starving. Are you ready for lunch?”
Damn it all.
Jason stepped back from Celia so her hand fell from his arm—something he’d been a second away from doing, anyway, right before Lauren walked into his office. What was she even doing here? And to make matters worse, Brock stood just behind her, scowling.
What rotten timing all the way around. Celia had stopped by his office to ask if he was going out for drinks after work, and he’d been preparing the words to clear the air between them when the door had opened.
He needed to do some damage control ASAP.
Lauren stepped farther into the office, her green eyes flashing like kryptonite, ready to take down Clark Kent. Her loose-fitting teal-colored dress swirled around her legs, brushing against her curves. The woman was total sensual confidence. She thrust out her hand—her left one—engagement ring glinting. “I’m Lauren Presley, Jason’s fiancée just in from New York. We’re getting married tonight.”
“Married?” Celia squeaked.
“Tonight?” Jason needed air because keeping up with the surprises Lauren dished his way was an Olympic sport.
Brock cocked an eyebrow and leaned deeper into the doorway for a front-row seat.
Lauren breezed up to Jason’s desk and hooked her arm in his. “I know an elopement is supposed to be a secret. Sorry for spilling the beans, honey, but I’m just so darn excited. We’re catching a hop to Vegas. Hokey, I know, but, well—” she caressed her stomach “—it’s obvious we don’t have a whole lot of time to plan unless I want to get married wearing a tent.”
Brock stuffed his hands into his pockets, his face inscrutable. “We all had no idea. Congratulations.”
Jason adjusted his tie. “Thank you.”
Lauren smiled apologetically. “Blame me for that secrecy part, Mr. Maddox. I tend to be very private about my social life. I’m working on being more open.” She smiled up at Jason, her fingernails digging trenches into his arm, the only indication her joy was anything other than authentic. “Did you tell them you’ll be late for work tomorrow?”
He patted her hand, easing her nails away. “Uh, not yet.”
Brock straightened. “Sounds like you two have some plans to make. We all look forward to celebrating with you when you get back. Congratulations again.” He held the door open for wide-eyed Celia to follow.
Man, Jason owed her an apology. But he also owed Lauren his loyalty. Had she been serious about eloping? If so, why the sudden change of heart?
Once the door clicked shut, Jason turned to Lauren, eyeing her warily. Her hand rested mighty darn close to the pewter antique compass he used as a paperweight. Was she the kind of person who threw things? She was usually so calm he wouldn’t expect behavior like that from her. Although he also wouldn’t have expected her to announce to the world they were jetting off to Vegas in a few hours.
He closed the gap between them, watching her stoic face for the least sign of her mood. “Were you serious about eloping tonight?”
“Serious as a heart attack.” She set the pewter paperweight down with an extra-hefty thud.
“That’s great, really great.” He wasn’t sure what had caused her change of heart. Hell, he wasn’t sure what had propelled her to come to the office in the first place, but he didn’t intend to argue. He brushed her hair back over her shoulder, lightly, intimately. “You have nothing to be jealous about with Celia.”
“Who said I’m jealous?” she snapped.
“You’re obviously upset.” He cupped the back of her neck, massaging, hopefully soothing.
She shrugged free of his hand. “I don’t like being made a fool of.”
“There’s nothing going on between Celia and me.” And there wasn’t.
“Does she know that?” Lauren jabbed a finger toward the door.
“I was making sure when you walked in.”
Her eyes narrowed. “So there is something between the two of you.”
“Whoa, hold on. Let’s back this up.” His feet damn near paced the shine off the black floors. “You’re confusing the hell out of me. I try my ass off to charm you, and you all but toss my ring in the Bay. But when you think I’m flirting with another woman—which I was not—you’re ready to elope?”
“As soon as you can pack your bags and book the flight.” She closed the gap between them, blocking his pacing. Her jaw jutted aggressively. Which also happened to thrust out her full, kissable bottom lip.
She was hot when she was mad. Her eyes glimmered and her hair all but crackled from the heat radiating off her.
He was trying to do the straight-up best thing for their baby, and she was jerking him around nonstop. “If you’re so pissed at me, why did you announce to the world we’re headed to a Vegas wedding chapel?”
“Before—” she inched closer, tipping her head back until there was only a whisper of static-charged air between them “—I was worried about our feelings getting tangled up. But believe me, you’ve laid to rest all my fears about broken hearts and muddying the waters with an emotional train-wreck marriage like my parents went through. Now I know without question, there’s not a chance in hell that I could fall in love with you. So let’s go to Vegas.”
Lauren held it together all the way through the introductions to Maddox Communications employees as Jason escorted her to his car. At least Jason had seemed to get the message she didn’t want to give anything other than simple yes and no answers as he chartered a flight to Vegas.
She even managed to stay dry-eyed during the flight and through the sham of a wedding ceremony, difficult as hell to do since Jason had somehow managed to find a garden chapel service.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The wedding chapel official closed his book of vows, running his hand over the floral cover. His Hawaiian shirt was a little over-the-top, but there were flowers and plants everywhere, just as she would have wanted, which made her all the more emotional.
Jason brushed her lips with a kiss, nothing overly dramatic and yet still perfect. Although the feel of his mouth against hers, even closed and only lightly touching, sent heat sparkling through her veins.
And made tears prick her eyes.
He palmed her waist gently, his thumb stroking so lightly but enough to send her spine arching toward him. Her stupid, stupid traitorous body.
She broke away, looking down quickly, needing space. “Excuse me.”
Lauren raced to the washroom, desperate to leave before she embarrassed herself by falling completely apart in front of Jason. The whole day had been like a ride on a high-speed roller coaster, with more than a few loops tipping her life upside down. And somehow she’d zipped right along with it, never
