by Desiree Holt
Thanking her good luck that the grocery wasn’t crowded, she filled the basket with staples and items for the meals she was planning. She had no idea what Reno’s food preferences were except for steak, so tonight they’d have spaghetti and meatballs, a dish she figured was a safe choice. She stashed the groceries in the car and hurried back to Reno’s, arriving just as the cleaning crew was pulling up in the driveway. Gary had been told about them, but she swallowed a smile when she saw him still giving them the fisheye.
“Top to bottom,” she told the crew chief, a man she’d worked with many times. “Dump everything in the refrigerator and pantry and leave all the windows open. And let me know when I can get into the kitchen to put the groceries away.”
He nodded. “Leave it to us.”
Meanwhile, she stuck the perishables in a cooler she’d seen in the garage and luckily found some gel packs in the freezer so the stuff wouldn’t spoil. She changed Molly, fed her, heated a bottle for her, and rocked her to sleep in the nursery. It felt good to hold the baby in her arms, to sing to her and watch her cherub face as she sucked on the nipple and watched Sarah with intense concentration. By the time she put Molly in her crib, the kitchen was ready for her. She unloaded groceries and put away things in the cheerful, yellow and white kitchen, now sparkling clean. Sun slanted in through the two huge windows that looked out on a wide backyard and patio.
She found vases for the flowers she’d bought on impulse and put the largest bunch in the center of the kitchen table. Already the air was sweetened with their gentle fragrance.
Finally, taking a deep breath, she called her mother.
“Well,” Ellen Madison said, after Sarah had brought her up to date. “That must have been some dinner.”
Sarah fielded questions, giving out minimal information. No, they hadn’t been dating each other exactly, but the relationship had developed since she’d been working. Yes, his wife had died two months ago, but she understood the marriage was really over long before the baby was born.
“A baby!” her mother said. “No wonder he wants to move things along.”
There was something in Ellen’s voice that Sarah didn’t want to think about. Time to end the conversation. “I’ve got to run, Mom, but I’ll call you later tonight, and we’ll have more time to talk. Okay. Bye.”
Her last chore was to unpack her suitcases in the room adjoining the nursery and make up her bed with the sheets she’d found in the linen closet. There. At least, she had a place for herself, whatever that place turned out to be.
She glanced at her watch. Two-thirty. Reno would be there at three on the dot. Time to get ready. Too bad she wasn’t looking forward to what should be the beginning of a happy chapter in her life.
****
Pulling into his garage, Reno felt every muscle in his body knot in tension. He had no idea what he’d find—Sarah gone in panicked flight, the babysitter watching the child? Or would he find Sarah inside, still dashing around in an attempt to make order out of the chaos?
He managed to stall by checking with the alarm crew who was just packing up. The crew chief gave him the code they’d used, but Reno would set his own. The diagrams and other information had been sent to his email so he’d open them up later on. Gary walked out to meet him, they shook hands, and Reno sent him on his way.
The moment he stepped inside, he stopped short, his senses jarred. He felt as if he’d walked into someone else’s house. Everything was different. He heard James Taylor, a favorite of his, playing softly in the background, the soothing notes drifting through the air. A delicious aroma, drifting from the kitchen, tantalized his nose and blended with the delicate hint of something floral. His nose twitched at the pleasant but unfamiliar fragrance.
In the kitchen, he saw the verticals on the glass door and the window over the sink had been pulled wide, exposing the lawn and shrubs bathed in early evening diffused light. Funny, he’d never taken a good look at the well-manicured, well-tended area, even though he paid a fortune for its upkeep.
Sarah was just coming down the stairs with a young, ponytailed girl. “Reno, this is Nicki, Nick’s niece. She’s going to watch Molly for us.”
“She’s just so adorable,” the teenager enthused.
Reno simply nodded. “Ready, Sarah?”
“Yes.” She turned back to Nicki. “We should be back by five o’clock. Are you sure you’re comfortable giving her the bottle and everything?”
Nicki grinned. “I’ve done it for two sisters and a brother when I was a lot younger. You can trust me. Besides, Uncle Nick wouldn’t be too happy if I screwed up.”
“Well, thank you for doing this on such short notice.” She noticed Reno jingling his keys impatiently. “I’m coming.”
****
As they pulled away from the house, he announced, “Judge Harrison can marry us next Friday at five. That’s a week from tomorrow. Will that work for you?”
“Yes. Fine. That would be good.”
“I’ve asked Tony to be my best man. You’ll need to decide on who you want to stand up with you. I know it’s short notice, but is there someone you’re close to?” He suddenly realized how little he actually knew about her personal life.
“Oh.”
He glanced sideways and noticed her discomfort. Didn’t she have any close friends? What had she done with herself since her husband died, live like a hermit? And now he was consigning her to another kind of isolation. He needed to find a way to make this more comfortable for her. “Let me make a suggestion? You know Nick’s wife, Lindsey. You’ve had lunch with her and talked to her when she’s come into the office. If there’s no one special you want to ask, I know she’d be happy to do this.”
“Reno, she’s your partner’s wife, not really a personal friend.” Sarah’s voice was strained. “I’m sure she’d think it’s a terrible imposition.”
