by Trish Morey; Day Leclaire; Natalie Anderson; Brenda Jackson; Ann Voss Peterson
He glanced back over to where Bella was standing and thought that no one would boot him out the way when it came to Bella. They better not even try.
Bella smiled at something Zane had said while trying not to glance across the room at Jason. He had spoken to her when she’d first arrived but since then had pretty much kept his distance, preferring to let his brothers and cousins keep her company.
You would never know they had been two people who’d almost demolished the mouths right off their faces a few days ago. But then maybe that was the point. Maybe he didn’t want anyone to know. Come to think of it, she’d never asked if he even had a girlfriend. For all she knew he might have one. Just because he’d dropped by for tea didn’t mean anything other than he was neighborly. And she had to remember that he had never gotten out of the way with her.
Until that day in his office.
What had made him want to kiss her? There had been this intense chemistry between them from the first, but neither of them had acted on it until that day. Had stepping over those boundaries taken their relationship to a place where it couldn’t recover? She truly hoped not. He was a nice person, a charmer if ever there was one. And although she’d decided that distance between them was probably for the best right now, she did want him to remain her friend.
“Pam’s getting everyone’s attention for dinner,” Dillon said as he approached the group. “Let me escort you to the dining room,” he offered and tucked Bella’s arm beneath his.
She smiled at him. The one thing she noticed was that all the Westmoreland men resembled in some way. “Thank you.”
She glanced over at Jason. Their gazes met and she felt it, the same sensations she felt whenever he was near her. That deep stirring in the pit of her stomach had her trying to catch her breath.
“You okay?” Dillon asked her.
She glanced up and saw concern in his deep dark eyes. He’d followed her gaze and noted it had lit on his brother. “Yes, I’m fine.”
She just hoped what she’d said was true.
Jason wasn’t surprised to discover he had been placed beside Bella at the dinner table. The women in the family tended to be matchmakers when they set their minds to it, which he could overlook considering three of them were all happily married themselves. The other two, Megan and Bailey, were in it for the ride.
He dipped his head, lower than he’d planned, to ask Bella if she was enjoying herself, and when she turned her head to look at him their lips nearly touched. He came close to ignoring everyone sitting at the table and giving in to the temptation to kiss her.
She must have read his mind and a light blush spread into her cheeks. He swallowed, pulled his lips back. “Are you having a good time?”
“Yes. And I appreciate your family for inviting me.”
“And I’m sure they enjoy having you here,” he said. Had she expected him to invite her? He shrugged off the thought as wrong. There had been no reason for him to invite her to meet his family. Come to think of it, he had never invited a woman home for dinner. Not even Emma Phillips and they’d dated close to a year before she tried giving him an ultimatum.
The meal went off without a hitch with various conversations swirling around the table. Megan informed everyone that the private investigator she had hired to dig deeper into their great-grandfather Raphel’s past was Rico Claiborne, who just happened to be the brother of Jessica and Savannah who were married to their cousins Chase and Durango. Rico, whom Megan hadn’t yet met, was flying into Denver at some point in time to go over the information he’d collected on what was supposed to be Raphel’s third wife.
By the time dinner was over and conversations wound down it was close to ten o’clock. Someone suggested given the lateness of the hour that Bella be escorted back home. Several of his cousins spoke up to do the honor and Jason figured he needed to end the nonsense once and for all and said in a voice that brooked no argument, “I’ll make sure Bella gets home.”
He noticed that all conversation automatically ceased and no one questioned his announcement. “Ready to go?” he asked Bella softly.
“Yes.”
She thanked everyone and openly gave his cousins and brothers hugs. It wasn’t hard to tell that they all liked her and had enjoyed her visit. After telling everyone good-night he followed her out the door.
Bella glanced out her rearview mirror and saw Jason was following her at a safe distance. She laughed, thinking when it came to Jason there wasn’t a safe zone. Just knowing he was anywhere within her area was enough to rattle her. Even sitting beside him at dinner had been a challenge for her, but thanks to the rest of his family who kept lively conversation going on, she was able to endure his presence and the sexual tension she’d felt. Each time he talked to her and she looked into his face and focused on his mouth, she would remember that same mouth mating with hers.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips when they pulled into her yard. Figuring it would be dark when she returned she had left lights burning outside and her yard was practically glowing. She parked her car and was opening the door to get out when she saw Jason already standing there beside it. Her breathing quickened and panic set in. “You don’t need to walk me to the door, Jason,” she said quickly.
“I want to,” he said simply.
Annoyance flashed in her eyes when she recalled how he’d gone out of his way most of the evening to avoid her. “Why would you?”
He gave her a look. “Why wouldn’t I?” Instead of waiting for her to respond he took her hand in his and headed toward her front door.
