Josh shook his head. “Michelle, we got married. We’ll stay married at least for several months. The people we invited today were happy to share in what they thought was a special day for us. Let them have the fun of giving gifts. If your sensibilities won’t allow it, when we split, you can return them.”
She let Josh’s words wash through her. Idly tracing the pattern on the sofa fabric, she admitted she was trying to find something to talk about. She was more concerned about spending the night in this hotel suite alone with Josh, rather than the wedding presents.
What would they talk about? It was hours until morning. Even if they went out to dinner and a movie or something, she wasn’t sure she could last until time to leave tomorrow.
If it had been someone else, maybe. But she was growing more and more interested in the man who’d just become her husband. He was totally different from anyone else she knew.
Not that she knew him that well.
Venturing a glance in his direction, she was startled to find him staring at her.
“What?”
“Just thinking. Want to change into something more comfortable? I do.”
She nodded, wondering with a touch of trepidation if he expected them to change together in the bedroom.
He pushed away and went toward the bedroom door. “I’ll change, then leave it to you.”
Pausing at the doorway, he looked over his shoulder. “You look lovely in your suit and hat. I’m glad your friend took those pictures.”
Michelle felt the breath leave her at that statement. The door closed and she leaned back on the sofa, feeling confused and flustered. He was glad for the pictures? She thought he’d endured the process just to further their charade.
Smiling, she remembered Bethany’s insistence on all the different poses: she and Josh, she, Josh and Penny, pictures with the judge, with her sisters, and several group shots with everyone.
For a second, Michelle wistfully wished it had been a real wedding. One meant to last.
Sighing, she rose and crossed to the window, her ears attuned toward the bedroom. When Josh finished changing, she’d take off her wedding finery.
Maybe they could go for a walk or something. She felt restless and unsettled and far too fascinated with the man in the next room.
An hour later they strolled along the river. Michelle sought for something to talk about, but felt as tongue-tied as a teenager on a first date. She cleared her throat.
“Did you get a chance to talk to Edith Strong yet?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No, I tried calling, but she couldn’t come to the phone at that time. I thought we could ride up one day and see her together. She knows you and will likely be more forthcoming if you’re there.”
“Okay.”
Silence. The hot Louisiana sun beat down on them. Only a slight breeze blew from the water which did little to cool the air.
Josh reached for her arm, turning her toward a vacant bench in the shade of an old oak.
“Let's sit and talk.”
Michelle nodded, nerves stretched taut. “About what?”
Josh waited until they sat, then looked out across the water. “About us and this marriage.”
She cleared her throat. “Okay.”
Her heart thrummed in her chest, her hands grew damp and she wiped them surreptitiously on her skirt.
“I’ll be blunt. I’m attracted to you, Michelle. You must have recognized that. I didn’t expect it and didn’t want it, but there it is.”
“That’s blunt,” she blurted out, her eyes wide as she stared at Josh. What did he want her to say?
He grimaced slightly, then gave her a half smile. “Yeah, well, that’s the best way, I think. The thing is, I didn’t plan to marry again. My relationship with Sylvia wasn’t the best recommendation for a second try.”
“I remember you didn’t exactly leap at the chance to get married when I first brought it up.”
“I appreciate what you’re doing for Penny. And me. I don’t know how I could have managed without this arrangement. And the last thing I wanted was to send her away. So maybe the next to last thing I wanted was to get involved again.”
“Involved?”
He reached out to trace a finger along her cheek, as if fascinated by the texture of her skin.
“You’re so soft,” he said slowly.
Heat rushed through Michelle at his touch. Heat and a yearning that grew stronger each time she was with Josh.
“What is it you want, Josh?”
“I want you, Michelle O'Malley.”
The world spun. Michelle gripped the edge of the bench to keep from flying off. Had she heard him correctly?
“I know we planned on a platonic relationship. And I’ll stick with that, if you like. But I don’t think this attraction is all one-sided and I wanted you to know where I stand.” He dropped his hand and turned, arms crossed, to gaze at the river.
“I don’t know quite what to say,” she said a few second later. The silence seemed to reverberate.
“You don’t have to say anything unless you want to agree to an affair while we're married.”
She smiled. “An affair while we are married, that sounds weird.”
He looked at her and shrugged. “Temporary like this marriage. What would you call it?”
She swallowed. He was serious. He wanted her! Oh wow!
“We don’t even know each other very well.”
“So we did it backwards, got married, then learned about each other. What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” Michelle surprised herself with the intensity of her curiosity. She wanted to learn every scrap of information she could about Josh.
“Where you were born, grew up. Where your parents are now? What you were like as a little boy? What made you become a private investigator?”
He stretched out his feet and settled on the bench. “Short version: born here in New Orleans. I have two brothers, neither of whom live here now. One’s in New York, the other in L.A. My folks are both dead, died in the hurricane. No grandparents living, but they were
