Colton's Convenient Bride

by Jennifer Morey

  “Hi, Decker,” she greeted in her friendly way. Curvy and pretty with a blond bob and blue eyes, she smiled in his direction then turned to Liam.

  Decker explained why he was here and Liam showed her the pictures.

  “No, I’m sorry, I don’t recognize her. But you say she was job hunting here in Roaring Springs?”

  “Yes,” Liam said.

  “Let me take you to Human Resources then.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Decker walked with them down a wide hall. Reaching HR, Molly introduced Liam to the director of personnel, Curtis Shruggs. A thin but fit man of average build with dark peppered gray hair, his bright blue eyes looked up from behind his desk. Seeing Decker, he stood and came around to greet them.

  “Decker.”

  “Hello, Curtis.” Decker didn’t stop by to see Curtis very often. “This is Detective Kastor. He’s investigating a missing person case.”

  Liam showed him the photos while Molly took up a conversation with Curtis’s fifty-year-old assistant, Shelly Bates.

  “Have you ever seen this woman?” Liam asked.

  “No, I haven’t,” Curtis answered.

  Liam took the photo over to Shelly and asked her the same question. She and Molly stopped talking as Liam showed her the photos.

  Shelly inspected the photo for several seconds. “Yes, I think I remember her.” She looked up from the pictures. “Yup, that’s her. At least, I think it is. What about her?”

  “She went missing,” Liam said.

  “Oh.” Shelly’s face sobered. “That’s terrible.”

  “Was she a guest here?” Molly asked, using the assistant’s computer to look something up.

  “No. She came to The Lodge a little more than a year ago. I gave her an application but she never brought it back.”

  “That’s why her name isn’t in our system,” Molly said.

  “Are you sure this woman is April?” Liam asked.

  She hadn’t seemed certain.

  “She does look like the woman I gave the application to, but it’s been such a long time.”

  “Thank you,” Liam said. “You’ve been a big help.”

  Decker glanced back to see Curtis looking on. He didn’t say anything and seemed anxious. To get back to work?

  “Why don’t I take you around to the other departments?” Molly said. “Maybe someone else saw her.”

  “Good idea.”

  “I’ll leave you in Molly’s capable hands,” Decker said. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

  As he headed toward his office, he wondered if another woman had fallen victim to a killer. Was someone targeting women who looked like Bianca Rouge?

  * * *

  Kendall had not imagined she’d like staying at The Lodge as much as she did. Decker had put her in the same room they’d shared before, his suite. Room service delivered meals quickly and the food was outstanding. She had taken the gondola to The Chateau and spent a good portion of her second day there. She had told Decker where she was going, as requested, and he’d sent a security guard with her.

  Now she stepped into the opulent lobby and spotted him standing near the elevators, waiting for her. In a light blue-gray suit with a white shirt and no tie, he looked devastatingly handsome.

  She had gone on the casual side as well in white pants with a white silky blouse and a black-and-white scarf. For shoes she’s opted for high-heels.

  Decker offered his arm and she slipped hers into the opening. When he smiled down at her as he escorted her to the restaurant, her heartbeat quickened in response. She was really looking forward to this dinner with him and hoped the time together would help ease some of the tension between them.

  Crystal chandeliers and authentic paintings decorated the open room of linen-topped tables. Waitresses and waiters walked in black-and-white uniforms and the rich and famous talked in moderate tones.

  Decker took her to a private table in a corner and near a window with a view of ski slopes during the day. Now dark outside, she could only see the exterior lights shining down on a courtyard.

  “Thanks for joining me for dinner,” Decker said.

  “I don’t have a lot to do now that I’m on leave from my job,” she said, not meaning to sound like she’d accepted because she was bored. “I mean...”

  “It’s okay. How was your day at The Chateau?”

  She smiled with the memory. “I think I could turn into a pampered woman.”

  “You could if you marry me.”

  She grew uncomfortable. Clearly he still thought about getting married. She just didn’t understand why. Or if he really meant it.

  “Let’s forget about the arranged marriage,” Decker said. “Let’s just start over.”

  “You want that?” Kendall had a hard time believing that. Why had he had a change of heart?

  “Yes.”

  “But I thought you didn’t believe you’d ever fall in love.”

  “I still don’t,” he admitted gruffly. “All I know is I miss being with you all the time. I don’t want to lose that. And remember, I still want a family. I already told you marriage means more to me than a good business move.”

  “Being with me will not be a good business move,” she reminded him. Would she be lining herself up for another relationship that ended badly? She had thought her last serious boyfriend had loved her. If Decker ever told her he loved her, she couldn’t be sure she’d believe him.

  “I can make it into one,” Decker said. “Or I’ll enjoy the challenge of trying.”

  “Your father will never support that.”

  “Maybe not.”

  “He won’t support you marrying me, either.”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw. “That’s not up to him. I may have agreed to his idea but it was always my decision to marry you, and it still is.”

