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The Texan's Baby Proposal
Sara Orwig


Soon temptations grow uncontrollable and this marriage of convenience may become so much more!Millionaire Texan Marc Medina must marry immediately to inherit his grandfather’s ranch. So when his newly single secretary tells him she’s pregnant, he sees a brilliant deal. He’ll give her his name, inherit and have her in his bed!







He needs a wife...fast. From USA TODAY bestselling author Sara Orwig!

To inherit his fortune, Marc Medina has a month to find a wife, which seems impossible. Until he discovers his gorgeous assistant is pregnant. Marrying her and providing for her child could be the perfect business deal...

Her boss’s proposal will secure her baby’s future. All Lara Seymour has to do is not fall in love. But Marc is sexy, kind and downright dangerous... Falling for her fake husband could ruin everything.

The Texan’s Baby Proposal is part of the Callahan’s Clan series.


“There’s more, Lara… I haven’t reached the part that includes you,” Marc said.

Startled and curious, Lara stared at him.

“I’ve only told you part of my grandfather’s demands. There’s another part. I’m to marry this month and stay married for one year.”

He reached across the table to take her hand, which was an action so unlike him that she nearly gasped. For a few seconds, she couldn’t speak. She could only continue staring at him.

“Don’t say anything until I’m through. You’re surprised, just as I was when my grandfather told me.”

While she heard his words, she was still focused on his hand wrapped around hers. It was warm, his grip light, yet the instant they touched, she tingled from head to toe.

Somehow, the touch of his hand had changed their relationship. She was certainly more aware of him as a man. And that awareness made it impossible to find words for a response.

He continued, “I want to see if I can make a deal with you…and make you my wife.”

* * *

The Texan’s Baby Proposal is part of the Callahan’s Clan series— A wealthy Texas family finds love under the Western skies!


The Texan’s Baby Proposal

Sara Orwig






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


SARA ORWIG, from Oklahoma, loves family, friends, dogs, books, long walks, sunny beaches and palm trees. She is married to and in love with the guy she met in college. They have three children and six grandchildren. Sara’s one-hundredth published novel was a July 2016 release. With a master’s degree in English, Sara has written historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Sara welcomes readers on Facebook or at www.saraorwig.com (http://www.saraorwig.com)


With many thanks to Stacy Boyd, who made this book possible. With thanks always to Maureen Walters. Also with love to my family, who fill my life with love and joy.


Contents

Cover (#ueaeb7fdf-8915-51cf-ad45-445863cca202)

Back Cover Text (#u196180a5-2080-574a-b9a7-fb57055e42de)

Introduction (#u1f757520-6699-53e4-950e-633c90bb71e2)

Title Page (#u9c33b9c0-4feb-5dfa-bd23-8c25f73eb13d)

About the Author (#u9e97b49e-3368-51fc-a543-c10fa20ad6b0)

Dedication (#u08601319-1950-5123-a999-5a068422bef6)

One (#u2615511b-fad8-5e61-93ea-9746dc360daf)

Two (#u3e215a71-3ecf-5d14-825a-1d4ffccf26cf)

Three (#u7f39d7b3-ce8b-524f-a86e-6e02c2f8cc80)

Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


One (#u3a716ecc-6ac3-5f94-9801-e8610035d810)

September

Facing a problem he never thought he would have, Marc Medina sat in his spacious Dallas office on a Tuesday evening and, through his open door, watched Lara Seymour, his executive secretary. It was almost an hour after closing time, but she had a six-o’clock appointment to talk to him. He knew she would appear promptly at six, not a minute early, not a minute late. He wondered what problem she had and hoped she wasn’t planning to quit because she was the best secretary ever.

And the best looking.

He stifled that line of thought. CEO and President, Marc had built this company, Medina Energy. He had a policy of never dating a coworker, never getting emotionally involved with one, never flirting with one. Instead, he maintained a professional relationship at all times. Nothing would make him deviate from that policy, especially now that he was widowed.

Of all the women he had worked with, Lara was the biggest temptation. She was the only one he was keenly aware of as a woman. Still, their relationship had never gone beyond business friendly.

His thoughts returned to his ailing grandfather and his ultimatum to Marc—marry within this month and live on his grandfather’s ranch for one year. If he did so, Marc and his mother stood to gain a large inheritance of mineral rights and producing wells, and he stood to gain the ranch. Marc wanted that inheritance and he wanted his mother to get hers, as well.

Knowing his grandfather, Marc was sure the old man figured that, since Marc dated some very beautiful ladies, he’d have no trouble getting a wife right away and then settling on the ranch. Marc knew what his grandfather ultimately wanted. Rico Ruiz’s doctors had given him a limited time to live and he was no doubt making arrangements for his two greatest loves—his wife and his ranch. With Marc running the ranch, Rico would be reassured that his wife, Marc’s grandmother, could live there in the house she was accustomed to for the rest of her days and Marc would care for her.

His grandfather had always thought Marc should live on the ranch. He thought Marc loved that life more than the corporate world, but as much as Marc did, he wasn’t quite ready yet to be a rancher. He was sure his grandfather thought he knew what was best for his grandson. Marc loved the old man and he wanted to make his last days happy, so he’d try to do what his grandfather wished, but...

Where in blazes would he get a wife in a month? One he could tell goodbye later and dissolve the marriage.

That was the big catch. He didn’t think any of the women he dated would want to marry and then split. He couldn’t think of one woman friend he’d want to live with, even at the ranch where they had lots of space. He glanced at a short list of names on his desk. Each one already had a line drawn through it.

His attention was diverted as Lara passed the open door again. There went someone he could have around for one year. As a secretary, she was a huge help and yet she stayed in the background, usually barely noticeable, but always there when he needed her. Pity he couldn’t ask her. He looked at his list of names again and wrote down another one, crossing it out as soon as he finished writing.

Searching his memory for anyone else, he glanced at Lara, who was seated at her desk putting something in a drawer. He suspected she was coming to see him to turn in her resignation. At her interview a year ago she’d mentioned she was saving her money to go to medical school someday. At the time he’d dismissed her statement as wishful thinking, but after working with her, he now believed what she said. When Lara set her mind to something, she got it done—fast and efficiently.

She reminded him of someone else he knew. Marc glanced at Kathy’s picture on his desk and pulled it closer. “I miss you and need you,” he whispered, thinking about his pregnant wife who’d died in a plane crash fourteen months earlier. It still hurt like hell to be without her. In that crash he lost his wife and his baby. Kathy had been two months pregnant.

He shifted his thoughts back to his ailing grandfather—another big, painful loss that was coming in his life. That made him think of his grandfather’s ultimatum—or bargain, actually. Marc had two giant reasons for wanting to meet his grandfather’s criteria. The first reason was that he wanted the ranch and the inheritance that would benefit not only him but his mother.

