Her Fake Fiancé Billionaire Boss

by Piper Sullivan

  His family walked up to them and Jennifer was about to introduce herself when Justin knelt down in front of her, this time pulling out a different ring. It had a smaller stone, set in yellow gold and decorated with finer stones around the band.

  "Justin…" she started as she pressed her hand to her heart.

  "I managed to twist my mother’s arm, the ring used to belong to my great gran. Jennifer Mae Bradford, would you do me the honor to be my wife?”

  Jennifer stood stunned silent for a moment, somewhere between pretense and reality, the veil that separated it tore and her fairytale slowly came to life. Unable to keep her legs from shaking she leaned against the car and fanned herself.

  “Are you going to let me beg?” he asked with a smile, as he stood up to take her hand.

  Jennifer giggled and shook her head, “This is the third proposal I’ve had from you in three weeks, I’m starting to wonder if you’re working on a new trend,” she said as she held out her trembling hand.

  “I’ll ask you every day for the rest of our lives if I must, but please don’t leave me hanging,” he said with a smirk as he twisted the other ring off her finger and slid on the official engagement ring.

  “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, she cried out and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.”

  His mother sniffed and said, “See Benjamin, our son has my romantic streak, I told you he’ll pick the perfect wife one day.”

  Justin laughed and turned around keeping his arm firmly around Jennifer’s waist as he finally introduced her to the rest of the Dunne’s.

  Mother, Father, this is Jennifer, my better half.

  THE END

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  Also by Piper Sullivan

  Cowboy's Fake Fiancée: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

  Seal'd to Her: A Billionaire Second Chance Romance

  Dr. Daddy Next Door: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

  Cowboy's Fake Fiancée

  Mason

  “This is a fine spread you have here Mason.” Walt Hitchman pushed his sturdy frame and round belly up from one of the brown club chairs in the corner of my home office with a groan. “Your paperwork is in order but I’d like a tour.”

  I nodded because I would give this man anything he wanted that I had to give. My first born named after him, hell half the family billions would be his if he wanted it. As the Chairman of the Texas Pure Breed Association his word carried plenty of weight and I needed his opinion of me to be nothing but positive.

  “Sure. Let’s grab a coffee first.”

  Walt clutched his belly with a laugh. “Boy you must’ve read my mind.”

  With a smile, I led him out of the office inside the main house on the M&M Ranch, a huge spread of land that’s been in the Manning family for five generations. We turned down the hall where photos of my family hung on both sides of the wall, then turned left into the open kitchen with a large butcher block table that sat ten. Twelve when we needed to accommodate more during busy summer months and holidays. “Maybelle what smells so delicious?” The woman had to be close to sixty because she’d been cooking for the M&M since I was a kid.

  “I’m working on supper, but I got some coffee and cookies for you boys.” She smiled and set a plate of my favorite, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, on the table beside two thermoses of hot black coffee.

  “You truly are an angel,” I told her, loving the way she still blushed at words of praise. “Walt, you won’t find better cookies in all of Texas.”

  “Oh hush,” Maybelle said and turned back to what smelled like her lamb stew.

  Walt groaned after the first bite and quickly finished the cookie. “I gotta agree with you Mason. Mind if I take one for the road?”

  “Take two,” I told him, grabbing a few myself along with the coffee. We both thanked Maybelle and let the hot Texas sun hit our faces. “You want to see the land by horse or by Gator?”

  “My knees ain’t what they used to be so let’s go with the Gator if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.” We started off on the east side of the property where several barns were located. “These buildings are for housing the horses, separated as needed. As you can see, we’ve different paddocks for grazing and the training rings.” The ranch had plenty of open space that had been used for generations for cattle we used to raise and sell. These days my little brother Tanner handled about two hundred head of cattle far on the back end of the ranch property.

  Walt walked up and down the stalls, admiring the horseflesh with a small smile on his sun kissed face. “Impressive, son.”

