“Sure. I doubt that Hailey’s awake now, but if she is, she’s in great hands. I have no doubt that my parents are spoiling her rotten. They’ve been on my case about settling down and giving them grandchildren for a while. Marrying you has gotten them off my back.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Me, too.” She went into the closet, grabbed the outfit that she’d brought with her and was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Not entirely alone. Remnants of her sweet scent hung in the air and teased his senses. He inhaled deeply, basking in the floral scent for a moment before he forced himself to stop fantasizing about Brittany. She was off-limits.
This overwhelming longing was new to him. In the past, if a woman was prohibited for whatever reason, he didn’t give her a second thought. His mind and his body had always been in one accord. He’d never fought with himself as he was doing now, never had difficulty staying on the right side of the line. But he’d never been married before, either.
Married. Brittany was his wife to have and to hold as long as they both shall live. If only that were true. Theirs was a marriage in name only, so he didn’t picture himself being able to wrap her in his arms any time soon. No, there wouldn’t be any holding between them and certainly not any having.
He dressed quickly then went downstairs. Brittany was in the kitchen, leaning against the marble counter and sipping coffee as if she’d done it every day for years. Smiling, she filled a mug and handed it to him. He took a sip. Strong and black, just the way he liked it. While he enjoyed his coffee, he looked at Brittany over the rim of his mug. Dressed in blue denim shorts and a pink T-shirt, she looked sexier than she should have. Her curly hair bounced around her shoulders and his fingers ached to run through it. He could get used to seeing her every morning.
“Are you sure you’re dressed for moving furniture?”
Brittany laughed softly and his longing returned with a vengeance. “I’m not moving furniture now. My roommate isn’t getting married until later in the fall, so I’ll just leave everything there until she moves.”
“What about your bedroom furniture?”
“I thought about that. But then I looked around here. All of your rooms are fully furnished. There’s really no space for my stuff. I could put my bed and dresser in storage, but that really doesn’t make sense. Amanda can turn my room into a guest room.”
He nodded. That was quite generous of her, but not surprising. Brittany was a very generous and giving person. If there was a selfish bone in her body, he hadn’t discovered it.
Not that he believed she was perfect. He didn’t. Everyone had flaws, himself included. But Brittany had to be as close to perfect as anyone he’d ever met. That, given his growing attraction to her, wasn’t a good thing. He needed her to have more faults. Not the kind that would make living with her difficult, but those that would stem his attraction to her before it got the better of him.
“I just need to pick up my clothes and small items. Everything should fit in the back of your SUV. I think it would be better to leave Hailey with my parents instead of trying to do this with her, but it’s obviously up to you.”
He nodded. “Let’s check with your parents then decide. If Hailey is fine, there’s no reason to disturb her. But if she’s missing me, we can pick her up.”
“That makes sense.” Brittany finished her coffee, rinsed her mug and then set it in the sink. She looked at the wall clock. “I thought you said your employees arrive at seven.”
“I gave them the week off. I figured it would be easier to convince people that we were enjoying our honeymoon if we spent the week alone. Getting used to living together will be hard enough without an audience.”
She nodded. “You think of everything. And thank you. I’ll feel better knowing I’m not being watched.”
He downed his coffee then called her parents and spoke with his mother-in-law. He could hear Hailey chattering and laughing in the background, so he knew that she was happy for the time being. Mallory promised to call him if Hailey started to fuss.
“She okay?” Brittany asked when he ended the call.
“Yes. So I’m ready whenever you are.”
“I’m ready now. Just let me grab my purse.”
Five minutes later, they were in his SUV on the way to her apartment. He’d been there a couple of times, but since theirs wasn’t a real relationship, he’d never entered her bedroom. Now he would be walking into the inner sanctum. Despite telling himself they wouldn’t be doing anything other than grabbing the belongings she’d chosen to take with her, his heart sped up at the thought.
It was warm, so they’d rolled down the windows to let in the sweet breeze. Birds chirped in the trees, their music filling the air. Despite the beautiful day, he was acutely aware of Brittany sitting beside him and his heart thumped. He reached out to caress her face. Luckily he realized what he was doing in the nick of time and turned on the radio instead, disguising his original action.
He didn’t necessarily feel like listening to music—he generally preferred to drive in silence—but he needed the distraction. Brittany hummed along to the song, then began to sing. Though he had a decent if unremarkable voice, he’d never felt comfortable singing in front of others. Brittany had no such reluctance and she sang quite loudly and with gusto. He had to give her credit for boldness. If he had as hard a time staying on key as she did, he wouldn’t even sing in the shower.
Maybe that was the flaw he’d been searching for? No. Instead of being annoyed, he found her lack of talent endearing.