The other big reason was that he loved the old man. His grandfather had been the father figure in Marc’s life since he was twelve years old and his dad died. Marc loved his grandpa and he wanted the man’s last days to be happy ones. He wanted that with all his heart—he just hadn’t known that would mean that he’d have to marry within a month.

“Damn,” he said aloud, shaking his head and wondering what he was going to do. The stakes were too high and he loved his grandfather too much to say no to his proposition. But where was he going to find the perfect “wife”?

A knock on the door called a halt to his rambling thoughts. He looked at the clock. Six on the dot. As usual, Lara was right on time.

“Come in.”

In a white cotton blouse with a tan tie at her throat and a matching tan skirt, she looked professional, tailored and so conservative she could easily fade into the background. In fact, there had been times she had to bring him papers during meetings and she had been barely noticeable, slipping in and out, a quiet, shadowy figure while so efficient at her job. Once again he hoped she wasn’t going to quit. He knew she’d had a recent broken engagement, but he had never talked to her about it other than to say he was sorry. She had thanked him and only said she and her fiancé had had differences of opinions on some major issues.

Lara closed the door and turned back to him. “What I have to say is private and very personal.”

He hid his surprise as he pointed at a chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat and tell me what’s on your mind.”

She had a graceful walk. Actually, she was damn attractive, with big blue eyes with amazingly thick, long lashes. She kept her dark brown hair in an upsweep; in fact, he’d never seen her with it down, falling free, but he imagined it was long and thick and luxuriant.

He gave her his full attention, curious about what was personal and important enough to warrant this meeting. She crossed her long legs, her tan skirt falling over her knees. She didn’t need prompting but immediately began to speak.

“I have a situation that eventually I’ll have to let everyone know about, but for now, it’s private. I’ll need to take some time off later.”

“Sure, Lara. Whatever you need. We can fill in until you return,” he said, relieved she wasn’t quitting her job.

Her cheeks became flushed, adding to her looks. She wrung her hands and looked at the floor. The reaction surprised him because he had never seen her lose her poise or appear upset. She hadn’t even appeared bothered by her broken engagement.

“I’m dealing with things I never had to deal with before and never expected to have happen in my life,” she said, looking away as if lost in thought. “This is something I just never expected to have to discuss with my employer.”

“Short of quitting your job, I doubt there’s anything you really need to tell me. Unless you need help of some kind.”

She gave him a fleeting smile that was gone in an instant as she shook her head. “Oh, no. I don’t need your help. Maybe just a little patience and understanding,” she said with a tiny twist of her lips that she may have meant to be a smile.

“Lara, just say what it is. I’m not going to get angry. You’re a great secretary.”

With a deep breath she turned back to face him. “This is so hard, but I feel you should know.”

“Go ahead and tell me if you think I should know,” he said gently, wishing he could ease her discomfort.

She tightened her entwined fingers until her knuckles went white. “Oh, my,” she said, looking away from him. When she turned back, her blue eyes gazed directly at him in a wide-eyed stare as she said bluntly, “I’m pregnant.”

She drew in a deep breath and surged forward. “We didn’t expect this to happen and Leonard Crane—my fiancé—really did not like it, so that’s why we’re no longer engaged.” She paused a millisecond and went on.

“You see, my ex-fiancé didn’t want children for a long time yet. He wanted me to get an abortion and I—well, I can’t do that. I want my baby,” she said with a note of fierce determination in her voice that startled him.

Marc understood now why she was so upset. No matter how much she wanted her baby, an unexpected pregnancy had to push her life off course. Lara was in such perfect control of every facet of her job and helped him keep control of his. She was efficient, intelligent, orderly, capable, dependable, driven. In fact, he was surprised that anything unplanned had occurred to her, especially a pregnancy.

He resisted the temptation to let his gaze drift over her figure, but he knew from the past few days of seeing her move around the office, she didn’t show her condition at all. She was tall, probably five feet ten, and she was still slender.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” he asked. He wondered if Lara needed money or a different place to live. He wondered if she had family to rely on. They had worked closely together and he thought a lot of her. He’d do whatever he could to help her and her baby.

She merely shook her head and gave him a small, forced smile to reassure him she was okay. Instead, it only made him aware of her good looks again.

And that’s when the thought hit him. Lara had a dilemma...and he had a dilemma. She was pregnant, working to support herself and to save for her education. He needed a temporary wife to win his inheritance. Perhaps he had a solution to help them both out...

Would she be a candidate for a marriage of convenience?

He had no doubt Lara would be willing to dissolve the marriage later. That was the best thing of all. She had her own agenda, plus the drive, the willpower and the stamina to stick with it. In a temporary marriage of convenience, she wouldn’t make demands on him or expect him to fall in love. He couldn’t. His heart was still with his wife. He hadn’t gotten over her loss and he wasn’t ready for another relationship.

He’d been able to work closely with Lara for a year without ever crossing that line and getting personal. He knew he’d be able to keep their relationship the same as it had been.

In the meantime, he could give her the financial support that would take away a lot of her worries about her baby.

Yes, the more he thought about it, the more appealing the idea became.

He wasn’t aware she was even speaking until she shifted in her seat and drew his attention.

“If I continue to feel good, I’ll work until it’s time for my baby, if that’s all right with you.”

“It’ll certainly be fine with me. You take the time you need for leave,” he hoped he said. His thoughts were still on the prospect that she actually might be a good candidate for a short-term marriage. Again, he thought about that awareness he had of her as an attractive woman. Would that make it more difficult to keep his distance in a marriage of convenience than it had in the office? He didn’t think it would.

The more he mulled over the thought, the more he knew. Lara Seymour was the answer to his dilemma.

He tried to pay attention as she talked about her plans, but his thoughts could not be corralled. He was so sure of his plan that he wanted to pose the offer right away. But he couldn’t do that here in the office. No, he’d rather get his offer lined up in his own thoughts and ask her to dinner to tell her. Somewhere private where they would not be interrupted.

“I’m only in my second month, actually not far into my second month, so this is very early. I’d prefer not to announce this to the office, which is why I wanted to see you after hours.”

“Of course. I won’t mention it. I appreciate you letting me know, even though I won’t need to get someone to fill in for you for months yet.”

“I thought it only fair to tell you now. So far I feel fine, so that’s good.”

“That’s very good,” he said, smiling at her. “Lara, you don’t need to answer if you don’t want to, but I really know nothing about your private life. Do you have family here who will be with you?”

She gazed at him with a solemn look that was so unlike her, he was startled. She shook her head. “I have friends. I don’t have relatives. My mom died of leukemia when I was eighteen. I had an older sister who died of acute leukemia when she was seven. My dad walked out when I was a little kid. I don’t remember him or know him. There are no relatives.”

Marc was shocked, but tried to hide his surprise. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that. I know you have friends and a lot of them here in this office. People like you.”

He couldn’t stop thinking of her being so alone. He had never known anyone who had no living relatives. He was so locked into his relationships with his family, he couldn’t imagine her solitary situation. She needed his help so much more than he had thought and it made him feel better to think that he could be a huge help to her and her baby. If this had been his wife, he would hope someone would have helped her.

