by Cat Schield
Megan arched an eyebrow. “That’s awfully arrogant of you.”
“I never claimed to be perfect.”
“Neither of us is.”
“So how do we move forward?” Will swept a lock of hair behind her ear, savoring the softness of her skin against his fingertips. “I came here today intending to say I’d understand if you wanted to move on. No hard feelings. We can dissolve the marriage and part as friends.”
As the words poured out of him in an agonized rush, he gauged her reaction. Letting her go was the last thing he wanted, but she’d been through so much and he did not want to put pressure on her.
“What do you want to do?”
The time had come for him to open his heart to her. Come what may, he couldn’t let her go without at least telling her the depth of his feelings. “I want to stay married.”
“You do?” She looked hopeful.
Will nodded. “I think we’ve discovered in the last few months that we’re good together, don’t you?”
“Yes. But...”
“But what?”
“You are an honorable man. I don’t want you to stay married to me because you think it’s the right thing to do.”
Seeing her doubts and understanding the reason why, he took her hands in his. “Being married to you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Oh, Will.” Her blue eyes grew watery as they scanned his expression. “That’s how I feel, too.”
“I love you,” he declared, shocked and humbled by the dramatic change in his fortunes from this morning until this moment. “I can’t imagine my life without you. And I’ll take you anyway you want. Friends. Lovers. Wife. Whatever makes you happy.”
Megan reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair, giving a slight tug. Her voice when she spoke quivered slightly. “I love you. More than anything, I want to be your wife and the mother of your children.”
Will had no words, but the situation called for none. He hauled her against him and brought his lips to hers. With a happy cry, she kissed him back, communicating her joy in the most elemental of ways.
“You have no idea how happy I am right now.” Will deposited feverish kisses on her eyelids, nose and cheeks.
“Hopefully, I can make you even happier,” she replied, peering at him from beneath her lashes.
He glanced toward her closed office door and raised an eyebrow at her, remembering the conversation they’d had in his office. “I’m game if you are.”
She laughed joyfully while her arms banded around his tender ribs in a fierce hug. Despite the pain, he couldn’t bring himself to complain, but something must’ve showed in his expression because Megan released him with a whispered apology.
“I don’t think you’re in any condition for that,” she teased.
Will chuckled. “I’m always in condition for that.”
“Maybe you should sit down.” She waited until he’d gingerly lowered himself onto the couch and then straddled his lap. Cupping his face in her hands, she deposited a series of tantalizing kisses on his cheeks, nose and chin.
Frustrated by her gentleness, he slid his hand into her hair and brought their mouths together. With slow lashes of his tongue, he devoured her with deliberate care while her fingers trailed over his shoulders and nape. Her fragrant skin warmed beneath the slide of his lips along her neck, and she purred in pleasure. The sound awakened a nearly ravenous hunger.
Earlier, in order to straddle him, she’d had to hike her skirt up, baring her long, lean thighs. Now, as she sensuously rocked against the erection thickening beneath her, Will’s palms coasted up her legs until he encountered the elastic on her panties. Both of them gasped in unison as he slipped his fingers beneath the fabric and delved into her slick heat.
Crying out in pleasure, Megan threw her head back, closed her eyes and thrust her breasts forward. In moments like these she stole his breath. Hot color flushed her cheeks as she tightened her thighs on either side of his.
The exquisite sight of her grinding on him with such utter abandon made him groan in sheer joy. He punched his hips upward, driving himself against her. The move sent a shaft of pain lancing through his ribs, stopping his breath. To avoid further discomfort, Will froze. This alerted Megan that something was wrong. Her eyes snapped opened and fixed on his expression, seeing the pain he fought to conceal.
“I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed, obviously mortified. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He shook his head and gently coaxed her mouth to his, saying against her lips, “The only way you could ever hurt me is by leaving.”
Abruptly, her eyes brightened with unshed tears. She set her forehead against his and scanned his features while a ragged breath slipped free.
“I can’t believe I almost lost you a second time,” she murmured, her voice a raw agony. “I couldn’t bear it if that happened.”
“With Lowell dead, you don’t ever have to worry about that again. I’m not going anywhere.”
This time Will didn’t even feel the pain as he hugged Megan. They were going to stay married. Be a real family. It had been so long since he’d felt a part of something like that. “We’re going to be so happy,” he said, conscious of a very goofy grin spreading across his face.
“The happiest,” she agreed, putting out her left hand so Will could slide the ring onto her third finger. “And I think after all we’ve been through, we both deserve it.”
Will couldn’t agree more.
