The Great Texas Wedding Bargain (4 page)

“No, I’m from the city,” she said defensively, stiffening her shoulders. “And it doesn’t matter. After all, I’m not really going to be a rancher’s wife. It’s just pretend.”

He looked away. “Yeah, pretend.”

Megan stared at him in alarm. “You still want to do this, don’t you?”

R
ICK STARED
at the beautiful woman across from him. She really needed to rethink her question.
This
could mean a lot of different things, including some highly stimulating—he halted his thoughts before he got carried away.

Clearing his throat, he nodded. “Yeah.”

“There’s also chocolate cake, if you’ve finished the casserole,” she said, watching him.

He couldn’t help the pleasure that filled him. “Homemade chocolate cake?”

“Yes. Mom made it.”

“I’d love some.”

She got up from the table and moved to the counter. He hadn’t noticed the cake plate sitting there, but he practically drooled when she removed the cover. He loved chocolate cake.

After putting a piece in front of him, she began clearing the table.

“Hey, I’ll do that,” he protested.

“No need. I’m not going to have cake, and you’ve agreed to look at my car for me. It’s a fair exchange. In fact, I’ll probably be in your debt if you can fix my car.”

“So we’re going to work on the barter system? You do something for me and I do something for you?”

She looked embarrassed, which only made her skin more tantalizing. He wanted to warm his fingers on her cheeks.

“This isn’t a normal marriage. I think we need to establish some rules.”

“Okay. What is a chocolate cake worth? ’Cause I’m going to be needing a lot of it.”

“You like it? I’ll tell Mom.”

“Like it? I think your mother is a genius. This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had.” He added his best smile with the compliment.

Megan chuckled and he loved the sound. It was husky, warm, inviting. It made him want to hold her against him, feel the laughter move through her body.

Whoa! He was going to be in big trouble if he thought that way.

“You’re too easy. Mom will love cooking for you.”

“Good.”

They stared at each other, tension building. Finally, she moved back to the sink, grabbing the dishcloth as if it were a life raft. “I’ll…I’ll finish cleaning while you look at my car.”

“Okay. I’d better wash my hands first. Wouldn’t want to get chocolate icing on your car.” He moved to the sink and she hurriedly backed away. “I don’t bite,” he said, keeping his voice mild.

“No, of course not. I didn’t want to get in your way.”

Rick didn’t believe her. He’d felt the tension a moment ago. The same tension they’d felt when they’d run into each other in the hall. When he was naked. And wished she was.

Was he crazy to think he could share the house with this woman and not feel anything? He couldn’t find relief somewhere else, not if he was married to her. He was about to enter a celibate period in his life.

About to? He almost snorted with derisive laughter. He’d been celibate for a couple of years now. After his divorce, he’d tried dating, but he discovered the women he’d met had a hidden agenda. First him, then his money. Whatever it took.

So he’d accepted a different life-style. And been happy with it until today. Or actually Saturday when he’d first met Megan Ford. What was it about her that stirred him?

Other than her beauty. Her body. Her smile. Her sad story. Her selflessness. Her family.

He shook his head. He could go on listing things he liked about her forever.

“You won’t look at my car?”

“What? Of course, I will. I said I would.”

“But you were shaking your head no.”

He smiled at her, barely restraining the urge to drop a kiss on her soft lips. “I was thinking about something else. I’ll go look at your car right now.”

“Thank you,” she said, offering him that special smile again.

He almost stumbled in his hurry to move away before he forgot why he should.

“I’ll be outside.”

She nodded.

He turned his back and rushed outside, taking a deep breath of the spring night air.

Then he moved to the economy sedan she drove. Like he was a mechanic. Well, he could at least look at it. He knew a little about cars.

She’d left the keys in the ignition. He slipped behind the wheel and turned them, just in case she’d been wrong. No such luck.

He reached down and released the hood and got out of the car. With the porch light on, he thought he’d be able to see well enough to tell if the damage was something he could handle.

Propping up the hood, he scanned the motor. Then his gaze reached the battery.

Bingo.

The negative battery wire was disconnected. He frowned. Why would that happen? Driving on a rough road wouldn’t pull the wire loose. It probably required a wrench to loosen it.

