The Billionaire's Marriage Contract

by Avery James

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I know what it’s like to be overworked and overstressed, and I know what it’s like to feel like you have to do everything yourself, Amy. You don’t have to. Trust me. If you learn to let go a little, you’ll find that you’ll get much more out of life.

  “I think I have everything under control. For your information, I happen to like the life I’ve made for myself.”

  “Then why risk screwing everything up by marrying me?” Ethan asked.

  “I’m beginning to wonder the same thing,” Amy said. As she spoke, one of Ethan’s employees arrived from the front of the cabin. “Sir, there’s a call for you. It’s urgent.”

  Ethan turned to Amy. “See this is a perfect example. I can let this call wait until we land, and everything will be fine. I have people who can handle this.”

  “Just take the call,” Amy replied. “I don’t need you to dote on me. I’m not actually your wife, remember?”

  “Actually, you are,” Ethan replied. “And if it makes you happy, I’ll take the call.”

  “Well, don’t act like you’re doing me a favor.”

  “I won’t,” Ethan said as he got up and walked to the front of the plane to take the call. Amy leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. How was she going to get through a week snowbound in Wyoming with Ethan Cole? Being in the same city as him tended to be bad enough, but now she would be sharing a bed with him and spending all of their time pretending to be blissfully in love? It would have been one thing to fake all of it, but Amy knew there was something there, an attraction on some level, even if it were the impulse to do the opposite of what was good for her, like eating ice cream. No, that wasn’t right. Being with Ethan wasn’t like eating ice cream, it was like waiting for a train and deciding to reach for the third rail. It felt dangerous, and thrilling, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

  Ethan didn’t return before the plane started its descent down to the Jackson Hole Airport, and Amy didn’t see him until after the plane had landed. She took one look at him and knew something was up. “You’re going to kill me,” he said, “but I have to leave.”

  “What do you mean leave?”

  “I mean there’s a situation back east that requires my personal attention immediately.”

  “So let’s go. I’m not the one who has a play date with an aging oilman.”

  “Funny, but I need you here. I need you to charm Hank while I take care of this. I’ll owe you.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, but I promise I’ll make this up to you. Like I told you, he’s big on family. It’s not just me meeting him. It’s my family, you and me, meeting his family.”

  “You need someone with you. I’ll get in touch with Rich. Can you at least tell me about the situation?”

  “I need you here. And, I had already called Rich. I don’t know if he’s right for this particular problem. What about someone else from the company? You were just talking about how much your sister wants to take on a bigger role. What about her? Think of it as a chance for on the job training.”

  Amy thought it over for a minute. If she were going to spend a significant amount of time playing the role of Ethan’s wife, she’d need Callie to take on some of her workload. It was a logical move, and yet she couldn’t help but wonder if Ethan were playing some angle. “Ok,” she finally said, “but if you try anything, I’m filing for divorce.” She thought about the prospect of spending a day with Hank while pretending to be Ethan’s wife. She didn’t want to dwell on the fact that she was letting Ethan have his way. “So tell me something about his family.”

  “He has two sons. One, Charlie, is a few years older than us. He lives out in Oregon with his wife. He’s not really in the picture. The other son, Logan, well, you’ll meet him soon enough. He’s a few years younger, probably about your sister’s age. He’s a bit of a wild child. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hank sends him out to meet us.”

  “You both own private jets. I think either of you could afford to hire a driver.”

  “Of course we could, but it’s not about that. He wants his son to pick us up.”

  “Well, here’s something I should know before talking with Hank: why don’t either of the sons want to take the helm of Hank’s company?”

  “Like I said, Charlie is off doing his own thing, and Logan isn’t exactly the kind of guy you want running a multibillion dollar organization. He’s too unreliable. I’m sure he’d jump at the chance to be the boss, but I don’t think it’s in the cards.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “You’ll see soon enough.”

  “Here I was worrying about you trying to sleep in my bed tonight, and now it feels like you’re prepping me for a first date with someone’s son.”

