He'd been lucky to stay out of the spotlight this long, but now that he was out of the military, he was fair game for the media hounds. Although he had to admit Phoebe certainly made for a beautiful subject for the photographer with her cool, blond good looks.
Phoebe shuffled Nina over to Marianna and glided toward him, drawing his eyes to her legs. He flipped the pen between his fingers. Maybe this marriage could have some unexpected benefits. Who could fault him for sleeping with his own wife?
Her heart might well be buried along with her dead husband, but if that kiss was anything to judge by, her sensuality was alive and well.
Phoebe held out her hand. "May I have the pen, please?"
"Yeah, right." He passed it over and she leaned by him, a whiff of her floral shampoo drifting from her loose blond hair. An image flashed through his mind of the silky straight strands splayed across a pillow while he peeled her clothes away.
He tugged at his suddenly too tight tie.
Phoebe nudged aside the bouquet to rest her wrist on the table as she signed her name. She tucked her tongue in her cheek. He could still taste the hint of coffee from her lips.
Coffee, for crying out loud. Who would have thought the simple brew would taste so sexy? His heart rate spiked.
She finished her signature with a curly flourish at odds with her no-nonsense air.
Regardless, it was official. They were married. His eyes narrowed. And he fully intended to consummate this union as soon as he could romance his new wife into his bed.
Kyle slid the papers across the table toward his mother's assistant and focused his full attention on his wife. "Have you eaten anything today?"
The family would understand if he and Phoebe opted out of any scheduled big gatherings for some time to get to know each other. He seemed to recall a quiet little café near the courthouse. He'd eaten there before with his mother's judge friend, later took the judge's daughter there for a date.
Hmm … perhaps not a good idea to take the new wife to an old date site. Moving on to plan B.
Phoebe pushed her hair behind her ears with a sigh. "It's been a busy day."
Was she thinking about her first wedding? Understandable, but he needed to divert her thoughts of the man who still had such a prominent place in her mind.
"I would offer to take you out, but I imagine you're exhausted. The rug rat looks like she needs to stretch her legs. What do you say I pick up some takeout along the way and we spend the afternoon on the beach at home? There's plenty of space away from the rest of the family so that it will be just the three of us, relaxing by the shore, getting to know each other."
"That's really thoughtful of you." Wariness lit her dark eyes. "I would like that, very much."
"Then let's get moving. Once we're past the press no doubt waiting outside, we'll be home free."
Smiling reassuringly at her, he palmed her back. This time he prepared to steel himself for the jolt of awareness sparked by the feel of her under his palm. He ushered her out of the office, into the long corridor toward the elevator. He vaguely registered the footsteps of his family following and talking with each other. Cameras started clicking again from a small pack of reporters clustered behind a security guard blocking them from pressing closer.
His oldest brother, Matthew, broke away and started speaking with one of the reporters, diverting their attention by offering up a couple of sound bites. Apparently an interview with a U.S. senator trumped snagging more photos of a surprise wedding.
Kyle smiled. Thanks, bro.
He focused his attention forward, intent on getting Phoebe and Nina home. Anticipation ramped inside him. For the first time since Phoebe Slater had blasted into his world, he had control of his life.
Nina's future would be secure.
And for however long this marriage lasted, he and Phoebe could have one hell of a totally legal affair. No worries about emotional entanglements for either of them.
He stopped in front of the private side elevator designated for employees and special guests. He jabbed the button just as the door slid open to reveal one person already inside.
Damn.
A leggy redhead in her twenties blinked in wide-eyed surprise. Then smiled with recognition.
The timing couldn't have been worse to run into one of his exes. The judge's daughter. The one he'd dated briefly in the past.
Leslie? No. Lucy took the bouquet from him. "Okay, Kyle Landis, you're officially forgiven." She lifted the flowers to her nose and inhaled deeply, thrusting her breasts out none too subtly. "These are just gorgeous, you charmer. Calla lilies and roses, no less. I didn't know you were so romantic."
Phoebe bristled visibly beside him, stepping away from his palm at her waist. He needed to implement damage control before some reporter with a telephoto lens and great hearing put together a new headline.
He rushed Phoebe and Nina into the elevator with Lucy and pushed the Close button. "Uh, Lucy, I'd like for you to meet-"
Lucy laughed, talking right over him. "I was just going to leave you an 'eat dirt and die, you scumbag' message, but since you've apologized so nicely with flowers," she lifted the bouquet to her nose briefly, "I'll forgive you for breaking my heart."
Five
Stuck in the elevator with Kyle, most of his family and a towering redhead holding Phoebe's bouquet, she mentally thumped herself for being so gullible. Bianca had warned her of Kyle's ladies'-man past, damn it.Phoebe resisted the urge to back into a corner. Pride starched her spine. Pride, and a need to carry this off for Nina's sake.
He braced his shoulders, his uniform stretching over his chest. "Phoebe, this is a friend of the family, Lucy Cooper. Lucy, this is my wife, Phoebe." He gestured to his daughter and said simply, "And this is Nina."
The bubbly redhead turned … well, as red as her hair. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, and Phoebe actually felt sorry for the woman.
Lucy's eyes dropped down to the flowers in her hand. Her mouth went tight. "I guess these must be yours. My mistake." She thrust the bouquet toward Phoebe. "Congratulations. And good luck."
There was no missing the sarcasm coating her words more thickly than her cloying cologne soaked the enclosed space in the elevator. Phoebe couldn't bring herself to be angry at the woman for spoiling the day. She'd found out firsthand today how quickly a single kiss from Kyle Landis could persuade a woman to ignore warning signs.
The elevator doors swooshed open again blessedly soon and Lucy didn't even offer a good-bye before making tracks out into the back hall, toward a glowing exit sign.
Jonah inched forward, scratched his head. "At least she didn't ask about the kid."
Sebastian coughed into his hand. Or laughed. But Phoebe wasn't feeling the love. She couldn't avoid Kyle-they were married, after all.
However she could damn well resist his charming smile. "Kyle, I've changed my mind about dinner. I don't think I'm in much of a beach mood anymore."
Seven hours later, Phoebe dropped back onto her bed in the guest suite with an exhausted-exasperated-huff. At least she'd made it through the large family dinner, even if she hadn't been able to bring herself to eat much. Tempting thoughts of how they could have spent the evening tormented her. Images of lazing the hours away together on the beach, getting to know each other. After the Lucy debacle, he hadn't bothered bringing up cozy meals together.
She rolled onto her stomach and picked at the white piping around the dusky-rose-colored pillow sham.
Just a family friend.
How clichéd.
It was obvious Lucy had expected more out of Kyle, from the way she'd gushed all over the flowers. Phoebe's flowers, now discarded on the other pillow. She plucked a rosebud from the bouquet, releasing a fresh whiff of the fragrant perfume.
Stroking the bloom along her mouth, she glanced through the open side door to the connected sitting area Ginger had converted into a permanent nursery just for Nina. All that trouble and money, as if she and Nina would be staying here, made her nervous.