Marriage of Convenience Page 2

  Cursing his father yet again, he racked his brain for a solution. Over the last year he’d been on four dates.

  Sylvia was a pediatrician. Her office was three floors above his own. He wouldn’t term the experience a disaster, but it had been damn close. He’d seen her in the cafeteria a few times and liked what he saw. She seemed light and funny. She had a lithe body and graceful movements. He hadn’t known much else, but wasn’t that what dating was for? He hadn’t asked anyone out since college, so he admitted to himself that he’d been rusty. Still, he should have known. She’d said yes to his offer of dinner, smiling and interested. They’d made arrangements over email throughout the day, and he’d been looking forward to the evening. He made reservations at Cipriani and offered to pick her up. She’d declined, indicating she liked to walk before and after dinner to aid digestion. Understandable. She’d arrived talking on her cell phone. She sat down at the table and continued to talk on the phone. The waiter had appeared, and she had given her order while on the phone. Malcolm had finished his salad and was working on his entree by the time she apologized for the call. She had explained that her ex-lover was in a crisis and needed a shoulder. He’d smiled to make a show of understanding, but inwardly he’d begun to doubt their future. He was beyond doubt and into certainty after she spent the remainder of dinner discussing her ex-lover’s problems and expressing her desire to get through the meal so that she could pay him a visit. Malcolm had been relieved when she’d begged off dessert. They said goodbye at the door, and he hadn’t seen her socially since. He’d heard via the hospital grapevine that she’d eloped with Mr. Phone a month later.

  He shuddered at the memory of two other less than stellar dates and instead focused on his latest experience, Sarah.

  Once a year the hospital opened its doors for a community holiday celebration. It coincided with Christmas, but in the spirit of openness and inclusion, the Board had determined to focus on snow as a theme rather than take on the daunting task of including every religiously significant symbol and potentially alienating or offending guests.

  Sarah, typically in the role of a nurse practitioner, had transformed into a snowflake princess for the benefit of the visiting children. Though he learned she’d been volunteered for the role by her supervising attendant, she played the role as though it had been her own idea. She introduced herself to the children, led them in songs and games, and took pictures with them for keepsakes. He remembered approaching her with a joke, lame to his own ears, but she’d laughed good-naturedly and introduced herself.

  They’d made eye contact across the room throughout the evening. Encouraged, Malcolm had waited for her in the lobby as the last guests were leaving. At the late hour he didn’t have many options, but he offered a late dinner at the diner two blocks over. Rubbing her stomach through her costume, she said she hadn’t had time to eat during the celebration and that she was starving. If he was willing to wait for her to change, she’d love to go. He would have waited for just about any length of time. Her eagerness had suckered him in, and he was excited.

  He found they both liked breakfast for dinner. The coffee had been mediocre, but they’d shared lively conversation. They agreed on books, cities they’d visited, and movies. As they left the diner, she said she wasn’t tired and didn’t feel like going home. She shared an apartment with two girls and, from time to time, their out of work boyfriends. Malcolm had suggested a late movie, and she’d placed her hand in his. They’d walked to Times Square. He couldn’t remember the name of the film, but he remembered the kiss that followed.

  She’d snuggled up to him during the movie, and he’d welcomed the contact. Not used to dating, he’d forgotten how warm it could be to simply sit close to someone. After the movie he had offered to walk her to the subway station. They’d analyzed the film on the walk. They’d held hands, and he’d marveled at his great choice of women. Perhaps there was hope for him yet. She insisted that he didn’t have to walk her below, and in saying goodbye, had taken both his hands in hers and leaned into him. Surprised, but eager, he’d held her weight in his hands and leaned down to her, eyes closed. Her lips had been soft and warm with just a hint of maple syrup left over from the diner pancakes she’d had earlier. It didn’t last long, but it had stirred in him a desire for more. She had pulled back and smiled sweetly, almost unwilling to meet his gaze. She had laughed lightly and said she’d see him the next day at work. He had said he looked forward to it.

