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Chapter One

“I’m looking for a wife.”

Emma Valentine turned her attention away from the tall man who’d just made the flat statement and focused on the feel of the unfamiliar, wonderful weight of the baby in her arms. Her son, barely one day old, took her breath away. All the months of waiting, of worrying, of planning. All were wrapped within the soft blue blanket, contained in the eight pounds of perfectly formed baby. She drew her finger along his velvety cheek, not wanting to wake him, but unable to resist touching.

“Miss Valentine, did you hear me?”

She bent over and pressed her lips ever so gently against her son’s perfect forehead. Her son. She straightened when the door behind the man swished open and Nell Hastings, one of Emma’s favorite nurses, appeared to take the baby back to the nursery.

Emma reluctantly surrendered Chandler. And only after the door had swished closed again did she turn her attention back to the man.

Her arms felt woefully empty, and she folded them across her chest, painfully aware of the sight she must present to the man who looked so flawless he could have stepped from the pages of a men’s fashion magazine. She shifted gingerly in the cushioned side chair and wished she had more clothing covering her than her pink chenille bathrobe and pale hospital gown. “I’m sorry. Mr….?”

“Montgomery. Kyle Montgomery.”

Emma nodded. Dennis Reid, the chief of staff at the Buttonwood Baby Clinic, had introduced him when he’d stopped by. Obviously Dr. Reid had come by with the intention of introducing this man to Emma, though she couldn’t fathom why. Up until now, Emma’s only contact with Dr. Reid occurred when the man went into Mom & Pop’s. The diner where she waitressed was located across from the medical complex and she knew a lot of the clinic’s staff.

She studied the man standing in her room, from the cuffed hem of his black pleated trousers that broke ever so perfectly over his gleaming leather boots to the white shirt flowing over an impressive set of shoulders. The button at his throat was unfastened, but Emma figured he probably had a tie in his car or his briefcase. She knew instinctively that this was a man who’d been born wearing imported suits and silk ties. Even his chestnut hair had fallen precisely back into thick waves when he’d raked his fingers through it.

“Dr. Reid was saying something about you needing assistance with a job?” she asked. It helped to look in the vicinity of his ear, she decided, rather than into his starkly handsome face. Because then she didn’t feel quite so much like a wrung-out dishrag in the face of his masculine elegance.

“I don’t know how I can help,” she went on. “As you can see, I’ll be busy for the next little while, and after that…” She trailed off.

After that it was back to her two jobs and the worry about paying the hospital bill. She’d already determined that the tuition for her next semester of college courses would have to wait.

“I believe we can help each other, Emma.”

She swallowed the dart of nervousness that rose when he crossed the room, passing the other bed—empty for now—before pulling out the chair opposite her.

Almost as if he recognized her reaction, he seemed to consciously relax his rigid stance. He sat, rested his arms on his thighs. Clasped his long fingers together. Almost smiled, but didn’t quite make it. “As I was saying, I need a wife. A family.”

Good gravy, he smelled nice.

The thought shocked her. She moistened her lips. “Mr. Montgomery, I really don’t know what you—”

“Kyle.” He halted her confused words. “And I can explain. But it’s occurred to me that this isn’t the best time. You’re tired, and my offer might be better received after you’ve had some rest.”

“Mr. Montgomery…” Emma tugged self-consciously at the lapel of her robe, then flushed when his startling green gaze followed the movement of her hand. She’d been blessed, as her mama termed it, with a curvaceous figure by the time she’d turned fourteen. Becoming pregnant and having a child had only increased the problem.

She swallowed and tried again. “Kyle, I really can’t imagine how I can help you find your family. But you might as well tell me what’s on your mind now, because I’ll be leaving the hospital this afternoon and I—”

“Already?” Lush black lashes narrowed around his intense gaze. “Surely you’re not up to being released yet.”

She wondered if she’d accidentally been given some type of drug other than acetaminophen, because this was surely the oddest conversation she’d ever had. Mr. Mont—Kyle seemed distinctly annoyed. As if he suspected she was receiving inadequate care. “Women don’t spend days and days in the hospital anymore when they give birth, Kyle. I’m healthy, as is my baby. Everything went just fine.” Thank heavens. “And studies show—”

“I wasn’t casting aspersions on the medical care you’re receiving. I was just surprised.” He sat back in his chair, laying one arm on the minuscule table beside it. Emma had the strongest impression he was mentally drumming his fingers against the tabletop. “Right. I apologize for the timing here, but Dennis Reid seemed to think you might be able to help me, and I’m running short of time.”

“Do you think I know your wife? What is her name?”

“I don’t already have a wife, Emma.” He hesitated for a fraction of a second. Just long enough to make her stomach drop to her toes. “I need one. And I’m hoping you’ll be her.”

