Czytaj książkę: «The Texan's Baby Proposal»

One

September

Facing a problem he never thought he would have, Marc Medina sat in his spacious Dallas office on a Tuesday evening and, through his open door, watched Lara Seymour, his executive secretary. It was almost an hour after closing time, but she had a six-o’clock appointment to talk to him. He knew she would appear promptly at six, not a minute early, not a minute late. He wondered what problem she had and hoped she wasn’t planning to quit because she was the best secretary ever.

And the best looking.

He stifled that line of thought. CEO and President, Marc had built this company, Medina Energy. He had a policy of never dating a coworker, never getting emotionally involved with one, never flirting with one. Instead, he maintained a professional relationship at all times. Nothing would make him deviate from that policy, especially now that he was widowed.

Of all the women he had worked with, Lara was the biggest temptation. She was the only one he was keenly aware of as a woman. Still, their relationship had never gone beyond business friendly.

His thoughts returned to his ailing grandfather and his ultimatum to Marc—marry within this month and live on his grandfather’s ranch for one year. If he did so, Marc and his mother stood to gain a large inheritance of mineral rights and producing wells, and he stood to gain the ranch. Marc wanted that inheritance and he wanted his mother to get hers, as well.

Knowing his grandfather, Marc was sure the old man figured that, since Marc dated some very beautiful ladies, he’d have no trouble getting a wife right away and then settling on the ranch. Marc knew what his grandfather ultimately wanted. Rico Ruiz’s doctors had given him a limited time to live and he was no doubt making arrangements for his two greatest loves—his wife and his ranch. With Marc running the ranch, Rico would be reassured that his wife, Marc’s grandmother, could live there in the house she was accustomed to for the rest of her days and Marc would care for her.

His grandfather had always thought Marc should live on the ranch. He thought Marc loved that life more than the corporate world, but as much as Marc did, he wasn’t quite ready yet to be a rancher. He was sure his grandfather thought he knew what was best for his grandson. Marc loved the old man and he wanted to make his last days happy, so he’d try to do what his grandfather wished, but...

Where in blazes would he get a wife in a month? One he could tell goodbye later and dissolve the marriage.

That was the big catch. He didn’t think any of the women he dated would want to marry and then split. He couldn’t think of one woman friend he’d want to live with, even at the ranch where they had lots of space. He glanced at a short list of names on his desk. Each one already had a line drawn through it.

His attention was diverted as Lara passed the open door again. There went someone he could have around for one year. As a secretary, she was a huge help and yet she stayed in the background, usually barely noticeable, but always there when he needed her. Pity he couldn’t ask her. He looked at his list of names again and wrote down another one, crossing it out as soon as he finished writing.

Searching his memory for anyone else, he glanced at Lara, who was seated at her desk putting something in a drawer. He suspected she was coming to see him to turn in her resignation. At her interview a year ago she’d mentioned she was saving her money to go to medical school someday. At the time he’d dismissed her statement as wishful thinking, but after working with her, he now believed what she said. When Lara set her mind to something, she got it done—fast and efficiently.

She reminded him of someone else he knew. Marc glanced at Kathy’s picture on his desk and pulled it closer. “I miss you and need you,” he whispered, thinking about his pregnant wife who’d died in a plane crash fourteen months earlier. It still hurt like hell to be without her. In that crash he lost his wife and his baby. Kathy had been two months pregnant.

He shifted his thoughts back to his ailing grandfather—another big, painful loss that was coming in his life. That made him think of his grandfather’s ultimatum—or bargain, actually. Marc had two giant reasons for wanting to meet his grandfather’s criteria. The first reason was that he wanted the ranch and the inheritance that would benefit not only him but his mother.

The other big reason was that he loved the old man. His grandfather had been the father figure in Marc’s life since he was twelve years old and his dad died. Marc loved his grandpa and he wanted the man’s last days to be happy ones. He wanted that with all his heart—he just hadn’t known that would mean that he’d have to marry within a month.

“Damn,” he said aloud, shaking his head and wondering what he was going to do. The stakes were too high and he loved his grandfather too much to say no to his proposition. But where was he going to find the perfect “wife”?

A knock on the door called a halt to his rambling thoughts. He looked at the clock. Six on the dot. As usual, Lara was right on time.

“Come in.”