Once they reached her apartment, he parked in the underground lot and they took the elevator to her floor. She looked around as they walked through the hallway to her front door. She slowed, as if saying goodbye to a home she’d loved. He wouldn’t pretend to know what she was feeling, but he could let her know he was there for her. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“I’m okay,” she murmured as they stepped inside. “I packed up the kitchen. I don’t cook much but, believe it or not, I have a full set of pots and pans and a bunch of gadgets that I never use. I also have my great-aunt’s good china. She gave it to me when she moved into a retirement home. I was born on her birthday, so she always favored me. Crazy, huh?”
“You never know what makes people tick.” There was no way he would judge her aunt. He didn’t know much about marriage, but he knew criticizing the in-laws never led to anyplace good.
“I guess. She was angry with my mother for a long time because she thought Mom should have named me after her. My mother swore she didn’t know it was my great-aunt’s birthday.”
“What’s her name?”
“Grace.” Brittany took a step around him and tripped over a box.
He laughed at the irony. “I can see that,” he teased. “Was your middle name supposed to have been ballerina?”
She punched him in the arm, which only made him laugh harder. She frowned before she laughed with him.
He added a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at herself to the ever-growing list of qualities he admired about her. At this rate, he’d be able to fill a notebook before the day was over.
They carried down the boxes she’d filled and then headed back up to her bedroom. “I know I should have packed up my clothes and shoes, but I ran out of time.”
“No worries.”
He stripped her bed and turned to drop the linens into a box as Brittany grabbed a fistful of lacy underwear from her top drawer. Their eyes met and her cheeks grew pink as she tossed her frilly panties into a box. She opened another drawer and began grabbing socks, avoiding his gaze as she emptied the drawers.
When her dresser was empty, she went to work on the walk-in closet, pulling out armfuls of dresses. Had she really told him that all of her belongings could fit in his SUV? Not with the amount of clothes she had. And she didn’t appear to be
anywhere near finished with the closet.
Not that he was judging the size of her wardrobe. He’d once been a part of the corporate world and knew the importance of projecting the right image. And if she owned all of these outfits simply because she liked to look good? More power to her.
It took several hours to pack up her belongings and three trips to his ranch, but finally part one of moving her in had been accomplished. Putting things away would be more her job than his. It was up to Brittany to decide what went where.
He didn’t have any emotional ties to any of his household furnishings. He’d hired a designer to decorate, so nothing had sentimental value. He’d already told Brittany she had free rein to rearrange the furniture or replace items with her own. More than anything, he wanted her to be happy and comfortable, making his home hers.
Once the boxes were piled inside the house, he put the car seat back into the SUV and they headed to Brittany’s parents’ house to pick up his daughter. As they neared his in-laws’ neighborhood his excitement grew. Although it had only been a day, less than that, really, he’d missed Hailey. It hadn’t taken long for her to become the most important part of his life. He loved her more than anything in the world and would do anything for her. His marriage was proof of that.
He parked and turned off the ignition. Brittany was reaching for her door handle when he stopped her.
“What?” she asked, looking genuinely perplexed. Then she shot him a mischievous look. “Don’t tell me you want to carry me over my parents’ threshold, too?”
He laughed. “No. There’s no tradition for that.”
“Good. That would have been a bit excessive.”
“Your parents believe we’re newlyweds.”
“Technically, we are. At least, that’s what you keep telling me.” The smirk on her face was cute and he grinned.
“My point is that we need to look and behave like newlyweds.”
“You lost me. I know how to act like a new bride, but I have no idea how a new bride looks.”
He paused. They had a deal, but still...this was important.
“They hold hands and are affectionate. I need you to feel comfortable with me touching you in front of your parents. I might hug you or kiss you and I don’t want you to pull away.”
Her cheeks pinked up, but she nodded. “I can do that.”
“I know.”
He held out his hand and she took it for a moment. Her skin was warm and soft, and he hated to let it go. But he had to...to get out of the car. Once they were out, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He liked the feel of her by his side.
The front door opened before they were up the steps. Mallory stood there, holding Hailey. When his daughter saw him, she let out a happy squeal and lunged for him. He trotted up the last step and scooped Hailey into his arms. He hugged her and she giggled then gave him a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Daniel reached out and took Brittany’s hand, pulling her into a family hug. For something that was a sham, he couldn’t help but think that it felt so right.
* * *
Brittany watched the reunion between father and daughter with a happy heart. The love between Hailey and Daniel was so real. So strong. It would be cruel for the courts to separate them.
“Come on in,” her mother said. “Do you have time to visit?”
Brittany met Daniel’s gaze. Though he didn’t say anything, she could read in his eyes that he would do what she wanted, but she knew that he really wanted to just go home. “Not today. I want to get settled. And I’m sure Hailey would like to be in her own home and play with her toys.”
“Okay. But Hailey had a good time with her nana and grandpops.”
At the sound of her name, Hailey turned and looked at Mallory. She babbled a few words then lay her head against Daniel’s chest. Clearly, Hailey was ready for the fun time she’d had with her new grandparents to come to an end.
Once they were back in the SUV, Hailey began babbling and she chattered all the way to the ranch.
“I thought babies were supposed to fall asleep in the car,” Brittany said.