“I don’t believe she’d see it that way.” He softened his voice. “Call her. I’m sure she’d be honored.”
“If you say so.” She shrugged. “I’ll call her when we get home. Thank you.”
By four-thirty, they had applied for and received their license and stopped at a jewelry store to buy rings.
“Pick whatever appeals to you,” Reno told her. “You don’t need to worry about the price.”
Red stained her cheeks, and she turned her head away. “I don’t need anything expensive. It should be something that represents our…bargain.”
Reno didn’t know what to say after that, so he simply kept quiet while she chose a plain gold band. Her eyes held a shocked look when he purchased one for himself.
“Good protection,” he said matter-of-factly.
He dropped her back at the house, his parting words brief. “See you about seven.”
As he backed out of the driveway, he couldn’t help but spare a glance for her slim figure climbing the steps to the front door, back straight, determination in every line of her body. Somehow, he had to find a way to make this pleasant for her. Make this work. But he’d be damned if he knew how.
He would have stayed at the office much later, finding busy work, if Nick hadn’t chased him out at six-thirty.
“You’re about to get married,” he pointed out. “You got Sarah to agree to the bargain. At least behave with common courtesy.”
Reluctantly, not knowing what kind of reception to expect when he got home, he put away the bid he was working on and went home. He held his breath as he walked into the house, hoping the earlier scene hadn’t just been a dream. But the air was still fresh and a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
Sarah was stirring something on the stove and humming along with the little under-the-counter stereo, her body moving to the music. She’d changed back into her jeans and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. The shiny mane swung in time to her movements. The soft denim of the jeans molded to her hips, and the T-shirt emphasized the fullness of her breasts. This was a Sarah he’d never seen before. She looked softer, more relaxe
d. Less businesslike. Certainly less tense than she’d been last night and earlier in the day.
He wanted to pinch himself because he still had trouble believing this warm, inviting atmosphere was his house. And this very sexy woman was about to become his wife.
Then he froze in place. What the hell was this? Shocked at the way his eyes roamed her body, at the hardening of his cock the minute he looked at her, he reminded himself this was an arrangement of convenience, nothing more. He couldn’t let this assault on his mind and senses shove him off track. No good could come of that.
He moved, making a slight noise, and Sarah looked up, flushed from the heat of cooking. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Am I in the right place?” he asked. “This doesn’t look or feel as if it’s the same house.”
“Thanks.” Her smile was tentative. “Dinner will be in just a minute. It’s really nothing special, just spaghetti and meatballs. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s fine. More than fine.” He stood there stiffly, trying to figure out what to do with himself. “Well, I’ll get rid of this jacket and tie and be right back. Sarah, I want to thank you again…”
“I told you. No thanks necessary.” She turned her gaze back to the stove.
“You know,” he said, “both times I came home today, I worried all day that you’d decided it was more than you wanted to handle. That you wanted to run back to your desk as fast as possible.”
“Not when I see how much Molly needs me,” she told him firmly.
“Speaking of the child, where is she?”
“Molly,” she stressed the name, “has been fed and bathed and is sound asleep.”
Reno just shook his head, completely amazed.
****
The atmosphere at the table was stilted, each of them trying to adjust to the idea that, from now on, they would be sitting down to meals together.
What should we talk about? How does he expect me to act? Lord, all the little things she hadn’t thought about. Did Reno feel as out of place as she did?
By the time the meal was finished, they hadn’t gotten much past the basics.
How did things go at the office?
Fine. The temp is very bright. I’ll keep her a couple of weeks in the hope that she works out.
Would you like me to come by and go over anything with her?
No, I can handle it.
Fine. More iced tea?
When the dishes were cleared, Reno stood and filled his coffee mug from the freshly brewed pot. “I want to get out of these clothes. Can you meet me in my den in a few minutes? It’s just past the stairs. I have some papers to go over with you.”
Sarah tensed. “Is everything all right?”
“More than all right. I just want to make sure everything is in order before I ask you to sign anything.”
Of course. The bargain.
She relaxed. “Okay.”
“Then I want to show you about the alarm system.”
But her nervousness returned as she waited for him. She wiped her sweating palms on her jeans and fiddled with her ponytail. The den was very much him. Wood paneling on the walls, thick carpeting, a heavy oak desk, with a credenza that held enough electronic equipment that Sarah was sure they could have launched a NASA expedition. The desk chair, the couch, and the large armchair were upholstered in the soft leather she knew he preferred. The only pieces of artwork in the room were a Russell painting he’d paid the earth for at a charity auction and a copy of the Remington bronze statue, Broncobuster. He’d tried and failed to get his hands on the original.
When Reno came in wearing sweat pants and a University of Texas T-shirt, her eyes widened. Oh, lord. How was she supposed to remain neutral and keep her mind on the reason she was there when he dressed this way. She couldn’t help noticing the way the soft material clung to his narrow hips and emphasized the leanness of his body. Or the outline of a semi-erect cock pushing against the fabric. Dark, curling hair peeked over the neck of the shirt, the same masculine hair that dusted his corded arms and the backs of his strong-looking hands. His hair, wet from what was obviously a quick shower, looked even darker than usual and curled slightly at the nape of his neck. Delicious.