  “Thank you Walt. Want to see the therapy building?” It wasn’t officially a therapy building but for now that’s what we used it for.

  His face twisted into a frown of confusion but he nodded and ambled back to the utility vehicle. “You offer equine therapy?”

  I didn’t, and I hadn’t planned to, but my buddy’s little sister needed a couple hundred hours of animal time to officially complete her degree so now, I did.

  “Not yet but I’m thinking about it,”

  “This building could use some TLC son.”

  “I know,” I smiled through clenched teeth. I explained the situation to him as we made our way into the barn on the other side of the property.

  Walt continued to talk about I don’t know what because I was completely distracted by another sight. Sage Winchester, little sister of my bestest friend in the world, was bent over Cookie rubbing the horse’s hind legs and giving me a front row seat to her heart shaped ass and mile long legs in her painted-on jeans. Damn the woman wore denim like nobody’s business.

  “This must be your intended,” Walt said and motioned to the stall at the far end of the barn. At my look of confusion, he went on. “I heard there was a beautiful young single woman in your employ, and I figured she must be your betrothed since this is a small town and all. Unless I’ve got it wrong?”

  I heard what he hadn’t said. Walt was a traditional and conservative guy and he wouldn’t approve of anything—or anyone—bringing scandal to the TPBA. He wanted us engaged, or Sage gone. Neither of which was an option. “You’re not wrong Walt but we’ve kind of kept it under wraps.” I felt a twitch grow in my eye at the blatant lie but it was too late to turn back.

  “For the love of god, why?”

  “She’s my best friend’s little sister, and he’s an Army Ranger off saving the world so we haven’t told him yet.”

  The old man’s entire expression softened. “I always wanted to be a Ranger, but it wasn’t meant to be. I understand. Now introduce me to your lady.”

  Without another word, I approached Sage and Cookie and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned and smiled at me and hot damn I almost swallowed my tongue at the sight she made. When had Sage Winchester turned into a babe?

  “Hey darlin’, how’s it going?” I pulled her in for a hug and whispered, “Follow my lead, please,” and turned so we both faced Walt.

  Big blue eyes asked several questions but she’d kept her smile on. “Great. Cookie is feeling much better, aren’t you girl,” she gave the horse a gentle rub. “What brings you…both by?”

  I kept my arm around her, ignoring the hum of awareness her proximity created. “I want to introduce you to Walt Hitchman, Chairman of the-,”

  “Texas Pure Breed Association,” she finished and stuck out her hand. “It’s great to meet you, I’m Sage Winchester. Rumor has it you have one of the most gorgeous pure Arabians in all of Texas.”

  Walt’s face turned a peculiar shade of red at her praise, but he accepted her hand with a gentle shake. “My pleasure Ms. Winchester and I have to say that my Inkspot is a beauty.”

  “Call me Sage, please. How do you like the M&M?”

  “It’s an impressive operation.”
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  “Mason’s been working this land since he was knee high to a grasshopper. He’s been playing cowboy for nearly as long. Haven’t you babe?” The look in her eyes and her emphasis on the last word told me she was wondering what I was up to.

  Damn now I was blushing like a teenager in front of his first crush. “What she isn’t telling you is that she used to be right beside me and Jack, going faster than the both of us.”

  “A beautiful woman who knows horses, how’d Mason get so lucky?”

  She looked up at me, eyes shining with something I couldn’t identify and grinned. “He finally saw me as something more than his best friend’s kid sister.”

  Her words were loaded but I knew she was just following my lead as I’d asked. She’d had a crush on me as a kid, but that was years ago. Wasn’t it?

  “Better late than never,” I told her and felt a rush of male pride at the reddening of her cheeks and the slight shiver that went through her.

  “You were a smart man to scoop her up before some other fellow did. When’s the wedding?”

  Sage opened her mouth and closed it. Twice. I stepped in and tucked her under my arm. “We haven’t set one yet. Says she won’t make it official until I get her a ring.”