He could set up a trust for Lara’s baby. He could let the baby have his name. If they married now, most people would assume he was the father, which would be fine with him because it would help her.

“I have wonderful friends here. This is a great office and a great place to work,” she said, giving him a radiant smile. Idly, he wondered how many single guys in his office had tried to date her.

“You have a master’s degree. When you came to work here, you told me you wanted to work to save enough money to go to medical school. Is that still on your agenda?” he asked.

“Oh, yes. My pregnancy is a setback, but I still intend to pursue my dreams. I want to go into medical research someday. With my mother’s illness I saw that there is still so much to be discovered about such diseases. If I can do anything to help in that field, I want to, for my mother’s memory. Doctors just couldn’t do anything to save her, but medical science makes new discoveries constantly. I want to help people. If I don’t get into medical school, I can do something else to help others.”

“That’s commendable. I hope you get to carry out your plans,” he said, thinking he should be able to help her meet some of her financial needs for her education.

“It will take me a little longer to earn and save the money to go back to school, but I intend to do so. If I can get accepted into medical school, I definitely plan to go. If not, I’ll become a chemist.”

“That’s tough without family members to help and to babysit.”

“I’ll manage,” she replied with a lift of her chin.

“I’m sure you will,” he said, and meant it. It hadn’t taken long to recognize her drive and ambition after she came to work for him. He’d seen it in himself and his mother all his life.

“If you don’t feel well, I want you to stay home. If you’re already here and don’t feel well, please don’t keep working. Take off and tell me if you need help getting home or anything.”

She smiled again. “Thanks. That’s nice but I’ll be all right. I’ve been fine so far. Not even morning sickness.”

“That’s good. I assume you have a doctor.”

“Oh, yes, I have a doctor who came with lots of recommendations from friends.” She smiled at him. “Well...I guess there’s nothing more to say but thank you for being so cooperative and helpful. I’ll let you know when I tell anyone else in the office and this is no longer a secret. It can’t be a secret for long,” she said, forcing a smile. Then she stood up, and as she did, his gaze swept over her and he liked what he saw. Her white blouse revealed full curves and a tiny waist.

There were moments—like this one—when he forgot her secretarial status and their business relationship, but he always caught himself before he said or did anything to indicate he saw her as an attractive woman instead of his very competent secretary. He caught himself again now, going to open the door for her.

“Take care of yourself and, again, if you need anything or don’t feel well, don’t hesitate to tell me,” he repeated. She turned to face him and suddenly he was aware of how close they stood. His gaze shifted to her full lips and he felt a tightening deep inside. For just a flash, he saw a flicker of her lashes and her cheeks became a deeper pink.

“Thanks, Marc. You’re always understanding,” she said softly and hurried out, crossing the room to her desk, which had everything in its proper place and ready for the next morning. She opened a drawer, retrieved her purse and turned to smile at him again. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sure,” he said, still watching her as she walked away.

He turned, walked back to his desk and sat, seeing the glass door to the outer office close behind her.

It always surprised him when he noticed her, because he still mourned his wife and he didn’t pay attention to women the way he had before his marriage. Even though in the past few months he had started taking women friends out, he would never be serious about any of them. In fact, he wasn’t even interested in any of them.

He thought about Lara.

And the more he thought about her, the more he knew she was the perfect “wife.” He hadn’t gotten over Kathy and wasn’t ready for any kind of relationship, but Lara wouldn’t expect one. She wouldn’t want to fall in love any more than he wanted to, because she had other plans for her future. And while he stood to gain from this crazy marriage of convenience, so would she. She’d reap the reward of the help he could give her and her baby—not only in a trust he’d set up for the child but in giving the baby his name.

No doubt about it, Lara was the right person to ask.

Well, maybe there was one doubt...

For an instant he thought of the moments when he’d had to bank an electrifying awareness of her as an appealing woman. Could he push aside that attraction? He had to, because Lara and he would both get what they wanted from the marriage. He’d get the ranch and she’d get the financial and maybe emotional support she needed for this pregnancy. Then, when they dissolved the marriage, they’d go their separate ways and both be happy about it and much better off because of the marriage of convenience.

Meanwhile, he knew he could live with her and still continue their business relationship. After all, they didn’t need to go to bed with each other. He hadn’t gotten over the loss of his wife, and she had just broken an engagement.

No matter how he looked at it, marriage to Lara would benefit both of them, as well as his family. It would benefit Lara’s baby, too. And some part of him wanted that. Somehow, helping the baby pleased him a lot and made him feel closer to the little baby of his own that he had lost.

He looked up Lara’s number, picked up his phone and called to invite her to dinner.

* * *

By half past six Wednesday evening, Lara was ready and waiting. She had dressed just as conservatively as she did at the office, in a black, long-sleeved dress with a high round neckline and straight skirt. But as she took a final glance at herself in the mirror, she noticed the dress was shorter and dressier than anything she’d worn to the office. She told herself it was the perfect compromise for a dinner date with her boss. She couldn’t imagine why he had asked her out.

When he’d called last night he hadn’t made it sound as if this was social. At the same time, it wasn’t business related or he would have told her. She had accepted his dinner invitation knowing she’d find out the reason soon enough.

She tried to ignore the flutters in her belly when she thought of dining with her boss. Marc was handsome, charming, capable, a strong, sexy man—something she tried to avoid thinking about most of the time. She had heard all the office talk—how his pregnant wife of three months had died in a plane crash and he still mourned her and had no interest in any other woman.

She suspected he was smart enough to avoid getting sexually or emotionally involved with anyone at work.

She was attracted to him and had been from the first moment she met him, but she’d resisted with all her being because at first there was no future in it and later she became engaged. His heart was locked away, and even if it wasn’t, she had plans for her life. Plans that did not call for her to get romantically involved with her boss, no matter how good-looking he was. Still, what was the harm in admitting that the man was handsome and had sex appeal? Bushels of it. In fact, sometimes she found it difficult to keep remote, professional and cool around him. Nevertheless, she did.

Thinking about him, she sighed. Surely Marc wasn’t taking her out tonight to let her go. He wouldn’t do that. As for his motives, she’d know in a matter of minutes.

She took one last look in the mirror. Her hair was looped and pinned up on her head, just the way she wore it at work today. Her makeup was light but flawless, optimally highlighting her blue eyes and high cheekbones. As she gazed into the mirror, her mind must have started playing tricks on her, because she suddenly saw Marc’s image beside her. His thick, black, unruly hair, slightly tanned skin, the shadow of stubble on his jaw and his thickly lashed dark brown eyes. He stood next to her, over six feet tall, broad shouldered and strong, and he reached out to touch her and—

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car door closing. In seconds her doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and hurried to answer it. She swung it open to face her boss and her heart lurched.

