Married in Name Only

by Jules Bennett

Sterling had been locked up too damn long, having been denied bail. According to the powers that be, they considered him a flight risk.

  Bullshit. He wasn’t going anywhere, except maybe to see his son, Roarke. One would think a crusading attorney son would come to his father’s defense, but not Roarke.

  What the hell did a man have to do to earn a little respect?

  According to his attorney, there was another chance to petition for bail coming up. Sterling needed out of this place and he needed to get back to the Texas Cattleman’s Club because he sure as hell had every intention of becoming the president of the newest chapter.

  Sterling came to his feet and blew out a sigh. He wouldn’t be in here forever and the time he’d spent so far had only got his gut churning and mind rolling. Roarke had never approved of Sterling’s business dealings, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he hadn’t come to his father’s aide.

  But was he even Roarke’s father? Because Sterling had some serious doubts about his late wife’s fidelity.

  Maybe there was a way to get that rumor out there without sounding like a jaded husband. Shouldn’t Roarke know the truth? There was that period where Sterling’s wife had been sneaky, distant. He’d always suspected an affair.

  He wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Roarke was a love child.

  Sterling couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Soon. Very soon people would know just how powerful and mighty Sterling Perry truly was. If they thought he was a shark before, they’d better watch out. Even these bars couldn’t hold him back.

  The murderer needed to be found, and Sterling needed to secure his position at the club and find the truth about Roarke. There was too much to do and he had run out of patience.

  * * *

  Lucas didn’t even try to hide the smile as he waited for the penthouse elevator to slide open the next morning. The security guard for his building had already notified Lucas of the petite blonde heading his way...and according to Nyle, she didn’t look too happy.

  All the more reason for him to celebrate. If Paisley was here and in a bad mood, that could only mean one thing. Wedding bells would be ringing soon.

  Lucas hooked his thumbs on his belt loops and whistled. “Here Comes the Bride” seemed appropriate, but there was no need to completely piss her off so he went with an old country song instead.

  The door whooshed open and Paisley stepped into his penthouse. That narrowed gaze and set jaw said more than any words could. Yes, definitely not the time for “Here Comes the Bride.”

  “Beautiful morning for a visit,” he called out to her.

  Paisley shot him a glare and Lucas bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He hadn’t been out at all, but the sunshine beamed through his wall of windows.

  “Stop looking so damn smug,” she stated, marching farther into his penthouse. “This is not going to go the way you think.”

  As she brushed past him as if she had every right to barge into his home, Lucas chuckled. Oh, he had every intention of getting exactly what he wanted—Paisley in his bed and her having his child. That didn’t seem like a high price to pay for all he would be doing for her.

  Lucas spun on his heel and followed those swaying hips into the living area.

  “First of all,” she started, spinning around with her finger pointed right at him like a dagger, “we will get married, but make no mistake, this isn’t some happy-ever-after. Don’t think that I love you or I have some fantasy that this will be some fairy tale.”

  Love and fairy tale? No, none of that had entered his mind. What did love have to do with marriage? Thankfully, she knew exactly what this was and wasn’t.

  Well, there was one thing she didn’t know, but he’d save the heir talk for a bit later. He had her here now and he needed to keep her since he was making headway.

  “Any other stipulations?” he asked her.

  Lucas felt it best to just let her think she called the shots. So long as he got what he wanted out of the deal, he didn’t care what she thought.

  He wanted a child of his own and justice against Sterling Perry. And Paisley could give him both.

  “I want a prenup and everything we agree on in writing,” she added. “There will be no surprises at the end of our marriage and my business will not suffer.”

  Lucas couldn’t help but admire her for putting their past, and her emotions, aside to keep her dream alive. He had his own dreams, but they were quite different from hers.

  “What brought you here now?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leveling her gaze.

  “There was a...minor setback at the boutique.” She fidgeted with the strap of her bag resting on her forearm. “I just realized that I can’t do it alone and as much as I hate being here, I’m not going to let my business fall simply because my pride got in the way.”

  Another notch up on the scale of admiration. Maybe she had changed from the girl who had been too afraid to face their difficulties head-on.

  Regardless, they were different people now and nothing about their past played a role in this situation. He wasn’t the same naive boy he was back then, young and in love—or what he thought was love. Lucas had a lucrative business and while he might not believe in love in the terms of marriage, he did believe in love of family and he wanted one of his own. He wanted to have that security of passing a legacy down to his children.

  Lucas dropped his hands to his sides and closed the space between them. As he grew closer, Paisley tipped her head back to stare up at him and that perfect mix of colors in her eyes never failed to punch him in the gut with lust.

  Lust he could handle; in fact, he welcomed it. Having Paisely again wouldn’t be a hardship.

  “Just so I have everything clear for my attorney to draw up the proper papers, you want me to make sure your business is set to continue to prosper, you need me to find out the truth about your father and you want all of this to have an expiration date.”

  She pursed her lips as her eyes darted away. That slight slip of her resolve had him swelling with the knowledge that she might come off as headstrong, but she still had that underlying vulnerability he remembered.