  But he hadn’t seen her. Not the next day or the one after that. He didn’t have her number and felt desperate contacting her through hospital channels.

  He wondered now how he could have let that slip through his fingers. But of his most recent prospects, she was the most likely to be wife material.

  He straightened up and looked at the mess on his desk. When he didn’t have a full consultation or surgery schedule, Betty was always ready to unload some of the contents of her desk onto his. She had a stamp of his name, but even after six years together she was reluctant to use it. She wanted his eyes to see everything that could have legal consequences for either him or the hospital later. He knew she was right, but it increased his work load exponentially.

  Stacking the papers into various piles, he cleared a space in the center. It at least it looked like he’d made some headway.

  He looked up and around the room, wondering if he should straighten the whole place. The door was directly across the room. To the left was a leather couch with an area rug in front of it. In decorating his office Betty had recommended muted colors to set patients’ nerves at ease. Bright colors, she said, made people tense. He didn’t know if he agreed, but why argue the issue? She was a mother, and perhaps she knew of such things from experience. Throw pillows on the couch coordinated with the rug. In front of his desk were two leather chairs. The entire lower part of the right wall held cabinets storing research, drafts of articles he’d written, formulas he intended to investigate, and the like. The top of the cabinets served as a snack station. Ostensibly it was, again, to ease patients’ nerves, but hidden away in one of the containers was Malcolm’s favorite treat, pecan clusters. He didn’t know from where they came; they just appeared from time to time. But he was very aware of when they were present. He could smell their nutty caramel goodness from across the room. Above the refreshments, extending wall to wall, were built-in shelves laden with reference books. Behind his desk, framing his chair, were two floor-to-ceiling windows. Each offered a view of the street below. He enjoyed looking out of them as he thought about a particular case. The movement from the street seemed to help organize his thoughts.

  Aside from the stethoscope, there were few personal items. He used to have a picture of his mother, but after her passing, it was too painful to see it, so the only image of her was housed in his wallet.

  “Betty, could you find a number for Sarah Suzan? She’s down in the ER.” He released the call button on his phone and clicked on his computer screen. With the prospect of his immediate problem being taken care of he hoped to be able to focus on other pressing medical issues. He was momentarily sidetracked by the notion of someone having two first names as their first and last name. He had a patient named Reagan Parker. And two other patients named Parker Stevens and Reagan Aaronson.

  “Sorry, Doctor, there’s no Sarah Suzan in the ER.”

  Puzzled, Malcolm sat back. Surely he had her name correct—he wasn’t likely to ever forget it. “Are you sure? She’s a nurse….”

  “I called both duty stations. No Sarah Suzan, nurse, doctor, or patient.”

  Curious.

  “There was a Sarah Klein, though. Could you have gotten the name wrong?”

  Sarah Klein. “Is she related to Doctor Klein in Audiology?”

  “His wife, I think. I’d heard he married someone on staff, but with all the gossip, who knows what’s fact and what’s fiction? Anything else?”

  “No. Thanks.”

  Malcolm couldn’t be sure that Sarah Klein was hi
s Sarah Suzan, but it would be an amazing coincidence if she wasn’t.

  Deflated to have his plan pulled out from underneath of him so quickly, he forgot about accomplishing anything on the computer and once again sat slouched in his chair, staring at his desk.

  He hadn’t doubted that the task of finding a wife in seven days would be difficult, but he was now feeling it was impossible. He’d have to forgo his inheritance and, more importantly, the opportunity to honor his mother by creating a center to support single mothers using his father’s money.

  Chapter Three

  “So what’s the plan?”