  “I trust you to keep him at bay. I’ll try to get back in tonight, tomorrow morning at the latest.”

  “You know what kind of position you’re putting me in, right?”

  “I assure you, it’s not the position I had in mind.”

  Amy slapped Ethan lightly on the cheek. “Just because I’m your wife doesn’t mean you can talk to me like that.”

  Ethan rubbed his cheek as he watched Amy get off the plane. He wasn’t going to tell her, but he wanted more than anything to wrap his arm around her and walk her down to the tarmac. Plus he wanted to see her face when she saw what he had packed her. On second thought, maybe it would be best if he were safely out of reach when she opened up her luggage. Best not to risk another slap.

  Chapter 6

  When Amy disembarked from the plane, she found an SUV waiting for her on the tarmac. A handsome man with broad shoulders leaned against it and looked at her while she walked toward him. He was wearing cowboy boots and jeans. He had an amused look on his face as he watched the members of Ethan’s crew transport the luggage to the back of the SUV. If he were the chauffeur, he certainly didn’t look like one. Was this the son she had been warned about?

  When Amy reached him, he held out his hand and grinned. Amy was surprised by how white his teeth were. “Logan Harris,” he said. “You must be the wife.”

  “My name is Amy,” Amy replied, “but you can always call me Mrs. Cole.”

  “Amy will do fine,” he said, looking over her shoulder to see if Ethan was following behind. “Where’s your man?”

  “My man has a crisis back on the East Coast. He’s waiting for the plane to refuel, and then he’s heading out as soon as possible.” It was rather rude of Ethan not to at least come out of the plane with her, but he seemed genuinely concerned about whatever his crisis was. “He’ll be back as soon as possible.”

  Logan looked at Amy before turning to get in the SUV. “He can take all the time he wants,” he replied. “I won’t complain.”

  Amy began to blush. Was he hitting on her?

  Despite his strong jawline and his deep blue eyes, there was something boyish and carefree about Logan’s appearance. Maybe growing up outrageously wealthy had that affect on people, Amy thought. "So what's a guy like you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?"

  "Oh, it's not so bad. There's plenty to see and to do. It's a vacation town, you know. People come here to unwind, relax. It's something I'm good at. I'm told I have a way of helping people open up and have a good time. Plus nobody looks at you if you wear boots."

  "You help people open up?" Amy asked. "And how do you do that?"

  "I see something I want, and I go for it. I don't hesitate."

  Amy laughed. "You sound like more than a few men I know."

  Logan shook his head and flashed a smile. "There's no other man like me."

  "What's that supposed to mean? Hell, I have a husband just like you, right down to the cocky attitude and the money to back it up." Amy wondered how far she could push Logan before he pushed back. "Of course, he earned his money. Self-made men tend to have a certain appeal."

  "Well, lucky for you, I'm not your husband. For one, I’m not interested in putt
ing all of my effort into money."

  "So aside from having a rich father what else makes you different?"

  “You get to the point, I like that. If you’d believe it, not many people talk that way to me.”

  “I tell men to face the truth for a living. Then I help them hide it.”

  “I’ve heard all about what you do for a living.”

  “Oh really?” Amy asked. “From who?”

  “Your husband, last time he was here. Now what kind of truth are you helping him hide?”

  Amy decided not to answer his question. “Why do you think my husband has something to hide?”

  “You didn’t answer my question. But I’ll answer yours. What makes me different from your husband? Well, I'm here and he isn't. That’s one difference." As he finished his sentence he raised an eyebrow a little, just enough to leave his suggestion as a suggestion without crossing the line.

  Aside from Ethan, no one had talked to Amy like this in a long time. In DC, her reputation preceded her wherever she went. Men, no matter how determined or charming, knew better than to blatantly hit on her. She was surprised at how much she enjoyed it.

  "So is that your thing?" she asked. "You find some rich men's wives and show them a good time? You're their big, strong country boy?"

  "I'd object to you using the term boy, but something along those lines."

