Stranded and Seduced

by Charlene Sands

  “That’s what I’m hoping to find out. Would you mind checking with the people living there, to see if they’re interested in selling? I’d give them a more than fair offer along with a bonus if they are. Maybe you and I could drive out there and talk to them.”

  It was the last thing April wanted to do.

  “Ah no, I can’t do that any time soon, but I will give them a call and get back to you. Is that fair enough?”

  “I suppose it’ll have to be.”

  “Oh, and Shannon, is it always like this with you?” She pointed to the reporters milling around the street waiting for her to exit.

  “Some days are worse than others. And coming here to see you, Risk’s new fiancée, might have something to do with it.”

  “You think?”

  Shannon smiled.

  April hated to believe the worst of people, but maybe Shannon’s appearance in Boone Springs had more to do with her needing headlines and getting back in the public eye than anything else. Her last two movies had tanked at the box office. And presently she was unattached.

  Shannon studied her a minute. “Thanks for your help today. I hope to hear from you soon.”

  “No problem, I’ll call you. You’re at the Baron, right?”

  “Yes, I’m staying there. And don’t get me wrong, the food at the hotel is fine, but I’m getting so darn tired of it. I was trying to remember the name of the Mexican restaurant Risk adores. They make his favorite meal there. Oh gosh, you must know the name of the place.” Shannon gave her a pointed look.

  “I, uh, you know, I’m forgetting the name of the place, too.”

  “Really? Gosh, Risk used to crave their food all the time.”

  April had no clue. There was so much she didn’t know about her pretend fiancé. She rose from her seat. “Sorry to rush you, but I’m going to be late for my appointment if I don’t get going. Let me walk you out.”

  Shannon rose, and they made their way to the front door. As soon as April opened it, cameras flashed and reporters started in with their questions. She backed away quickly and closed the door as Shannon met with her paparazzi.

  April could only imagine tomorrow’s headlines: “Risk Boone’s Women, Then and Now.”

  Seven

  April opened her apartment door on the second knock and faced Risk, standing there holding a bag of food from the Gourmet Vaquero. “You brought dinner?”

  “I’m hungry, and when you called today, I got to craving these empanadas. Besides, I was followed by the press, so it looks good that I’m here, delivering my fiancée her dinner. Play along.” He bent his head and kissed her boldly on the lips. Shock stole over her, and he murmured, “Guess you haven’t taken any acting lessons yet. Better work on that. We’re being watched.”

  She wasn’t so sure they were—she didn’t see anyone out there—but Risk wouldn’t have kissed her otherwise. He’d made it clear what he thought of her.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent, remembering a time when she thought it was sexy. She kissed him back, putting a good deal of pent-up emotion into the melding of their lips. For anyone watching from afar or snapping pictures, it must have looked like blazing passion instead of acute displeasure.

  When the kiss ended, her heart was racing. Risk was staring at her as the seconds ticked by.

  “Come inside,” she said, so she could stop pretending she loved him—or liked him, for that matter. Yet her lips tingled and heat began rising up her throat.

  He stepped into her apartment, and she immediately closed the door.

  Risk ignored her sigh of frustration and scanned her place, approval gleaming in his eyes. April had a flair for design and color. She liked to think she had unique style in decorating. The front rooms in her apartment were furnished with varying pieces of contemporary furniture that lent a modern tone while still being warm and inviting. Risk was nodding his head as he took in the living-dining room. “Nice place.”

  “Thanks.” She so wasn’t going to give him a tour of the other rooms. “Listen, I only called you after Shannon left my office because I realized we don’t know enough about each other to make this work.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. It’s not as if we could discuss this at a restaurant or anything. Besides, shouldn’t a fiancé know what his girl’s apartment looks like?”

  That much was true. He’d never been here before.

  “Okay, why don’t you take a seat and get comfortable in the dining room. I’ll get this meal on the table.”

  “I’ll help,” he said. “I don’t expect you to wait on me, unless someone’s watching.” His lips twitched again and she wanted to swat at him with a dish towel.

  “The little woman catering to her man. Risk, I honestly don’t know how you survived in this century with thinking like that.”

  He shot her an innocent-little-boy look, as if anything about Risk could ever be innocent.

  She grabbed the bag out of his hand and headed to the kitchen. “Let me take a look at these world-famous empanadas.” He was steps behind, and when she put the bag on the counter and opened it, the most amazing aroma drifted up. Her stomach growled. “Wow, those do smell good.” She pulled out half a dozen wrapped empanadas, along with a smaller bag of chips and salsa.

  “Wait until you taste them.” Risk was practically salivating.

  “Okay, so empanadas are your go-to food. And that Tex-Mex restaurant is your favorite. That’s a start,” she said. “When Shannon showed up at the office today, I was sort of stumped by her questions.”

  April handed him plates and utensils while she picked out two beers from the fridge. “This okay? I also have wine or soda.”

  “Beer’s fine.”

  “The thing is, I don’t get Shannon. She claims she wants a little getaway here in Boone Springs. I’m looking into properties for her, but I can’t see it.”