  And that was the damn crux of the situation. He wanted to be the one to save her. Even after the ridiculous way things ended and all the time that had passed, he couldn’t deny the ego trip at the fact she’d come to him for help. Which only meant she’d been thinking of him.

  At some point, he’d want answers about the past. Not that it would make any difference, nor did he want to relive everything, but he did wonder. And that bit about his dad going to her? Lucas wasn’t so sure that was the whole truth.

  “Are you even going to ask what I want out of this?” Lucas couldn’t stop himself. He reached out and trailed his fingertip down her creamy cheek and along her jawline. “Or are you just going to trust me?”

  She licked her lips as she continued to stare. “I...um. I assume you’ll tell me.”

  Easing his thumb over her moist bottom lip, he smiled. “I want you in my bed. For as long as we’re married, we will be man and wife in every way. There’s no way I can live with you and not touch you, not want you. Not have you all to myself.”

  Paisley’s eyes widened as she gasped. “You know I’m not staying forever. Why would you want to pretend this is real?”

  Lucas was done playing games. He framed her face with both hands and covered her mouth. The bag she had on her arm bumped his abdomen, then fell with a thud to the floor.

  Paisley let out a little squeak as he all but consumed her. She opened for him, just as she always had. Some things never changed. She’d never hesitated with her response to him and now was no different. She gripped his biceps as if she needed to hold on or hold him in place—either way was fine with him.

  Damn. She tasted just as sweet as he remembered. Lucas threaded his finge
rs through her hair and tipped her head back. Paisley arched against him as he nipped at her lips and slowly pulled away.

  “Was that you pretending?” he asked, his voice surprisingly stronger than he actually felt. “Because I just want to make sure I don’t get confused about what’s real or pretend.”

  Paisley took a step back, then another, until she bumped into the curved staircase. Her shaky hand went to her lips and she closed her eyes.

  Lucas was having a bit of a problem keeping himself in check. He wanted nothing more than to strip her bare and take her right here in his living room. But that was how they’d been when they were younger. They’d been all over each other. Young love had carried them so far, but ultimately, not far enough.

  Still, having her in his home stirred something primal in him and he was positive he didn’t want her leaving. Call him selfish, but he wanted Paisley and he wanted her right here.

  “Chemistry doesn’t mean anything,” she retorted.

  If there had been any conviction in her tone, he might believe her. If she hadn’t arched that sweet, curvy body against his, he might think she didn’t want more. But he knew better. She’d come to him, pride aside.

  She could have chosen anyone else to help her, but she wanted him. Despite everything that happened in their past, they still had a bond and he knew she trusted him with her case.

  Lucas reached for her, sliding his hand across her cheek and up into her hair. “You want to end the marriage, I get that. Do you have an expiration date?”

  Those hazel eyes never wavered from his. “If Sterling turns out to be my father and recognizes me, then I want out. I don’t want someone to take care of me forever. I want to stand on my own. But I’m not stupid enough to ignore the fact that I need help, because I won’t let my business suffer. It’s all I have left.”

  So, it all came down to money. Most things in life did, he realized. Plus, he understood the need to protect something you’d built. Wasn’t that the reason he wanted a child to pass his business down to? All she wanted was to keep her shop running and live comfortably—which she could right here in his penthouse.

  “Fine.” Lucas leaned down, brushed his lips over hers once more before stepping back. “You will be in my bed every night. Nonnegotiable. We’ll marry in Vegas, have our honeymoon and I’ll get to the bottom of the letter about your father.”

  “Vegas?” she asked, quirking a brow. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

  “It’s fast, simple.” Lucas smiled. “Unless you wanted to prepare and plan. A cathedral wedding would be fine, and actually not bad for my reputation. We could invite the press and—”

  “Vegas it is.” She narrowed her eyes. “One more stipulation. You’re buying the gown of my choosing.”

  Lucas could care less about the gown—more what was beneath. He’d have something sexy and sheer ordered for her for their wedding night and have it waiting in their suite.

  He’d also have his jeweler get a stunning rock sent over as soon as possible. Their marriage might not be traditional, but Lucas wasn’t going to have his wife walking around with anything less than the best.

  “Done,” he finally agreed.

  Paisley stared at him another minute, cautiously keeping her emotions guarded, which he didn’t like. The Paisley he used to know had always been an open book, and she kept slipping into that state, but he could also see the independent woman she’d worked so hard to become. She was strong, she was resilient...and she was his.

  Finally.

  She’d have his ring on her finger and her body in his bed. This might not be the way he’d imagined they’d end up together, but they were going to be together nonetheless. They’d both get what they wanted.

  Lucas had been naive years ago to think love would carry them through all their happy days and into old age. Then life smacked him in the face with a dose of reality and he finally saw that love didn’t exist. Money, power, careers—those things lasted and could be controlled. Love was nothing but a made-up emotion for people who lived in a fantasy world.

  Love wasn’t for him...and never would be.

  Four

  They still hadn’t discovered it was me. Sterling Perry was exactly where he needed to be. Oh, he hadn’t murdered anyone, but the fact that he was taking the fall for my mistake thrilled me more than I should allow.

