by King, Imani
Single Dad’s Fake Fiancée
A Cowboy Romance
Imani King
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Part 2: The Billionaire’s Reluctant Pregnant Bride
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Inspired by Her Fans
Also by Imani King
Copyright © 2017 by IWM
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Chapter 1
Destiny
I hadn’t always lived in Vegas. Hell, six months ago I was in still Topeka, dancing my ass off in an attempt to keep warm through the winter and make enough money to survive another week. Still, I’d soon gotten used to the big city. Everything was compact. Nothing was too wide or open. Even the occasional park was small enough to take a quick jog through and nothing more.
Wyoming was different. I could look out in the distance and see for miles, and you know what? There wasn’t a damn thing. Well, nothing man-made, anyway. No buildings, no people, no cars. Just fields of green and gold grass swaying in the gentle breeze before the majestic purple mountains.
The taxi jostled as it turned up a gravel road. Were we finally getting close? I squinted out the window, but couldn’t find any evidence of humanity. All I could see were two horses racing around. One was smaller than the other, but they were both as white as a unicorn. Most likely, one was a colt, and the other was his mother.
I leaned back into my seat and watched them. The mother trotted like she didn’t want to lose him, and the colt bravely chased after her. They seemed content to dance and play around all day without a care in the world. And why should they have a care? They were just horses. Still, I was unable to look away. It was more than just their innocence and their grace. Their primal bond captivated me. I wished I could have something like that for myself someday...
I sighed and forced my gaze away. What the hell was wrong with me? Was I jealous of horses? Seriously? I needed to get ahold of myself if I was going to see this job through.
I crossed my hands over the folder on my lap with the name Destiny Brooke written across the top. The folder was filled with recommendations from people I’d never met. I wondered if Mr. Patterson had worked it so there’d be someone different to answer each call if Miles Corbett decided to check my references.
Don’t worry about it, I told myself. I wasn’t here to do anything illegal—well, too illegal anyway. Bruce Patterson just wanted me to watch the ranch for about a week, see who called, watch what Miles did, stuff like that. When I asked why, Bruce told me not to worry my pretty little head about it. Was his response disrespectful? Sure, but as a stripper, I was used to people dismissing me. And I was used to using this to my advantage.
After listening carefully to what my boss did and say, I learned that Miles Corbett didn’t want to see his land, and someone wanted to know why. I didn’t know who that someone was, and I tried not to think too much about it. Did that make me a bad person? Maybe, but Bruce wasn’t a good man to be indebted to. It was either this or…
I shuddered, not wanting to think about it.
Hugging myself, I looked back at the colt and the mother horse frolicking in the meadow. I didn’t regret taking out the loan since I did it to help a friend. Shawna deserved to be with her baby. I don’t know if she’d found her daughter or not, but she had such a pure, good heart that I just had to believe she had. I was honored to be able to give her the money to give her that chance. No, all I regretted was stooping so low that I’d allow a bottom feeder like Mr. Patterson to be my boss.
But I’d done it. No Prince Charming (or hell, since I was in Wyoming, Cowboy Charming) was going to gallop in on horseback and save me from my own bad decisions. There was only one person in this life I could depend on, and that person was me. I got myself into this mess, and I’d get myself out of it. After this week, I’d no longer be in debt and would have the money to build myself a new life.
At that point, I could be someone good. Someone I could respect. Until then, I would do what I needed to in order to survive.
The taxi turned towards a beautifully maintained red barn and wound up the road to what I can only describe as a rustic mansion.
It was beautiful. The sharp, dynamic curve of the roof showcased huge windows. Big beams held the structure in place. The exterior wood was weathered and seemed to tell its own story.
It didn’t look like an overgrown mancave, though. There were some delicate touches. Climbing roses clung to the edges of the wraparound porch. A two-person swing hung near the front door. It was perfectly suited for one to sit, enjoy some coffee, and look out at the mountains.
Not that I’d have any free time to do something like that. My goal was to get the job, and then be as unmemorable as possible. Hopefully, Miles wouldn’t even remember my face after I took off.
The cab stopped. I gritted my jaw as I paid the ridiculous fair. Mr. Patterson hadn’t given me enough cash to cover the return trip. He’d said not to worry if Miles didn’t hire me…but I would definitely have something to worry about if I had to pay my way back home!
I’ll get the job, I told myself as I lugged the suitcase up the steps leading to the porch. I squared my shoulders as I rang the bell, trying to psyche myself up. I needed to do this to break free of the web I’d been stuck in for so long and start fresh. Because that’s what you do, right? You start anew by lying to people.