  Walt chuckled and pulled out a handkerchief to dab the sweat beading on his forehead. Even late spring in Lucky Flats, Texas could be blistering. “Well maybe Houston will have the perfect ring for her. You can go shopping together in three weeks when you come up for the get-to-know-you dinner we like to do with prospective members. June first.”

  “We’ll be there,” Sage promised and stepped forward, shaking Walt’s hand again while also putting space between us.

  “Good to meet you m’dear,” he grinned at the both of us, waiting for…something. “Well go on boy, kiss her. My wife never lets me leave without a kiss. Reminds me what’s waiting for me when I get back.”

  I don’t know what happened, but between Walt’s expectant gaze and Sage’s big blue eyes, that dark chocolate braid curved at her collarbone and the scent of strawberries wafting from her, I was powerless to stop the overwhelming need to taste her lips. It was as if his words had given me permission to do what I’d been fighting since she started working for me last month.

  “You heard the man darlin’,” I told her and cupped her head, tilting it ever so slightly as my mouth crashed down onto hers. It was meant to be hot and short but Sage, the little minx, snuck her tongue out and the moment it touched mine a fire shot through my veins and I deepened the kiss, devouring her sweet mouth. A buzz of something flowed between us and I knew I was in trouble but I was too damn turned on, enchanted, to stop. Somewhere, somehow I found the willpower to pull back and found Sage looking as shocked and discombobulated as I felt.

  Walt gave a final wave and I joined him as we left the barn, tossing a grateful smile at Sage as I did. I walked Walt to his car and handed him a bottle of water for the road. “This summer is going to be a hot one,” he complained and slammed the door shut.

  It was already a hot one and that kiss only made it hotter. Now I needed to talk to Sage about this mess. Well not now while my body still hummed from that kiss, from the feel of her soft body pressed into mine.

  But soon.

  Sage

  “You want me to do what?” I blinked a few times and tucked a few strands of thick wavy hair behind my ear, certain I’d misheard or misunderstood Mason.

  “Don’t make me say it again, Sage,” he pleaded, raking one hand through this blond hair, so long it now curled at the ends. Bottomless brown eyes locked with mine and silently begged me to understand.

  I sat back in the chair in his office, arms and legs crossed protectively as a sudden thrill went through me. Mason wanted me to pretend we were madly in love—which wasn’t hard to do since I’d been in love with him since I was six years old—and that we were engaged to be married. I could admit to feeling disappointment that it was all for show. “Fine,” I held up my hands, “don’t repeat. Explain.”

  He let out a long breath and my eyes wandered to the strong muscular forearms, extra tan from his time spent outdoors, a sprinkling of white blonde hair twinkling in the sun. “Walt thinks you’re my fiancée and I didn’t correct him.”

  Okay. “Why?”

  “Because his tone indicated it would be better if you were my bride to be than just a beautiful single woman working for me.”

  Well if that wasn’t the absolute least flattering option. “Then just tell him that I am engaged. To someone else.”

  “But he already thinks we’re engaged Sage.”

  I rolled my eyes and waited. And waited. And waited.

  “Please help me Sage. Pretend to be my fiancée until I’m an official member of the PTBA. I’ll do anything.”

  Oh the possibilities. “Anything?”

  He nodded but froze halfway through. “What did you have in mind?”

  Damn he was gorgeous, even when he was being skeptical and unflattering. “Mason Manning are you afraid I might ask to unfettered access to your body?” It was a fantasy of mine but in my fantasy he wanted it to.

  “Sage,” he said in warning. “What do you want?”

  I wanted Mason but not as part of some devil’s deal so I went with my other dream. “Land. You have more than you need and I have none. I’d like to rent some of your land for a good deal to open my therapy center. We can work out a deal for your horses.”

  He was quiet for a long time and I stood because I’ve known Mason my entire life and the man was stubborn as hell. He’d sooner part with his daughter Lily than a plot of M&M land. “How much land are we talking?”

