The Rancher's Wager

by Maisey Yates

  The door opened and in walked Gracie Diaz. Oh, man, she looked good—her lustrous dark hair down and parted to the side, and her delectable body rocking a clingy dress. With those big, almond-shaped eyes, she could practically destroy a man with one sultry look. Sebastian inhaled a deep breath, giving his addled brain a mental shake. He’d always been attracted to the olive-skinned beauty, but he’d never gotten close. Never acted upon his urges with her, because Gracie had always been off-limits. She was the daughter of an employee. And his sister Beth’s best friend. Succumbing to his desires spelled disaster at every turn, and Sebastian was smarter than that. But if things were different, he’d be knocking on her door until she let him in.

  As soon as Gracie spotted him, she stopped in her tracks. She seemed really shaken, her usual confidence apparently hitting a bump. He understood why.

  She was the one with power now. With money enough to buy their family home, and she wasn’t comfortable with it. It was, in a sense, a complete reversal of fortunes.

  Sure, the sale was awkward, but completely necessary...and welcome.

  “Come in, Gracie. I don’t bite.”

  He smiled, but that only made her mouth turn down.

  He walked toward her, taking tentative steps. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t,” he said. “I can assure you, no one is upset about you buying the estate.”

  “I understand,” she replied tentatively. “Beth told me the same thing.”

  “Okay, then. Come in. There’s a table and chairs set up in the dining room. Your attorney thought it best for us to go over any concerns you have here, so we can address them as they come up.”

  She stepped inside, skirting around him. “I have no concerns.”

  “Just in case.” And maybe he did. As CEO of Wingate Enterprises, he wanted to oversee the sale, to protect his family interests, as well. Old habits died hard.

  Gracie took a seat at the table, setting her briefcase on the chair beside her. She’d become quite a businesswoman, from what Beth had told him. Not only had she helped his sister with planning galas and events, but she’d also funded a new eatery in town. She was looking for other investments, too, he’d learned.

  But she sure seemed jumpy around him today. Maybe it was the sale of the estate, or maybe it was her pregnancy. Though, by looking at her in a body-hugging soft gray sweater dress that exposed her perfect shape and brought out the lovely tones on her olive skin, she didn’t look pregnant at all. No, she looked gorgeous and hot.

  His mind wandered to a place it shouldn’t go. A place he tried to never let it go. He’d become pretty darn good at pushing aside his attraction for Gracie Diaz.

  Luckily, he didn’t have to think on it too hard, because the attorneys and Gracie’s Realtor, Tom Riley, walked in just then, and within a minute, they’d made introductions and gotten right down to business.

  The negotiations went smoothly, if you could call them that. Gracie had asked for nothing out of the ordinary. And they’d agreed to all the terms laid out by both attorneys. Gracie had even agreed to rehire some of the staff and groundskeepers for the property. She was a woman who understood hard work and didn’t take anything for granted. After her father passed, she’d started waitressing to put herself through online college. Sebastian admired that trait. He was a hard worker, too, sometimes to a fault. At times, his staff would remind him of the late hour, and his twin would tell him to take a damn vacation. Sutton never kept his thoughts to himself, especially around his older brother by three minutes, but Sebastian wasn’t one to listen.

  “So if both sides are happy, I’ll draw up the necessary papers,” Tom Riley said. He gave Gracie an encouraging nod, as if to say all was in order and the deal would be done soon.

  She smiled softly. Which had Sebastian oddly on edge. He should be satisfied—after all, it was what Wingate Enterprises needed, a financial boost in the arm. Yet, he couldn’t take his eyes off Gracie. She’d barely said a word throughout the talks, and her smile just now was the first one she’d cracked since she’d gotten here. Instead, she’d tapped her fingers on the table, toyed with the hem of her sweater dress—something he’d tried not to notice.

  But those long tan legs weren’t easy to ignore.

  He’d known Gracie for years. She was a family friend and they’d always been civil with each other, despite his hidden fascination to her, yet he’d never seen her looking so nervous.

  “I think we have a real workable deal,” he said to her Realtor.

  His attorney, Todd Woodbury, seemed pleased. “I think everything’s in order.” He began to gather the papers, stuffing them into his briefcase.

  “Well, then, l guess we’re good to go.” Sebastian smiled at Gracie, but she didn’t make eye contact. What was with her? Why wouldn’t she give him the time of day?

  “I’ll show you out,” he told the men. Not that he had a right to usher them out; he didn’t own the house any longer. And hadn’t lived here for months. He was living in a rental house now, but he had to make sure Gracie was okay with this. “I want a minute to speak to Ms. Diaz alone.”

  He walked them out and turned to find Gracie, who was snatching up her briefcase and a pile of papers. She then made a mad dash for the door, but halfway there she fumbled, and the papers went flying, practically landing at his feet. He bent to retrieve them. “I’ll get these.”