Thank goodness she was sitting. Because if she hadn’t been, she’d have ended up on the floor. “Mr. Montgomery,” she said firmly, “I don’t know what Dr. Reid led ya’ll to believe about me, but—”

“I’m going about this wrong.” He sat forward again, bringing with him that tantalizing scent of expensive aftershave. No drugstore brands for this man. He was strictly the charge-by-the-quarter-ounce type.

He linked his fingers together again, regarding her with eyes that gave no hint of the manic mind he must possess. “Dennis said I could count on your discretion.”

He seemed to be waiting, so she nodded hesitantly. The call button was just out of her reach, but if she leaned to the side, she could probably get to it. She would get to it, because she was a mother now. She would protect her child with every fiber of her being, and that meant she also had to protect herself. Even from a sinfully attractive madman.

“I run ChandlerAIR,” he continued calmly. “Have you heard…Yes, I can see by your expression that you’ve heard of us. I’m in the middle of some delicate negotiations with a company we are acquiring. The founder of this company has some old-fashioned ideas about how he likes to do business.” Kyle paused, as if she needed a moment to digest what he was saying.

She nodded, since she didn’t know how else to respond.

Kyle’s lips twisted slightly and he turned his attention to his hands. “He refuses to deal with anyone who is not the fine upstanding family man he is,” he elaborated. “Acquiring this other company will benefit ChandlerAIR, but it will also help the economy here in Buttonwood. Provide jobs. Increase tourism—”

“I understand the economic benefits, Mr. Montgomery. Surely this other man would understand that, as well, wouldn’t he?” She brushed back a lock of hair and was dismayed to realize her hand was trembling.

“Payton Cummings is perfectly happy to retain control of his company as long as he needs to until he finds the right opportunity. The right—”

“Family man,” Emma murmured.

“Exactly.” Kyle’s lips tightened for a brief moment. “I’m more determined to see this acquisition through than Cummings is. Assuming the trappings of a family man is something I’m prepared to do to attain my goals.”

“But…but why me? Someone in your company, your girlfriend…”

“I don’t have one.”

Men who looked like Kyle Montgomery always had a woman in the background somewhere. Whether they admitted it or not. She swallowed the bitter thought.

“I don’t have time in my life right now for personal entanglements,” he was saying, his voice deep and smooth. “And I don’t want to create any ties with my associates that might later cause discomfort.”

“Discomfort,” Emma repeated. It was the word so often used to describe childbirth to prospective parents. She considered it singularly inadequate to describe the reality. “But with me, a total stranger, there would be no cause for later…discomfort.”

“Essentially, yes. I’m new to this area, Emma. I’ve bought a house and I’m moving ChandlerAIR’s corporate offices from Denver. Having a family that lives here dovetails nicely with what Cummings already knows about my plans.”

“Then he probably already knows you’re not married.”

“He doesn’t.” There was no room for doubt in his assurance.

She argued, anyway. “You can’t know that. I’ve seen articles now and then about your company. About the services you offer and its success.” Phenomenal success, if Emma recalled correctly. She also recalled his company being praised particularly for its progressive policies toward its employees. “I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t follow the business pages very closely. But even I know a little about your company. A man you’re plannin’ to do business with like you’ve described would obviously know a great deal more. Including some personal details.”

Kyle nodded. “Those are valid points. But until last year when he moved to Durango, Cummings had been living in New Mexico. Our paths didn’t cross. Besides which, I’ve always kept my private life private. Only my closest associates know much about me personally. I prefer it that way.”

Emma couldn’t imagine it. There were times she suspected every resident of Buttonwood knew the business of everyone else. It was almost as bad as her hometown in Tennessee. “But to suddenly produce a wife? I just don’t see how you can possibly hope to fool anyone.”

His eyes narrowed. “I can count on your discretion, can’t I, Emma?”

She winced. “As if anyone would believe me if I went around announcing that a guy like you walked into my hospital room one morning and asked me, a simple waitress, to be his wife.”

He frowned. “For appearances only,” he corrected. “I meant no offense. This is a delicate situation. Cummings already thinks I’m married. But he’s been showing more interest in that area of my life, and I’m going to have to introduce him to my wife, I feel certain, before he’ll close the deal.”

“You told him you were married because he wouldn’t do business with you otherwise?”

“I told his stepdaughter I was married when she came on to me at our first meeting.”

“Oh,” Emma murmured.

Kyle grimaced. “I didn’t want to jeopardize my plans. It seemed, at the time, the easiest way.”

“And you couldn’t have just said you didn’t want to mix business with pleasure?”

“Let’s just say that Winter Cummings is a determined woman who doesn’t necessarily hold with her stepdaddy’s values.”

Kyle’s hand moved and Emma realized he was unclenching his fist.