Dressed in a navy suit and red tie that she had seen before, he looked handsome. She smiled, but felt odd flutters and she assumed it was because it seemed so much like a date. She banished that thought and looked up at him. “Do you want to come in?”

“Thanks, but we have reservations shortly, and I think we better go.”

“I’m more than happy to go have dinner with you, Marc, but I’m a little puzzled as to why we’re doing this. I don’t feel as if it’s a social event.”

He smiled at her. “Smart woman. I have something I want to talk to you about and I want to be away from the office and away from interruptions.”

“Ahhh,” she said, nodding. While that clarified their dinner engagement slightly, she still had questions. She suspected his “something” concerned work because his office manner hadn’t changed from what it had been all day. “I’ll get my purse,” she said, stepping back into her entryway briefly before joining him.

She closed her door and heard the lock click into place. As she walked beside him to the car, she was acutely conscious of how close he was and how tall he was. She had far more physical awareness of him now that they were out of the routine office setting, but his demeanor was the same. He didn’t take her arm as they walked to the car. He didn’t touch her in any way. So why couldn’t she stop the prickly awareness that plagued her?

She told herself to pretend she was in the office, that it was just lunch together on a weekday. That didn’t work.

He held the car door and she slid into the seat. She watched him walk around the car, the wind blowing unruly locks of his curly hair. What did he have to talk to her about here that he couldn’t discuss at the office?

Her curiosity mushroomed when they went to a town club where he was a member. Inside, they were taken to a private room.

“Now I am curious about tonight,” she said as she sat across from him.

He merely nodded. “Let’s get our drinks and order dinner before we talk. I don’t want any interruptions. But I will tell you this is personal and involves my grandfather.”

Startled, she couldn’t imagine what could concern her and involve his very ill grandfather. “There’s no guessing why I’m here having dinner with you if it involves Mr. Ruiz. That lets out anything regarding the office.”

“Not altogether,” Marc said. “I have a proposition I want you to consider.”

Her curiosity reached a fevered peak but she reined in her questions when the waiter came to ask their drink preferences. Marc ordered sparkling water for her and a martini for himself.

She sat quietly until finally they had ordered dinner and been served their drinks. He raised his glass in a toast.

“Here’s to the best secretary I’ve ever worked with and, hopefully, to a mutually bright future together.”

She touched her glass to his and sipped, watching him and waiting as he set his martini on the table. Her curiosity increased because, whatever he was about to discuss, it involved both of their futures.

He folded his hands on the table and cleared his throat. “I’ll cut to the chase now. My grandfather is very ill with pancreatic cancer and doctors have given him three months to live.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, hearing the pain in Marc’s voice even though he seemed in control of his emotions.

“I’m close to him. My dad died when I was twelve and my grandfather has always been there for me. I’ve spent a lot of time with my grandparents on their ranch. I love that life and I love that ranch. It’s beautiful.” He smiled at her. “At least, it is to me.”

“I’m sorry, Marc, that your grandfather’s health isn’t good,” she said, still unable to see how any of this involved her.

“Thanks. My grandparents love that ranch. They’ve worked it all their lives.”

He paused when the waitstaff came in with their dinners—a thick steak for Marc and Alaskan salmon for her. When they were alone again, she had a bite of salmon and closed her eyes. “Mmm, this is delicious.”

“Yes, it is,” he said, his voice deeper than usual. She opened her eyes to see him watching her. Heat flashed through her and she was aware of the intense way he looked at her. His dark brown eyes hid his feelings.

“Go ahead with your story,” she said, suddenly tingling with awareness. She knew whatever he was going to ask her, it had nothing to do with the office. Not with the look she had just received from him.

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Now that my grandfather is ill, he’s worried about my grandmother. She wants to stay on the ranch and live out her life there, but—this is where I come in—she can’t run it or deal with it herself. And this is where you come in.” He paused and nodded at her plate. “Maybe you should enjoy a few more bites of dinner before I continue.”

She shook her head. “My curiosity will overcome me.” She wondered if he was thinking about trying to hire her as a companion for his grandmother. “What on earth is it, that I won’t be able to eat after you tell me?”

“I think I’m going to shock you. Frankly, I’m still reeling in shock myself,” he said, forcing a smile at her. “My grandfather wants me to move to the ranch and I have to agree to stay at least one year. That way I’ll be there to see that my grandmother is all right.”

“You’re leaving the company for a year?” Lara asked. “Or will it be longer?” Was she losing her boss permanently? She felt a pang at the thought and immediately thought of his vice presidents, wondering whom she would work for.

“It’ll only be a year. I know my grandpa and how he thinks. He thinks if I live out there a year, I’ll never want to leave.”

“I can understand what he wants, but is that what you want to do?”

“He’s given me an offer—actually, it’s more an ultimatum. I live there a year and I inherit the ranch, also one third of the mineral rights and one third of the producing wells on the ranch. My mother will also inherit a third, the same as I will, and the remainder of the estate will go to my grandmother.”

“I see.” She put down her fork and wiped her lips on her napkin. “You wanted to tell me that I’ll have a new boss.”

“Oh, no. I’m not through. I love my grandfather too much to refuse to do what he wants. Even if I didn’t feel that way, this offer is too big to turn down. And I love that ranch. As I said, I love Grandpa and I want his last days to be happy. I want to do what he wants and make him happy.”

“That’s wonderful, Marc. I can understand. I loved my mother, and at the last, I did everything I could to make her happy. I’ll miss working for you,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too depressed, but she would miss him terribly. She liked working for him. He was a fair, considerate boss and a handsome, appealing man, so it was nice to be around him.

“There’s more, Lara, but I’m trying to wait until you’ve had enough of your dinner that you won’t go home hungry.”

She picked up her fork again, to placate him, and smiled up at him. “I’m eating, okay? But you’ve told me your news—that you’re leaving.”

“I haven’t reached the part that includes you,” he reminded her.

Startled, she stared at him as curiosity gripped her. Maybe he wanted a secretary on the ranch. Was that it?

“Lara, I’ve only told you part of my grandfather’s demands. There’s another part. Besides living on the ranch for a year, I’m to marry this month.”

He reached across the table to take her hand, which was something so unlike him that she nearly gasped. For a few seconds, she couldn’t speak. She could only stare at him.

“Don’t say anything until I’m through. You’re surprised, just as I was.”

While she heard his words, she was still focused on his hand wrapped around hers. His hand was warm, his grip light, yet the instant they touched she tingled from head to toe. Somehow, she felt the touch of his hand had changed their relationship in a subtle way. She was certainly more aware of him as a man. And that awareness made it impossible to respond.

“I need a wife for a marriage of convenience, possibly for one year, possibly much shorter,” he continued. “In order to inherit, I have to marry this month and live on the ranch for one year. That is what my grandfather has in his will. I want a wife as long as my grandfather is alive, which doctors have only given him a few months. I want his last days happy. After he is gone, I will stay on the ranch that full year, but there is nothing in his will about how long I have to stay married. When he is gone, I will end the marriage—that’s a promise,” he said. “I want to see if I can make a deal with you. Make you my wife.”