  The man was a dirty bastard and deserved to rot in prison...or hell. Either were appropriate for the selfish, greedy man. He ruined my life, ruined so many others. The town and TCC were better off without him.

  So long as he stayed in prison and the body wasn’t identified, I’d be home free. I’d already lost so much, I deserved happiness and that was exactly what I’d be going after...no matter who I had to step on or over to get there.

  Ryder Currin was another who’d ruined my life, but he’d pay, too. He deserved no less than the treatment Sterling was getting. They’d both pay, maybe in different ways, but they’d pay.

  People would remember me for great things, not the murder that I was forced to commit. I’d had no choice! My hands had been tied and then I’d panicked. But then my plans had fallen into place. I will ultimately come out on top. You wait and see.

  My future will be secure and everyone will know my name.

  I promise you that. Wait and see.

  * * *

  “What the hell is that?”

  Paisley glanced down at her one-of-a-kind lace jumpsuit. The plunging neckline, the open back, the slit up the front of the legs to her thigh...they were all sexy, flamboyant and one hundred percent not part of the wedding “gown” of her dreams.

  Which was why she’d purchased the tacky ensemble—with Lucas’s credit card, of course. The nude swatches of material were strategically placed beneath the lace, but the rest was bare skin.

  Oh, the look on his face was priceless and worth every bit of nerves she had curling in her belly.

  Mustering up all the confidence and attitude, Paisley held her hands out wide and gave a dramatic turn. “You like? I figured since we’re in Vegas, I might as well have some fun. But I wanted to be sexy for my fiancé.”

  His eyes raked over her and that visual sampling he gave had her trembling. This wasn’t supposed to arouse her. She wanted to torment him. Damn him and those baby blues she never could ignore.

  “Every damn person can see through that,” he growled.

  Lucas grabbed her arm and ushered her to the nearest nook at the Hunka-Hunka Burnin’ Love Chapel. Despite the name, this was the classiest chapel on the strip and Lucas had paid to have the absolute best. He also paid for them to have the place to themselves, save for the man marrying them and a couple witnesses.

  “This isn’t like you,” he stated, backing her into a corner.

  Paisley placed her hands on his firm chest and stared up at him. “Marrying for anything less than love isn’t like me, either, yet here we are. I think I look damn good, thank you for noticing.”

  Lucas placed a hand on either side of her face, caging her in even more. With her own hands trapped between their bodies, Paisley tried her hardest not to curl her fingers into him in an instinctive attempt to feel more.

  His rich, masculine scent enveloped her just the same as if he fully wrapped his arms around her body. The man exuded power without saying a word and Paisley knew if she didn’t keep her mind sharp and her heart guarded, she’d find herself falling for him once again.

  And she wasn’t so sure she’d ever fallen out of love to begin with. Leaving him certainly hadn’t been her idea, but her hands had been tied and as much as the move had hurt, she’d known Lucas had needed to get away from her to achieve his goals.

  Wasn’t that the old saying? If you love something set it free? Well, she’d done exactly that and look how all of that turned out. She was in Vegas in the tackiest outfit she could find, ready to sell
her soul.

  Lucas leaned in closer, and his warm breath tickled the side of her neck at the same time he trailed his fingertip down the low V of her dress between her breasts. Shivers raced through her and there was no way she could ignore the trembling. Her body was clearly betraying her when all she wanted was to stay in charge. So much for that.

  “My little conservative minx.” He trailed his lips over her neck, traveling from one side to the other. “You think I’m upset about this? You’re mine, Tart. Let anyone look, but I’ll be the one touching you, pleasuring you.”

  Paisley closed her eyes, unable to stop the visual images from rolling through her mind. Lucas continued feathering that fingertip across her heated skin, and she cursed herself for playing games. She should’ve shown up in something with a high neck and full sleeves. But no, she’d wanted tacky, yet sexy as hell just to be spiteful.

  “If we’re done playing games, let’s go make this legal.”

  Before Paisley could take a breath, Lucas covered her mouth with his. His body pressed hers against the wall, and she barely had time to register the glorious contact before her body arched to his and he slid his hands up her bare arms. He curled his fingers around her shoulders and urged her even closer.

  The power from his touch, his strength, had her knees going weak, but the way he kissed her...there were no words. There was something passionate, hot, yet gentle about him.

  Lucas slid his lips gently across hers before easing back.

  “Just wanted to practice the whole kiss-the-bride part,” he said with a smirk. “You ready to become Mrs. Lucas Ford?”

  Ready? Now that she was here, Paisley worried she’d gotten in over her head. But despite everything, she trusted him to find the truth.

  Paisley smiled wide and patted his cheek, ignoring her thumping heart from that heated kiss. “I’ll keep my own name, but thanks for the offer.”

  * * *

  The woman was going to be the death of him. If she didn’t kill him with that smart mouth, that damn svelte body wrapped in lace would surely do the trick. The only parts of her flesh he couldn’t see were the areas a skimpy bikini would cover.