Which meant the damage was deliberate.

A sinking feeling settled in his stomach.

It looked like the matchmakers were at work again.

Megan watched Rick from the kitchen window. The dishes were all rinsed and put in the dishwasher, but she hadn’t started it. It only had a few things in it.

What was she supposed to do now? Rick was bent over her motor, like he knew what was wrong. She could offer to help, but she knew almost nothing about cars. She’d been raised in a female household since her father had died when she was a little girl.

Maybe she should see if Rick had left his dirty clothes upstairs. She could put them in the washer. Running up the stairs, she found the clothes he’d been wearing when he came in just where she’d expected to find them. In a pile on the floor of the bathroom.

Men!
But maybe picking up his clothes was worth it if he fixed her car. She went to the downstairs bedroom to collect the towel he’d used.

She sighed as she looked around the room. He was really going to be crowded in here, with all the computer equipment. He had several computers, a fax machine, two printers, and some other things she couldn’t identify. It did seem excessive for a rancher.

If all this equipment was in his master bedroom, he’d have more room. It was the largest bedroom in the house. Her mother had insisted she take the master bedroom, even though she’d protested. Maybe she should offer to trade with Rick. He could—

“Megan?”

She returned to the kitchen, clutching her armful of dirty clothes. “Yes? Did you fix it?”

“Yeah, I did.” Then he frowned. “What are you doing with those smelly clothes?”

“I thought I’d put them in the washer.”

“I can pick up after myself.”

His voice was hard, unfriendly, which puzzled her.

“I’m just trying to keep the house clean. Remember, that was our agreement.”

“I didn’t mean for you to pick up after me constantly. I can take care of that.” His face turned red. “I know it didn’t look like it the other night, but—”

“Rick, it’s okay. You fixed my car. I’m grateful. I wash your clothes, you’re grateful. Okay?”

“You make things sound simple.”

Some of the tension had left his voice and Megan breathed a sigh of relief. “I think it is. Even if you hadn’t fixed my car, you’re doing a wonderful thing for us.”

“Uh, about the car. I fixed it.”

She beamed at him. “Yes, I can’t thank you enough. It would’ve been expensive to have the mechanic come out in the morning.”

“Uh, yeah. Did you tell your mother the car wouldn’t start?”

“No, I haven’t said anything yet. Why? Shouldn’t I tell her?” There had been something in his voice that told her everything wasn’t right.

“Well, I’m not sure, but I think someone sabotaged your car.”

“Someone what? You think someone actually broke my car on purpose? That’s ridiculous, Rick. The only people here today were the ladies and me and Mom.”

“I know, Megan, but—”

“Why, even if they wanted to, and I can’t think of a single reason they would, they’re women. They wouldn’t know how to do anything to the car.”

Rick laughed. “You have a lot to learn.”

She stiffened. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because the only one of those ladies who hasn’t lived on a ranch most of her life is Florence. And I suspect she could manage as well as any of them. Mabel, Edith and Ruth could probably take a tractor apart and rebuild it before you could blink an eye.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because a rancher’s wife is his partner, his helpmate, his—his wife.”

Megan waved away his words. “No, I mean why would they want to mess up my car? They’re our friends.”

“Ask their sons.”

His cryptic words didn’t make any sense to Megan. She stared at him. “What are you talking about?”

Rick rubbed the back of his neck again, a movement Megan was beginning to realize meant he wasn’t sure what to say. When he did speak, it wasn’t to explain his words.

“You’d better go put those clothes in the washing machine before you need a bath yourself.”

She hadn’t even realized she still held the stinky clothes. With a huff of frustration, she charged down the hall to the utility room and dumped the clothes into the washing machine. Quickly adding soap, she twirled the dial and started the washer. Then she returned to the kitchen.

“Well? Are you ready to explain?”

“Is there any coffee?”

With another frustrated sigh, she prepared his percolator and plugged it in.

“We can talk while it’s perking,” she suggested, waving him to the table.

He didn’t look happy, but he accepted her invitation, settling himself in the same seat he’d used when he ate dinner. “Look, Megan, you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I think the ladies were matchmaking.”