Fine! she thought, fuming inside and dismissing the temptation to pull her hand away from his. Because her foreman lived on the ranch, she knew the last thing she needed to do was make a scene with Jason outside under the bright lights. He stood back while she unlocked the door and she had a feeling he intended to make sure she was safely inside before leaving. She was right when he followed her inside.
When he closed the door behind them she placed her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to say what was on her mind, but he beat her to the punch. “Was I out of line when I kissed you that day, Bella?”
The softly spoken question gave her pause and she dropped her hands to her side. No, he hadn’t been out of line mainly because she’d wanted the kiss. She had wanted to feel his mouth on hers, his tongue tangling with her own. And if she was downright truthful about it, she would admit to wanting his hands on her, all over her, touching her in ways no man had touched her before.
He was waiting for her response.
“No, you weren’t out of line.”
“Then why the coldness today?”
She tilted her chin. “I can be asking you the same thing, Jason. You weren’t Mr. Congeniality yourself tonight.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment but she could tell her comment had hit a mark with him. “No, I wasn’t,” he admitted.
Although she had made the accusation she was stunned by the admission. It had caught her off guard. “Why?” She knew the reason for her distance but was curious to know the reason for his.
“Ladies first.”
“Fine,” she said, placing her purse on the table. “We might as well get this little talk over with. Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes,” he said, rubbing his hand down his face in frustration. “A cup of tea would be nice.”
She glanced up at him, surprised by his choice. There was no need to mention since that first day when he’d shown up she had picked up a couple bottles of beer and wine at the store to give him more of a choice. Since tea was also her choice she said, “All right, I’ll be back in a moment.” She then swept from the room.
Jason watched her leave and felt more frustrated than ever. She was right, they needed to talk. He shook his head. When had things between them gotten so complicated? Had it all started with that kiss? A kiss that was destined to happen sooner or later given the intense attraction between them?
He sighed deeply, won
dering how he would explain his coldness to her tonight. How could he tell her his behavior had been put in place as a safety mechanism stemming from the fact that he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any other woman? And how could he explain that the thought of any woman getting under his skin to the extent she had scared the hell out of him?
Chances were if he hadn’t run into her at the appliance store he would have sought out her company anyway. More than likely he would have dropped by later for tea, although he had tried limiting his visits for fear of wearing out his welcome.
Her phone rang and he wondered who would be calling her at this late hour but knew it was none of his business when she picked it up on the second rang. He’d never gotten around to asking if she had a boyfriend or not and assumed she didn’t.
Moments later Jason glanced toward the kitchen door when he heard a loud noise, the sound of something crashing on her floor. He quickly moved toward the kitchen to see what had happened and to make sure she was all right.
He frowned when he entered the kitchen and saw Bella stooping to pick up the tray she’d dropped along with two broken cups.
He quickly moved forward. “Are you okay, Bella?” he asked.
She didn’t look at him as she continued to pick up broken pieces of the teacups. “I’m fine. I accidentally dropped it.”
He bent down toward her. “That’s fine. At least you didn’t have tea in the cups. You could have burned yourself. I can help you get that up.”
She turned to look up at him. “I can do this, Jason. I don’t need your help.”
He met her gaze and would have taken her stinging words to heart if he hadn’t seen the redness of her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering she shook her head and averted her gaze, refusing to look at him any longer. Quickly recovering his composure at seeing her so upset, he was pushed into action and wrapped his arms around her waist and assisted her up off the floor.
He stood facing her and drew in a deep, calming breath before saying, “I want to know what’s wrong, Bella.”
She drew in her own deep breath. “That was my father. He called to gloat.”
Jason frowned. “About what?”
He watched her when she swallowed deeply. “He and his attorney were able to get an injunction against my trust fund and wanted me to know my monthly funds are on hold.”
He heard the tremor in her voice. “But I thought you had three months before your twenty-sixth birthday.”
“I do, but some judge—probably a close friend of Dad’s—felt my parents had grounds to place a hold on my money. They don’t believe I’ll marry before the trust fund’s deadline date.”
She frowned. “I need my money, Jason. I was counting on the income to pay my men as well as to pay for all the work I’ve ordered to be done around here. There were a number of things my grandfather hadn’t taken care of around here that need to be done, like repairing the roof on the barn. My parents are deliberately placing me in a bind and they know it.”
Jason nodded. He had started noticing a number of things Herman had begun overlooking that had needed to be done. He then shook his head. He’d heard of controlling parents but felt hers were ridiculous.
“Certainly there is something your attorney can do.”
She drew in a deep breath. “He sent me a text moments ago and said there’s nothing he can do now that a judge has gotten involved. And even if there were, it would take time and my parents know it. It is time they figure I don’t have, which will work in their favor. True, I got this ranch free and clear but it takes money to keep it operational.”
He shook his head. “And all because you won’t get married?”
“Yes. They believe I was raised and groomed to be the wife of someone like Hugh who already has standing in Savannah’s upper-class society.”