  “She’s impulsive. I don’t think she’ll follow through. She has trouble doing that.” Risk was thoughtful for a minute, and she wondered if he still harbored feelings for his ex. But it was none of her business anymore. All she had to do was get through this week, then she’d be free of this ruse.

  Risk put the plates out in the dining room, and she set the food on a platter. She placed it on the table and then handed him a beer as they sat down. “I’m amazed that you’re friends now after all she put you through.”

  Risk frowned. “It wasn’t always like this. In the beginning, I was pretty devastated.”

  She knew. That’s when she’d spent the night with him.

  “Then my hurt turned into indifference, and I realized Shannon wasn’t the woman for me after all. But her mama was a special lady, and seeing what Shannon went through these last few months made me sympathize with her. I mean, I lost both my parents at a young age, and it was extremely hard. We’re on friendly terms now, but I wouldn’t say we’re good friends.”

  “She thinks you are. She made a special point of letting me know she came to visit you yesterday. She’s absolutely thrilled you got your memory back.”

  “Look, all I’m interested in is getting through this thing, and then all of our lives can go back to normal.”

  Risk put the bottle of beer to his lips, and his throat worked as he took a swig. She found herself staring, remembering how things were with them at the lodge after he’d lost his memory. That Risk, any woman would want to be friends with, or more. She cleared her throat. “Let’s eat and get down to the bare facts,” she said.

  Risk took a bite out of a beef empanada.

  She grabbed one of the pastries filled with chicken and Mexican spices. “Oh wow,” she murmured softly as the flavors erupted in her mouth. “These are delicious.”

  “Right?” Risk smiled, and his entire demeanor changed.

  They spent quiet moments filling their bellies, the fo
od tasting too good to interrupt with any discussion. When they were done with the empanadas, they began munching on tortilla chips.

  “What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?” she asked.

  “Butter pecan, but I don’t refuse any flavor of ice cream. What’s yours?”

  “Chocolate chunk brownie. Drink of choice?”

  “Bourbon straight up and beer.” He lifted the bottle to his lips. “Yours?”

  “Green tea.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Alcohol?”

  “Margarita. Baseball, football or basketball?”

  “All of the above. I watch them all. I played baseball in high school. You?”

  “I ran track in college and play tennis once in a while when I find the time. I like to watch football, of course.”

  And after they left the food and sports category, they dived into their early childhoods. “What was yours like, Risk?”

  “Mine? Pretty good. I mean I have two pain-in-the-neck brothers, but we all got along okay. We had a lot of fun on the ranch, even though Dad worked us hard. But after my folks died in that accident, we had some difficult years. Luckily, we had each other. My father wanted us to know the business from the ground up, and my brothers were fine with picking up where Dad left off. But I always knew there was something out there for me more exciting then raising cattle and making business deals. I think I was at my happiest riding rodeo. I loved the excitement and thrill. I loved challenging myself.”

  “And the danger?”

  “It’s not all that dangerous if you know what you’re doing.”

  She stared into his eyes, not bringing up his career-ending injury.

  But he must’ve read her mind. “I was off my game that night I got hurt. Things weren’t great with Shannon. We’d had a fight the night before, and, well, I guess I was distracted.” He finished his beer and set the bottle on the table softly. “What about you?”

  “Me? Well, I didn’t have a great childhood. My dad left the family when I was six. He just up and took off, leaving me and my mother to fend for ourselves. Mom tried her best to provide for us. She worked two jobs, and I was home alone a lot. I guess that’s when I started overeating. Before I knew it, I was at an unhealthy weight, and I realize now, I used that weight as a form of protection. It’s hard being hurt like that, you know?”

  Risk listened and nodded, softness touching his eyes. “Does your mom live in Boone Springs still?”

  She shook her head. “Mom remarried five years ago and lives on the East Coast now. She’s been traveling Europe with her husband these past few months. He’s a tech consultant and speaks four languages. My mom and I talk whenever we can. I think she’s finally managed to put her heartache behind her and she’s happy. That’s all I wanted for her.”

  “What about you? Have you found what you’re looking for?”

  “Well, I’m living my dream, working in real estate, owning my own business.”

  “I meant about your love life?”

  “Oh, I, uh...there’ve been a few men in my life.”

  “Anyone I should know about?”

  She eyed him. “No one special, if that’s what you mean.”

  “No one?”

  She shrugged. Was it so hard to believe she’d never met a guy who made her heart sing? “I dated when I was in college, and that’s where it ended. I never met anyone right...for me.”

  Why was she revealing all this to Risk? He only needed to know facts, not the emotions behind them, but once he opened up about Shannon, she felt a bit more comfortable speaking about her past. “Hey, how about we move on to music? What’s on your Spotify right now? What do you like to see at the movies?”

  They spent the next hour answering each other’s questions, getting down to the basics. She took notes, and after they’d gone through a six-pack of beer, it was time to call it quits. She walked Risk to the door.

  “I think this was a good idea,” she said, feeling much more confident about her role as his fiancée now.