Get yourself under control before you make a mess of everything!
She swallowed, hard. This was not good.
“Sorry,” he said stiffly, noticing her reaction. “I guess I dressed down a little too much. This is just what I’m used to throwing on when I get home.”
“No, no, that’s fine. This is your house. You should wear whatever you want. I’m…just not used to seeing you so…casual.”
For a moment, his eyes darkened even more. “Same here.” Then he sat down at his desk, indicating Sarah should take the armchair, and handed her a folder and an envelope in front of him.
In the next few minutes, she was alternately stunned and amazed. The amount of money stated in the agreement was completely absurd. More than she could need, even with the financial demands of her father’s illness. She knew exactly how much money Guardian Security took in and that Reno could well afford this, but it still bothered her.
Her eyes widened when she opened the envelope to find a thick wad of cash with a rubber band around it and bank signature cards.
“This is ridiculous,” she said when she could find her voice again. “I can’t possibly sign this.”
“Too little?” he asked, frowning.
“Too much,” she insisted.
He picked up a pen from the desk and rolled it in his fingers. “You’ve agreed to turn your life upside down and enter into this crazy agreement with me. In addition, you’ll be acting as a bodyguard to the child. There isn’t enough money to express my gratitude. And you can’t know at this point what financial assistance your parents will need. So please don’t argue with me about the one thing I can provide in this arrangement, okay?”
Her pulse jumping at the enormity of what he was offering her, she finished the short document, reached for a pen, and signed it.
“The signature cards, too,” he prompted. “I opened an account, but it will have your new—that is, your married name. The cash is to tide you over until then.”
“It could probably tide me over until next year.”
“Please, Sarah, just allow me this,” he pleaded.
“I guess this will work out okay,” she told him. “I need to shop for Molly, anyway.”
He frowned. “I also thought you might want to buy something new for the wedding.” But he sounded as if the words were dredged up from six feet under.
She didn’t know what to say so she just nodded.
“Well, then. Let’s look at the alarm system.”
He showed her the laptops set up, four in all—his den, the kitchen, his bedroom, and hers. Showed her how to scroll through all the camera angles and went over with her the diagram of where the concealed cameras and ground sensors were located. Then he took her back into the den where he gave her the code and explained how much time she’d have to enter it when she went in and out.
“Hopefully they’ll find the asshole in record time, and this will just be overkill. But in the meantime, I feel better about having it.”
She nodded. “So do I.”
“And don’t forget. If it’s breeched, the alarm automatically sounds back at the office and the team is dispatched. It will also emit a screeching sound that hopefully will scare off whoever broke in.”
Then silence dropped like a cement wall.
Sarah wet her lips. “I spoke to my mother today. Needless to say, this was a shock to her. I thought I’d take Molly by in the morning and see if I can talk my mother into going to the mall with us.”
“Whatever you think best.”
Whatever I think best? Don’t you ever think about this?
“I grocery shopped today, but I really don’t know the kinds of things you eat. If you’ll give me a list I’ll make sure we have them.”
“I�
��m not fussy. Anything is fine.”
“Fine.”
Something simmered between them that neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
Reno cleared his throat. “I’m sure you must be exhausted and ready for bed.”
“Yes. I guess I am.” She rose on legs not quite steady and pushed back her chair.
When he handed her the folder with her copies of everything, their hands brushed, and she almost jumped at the spark that passed between them. He pulled his hand back, and she realized he’d felt it, too.
They stared at each other, the look a mixture of surprise, bewilderment, and panic.
Oh, this is so not good. This stupid agreement isn’t twenty-four hours old, and already I can feel trouble.
“G—Goodnight,” she stammered, backing out of the room. She literally ran for the stairs and up to her room, dropping onto her bed and throwing her arm over her eyes. Her heart raced, and her whole body felt flushed. Pulses she didn’t even know she had throbbed as if they were some animated neon sign.
Was this what happened when you didn’t have sex for years? Hadn’t even wanted it? She’d better get control of herself, or her business arrangement would turn into a disaster. The fact that Reno had reacted, too, only made things worse. How had she gotten herself into this?
Forcing herself to sit up, she dug her cell phone out of her purse and called her parents to give them the details of the wedding ceremony. That ought to get her heated urges under control.
****
Reno sat at his desk with his head in his hands.
You stupid shit.
He was batting a thousand in his How To Fuck Up My Life program. Hadn’t he learned a thing with Maggie? Of course, comparing her to Sarah was like comparing Hell’s Kitchen to Park Avenue, but the end result was still the same. His dick kept getting him in trouble.
Sex had been the farthest thing from his mind when he’d concocted this crazy scheme. It was one good reason why Sarah had seemed the logical choice. Efficient well-groomed, sexless Sarah.
Sexless? Bull!
Damn Tony anyway. Ever since he’d rearranged Reno’s thinking about the woman, Reno couldn’t make his body behave. Definitely not his cock. Well, he’d better figure out how, or he’d be in deeper shit than he already was.