KATHIE DENOSKY lives in her native southern Illinois with her big, lovable Bernese mountain dog, Nemo. Highly sensual stories with a generous amount of humor, Kathie’s books have appeared on the Waldenbooks bestseller list and received a Write Touch Readers’ Award and a National Readers’ Choice Award. She enjoys going to rodeos, traveling to research settings for her books and listening to country music. Readers may contact Kathie at PO Box 2064, Herrin, Illinois 62948-5264, USA or e-mail her at kathie@ kathiedenosky.com. They can also visit her website at www.kathiedenosky.com.

The Illegitimate
Heirs: Luke, Zach
and Jake
Bossman
Billionaire
One Night,
Two Babies
The Billionaire’s
Unexpected Heir
Kathie DeNosky

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Table of Contents

Cover

About the Author

Title Page

Bossman Billionaire

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

One Night, Two Babies

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

The Billionaire’s Unexpected Heir

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

Copyright

Bossman Billionaire

This series is dedicated to Charlie, the love of my life.

A special thank you to Kristi Gold and Roxann Delaney for laughing with me, crying with me and being there for me through the ups and downs. I couldn’t ask for better friends. You’re the best.

And to Tina Colombo for believing in me through thick and thin. I can’t thank you enough.

Prologue

“We’re not for sale, Mrs. Larson,” Lucien Garnier refused flatly. “And I’m sure you’ll agree that trying to build a relationship of any kind at this stage is out of the question.”

Completely unaffected by his blunt statement, Emerald Larson stared across her highly polished Louis XIV desk at one of her recently discovered grown grandchildren. She could understand his and his two siblings’ anger. It had to have been quite disconcerting to discover that instead of the struggling artist he’d portrayed himself to be, their father Neil Owens was really Owen Larson, the philandering, footloose offspring of one of the richest, most powerful women in the corporate world. But then, she hadn’t been overly happy to learn that in his youth, her late son had left a bevy of women pregnant and on their own.

Since learning of her grandchildren, Emerald had arranged for all of Owen’s children to claim their birthright and take their rightful place within the Emerald, Inc. corporate empire. She had successfully built a relationship with her three other grandsons and set them up with companies of their own, but the trouble was, she didn’t know exactly how many children Owen had fathered or even if she’d found all of them. It was only in the past few months she’d learned that her son had impregnated yet another woman—not once, but twice. His affair with a young Frenchwoman visiting the San Francisco area on a student visa had resulted in a set of twin sons, Lucien and Jacques. Then, ten years later, Owen had returned to the woman and rekindled the affair, only to leave the poor dear girl pregnant again, this time with a daughter, Arielle.

The fact that Francesca Garnier had been the only woman Owen had returned to was bittersweet for Emerald. It was heartening to learn that her hedonistic son had loved the woman as much as he was capable of loving anyone, but disappointing to realize that in the end, his self-absorption had won out and he’d left Francesca behind—just as he’d done with the others.

But the past was just that—the past. There was little Emerald could do about what had taken place all those years ago. The only thing to be done now was to forge ahead and focus her efforts on righting things between herself and the three Garnier siblings.

“I can well understand your irritation, Lucien, but think about what I’m offering you and your brother and sister. Each of you will receive a multimillion-dollar trust fund, as well as complete control of one of my companies.”

“We don’t need your money or your company,” Jacques reiterated.

“I understand that you and Lucien are wealthy enough in your own right now to never want for anything,” Emerald acknowledged, nodding. Turning her attention to her only granddaughter, she smiled. “But what about you, darling? I’m sure your teaching salary is adequate enough to provide you with the basics, but what I’m offering is financial security for the rest of your life. You’ll never have to worry about taking care of yourself or your—”

“Arielle is fine,” Lucien interrupted, his glare formidable. “Jake and I have always taken care of our sister and we always will. We’ll see that she has everything she needs.”

“And you should both be commended for the sacrifices you’ve made to raise her.” Emerald was completely impervious to his dark expression. “After your mother’s untimely death, you not only did an excellent job of taking care of your sister, you both held jobs, as well as finished your education. That’s a huge undertaking for two boys barely twenty years old.”

“We wouldn’t have thought to do it any other way,” Lucien countered, shrugging off her compliment.

Emerald watched the girl eye one brother and then the other before Arielle sat forward in her chair.

“I could never express how much I appreciate everything the two of you have done for me throughout the years,” Arielle spoke up, finally breaking her silence. “But I’m a grown woman now, Luke, and I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and making my own decisions.” She turned her full attention on Emerald. “Luke and Jake might not be interested in what you’re offering, Mrs. Larson, but I certainly am.”

“No, you’re not.” The twin brothers glared daggers at their younger sister.

“Oh, yes, I am.”

Arielle’s determination was almost palpable and it did Emerald’s heart good to see that her granddaughter didn’t seem the least bit affected by her older brothers’ intimidating scowls. The child reminded Emerald of herself some fifty years ago.

“You two can do what you please, but I’m going to accept the trust fund and whatever company Mrs. Larson deems suitable for me to take over.”

Their lack of agreement on the issue was the very opening Emerald had been looking for to seal the deal. “If you’ll excuse me for a few moments, I have something that requires my immediate attention,” she interjected, rising from her desk chair. “While I’m gone, I think it would be wise for the three of you to discuss my proposal.” Walking to the door, she turned back. “But keep in mind, this is all or nothing. You all agree to accept everything or forfeit the opportunity completely.”

Stepping into the outer office, she pulled the door shut behind her and walked over to her assistant’s desk. “Get the acceptance papers ready for my grandchildren to sign, Luther.”

“Have they accepted your gift, madam?” Luther Freemont asked in his usually stiff manner as he reached for a file on his desk.

Emerald glanced at her closed office door, smiling contentedly. “Not yet. But rest assured, they will.”

She hadn’t intended to put stipulations on her gift to the Garnier siblings, but her twin grandsons’ determination to decline her generosity left her little choice. Being one of a few women over the past fifty years to carve out her place in the “good old boy” network of the corporate world, she’d learned when and how to manipulate a situation to her benefit. And she certainly wasn’t above pulling out all the stops to get what she wanted—even if that meant playing hardball with her own grandchildren.

Confident that everything was going her way, Emerald glanced at the clock on Luther’s desk. The Garnier siblings should have had ample time to reach an agreement.

“I’ll page you when we’re ready to sign the documents, Luther,” she instructed, walking back to the door.

When she re-entered her private office, she smiled at her grandchildren still seated in front of her desk. It was time to incorporate the Garnier siblings into the Emerald, Inc. empire.

One

“Haley, I want my calendar cleared for the day and you to be in my office in five minutes. There’s something I need you to do.”

Haley Rollins stared open mouthed as Lucien, or as he preferred to be called, Luke Garnier passed her desk on the way into his private office. For the past five years, every weekday morning at promptly eight-thirty, he’d arrived at the corporate offices of Garnier Construction, ordered her to get him coffee and expected her to be in his office to review his day’s itinerary. But today he was more than half an hour early and failed even to mention the requisite cup of coffee.

What on earth could have happened that would cause a man so set in his ways to deviate from his routine?

Something was definitely in the works and if the look on his handsome face was any indication, he considered it to be of the utmost importance. Her usual Monday morning slump vanished.

Reaching for her phone, Haley made quick work of rescheduling his appointments, then after a quick trip to the break room for the coffee she knew he wanted, entered Luke’s office a few minutes later. But as she walked across the room, her eyes widened and she had to remind herself to breathe. She never got tired of looking at the sexiest man she’d ever seen.

