by Seton, Cora
“I didn’t say I wanted to go back. I’m just saying I know you have your secrets, too.”
“And they’ll remain my secrets. I married you because my brothers and I all need to marry before my great aunt will sign the deed to our ranch over to us. Owning the ranch is important to my family—you can’t imagine how important. So I don’t care about your Hollywood tabloid trash or your failed relationships, but if you came here and married me as some kind of twisted publicity stunt, so help me God I will—” He visibly regained control of himself and jerked open his door. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Ella’s mouth hung open. The veneer of civilization had slid from his features, revealing the hardened warrior his time in the military had made him. She turned to watch him head back to the restaurant. His burst of anger had left her speechless and she wondered if the smartest thing she could do was to make a break for it while he was busy inside.
But something told her she was perfectly safe with Austin Hall. He needed to be married to secure his ranch, and she bet his aunt hadn’t asked for a fake marriage, either. He’d thought he was getting a wife who wanted the same anonymous, peaceful life he did. Instead, he’d gotten a Hollywood star who could bring an army of reporters down on his head at any minute. And the worst of it from his point of view was the idea that he might be the butt of some joke she wanted to play out in front of a national audience.
He was dead wrong about that. And she had to convince him of it before he changed his mind and got their marriage annulled.
She wasn’t done with Austin Hall yet.
* * *
Back in the restaurant, Austin shut the door to the single occupancy men’s room and locked it behind him.
An actress. He’d married a Hollywood actress.
All he’d wanted to do when he got home was make good on his promise to his brothers and slide into a private, quiet life on the ranch. And now he’d brought home an actress that had fled from a failed relationship with Hollywood’s biggest star? How soon would hoards of paparazzi swoop down on them and plaster all their faces and stories in the paper? How big would the disruption of their lives be? And would they stick to writing about Ella? Or would he fall into the spotlight, too?
What if they looked into his military career? What if they pointed out for all to see just what kind of a soldier he really was? What if they exposed his Wife Wanted ad and ruined all of their chances to secure the ranch?
Damn. Damn. Damn!
He ran the tap and splashed cold water on his face.
Was there still time to annul the marriage?
No.
The answer came so swiftly it made him scowl. He didn’t want to annul the marriage and he would put up with whatever those tinsel town flunkies threw at them. He’d protect Ella from their unwanted scrutiny, and if Anthony Black ever came near his ranch, he’d—
Austin forced himself to slow down. Anthony Black wasn’t coming to Crescent Hall. Ella had left him behind the same way she’d left behind her career. It was the paparazzi they had to worry about. Now he understood her wish for secrecy. He cursed the ignorance that had made him bring her here. Those women behind the counter wouldn’t be able to keep their mouths shut.
Or maybe they would, if he gave them enough incentive.
If Ella had turned her back on a leading man and a promising career, she must have her reasons. She must want the same things he wanted. Peace. Quiet. Anonymity. This could work, after all.
His reflection grimaced. Then quirked a smile.
He’d married a movie star. A voluptuously beautiful movie star.
Wouldn’t his brothers be jealous?
Another thought occurred to him. Would he be a disappointing second to the most famous man in Hollywood? He wasn’t an actor and he wasn’t even a military hero. He was a colossal screw-up.
Poor Ella Scales. She’d certainly gotten the short end of the stick.
Pulling himself together, he left the men’s room and on his way back to the truck, he told Mia to hurry their order. “And I’ll thank all of you to keep your mouths shut, or I’ll—”
“We will, we get it,” Mia assured him before he could voice his threat. “Your food will be ready in a moment, Mr. Hall, and we won’t let any harm come to you or your wife.”
Austin left the restaurant suitably chastened by Mia’s no-nonsense manner. Small-town people gossiped, but they also protected their own. He’d forgotten that. He climbed back into the truck and started the engine. “Look,” he said to Ella. “I think it’s about time we get a few things straight. I have a past. So do you. We each want to put that behind us and move forward, and there’s bound to be bumps in the road until we get used to being hitched together. But as long as we’re honest with each other—completely honest—we’ll do all right, I expect. The year will pass quickly. I told Mia and her friends to keep it quiet that you’re here. We’ll get you home as soon as possible. Hopefully we’ll be able to contain the information that you’re in town.”
“I appreciate that,” Ella said. “I can’t be in the public eye. I just… can’t.”
Mia rapped on Ella’s window. Austin lowered it with a press of a button. “Enjoy, you two,” she said. “And congratulations. It’ll be nice having you both here, I’m sure. If you ever get hungry, give us a call. One of us can deliver to the ranch.”
Austin thought he might have to shoo her away from the truck, but Mia waved, turned on her heel and left them to it, her long ponytail swinging as she reentered the restaurant.
He drove down the road out of town just far enough until they caught a view of the Absaroka Mountains, then pulled off to the side of the road and parked the truck. Although he was glad to be out of town, he wasn’t ready to bring Ella home quite yet. He felt they needed further discussion on neutral ground.
“Eat up,” he said and opened his container of nachos.
“I’m not that hungry anymore.”
“Look, you must be used to publicity and attention if you’re an actress.”