A few moments later, the door opened and my mouth dropped.
Miles. What kind of name was that? A little nerdy, a little unassuming. Like an aging Jazz singer or Fraiser’s brother (or was that Niles?) Anyways, I expected an older, graying man who’d be at a respectable level of health only because of his wealth.
I did not expect…this.
Tall. Really tall. Well over 6’. A bit of scruff brushed his chiseled jaw, and there was something mountainous about the sharp angles of his face. His grizzly, tough exterior was softened only by his lips, which were far fuller than they had any right to be. Oh, and those eyes.
I inhaled sharply. Those can’t be re
al. They had to be contacts, or something. No one’s eyes were so blue they’d give that big, Wyoming sky a run for its money. And the way they were staring at me…well, let’s just say that they seemed a bit too intelligent for a gorgeous country boy. I suddenly feared he’d immediately see through all of my bullshit.
“Miss Brooke?” he drawled.
I shivered, feeling the low timbre of his voice all the way down to the tips of my toes.
Those pretty, blue bullshit detectors of his narrowed. “Are you Miss Brooke?”
Brooke? What the…wait, that’s me! “Just call me Destiny,” I babbled, holding out my hand. Thank God Bruce hadn’t changed my first name. Otherwise, I would have just stared at him until he chased me off his porch as if I were a scavenging raccoon.
But Mr. Corbett’s manners were too good for that. Or maybe he just didn’t notice me drooling at him like a sex-starved maniac. He smiled, and an adorable dimple appeared in his left cheek.
“It’s nice to meet you, Destiny,” he said, offering his hand.
I took it, almost purring. Oh, I liked the way my name sounded on his lips far too much. And I liked the feeling of his hand, too. It was warm and strong and deliciously calloused. His grip was firm but gentle despite his obvious strength.
Shit. This is so bad. You’re panties are melting from a handshake, girl! That’s a punchline, not a real thing. Get it together!
“Hi,” I said. Wait, we’ve already been over that, haven’t we? “It’s nice to meet you.”
His grin deepened. “Glad to see we’re on the same page.”
My pulse skyrocketed and heat flooded my cheeks. We were most certainly not on the same page, because I’m pretty sure the page I was on was banned in most countries. I needed to stop looking at that sexy mouth of his, so I started babbling with my own. “I’m here to be the maid. Or—I’m trying to be the maid...” And doing an awesome job of convincing you.
Instead of shooing me off after that embarrassing display, Miles Corbett opens his front door wider. “Glad you’re here. Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but you’re the fifth person I’ve seen about this position.”
“Fifth?” I ask with all the tact of a five-year-old.
“Yeah.” He gives me a smile that’s all country boy charm. “Come on in if I haven’t scared you away yet.”
Oh, it was going to take more than that to scare me away. Even if I didn’t have a gun to my back, I’d still be tempted. I could definitely get used to seeing him on a day to day basis.
I heaved up my suitcase and followed him in. It wasn’t lightweight like I normally preferred to travel, but I was told to pack well in case I got the job. “Are you considering any of them still?”
“No. They’re all not a good fit for what I’m seeking.”
As I walked through the house, I looked over how it was kept. Organized chaos would be how I would put it. He tried to avoid having stuff splayed all over the floor, but it didn’t really have a woman’s touch—as cliché as that sounds.
“My office is right this way,” he called over his shoulder.
My breath caught as I stepped into the room. It smelled of cedar and had a magnificent view of the mountains. The furnishings were beyond ornate. A big fancy oaken desk that looked like it belonged in the Oval Office. A huge executive chair behind, and in front, two comfortable looking chairs, one of which was meant for me.
So I took my seat.
Miles looked me up and down before making eye contact. I gulped, suddenly feeling like I was about to be interrogated. Could he tell that I wasn’t what I appeared to be? Did he know I was lying? It sure felt like it.
But instead of going for the throat, he threw his feet up on the desk and lounged back. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem a bit…young…for this position.”
“Well, um, I need the money. I want to go back to school. My goal is to do something with children and social justice down the line, so I figured this would be good experience.”
He nodded. “It’s nice to hear you want to work with kids.”
I frown. “Why?”
“My daughter will be coming in the morning. She’s going to have a say if you get hired or not, ultimately. I want someone to be able to look out after her when I cannot.”
“I thought this was a maid job?”
“And that’s why I ran off the other applicants. They didn’t take to the idea of being a part-time babysitter well.”
“I’m fine with that,” I said, “I sort of assumed when the ad said that you had kids.”
“Ashley’s her name, and I love her more than anything. It’s just the two of us—well, when I’m lucky. In any event, there’s no Mrs. Corbett in the picture at the moment.”