  “Yeah,” he said. “We managed to keep it civil.”

  “Yes. Good practice for when it’s the real thing.”

  “Shoot. It almost slipped my mind. Our first test is coming sooner than I expected. We’re invited to speak about Founder’s Day at the elementary school tomorrow afternoon.”

  “We?”

  “The principal asked for you to come specifically, and I accepted.”

  “You accepted? Really? You don’t even know if I’m available.”

  “April, this week you’re always available when it’s necessary, and this is necessary. The principal thought you can speak about what living in Boone Springs has meant to you.”

  “But I’m not even prepared.”

  “They’re grade-school kids. It won’t be hard. Just wing it.”

  “Easy for you to say.”

  “Hey, a deal’s a deal. And you agreed to all this.”

  He didn’t need to remind her—she was well aware. “I was forced into this, remember? And next time, give me more than a half day’s notice when I’m supposed to make an appearance.”

  “I’ll email you the agenda of appearances ASAP.”

  “There’s so many I need a list?” She wasn’t happy about this.

  He shrugged. “Thanks to our engagement and Shannon’s visit to town, our dance card is filling up fast.”

  She walked him to the door. “You don’t have to accept all of the invitations.”

  “I’m not, trust me. I’ll pick you up tomorrow around ten.”

  She sighed. “I’ll be at the office.” Then she pointed a finger toward his chest. She didn’t give a fig if the paparazzi were out there, stalking them. “And don’t you even think about kissing me goodbye.”

  Risk’s lips twitched, his eyes sharp and keenly aware. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  With that, he walked out, and she gently closed the door before he could say good-night.

  * * *

  April stood next to Risk behind the podium in front of two hundred grade-school students sitting on the multipurpose-room floor of Creek Point Elementary. Risk had them captivated with his stories about how the town of Boone Springs came to be. He spoke of his ancestors with pride and passion and then brought his young audience up to date on what each of his family members had done to keep Boone Springs thriving. He was good with the kids, inspiring, even, which totally surprised her.

  “And now, I’ll turn the microphone over to my fiancée, Miss April Adams. She wants to tell you something about what Boone Springs means to her.” Risk gave her a charming, melt-your-heart smile, and she tried to smile graciously back at him. As if she liked him.

  “Hello, children. I’m April, and I grew up in Boone Springs just like many of you. But when I was young, this school wasn’t built yet. I went to Brookside Elementary. Back then we only needed one grade school in the community and now we have three, so you can see how much we’ve grown in just over twenty years.”

  Eight teachers stood at the back of the auditorium, their gazes glued to her. The children, too, seemed to be listening, but it was Risk’s eyes on her that rattled her nerves. He seemed intent on her every word. She’d taken his advice and was winging it.

  “So when I moved away to learn all I could about real estate, my heart was always here in Boone Springs, where I grew up, where my family and friends were, and I worked very hard to come back here and open an office. People make Boone Springs special, people like you and your families. They work hard, too, and they give back to the community, by supporting the schools and libraries, by volunteering at the hospital and shelters, by helping their neighbors. Can you tell me what you can do to help the community, your neighbors and your families?”

  Hands went up, and April called on a little boy in a red flannel shirt. “I can put my toys away when my mommy asks
.”

  “That’s very helpful.” April grinned and nodded, then called on an older girl, whose gaze seemed to be fixated on her “fiancé.”

  “I want to be a doctor when I grow up.”

  “That’s very helpful, too,” April said. “There are all kinds of doctors. What kind would you like to be?”

  The girl didn’t hesitate. “The kind who helped Mr. Boone when he lost his memory.”

  The teachers all smiled, and Risk’s lips twitched but he had the good grace not to chuckle, like some of the child’s schoolmates were doing. “Yes, the doctors who helped my, uh, Mr. Boone, were quite competent, and we’re very grateful.” She turned to meet Risk’s eyes and found softness there. He was a better actor than she was.

  Once the assembly was over, Risk and April thanked Mr. Ritter for the opportunity to talk to the kids. But when the principal seemed in no rush to end the conversation, Risk took hold of April’s hand and squeezed. “Sorry to rush off, Mr. Ritter, but we’ve got another appointment this afternoon.”

  “Of course,” he said. “Thanks again. Both of you were great. The kids learned so much from your talk. And Miss Adams, you did a wonderful job in engaging the students.”

  “She’s an amazing woman,” Risk replied and then began walking out of the auditorium, tugging her along.

  Once in the parking lot and away from curious eyes, April let go of his hand. Risk opened the car door for her, and as they both took their seats, she turned to him. “I hope you weren’t serious about us having another appointment this afternoon. It wasn’t on the agenda.”

  He turned on the engine and buckled up. “I’m serious...about lunch. I’m starving.”

  “Well, you can eat. Just drop me off at my agency first.”

  He only smiled. “Sorry, can’t do that. The place is around the corner from here.”

  “Risk, if I’m so horrible, why would you want to spend more time with me than necessary? Because I certainly think you—”