He had removed his suit coat and stood at the plate glass window behind his desk, staring pensively at the downtown Nashville traffic on the busy street below. With his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his trousers, the gray fabric had pulled taut over his tightly muscled derriere, drawing her attention to the narrowness of his hips, while at the same time his crisply pressed, tailored white shirt emphasized the width of his broad shoulders. The contrast was amazing and a testament to his excellent physical condition. And it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide her reaction to him.

“You’re three minutes late,” he said without turning around.

Bringing her wayward thoughts in check, she calmly set his coffee mug on the desk. “I had several calls to make in order to free up your day.”

She wasn’t surprised that he knew the moment she walked into the room, even though the plush carpet made the sound of her late entrance inaudible. Luke Garnier missed very little. And he never hesitated to comment on his observations. Ever.

“Sit down, Haley. There’s something I want to talk over with you.” His tone of voice denoted the serious nature of their discussion and for the briefest of moments, a tiny shiver of trepidation coursed through her.

She’d been extremely careful, but had he finally realized that his efficient, reliable, emotionless executive assistant had done the unthinkable? Had he discovered that she’d developed a huge crush on him practically from the moment he interviewed her for the job five years ago? That she might even be in love with him?

Seating herself in the leather armchair in front of his desk, she gave herself a mental shake. Her feelings for him had been the only thing that he’d failed to detect and she had no reason to believe that had changed. She’d never given him the slightest indication that she viewed him as anything more than her workaholic boss. A boss who made no secret of the fact that he had no interest in anything that took his attention away from Garnier Construction. His business was a very demanding mistress and that was just the way he preferred it.

“How was your trip to Wichita this weekend?” she asked when he continued to stare out the window. He hadn’t shared the reason for his last-minute trip or whom he’d been meeting with, but Haley had no doubt it was the cause of his early arrival at the office this morning. “Did everything go well?”

His shoulders slowly rose and fell, indicating he took a deep breath before he finally turned to face her. “It actually depends on how you look at the outcome.”

His noncommittal answer confused her. She’d never known Luke Garnier to be indecisive about anything. He was the type of man who viewed things as either black or white, up or down, right or wrong. Gray areas in his business or his personal life were quite simply nonexistent.

Frowning, Haley shook her head. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to.” His intense blue gaze pinned her to the chair for several long moments as he decided exactly how much he wanted her to know about the meeting, then raking his hand through his thick black hair, he took another deep breath. “I’ve just become the new owner of Laurel Enterprises.”

She couldn’t have stopped her surprised gasp if she’d tried. “This is huge, Luke. Laurel Enterprises is the largest, most successful builder of vacation rentals and log homes in eastern Tennessee. Maybe in the entire state.”

He nodded. “Laurel and all of its holdings are mine now.”

“Congratulations! How on earth did you get Emerald, Inc. to relinquish it?” she asked, somewhat in awe of the achievement. She had seen him accomplish several seemingly impossible goals in the past, but obtaining Laurel Enterprises from the infamous Emerald Larson had to be an all-time best, both professionally and personally.

“Let’s just say I had the inside track on gaining control of Laurel and leave it at that for now,” he replied, giving her a one-shouldered shrug.

His answer only served to confuse her even further. As his executive assistant, Haley knew almost as much about Luke’s vision and goals for Garnier Construction as he did. And she couldn’t, for the life of her, figure out why he wasn’t more triumphant about the acquisition. For someone whose already quite lucrative construction company had just doubled in size, he was being extremely reserved about it.

But she knew better than to ask why he wasn’t more enthused. If he wanted her to know how he’d pulled off the deal, he would tell her.

“Well, whatever magic you used to convince them to sell to you worked beautifully. You’ve been wanting to expand into that area of the business for some time.” She smiled. “Shall I set up an appointment with your attorney to examine the purchase agreement?”

“No, all paperwork was taken care of over the weekend.”

“Should I contact your banker to have the funds transferred?”

“No need. Laurel has already been signed over to me. Free and clear.”

Surely she’d misunderstood. “Excuse me? Did you say free?”

When his vivid blue eyes met hers, he gave her a half smile. “Yes.”

Unable to believe what she was hearing, Haley sat forward. “Emerald Larson, the most successful woman in the corporate world, the first woman to crack the top five of the Fortune 500 list, just gave you the company?”

“Yes, but that’s not what I want to discuss with you,” he said, his tone indicating that the subject was closed. He lowered himself into the high-backed executive chair behind his desk. “I’ve come to the realization that now that I own the largest construction company in the South, I need someone to ensure the continuance of Garnier Construction long after I’m gone. I need an heir.”

She wasn’t sure what shocked her more, his admission that Emerald Larson had handed him Laurel Enterprises on a silver platter or that he suddenly thought he needed someone to inherit his assets. “What brought this on?” she blurted before she could stop herself.

To her surprise, he didn’t seem at all upset that she was questioning his decision. “My brother and sister aren’t the least bit interested in the construction business,” he explained. “Jake is perfectly content being the most expensive divorce lawyer in Tinseltown and Arielle adores teaching preschool kids whatever children that age need to learn. That’s why I’ve decided to hire a surrogate and produce an heir of my own.”

Haley knew her expression conveyed her disbelief, but she was beyond caring. “Don’t you think that’s a little drastic? Having a child is a huge step.”

Luke shook his head. “It makes perfect sense. To make sure that the Garnier name will be a force to reckon with in the construction business for decades to come.”

“And you think that having a child will make that happen?”

“I believe it tips the odds in my favor, yes.”

“But it will take years before a child would be ready to learn all that you have to teach.”

“That’s why the sooner I get started, the better.”

Luke could tell from the look in her turquoise eyes that Haley thought he’d lost his mind. And truth to tell, he wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t done that very thing.

But after seeing Emerald Larson’s desperation to find family members to take over her vast holdings, he’d realized that building a corporate empire meant nothing without someone to carry on the legacy. That’s why he had thought about who would take over his company and what they would do with it when the time came for him to retire.

It had taken a couple of sleepless nights, but to be certain Garnier Construction continued to grow and prosper long after he was gone, he concluded he would have to spend years grooming his own replacement. And who would have more of a vested interest in learning all that he knew than his own son?

That’s when he’d decided to have a child. Luke could start by taking him to the job sites as a toddler, then by the time the boy understood how to avoid the pitfalls of the business and how to encourage Garnier’s growth, he’d already be familiar with the way the operation worked.

“Are you really serious about hiring someone to have your baby?” she asked, finally finding her voice.

“Yes.”

He wasn’t at all surprised by Haley’s astonishment. He’d had much the same disbelieving reaction himself when the idea first took shape. But the more he’d thought about it, the more it made sense to hire a surrogate from a reputable agency in order to produce his heir. The last thing he wanted or needed was the hassle of finding someone, then the trouble of convincing the woman to have his child without the slightest possibility of a future together. It would be much easier to choose a woman who had already decided to serve as a surrogate.

“If you think about it, it’s actually the smart thing to do.”

She raised one light brown eyebrow. “Maybe it makes sense to you. But I seem to be missing your rationale on this.”

Why he felt compelled to explain himself to her was something of a mystery. He never explained his reasoning or actions to anyone, for anything. But he suddenly felt it was very important that Haley understand.