  Denzel had listened to his wife intently as she’d relayed Malcolm’s story. Still not quite believing it herself, she’d been hopeful he’d have an idea. He and Malcolm had been best friends since middle school. They’d grown up across the street from each other in a small town outside Chicago. They’d gone to the same high school and college. They’d split ways afterward, Malcolm to medical school and Denzel to business school, but they’d remained strong in their friendship. They celebrated each other’s birthdays, in person, regardless of what the other had going on. They celebrated each holiday together since Malcolm’s mother passed and talked about every day. Gloria teased Denzel that Malcolm was his man-wife. Neither man found the description amusing.

  She had a plan. She always had a plan. But she liked to give Denzel time to think and express himself first. Over the years she’d noticed that often Denzel just ran with what she’d come up with rather than valuing his own thoughts. If she allowed him time and space to talk first, she could confirm his idea and then add her own to it, so they were both valued. She knew he was on to her strategy. They’d been married for years after all. He’d often said he didn’t mind, that he thought she was creative and often developed ideas that he didn’t think anyone else could think of on their own. Still, she hesitated, giving him an opportunity to generate some suggestions.

  Denzel smiled at her and raised his hands up, palms out, deferring to her judgment. “I’m all ears, dear. You’ve got this banged out already. Tell me how it works.”

  Gloria smiled back, grateful their marriage had developed into such an understanding partnership.

  “Well, we have several issues to address.” She paced their bedroom as she spoke. Denzel stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. He’d showered after their workout and was dressing for the evening. “Do you mind if we push our reservations?” She was intent on solving this problem, and she had yet to take a shower. Admiring his naked back, she was disappointed she’d missed an opportunity to shower with him; she’d been too preoccupied with Malcolm’s situation to consider the possibility. She’d have to rectify that soon.

  “Not at all. We can do something here instead.”

  “You’re a doll.” Gloria winked at him and turned back to the bed. “Now, we don’t know of any prospects, and we don’t have much time. Even once we have prospects, we still need to make introductions, get to the heart of things, and then make wedding arrangements.” Gloria sat on the edge of the bed, nibbling her lip. She was talking more to herself than to him.

  “All right, first things first. We need candidates.” Inspired, Gloria rolled across the width of the bed to her bed side table and pulled out her telephone book. She had an iPhone that could carry all her personal information, but she was old school and preferred to keep her contacts on paper. Flipping through the pages, she lay on her stomach, her brow knitting together as she considered her options.

  “Shall I cancel our reservations altogether?” Denzel leaned out of the bathroom door. “I don’t want to get dressed if I can enjoy pizza at home.”

  Gloria glanced at the clock on the side table and then back at her address book. She rolled onto her back, put her hands behind her head and pulled her knees up, regarding her husband to the side.

  “Would you mind?” She smiled wide. “How about we open a bottle of wine, order a pizza, and play matchmaker? Who knows? Maybe all the talk of Malcolm getting lucky will lead you to getting lucky, too.” She fluttered her eye lashes at him and let her knees fall open, welcoming him between her legs.

  Denzel whistled wolfishly and threw the hand towel to the floor. Crossing the room in three strides, he climbed onto the foot of the bed and crawled between his wife’s legs. He kissed her calf. He kissed the inside of her knee. He kissed her inner thigh. He gently bit her crotch. Denzel nuzzled her left breast and gently nibbled her bottom lip. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he felt her warmth.

  “Shower with me,” she said against his mouth.

  “I thought you’d never ask.” Denzel lifted her from the bed and carried her to the bathroom, stepping out of his pants and underwear as he went.

  In the bathroom, he slid Gloria down his body till her feet touched the floor. The air was still moist and warm from his own shower. Pressing her against the wall opposite the double sinks, he raised her shirt above her head. She’d already shed her sports bra, leaving her breasts free and ready for his touch. Holding her gaze, he cupped her left breast in his hand and let the tips of his fingers rub gently across her hardened nipple. Gloria closed her eyes and gasped at the pure pleasure of her husband’s touch. He was good with his hands. Very good. She sank her fingers into his shoulders to steady her weakening knees.