Epilogue
Putting a huge wedding together in less than a month might have daunted most brides, but Megan had been denied a huge ceremony surrounded by family and friends because Rich had insisted they run off to Reno, and she’d had a pretty good vision for her dream event. They were holding the ceremony at the Ace in the Hole, and had invited over two hundred people to be witnesses as Megan and the real Will Sanders said their vows.
After Lowell had died from injuries he sustained in the car accident, the background on the investigation and everything that had happened after he’d returned from Mexico pretending to be Will had been well and fully covered not only by the local news, but nationwide. The story had a scandalous twist that the media had eaten up for nearly a week until breaking news out of Austin had sent the reporters scrambling to cover a juicy sexual harassment allegation against one of the state senators.
Megan had given one interview to the local paper and avoided the rest. She hadn’t wanted her personal life poked and prodded, nor did she relish the possibility of seeing her words sliced and diced to make the story a more salacious read. Instead, Megan kept her talking points simple, emphasizing her shock in finding herself married to an imposter and confessing that she’d been in love with Will Sanders since they were in high school, but that she’d barely had any contact with him during the ensuing years.
“A bride is supposed to smile on her wedding day,” Will said, lifting their entwined fingers so he could kiss her knuckles.
They were strolling into the Texas Cattleman’s Club where their wedding reception for four hundred would soon be under way. Organizing such a large event in a short period of time might’ve been a daunting task if so many hadn’t pitched in to help. Megan had been overwhelmed by the support she’d received from new friends and old, but especially the women harmed by Rich. These women had showed their community spirit by organizing the catering, flowers, wedding cake and decor.
“Wasn’t I smiling?” She couldn’t imagine how this wasn’t the case. Since Will had confessed his love and said that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, Megan’s days had become one long series of happy moments. Except for one thing. “I guess I’m just wishing Jason could be here to share this day with us.”
Will’s gaze locked with hers, and the pain in his eyes made Megan’s heart clench. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned their shared los
s on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, but since she and Will had found each other, she’d been aware of an ever-growing sense that her brother was smiling down on the union.
“I think he’d approve of us being together,” Will said, echoing her own thoughts.
“I do, too.”
And that was all the time they had to talk. A second later they stepped into the club’s largest ballroom, and applause erupted from the hundreds of guests. Seeing the semicircle of people standing closest to the door, Megan found her throat closing up as emotion overwhelmed her.
Four months earlier she’d sat in a room with four of the women waiting to greet her, stunned by the loss of her husband and confused by the damning tales several of those women had had to tell.
The first person Megan hugged was Selena Jacobs. Despite the years of anger since they’d fallen out in high school over something stupid, Megan and Selena had recently put aside old hurts. The healing had begun after Megan had discovered that Will’s marriage during college to the gorgeous cosmetics entrepreneur had been to help her out, not because they’d been in love. Now, Selena was madly in love with Knox McCoy and had confided to Megan earlier that the couple was expecting a baby girl they planned to name Carmela.
Standing beside Selena was Abigail Stuart, another of Lowell’s victims. She and Vaughn had become parents to their little girl a few weeks earlier. Megan hugged the new mother and thought of the future children she hoped to have one day.
She and Will accepted well-wishes from Jillian, now her sister-in-law, Allison Cartwright, now Gibson, and the men they’d fallen in love with. It amazed Megan that a little over four months ago most of these people had been strangers. Now, she felt as if they would forever be a part of her life.
“Well, Mrs. Sanders,” Will began as they moved deeper into the room. “What do you say to getting this party started with a dance?”
“Isn’t it traditional to eat dinner first?” she teased as he pulled her into his arms on the dance floor. There would be a band later, but for now a sound system in one corner of the room played softly in the background.
“I think we left traditional in our rearview mirror a long time ago,” he replied, grinning down at her.
“I guess you’re right.” And as circuitous as the path that had lead to this moment had been, Megan would do it all over to be this happy.
“I love you.” Will dipped his head and dropped an affectionate kiss on her lips. “Forever and always.”
“I love you, too.” Megan framed his face with her hands as her heart expanded with joy. “Always have. Always will.”
* * * * *
There is always something scandalous happening in Royal, Texas!
Return to the club with a new six-book series,
Texas Cattleman’s Club: Bachelor Auction,
beginning September 2018!