“I need an heir. I don’t have a wife, nor do I want one. That’s why surrogacy is the obvious answer. I get what I want without any further obligation to the boy’s mother. Once the heir is born, she goes her way and I take the child and go mine.”

“And you’re definitely going through with this?” she asked, looking more doubtful with each passing second.

“Yes.” He leaned back in his desk chair. “I want you to research the state laws and compile a list of reputable agencies specializing in surrogacy. I’ll expect it on my desk by noon.”

“Is there anything else you need?” she inquired, rising to leave.

“No. That will be all for now.”

As he watched her close the door to his office, Luke could tell that she strongly disapproved of his decision. But he knew her well enough that she wouldn’t voice her objections. And that was one of the many reasons Haley Rollins made the perfect executive assistant. She was amazingly efficient, had business instincts that rivaled his own and knew when to voice her opinions and when to keep them to herself.

An hour later, Haley breathed a tiny sigh of relief as she closed the Internet browser on her computer. It appeared that Luke would have to forego his plan of producing an heir through a surrogate. From everything she found on the subject, the state of Tennessee had taken a clear stand and only allowed married couples to enter into surrogacy agreements.

Nibbling on her lower lip, she glanced at his closed office door. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Luke should have a child of his own. She did. But only for the right reasons. And she certainly didn’t consider having a baby simply because he needed someone to run Garnier Construction eventually to be one of them.

Unfortunately, her boss wasn’t the type to give up that easily. He’d made up his mind, set his course of action and that was that. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would somehow find a way to get what he wanted. He always did.

Her chest tightened at the thought. She’d been giving babies a lot of thought herself after receiving a birth announcement from a friend and would give almost anything to have a baby. Considering her feelings for Luke, she’d like nothing more than for him to be her baby’s daddy. But aside from the fact that he’d never looked at her as anything more than his extremely competent executive assistant, she wanted all the things he wanted to avoid. She wanted love, marriage and the close family life she’d never had.

She slowly pushed away from her desk and walked over to tap on his office door. There was no sense in thinking about any of that now. His plan had run into a huge obstacle and was effectively stalled, at least for the time being.

“Luke?” He was on the phone and motioned for her to enter, so she seated herself in front of his desk as she waited for him to end the conversation.

“I’ll be there on Saturday. Set up a special meeting for me with the office staff, then I want to visit the job sites to meet the construction crews. In the meantime, reassure them that I have no plans to make any major changes. Their jobs are just as secure now as they were when Emerald, Inc. owned Laurel Enterprises.”

Hanging up the phone, he turned his attention her way. “I take it that you’ve already compiled the list of surrogacy agencies?”

“I didn’t get that far,” she stated, shaking her head. “It appears that your plan has run into a bit of a snag.”

“And that would be?” he prompted.

“State law allows only married couples to hire surrogates.”

She could tell when he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand that he wasn’t at all happy with the news. “Are there any exceptions?”

“If there are, I couldn’t find them.” Shrugging, she added, “There are a few states where the law is more liberal on surrogacy, but this isn’t one of them. How-ever, it doesn’t appear to be illegal to enter into a verbal agreement with a woman as long as there’s no compensation other than medical expenses and she willingly signs over her rights to the child.”

“Did you consult with my attorney?” he asked, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

She shook her head. “Mr. Clayton is out of town for the next week and I hesitated calling anyone else due to the discretion needed for a matter this sensitive. Besides, from everything I could find on the issue, the state law is quite consistent—married couples only.”

Luke nodded slowly but remained silent, mentally reviewing what new course of action to take. “In other words, I need to find a woman with the traits I want and one who would also sign over her custodial rights immediately after giving birth.” He looked thoughtful for several long moments. “That would be taking a huge risk without the protection of a binding contract.”

Haley should have known he’d immediately start thinking of other options to obtain his goal. That was the way Luke worked. When he ran into a roadblock, he found the best way around it.

But the thought of another woman bearing his child caused a tight knot to form in the pit of her stomach and she suddenly felt the need to escape his presence. “I’ve decided to take the rest of the day off,” she announced, quickly rising to her feet. “And if I were you, I wouldn’t count on me being here tomorrow.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

She wasn’t surprised by his puzzled expression. In the five years she’d worked for him, she had never taken time off other than her annual two-week vacation. But she wasn’t about to explain what she didn’t fully understand herself. He wouldn’t want to hear her explanation anyway.

And really what could she say to him? Oh, by the way, I love you and it breaks my heart to think of you having a child with another woman.

No, she needed space to regain her perspective and come to grips with the fact that no matter what it took, Luke would find a way for his outrageous plan to work. She wasn’t part of it.

Walking to the door, she turned. “To borrow one of your favorite phrases when you don’t wish to share details…let’s just say I feel like taking the time off and leave it at that.”

“All right, that’s it.” As he hung up the phone, Luke sent his desk chair sailing backward and quickly rose to his feet. “I’m going to put an end to this ridiculousness once and for all.”

Grabbing his suit jacket from the coat tree, he stuffed his arms into the sleeves and headed for the door. Nothing had gone right since Haley walked out of his office yesterday and she had just called in “sick” for tomorrow. Facing another day with Ruth Ann, the temporary secretary, was completely intolerable and he wanted to know what the hell was going on. He didn’t for one damned minute buy Haley’s weak excuse that she just didn’t feel well.

“I’ll be out of the office for the rest of the afternoon, Ruth Ann,” Luke growled as he passed the woman seated at Haley’s desk. “If you can figure out how, forward all my calls to my cell phone, otherwise just take messages.”

“A-all right, Mr. Garnier,” she answered in a whiny tone that further irritated him. “W-will there be anything else?”

“No.”

Ruth Ann’s voice not only resembled the sound of fingernails scraping the surface of a blackboard, she looked and acted as if she was scared to death of him. And that was only scratching the surface of the many problems he had with Haley’s temporary replacement.

To say the woman was absolutely incompetent would be the understatement of the year. Ruth Ann couldn’t make a decent cup of coffee, couldn’t find anything in a simple alphabetic filing system and found the phone to be an utter and complete mystery to her. She somehow reached the public relations coordinator for the Tennessee Titans football team while attempting a conference call with his satellite office in Atlanta.

He needed Haley back on the job immediately. She kept his office running like a well-oiled machine. Not to mention the fact that she made a damned fine cup of coffee.

As Luke navigated the late-afternoon crosstown traffic, he dismissed his current woes with Ruth Ann. He was on his way to find out what the problem was with Haley and believed she would be back on the job the first thing tomorrow morning.

But as he turned the SUV onto the street leading to Haley’s apartment complex, his thoughts strayed to his other dilemma. He still needed to find a surrogate. A woman he could trust, as well as have all the qualities he wanted for his heir. And that wasn’t going to be easy.

Oh, he knew several women who would be willing to volunteer for the job, and some of them even possessed a few of the traits he wanted for his son. But there wasn’t one he could trust to bear him an heir without the benefit of a signed legal agreement. He needed a trustworthy and loyal woman like Haley—one with intelligence and business instincts to match his own. A woman as trustworthy and loyal as Haley. And one who kept herself in good physical condition, was easy on the eyes and enjoyed good health like…Haley.

Parking the Escalade in front of Haley’s apartment, Luke took a deep breath before he switched off the engine, exited the SUV and briskly walked to her door. As he pressed the doorbell, he stepped back and waited impatiently for her to answer. When the door swung open, he didn’t bother waiting for her to invite him in and brushed right past her into the small living room.