  "Don't you care that they're married?"

  "They don't seem to mind." Logan replied. His grin grew wider. “Generally if they do, they let me know before I try anything.”

  As they talked more, Amy realized that Logan was exactly the man Ethan had pretended to be, all appetite and desire, fully living in the moment. There was something dangerous about it. And the fact that she shouldn't be talking to him like this made him that much more interesting. "So how far is this drive?" Amy asked.

  "It's a ways out of town," Logan replied. "But no one will be around for a few hours. My father's holed up in his office until end of business just like every other day."

  "Why aren't you?"

  Logan laughed. "What about me makes you think I'd have any interest in oil and gas when I have a much more interesting task at hand now?"

  "You mean driving me around?"

  "Something like that. I can bring you up to the house, and you can sit around for a few hours, or you and I can get in a little trouble, just enough to make the time go by." When he sensed Amy’s hesitancy, Logan raised both hands off the wheel and held them in the air. "I promise, I'll return you to your husband just the way I found you."

  Amy wanted to reach over and grab the wheel, but stayed frozen. "Are you crazy?" she asked.

  "Just enough to really live," Logan replied.

  "Then put your hands back on the damn wheel. You want to show me around town, that's fine. You can give me the tour, and then we'll head up to the house. How far is it back to town?"

  "Only a few minutes,” Logan said. “We've been heading there the whole time. Don't worry, I know just the place. You'll love it."

  ***

  Ten minutes later, Amy was standing inside a good old country bar. Well, it looked like a country bar, which is to say it was filled with western décor and had country music playing in the background, but it was filled with rich folks in ski gear. Amy motioned to Logan. "This is what you thought I'd love? I could have stayed in DC if I wanted to hang out with a bunch of rich old men. I expected more from you."

  "I thought you came out here to hang out with one particular rich old man."

  "And yet I'm stuck with his delinquent son."

  "My apologies," he replied. "What exactly is it that you want then?"

  "I don't know, something real, someplace that doesn't look like the offspring of a country club and a retirement home. I expected more from you."

  "From me?" Logan asked. "See? You're starting to like me. A few more hours and you'll beg me to steal you away from that husband of yours."

  "You'll have to steal me away from here first."

  Logan grabbed Amy's hand. "Fine, but remember, you asked for it." He gave her a long look as if he were making up his mind. “But not a word to my dad about this one, and certainly not a word to your husband."

  "Where are you taking me, a brothel?"

  "Nah, they don't open for a few hours," Logan said with a laugh. "I've got someplace better."

  Once outside, Logan pulled Amy down the street and wound through several narrow alleyways until finally he reached a run-down back door. "You're going to love this place," he said.

  "Is this a hick bar?"

  "This is my hick bar," Logan replied. "But don't call them hicks," he said, pointing a finger at a few of the young, scruffy looking patrons at the bar. He raised his voice and said, "They fucking hate it when you call them hicks."

  "They hate it when you point, too," one of the guys at the bar yelled back.

  Logan looked at him for a moment. "Hey," he said, "I was going to tell her that next."

  Another guy at the bar wrapped his arm over the shoulder of the first and leaned forward, looking across the room at Amy. "Hey, trust fund, she looks too smart to possibly be here with you."

  "Just too sober," Logan replied. As soon as he said it, the men at the bar burst into laughter. Logan led Amy over to them. "Gents, this is Amy. Amy, these are The Gents."

  "The Gents?" Amy asked.

  "We're in a band," the first one replied.

  "Cool," Amy said, motioning to the bartender without success. "Do people in your band have actual names?"

  "The first guy held out his hand. I'm Andy, this is Keith, and you've already met our guitar and piano player."

  "Who?" Amy asked, looking around at the other assorted people in the bar.

  "Logan," Andy said.

  Logan looked at Amy. "Oh don't act so surprised, what's the privileged son of a businessman supposed to do, put on a shirt and tie?" He hopped over the bar and reached for a glass. "So what can I get you?"