  “No, it’s okay,” she said, dropping down on her knees to gather them up. Their heads nearly bumped as both grabbed for the papers, and that was when he caught a whiff of her hair as it fell forward in long, glimmering straight sheets. He breathed deeper, taking it in. That floral scent reminded him of something...

  And then a hint of her perfume reached his nostrils. It was wildly erotic. The mysterious scents that had haunted him for weeks were all here.

  He hadn’t stopped thinking of that woman, of their one-night stand, which had been crazy and amazing and intoxicating. He’d lain awake nights wondering who she was, and why he couldn’t figure it out. Wondering if he would ever find her.

  And wondering if he’d ever have better sex. He’d relived that night in his mind so many times, recalling how creamy smooth her skin was, how delicious her lips tasted, how silky her hair was. All of it came rushing back now. The scent of her hair, the texture of her skin, the soft moans as she came apart in his arms...

  In his gut, he knew he’d found his mystery woman. And it was none other than Gracie Diaz.

  He looked at her flushed face and downcast eyes, which blatantly refused to meet his. He was close enough to feel her presence, to react to her nearness. Like some damn high school boy with raging hormones, he was instantly aroused. And that could only mean one thing. He took a moment to tamp down the blood rapidly heating his veins. His senses on overload, his mind began to spin.

  “Gracie?”

  She stole the papers from his hands and rose quickly. “I’ve really got to go. I’m late...for an appointment.”

  Before Sebastian could stop her she was gone, leaving him kneeling there as she sprinted out the door. More memories flashed in his mind of the masquerade ball. Those erotic scents, the sensual aura of her. He wouldn’t have ever guessed it. But he’d never reacted to a woman like that before.

  He stood up and swallowed down his misgivings. Blinking his eyes, he knew only one thing. He had to get to the bottom of this. He had to know for sure.

  And the only way to do that was to confront her.

  * * *

  Gracie paced the floor in her living room, wringing her hands, feeling anything but hungry. But it was dinnertime now and she had to eat, for the baby’s sake. So she’d called for takeout, something she could stomach, and the pizza delivery guy was due here any minute.

  At least she’d ordered a healthy veggie pizza with all her favorite toppings. Maybe her appetite would come back. Right now she was bordering on nausea. Not from
her pregnancy, no, she’d been pretty healthy lately on that score. But from the fact that she was fairly sure Sebastian had put two and two together today, and figured out she was the woman behind the mask, the woman he’d made love to with unequaled passion.

  What else had he figured out? It wasn’t exactly rocket science. They’d been together three months ago, and she was three months pregnant.

  Her heart skipped a beat every time she thought about him being her mysterious lover. She’d found out quite by accident during a party just weeks ago, when Sebastian had been tossed into a pool and she’d seen the scar on his back, the one she remembered feeling while they were making wild, passionate love that night. She’d been shocked to her very core, totally blown away to learn that Sebastian, her teenage crush, was the guy who’d fathered her child.

  Sebastian had never thought of her as anything but a family friend. He’d never given her a second look. In the back of her mind, she’d always thought it was because she wasn’t worthy. There was a definite class difference between them. Even if the Wingates didn’t make it obvious, Gracie had always felt it. She wasn’t good enough for a Wingate, and she’d never once thought her fantasies of Sebastian would ever come true.

  The knock at her door made her jump. Gosh, she was a nervous Nelly today. She grabbed her credit card and strode to the door, her appetite at an all-time low. But she thought of the baby’s health and gently opened the door.

  “Pizza delivery.” It was Sebastian, holding the square box.

  Her eyes widened. What on earth? Then she heard the rumble of an engine, and saw the delivery guy take off in his tiny blue car.

  “You can put your credit card away, I paid for it.”

  “I...don’t understand. Why are you here?”

  “For pizza?”

  She shook her head.

  “Okay, I think you know why. We need to talk.”

  “Showing up unannounced isn’t polite.”

  “Neither is lying,” he said brusquely. “Are you going to let me in?”

  She paused. She had no choice. “I suppose I have to. You have my dinner.” Not that she could eat a bite now.

  She moved aside and let him into the foyer of her small, tastefully decorated rental home. His presence filled the space, surrounding her, making her nerves bounce. They stared at each other for a split second, then Gracie grabbed the box. He didn’t let it go. Four hands on one pizza box. “I’ve got it,” he said. “Where’s the kitchen?”

  Her shoulders slumped as she released the box, pivoted and led the way into the kitchen. The instant gleam of white cabinets and sparkling countertops contrasted with her gloomy mood. She was totally unprepared for this sudden visit. Because, in truth, she was still processing this baby-daddy bombshell, and hadn’t thought far enough into the future to know what to say to Sebastian if ever confronted. But here he was, his eyes probing, his very kissable mouth looking thin and hard.

  He slid the box onto the table and put his hands on his hips, as if he were the ruler of the kingdom or something. A ruler dressed in black slacks, a white shirt rolled up at the sleeves and tight enough across his broad chest to leave any sane woman breathless. Aside from the way his presence unnerved her, she wasn’t going to let him get the best of her.