“Luke, what are you doing here?” she asked, looking as surprised as he’d ever seen her.

Smiling, he reached around her and closed the still wide-open door. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve chosen the perfect surrogate.”

“No offense, Luke, but I really don’t want to hear anything about this. I don’t care who you choose, I just don’t want to hear about it,” she declared, folding her arms beneath her breasts in a defensive manner.

The action called attention to the size and shape of the pert mounds and the fact that she obviously wasn’t wearing a bra. Without a second thought, Luke let his gaze drift lower to her trim waist, shapely hips, then down the length of her long, slender legs.

Damn! If there was ever a woman built for making love, it was Haley Rollins. Odd that he had never noticed how enticing her figure was. Of course, he’d never seen her in a pair of Daisy Duke cutoffs and a hot pink tank top before, either.

As he raised his eyes to her face, he marveled at how feminine she looked. At the office, she always wore her long blond hair straight and most times tied back at the nape of her neck. But today she wore it loose and the soft curls caressed her heart-shaped face and drew attention to her delicate features.

“Luke.”

There was a warning in the tone of her soft voice. A warning that he’d never heard before and found completely intriguing. And one that he had every intention of ignoring.

When she impatiently tapped one bare foot, he grinned. “Who are you and what have you done with my business minded executive assistant?”

She glared at him. “I’m not working today, remember? I can wear whatever I like at home. And besides, I wear these when I’m cleaning. Now, would you please tell me why you’re here, Luke?”

He grinned. “I’ve already told you. I’ve chosen the woman to be my surrogate.”

“And you felt compelled to share the news with me?”

“Yes.”

“Couldn’t all this have waited until I returned to the office?”

“I don’t see any reason that it should.” Walking farther into the room, he shook his head. “I only made my choice a few minutes ago. On the way over here.”

“Good for you,” she said, sounding less than enthusiastic.

He pointed to her couch. “Have a seat and I’ll explain.”

“Fine.” Clearly running out of patience, she sat and looked up at him expectantly. “Let’s get this over with.”

“I had several requirements in mind when I made the decision to hire a surrogate. There is only one woman I know who meets all my expectations and who I can trust with something this important,” he summarized.

“I know I’m going to be sorry that I asked, but what are you looking for?”

“I want an intelligent woman with excellent business instincts.” When it looked as if Haley intended to speak again, he held up his hand to stop her. “I also want her to be reasonably nice looking and in excellent physical condition.”

“It sounds to me like you want a superhero,” she offered, rolling her eyes.

“I didn’t think of it quite that way, but in a sense you might be right,” he mused, chuckling at her evaluation. She had no idea that as far as he was concerned she was assessing herself.

He’d always admired Haley’s quick wit and he was more confident now than ever that he’d made the right choice. She was definitely the woman he was looking for.

“And you think you’ve found this paragon?” she prodded.

“Yes.” Before she could react, he walked over, took her hands in his and asked, “Haley Rollins, will you have my baby?”

Two

Time stood still and Haley wasn’t entirely certain that her heart hadn’t come to a complete halt as well. Luke was asking her to be his surrogate? He actually wanted her to have his child?

She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again as she desperately tried to find her nonexistent voice. The fact that he saw her as the perfect means to produce his heir rendered her utterly speechless.

“I can tell by your reaction that you weren’t expecting this,” he laughed.

Never in a million years.

“And I don’t need your answer right now,” he added.

Good. Because that would require words and right now I couldn’t put two words together to save my own soul.

He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, then reached for his suit jacket. “I want you to sleep on it tonight and, since you’re taking tomorrow off, spend the day thinking about it. I’ll pick you up around seven tomorrow evening for dinner. You can give me your answer then.”

In a total state of shock, all Haley could do was stare at him. When he pulled her to her feet and led her to the door, she couldn’t have protested no matter how hard she tried.

Opening the door, he turned and, reaching out, lightly touched her unruly curls. “By the way, you should wear your hair like this more often. It looks very nice.” Then, without another word, he stepped out onto the sidewalk and pulled the door shut.

Haley felt as if she’d fallen down the rabbit hole and landed squarely in the middle of Wonderland. When she’d gotten up yesterday morning, she’d had no idea that in a little over twenty-four hours, her life would take such an unexpected turn. Nor would she have ever thought the man she’d dreamed about for the past five years would get some wild notion that he needed an heir and that she was the only woman to make that happen.

Slowly returning to the couch, she plopped down and let her gaze wander aimlessly around the room. How could everything look the same when the whole world had been turned completely upside down?

As the gravity of Luke’s request began to sink in, she shook her head. There was no way on God’s green earth that she could help him with his cockamamy plan. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that to a child. To her child.

Her child.

She was pretty sure that, as her father’s housekeeper used to say whenever someone expressed a desire to procreate, she had “baby fever.” Not because she didn’t have plenty of time to have a child. She did.

At twenty-eight years old, she certainly hadn’t heard the ominous ticking of her biological clock. Nor did she anticipate that happening for quite some time.

She had, however, watched several of her friends find love, get married and have babies. In fact, just last week Haley had received an announcement from her college roommate about the birth of her second child. And that seemed to intensify the void, her desire that she wanted more than anything else in life—a family of her own.

Just the idea of holding her own baby, of watching him or her take the first steps, of hearing the first words and seeing a sweet toothless grin brought tears to her eyes. She wanted a baby to love and be loved by in return.

But that wasn’t what Luke had in mind. He wanted an heir to carry on at Garnier Construction, not a close family who loved, laughed and together weathered whatever storms life sent their way. And she was old-fashioned enough to believe that the choice to conceive should be based on the desire to love and nurture, not a good business decision. If she went along with his ludicrous plan, he’d raise their child alone and she’d be completely out of the picture. She’d lived that type of existence and she couldn’t do that to a child, couldn’t bring an innocent baby into a childhood like hers. Although the circumstances weren’t exactly the same, she knew all too well how it felt to have a workaholic father who always put business first, who relied on nannies and his housekeeper to raise his motherless daughter.

Nor could she do that to herself. Unlike her own mother who abandoned her shortly after birth, nothing would ever keep Haley from being part of her child’s life. She had every intention of being there each day to love and guide him or her as they made the journey to a happy, productive adulthood.

Unfortunately, Luke Garnier was a formidable negotiator. She knew as sure as she knew her own name that he would not stop until she agreed to his crazy scheme.

Luckily for her, she knew him well enough to know exactly how to deter him from his mission. But in doing so, it meant effectively ending any romantic fantasies of being more than his glorified secretary. Her chest tightened with intense emotion. It saddened her deeply, but she couldn’t see any other option.

Taking a fortifying breath, she rose to her feet and walked into the spare bedroom she’d turned into her home office. As she seated herself at the desk, she took a tablet and pen from the drawer and began compiling her list of conditions. Demands that she was certain Luke would find to be deal-breakers and send him running away from her as fast and far as he could possibly get.

The feel of Luke’s hand at the small of her back as the hostess led them to their table sent an interesting little shiver straight up Haley’s spine and she focused all her attention on walking it to the table in her three-inch high heels without breaking her neck. Instead of dressing for style, she should have worn a more sensible—and a lot more comfortable—pair of shoes.

But her decision to wear the ridiculous shoes had been a psychological crutch of sorts. Luke was well over six feet tall and she’d wanted to feel as if she were more on his level. The only problem was, he still towered over her by at least eight inches. So much for trying to psych herself up for their dinner meeting, she thought as they reached the table. All she’d succeeded in doing was to increase the chance of a broken ankle.