Jason didn’t say anything for a few moments. “Does your trust fund specifically state who you’re to marry?”
“No, it just says I have to be a married woman. I guess my grandparents figured in their way of thinking that I would automatically marry someone they would consider my equal and not just anyone.”
An idea suddenly slammed into Jason’s head. It was a crazy one…but it would serve a purpose in the long run. In the end, she would get what she wanted and he would get what he wanted.
He reached out and took her hand in his, entwined their fingers and tried ignoring the sensations touching her caused. “Let’s sit down for a moment. I might have an idea.”
Bella allowed him to lead her over to the kitchen table and she sat down with her hands on top of the table and glanced up at him expectantly.
“Promise you’ll keep an open mind when you hear my proposal.”
“All right, I promise.”
He paused a moment and then said, “I think you should do what your parents want and get married.”
“What!”
“Think about it, Bella. You can marry anyone to keep your trust fund intact.”
He could tell she was even more confused. “I don’t understand, Jason. I’m not seriously involved with anyone, so who am I supposed to marry?”
“Me.”
Four
Bella’s jaw dropped open. “You?”
“Yes.”
She stared at Jason for a long moment and then she adamantly shook her head.
“Why would you agree to marry me?” she asked, confused.
“Think about it, Bella. It will be a win-win situation for the both of us. Marriage to me will guarantee you’ll keep your trust fund rolling in without your parents’ interfering. And it will give me what I want, as well, which is your land and Hercules.”
Her eyes widened. “A marriage of convenience between us?”
“Yes.” He could see the light shining bright in her wide-eyed innocent gaze. But then caution eased into the hazel depths.
“And you want me to give you my land as well as Hercules?”
“Co-ownership of the land and total ownership of Hercules.”
Bella nibbled on her bottom lip, giving his proposal consideration while trying not to feel the disappointment trying to crowd her in. She had come here to Denver to be independent and not dependent. But what he was proposing was not how she had planned things to go. She was just learning to live on her own without her parents looking over her shoulder. She wanted her own life and now Jason was proposing that he share it. Even if it was on a temporary basis, she was going to feel her independence snatched away. “And how long do we have to remain married?”
“For as long as we want but at least a year. Anytime after that either of us are free to file for a divorce to end things. But think about it, once we send your father’s attorney proof we’re officially married he’ll have no choice but to release the hold on your trust fund.”
Bella knew that her parents would always be her parents and although she loved them, she could not put up with their controlling ways any longer. She thought Jason’s proposal might work but she still had a few reservations and concerns.
“Will we live in separate households?” she decided to ask.
“No, we will either live here or at my place. I have no problem moving in here but we can’t live apart. We don’t want to give your parents or anyone a reason to think our marriage isn’t the real thing.”
She nodded thinking what he said made sense but she needed to ask another question. This one was of a delicate nature but was one she definitely needed to know the answer to. She cleared her throat. “If we lived in the same house would you expect for us to sleep in the same bed?”
He held her gaze intently. “I think by now it’s apparent we’re attracted to each other, which is the reason I wasn’t Mr. Congeniality tonight as you’ve indicated. That kiss we shared only made me want more and I think you know where wanting more would have led.”
Yes, she knew. And because he was being honest with her she might as well be honest with him. “And the reason I acted ‘cold�
�� as you put it was that I felt sensations kissing you that I’d never felt before and with everything going on in my life, the last thing I needed to take on was a lover. And now you want me to take on a husband, Jason?”
“Yes, and only because you won’t have all those issues you had before. And I would want us to share a bed, but I’ll leave the decision of what we do up to you. I won’t rush you into doing anything you’re not comfortable with doing. But I think you can rightly say with us living under the same roof such a thing is bound to happen eventually.”
She swallowed. Yes, she could rightly say that. Marrying him would definitely be a solution to her problem and like he’d said, he would be getting what he wanted out of the deal as well—co-ownership of her land and Hercules. It would be a win-win situation.
But still.
“I need to think about it, Jason. Your proposal sounds good but I need to make sure it’s the right answer.”
He nodded. “I have an attorney who can draw up the papers so you won’t have to worry about everything I’m proposing being legit and binding. Your attorney can look at them as well if you’d like. He will be bound by attorney-client privilege not to disclose the details of our marriage to anyone.”
“I still need time to think things through, Jason.”
“And I’ll give you that time but my proposal won’t be out there forever.”
“I understand.”
And whether or not he believed her, she did understand, which was why she needed time to think about it. From his standpoint things probably looked simple and easy. But to her there were several “what ifs” she had to consider.
What if during that year she fell in love with him but he wanted out of the marriage? What if he was satisfied with a loveless marriage and like her parents wanted to be discreet in taking lovers? What if—
“How much time do you think you’ll need to think about it?”
“No more than a week at the most. I should have my answer to you by then.” And she hoped more than anything it would be the right one.