  “You’re her, the woman from the masquerade ball, aren’t you?”

  “I was at the ball, yes.” She turned away from him and opened the pizza box. The scent of bell peppers, olives and tomatoes wafting up curled her stomach. She closed the box.

  “Don’t dance around the subject, Gracie. Look at me.”

  Gracie didn’t like to be ordered around. She didn’t like that he’d trapped her. Especially since she hadn’t sorted this all out in her mind yet. When she didn’t turn around, he walked over to face her fully, his presence looming. He was in her space, inches away, probing her with eyes that demanded an answer, with his tight, firm mouth. It was hard to imagine that mouth on hers, like it had been months ago. It was hard to believe she’d given him so much that night and now he was here interrogating her.

  “I already told you I was at the ball.” She lifted her chin.

  “It’s the reason you’ve been so skittish around me today.”

  “I’d just spent a fortune on your house. So yes, I was anxious.”

  “Gracie, dammit. Answer my question.”

  She had nowhere to go. No way to put him off any longer. She didn’t want to admit this to herself, much less to him. But she hesitated too long.

  Sebastian put a finger to her cheek and his soft touch melted her instantly. She hated that he could do that to her, crumble her defenses that way. “Gracie, it was you, wasn’t it?”

  She swallowed and gave a nod.

  Breath blew out of his mouth and he stepped back, looking differently at her now. As if he was reliving that night in his mind, thinking of the sexy, erotic things they’d done to each other. He seemed truly shocked. As if he couldn’t believe she could cause that reaction in him. Her pride could barely take the insult.

  “When did you know?” he asked gruffly.

  “What does it matter?”

  “When?”

  “I found out at the launch party. I saw...the scar on your back when you got out of the pool. I remembered it.” That night, in their secret alcove, there was no light, only heat and passion, and their heightened senses. She’d remembered tracing her fingertips over that scar, recalled wondering how he’d gotten it.

  For a second, Sebastian looked away, as if touching upon the moment he and his brother Sutton had been celebrating the launch of their new hotel. One second he’d been standing by the pool, and the next he’d been tossed in. It had all been fun and games, until Gracie saw him strip off his wet shirt and get naked from the waist up, and that was when she’d noticed the scar.

  Sebastian turned and stared into her eyes. “I’ve never forgotten that night, Gracie.”

  Neither had she. It was the night she’d had incredible sex. The night she’d conceived her baby. “Getting tossed into the pool?”

  “I’m not talking about that night, and you know it. I’m talking about the masquerade ball.”

  “Oh, right.” Playing dumb wasn’t her strong suit. She was stalling.

  “And the baby you’re carrying...it’s mine?”

  She set her hand over her belly. It was hers. All hers. Sebastian wasn’t her fantasy man any longer. She didn’t want a man who didn’t want her and he’d proven that to her over the years. He’d never given her a second look before. He’d never flirted or seemed the least bit interested in her; and now to think Sebastian was the man who’d made wild love to her was all so confusing. His questioning rattled her brain. She wasn’t ready to sort through her muddled thoughts—she needed more time. “The baby is mine. We want nothing from you.”

  “What?”

  “Sebastian, that night we were two strangers meeting. It wasn’t planned. And so you owe us nothing.”

  “Hey, listen to me, Gracie. Maybe that night was a mistake, but I don’t run out on my mistakes and obligations. And you have no right—”

  “This...baby...is...not...a mistake.” Heat rose up her neck. Her face felt flush. “It’s wanted. By me.”

  “I didn’t say the baby was a mistake, Gracie. It’s just that you need to think about this more rationally.”

  “You think I’m not being rational? I’m being very rational. I want what’s best for my baby.”

  “Our baby.”

  Gracie sucked in a big breath. She felt faint. Probably because she hadn’t eaten all day. So what she needed now more than anything was to show Sebastian the door.

  “Why don’t we sit down and discuss this?” he asked.

  “No, I’m tired. I think you should go.”

  “Gracie?”

  “Sebastian, just go. I need to rest.” She w
as playing the pregnancy card, but it was true. The day had taken a toll on her.

  “We haven’t finished this. Hell, we haven’t even started it. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  She nodded and marched to her front door, leaving him to follow. All she wanted right now was to get him out of her house. She needed some peace.

  At the entrance, Sebastian faced her, his expression somewhere between panic and remorse. Already he’d insulted her, said she was irrational and called the baby she was carrying a mistake. “Gracie, I, uh... I’ll call you,” he repeated.

  “Fine.” It was so not fine. But she wanted him to go, and if agreeing to talk to him tomorrow would do the trick, then so be it.

  “Get some sleep.” He gave her a sweeping look that touched every nerve in her body. Then he walked out.

  Copyright © 2021 by Harlequin Books S.A.

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  ISBN-13: 9781488070334

  The Rancher’s Wager

  Copyright © 2021 by Maisey Yates

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.