When Luke held her chair for her, she noticed that the table was strategically located in a dimly lit corner of the upscale restaurant and gave them a maximum amount of privacy. Knowing Luke, he’d specifically requested it when he made the reservation so they could talk freely without anyone eavesdropping.

“Hello, my name is Martin and I’ll be your server for the evening,” a young man said as Luke took his seat across from her. “Would you like to see our wine list, Mr. Garnier?”

“That won’t be necessary, Martin,” Luke answered. He gave her a smile that curled her toes inside her ridiculous shoes as he requested an extremely expensive label and vintage of wine, then added, “We’ll both be having the house salad with house dressing. And for the main course we’ll have prime rib, baby carrots and asparagus.”

Martin nodded. “Good choice, sir. I’ll be back in a few moments with your wine.”

Haley wasn’t at all surprised that Luke had ordered their dinner without consulting her or the menu. That was the type of man he was—a take charge kind of guy, who expected everyone to go along with whatever choices he saw fit to make.

“Did you enjoy your day off?” he asked conversationally, once the young waiter had placed their wine glasses in front of them, then silently moved away. “Were you able to give a significant amount of thought to my request?”

Leave it to him to bypass her need to respond to the small talk and get right to the sole reason they were having dinner together.

“I haven’t been able to think of anything else since you left my apartment yesterday afternoon,” she said truthfully. “You really gave me a lot to think about.”

“Have you reached a decision?”

She stared at his handsome face as she mentally readied herself to recite the list of demands she’d spent the day memorizing and knew would have him rescinding his proposition in less than a heartbeat. But being prepared for what she had to say didn’t make saying it any easier.

“Yesterday, when you asked me to consider doing this for you, I don’t recall you mentioning anything that would give me an incentive to help you,” she clarified, choosing her words carefully. “What would I get out of this besides gaining a significant amount of weight and a few stretch marks?”

“After I left your place, I gave that some thought,” he agreed, nodding. “And there’s no question that I would take care of all medical expenses, as well as give you as much time off from work as you’d like. With pay, of course.”

He made it sound so simple. Had he even considered the permanent changes her body would undergo or the possible risks if the pregnancy was problematic? And what about the emotional devastation she would endure when it came time to give him custody of her child?

“That isn’t nearly enough,” she declared, flatly. “I want more.” She shook her head. “No. That’s not correct. I want a lot more.”

His eyes narrowed and she could tell that he hadn’t anticipated her rejection. “What exactly is it you want, Haley?” he finally asked.

“I’m sure it’s a lot more than you’re willing to give,” she stated, taking a sip of wine.

“Name your price and we’ll see.” There was a challenge in his voice, indicating that he was about to go into serious negotiation mode.

“I never said I wanted money,” she offered, staring at him over the rim of her glass.

He cocked one dark eyebrow. “Then what do you want?”

Haley slowly placed her wine goblet on the table and took a deep breath. She was about to reveal the hopes and dreams she’d had since childhood to the man she quite possibly loved, then listen to him reject each and every one of them.

“I don’t expect you to understand how I feel about this, but I’m a traditionalist. When I have a baby, I have every intention of being a mother to my child. I’m going to be there to get her up each morning and tuck her into bed each night. I’ll be there to see her first steps and hear her first words.” She had to pause a moment to keep the emotion out of her voice as she finished. “And every minute of every single day, my child will have the comfort and security of knowing that she’s loved and cherished by her mother.”

A frown creased his forehead. “Is that it?”

“No.”

“There’s more?” The lines on his brow deepened and the tone of his voice indicated that he thought she was being extremely unreasonable.

Nodding, she stated the final demand, certain he’d find it completely unacceptable, giving up on her as his surrogate once and for all. “When I have a child, Luke, I intend for her to have a mother and father who are equally responsible for raising her, as well as living under the same roof and sharing the same last name.”

His intense stare was intended to intimidate, but as far as she was concerned, this was one issue that was nonnegotiable. He might as well get used to that fact.

“In other words, you want to get married,” he said after several uncomfortable moments of silence.

Their waiter chose that moment to bring their salads and she waited for him to leave before she answered. “When I have a baby, yes, I have every intention of being married and making a stable, loving home for my child to grow up in.”

“Anything else?”

Shaking her head, she reached for her fork with a trembling hand. “No, I think that just about covers the subject.”

Silence reigned over the table as they ate and she knew Luke was contemplating ways to change her mind. But that wasn’t going to happen and the sooner he realized it, the better off they’d both be. Then they could forget that he’d even brought up the subject and resume being an executive assistant and her workaholic boss.

“Did you find everything to your satisfaction?” the waiter asked while he removed their plates.

“As always, the meal was excellent,” Luke answered. Turning to her, he inquired, “Would you like something for dessert, Haley?”

“No, thank you. I’m positively stuffed.” Smiling, she looked up at the server and crossed her fingers beneath the table for the lie she was about to tell. “Everything was delicious.”

In truth, she couldn’t have said whether they’d had prime rib or a piece of shoe leather. She’d been far too preoccupied wondering when Luke would tell her that he found her requirements completely unacceptable and that he was officially deleting her from his short list of surrogacy candidates.

Nodding, Luke handed the waiter a credit card. “I think that will be it for this evening. Have the valet bring my car around to the front.”

Once Luke had taken care of the check and they walked out of the restaurant, they had very little to say to each other. The drive home was little better and Haley was more than relieved when he parked the car, walked her to her door and bid her a very quick, very platonic good-night.

Confident that he’d given up on the idea of her becoming the surrogate for his child, Haley felt her mood dip into sadness. When she’d told Luke what she wanted, she’d been revealing the dreams she’d carried for the past five years. And knowing there wasn’t a snowball’s chance on a hot July day that any of them would come true now, was almost enough to send her running to the freezer for the carton of triple fudge nut ice cream she kept on hand for just such depressing occasions. Instead, she opted to change into her nightshirt, pour herself a small glass of white wine and watch the nightly news on television before turning in for the evening.

But half an hour later, as she crawled beneath the sheets on her bed and reached to turn off her bedside lamp, the phone rang. The caller ID revealed Luke’s cell number and her heart skittered to a stop.

This is it, she thought, taking a deep fortifying breath. He was calling to tell her that he found her requirements totally unacceptable and he would be searching elsewhere for his surrogate.

“Hello, Luke.”

“Have you already gone to bed?” His deep baritone sounded so darned smooth and sexy it sent tiny little shivers straight up her spine.

“Uh…yes, but I hadn’t gone to sleep.”

“Good. Get out of bed and get to the front door.”

Her scalp tingled and a wave of goose bumps shimmered over her arms. “Why?”

“Because I’ll be there in about thirty seconds and I want to get this thing settled tonight.”

“Can’t we discuss this over the phone?” she asked, throwing back the covers and scrambling out of bed. Holding the phone between her shoulder and ear, she frantically searched for her robe. Where on earth had she put the thing? She rarely wore it because she never had overnight visitors.

“No, I’d rather talk in person,” he said as the doorbell rang. “Now, open the door and let me in, Haley.”

At the sound of him ending the call, she tossed the phone on her bed and, giving up on finding her robe, pulled her raincoat out of the closet. “All right, I’m coming,” she muttered when the bell rang again. Shrugging into the coat, she hurried down the hall to the entryway. “Somebody needs to remind Mr. Luke Garnier that patience is a virtue.”