Runaway Temptation
by USA TODAY bestselling author Maureen Child
Available September 2018
Most Eligible Texan
by USA TODAY bestselling author Jules Bennett
Available October 2018
Million Dollar Baby
by USA TODAY bestselling author Janice Maynard
Available November 2018
His Until Midnight
by Reese Ryan
Available December 2018
The Rancher’s Bargain
by Joanne Rock
Available January 2019
Lone Star Reunion
by Joss Wood
Available February 2019
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Snowbound Scandal by Jessica Lemmon.
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A Snowbound Scandal
by Jessica Lemmon
One
Mayor Chase Ferguson’s best friend and head of his security team strolled into his office, sheet of paper in hand.
“Busy?” Emmett asked.
“Extremely,” Chase answered, droll. He’d been staring at the same spot on the wall for going on twenty minutes trying to figure out how to answer the governor’s email.
“I won’t be long.” Emmett wasn’t smiling, but Chase could tell his best bud was amused. Emmett knew Chase better than anyone—better than his own family in some cases. With a flick of his fingers, Emmett dropped the sheet of paper on the desk.
Chase lifted the printed color photo. In it, a delicate, thin woman, mouth open in an angry shout was holding a poster board. On the poster was a photo of a bird dripping with black goo and the words painted around the image read OIL KILLS. An angry crowd in the background held similar signs, but it was the woman in clear focus that snared his attention.
Soft, dark curls blew over fine cheekbones and plump lips. Even now, years later, he didn’t have to try to recall the feel of her elegant, slim body against his. Mimi Andrix was runway-model thin with small breasts and subtle curves. The years had been good to her, depending on how recently this photo was taken.
“When was it taken?” Chase asked.
“Three years ago, in Houston.”
“How did you come across it?”
“One of your campaign staff alerted me. It was mailed to the office alongside a letter threatening to send it to Jamie Holland.”
Chase’s opponent. An all around `not-so-nice guy with questionable ties to big, bad men in Texas, and involved in too many illegal activities to list.
“We’re trying to find out where it’s from, but so far no luck,” Emmett said in the same flat, matter-of-fact tone.
Chase grunted. Ah, election season. He was on his second term and preferred to stay where he was for as long as his city allowed him. Not only was he one of Dallas’s youngest mayors, but he was also one of the few politicians interested in the seat who was unbribable. As a son of the Fergusons and one-third owner of Ferguson Oil, Chase had plenty of money of his own. He didn’t crave power or prestige. He craved justice. Staying in office meant crowding out potentially corrupt politicians. Jamie Holland, for example.
“I recognized her right away.” Emmett tapped the edge of the photo. He’d been on the three-month-long trip where Chase had met Mimi. Emmett was one of the few people who knew what had transpired between them all those summers ago. All that had gone well before it’d gone sideways.
“She should know that she’s a potential target for publicity.” Mimi hated politics. She wouldn’t appreciate being dragged into the mud during his upcoming campaign if and when news of their previous relationship saw the light of day.
“I tracked her down. She lives in Bigfork. You have a trip schedul
ed for Montana soon, don’t you? Why not tell her in person?” His friend smirked knowingly.
“Somehow I doubt she’d welcome me with open arms.” The last time Chase had seen her, he’d put her on a plane leaving Dallas for Bigfork. Her face was red from a combination of anger and devastation—both of which he’d put into her expression. She’d hated him then and he doubted her feelings for him had warmed since.
“She works for a conservation society. Some environmental group. Her bio on the website mentioned ‘saving the planet.’”
That drew a proud smile to Chase’s mouth. Mimi’s giving and loving heart had been so huge it’d encapsulated not only him, but the environmental causes she’d cared about so passionately. Not until she’d come with him to Dallas did she know the extent of Chase’s involvement in one of the biggest enemies to the environment—her words. The oil industry was his family’s industry.
But she didn’t call it quits between them when she found out. Chase was surprised she’d seen around his inherited billions that had come from the very industry destroying the causes she’d championed, but she had. She’d tearfully told him she didn’t hold it against him and that they’d work through it and that the only thing that mattered was how they felt for each other.
He’d been the one who’d ended it. It’d killed him to do it. Even though they never would’ve worked out, he’d cared about her and would’ve preferred ending their relationship on better terms.
“Do you ever wonder,” Emmett said as he turned for the door, “if you two had married how that would’ve gone?”
“No.” Chase never second-guessed decisions. The point of making one was that you didn’t have to revisit it.
“Seeing that photo made me wonder if she’d have bent to your will and become a proper politician’s wife, or if you would’ve caved to hers and been alongside her protesting the evils of big oil.”
The bagel Chase had for breakfast turned to stone in his stomach. He didn’t like thinking about what would’ve happened. What could’ve happened.