“Your reaction to finding out who I am wasn’t exactly comforting.”
Austin picked up a chip. “I guess it wasn’t. I thought—”
“I know what you thought. That I might make a fool of you. Austin.” She reached over the seat and touched his arm. Austin stilled, finding it hard to focus on her words when her fingers were warm against his skin. “The night of the Academy Awards, I found out my fiancé was cheating on me with another actress. What’s worse, the whole world found out right along with me. To top it off, that same woman stole my Oscar. I went into hiding for a while. Then I tried to make a comeback, and Anthony and Kaylee screwed it up again.” She stopped. Laughed. “Actually, I screwed it up when I bashed Anthony with my coffee cup. Now every gossip rag out there is hashing out my love life in print. I know what it’s like to be humiliated publicly. I would never do that to anyone else.”
For one fraction of a second her façade cracked and he caught a glimpse of the world of pain she inhabited. It should have made him want to touch her back—to soothe her, to take her into his arms.
It did.
He was the last person she should turn to for comfort or protection, though. He wasn’t capable of saving anyone. But he understood what she meant to say—she wouldn’t play with him. “Okay,” he told her. “I understand. I’m sorry if I was blunt.”
“You’ve been a soldier for a long time.”
He nodded. “Special Forces.” Hell. Why on earth had he said that? Now it sounded like he was fishing for some kind of reaction. That was the last thing he wanted.
“That takes courage.” She didn’t ask him any of the usual questions—where had he served? What had he done? How many enemies had he killed?
How many friends?
“Let’s eat.” He wanted to shift the conversation before he betrayed any secrets he’d meant to keep to himself.
“Okay.” She lifted the taco to her mouth, took a bite. Her whole expression
changed to one of wonder. “Oh, this is delicious.” She stared down at the folded naan, bursting with its filling. Yogurt sauce dripped over her fingers and she brought them to her mouth for a quick lick before the sauce slid farther. She deposited the whole mess back into the container she balanced on her knees, swiftly wiped her hands, and attacked it with the plastic fork and knife Mia had thrown in. The sight of her enjoying herself tugged at Austin’s heart. Somehow he knew she didn’t give in to her appetites often. She glanced at him. “How is yours?”
Austin bit into a chip, his own hunger long gone. The first bite brought his taste buds to attention. “Mmm. Good.”
For a few minutes all they did was eat and Austin discovered he was hungry, after all. So was Ella, by the look of things. When she had consumed three-fourths of her taco, she let her plastic ware drop, her expression dismayed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you know how many calories I just ate?”
Not this again. “You said you skipped breakfast and last night’s dinner, right? You can probably afford it.”
She cocked her head. Picked up her utensils again. “I guess you’re right. It’s not like anyone will ever see me again on camera. I might as well get fat.”
There was bitterness in her voice, and Austin felt a pang when he wondered if she already regretted leaving Hollywood behind. What if she changed her mind? What if she wanted to go back? Well, she’d just have to wait until April. “That’s right. From here on in you’re a rancher’s wife. You could use a little meat on your bones.” He bit into another chip, feeling heat climb up his throat. Had he actually just made that idiotic statement?
He glanced her way. Found her looking back at him. Their gazes locked. Held.
Another jolt of energy traveled down Austin’s spine. How could he have missed the sensual star quality she possessed when she sent him her photo? He had seen her in some movie—something he’d caught the tail end of a year or two ago. “Another Night in New York.”
Now it was her turn to flush. She nodded, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “I was in that.”
“I should have figured it out right away.”
She shrugged. “I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Because then I’d just be some ass who wanted to marry a movie star, rather than some ass who wanted to marry any stranger at all?”
She smiled, and her beautiful face transformed into something softer—more womanly. Even more beautiful. “How do you think this is all going to turn out? Will we make it through a year?”
Her question brought him up short. “I honestly don’t know, but we’d better make it at least until April or I’m in trouble.” He sat back. “Look, everything I said before still stands, movie star or no movie star. I’m damaged goods. I’ve got nothing to give you above and beyond what I stated in my ad.”
“All I need is a name and a home for the next twelve months. I’m curious, though. Why can’t you inherit this ranch without a wife?”
* * *
Austin stiffened and she didn’t blame him, but she held her ground. He knew all her secrets now; she might as well know his.
“My Great Aunt Heloise controls it right now and she’s a piece of work. You’ll meet her soon, and your performance will have to be perfect to fool her. I guess I have to go back a bit to explain.” He fiddled with a chip. “My father, Aaron Hall, and my uncle, Ezekiel Hall, co-owned the ranch. It’s called Crescent Hall, which is also the name of the main house on it. When my father passed away, it became all Zeke’s. He died without designating a new heir for it, even though he has a grown son, Darren. Darren can’t stand ranching. Zeke knew the place would fall apart in his hands, not that Zeke did much better himself. Anyway, when he died, Heloise inherited it back. She wants to pass it to me and my brothers. But she wants to know for certain there will be an heir to hand it down to when all of us kick the bucket.”
“So she’s forcing you to get married.” Austin’s explanation brought a new anxiety. They would have to share the ranch with Austin’s brothers? How many did he have? He’d never mentioned that part of the deal.