When she opened the door, Luke walked right in as he’d done the day before. “Are you going out?” he inquired, turning to eye her coat.

Pushing the door closed, she pulled the coat’s belt tight around her waist. “I couldn’t find my bathrobe and you wouldn’t stop ringing the doorbell.”

“You don’t keep your robe handy?” he asked as he walked into the living room.

“I live alone and if I want to walk around without a robe, there’s no one here to care,” she replied, wondering why she bothered to explain herself. It was her business, not his. “Now, what do we need to discuss that can’t wait until tomorrow morning, Luke? I thought I made my position quite clear at dinner.”

“You did,” he said, nodding. “And I’ve given it a fair amount of thought.”

She couldn’t tell what he was thinking from his expression, but knowing him, he was there to get her to come around to his way of thinking. “I’m not changing my mind, Luke.”

“I didn’t think you would.” Staring at her, he took a deep breath.

Here it comes, she thought, anticipating his rejection of her requirements.

“I’ve decided that the terms you laid down tonight are within reason and I’m willing to accept them,” he stated as if closing a business deal.

Her heart felt as if it lodged in her throat at the same time her knees gave way. Sinking down on the couch, she could have sworn that the walls started to move in on her.

“W-what did you say?”

“We’ll get married this weekend right after you sign a prenuptial agreement covering the protection of my assets, shared custody of my heir and a fair settlement for you if and when the marriage ends.”

“But…we…I mean, you—”

“I assume that since you haven’t indicated otherwise, you’ll be in the office tomorrow morning?” he interrupted.

Unable to find her voice for the second time in as many days, all she could manage was a short nod.

“We can discuss the details and refine our agreement then,” he continued. “Now, get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us.”

Haley watched him walk to the door, then close it with a click that seemed to echo throughout the room. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak and rational thought was completely out of the question.

What on earth just happened? Had her commitment-phobic boss really just informed her that they would be getting married for the sole purpose of having a baby? And this weekend, no less?

Knowing that sleep would be out of the question, she took off her raincoat and tossed it on the back of the couch. As she prowled the room like a caged tiger, she tried to arrange her tangled thoughts into some semblance of order.

The man of her dreams, the very man who clearly stated he had no time for love and marriage, was willing to become her husband. And his only purpose for making her his wife wasn’t because he loved her and wanted to raise a family with her. He was willing to marry her in order to have her bear him an heir.

She stopped in the middle of the room and barely suppressed a scream. Every one of her dreams was well on the way to becoming reality and for all the wrong reasons.

She wanted love and all the bonding that went with it. She wanted a lifetime emotional commitment, not a prenuptial agreement. But to Luke, their union would be just another business arrangement.

As she stood there, she couldn’t help but wonder where her plan had gone wrong. And what had possessed him to agree to her demands?

But most important of all, how in the name of all that was holy was she going to talk him out of following through with it?

Three

The next morning, Luke slid a folder across his desk for Haley’s perusal. “I’ve taken the liberty of having an attorney who specializes in family law draw up a prenuptial contract for you to sign.”

“How did you manage to get this done so quickly?” she asked, looking a lot like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights of a car.

“You can get just about anything done in a short amount of time for the right price.” He nodded toward the document she hadn’t yet touched. “I think you’ll find the agreement spells out what is expected from both of us when it comes to joint custody and parenting the boy. It also covers what we’ll both keep and what compensation you’ll receive when the marriage is dissolved.”

She looked a little distressed. “And when will that be?”

“Whenever we both agree that we’d like to move on with our lives.” He shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll know when the time comes.” Leaning back in his chair, he motioned toward the folder. “Take your time to read over the contract, then sign it and have it back on my desk by the end of the day.”

“It’s so generous of you to give me an ample amount of time to think over what I’ll be signing,” she said, her tone sarcastic.

He stated what he saw as obvious. “I don’t intend to drag my feet on getting this finalized. You laid down the terms, I’ve made the decision to comply with them and we’ll get married on Saturday morning. But between now and then we have a lot to do.”

“What’s the rush?” she asked, hiding a yawn behind her delicate hand. She looked thoroughly exhausted and he’d bet his next multimillion-dollar deal that she hadn’t slept a wink the night before. The thought that she’d soon be in his bed caused his heart to stall and a slow smile to tug at the corners of his mouth.

“Why wait?” he responded, answering her question with one of his own. “I want to get started making you pregnant as soon as possible.” That instantly brought her fully awake and added quite a bit of color to her unusually pale cheeks.

“You can’t be serious. We’ll be sleeping together?” She shook her head and the curls brushing her flawless cheeks fascinated the hell out of him. “I don’t remember you mentioning anything about that last night.”

He smiled. The idea of waking up with her in his arms each morning was becoming more appealing with each passing second. “I didn’t think I’d have to. The last I heard, that’s what married people do.”

Her turquoise eyes grew wide. “But the only reason for the marriage is to have a child. I thought we’d be sleeping in separate rooms and visit a doctor for some kind of medical procedure. That’s what we would be doing if we weren’t getting married.”

“You assumed wrong.” He couldn’t stop himself from giving her a wicked grin. “I have all of the required equipment, sweetheart. And let me assure you, everything works just fine. I see no reason for us to resort to a turkey baster when I’m perfectly capable of taking care of the job myself.”

He almost laughed out loud at the shocked expression crossing her pretty face. “But we barely even know each other outside of this office. And you’ve made it quite clear that you have no expectations of the marriage lasting for any length of time after the birth.”

Had he heard a hint of panic in her voice?

Interesting.

“That’s not exactly true. I said we’d know when it was time to move on. That could be a month, a year or even ten years after the birth before that happens. But that’s not the point,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t think of a better way to get acquainted than making love. Besides, if I have to get married to get the heir I want, you can damned well bet I’m going to enjoy all of the benefits of the marital institution. And that includes sleeping with you.” Heat began to gather in his lower belly and anticipation filled his chest. There were definite advantages to meeting her demands.

He didn’t think it was possible, but the blush on her cheeks changed from pink to a deep rose. Was it possible that Haley found the idea of making love with him less than appealing? Or could it be that she was a bit more innocent than he’d anticipated?

Deciding to find out, he stood up and rounding the desk, took her by the hand to help her to her feet. “While you read and sign the prenup, I’ll make the arrangements for our trip to Pigeon Forge,” he said, taking her into his arms.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Giving the woman I’m going to marry a hug,” he responded, drawing her a bit closer. Holding her to him increased the heat in his lower body and sent a shaft of excitement straight through him.

At first, she stood stiffly in his arms. “We aren’t going…to be married…here in Nashville?” she asked, sounding delightfully breathless.

“No.”

When he drew her even closer, Luke felt a tiny tremor course through Haley and instantly knew his suspicions about her innocence were right on the mark. He normally liked his women to be a little more experienced. But for reasons he couldn’t put his finger on, he found Haley’s inexperience oddly touching.

“I have an important meeting with the management employees of Laurel Enterprises and I want to tour my new properties and meet the construction crews,” he explained, enjoying the feel of her silky hair against his cheek. “And since there are several wedding chapels in the Pigeon Forge area where we’ll be staying, it just makes sense for us to get married while we’re there.”

“This is a…” She paused. “…huge step. I’m not entirely certain we’re doing the right thing. Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

“I am.”

“Really?” She didn’t sound as if she believed him for a minute.