Two (#u3a716ecc-6ac3-5f94-9801-e8610035d810)

Stunned, she stared at him, looking into unfathomable brown eyes that hid his feelings so well. Marry Marc and then dissolve it? She couldn’t imagine doing such a thing. Those dark eyes so intently focused on her took her breath away. Marry Marc. Without love. A marriage for convenience. Her heart raced at the thought.

“Marc, that’s very flattering, but I can’t do that,” she said, her pulse pounding. Marry Marc? For a moment she felt light-headed. She couldn’t agree to what he was proposing.

“Wait a minute. Just listen to the whole thing. What’s in this for me, and more importantly, what’s in this for you. Please, just listen.”

“I am,” she said. Breathless, still in such shock, she could only stare at him, trying to hear and process what he was saying.

“You haven’t heard my part of this bargain. I stand to get big financial gains if I do what my grandfather wants. And I’ll inherit his ranch—a fine, working ranch. But, Lara, I intend for this deal to benefit the woman I marry, also.”

She gazed into eyes so dark they were almost black and knew that, whatever the outcome, she would remember this moment and what he had just said to her for the rest of her life. She had a feeling that her life might be about to change in a manner she had never envisioned. If she married him. She couldn’t imagine that happening.

“You and I are compatible,” he said. “We’re able to be together and we know we can work together. I want to help you in your endeavors and help you take care of your baby. I want to give you and your baby a great start in your new life. I want to give your baby security and legitimacy—my name. If you’ll marry me in this marriage of convenience, I’ll draw up the papers and give you two hundred thousand dollars when we marry and two hundred thousand when we divorce. After my grandfather is gone, I want us both free.”

“That’s staggering, Marc,” she whispered, so stunned by his offer that she could only stare at him. “That’s almost half a million dollars,” she whispered. “I can go to school and I won’t have to work in the office.”

“That’s right. As much as I hate to lose you as a secretary, I need you more in this.”

“But you go out and have women friends. Why are you asking me? We haven’t even dated.”

“This isn’t a marriage made from a romance. It’s a marriage of convenience and my grandfather just required that I live on the ranch for one year. When my grandfather is gone, I want to return to my single status—and I will,” Marc said, giving her a direct look that spoke volumes about his determination to do just that. “The women I take to parties and concerts and shows—I don’t think any of them would go into a marriage with the agreement that it would be over, maybe in several months.”

“I can see that,” she said without thinking, and his lips curved in a faint smile.

“You, on the other hand, have an agenda. You plan on medical school and you’ll have a baby. I think you’ll be willing to walk away from this when we divorce.”

“Will we...will we live as man and wife?” she asked. “Including sex?”

“If that’s your preference, yes, we can. If it’s not—and since this marriage is definitely temporary—I think we can manage. We did well working together for the past year. This should be even easier because we won’t see each other on a daily basis the way we have at the office. I still love and miss my wife. I’m not interested in a relationship.”

“I just broke an engagement and I’m not interested in one, either,” she said, her cheeks turning pink.

“Then that settles that question. We’ll continue in a friendly manner the way we did at the office. This way, we won’t have emotional complications,” he said, smiling at her, and she smiled in return. “It’s not something that can’t be changed if we decide we want to change it,” he added, and she nodded.

“Marc, I have to admit I’m stunned. I can’t believe what you’re offering.”

“Think about it, Lara. You’re alone now, but you won’t be if you take this offer. I can help you so you can take care of yourself and your baby, get that education you want so you can save some lives or help others in some way. You’ll be helping my mother and me get this inheritance. It’s mutually beneficial and I hope changes your life for the better.”

“Of course it will,” she answered. She stared at him and he gazed back in silence. Could she live under the same roof with him without falling into bed with him? Could she live with him and not get emotionally involved? He was a sexy, desirable man. And she knew he could do far more damage to her heart than she’d experienced this past year, and that had been terrible.

“Lara, I’m sure people at the office have talked to you about my wife. You’ve seen her picture on my desk. She was pregnant with our baby when she was killed in a plane crash after we had been married three months. We had been married three months, four days, fourteen hours to be exact.” He looked away, and when he talked, his voice was flat.

“I’m sorry, Marc, for your loss.”

“I loved her,” he said quietly, and Lara wondered if he had forgotten her presence and was caught in memories. She sat quietly as he drew a deep breath.

“Enough of that, except to say, I will not make this marriage permanent, nor will it become personal. I still love Kathy and miss her with all my being. I know I need to get over my loss, but that hasn’t happened and I want to be up front and honest with you.”

“I understand. My broken engagement hurt me and left me not trusting my judgment in men. I get it. But I also know you well, since we’ve worked closely together for the past year.”

“I want to help you, especially since you don’t have any family,” he said. “In addition to what I’ve offered, there are some other things.”

“There’s more?” she asked in surprise.

“Oh, yes. In addition to giving your child my name, I’ll set up a two-hundred-thousand-dollar trust fund for your baby.”

“Whoever agrees to this marriage will become wealthy. You’re willing to give me a fortune and my child your name?” she repeated, knowing she had to accept his offer.

“Yes, I am, because of what I’ll inherit from my grandfather. It’ll make his last days happier ones, and it will change my mother’s life for the better. And I hope it will change yours, as well.”

“That’s incredibly generous.”

“I’ll be on the ranch, but when the year is up, I’ll have someone else run the ranch and have a companion and help for my grandmother, and I’ll return to Dallas and the corporate world. I’ll retire later to the ranch.”

Still in shock, she sat quietly, her head spinning. “Marc, I can’t even absorb this. My life will change totally.”

“Yes, it will.” His hand tightened around hers. “Lara, I want the ranch and my grandfather’s inheritance, and I need this marriage. And I don’t want him to be unhappy in his last days. I love him,” Marc said gruffly, and impulsively, she squeezed his hand.

“I’m sorry. It hurts to lose someone you love. I know,” she said quietly.

She started to pull her hand away, but he held it. “You have soft hands,” he said quietly.

She realized they had been circumspect at the office, never even touching. But now his hand on hers was electrifying. For a moment she forgot his proposition, her dinner, everything else except his hand holding hers.

His gaze met hers. “We’ve worked together well. We can do this. Your engagement is broken. You have your plans for your future. We can help each other.”

Her insides trembled again. She was intensely aware of him, yet still trying to grasp the amount of money that could be hers if she accepted his offer. The temptation was great to accept instantly, yet years of caution and self-control caused her to remain silent.

“I’m surprised I didn’t faint. I have to think about this.”

“How many times in your life have you fainted?”

“None,” she answered, startled by his question until she saw his smile.

“I didn’t think so. Look, Lara, I know it’s a shock. I’ve been in shock to find out I have to marry this month. I want you to think this over.”