“Ironically, once word reached Cummings that I’d been recently married, he was willing to meet with me himself. I wasn’t going to derail the deal by getting into explanations.”

She was believing every word that left his lips. He was utterly serious.

And his seriousness seemed far more dangerous than his being nuts. “Perhaps Mr. Cummings and his crew aren’t the type of people with whom you want to do business,” she suggested faintly.

Kyle smiled tightly. “I want Payton Cummings’s company,” he said. “If it takes a family to get it, I’ll produce a family. At least for show.”

Emma swallowed. “But to…to marry strictly for the purpose of a business deal? That seems so, well, extreme, don’t you think?”

“It wouldn’t be a real marriage,” he said. “I just need you and your son to pose as my family. The two of you would move in with me—strictly business,” he assured when she caught her breath audibly.

“But, sugar, it would be a lie.” Her face heated as the words burst out.

Kyle felt an odd stirring when he let himself look at the young woman opposite him. Her melodic voice had been growing increasingly smooth, like warm honey. There was more than a touch of the South in this dark-haired beauty. He’d had women call him all sorts of nicknames from darling to pig, but he knew he’d never been a sugar. He dragged his thoughts front and center, where they belonged. “I have to consider the weight of what I’m trying to accomplish.”

“Ah.” She nodded, her big brown eyes studying him steadily. “The old ‘end justifies the means’ reasoning.”

“I want to add more flights, Emma,” he said truthfully. “More flights, more service, more employees. The only people who will be hurt if ChandlerAIR’s acquisition of Cummings Courier Service falls through at this late date will be the considerable number of people within the Four Corners area who won’t be able to work for me. That’s four states, Emma. Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.”

“I did pass geography, Mr. Montgomery. And regardless of your motives, it still doesn’t make lyin’ right.”

His jaw hardened. He’d had this argument with himself too many times already to want to sit here and go through it with this young woman. He’d spent too many years planning. Waiting for just this opportunity. To finally take the action that, while it wouldn’t reverse the past, would go a long way toward evening the score.

If producing the family Payton kept harping on got Kyle to his goal, then produce a family he would.

ChandlerAIR would survive if the deal to acquire CCS didn’t go through. His company was strong and solid because he’d devoted his existence to it for most of his adult life. But taking over CCS was an action that went beyond business.

And he had no intention of discussing his personal motives with this young woman, no matter how honeyed her voice. “I prefer to look at it as expedience. And perhaps we should agree to disagree on the point,” he said.

“Might be wise,” she murmured, shifting in her chair.

A fine white line appeared around her softly compressed lips at the movement, and he felt a jab of conscience. She’d just had a baby. Sitting here arguing ethics was undoubtedly the last thing she’d expected to be doing today. “Miss Valentine. Emma. Give my offer some thought.” He kept his voice calm even though his impulse was to push the issue. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Far from calming her, however, her face blanched. “I’m sorry, Mr. Montgomery.” Her tone said she was anything but. “I can’t help you.” Her hands curled over the sides of the chair and she pushed herself gingerly to her feet.

He rose, automatically reaching out to assist her, but the frosty look she gave him had him keeping his hands to himself. He felt awkward and inept, something he hadn’t experienced for at least twenty years. Yet watching her slowly maneuver herself to the hospital bed without offering assistance went against his grain.

“One of my sisters had a baby last year,” he said.

“How nice,” she murmured.

It would have been so simple just to lift her off her feet and deposit her on the bed—much easier than watching her efforts to climb into it. He looked away, shoving his hands in his pockets. When his sister had been in the hospital after giving birth, her room had been filled to overflowing with flowers, plants, balloons and assorted baby gifts. The only thing personal in this room was one small green plant with a cheerful smiley-face balloon sticking out of it.

At the rustle of sheets he let his gaze travel back to her. Emma was still bundled in the thick robe and looked as if she’d just as soon be buried in it as remove it with him present.

This wasn’t going at all the way he wanted. Needed.

He started to reach up to loosen his tie, then realized he’d left it in his car, so it wasn’t a tie that made him feel choked. “Is someone picking you up this afternoon to take you home?”

She folded her arms across the top of the sheet and sighed faintly. “You’re not going to go away, are you.”

It hadn’t been a question. He answered, anyway. “Emma, this is too important for me to go away.” How many times had he removed an obstacle from his path simply because of his ability to outlast, outthink, outmaneuver?

Only this time, the obstacle in Kyle’s path had smudgy shadows beneath her eyes and slender shoulders he was certain were being held straight through sheer grit. “But I can see you’re exhausted. So I’ll come back later when you’re released and get you settled at home. We can discuss this more then.”

“There is nothing to discuss. Besides, I have my car here and I’ll be getting myself and my son home just fine.”