He nodded. “You told me that it would take us getting married before you’d have my son and I’m complying. In some courts, a verbal agreement is as binding as any contract. And unless you’ve changed your mind about us being married, I’d say we have a solid deal, sweetheart.”

“No, I haven’t changed my mind.”

He smiled. “I didn’t think so.” Releasing her, before she realized just how much he looked forward to making her pregnant the old-fashioned way, he picked up the folder containing the prenuptial agreement. “This is fairly basic and straightforward. After you sign it, I want you to take the rest of the day off, as well as tomorrow.”

“Why?” she asked, looking confused. “I thought you said we had a lot to accomplish.”

He nodded again. “I need to review the agenda for my meeting with the Laurel employees, call the charter service to arrange our flight and reserve a wedding chapel for the ceremony.”

“But you normally have me make those arrangements for you.”

“You’ll be too busy.”

She frowned. “Doing what?”

“You’ll need to pack, inform management that you’re giving up your apartment and decide whether to store your furniture or donate it to an agency for the homeless.” He walked back around the desk and reaching for his suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair, removed his wallet. “I almost forgot. I have to attend a charity thing at one of the museums tomorrow evening and I need a date. I want you to go shopping for something new to wear,” he said, handing her one of his credit cards. “And while you’re at it, you might as well get whatever you’re going to wear for the marriage ceremony on Saturday.”

To his amazement, she looked as if he’d offered her a poisonous snake instead of the small harmless piece of plastic. “If I want something new to wear, I’ll get it myself.” She sounded more than a little offended as she scooped up the folder containing the prenup. “For your information, Mr. Garnier, I’m not destitute. You pay me more than enough to be able to afford whatever clothes I wish to purchase.”

As he watched her leave his office in an obvious huff, he wondered what he’d said to upset her. Didn’t men buy things for their spouses anymore?

Of course, he and Haley weren’t married yet. Maybe she took exception to him paying for things like that before they’d made their union official.

But the way he saw it, it was already a done deal. They had a verbal agreement, would soon have a signed prenup and within a few days a marriage certificate. End of story.

Staring at his computer screen, Luke still couldn’t quite believe that in two days, he’d be a married man. Hell, he’d spent the better part of his adult life avoiding anything more than a casual relationship with any woman. And he’d never so much as entertained the idea of getting married. So why was he jumping into the deep end of the marital pool with both feet now?

Haley had every trait he wanted for his heir—intelligence, a good head for business and excellent health. And for another, he couldn’t get her to have his son without the benefit of marriage. Yet, when he’d first heard her requirements to agree to his plan, he’d rejected the idea outright and given serious consideration to looking for a different woman. But the more he’d thought about it over the course of their dinner together, then later on the drive to his place after dropping her off at her apartment, the more sense it made and the more appeal it held.

She was extremely passionate about mothering a child and that would definitely work to his benefit. He had several satellite offices throughout the south, requiring a certain amount of travel, and juggling a small child with all the paraphernalia required for his care would be counterproductive. Besides, he would have had to hire a nanny to care for his son until the boy was out of infancy and old enough to go with him to the actual job sites anyway. But with Haley sharing custody of the child, Luke wouldn’t have to worry about finding someone suitable to give his son the quality of care he expected.

And then there was the more pleasurable aspect of marriage. Until he’d stopped by to ask her to be his surrogate, Luke had never seen Haley outside of the office and certainly not wearing anything other than the conservative suits she seemed to prefer for her job.

But when she’d opened her door and he caught sight of her long, slender legs in those extremely short little cutoffs and the size and shape of her pert breasts in that snug tank top, it had damn-near knocked his socks off. It had been like he was seeing her for the very first time and every one of his male instincts had come to full attention—reminding him in the most basic of ways that he hadn’t had the pleasure of a woman’s company in his bed for a very long time.

His lower body tightened even more. In two short days, Haley would be his and he would be making love to her quite frequently. Just the thought of having those shapely legs wrapped around him and her soft body cradling his caused the heat deep in the pit of his belly to flicker into a flame.

“Here’s your signed prenup,” Haley said, choosing that moment to walk into his office. When she tossed the folder onto his desk, then turned to leave, she added, “And unless you wish to issue another edict about what I need to do before we make the trip to Pigeon Forge, I’ll be leaving the office now.”

So that was why she’d become so upset. She obviously viewed his suggestions about her apartment and buying something new to wear as high-handedness. He’d have to remember that calling all the shots at the office was one thing, but he’d have to exercise a little more diplomacy when they were discussing what he thought she should do in her personal life.

“Before you leave there’s just one more thing. Are you using anything for birth control?” He knew she wasn’t presently seeing anyone, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t prepared.

Her cheeks colored the pretty shade of rose they always did when he mentioned anything to do with sex. “No. That’s not an issue.”

“Good.”

“Is there anything else?” she asked, her gaze not quite meeting his.

“I’m pretty sure what I told you earlier covers everything,” he said, unable to stand up without her seeing the evidence of his arousal. “I’ll give you a call this evening to let you know what time I’ll pick you up for the charity event tomorrow evening.”

She shrugged one slender shoulder as she continued toward the door. “Whatever.”

“Haley?” When she stopped and turned to face him, he grinned. “There is one more thing I really think you should consider doing.”

“What?”

Her withering glare might have stopped a lesser man, but it didn’t phase Luke one damned bit. Nor did it stop him from a little teasing.

“Be sure to get plenty of rest between now and Saturday.” He gave her a suggestive wink. “I plan on getting our little project started this weekend.”

When her cheeks turned bright pink and she fled his office like something chased her, he laughed out loud. Getting married just might prove to be more fun than he’d first thought. At least temporarily.

As Luke held her hand to help her out of his limousine, Haley glanced at the other couples arriving for the museum’s annual charity event. She recognized several prominent businessmen, a couple of them Luke’s rivals, and she knew they were attending for the same reason Luke was—meeting potential clients. Making a contact at a social function could mean the difference between signing a lucrative contract to build the next high-rise to grace the Nashville skyline or watching the competition walk away with the job.

“It’s good to see you again, Luke,” a distinguished-looking elderly gentleman greeted them as they walked through the museum’s entrance. He pumped Luke’s hand, then turned to give her a friendly smile. “And who is this lovely young lady?”

“My executive assistant, Haley Rollins,” Luke answered, already scanning the crowd in the atrium. “Haley, I’d like for you to meet Max Parmelli, the curator of the museum and the head of this year’s charity drive for the city’s homeless shelters.”

Holding her hand, the older man leaned forward to kiss the back of it. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Ms. Rollins.”

She smiled at the pleasant older man, but Luke prevented any other greeting when he placed his hand to her back and guided her through the crowd toward a group of men standing by the fountain in the middle of the room. One of them she recognized as a former client of Garnier Construction who she knew in the very near future was going to be expanding his current building, if not contracting for a new one.

“Why don’t you look at some of the exhibits or get something for yourself at the buffet tables?” Luke advised, his attention clearly focused on the men by the fountain. “I’ll find you in a few minutes.”

Effectively dismissed, she watched him join the group before heading toward a display of artifacts believed to belong to the ill-fated Romanov family of Russia. She really wasn’t all that interested in any of the exhibits, but she couldn’t—wouldn’t—just stand there like a little lost puppy, waiting for Luke to once again grace her with his attention.

Sighing, she wandered around the museum, wondering what on earth she’d gotten herself into. It hadn’t been lost on her that Luke had introduced her to the curator as his executive assistant, instead of his fiancée or future wife. Nor did he have any compunction about dumping her in favor of soliciting a possible repeat client.