  Wedging his knee between hers, Denzel slid his left hand between her legs even while his right hand continued its exploration of her breast. He pulled gently on her nipple at the same time he pushed down her pants. She stepped out of the pants, careful not to discourage either hand from its mission.

  Her stomach began quivering with a need that was as intense as anything she’d ever felt.

  Denzel lowered his head to her breast while slipping his hand insider her panties. Leisurely stroking the beaded nipple with his tongue, Denzel eased his fingers into her sensitive flesh. Blood pounded in her ears as he began to stroke her intimately. She wasn’t sure what was sending her over the edge faster, his mouth or his hand. She released a soft sigh as he raised his mouth to hers and intensified the tempo of his stroke.

  She tightened her grip on his shoulders and called out his name when a shudder ran through her, shaking her to the core. She could barely stand, and her mind was void of any conscious thought except the intense pleasure rippling through her.

  Malcolm? Malcolm who?

  Her breath ragged, she protested his abandonment as he stepped away from her.

  “All good things come to those who wait.” Turning the knob on the shower faucet, he pulled her into the shower to stand in front of him. He brought her close and lifted her off her feet.

  “Wrap your legs around me, love,” he said in deep, husky voice. “I love holding you, touching you. I can’t get enough of you.” Denzel nuzzled her ear and pressed wet kisses to the side of her neck. Gloria smiled, enjoying his attention. He cupped her bottom and pulled her more firmly to him. A soft moan escaped her lips as she enjoyed his touch.

  She did what he asked, and before she could register what he was about to do, he swiftly entered her. Water poured over them, blurring their vision and soaking their hair, but nothing could have stopped him from backing her up against the tile wall and pumping in and out of her like a man pushed over the edge.

  He grabbed hold of her hips as they cradled his pelvis and drove deeper into her as his body exploded, forcing himself to hold still while feeling her muscles clench around him. She dug her fingers hard into his shoulders and arched into him.

  Though he was totally drained, he clearly wanted his body to remain connected to hers. He braced his legs apart to keep her pinned to the wall.

  As the water cascaded down over them, Gloria wrapped her arms around his back and held him to her. Holding him this way, and sharing these moments always made her feel warm, loved. There was no place she’d rather be and no one else she’d rather be with.

  She felt his body getting hard inside her again. He reached over and turne
d off the water. With her body still joined to his, he stepped out of the shower.

  Grabbing a thick towel off the rack, he wrapped it around them as they left the bathroom. He reached the bed, and they tumbled onto the covers. Holding his gaze, Gloria waited for him to settle between her legs. She raised her hips to encourage him, and he began moving inside her, thrusting in and out of her with long, leisurely strokes. He leaned closer and mated his tongue to hers. A hot flare raged through her, uncoiling in her stomach as he increased his rhythm. Gloria heard herself cry out his name as he tilted his head back and bucked harder, bringing them to their climax simultaneously. She kissed his shoulder and nibbled his neck as he slowly lowered himself onto her.

  “You’re wonderful,” Gloria said, tracing the curve of his spine with her fingertips, enjoying the little shudders that rippled through his body. She let Denzel roll her onto her side. He molded her backside to the front of his body. Spooned together, she snuggled into his body and let her thoughts wander.

  Shivers passed through her body. Her husband had always been an attentive lover. He thought of her need first and followed with his own. Snuggling closer, pressing her bottom against his hips, she appreciated this to no end. She smiled at the thought and fell asleep to the soft, snoring rhythm of Denzel’s breathing.

  Chapter Four

  “What were we talking about before we got distracted?” Denzel looked genuinely puzzled as he perused the pizza menu.

  They’d risen only a half hour after making love and were famished.

  “I feel like it was important, but I’m drawing a blank. Cheese and mushrooms, please.” Having placed his order with Gloria, he waited for her to finish entering the information into the order form on the computer.

  “Really?” she asked, smiling as she hit the order button. “Malcolm has to be married by Sunday.”

  “Wow. That totally escaped me. So what do we do? I know you have this solved.”