She did think he was crazy. Obviously, he hadn’t thought things through. With a patient smile, she said, “You’re wrong, Rick. They have no need to matchmake. We’re getting married, remember? They were kind enough to suggest you when we explained our problem. But we’ve come to an agreement, so there’s no difficulty.”

He rubbed the back of his neck again.

Which was beginning to drive her crazy. “Well? I’m right, aren’t I?”

After a minute, he said, “Sure. Yeah, sure. Um, do you want me to follow you back into Cactus? To make sure you get home all right?”

“No. You’re just saying that, aren’t you? You don’t think I’m right.” She leaned forward, determination in every bone. “Explain, please.”

He looked like a cornered bear, big, powerful and irritated. “I agreed with you.”

“But you didn’t mean it.”

“How do you know? We just met Saturday. You don’t know me that well.”

Strangely enough, she wondered if his words were true. She thought she was beginning to know him, to feel comfortable with him. At least most of the time. Not when he was naked, of course, but that wasn’t even a consideration. Just an accident.

“Maybe I know you better than you think.”

“I don’t think so.”

“So,” she said, drawing the word out slowly, “I should believe you’re upset that I thought logically and you didn’t?”

The immediate spark of irritation in his eyes brought a smile to her lips. Yes, she was getting to know him.

“What are you smiling about?”

Her smile widened. “I’m trying to be a pleasant companion, Rick. Hadn’t you rather I smile than be an old sourpuss?”

He ignored her teasing. Leaning forward, he covered her clasped hands, resting on the table in front of her, with his. Immediately, her hands were surrounded with warm flesh, reminding her of when she’d fallen against him in the hallway.

“It’s not a question of logic. These ladies are romantics,” he explained.

“So they should be happy. We’re getting married.” She was beginning to get an inkling of what he was trying to explain and she wanted to deny it.

“We’re cementing a business agreement.”

Her chin rose and her smile disappeared. “So?”

“So, they want romance.”

“But surely they wouldn’t—why, it would be wrong to break my car. Against the law.” She frowned more deeply. “I’m sure they wouldn’t do that.”

“Cal’s mother put holes in condoms when she was trying to get Cal married.”

Megan’s eyes widened in horror and she gasped, “No!”

“It’s true.”

“How do you know? Cal wouldn’t tell anyone that. Why, he and Jessica have the prettiest little boy. He wouldn’t—”

“We were sitting in The Last Roundup around Christmastime. The ladies were scheming against some guy named Joe Chamblee. I said I didn’t think there was much they could do to get someone married if they didn’t want to marry. Cal told me what his mother had done as a warning.”

Megan was floored. To think that his mother would do something like that to Cal. Her own son. Messing up Megan’s car, in a way that was easily fixed, didn’t seem nearly as bad.

“But why?” As he opened his mouth, Megan interrupted. “I know you said for romance, but why would my having car trouble do anything?”

Both their gazes immediately flew to the clasped hands in the middle of the table. Then they both jerked away, as if by touching they were endangering themselves.

“Look, if I’m right, they may try other things,” Rick said, his voice rough. “I want to be honest with you. I’m not interested in any
real
marriage. I don’t believe in it anymore. And nothing they can do will induce me to submit myself to that kind of misery again.”

Megan hurried to reassure him even as she felt a twinge in her chest at the desolation on his face. “Me, neither. After all, marriage killed my sister. I have no intention of marrying. For real, I mean.”

Rick stood, towering over her. “I hope you don’t mean that, Megan. Eventually, I hope you meet your Mr. Wonderful. But…but, for now, at least we understand each other. We’re not going to be caught in their trap. Right?”

“Right.” She started to extend her hand for a handshake to seal their agreement. Then she remembered it would be better not to touch again. So she rose and stared at the handsome man across the table from her.

“I guess I’d better go. May we start moving in our things tomorrow?”

“Yeah, sure. I’d like to offer to help, but—”

“You have calves to deliver. It’s okay. We’ll be fine.” She turned to go and he followed her to the kitchen door.

“You sure you don’t want me to follow you?”

“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.”

“So I’ll see you tomorrow?”

She turned to look at him. It had sounded like it mattered to him if she saw him. But no, that couldn’t be true.