In a white cotton blouse with a tan tie at her throat and a matching tan skirt, she looked professional, tailored and so conservative she could easily fade into the background. In fact, there had been times she had to bring him papers during meetings and she had been barely noticeable, slipping in and out, a quiet, shadowy figure while so efficient at her job. Once again he hoped she wasn’t going to quit. He knew she’d had a recent broken engagement, but he had never talked to her about it other than to say he was sorry. She had thanked him and only said she and her fiancé had had differences of opinions on some major issues.

Lara closed the door and turned back to him. “What I have to say is private and very personal.”

He hid his surprise as he pointed at a chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat and tell me what’s on your mind.”

She had a graceful walk. Actually, she was damn attractive, with big blue eyes with amazingly thick, long lashes. She kept her dark brown hair in an upsweep; in fact, he’d never seen her with it down, falling free, but he imagined it was long and thick and luxuriant.

He gave her his full attention, curious about what was personal and important enough to warrant this meeting. She crossed her long legs, her tan skirt falling over her knees. She didn’t need prompting but immediately began to speak.

“I have a situation that eventually I’ll have to let everyone know about, but for now, it’s private. I’ll need to take some time off later.”

“Sure, Lara. Whatever you need. We can fill in until you return,” he said, relieved she wasn’t quitting her job.

Her cheeks became flushed, adding to her looks. She wrung her hands and looked at the floor. The reaction surprised him because he had never seen her lose her poise or appear upset. She hadn’t even appeared bothered by her broken engagement.

“I’m dealing with things I never had to deal with before and never expected to have happen in my life,” she said, looking away as if lost in thought. “This is something I just never expected to have to discuss with my employer.”

“Short of quitting your job, I doubt there’s anything you really need to tell me. Unless you need help of some kind.”

She gave him a fleeting smile that was gone in an instant as she shook her head. “Oh, no. I don’t need your help. Maybe just a little patience and understanding,” she said with a tiny twist of her lips that she may have meant to be a smile.

“Lara, just say what it is. I’m not going to get angry. You’re a great secretary.”

With a deep breath she turned back to face him. “This is so hard, but I feel you should know.”

“Go ahead and tell me if you think I should know,” he said gently, wishing he could ease her discomfort.

She tightened her entwined fingers until her knuckles went white. “Oh, my,” she said, looking away from him. When she turned back, her blue eyes gazed directly at him in a wide-eyed stare as she said bluntly, “I’m pregnant.”

She drew in a deep breath and surged forward. “We didn’t expect this to happen and Leonard Crane—my fiancé—really did not like it, so that’s why we’re no longer engaged.” She paused a millisecond and went on.

“You see, my ex-fiancé didn’t want children for a long time yet. He wanted me to get an abortion and I—well, I can’t do that. I want my baby,” she said with a note of fierce determination in her voice that startled him.

Marc understood now why she was so upset. No matter how much she wanted her baby, an unexpected pregnancy had to push her life off course. Lara was in such perfect control of every facet of her job and helped him keep control of his. She was efficient, intelligent, orderly, capable, dependable, driven. In fact, he was surprised that anything unplanned had occurred to her, especially a pregnancy.

He resisted the temptation to let his gaze drift over her figure, but he knew from the past few days of seeing her move around the office, she didn’t show her condition at all. She was tall, probably five feet ten, and she was still slender.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” he asked. He wondered if Lara needed money or a different place to live. He wondered if she had family to rely on. They had worked closely together and he thought a lot of her. He’d do whatever he could to help her and her baby.

She merely shook her head and gave him a small, forced smile to reassure him she was okay. Instead, it only made him aware of her good looks again.

And that’s when the thought hit him. Lara had a dilemma...and he had a dilemma. She was pregnant, working to support herself and to save for her education. He needed a temporary wife to win his inheritance. Perhaps he had a solution to help them both out...

Would she be a candidate for a marriage of convenience?

He had no doubt Lara would be willing to dissolve the marriage later. That was the best thing of all. She had her own agenda, plus the drive, the willpower and the stamina to stick with it. In a temporary marriage of convenience, she wouldn’t make demands on him or expect him to fall in love. He couldn’t. His heart was still with his wife. He hadn’t gotten over her loss and he wasn’t ready for another relationship.

He’d been able to work closely with Lara for a year without ever crossing that line and getting personal. He knew he’d be able to keep their relationship the same as it had been.