Daniel laughed. “Not after a nap, which I suspect Hailey has just had.”
Great. Apparently, Brittany’s full-time mommy duty was going to start immediately with a wide-awake baby.
When they got to the ranch—home, she reminded herself—Daniel took Hailey out of her car seat and grabbed the diaper bag in one smooth motion. Daniel might not have had a baby for long, but he’d mastered some essential skills.
When Hailey spotted the maze of boxes, she was instantly intrigued and struggled to get out of Daniel’s arms. Sighing, he put her down and they watched as she crawled to the nearest one and used it to help her stand.
Daniel smiled over at Brittany and her heart lurched. What was that about? She knew she was attracted to him, but if a simple smile could make her heart soar to the sky, she was in danger. Danger of falling in love with him. And under no circumstance could she fall in love with him. What she and Daniel had was a business arrangement and it would behoove her to remember that. When the time came for their marriage to end, she would pack up and leave, returning to her regularly scheduled life while he went back to his. She couldn’t afford to let herself have romantic feelings for him. To do so would be disastrous.
A part of her still couldn’t believe she’d actually married him. Sure, the idea of having the funds to start her own business had been tempting. As the child of business owners, she’d always wanted to work for herself and be the one in control, the one making the rules and the important decisions. But marrying to achieve that goal was completely out of character for her.
Could it be that there had been something at work in her subconscious? Did she secretly want to be married and have a baby? Not married to Daniel, of course, but married to an imaginary perfect husband.
This marriage was a convenient way to try her hand at being someone’s wife and mother; a way to discover if she was cut out for the job. One might say she was trying on the role to see how it fit. If she liked how it felt, she might adjust her five-year plan for her life, penciling in marriage. And if she didn’t like it, she could cross that off her to-do list and carry on as planned. She didn’t kid herself that it would be as easy as returning an unworn dress, but it was the best she could do. She didn’t actually believe she would decide she wanted a husband and kids, but this way she’d be sure she wasn’t missing out.
As she watched Hailey tumble onto her diapered bottom, Brittany felt a flood of emotions. She really cared about Hailey and wanted her to have a great future. A happy life. The best way to accomplish that was to live with Daniel.
Hailey enjoyed playing for a few more minutes then, without warning, her pleasure vanished, and she dropped to the floor and began to fuss.
He picked up Hailey and held her against his chest. “I was about to carry the boxes upstairs, but I guess that can wait.”
Brittany looked at her new daughter. She was going to have to step into the role as mother sooner or later. Start as You Intend to Continue applied here, too. “Let me take her. She might need a diaper change. Or want a snack.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. You just get those boxes where they belong, Muscle Man.”
“Muscle Man?” He smiled and preened, flexing his biceps.
Why had she said that out loud? The man didn’t need to be reminded of what he looked like. There were mirrors in this house. Not to mention women in this town who weren’t nearly as discreet as Brittany wished they were. She’d seen women turn and stare when Daniel came into view. There was no way he’d missed it, either.
“Don’t let it go to your head. Your muscles are bigger than mine and therefore better suited to physical labor like carrying.”
“I see.” He winked at her and then bent to pick up a box, putting it on his shoulder.
Though she tried not to look, her eyes drifted down to his backside, which, she noticed, was also toned. She forced her eyes upward across his back and shoulders. She didn’t know what kind of regimen this man had, but it was working. She’d need to up her game if she wanted to look as good as he did.
But why? This wasn’t a competition. And he wasn’t going to be seeing her naked anyway.
Hailey began to make louder noises, stirring Brittany out of her silly musings. “Let’s get you a new diaper.”
Brittany and Daniel walked to the stairs. He paused and swept out his free arm. “After you.”
Suddenly self-conscious, Brittany climbed the stairs with a bit of a sidestep. Then she decided to heck with that and put a little extra swing into her hips. He wolf-whistled and she wondered if she was playing with fire. Maybe, but she was going to be living here for a while. She and Daniel needed to be able to have fun together. After all, there was that social worker to fool. As well as the judge. And the more comfortable they were together, the better their charade would be.
At least, that was what she told herself. Because anything else was unthinkable.
Chapter Fourteen
Brittany dropped onto the sofa beside Daniel and tucked her feet beneath her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this exhausted. Hailey had positively worn her out. There’d been moments when she’d wanted to wave the white flag and cry uncle, letting the little girl know she’d won. But she’d been determined to prove to Daniel that he could trust her with Hailey.
Taking care of a baby was a lot harder than her cousins had made it look. But then, none of them had started out with a nine-month-old. They’d learned how to care for babies with infants who didn’t crawl away the second you turned your back. None of their first days had been with teething kids who fussed and drooled and gummed everything in sight. Most of Brittany’s exhaustion was a result of being on alert for hours on end. If she wasn’t checking to make sure that Hailey wasn’t about to pull something onto her head or crawl down the stairs, she was watching to be sure that the baby didn’t shove something into her mouth. Or nose. Or ears.
The Maverick's Baby Arrangement Page 14