“I’ve worked with you for almost a year now and I’ve seen you in a lot of different situations. You’re one of the good guys, Marc. I feel I can trust you.” She diverted her gaze a moment, then looked back into his eyes, deeply and sincerely. “Since I feel that way, with the offer you’ve made, I can’t possibly turn it down. Yes, Marc, I’ll marry you in a marriage of convenience that we know will end.”

“I’ll still give you a little time to think about this and back out if you want. I hope you don’t back out, but I don’t want a quick decision when this is a life changer. You don’t know what I’m like away from the office. We should go out together a few times before we’re locked into this.”

He released her hand and she wondered if he had given the contact any thought. “All good ideas, Marc.” Her mind reeled with questions. “Your grandmother has a house there, right? Or will she live in the same house with us? Oh, my heavens! With us—that sounds so impossible,” she said breathlessly while she gazed into his eyes. I’m going to marry Marc. I’m going to be his wife. The thoughts swirled and she could feel her face flush. “I can’t imagine any of this.”

“See why I wanted you to eat some of your dinner?” he asked. “You haven’t eaten a bite since I told you why I asked you out.”

“You were right. My appetite is gone. The dinner is delicious, but my head is spinning and my stomach is churning.” She grasped his hand again. His hand was warm and solid, and her reaction to the physical contact was just as electrifying as before. She was conscious that his fingers closed gently around hers.

“Damn, your hand is cold as ice,” he said and clutched it between both of his.

“I’m in shock and nervous and excited. This is something I never dreamed would happen. I’m excited, scared, flattered—countless reactions that keep shifting and changing with each breath I take. Right now, the money is dazzling, but I know I have to look beyond the money. The prospect of us being married—that’s shocking and something I’ve never considered.”

He leaned closer across the table. “I understand some of your feelings. That’s exactly why I said you should take some time to think about your answer,” he said, brushing loose strands of her hair away from her face. His touch was feathery, except it was Marc and she was acutely aware of him. He gazed at her intently and his steady look took her breath away. What were these intense reactions she was having to him? She didn’t have those at the office. But at the office, she had never had to consider marriage to him, even if it wasn’t forever, wasn’t out of love and wasn’t even real.

“I’ll do that if you want, but the offer you just made to me—I don’t have to think about what I want to do. You’ll solve so many of my problems for me,” she said, leaning closer to him and lowering her voice. “I’ll say goodbye to you when we divorce, so I can go on with my dream to become a doctor and to go into medical research.”

They both leaned over the table, till mere inches separated them. She searched his gaze, yet his eyes revealed nothing of what was truly going on in his head.

He looked intently at her and then his gaze lowered to her mouth.

She tingled all over and drew a deep breath. She could practically feel his lips on hers as he looked at her mouth. Without thinking she ran her tongue over her lower lip, realized what she was doing and closed her mouth, looking up to meet his knowing gaze. When she felt the heat in her cheeks, she knew she had blushed.

“Our boss-and-secretary relationship just went up in smoke,” she whispered, and he nodded.

“Absolutely.”

For a moment he was silent, staring at her lips, then just like a rogue wind, the moment was swept away. Slowly he sat back and she followed suit, feeling bereft after his near kiss.

“You were the best secretary I could’ve wished for,” he said finally. “But that’s gone for good. I need you more for this marriage of convenience because that’s a role almost impossible to fill.”

“You just changed my life forever, for the better. You’ve given me and my baby opportunities in life.”

“We’ll get to know each other,” he said in a husky voice. Then, as if he’d suddenly thought of a pressing question, he asked, “When is your baby due?”

“Next April.”

“If we plan to stay together for a year, I’ll be there for those early months when I can help while you get settled into motherhood.”

She smiled at him.

“If we marry, even if it is just a bargain marriage, we’ll be thrown into close, constant contact—although it’s a big house. Just remember, Lara, I won’t change my mind. This marriage will never turn into something permanent, which I know you don’t want, anyway.”

“No, I don’t. I know from the start that it’s a business deal and it’s temporary. I can deal with that.”

“I’m sure you can,” he remarked dryly. “I just wanted you to clearly understand my feelings. I don’t want you hurt by this or having a broken heart. I feel as if my heart turned to stone when I lost my wife. You don’t even have to stay on the ranch all the time. I’d like you around some of the time while my grandfather is alive. I just want him happy.”

“I know. Losing someone you love hurts badly,” she answered. “Remember, I lost my mother and I had an engagement shattered and it hurt. I don’t want to go through that again, so I’ll be careful.”

“If you accept, and you sound as if you plan to accept, I don’t care what kind of wedding we have. I’ll leave that up to you. Whatever you want is fine. I can pay for it. It just has to be soon. I mean, like next week or the week after at the latest. I don’t want any last-minute thing. With Grandpa’s health the way it is, the sooner our wedding, the better.”

“The sooner the better. Oh, my. My head is spinning. I can’t believe all this. One thing. I’m enrolled in a night class this semester. The doctor said it’s fine. The class ends in December.”

“Lara, you said you don’t have any relatives. Who’s closest to you? Who will you tell about this?”

“There’s my friend Melanie, and Patsy from work, and some friends in my neighborhood, including an older couple next door who think they’re substitute grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Vickers.”

“We really don’t have long to pull a wedding together. I want you to think everything over tonight and give me an answer tomorrow. You’re saying yes now, but I want you to be sure,” he said.

“I am so sure, Marc,” she said. “I promise you, I’m ready to accept your offer. And I will get out of the marriage, just as surely as you want to.”

“You don’t want to sleep on it?”

Aware she was changing her future, her life, her baby’s life, she shook her head. “My answer to your proposal is yes.”

“Then I’ll have my lawyer draw up an agreement and a prenup. If you back out, you forfeit everything except one hundred dollars that will be a token.”

“Fine,” she said. They sat gazing at each other, and her heartbeat quickened as she looked into his eyes. His hand covered hers again.

“We’re getting married,” he whispered. “We’re not in love, but we can get to know each other a little better and let the friendship grow. We’ve always gotten along and worked well together as boss and secretary. And now we have decisions to make as a couple—wedding decisions, decisions about when you quit your job, when we announce our engagement, a lot of things. Can you go to dinner tomorrow night?” He smiled suddenly. “Maybe then I won’t send you into shock and you’ll get to eat your meal.”

“Yes, I can.”

He nodded at her plate. “Want your dinner now?”

She shook her head. “I can’t eat a bite. I’m too excited. Actually, I’d like to take a walk. By now the weather outside should have cooled some and I feel like I need to move around.”

“Let’s go. They’ll put dinner on my tab. We don’t need to wait.”

He stood and held her chair as she rose. When she turned, she faced him and they were only inches apart. Her pulse jumped and she felt riveted, unable to move at all.

Our boss-and-secretary relationship just went up in smoke.

She remembered her words from a moment ago and realized how true they really were. Going forward, their relationship would be different. Very different, she thought, barely able to catch her breath. She had always tried to keep her distance and squelch any physical reaction she had to him. She had always avoided physical contact. Now they would be husband and wife. Even though it was in name only, nothing would ever be the same.