  "What are you doing back there?" Amy asked. She shot a look down toward the bartender, a pretty blonde who had just noticed Logan's presence. She was scowling at him, but Amy had a good idea of why he had hired her.

  "You're kidding me," she said. "What do you think you're doing?"

  "Sarah, I'm getting a drink for a friend."

  "That's my job," Sarah said. She walked over to Logan. "And I can't do my job if you keep letting all your friends drink here for free."

  Amy shook her head. "I've been wondering what someone does when they have everything in life."

  Sarah elbowed Logan in his side. "Everything but common sense."

  "Who needs that when you have beer and friends?" Logan asked as he poured Amy a pint. "I'm sure the rest of your weekend will be polo, scotch and spreadsheets, so have a beer and relax while you can."

  Amy grabbed the pint glass and took a long sip. What was it that Ethan had told her again and again on their flight from DC? That she needed to learn to relax and live in the moment? Amy laughed as she thought about that, and then she held her glass up. "To living in the moment," she said.

  Logan gave her a wink and poured himself a pint. Then the members of the band raised their glasses with hers and cheered before draining the last of their drinks and slamming them down on the counter to signal for more.

  Things were certainly taking a turn for the interesting, Amy thought. If only Ethan could see her now.

  ***

  “Let’s call it a night before I get you into trouble with your father.”

  Logan laughed and said, “I’ve been in trouble for 27 years. I don’t think another hour is going to make much of a difference.”

  “Oh yeah?” Amy asked. She wondered if Logan knew what real trouble was or if his father had always cleaned up his messes for him. “Are you good to drive?” she asked.

  Logan laughed again. “One of the two of us has been pounding down drinks like she expects someone to show up and haul her away. I’m going to leave it to you to figure out whi
ch one of us that is.” Logan held up his half empty glass. “If you’re wondering, I’m still on my first one.”

  Amy felt a bit of embarrassment until she realized that the other members of Logan’s band had been with her drink for drink and had clearly been there for a while before she had arrived. Before she could reply, Andy said, “That’s because you haven’t stopped talking since you got here.”

  Logan tipped back the rest of his drink and said, “I knew there was a reason.”

  Amy stood up and held her hand out. “Lead me home.”

  “As much as I’d like to bring you back to my place,” Logan said, grinning, “I think I should get some food into you and take you to meet the old man.”

  Amy waved goodbye to Logan’s band mates and followed him outside. She was surprised at how dark it was. When they had entered the bar, it had been light out. Now that she was leaving, she wasn’t even sure what time it was. How’s that for living in the moment, Ethan? she thought. She wished he could see her. She wanted to rub her happiness and spontaneity in his face.

  Chapter 7

  After dinner, Amy headed up to her room to take a few minutes to herself. She placed her hand on the top of the rustic dresser as she looked at herself in the mirror. Both pieces of furniture looked like they were a hundred years old, but Amy was willing to bet that Hank had had them made to look that way. Even the enormous bed looked warm and quaint with its rustic posts. Whether any of this was old or not, it all looked and felt well made. Amy guessed that each item had cost a fortune. Hank clearly cared about making his home comfortable and inviting.

  Hank seemed like a good man, and she felt like she should feel bad about misleading him the way she was. But she didn’t feel bad at all, not for Logan and not for Hank. She had spent the past ten years working for men like them, helping them hide their secrets, even when they weren’t being honest with her themselves. It was nice to have her own secret for once. It made her feel dangerous. For once, she was in control, at least partially.

  Amy scowled at herself in the mirror. Okay, she wasn’t exactly happy with herself for lying to Hank. Sure, she told partial truths for a living, but Hank had opened his home to her and Ethan. Somehow this felt different. She was more than a little pissed at Ethan for leaving her alone with complete strangers, even if she was enjoying playing his wife. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her emails. Nothing interesting. She wondered if she should call Callie to check in. There wouldn’t be any harm in that, she thought. It wasn’t overbearing to just touch base a few times a day to make herself available.