by Kadie Scott
Will stared at the door, hands on his hips and shook his head. Closed out of his own bedroom by his brand-new wife. Not exactly a good sign. He was asking for trouble, tangling with Rusty Walker Hill, but he was having too much fun to stop. Besides, he had a marriage certificate in his glove box that said she was legally his to have and to hold, and he intended that to last a hell of a lot longer than a few months, even if she didn’t know it yet.
He just had to convince his stubborn, suspicious wife he was worth keeping around.
An hour later, he pulled his truck around to the front of the house and honked. He would’ve gone in to get her, and his mother would probably have a fit, but he had a feeling Rusty would be less edgy if he treated her like a buddy for a while. A minute or two later, Rusty came outside. It took everything he had not to get out and open the door for her, but keeping to the buddy idea, he stayed where he was as she hopped up beside him.
“So…” Rusty said after the first few miles of silence. “Does your whole family get together like that a lot?”
He flicked a glance to find her looking out the window, her expression inscrutable. “Yeah. We get together whenever we can. La Colina is a bit of a drive from the ranch, so we don’t see Cash and Holly as much as we’d like. And with Carter in Austin, we only see her on school breaks. Although—” He smiled now. “She’s been seeing a guy in town, so she’s made the trip more often lately.”
“What does she want to do with her degree?” Rusty asked.
Will shrugged. “According to Carter, there are a few options, but I suspect she’ll end up with a law firm in Austin as one of their primary specialists. She started consulting for them during her master’s work.”
“That might cause issues with the rancher she’s seeing,” Rusty pointed out.
Will concentrated on turning onto the main road. “They’ll figure it out if it’s important to them,” he said.
She turned to face him. “That doesn’t sound very romantic,” she commented.
He kept his eyes forward. “I guess not.”
“What? You don’t believe in true love?”
Now she was teasing him. Trying to get a rise out of him? He’d have to stay on his toes to keep up with her mercurial moods.
“I believe that people can love each other completely their whole lives. My parents have. But I also think people try to make something work when it obviously shouldn’t. Marriage is hard enough without adding distance or different values or needs to it.”
The entire time he was talking, Will was painfully aware of how his current situation belied his words. However, he also believed he and Rusty were… What? Meant to be? He’d never been a big believer in fate or soul mates. But here he was married to a woman who didn’t love him, and determined to change that. They just had to get to know each other.
“Do you always have an answer for everything?” she asked, but at least laughter lingered in her voice, rather than irritation.
Will smiled. “Hardly.” For example, he had no answer to the question that was Rusty Walker.
The smart answer was keep the relationship on a business partnership footing. The dumb answer was hard and currently pushing against the zipper of his jeans.
He was doing his best to walk the fine line between the two. Will had never been the impulsive one of the Hill family. He was methodical, even when he took risks. This thing with Rusty was anything but methodical. He was flying by the seat of his jeans.
“My experience is love, like any other vice—greed, self-interest, lust—can be used to control that person,” she murmured at the window. “And often goes by the wayside if it gets in the way of other more important goals.”
Her father again, most likely. “Only if the person using it against you doesn’t understand love. Love is about wanting the best things for that person.”
She slowly turned her head to blink at him. “That’s a nice thought.”
But she didn’t believe it. Damn, her father had done a number on her. Will added her attitude about love to the list of hurdles he needed to navigate.
He reached for her hand resting on the console between them. “I would do anything, give anything, for my family. You’re part of that now.” He squeezed her hand for emphasis, then let her go and let that sink in.
Trying to bring things back to comfortable, Will pointed out various places as they drove into the main strip of the town. The grocery store was situated at the other end. Only being slightly over two miles wide and supporting a population of about two thousand, though that didn’t count all the ranches in the area outside of town, still their destination gave him a chance to give her the full tour. He pointed out the feed store, and Pete’s BBQ, the large animal vet clinic where Holly worked when she wasn’t out on call, the bank, the dry cleaners, and so on. Most of the buildings were sided with age-blackened limestone, all two stories with awnings that stretched out over the sidewalks, everything landscaped with local trees and shrubs. They took pride in their town, which boasted several shops, a bar, and even a winery.
“I like this place,” she said as he parked in the grocery store lot.
Will raised his eyebrows and pretended to consider the grocery store facade. “It’s like any other grocery store.”
She rolled her eyes. “No, the town, you goof.”
“Yeah.” He glanced outside, back down the main road. “It is nice.”
They stepped out, smacking into a wall of humidity as the sun beat down on them. “Hot though,” Rusty commented, fanning herself.
“August is worse,” Will warned. Still, the blast of cool air when they walked through the double doors of the store was welcoming.
“Will Hill, you son of a gun.”
Will cringed at the use of his name as well as at the voice, but turned with a polite smile. “Mike.” He held out a hand to the man crossing the parking lot toward them.
Remembering his manners, he turned to Rusty, hand proprietorially at the small of her back. Hiding his reluctance, he introduced the two. “Rusty, this is Mike Jenkins. Mike, Rusty Walker—”
“So nice to meet you, ma’am.” Mike thrust out a hand, interrupting Will’s intro before he got to the most interesting part.