“Your car is here? Did someone drop it off for you?” He pulled his hands from his pockets and wrapped them around the metal rail at the foot of her bed. Kyle had specifically asked Dennis Reid if there was a man in the picture with Emma Valentine. Reid had assured him that Emma was totally on her own. The last thing Kyle needed was some love-struck fool bumbling onto the scene.

“I drove it here,” she said, surprising him into forgetting the issue of her single status.

“While you were in labor?”

“Yes,” she said with exaggerated patience. “And I’ll drive it home again this afternoon. I assure you I have the proper baby seat and everything, so stop frowning.”

“You have no one you could have called on?” If not the man responsible for her pregnancy, then a friend. A sibling. Someone.

Her lips firmed. “Whether I do or not is hardly your business, now is it?”

Kyle would have liked to debate that point, considering he was determined this woman would be his make-believe wife. But there was a loud rattle out in the corridor and the door swished open to reveal a young man in pristine white bearing a breakfast tray.

The orderly smiled genially at them, set the tray on a rolling cart and slid it neatly against the side of Emma’s bed, turning it so the tray hung over her lap. Then he lifted the cover from the food and left.

As Kyle peered at the bowl of cooked cereal, the puny foil-covered plastic cup of orange juice and a half-burned piece of toast, he thought of the fluffy omelet, crisp bacon and fragrant coffee Baxter had served him that morning. He’d barely taken time to appreciate the food or the way it had been served—on china at the wrought-iron glass-topped table on his patio.

“Are you hungry, Mr. Montgomery?”

“No, why?”

“You’re staring at my breakfast like you haven’t seen food in a month.” She didn’t look at him as she peeled back the foil cover of the juice.

“I haven’t seen a breakfast that looks like that in more than a month,” he muttered. “I’ll bring you back something more…appealing.”

She took a healthy swallow of the juice, then picked up a spoon which she plunged into the cereal. “I like hot cereal, Mr. Montgomery. Some people do, you know.” Her tone slowed like rich rolling drops of syrup. “Even rich folks, I’m told.”

He smiled, genuinely amused. “You think I’m a snob.”

Her hesitation was barely noticeable. “I can’t imagine what you mean.”

His amusement grew. “Neatly avoided and you didn’t have to lie.” Seeing the corners of her mouth twitch as if she was holding back a reluctant smile of her own, he decided it was a good time to retreat. On a high note, so to speak. “I’ll leave you to enjoy your oats and whey,” he said. “We’ll be talking again.”

“I don’t think so. Our paths are in different neighborhoods. I doubt they’ll cross again.”

He shrugged easily and headed toward the door. She didn’t know him yet, so she could have no idea how wrong she was. He stopped and turned. “Get some sleep after you eat,” he suggested. “It’ll be a busy afternoon taking your son home. What did you say his name was?”

She tilted her head. “I didn’t. Which you know very well.”

“He is a good-looking boy.”

Her eyes softened like rich melting chocolate. “Thank you. He is beautiful.”

“And his name? You’ve already given him one, I’m sure.” He smiled faintly. “I’ll bet you had his name picked out when you were only halfway through your pregnancy.” She seemed like the type of woman who’d have cherished every moment she carried her child. Very much the way his sister had.

“Four months along,” she admitted.

“And?”

She moistened her lips. Hesitated. “My son’s name is Chandler.”

Kyle absorbed that. “Well. Good name.”

“I named him after a very dear old friend from my hometown,” she said evenly. “A name I chose months ago, so wipe that smug look off your face.”

“Not smug at all, Emma. It’s just another indication that I’ve chosen the right woman for my wife.”

“Your pretend wife,” she corrected.

“That’s what I said.”

“Not exactly.”

“You like to have the last word, don’t you?”

“I’m a woman, Mr. Montgomery.”

“I did notice that, Miss Valentine.” He watched her cheeks blossom with pink. “And while I am but a humble man—” he ignored her soft snort “—I’m a determined one. Our paths will cross again, Emma. And again. Until I have your agreement that becoming my pretend wife benefits everyone.”

Her mouth moved, but no words emerged. He smiled and stepped out into the hall. “I’ll see you and Chandler later.”

The door swished closed, but he heard her honeyed voice in the moment just before it did. “Good gravy.”

He pushed his hands into his pockets and thought about the woman on the other side. She was perfect for his needs. He just needed to remember that his needs were strictly business. That her curvy body, from slender neck to trim ankles, was off-limits.

All he needed was a pretend wife. He’d keep his hands to himself. He’d keep his thoughts strictly on sewing up every last detail of acquiring Payton Cummings’s company.

So that when the day arrived that he dismantled every facet of that damned company, he’d have the personal satisfaction of knowing there wasn’t one thing Payton Cummings, Sr., could do about it.

Kyle let out a long breath and went in search of a flower shop.