In the meantime, he could give her the financial support that would take away a lot of her worries about her baby.

Yes, the more he thought about it, the more appealing the idea became.

He wasn’t aware she was even speaking until she shifted in her seat and drew his attention.

“If I continue to feel good, I’ll work until it’s time for my baby, if that’s all right with you.”

“It’ll certainly be fine with me. You take the time you need for leave,” he hoped he said. His thoughts were still on the prospect that she actually might be a good candidate for a short-term marriage. Again, he thought about that awareness he had of her as an attractive woman. Would that make it more difficult to keep his distance in a marriage of convenience than it had in the office? He didn’t think it would.

The more he mulled over the thought, the more he knew. Lara Seymour was the answer to his dilemma.

He tried to pay attention as she talked about her plans, but his thoughts could not be corralled. He was so sure of his plan that he wanted to pose the offer right away. But he couldn’t do that here in the office. No, he’d rather get his offer lined up in his own thoughts and ask her to dinner to tell her. Somewhere private where they would not be interrupted.

“I’m only in my second month, actually not far into my second month, so this is very early. I’d prefer not to announce this to the office, which is why I wanted to see you after hours.”

“Of course. I won’t mention it. I appreciate you letting me know, even though I won’t need to get someone to fill in for you for months yet.”

“I thought it only fair to tell you now. So far I feel fine, so that’s good.”

“That’s very good,” he said, smiling at her. “Lara, you don’t need to answer if you don’t want to, but I really know nothing about your private life. Do you have family here who will be with you?”

She gazed at him with a solemn look that was so unlike her, he was startled. She shook her head. “I have friends. I don’t have relatives. My mom died of leukemia when I was eighteen. I had an older sister who died of acute leukemia when she was seven. My dad walked out when I was a little kid. I don’t remember him or know him. There are no relatives.”

Marc was shocked, but tried to hide his surprise. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that. I know you have friends and a lot of them here in this office. People like you.”

He couldn’t stop thinking of her being so alone. He had never known anyone who had no living relatives. He was so locked into his relationships with his family, he couldn’t imagine her solitary situation. She needed his help so much more than he had thought and it made him feel better to think that he could be a huge help to her and her baby. If this had been his wife, he would hope someone would have helped her.

He could set up a trust for Lara’s baby. He could let the baby have his name. If they married now, most people would assume he was the father, which would be fine with him because it would help her.

“I have wonderful friends here. This is a great office and a great place to work,” she said, giving him a radiant smile. Idly, he wondered how many single guys in his office had tried to date her.

“You have a master’s degree. When you came to work here, you told me you wanted to work to save enough money to go to medical school. Is that still on your agenda?” he asked.

“Oh, yes. My pregnancy is a setback, but I still intend to pursue my dreams. I want to go into medical research someday. With my mother’s illness I saw that there is still so much to be discovered about such diseases. If I can do anything to help in that field, I want to, for my mother’s memory. Doctors just couldn’t do anything to save her, but medical science makes new discoveries constantly. I want to help people. If I don’t get into medical school, I can do something else to help others.”

“That’s commendable. I hope you get to carry out your plans,” he said, thinking he should be able to help her meet some of her financial needs for her education.

“It will take me a little longer to earn and save the money to go back to school, but I intend to do so. If I can get accepted into medical school, I definitely plan to go. If not, I’ll become a chemist.”

“That’s tough without family members to help and to babysit.”

“I’ll manage,” she replied with a lift of her chin.

“I’m sure you will,” he said, and meant it. It hadn’t taken long to recognize her drive and ambition after she came to work for him. He’d seen it in himself and his mother all his life.

“If you don’t feel well, I want you to stay home. If you’re already here and don’t feel well, please don’t keep working. Take off and tell me if you need help getting home or anything.”

She smiled again. “Thanks. That’s nice but I’ll be all right. I’ve been fine so far. Not even morning sickness.”

“That’s good. I assume you have a doctor.”

“Oh, yes, I have a doctor who came with lots of recommendations from friends.” She smiled at him. “Well...I guess there’s nothing more to say but thank you for being so cooperative and helpful. I’ll let you know when I tell anyone else in the office and this is no longer a secret. It can’t be a secret for long,” she said, forcing a smile. Then she stood up, and as she did, his gaze swept over her and he liked what he saw. Her white blouse revealed full curves and a tiny waist.

