried Joe. “Should we go shopping first and buy you a new wedding gown?”
“No! It would cost a lot of money. It’s not necessary.”
He gave her a strange look. “I have plenty of money, Ginger. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“The bride is supposed to pay for the wedding.”
“No, you have that wrong. The bride’s family is supposed to pay. And since you don’t have a family, I’ll take care of everything.”
She said nothing else, but she determined to keep down the cost of their wedding. After all, he was doing her a favor.
By the end of the evening, Joe was frustrated. All he’d bought her was a small bouquet of flowers. But he had to admit Ginger looked beautiful in her simple dress. The pale blue color complemented her auburn hair and blue eyes. And the ceremony, although brief, achieved their goal.
Afterward Ginger was ready to get back on a plane and return to Texas.
“No, honey, I made us a reservation. We have the honeymoon suite at the Bellagio.”
“What is that?”
“It’s one of the hotels on the strip.”
When she discovered the suite consisted of a huge space with a tub big enough to hold half a dozen people and several bedrooms and a living area, she told him they should ask for a smaller place so they could save money.
He refused. He needed plenty of room so he could handle the desire to put his arms around her. Especially as the sun went down.
“Will we leave in the morning?” she asked anxiously.
“Our flight’s around noon.”
She frowned and said nothing.
“We’re going to dinner in ten minutes. Okay?”
“Why don’t we eat here? Look at all this fruit.” She gestured to the delicious-looking fruit basket on the cocktail table. “That would be enough for dinner.”
“Not for me. Besides, a wedding dinner is traditional.”
She kept frowning.
After dinner, Joe took her to the casino. He changed dollar bills into coins and handed her some, explaining she should put one in a slot machine. She slipped the coin in. He told her to pull the handle.
She did so and waited.
With a kiss on her smooth cheek, he said, “Sorry, you didn’t win. Here’s another one.”
She stared at the coin he held out and then at him. “Why?”
“To try again. To see if you win.”
“But I didn’t.”
“So you try again.”
“No! I will not give your money away.”
“But it’s supposed to be fun.” He waved his arm. “All these people are playing the slot machines. Don’t you want to?”
“No. A good wife does not give her husband’s money away,” she assured him, a determined look on her face.
He sighed. “Okay, we’ll try again later. Do you want to see a show?”
“What kind of show?”
He tried to explain what was available. The only thing she showed interest in were the famous white Bengal tigers, but that show was sold out.
Finally, he had an idea. “How about art? The Bellagio has an art gallery with famous paintings. Would you like to see them?”
Her eyes glowed. “Oh, I would love that. One day in New York I got to go to a museum. The paintings were beautiful.”
Joe shook his head in amazement and took his bride to the art gallery. Slowly they looked at the paintings. In college, Joe had studied art, along with architecture and in his spare time did some sketching. But he enjoyed the evening more than he had thought he would, mostly because Ginger liked looking at the paintings, too.
But he didn’t think anyone else would believe him. A night in Vegas with no gambling, no alcohol and no sex. He’d ordered a bottle of champagne for their wedding supper, but Ginger had preferred Coca-Cola. No bright lights, big stars or crowds of people. Just art, whispered comments and privacy.
After the gallery, Ginger was ready to turn in. “Do you mind?” she asked. “I’m tired. So much has happened in two days.”
He put his arm around her shoulder and led her to the elevator. “You’re right, honey. Will you be okay if I come back down for a while?”
“You like to gamble?” she asked, surprised.
“Sometimes.” Like when I have to leave you alone, he said to himself. Otherwise you couldn’t keep me from your side.
With a cautious smile, she told him good-night once they were in the suite. He kissed her cheek and turned away. “I’ll be back in a little while.”
She nodded and disappeared into the big bedroom.
Wearily, he turned away. He didn’t want to gamble. But he’d go put in an hour on the slot machines, or maybe blackjack, to pass the time. Then maybe he could go to sleep without thinking about Ginger in the massive bed in the next room. Or, maybe more accurately, about joining her in the big bed.
He hadn’t realized resisting temptation would be so difficult.
When Joe awoke the next morning, about nine, he showered and shaved, then dressed before discovering Ginger poring over a book in the living room.
“What are you reading?” he asked.
Ginger looked up in surprise. “Oh! I didn’t know you were awake. I’m studying history. I have a test Tuesday night.”
He shook his head. That wasn’t something he’d brag about: his wife studying while on her honeymoon. “Ready for some breakfast?”
She agreed, though she said she’d eaten some fruit when she got up at seven.
“I thought you’d sleep late.”
“No, I usually get up at seven. Do you sleep late every morning?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I guess I just stayed up too late last night.” Actually, he’d stayed downstairs until the early morning, trying to tire himself out.
“Did you lose a lot of money?” she asked, that frown already in place.
“No, in fact I won.”
The frown disappeared, but she didn’t show any greedy elation.
“So come on,” he urged her. “Let’s get some breakfast. I can pay for it with my winnings.”
“I can pay for myself. I didn’t pay my share for dinner last night.”
Joe huffed. “I’m the husband. I’ll pay for our meals.”
“But that’s not fair. You’re helping me. You shouldn’t have to pay.”
He studied her clear eyes, her earnest expression. Crossing to her side, he took her shoulders in his hands. “Ginger, if we’re going to convince people that we are truly married, we’re going to have to act like it. I’ll pay for our living expenses. You’ll take care of cooking occasionally, cleaning a little. That’s how it works.”
“But—”
“No arguments.” With a sigh, he said firmly, “Honey, I’m an architect. I make a lot more money than you. I can afford to take care of you.” He turned her around to face the door. “Now, I want no more arguments about who’s going to pay. Let’s go get breakfast.”
By the time they’d had breakfast, packed up and got on the plane, Joe had a lot better picture of what he faced when he got his bride back to Mission Creek.
Heaven help him.
Three
Joe called his mother when they changed planes in San Antonio. They were only a short flight from Mission Creek.
“Mom, it’s Joe. Are you and Dad going to be home this evening?”
“Why, yes, dear. Where are you?”
“I’m in the San Antonio airport. I have someone I want you to meet. May we drop by in about an hour?”
“Of course. Will you have eaten?”
“No.”
“I’ll have some food ready. Is this a friend from Chicago?”
“No, it’s better than that, Mom. I’ll see you in an hour.”
He hung up the phone and found Ginger staring at him. “What is it? Why are you upset?”
“Why did you tell your mother?”
“Well, actually, I didn’t. We’re going to surprise her,” he said with a big grin. His family would definitely be surprised. And he would be relieved. He’d told his family he’d never met a woman he wanted to marry. The truth of the matter was, he didn’t think he’d ever want to risk his heart again. He’d been betrayed when he first fell in love, and it had become a habit to avoid commitment. But marrying Ginger wasn’t real. And she truly needed him.