“Maybe. But there’s plenty of casserole left for your dinner tomorrow. And lots of chocolate cake.”

“Yeah. If I’m not careful, I’ll get too fat to get on a horse,” he said with a grin, patting his flat stomach.

Megan laughed, but her gaze concentrated on his lean frame, his hard muscles. “I doubt it.”

“Good night, then. Thanks for all you’ve done.”

“You, too,” she said, lifting her gaze to mingle with his warm brown one. She gave a hurried wave and ran to her car.

It was time to get the hell out of Dodge.

R
ICK SPENT
the night in the downstairs bedroom. The bed wasn’t as comfortable as his. Not because the mattress was old, but because it was a standard-size mattress, not king-size like his bed.

But it was a pleasure to rise to a clean house, freshly laundered clothes. He even had a piece of chocolate cake after he’d eaten his cereal. No one was there to tell him not to.

He decided he’d better enjoy it. Once the women invaded his territory, he figured they’d preach about nutrition.

He lingered over a second cup of coffee. He needed to get to the barn and check on the cows he’d brought in the night before. And then cover the pastures. Jose was supposed to work with him today. An extra pair of eyes and hands.

The sound of a car had him leaping to his feet and crossing to the kitchen window. When he realized what he was doing, he dumped the rest of his coffee into the sink and stalked out of the kitchen.

He’d been sitting there hoping Megan would come before he left the house.

He never paid attention to cars on the road. But this morning he’d immediately noticed. And hurried to see if it turned into his place.

He’d better be careful, or those interfering ladies were going to cause him a hell of a lot of trouble. He hurried out to the barn, ready to turn his attention to his cows.

M
EGAN WORKED
with Dr. Gibbons, or Samantha, as she’d suggested Megan call her. Megan had never worked for a doctor who treated her nurse like a human being. It was an interesting and pleasant phenomenon. Since Samantha had a daughter almost twenty months old and was expecting another baby in October, she only worked part-time. Megan’s hours were the same.

Samantha greeted her as she reached the office Tuesday morning. “How are you settling in?”

“Fine. We’ve been here a month, you know.”

“Oh, I know. But I meant at Rick’s place.”

Megan’s cheeks flushed. “You heard?”

“I heard that there was a massive cleaning. Florence mentioned several times at dinner last night that men were hopeless when it came to housework.”

The two ladies grinned at each other.

“I’m not sure that’s true,” Megan said, “but with Rick’s long hours on the ranch, he doesn’t have much time for housework.”

“I guess not. It is calving season. Mac’s planning on taking off a couple of weeks when his friends do roundup.”

“But he’s a lawyer,” Megan protested.

“A man never stops being a cowboy. He loves it. Every year he helps them.”

“Rick could use some help. He only has one hand who comes a couple of days a week.”

“I’ll ask Mac if Rick can be included. But he’ll have to help the others.”

“Of course. That would be great,” Megan said with a smile, hoping Rick would be pleased. She loved to see that slow grin that warmed her to her toes.

No! No, that wasn’t the reason.
She was just trying to fulfill her role. A rancher’s wife. Even if it was only a pretense.

“Are we ready?” Samantha asked.

Megan blinked several times, pulling herself back to the present. “Yes, of course. The first patient is Mr. Herkimer Jones. He’s complaining of a painful knee.”

Samantha sighed. “That’s the problem with a small town. Everyone knows everyone else’s problems. Herk has arthritis, but he won’t accept it.”

“Poor man. Can you help him?”

“We’re trying some new things, but he won’t always follow directions. Show him in.”

D
R.
G
IBBONS
finished her office hours at one on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After tidying the examination rooms, Megan finished the notes on the patients they’d seen, then stopped by Samantha’s office.

“I’ve finished. Is there anything else I need to do?”

“No, thanks, Megan. I appreciate your work. It was too much for Doc’s nurse before you got here.”

Megan smiled, appreciating the compliment. “I’m enjoying it.”

“Good. See you tomorrow afternoon.”

They alternated their Tuesday-Thursday schedule by working afternoons on Monday and Wednesday. Then they worked on Saturday mornings every other week. It left Megan more time to spend with the children and her mother.