Will ignored the glance Rusty flicked his way as she shook Mike’s hand. “Nice to meet you,” she murmured.
Mike held on a tad too long, his gaze roving down Rusty’s figure in jeans and a hot pink tank top. Will had to hide a smile at the snap of irritation in her eyes.
“Newcomers are always welcome,” Mike said.
Somehow the guy managed to make it sound smarmy rather than kind.
Rusty’s only response was a cursory smile that could’ve passed for a grimace. “Thanks,” she said. “You didn’t catch my full name, I’m afraid. It’s Rusty Walker Hill.”
Even through his shock that Rusty was the one to toss that out there, Will almost laughed as the other man’s shoulders sagged.
“Damn.” Mike gave Will what he guessed was supposed to be a good-natured glare. “Should’ve known you Hills would snap up the newest eligible female in town,” Mike grumbled.
Rusty lifted her eyebrows at Will in question.
“Cash married Holly who just moved back,” he explained.
“I see.” She turned to Mike. “We married before I got to town if that’s any consolation.”
“Not really.” He grinned. “But congrats. And welcome to the area. I’m sure I’ll see y’all around.” With a tip of his hat, Mike sauntered off.
As they made their way to the stack of carts, Rusty eyed Will speculatively. “He’s… friendly.”
Only if he wanted something from someone. “Yeah. We were in the same class in school.”
“I see,” she murmured.
Did she? He suspected she might. Rusty didn’t tend to get her head turned by a charming smile and good looks. Which was good news for Will. Charm was not one of his gifts.
“Were you competitive with each other?” she ask
ed.
Will pulled a cart out of the neatly stacked line. “Mike could compete with a wall.”
“Uh-huh. And you weren’t at all.” Skepticism lined the words.
Will opened his eyes wide. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She chuckled, brown eyes warm. “I bet.” They paused in produce and she picked up a zucchini. Will blinked at the visual that provided, her handling the long vegetable put him in mind of those hands wrapped around part of his anatomy that strained to make that mental picture a reality.
He gave his head a shake. Get your mind out of the gutter.
“Do you not like being called Will Hill?” Her question pulled him back to the topic.
“Not really. Why do you ask?”
“Because you grimaced when he said it.”
“Oh.” Will grabbed a bunch of green bananas and tossed them in the cart. “No. Will Hill sounds like a Dr. Seuss character. Williams Hill sounds better.”
“But you go by Will.”
“Yeah.” He blew out a breath with a shrug.
“So, what’s the record?” she asked next.
He crossed his arms as he realized the question, but still played dumb. “What do you mean?”
She stopped at the tomatoes. “You know. The record you set that you were both going for.”
His wife was a perceptive woman. He’d have to keep that in mind. “I still hold the school record for the mile in track.”
“Figures. And what position did you play on the football team?”
Texas was football, and Will had been an athletic kid. But how’d she guess? “Wide receiver. Mike was quarterback.”
“Ouch.” She pursed her lips.
“I was voted team captain though.” Now he was showing off like a teenager.
Jeez, he needed to get a grip.
That set her off laughing, drawing the attention of the few folks in there on Tuesday afternoon. “Of course, you were,” she said through her giggles.
Next, she stopped at the cherries, and Will had to walk away before his mind and body embarrassed him. What was wrong with him anyway? The woman was shopping for fruits and vegetables, not here to do a strip tease just for him.
He needed space. So, he left the cart with a startled Rusty and went to get his own produce. By the time he returned, she was done with produce and they moved on to the aisles. He managed to keep his mind away from suggestive images the rest of the time in the store. Who knew produce could be so inadvertently evocative?
What he really needed was to give Rusty some space to get settled, and for his libido to calm the hell down. Maybe once they got into the groove of their respective roles, he could take it up a notch. But if he made a move now, she’d run.
She reminded him of a skittish filly—low on trust, ready to either lash out or run when she felt threatened.
Old-fashioned hard work and a routine, common goals were what he’d stick to for now. No matter how he excused it as a business deal to start, this wasn’t just business, this was personal on a level that scared him. Because now that he had her, he didn’t want to let her go.
He’d show her how life could be if she stayed, then he’d show her how they could be if she stayed.
Chapter Nine
Rusty picked at the roast on her plate as she did her best to present a happily newly married façade to Will’s family gathered around the dinner table. The food was delicious, but she had bigger things on her mind. Like the bed in their room. One they’d shortly be sharing.
The rest of the day, Will had kept his touching and romance for when they had an audience. Otherwise, he treated her like one of the guys. Part of her relaxed at that, knowing he wasn’t getting ideas from their situation. The other contrary half of her was getting her own ideas, and arguing with the logical side about how casual she and Will should keep things.
The man stirred feelings inside her no other man had set off before. When he touched her, she warmed up, wanting to lean into him. And, every so often, she’d catch a look in his eyes that would remind her of the kisses they’d shared. Not the ones for show, but the ones in her room.
How were they going to make it months sharing a room and not end up making use of that room for more than sleeping?
“Aren’t you hungry, sweetie?” Evaline interrupted Rusty’s thoughts.