“Did her mother...?”
“Pass away? No. As crude as it sounds it might be better that way for her.”
“What, is she abusive?”
He winced. “No, I don’t think so. At least not intentionally. It’s hard to explain.”
“Divorces usually are.”
“Oh no, I was never married to that woman.”
“Sorry to suggest...”
“It’s not your fault. As I said, it’s complicated.” He smiled and picked up the documents I handed him earlier. Slowly, he started to thumb through them. “You got some solid recommendations here.” Briefly, he looked up at me. “And a lot of them, especially considering how old you are.”
“I did a lot of house cleaning and baby sitting back in my teens. They still remember me fondly.” That was eighty percent truth at least. That’s a B, as if grades in truthfulness actually meant anything.
“Good, good. You didn’t run away screaming when I suggested baby sitting or nanny-work, so that also definitely puts you above the rest.”
“You can’t possibly say I got the job already.”
“No, you haven’t, because as I said, Ashley’s opinion matters to me greatly. If she hates you, well, I’m not going to force her to put up with you.”
“I can respect that,” I nodded. “You seem to care deeply about your daughter.”
“I told you, she’s my everything. She’s who I’m going to fight for. I want to raise her to have values, a place to call home, fond memories. I want her only to have the very best. I’d give anything for her and the future she wants, and the future I want.”
Anything? That wasn’t exactly a quantifiable price to put on things, but I didn’t even want to think about that stuff right now. “I’ll accept her judgment, then.”
“Good. Most people would protest about the decision of a five-year-old girl.”
“Well, this five-year-old is what’s between me and a job.”
“Glad you understand. Try not to insult her favorite cartoons and I’m sure you’ll get in.” He rose up from his seat. “Come. I’ll show you the guest room. Or your room, if everything works out.”
We walked up the old staircase. My heels clacked on the wood. I was practical about everything except shoes. They were my one weakness and my one indulgence.
Miles opened the door and I gasped. The room was more than I could have ever imagined. A huge canopy bed, gigantic antique dresser, and big windows looking straight at the mountains.
“Wow,” I whispered.
Miles grinned. “You like it?”
“Um, yeah. I mean, it’s a lot. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You didn’t think I was going to put you up in the barn, did you?”
“I wasn’t so sure. The description in the paper sounded a little rustic.”
He laughed. “Well, if you want the barn, that can be arranged.”
“I think this is fine.”
“Are you sure? I can totally arrange for you to roll around in the hay. Maybe I’d help you.”
I glared at him, and cracked up. “No, I’m fine with the guest room, thank you.”
“Excellent.” He patted me on the back. I had the strangest inclination to wish that it was more. But Miles stepped away from me qui
ckly, demonstrating he hadn’t felt any of the butterflies that had swarmed my stomach.
“Consider this a trial period until I tell you otherwise. Your duties will be wholly domestic. I don’t expect you to get up at the crack of dawn go out and feed the horses, milk the cows, egg the chickens, shear the sheep, and whatever.”
“You have all those?” I was a bit taken aback. I knew it was a ranch house, but he was making it sound like he was Old McDonald.
“Oh? No, I was being facetious.” He pause d a moment. “Except horses. We have lots of horses. Ashley loves horses”
“Horses?” I shook my head. The fact of the matter was, in all of my life, I hadn’t been around any animals bigger than my Uncle’s Great Dane. Which, to be fair, is a fairly large animal, but that’s still just a dog.
“Now I need to make a run into town anyway. Do you need anything Destiny? Got a favorite brand of soda or candy I can fetch for you?”
I shook my head. “No, no, I’m fine.”
“You sure? I want to make sure you feel at home.”
“You’re my boss, and I’m potentially your maid, it’s supposed to be the other way around.”
“Yeah, it is, but it doesn’t mean I have to be a dick about it. Make yourself at home, please.”
“Thank you.”
We made our way to the entryway. I grabbed my suitcase and watched him as he prepared to take off for a bit. He dressed in the pinnacle of corporate casualness. The only thing that would tell you he was a rancher were his leather boots, which I think were more practical than anything else.
“Enjoy yourself, Destiny,” he said, as he went to the door. “I don’t get to host very many beautiful women these days.”
“Thank you, again.” I said. I was only trying to be his maid, so why was he treating me like a guest? I wasn’t used to this much wholesome attention and didn’t know how to deal with it.
Luckily, I didn’t have to. He closed the door behind him, leaving me alone. That was very trusting of him, but I supposed if his daughter was coming in the morning, he was willing to risk me robbing the place blind.