  I sighed. “I don’t have a specific amount but the land that your great grandfather used to use for goats should be plenty.”

  “And if it isn’t?”

  “Then you got the long end of the stick Mason. Why are you being so difficult about this?”

  “I’m being difficult? I just asked a friend for a favor and you want half my ranch in exchange.”

  I sucked in a breath as though he’d slapped me. “Oh we’re friends now, are we? Is that why you’ve hardly said five words to me since I got here Mason, a month ago?” I held up a hand to stop whatever he was about to say that would certainly make it easy to tell him no. Hell no. “Save it Mason. I’ll think about it but right now I need to get out of here.” And go back to my crappy apartment above the Double Barrel, the bar owned by my best friend.

  “You’ll really think about it?”

  I came to a stop at the door but didn’t turn around. I couldn’t turn around because I didn’t want to see those big disappointed brown eyes sway my opinion. “Have I ever denied you a thing Mason?” I didn’t wait for an answer, just left the door open and walked down the familiar hall, for once ignoring the photo of Mason and my brother Jack shirtless and grinning at the fishing hole on our old property.

  “Hi Sage, wait up!”

  I stopped at the sound of the cutest little girl in the whole world and turned around wearing a smile. “Lily bug, how are you?”

  “Fine. Where were you?” Her rosebud mouth pouted adorably and her blonde pigtails hung at a lopsided angle. Green eyes filled with worry and confusion.

  “I had to talk to your dad for a minute. Did you miss me?”

  She bobbed her head up and down, blonde brows dipped low. “I thought you left and weren’t coming back.”

  My heart went out to the little girl. She’d had too many people leave her. First her mother who left of her own free will, then her grandfather in a plane crash just a year later. Tammy Manning, the matriarch of the family was currently recovering from a broken hip which had been the result of a skiing accident. I dropped down so we were eye to eye. “We’re friends Lily bug. If I were leaving I would tell you.”

  “Promise? Grandma didn’t say she was leaving,” she held up her pinky finger, the end of promises for seven-year-old little girls.

  “Promise,” I told her and hooked our pink
ies together. “And your grandma is injured but I know she’ll be back real soon.”

  “Wanna play with me?” Her question came out of the blue, earlier sadness already forgotten.

  “Oh I’d love to honey but I can’t tonight. How about you see if your dad let you stay the night with me this weekend? We can play and do girl stuff.”

  Big green eyes went wide with excitement and then glee. “You mean it?”

  “Of course. Friends have sleepovers don’t they?”

  “Yeah!” She leapt into my arms, hanging off my neck while she whispered, “thank you, thank you, thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet, you have to ask your grumpy ol’ dad.”

  Lily giggled and stepped back. “Maybelle’s making meatloaf tonight so I’ll ask after his first slice.”

  “Smart kid. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Bye Sage!”

  I drove away from the ranch thinking about the Manning family, specifically if I could do what Mason wanted me to do without getting my heart smashed to pieces.

  “So do you want me to tell you why this is a good idea or talk you out of it?” I could always count on my best friend Sierra to keep it real with me. I stopped by her bar, well the only bar in town, the Double Barrel to get some perspective on Mason’s proposal.

  “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Oh come on Sage. We both know you not only want to do this, you’re straight up gagging to pretend you’re getting married to Mason Manning.”

  My cheeks turned red and I buried my face in the cold beer before me. “That’s where you’re wrong smartass, I don’t want to pretend. I want it to be real.”

  She gave me that sympathetic look I hated more than I hated anything but she was my best friend so I refrained from throwing my beer in her face. “Oh honey I know you do but don’t you think it’s time?”

  I smacked a hand against the bar, happy there weren’t a lot of patrons in at this time to see me throw a tantrum. “Don’t you think I would if I could Sierra? I’ve tried dammit!” I had two serious relationships in college and neither produced a fraction of the emotion, the passion of that kiss from Mason. “I know it’s pathetic and believe me, I wish I could move on Sierra. But I can’t.”