Shocking her almost as much as his proposal was a sudden, intense awareness of him, far beyond anything she had ever felt before. His eyes narrowed the barest fraction, but she noticed, and she felt as if sparks flew between them. A sizzling attraction made her want to lean toward him, to touch him. Her lips tingled and her gaze lowered to his mouth as she wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

How could their coming change invoke this hot attraction so swiftly?

She needed to get back her detached business personality and keep a wall between them. That’s what both of them wanted. This would not be a marriage made in love and she needed to guard her heart all the time because he clearly would not fall in love and she didn’t want to fall in love—or fall into his bed, either.

With an effort she stepped away from him.

He took her arm and they left the club, turning on the sidewalk in downtown Dallas. How long would it be before she would get accustomed to him touching her? She had a prickly awareness of how close he was when he took her arm to cross the street. People were still out, but she was conscious of no one and nothing except him. His height as he walked beside her, his hand grazing hers as they strolled. Was she stepping into a situation where she would have a bigger heartbreak than ever? When she’d ended her engagement, she had been the one who wanted out of the relationship. This time, Marc would end the relationship, so she needed to be careful to protect her heart and stay out of his bed.

“I don’t know much about your private life,” she said. “If I’m going to marry you, I think you better tell me, at least briefly.”

“Sure. I was born in Downly, Texas.”

She smiled. “You don’t have to start that far back.”

With a flash of even, white teeth, he grinned. “My mom’s family all came from Mexico because of relatives in Downly. Are you familiar with Downly?”

“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there.”

“Mom and her family got jobs there and their citizenship. My mom got a job as a maid for a wealthy family. Actually, it was Dirkson Callahan.”

Startled, she looked up at him. “Oh, my. You’re about to buy some of his wells in South Dakota. You told me at the office that it was routine business. I know you’re close friends with his son, Gabe Callahan, but will buying the wells be something more personal?”

“You’ve already moved into the fiancée mode. You wouldn’t have asked me that at the office,” he said, sounding amused again.

“Are you going to be one of those men who’s got everything bottled up and keeps a lot to yourself? Maybe I should learn the parameters here.”

He laughed and put his arm around her to squeeze her shoulder as they walked. “I’m teasing you. Gabe always thought Dirkson was an uncaring dad. He didn’t keep up with his boys or share in their lives. None of them were happy with him. I talked to Gabe about it before I did anything, and he said it wouldn’t mean anything to his dad or any of them if I bought those wells and to go ahead. So I am. And you can ask whatever you want.”

“Oh, really?” she said, stopping to put her hand on her hip, unable to resist flirting with him.

“Oh, yeah,” he answered in a husky voice, his eyes twinkling, and her pulse jumped. “What very private thing would you like to know?”

She caught her lower lip with her teeth as she thought for a few seconds. “Am I ever going to get breakfast in bed?”

“If you’re in our bed, you will,” he answered.

“You are quick. I’ll remember that.”

“So will I,” he said in a deeper voice. They looked at each other and both laughed.

When they did, he hugged her lightly again. “I’m liking this deal better by the minute.”

“Don’t get excited. You’re accustomed to me being your secretary and doing whatever you ask. That isn’t necessarily going to happen when I become your wife.”

He leaned closer, tilting her chin up with his forefinger and gazing at her. “Then I’ll just have to butter you up so I get my way.”

She smiled when he did and they turned to continue walking. “Does your mom still work for him?” Lara asked.

“No. She quit to open a small tamale stand and tiny café—I mean, really small. This was before I was born, so I know little about it. My mom met my dad and I think it must have been love at first sight. They were married three weeks after they met and they loved each other deeply. He was a good dad, too. He had immigrated to the US earlier, gotten his citizenship and had a job. He worked in construction. He really wasn’t a strong man and shouldn’t have been doing that.”

“You don’t take after him there,” she said without thinking about it.

“I didn’t know I’d exhibited any great stamina in the office,” Marc said, sounding amused and looking down at her.

“You carry things around sometimes. I’ve seen you do things. I’m observant,” she said, aware her cheeks were suddenly hot.

“Oh, yeah?” He touched her arm as he stepped in front of her again. “Maybe I should ask what else you know about me from observation.”

She thought a moment. “You send roses to women you’ve been out with, and if it’s someone a little more special, you send a big mixed bouquet. Right?”

“Damn. I must be as predictable as hell. How did you figure that out?” He stared at her.

“That’s a guess. The mixed bouquet has roses. The lady who gets the mixed bouquet gets roses plus other flowers.”

“Well, you’re right.” He nodded and they continued walking.

“Go on about your family,” she urged him. “I don’t know anything about them.”

“When my family moved to Texas, they didn’t have money, but they were successful. Mom’s little café grew and when my dad’s health began to fail, as long as he could, he helped in the café. By that time, my grandfather was doing better and he put some money into her café. Then my dad’s health got worse and he had heart problems. I had wonderful parents and wonderful grandparents and I’m sorry you lost your family so early in life. It hurt to lose my dad and it’s going to hurt like hell to lose Grandpa.”

She grasped Marc’s hand and squeezed lightly, releasing him swiftly and trying to ignore the inevitable tingles. “I know, Marc. I was so close to my mother.”

“When I lost my dad, I got closer to my grandfather on Mom’s side. He was the father figure in my life after Dad was gone.”

“You had a lot of family.”

“My mom’s dad worked for a successful rancher and moved up to become foreman. On that side of the family I come from people who are driven and work hard. My mom put work first in her life always. So did Grandpa. Sometimes I think they both worked too much. The man who owned the ranch didn’t have children. When the rancher’s wife died, he willed the ranch to my grandfather and four years later, when the rancher died, Grandpa inherited it. I was seven years old then and already loved to visit my grandparents. It’s a great ranch.”

She noticed his voice changed and she wondered how much he liked ranching versus working in Dallas in an office.

That question and others would have to wait. She was getting tired of walking and her feet were killing her in her heels. She looked at her surroundings. “I’m not familiar with where we are now and we’ve walked quite a way.”

He swung her around and they headed back as she laughed. “Oooh, I get what I want the minute I ask. I’m going to like my new role.”

He stopped and faced her. Surprised, she looked up at him as wind caught locks of his dark, curly hair.

“I’m beginning to look forward to our deal. And we better get on with it. So, we’re on for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Yes, thank you. We need to make wedding plans if you want to move so fast.”

He stepped beside her again and they continued walking. “Think of the secretaries in the office. Is there anyone who’d be a good replacement? If we can find someone who’s already working there, it’ll be easier for you to train them before you leave.”

“You have two who should be perfect. They’re quiet about their work and I don’t think most people realize how much they get done. Let me think about that tonight before I give you names. But you should know you’ve got good employees.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

By the time they walked back to his car and drove to her house, the sun was setting in the western sky. When they walked up onto her porch, Marc stepped between her and the door. Surprised, she looked up at him, suddenly feeling caught in the depths of his brown eyes.