There were moments—like this one—when he forgot her secretarial status and their business relationship, but he always caught himself before he said or did anything to indicate he saw her as an attractive woman instead of his very competent secretary. He caught himself again now, going to open the door for her.

“Take care of yourself and, again, if you need anything or don’t feel well, don’t hesitate to tell me,” he repeated. She turned to face him and suddenly he was aware of how close they stood. His gaze shifted to her full lips and he felt a tightening deep inside. For just a flash, he saw a flicker of her lashes and her cheeks became a deeper pink.

“Thanks, Marc. You’re always understanding,” she said softly and hurried out, crossing the room to her desk, which had everything in its proper place and ready for the next morning. She opened a drawer, retrieved her purse and turned to smile at him again. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Sure,” he said, still watching her as she walked away.

He turned, walked back to his desk and sat, seeing the glass door to the outer office close behind her.

It always surprised him when he noticed her, because he still mourned his wife and he didn’t pay attention to women the way he had before his marriage. Even though in the past few months he had started taking women friends out, he would never be serious about any of them. In fact, he wasn’t even interested in any of them.

He thought about Lara.

And the more he thought about her, the more he knew she was the perfect “wife.” He hadn’t gotten over Kathy and wasn’t ready for any kind of relationship, but Lara wouldn’t expect one. She wouldn’t want to fall in love any more than he wanted to, because she had other plans for her future. And while he stood to gain from this crazy marriage of convenience, so would she. She’d reap the reward of the help he could give her and her baby—not only in a trust he’d set up for the child but in giving the baby his name.

No doubt about it, Lara was the right person to ask.

Well, maybe there was one doubt...

For an instant he thought of the moments when he’d had to bank an electrifying awareness of her as an appealing woman. Could he push aside that attraction? He had to, because Lara and he would both get what they wanted from the marriage. He’d get the ranch and she’d get the financial and maybe emotional support she needed for this pregnancy. Then, when they dissolved the marriage, they’d go their separate ways and both be happy about it and much better off because of the marriage of convenience.

Meanwhile, he knew he could live with her and still continue their business relationship. After all, they didn’t need to go to bed with each other. He hadn’t gotten over the loss of his wife, and she had just broken an engagement.

No matter how he looked at it, marriage to Lara would benefit both of them, as well as his family. It would benefit Lara’s baby, too. And some part of him wanted that. Somehow, helping the baby pleased him a lot and made him feel closer to the little baby of his own that he had lost.

He looked up Lara’s number, picked up his phone and called to invite her to dinner.

* * *

By half past six Wednesday evening, Lara was ready and waiting. She had dressed just as conservatively as she did at the office, in a black, long-sleeved dress with a high round neckline and straight skirt. But as she took a final glance at herself in the mirror, she noticed the dress was shorter and dressier than anything she’d worn to the office. She told herself it was the perfect compromise for a dinner date with her boss. She couldn’t imagine why he had asked her out.

When he’d called last night he hadn’t made it sound as if this was social. At the same time, it wasn’t business related or he would have told her. She had accepted his dinner invitation knowing she’d find out the reason soon enough.

She tried to ignore the flutters in her belly when she thought of dining with her boss. Marc was handsome, charming, capable, a strong, sexy man—something she tried to avoid thinking about most of the time. She had heard all the office talk—how his pregnant wife of three months had died in a plane crash and he still mourned her and had no interest in any other woman.

She suspected he was smart enough to avoid getting sexually or emotionally involved with anyone at work.

She was attracted to him and had been from the first moment she met him, but she’d resisted with all her being because at first there was no future in it and later she became engaged. His heart was locked away, and even if it wasn’t, she had plans for her life. Plans that did not call for her to get romantically involved with her boss, no matter how good-looking he was. Still, what was the harm in admitting that the man was handsome and had sex appeal? Bushels of it. In fact, sometimes she found it difficult to keep remote, professional and cool around him. Nevertheless, she did.

Thinking about him, she sighed. Surely Marc wasn’t taking her out tonight to let her go. He wouldn’t do that. As for his motives, she’d know in a matter of minutes.