  “He could take your position away.”

  “He won’t. I might walk away, though. If he keeps trying to dictate my life, I will.”

  Kendall heard his certainty, his confidence and saw it on his handsome face, in his dark, warm eyes. She loved that about him.

  When she’d first agreed to the arranged marriage, she had thought she’d be safe. She had thought her heart would be safe. But she no longer felt that way. Now she feared she could and would fall in love with Decker, which would lead to the same disaster as she’d suffered in the past.

  “I don’t know, Decker.”

  “We still have time.”

  She smiled. “Not much.” The end of the month was fast approaching.

  “Liam Kastor stopped by today,” Decker said.

  “Ah.” She frowned. “Why did he stop by?”

  “To ask about a missing person case. The woman looks a lot like the call girl who was killed, the one who stayed at The Lodge.”

  “Oh. Do you think the two cases are related?”

  “That’s what’s been bothering me ever since Liam showed me the victim’s pictures.”

  Kendall was flattered that he felt comfortable enough to talk to her about this. It seemed he needed to share it with someone and he trusted her enough to do so with her.

  “She was going to apply for a job at The Lodge,” Decker said. “But she never got the chance. She disappeared.”

  “If they’re related there could be a serial killer in Roaring Springs,” Kendall said.

  “Yeah. That’s what troubles me. It’s terrible that Bianca was murdered and this new woman has gone missing, but another negative publicity stunt will hurt business even more.”

  Decker cared what happened to the missing girl, but Bianca had stayed at his lodge and now this missing woman had been there, as well. She’d gone missing after picking up an application for a job.

  “Has anyone else seen her? Did the detective ask several people?”


  “Yes, he asked several. None that he spoke to recognized her other than Shelly Bates, one of our HR employees.”

  Their conversation moved on to other topics and Kendall found it no coincidence that they could talk so easily together. She could almost finish his thoughts and he hers.

  After dinner, Decker walked with her to the elevators.

  “Do you want to go up with me?” she asked, not wanting the night to end. She’d truly felt a connection to him and she could tell he felt the same—whether he intended to or not. He may not believe in mad, passionate love, but she did and she wanted to see where this led.

  “Are you sure?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes.” They’d already slept together. Why should she deprive herself of something that made her feel so good?

  Heart be damned.

  He stepped into the elevator after her and she didn’t look away from his heating eyes. He stood close and held her gaze all the way up to her floor.

  In the hall, he walked beside her, not touching her—yet. Kendall loved what a gentleman he was.

  She opened her suite door and went inside with him. He stepped in behind her. The door closed and she vowed to keep the rest of the world and all her worries and fears on the other side.

  Decker removed his jacket, walking to the sitting area and draping it over the arm of a sofa. Kendall kicked off her shoes and went to change into something more comfortable. Taking off her pants and blouse, she reached for a long-sleeved nightgown and then stopped when she saw a much less modest one. This one dipped low in the front and was sleeveless and a little sheer.

  She put that one on. Maybe it was the dinner with Decker; maybe it was just being with him and sensing his softening. But she wanted to look sexy for him.

  When she emerged from the room, she saw that Decker had turned on the gas fireplace. He had unbuttoned his shirt about a third of the way and was barefooted, standing in front of a sofa.

  Seeing her, he stared with hot eyes. Satisfied that she had achieved her desired result, she walked toward him. She was glad he had turned on the fireplace.

  Sitting on the sofa, he patted the space beside him and she did as he invited. He put his feet up on the coffee table and his arm around her. She snuggled closer, unable to deny how right this felt. Nothing else mattered.

  She tipped her head back to find him looking at her. Their eyes met and then he kissed her softly. His warm, sweet breath touched her skin as he caressed her with his lips. He didn’t take the kiss deeper, only lingered in the simmering passion. She slipped her hand inside his shirt and felt his hard chest.

  When he withdrew, he slid his arm beneath her and with his other arm already at her back, lifted her. Kendall enjoyed just looking at his face as he carried her to the bedroom.

  Letting her feet down, he stepped back and undressed while she watched.

  “Aren’t you going to get undressed?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No. I want you to do it.”

  His passion tightened his jaw and put more fire in his eyes as he looked down her body. “Are you wearing anything under that?”

  “You’re going to have to come here and find out.”

  Naked, he did just that. He came to stand before her and lifted the nightgown over her head to find her nude underneath.

  Kendall loved the ravaging hunger in his eyes as they looked their fill and then met hers. He took her hair in his hand and tipped her head back and kissed her firmer than before. Stepping forward, he backed her to the bed and followed her down. She lost herself in the gripping love they made from there, with him restraining himself long enough to take things slow until neither of them could hold off any longer.

  Then he thrust into her several times until both of them were breathless and deliciously sated.

