been to Vegas?”
8
Natalie
I just got fake married .
At an ice cream shop.
Oh, right, and now I’m in a car speeding through the desert to Las Vegas, with a man I don’t even really know.
Who’s my fake husband.
Natalie Ames, you have officially lost your damn mind.
The argument could be made that I lost my mind a long time ago, when I let myself fall into the same trap my mother, and her mother, and her mother before fell into - even thought I’d always swore I never would. But it’s like that fate was as inevitable as there being a city made of neon at the end of this dark desert road. I lost my mind when I gave up and gave in, and said yes to a man like Vince, knowing full well what that meant.
So, saying it again - however contrived, however phony, and however for financial reasons - to Austin should feel like giving up all over again. It should feel like I’m going down the same damn road - being the same damn piece of wall art, or arm candy.
Except…
I turn, peering at the bizarre and criminally attractive man behind the wheel in the low glow of the late afternoon sun. Except I might not know a thing about Austin, but I can already tell he’s nothing like Vince. Rich, and maybe the touch of arrogance that comes with that, but not scummy. Not disconnected.
Who knows , I think to myself, turning to look out over the copper sand of the Nevada desert. Maybe a fake marriage is exactly what you needed, Natalie Ames.
Maybe.
* * *
T he valet is all over Austin as soon as we pull up in front of the Bellagio - grinning from ear to ear, firmly shaking his hand, and just like the guy from the bar, telling him he “can’t wait for this year.”
Whatever the hell that means.
Austin just grins and thanks him, giving him a high five as he poses for a freaking selfie with the guy before he slips on a pair of shades and walks over to where I’m standing utterly confused by the lobby door.
“Are you going to tell me who you are?”
He smirks. “I’m your husband.”
I give him a look. “ Fake husband, but seriously, why does everyone know you?”
“You don’t.”
“Okay, everyone else in the world besides me, apparently. You’re like, famous or something, right?”
Austin grins behind those ridiculous movie-star shades. “Maybe I’m just a really likable guy.”
“So likable that random strangers want to take an Instagram picture with you?”
“Stranger things have happened, princess.”
Yeah, like me agreeing to marry a stranger for half a million dollars.
Inside, the woman at the front desk greets us warmly, of course addressing Austin by name and blushing when he grins back at her.
“Just checking in, Sarah,” he says in that smooth Texas twang, adding in just a touch more charm to it than I’ve heard before.
I frown.
“King-sized suite, please.”
“Extra bedroom,” I add in quickly, arching my brow at him.
“Aww, now honey , what about that magic?”
Sarah blushes and looks down as I smile sweetly at Austin.
“ Not going to happen,” I mutter quietly.
He grins. “You don’t want to seal the deal?” He slides closer to me and puts his arm across my shoulders. “You don’t want to consummate our marriage, dear?”
Sarah’s head jerks up so fast her glasses almost fall off her face. “Oh my God! You got married? ” She squeals, shaking her fists in the air and beaming at Austin like this is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to anyone, ever.
“You’re so lucky,” she whispers conspiratorially at me, biting her lip and beaming at the two of us.
“Yeah, definitely,” I say with zero emotion, arching my brow and glancing around the room.
What the HELL is going on.
Austin turns back to me, wagging his eyebrows. “ So… king bed?”
I’m about to open my mouth and tell him where he can shove his king-sized bed when he draws me in as if he’s kissing my cheek. I shiver before I can stop myself, feeling the heat bloom through me as I feel his lips
8
Natalie
I just got fake married .
At an ice cream shop.
Oh, right, and now I’m in a car speeding through the desert to Las Vegas, with a man I don’t even really know.
Who’s my fake husband.
Natalie Ames, you have officially lost your damn mind.
The argument could be made that I lost my mind a long time ago, when I let myself fall into the same trap my mother, and her mother, and her mother before fell into - even thought I’d always swore I never would. But it’s like that fate was as inevitable as there being a city made of neon at the end of this dark desert road. I lost my mind when I gave up and gave in, and said yes to a man like Vince, knowing full well what that meant.
So, saying it again - however contrived, however phony, and however for financial reasons - to Austin should feel like giving up all over again. It should feel like I’m going down the same damn road - being the same damn piece of wall art, or arm candy.
Except…
I turn, peering at the bizarre and criminally attractive man behind the wheel in the low glow of the late afternoon sun. Except I might not know a thing about Austin, but I can already tell he’s nothing like Vince. Rich, and maybe the touch of arrogance that comes with that, but not scummy. Not disconnected.
Who knows , I think to myself, turning to look out over the copper sand of the Nevada desert. Maybe a fake marriage is exactly what you needed, Natalie Ames.
Maybe.
* * *
T he valet is all over Austin as soon as we pull up in front of the Bellagio - grinning from ear to ear, firmly shaking his hand, and just like the guy from the bar, telling him he “can’t wait for this year.”
Whatever the hell that means.
Austin just grins and thanks him, giving him a high five as he poses for a freaking selfie with the guy before he slips on a pair of shades and walks over to where I’m standing utterly confused by the lobby door.
“Are you going to tell me who you are?”
He smirks. “I’m your husband.”
I give him a look. “ Fake husband, but seriously, why does everyone know you?”
“You don’t.”
“Okay, everyone else in the world besides me, apparently. You’re like, famous or something, right?”
Austin grins behind those ridiculous movie-star shades. “Maybe I’m just a really likable guy.”
“So likable that random strangers want to take an Instagram picture with you?”
“Stranger things have happened, princess.”
Yeah, like me agreeing to marry a stranger for half a million dollars.
Inside, the woman at the front desk greets us warmly, of course addressing Austin by name and blushing when he grins back at her.
“Just checking in, Sarah,” he says in that smooth Texas twang, adding in just a touch more charm to it than I’ve heard before.
I frown.
“King-sized suite, please.”
“Extra bedroom,” I add in quickly, arching my brow at him.
“Aww, now honey , what about that magic?”
Sarah blushes and looks down as I smile sweetly at Austin.
“ Not going to happen,” I mutter quietly.
He grins. “You don’t want to seal the deal?” He slides closer to me and puts his arm across my shoulders. “You don’t want to consummate our marriage, dear?”
Sarah’s head jerks up so fast her glasses almost fall off her face. “Oh my God! You got married? ” She squeals, shaking her fists in the air and beaming at Austin like this is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to anyone, ever.
“You’re so lucky,” she whispers conspiratorially at me, biting her lip and beaming at the two of us.
“Yeah, definitely,” I say with zero emotion, arching my brow and glancing around the room.
What the HELL is going on.
Austin turns back to me, wagging his eyebrows. “ So… king bed?”
I’m about to open my mouth and tell him where he can shove his king-sized bed when he draws me in as if he’s kissing my cheek. I shiver before I can stop myself, feeling the heat bloom through me as I feel his lips
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