Page 23 of Hitched to my Boss

"I don't know what we are," I admit. "But I know we work well together."

"Even when we're pretending to be married?"

"Especially then." I meet his eyes, seeing the same uncertainty and attraction that I'm feeling. "Jason, we need to talk about what happens next."

"You mean the ground rules you mentioned earlier."

"I mean the practical realities of maintaining this arrangement." I pull out my phone, opening the notes app. "Living arrangements, public appearances, financial responsibilities, professional boundaries."

"You're writing a contract for our marriage."

"I'm establishing parameters so we both know what to expect." I start typing. "Separate bedrooms when we're in private. Scheduled public appearances to maintain the facade. And a clear timeline for how long we maintain this arrangement."

Jason reaches across the table and closes my phone. "Natalia, stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop trying to turn this into a business transaction." His voice is quiet but firm. "We're married. Accidentally, temporarily, whatever you want to call it. But we're married. And if we're going to make this work, even for a few months, we need to treat it like something real."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean separate bedrooms and scheduled appearances aren't going to convince anyone that we're actually together. If people see us acting like business associates who happen to wear matching rings, they're going to figure out that something's wrong."

He has a point, but the idea of blurring the professional boundaries makes my stomach clench with anxiety. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting we act like a married couple who are figuring things out as they go. We live together, we support each other professionally, we see what develops naturally instead of trying to control every variable."

"And when it ends?"

"If it ends," he corrects. "If we decide this isn't working, we get divorced like adults and remain professional colleagues. But we don't plan the failure before we even try to make it succeed."

The logic makes sense, but everything about it terrifies me.

"This is insane," I say finally.

"Maybe. But we're already committed to insane." He brings my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles that sends electricity up my arm. "The question is whether we're going to be miserable while we're insane, or whether we're going to see if being insane with you is actually the best decision I've ever made."

The conference announcement for the end of day two interrupts us.

I sigh, suddenly realizing the logistical nightmare I'm about to create. "I need to make some calls before we leave."

"Calls?"

"I have an apartment in Atlanta, Jason. Plants that need watering, mail that needs collecting, a life that I apparently just decided to abandon for a man I met three weeks ago." I pull out my phone, scrolling to Maya's contact. "Give me five minutes to figure out how to not completely destroy my existing life while building a new one."

Maya answers on the first ring. "Please tell me you're calling to say this Vegas marriage thing is an elaborate joke."

"Maya, I need a huge favor."

"Oh God. You're serious about this."

"Completely serious. I need you to apartment-sit for me. Water my plants, collect my mail, maybe check on things once a week?" I pause, realizing how insane this sounds. "I'm moving to Nevada."

"You're moving to Nevada. For a man you've known for three weeks."

"For a man I'm married to and want to stay married to."

There's a long silence. "Natalia, this is the most out-of-left-field thing you've ever done. You have a five-year plan. You have backup plans for your backup plans. You don't just abandon your life for a mountain man."

---