  Kendall’s last thought before curling up against him was how in the world she would ever get over such a man if she ever had to. She hoped she never would, but one thing she knew is there were no certainties in life.

  Chapter 12

  Decker awoke to loud knocking. He felt Kendall stir beside him, lying on her side with one leg over his and her hand on his chest. He felt her nakedness all the way down his length and began to respond. Someone pounded on the room door again.

  He eased away from her as she began to open her eyes. Checking the time, he wondered who had the gall to knock on the door at this early hour—just after six in the morning. He and Kendall hadn’t fallen asleep until late last night, and what a night it had been. She had let down her guard and he had to admit, he had too. They had simply enjoyed each other, and the sweetness they made together.

  Pulling on his pants, he walked to the door to another round of hard pounding. It was either an emergency or some other crisis.

  Decker opened the door to his father’s stormy face.

  “You are in here with her.” Russ brushed past Decker to enter the room. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Decker let the hotel room door shut and went to where his father stood looking around the room. Did he really have to deal with this now? His father was acting like a five-year-old.

  “I’m a grown man, Dad, not a young kid you can discipline anymore.”

  “So you did sleep with her.”

  Just then, Kendall appeared from the bedroom in a white robe, tying it tight around her waist.

  “There she is, looking the part to boot,” Russ said.

  “Excuse me?” Kendall retorted.

  This would spiral out of control—fast. Decker moved in front of his father so he stood between him and Kendall.

  “Get rid of her, Decker.”

  “No. You’re going to leave now,” Decker said.

  “I’m not leaving until you get rid of that trash. I will not have her in my hotel.”

  Kendall looked appalled, mouth dropping open and hand to her upper chest.

  Decker felt like punching his father. “All right, you get out now!”

  “I forbid you to marry this girl!”

  “You’re the one who picked her. It isn’t my fault you didn’t check her out beforehand to make sure she met your ridiculous standards!”

  “Yes, and I own that mistake, now all I can do is damage control and that includes stopping you from making a colossal mistake yourself.”

  Frustration billowed up and nearly made Decker lose his composure. “I have done everything you asked or expected of me for years. Now when I go and do what I want, you climb all over me.” Decker leaned close to his father and pointed his finger at his face. “You can’t tell me what to do anymore. I decide what woman I see and I decide whether to marry her or not. Do you understand? I won’t put up with these tirades anymore. If you ask me to choose between the decisions I make for myself and you, I’ll choose my decisions.” He lowered his hand.

  Russ’s face reddened. No one ever spoke to him this way, least of all Decker. “This is my company. I can and will tell you what to do with it.”

  “That doesn’t include dictating who I can and cannot marry. If Kendall will have me, I intend to marry her at the end of this month.”

  The redness faded from Russ’s face and he was speechless for several seconds. “You ungrateful brat. I’ve given you everything. You’ve had it handed to you with silver spoons and this is the thanks I get?”

  “You didn’t hand me the success to this lodge. You need me. No one else can run this company better than I can and you know it.”

  “If you marry that woman, I will not appoint you CEO of my company.”

  His father would never let go of control. Even if he did appoint Decker CEO, he’d still have his thumb on Decker at all times. Decker realized he could not live that way anymore. He knew his personal worth and he deserved more respect than that. What sickened him most was that Russ was his father, and his father treated his own son that way.


  “Well, I am marrying her, so I’ll save you the trouble. I quit.” Decker turned and walked toward Kendall. “Let’s get dressed and get out of here.”

  “What do you mean you quit? You can’t quit,” Russ said, still ranting. “You’re just saying that. You won’t leave this company. You don’t have it in you. It means as much to you as it does me.”

  Decker turned at the bedroom door. “Really. I never would have known you thought that way given the way you treat me. I’m done, Dad. Unless you can pull your head out of your ass and prove you can be sensible, I will not be coming back.”

  “I’ll cut you out of my will, Decker!” Russ roared.

  “Fine. I have my own money.” He slammed the bedroom door shut and dressed while Kendall packed her things.

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” she said as she worked.

  “Well, believe it. I should have done it sooner.”

  “I don’t want you to quit because of me.”

  He walked over to the side of the bed where she filled a suitcase. “It isn’t about you. My father has been ordering me around and hanging ultimatums over my head ever since I started working here. I let it pass because the lodge means so much to me and I wanted to succeed.” He exhaled roughly. “But now I realize succeeding can’t come with the price of compromising who I am to achieve it. And my father needs to understand that. He won’t unless I leave and he sees the gaping hole that will be left in my absence.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am.” He leaned closer and kissed her. “Because of you.”

  “Me?” She searched his eyes.

  “Yes, you. You’re an amazing woman, Kendall. It doesn’t matter if your family is in financial trouble. That doesn’t change the woman you are. I’m embarrassed for my father. He has no right to judge you or talk about you the way he does. It makes him arrogant and superficial.”