“Definitely, I’ve made a good choice here,” he said in husky tones that gave her a tingle.

“And I know I made a good decision in accepting your offer. You’ve solved so many problems in my life. My world will change, thanks to you. The thing we need to remember is you have plans and I have plans. I’ve had my goals since the first six months of my mom’s illness. I don’t intend to give them up. I got engaged and we thought we could work it out, but we didn’t plan on a baby. This baby is part of me and my mom and my family, and I’m not giving it up. Now I’ll be free to get my education. I feel I owe that to my mom.”

“That’s one reason you were such a good choice. You have an agenda. You won’t want to stay married. Even if we get along great, you’ll want to go to med school and I won’t want a wife who is wrapped up in school and becoming a doctor. Besides,you know, Lara, that I still love my wife and I’m not over that loss.”

“I understand that. You know you have to let go, but part of you can’t ever let go when it’s someone you love,” she said solemnly.

He nodded. “How about seven tomorrow night?”

“Excellent. Tonight I’ll have my own little celebration all by myself. Tomorrow night we’ll make wedding plans.”

“Are you taking charge of my life?” he asked, looking amused.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. You’re capable of taking care of yourself.”

“I’m glad to hear you think so,” he said, smiling at her.

“I’m going in and celebrate.”

“Save some celebration for tomorrow night. When I leave here, I’ll go see my mom. I want to tell her and my grandfather about you. My grandfather’s days are really limited. He’s a sick old man.”

Marc caught her lightly beneath her chin, making her heart flutter. “You’re absolutely sure, Lara? You can take tonight to think—”

She stifled his words with a finger to his lips. “I’m absolutely sure I want to marry you on a temporary basis.”

He smiled and she pulled her hand away. “Good. You’ve made me happy, and you’ve solved a big dilemma for me. I want to keep Grandpa happy in his last days. I don’t want him to worry about his family.”

“That’s good, Marc. You’re a good guy.”

“Maybe not quite so good,” he said as he shook his head. “I am going to inherit a lot if I do what he wants.”

“You could get along without all that. You love the ranch because of your grandfather.”

“You keep seeing that halo over my head,” he said.

“There are moments it’s there. Moments,” she said, smiling at him.

He laughed. “That’s what I thought from my very practical secretary. You don’t really see me as such a saint.”

“With what you’re going to do for me, oh, yes, I do see a halo. Now, I think you should let me say good-night and go inside.”

“Of course,” he said, stepping away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, and tomorrow night I’ll take you to dinner and we’ll plan our wedding.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“Start believing. I’m really happy, Lara, and I hope you are, too.”

She smiled as she watched him walk toward his car. Only when he pulled away did she go inside.

When she shut the door behind her, she finally let go. Shouting for joy, she spun around her entryway and stopped in front of a mirror that had belonged to her mother. She looked at herself. “Mrs. Marc Medina. Hello, Mrs. Marc Medina,” she said, feeling tingles each time she said her future name. She was going to marry him. She would have enough money for her future, for her education, for her baby. More than enough money. She’d even be able to pay some of her mother’s medical bills. Marc was being incredibly generous. He was a multi-millionaire, but he must be inheriting a lot to be so generous. She waved her arms in the air and spun around again.

“Mrs. Marc Medina,” she repeated, looking at herself again. This time, though, her exuberance was tempered. She told herself she needed to guard her heart well, because Marc would stick with his plan and end their marriage. She knew he was strong-willed and she would be deluding herself if she thought he would fall in love and want to stay married. That wasn’t what she wanted, anyway. She wanted to be a doctor and to pursue a career in medical research.

Meanwhile, Lara intended to enjoy Marc, have a good time with him and keep her heart absolutely locked away. She turned to face the mirror again. “Can you do that when he is handsome, fun, and oh, so sexy?”

Yes, she could keep from going to bed with him. She’d known him a year and hadn’t slept with him, hadn’t fallen in love with him. She didn’t want emotional hang-ups tangling up her life now that she could do so many things she’d planned on doing. She had to resist his appeal.

“After this marriage I have plans for my future and Marc Medina is no part of them. And Marc has plans for his future and I’m not part of his plans,” she told her reflection in the mirror. “Remember that. I have plans for my future and I can’t wait to start.”

She rushed to her closet to plan what she would wear to work.

It was past 2:00 a.m. when she fell asleep, and her dreams all included Marc Medina.

* * *

To her relief, the next day at work she was too busy to think about her new life or her dinner plans, and she barely saw Marc until after four when he postponed their talk and told her he would pick her up shortly before seven.

After work she rushed home to shower, change clothes and take down her hair, aware it was the first time that she’d have her hair down with him and be dressed in a flirty, flattering outfit. Was he even a fraction as excited as she? She suspected he merely viewed their dinner the same way he would one of his business dinners where he was about to close a deal.

She, on the other hand, could barely contain her excitement or stop thinking about the fantastic fortune he would give her. But along with her excitement came a constant nagging worry that she should guard her heart or risk getting badly hurt. She had to stay out of his bed, because sex would mean nothing to him except physical satisfaction. She had to be on constant guard against seduction that would be briefly satisfying and then could bring down all sorts of problems for her.

She needed to keep a wall between them, she reminded herself. Eventually, they would part and he would never look back. By then if she had her baby, she’d better have her life in order.

As she laid out clothes to wear, she looked at herself in the mirror, studying her stomach, which was still flat. She wasn’t far along in her pregnancy and she was tall and slender. Most people would think this baby was Marc’s and he was agreeable to that. Why was he being so generous with her? Was it because of the loss of his own baby and his wife? She knew he was relieved to find someone who would be happy to part when he ended their marriage—she could understand that one and how she was probably the only woman he knew who would walk away with a smile. And she’d better maintain that distance from him so she would be able to leave without any kind of hurt. She had worked for him for a year and she could say goodbye and be okay right now. She wanted to feel the same way when they ended their marriage.

When her doorbell rang, she took a deep breath, picked up her purse and went to answer. Her new husband-to-be and her new life stood waiting on the other side of her closed door.


Three (#u3a716ecc-6ac3-5f94-9801-e8610035d810)

While he waited for Lara to come to the door, Marc looked at the neat flowerbeds bordering the porch of the small house where Lara lived. He wondered how much they would see each other once they wed. She could settle on the ranch because he knew that’s what his grandfather wanted. Other than that, he didn’t care what she did to get ready for her baby and to go back to school when their marriage ended.

The door swung open and he turned, momentarily startled. “Lara?” His gaze swept over her and his pulse jumped unexpectedly. His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. “You worked until your regular closing time, so you had just an hour to get ready.”

“That’s right,” she said, looking at him with wide, curious blue eyes.

“You look gorgeous.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Come in and see where I live.”

He walked into her place, not because he was interested in seeing where she lived. He merely wanted to look at her longer.




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