She took one last look in the mirror. Her hair was looped and pinned up on her head, just the way she wore it at work today. Her makeup was light but flawless, optimally highlighting her blue eyes and high cheekbones. As she gazed into the mirror, her mind must have started playing tricks on her, because she suddenly saw Marc’s image beside her. His thick, black, unruly hair, slightly tanned skin, the shadow of stubble on his jaw and his thickly lashed dark brown eyes. He stood next to her, over six feet tall, broad shouldered and strong, and he reached out to touch her and—

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car door closing. In seconds her doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and hurried to answer it. She swung it open to face her boss and her heart lurched.

Dressed in a navy suit and red tie that she had seen before, he looked handsome. She smiled, but felt odd flutters and she assumed it was because it seemed so much like a date. She banished that thought and looked up at him. “Do you want to come in?”

“Thanks, but we have reservations shortly, and I think we better go.”

“I’m more than happy to go have dinner with you, Marc, but I’m a little puzzled as to why we’re doing this. I don’t feel as if it’s a social event.”

He smiled at her. “Smart woman. I have something I want to talk to you about and I want to be away from the office and away from interruptions.”

“Ahhh,” she said, nodding. While that clarified their dinner engagement slightly, she still had questions. She suspected his “something” concerned work because his office manner hadn’t changed from what it had been all day. “I’ll get my purse,” she said, stepping back into her entryway briefly before joining him.

She closed her door and heard the lock click into place. As she walked beside him to the car, she was acutely conscious of how close he was and how tall he was. She had far more physical awareness of him now that they were out of the routine office setting, but his demeanor was the same. He didn’t take her arm as they walked to the car. He didn’t touch her in any way. So why couldn’t she stop the prickly awareness that plagued her?

She told herself to pretend she was in the office, that it was just lunch together on a weekday. That didn’t work.

He held the car door and she slid into the seat. She watched him walk around the car, the wind blowing unruly locks of his curly hair. What did he have to talk to her about here that he couldn’t discuss at the office?

Her curiosity mushroomed when they went to a town club where he was a member. Inside, they were taken to a private room.

“Now I am curious about tonight,” she said as she sat across from him.

He merely nodded. “Let’s get our drinks and order dinner before we talk. I don’t want any interruptions. But I will tell you this is personal and involves my grandfather.”

Startled, she couldn’t imagine what could concern her and involve his very ill grandfather. “There’s no guessing why I’m here having dinner with you if it involves Mr. Ruiz. That lets out anything regarding the office.”

“Not altogether,” Marc said. “I have a proposition I want you to consider.”

Her curiosity reached a fevered peak but she reined in her questions when the waiter came to ask their drink preferences. Marc ordered sparkling water for her and a martini for himself.

She sat quietly until finally they had ordered dinner and been served their drinks. He raised his glass in a toast.

“Here’s to the best secretary I’ve ever worked with and, hopefully, to a mutually bright future together.”

She touched her glass to his and sipped, watching him and waiting as he set his martini on the table. Her curiosity increased because, whatever he was about to discuss, it involved both of their futures.

He folded his hands on the table and cleared his throat. “I’ll cut to the chase now. My grandfather is very ill with pancreatic cancer and doctors have given him three months to live.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, hearing the pain in Marc’s voice even though he seemed in control of his emotions.

“I’m close to him. My dad died when I was twelve and my grandfather has always been there for me. I’ve spent a lot of time with my grandparents on their ranch. I love that life and I love that ranch. It’s beautiful.” He smiled at her. “At least, it is to me.”

“I’m sorry, Marc, that your grandfather’s health isn’t good,” she said, still unable to see how any of this involved her.

“Thanks. My grandparents love that ranch. They’ve worked it all their lives.”

He paused when the waitstaff came in with their dinners—a thick steak for Marc and Alaskan salmon for her. When they were alone again, she had a bite of salmon and closed her eyes. “Mmm, this is delicious.”

“Yes, it is,” he said, his voice deeper than usual. She opened her eyes to see him watching her. Heat flashed through her and she was aware of the intense way he looked at her. His dark brown eyes hid his feelings.

“Go ahead with your story,” she said, suddenly tingling with awareness. She knew whatever he was going to ask her, it had nothing to do with the office. Not with the look she had just received from him.

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Now that my grandfather is ill, he’s worried about my grandmother. She wants to stay on the ranch and live out her life there, but—this is where I come in—she can’t run it or deal with it herself. And this is where you come in.” He paused and nodded at her plate. “Maybe you should enjoy a few more bites of dinner before I continue.”