“That’s right. There are four of us—Mason, the oldest; Zane, my twin; Colt, the youngest, and me. All four of us have to wed by the end of next March—twelve months from the day Mason took possession of Crescent Hall. One of us has to have a kid by then—don’t worry; Mason’s got that covered. He and Regan have already been trying for a while. In April we get the deed, and the deal is done.”
“What about your other brothers?” Austin had a twin? She tried to picture that.
“Zane and Colt? They’ve promised to marry, too. Zane will get out of the Marines in September. Colt plans to stay in the service.” Austin hesitated. “He’s not too thrilled about any of this, but he’s given his word that he’ll come through with a wife. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does something similar to what we’ve done.”
“And where is everyone going to live?”
Austin swallowed and her anxiety increased. The last thing she wanted was to bunk with a crowd of strangers.
“Crescent Hall is a large house. We could all fit in it easily—even with some kids. But I was thinking about taking over the bunkhouse. I love the Hall. You will too when you see it. But crowds and me—” He shook his head. “We’re not a great fit. Not now.”
Relief washed over her, although she stored the rest of the information away to think over later. “How many bedrooms does the bunkhouse have?”
Austin looked down at his container. “One.”
Chapter 7
‡
Austin wiped his hands on a napkin and closed the takeout container, trying to gauge Ella’s reaction to that bit of news.
“One?”
“Look—I told you we have to act married in public.”
“But you said we’d act like roommates in private. You said sex was out of bounds.”
“It is out of bounds. But if we sleep in separate bedrooms, someone is going to figure it out.”
“So what?”
It was a fair question, he decided. And why was he fighting so hard to share his bed with a woman he’d said from the get-go he wasn’t interested in? A woman he swore he wouldn’t have sex with? “Because Aunt Heloise can kill the deal any time. So until the ranch’s deed is in our names, you have to sleep with me.” He kept his voice steady, but he hoped she knew how serious he was.
“Sleep with you, but not have sex.”
Austin nodded. “We covered that already. No sex. Will you be able to do that?”
“Do what? Keep my hands off you? I should think so.” Her tone was laced with sarcasm.
“Ah, that’s right. You don’t fall for men like me. You like those simpering Hollywood goons.” Shit. Why was he goading her?
“You mean those simpering Hollywood millionaires?” She caught herself. Smiled self-deprecatingly. “Actually, I don’t miss them one little bit, but this still won’t work. How are we supposed to stay disengaged if we share a house, a job, a life, and a…” She trailed off.
“A bed,” Austin finished for her, enjoying her discomfiture more than he ought to. So the thought of sleeping with him interested her a little bit, for all her protests. She wasn’t alone in that. The longer he spent near Ella, the better sharing a bed sounded. Which wasn’t good. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll figure it out along the way. It’s not forever.”
She blew out a breath. “We’re going to have to give each other as much space as possible. We’ll work on the ranch, but we won’t work together. We’ll organize our activities so we’re not in the house at the same time. We’ll sleep with our backs turned.” Her cheeks heated again. Austin suppressed the sudden urge to smile. She really was beautiful. He would enjoy sleeping with her.
Damn it. No he wouldn’t. Not one little bit.
They stared at each other wordlessly again. Ella was right. This was never going to work.
* * *
Crescent Hall wasn’t at all what Ell
a had expected. In her mind she’d pictured the ranch house as an overgrown log cabin. When she said as much, Austin assured her that there were many such houses around these parts, but that the Halls had something different in mind when they built their home.
“I think someone was homesick for the east coast,” he said, opening the truck door for her again. As she picked her way in her high heels up the dirt driveway, the house loomed up over them, its gothic structure something out of a fairy tale. It had three above-ground stories, with a wraparound porch and a circular tower. As ornate as any New England mansion, its severe shades of gray lent it a formal air. It was quiet this far out from town. The only living creature around was a child—or pre-teen, maybe—riding his bike up the country road. He watched them with interest as he pedaled furiously by and disappeared over a hill. Ella turned back to the Hall, and looked up at the circular tower.
Austin saw the direction of her gaze. “Regan and Mason already claimed the bedroom on the second floor of the tower. The one in the attic needs a serious renovation, but we could grab it if you really wanted.” She could tell he hoped she wouldn’t say yes.
“Show me the bunkhouse first. Then I’ll make up my mind.”
“Let’s start in the Hall and work our way out. We’ll have to spend a few nights here at any rate.”
He led the way inside, set her suitcase down in the foyer and gave her a quick tour of the first floor. It was evident the walls had been repainted recently and the hardwood floors refinished. The dining room was lovely, with a large formal table and chairs, and a grand old chandelier. The kitchen was a funny room, almost retro in its fixtures and appliances except for a modern gas stove. There was a large living room with a beautiful view of the mountains. An office and a small bathroom and laundry, as well. The furnishings were pleasant, but sparse, and Ella wondered what the budget was for renovating the place. Maybe Mason and Regan hadn’t had time to purchase more furniture.
Upstairs there were four bedrooms, large enough to be suites, two on either side of a central hall. A full bathroom sat between each set of bedrooms.