Rats. She’d been caught fantasizing about the woman’s son.
She glanced up to find all the Hills watching her. She sent them what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’m never all that hungry after a long trip, but this roast is fantastic.”
Did the excuse sound as flimsy to them as it did to her?
“Holly’s the same way,” Evaline said.
Apparently not.
“Maybe it’s a girl thing, Mom,” Jennings piped up. “Carter never did get into anything that required a lot of travel, but all of us boys did rodeo.”
“Some still do,” Will said.
“Yeah. Like me,” Autry agreed.
Will lifted a single eyebrow. “When’s the last rodeo you did?”
“The La Colina Sheriff’s Posse this summer,” Autry tossed back.
Jennings paused in serving up more mashed potatoes and snorted. “The only thing I saw you doing was Tara Hammond under the bleachers.”
“Jennings Hill,” Evaline gasped.
“What?” Jennings said around a bite. “I wasn’t the one doing Tara Hammond under the bleachers.”
“I wasn’t doing her,” Autry mumbled. “We were only making out, Mom. I swear.”
Rusty had to bite back a smile as the twenty-six-year-old grown cowboy tried to explain his sex life to his mother in an acceptable manner.
“I don’t want to hear about you doing anything under the bleachers with a woman, even if it’s just making out,” Evaline said, her tone sharper than Rusty’d heard all day. Even Rusty would cower under her sharp eye.
“Yes, Mama,” Autry murmured. He turned a bit red.
John Hill didn’t say a word, but his stern presence at the head of the table as he watched the interaction between mother and son clearly said he’d back up his wife if asked.
Rusty waited for him to come down hard on Autry, but he said nothing. And, after a moment, all of them went back to eating and talking like nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.
Everyone except Rusty. That was it? Maybe the Hills yelled at each other behind closed doors?
Under the cover of the chatter, Will leaned over to murmur in her ear. “You look confused.”
Was she that transparent? Damn. She’d have to work on her poker face. “Let’s just say that scene would’ve gone down very differently at my house,” she whispered back.
“Yeah?” he asked, obviously curious.
“Yeah. Dad was a lot of bark to go along with his bite.” Garrett Walker had never laid a hand on her though.
She supposed she could be thankful for that. But he’d tried to break her in other ways. Verbal ways.
Will considered her as though he could read between the lines and knew exactly how it had been for her. His gaze took in her upturned face for a long space of time while she held her breath. If she leaned forward slightly, maybe he’d…
Will dropped a casual kiss on her lips, and she gave a soft gasp even though she knew the kiss was for show. However, it mirrored her silent need so much, she couldn’t help it.
He smiled. “Now you’re with the Hills. We’re not yellers.”
Rusty’s lips parted. So, he had read between the lines with ease. She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that.
“Hey, food hog, leave some for the rest of us,” Autry snapped at Jennings, making Rusty jump at the sudden sound.
Will rolled his eyes. “Most of the time we’re not yellers.”
Dinner went smoothly after that. If she could count the casual snuggles Will gave her from time to time which amped up her heart rate. She helped clear the table, then insisted on helping with the dishes. Eval
ine refused to just let Rusty do it, but after some persuasion, at least allowed her to load the dishwasher.
Will, who had followed his dad and brothers out to the family room, eventually wandered back in. “There you are,” he said.
Conscious Evaline was listening in and watching, and also aware Will had been doing most of the work to hold up their newlywed story, Rusty tossed him an amused smile. “Miss me?” she teased.
He grinned and took her up on the playful banter. Will stepped right in behind her, reaching around to pluck a dish out of the sudsy water even as he nuzzled her neck. “Yes, ma’am. I did.”
He pressed into her, and to her shock, Rusty could feel exactly how much he’d missed her. She stiffened to keep herself from melting back against him like she really wanted to do. Will desired her, at least physically. Again, the specter of that bed loomed in her mind.
Months together in that room. Alone. What would be the harm in enjoying that time? Except it complicated the hell out of things—especially if they remained business partners after she left.
A hard kick of denial punched through her. She’d been married all of two and a half days and at the Hills less than twelve hours. Rusty stuffed the odd feeling she didn’t want to leave down deep. She would be leaving when this was all over. She’d have a ranch to run.
Still, when he ran his lips down the sensitive skin at the side of her neck, she couldn’t hold back her shiver.
“Would you two like some privacy?” Evaline interrupted the moment.
Despite the quiet amusement in the other woman’s voice, Rusty still jumped. She was doing that a lot lately.
I really need to calm the hell down.
She dug an elbow into Will’s ribs. He grunted, then retaliated by goosing her. Rusty squealed and jumped to the side. Then she spun to face his mother. “No need. I’m almost done. Then I think I’m going to bed early.”
How could they forget they had an audience?
“You did have a long day,” Evaline murmured. Still she couldn’t hide her smile as she glanced between them.
She’d been taken in by their silly moment. Hell, so had Rusty. She turned back to the sink, a cloud of suspicion floating over her. Perhaps Will hadn’t forgotten their audience and that had all been for show. Still, how could he fake his reaction to her?