But she really didn’t have any reason to complain. He’d made it quite clear that he was only marrying her because he couldn’t get her to have his heir any other way. And she was going through with their arrangement because she wanted a baby more than she’d ever wanted anything in her entire life.

Haley smiled as she absently gazed at a delicate, elaborately decorated egg. She was finally going to have her own baby—a child she would love and nurture and who would love her unconditionally in return. And the fact that Luke was going to be the baby’s daddy made her decision to go through with their agreement much easier. The only fly in the ointment was the fact that Luke didn’t love her, nor did he make any pretense that he expected their marriage to last.

“It looks pretty fragile, doesn’t it?”

At the sound of the male voice at her shoulder, Haley turned to find a nice-looking man with dark blond hair and sparkling green eyes standing next to her. “Yes, it does,” she said, really taking a look at the Faberge egg in the glass case in front of her for the first time.

“Back where I come from, we fry up the eggs for breakfast and throw the shells away,” he remarked, laughing.

“And home is Oklahoma or Texas?” she asked, recognizing his southwestern drawl.

“Beaver, Oklahoma, to be exact,” he announced proudly.

“And you?”

“I was born and raised in Atlanta.” She walked to the next display case containing pictures of the Romanov family shortly before their deaths. “But I’ve lived in Nashville since I was in college.”

“Never went to college myself,” the man disclosed, shaking his head as he followed her. “I left home right after graduating high school with a fifty dollar bill in my pocket and an old guitar slung over my shoulder.” He grinned. “That was fifteen years ago and I’ve been here ever since.”

“So you’re in the music business?” she asked politely.

The man looked shocked for a moment before giving her a wide grin. “You’re about the sweetest thing I’ve come across in a long time. What’s your name, darlin’?”

She caught sight of Luke coming toward them like a charging bull. “Haley, I need you to come with me.” The censure she detected in his voice startled her.

“Haley is it?” the man beside her repeated, smiling. “Pretty name for a pretty lady.”

She ignored the man’s compliment as Luke came to stand on the other side of her. “Is something wrong?”

“No. I just want to get your opinion on one of the paintings offered here that I thought would make a nice addition to the office.” Before she could respond, he glared at the friendly man standing beside her. “You’ll have to excuse us.”

When Luke took her by the elbow and strongly urged her in the opposite direction, she gave the man an apologetic smile. “It was nice talking with you.”

He nodded. “You, too, Haley. That’s just my luck, though. All the pretty ones are already spoke for.”

She frowned as Luke hurried her toward a gallery on the opposite side of the atrium. “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”

“We’ll talk about it later,” he said, leading her to an abstract painting. “Right now, I want your opinion on this. Do you think this would be appropriate for the reception area?”

She stared at him before she finally shook her head and turned her attention to the painting. “I’m not the person you should be asking about this.”

He looked surprised. “Why not?”

“Because I prefer a more realistic rendering,” she elaborated, pointing to a beautiful landscape down the long wall. “I especially love scenes like this.”

“Really?” Shaking his head, he glanced from one painting to the other. “I wouldn’t have guessed that about you.”

“I’m sure there’s a lot about me you’d never guess,” she murmured, moving on to view another canvas. If he was surprised by her taste in artwork, he’d be shocked right down to his Italian loafers to learn how she truly felt about him.

While Luke arranged the purchase and delivery of the landscape she had chosen for the Garnier office on Monday, Haley continued looking at the array of artwork.

“You know, that picture looks like something my nephew did when he was in kindergarten,” a familiar voice remarked from behind her.

Turning, Haley smiled at the man she’d talked to earlier in the room displaying the Romanov treasures. “You wouldn’t happen to be following me, would you?”

He grinned. “Would it bother you if I said yes?”

“It wouldn’t set well with me.”

Haley glanced up to see Luke walking toward them, his expression anything but pleased. “Come on, Haley. It’s time I took you home.”

“There you go again, trying to steal her away from me,” the man said good-naturedly.

Luke placed his hand to her back. “Pal, she’s not yours for me to steal away. She’s already mine and you might as well give up the chase. It’s not going to happen tonight or any other night.”

Surprised by his possessive words, Haley didn’t even think to protest as Luke guided her to the exit. But when they stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the museum and she finally found her voice, she asked “What was that all about?”

He gave the valet instructions to call for his limo before turning to face her. “Do you even know who you were talking to?”

“No. Why?”

Luke’s frown eased a bit. “That was country music’s bad boy, Chet Parker. Surely you’ve heard about his womanizing. He has quite a reputation.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the museum’s entrance. “You can’t be serious,” she said, amazed that she hadn’t recognized the country music superstar.

“He’s divorced again,” Luke advised disgustedly. “And I’d say he was sizing you up as his next candidate.”

Haley shook her head. “I doubt that. We were just chatting about the displays.”

“Guys like Parker don’t strike up a casual conversation with a woman. Not without an ulterior motive.” When his limousine pulled up to the curb, Luke helped her into the back, then slid in beside her. “Just keep in mind that you and I have a deal. And it doesn’t include the likes of Chet Parker.”

A mixture of anger and disappointment settled in the pit of Haley’s stomach. Luke wasn’t acting possessive because he cared for her, he was just concerned that she might find a reason to renege on their agreement.

Thankful the ride to her place was short, when the driver parked the car in front of her apartment, she gathered her evening bag and readied herself to escape Luke’s presence. If she didn’t, she wasn’t entirely certain she wouldn’t bop him on top of his thick head with her sequined clutch.

Unfortunately, he had other ideas. When the chauffer opened the door and Luke got out to help her to her feet, he wrapped his arm around her waist and started up the walk to her door.

“There’s no need to see me inside. I’m perfectly capable of finding my own way.”

“I’m sure you can,” he said as he continued to escort her to the front step. Taking her key from her, he fit it into the lock and opened her door. “But I always make sure my date gets inside safely.”

“Your date? I wasn’t aware that’s what I was tonight,” she retorted, unable to stop herself.

“Of course you were.”

She shook her head. “Let me see. You didn’t ask me to go to the event with you, you told me that we were going. Then this evening, I was introduced as your executive assistant and immediately dismissed in favor of a potential client. And at no time during the evening do I remember You referring to me as your date or being treated like one, unless you want to count that little display of macho possessiveness with Chet Parker.”

He looked at her like he didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. “You are my assistant and I’m sure you recognized the client I was talking with. I don’t need to tell you how profitable his business could be for Garnier Construction. And as far as Parker was concerned, he needed to get the message that you’re unavailable.”

Suddenly too tired to explain what he was obviously missing, she reached for her key. “On second thought, just forget it. You probably wouldn’t understand if I drew you a picture.”

“Oh, I get it.” He held her key just out of reach. “You feel that I neglected you this evening.”

“No,” she lied. That was exactly the way she’d felt, but for one thing, he had no idea that she had romantic feelings for him. And for another, he didn’t see her as anything more than his executive assistant, who had obviously lost her mind and agreed to help him with his cockamamy scheme to have a baby.

“Please, give me my key. I’ll see you tomorrow morning when you pick me up to go to Pigeon Forge,” she responded, holding out her hand.

To her surprise, he shook his head and wrapped his arms around her waist to draw her to him. “I can’t let you think that I was ignoring you.” He smiled as he ran his index finger over the scooped neckline of her dress. “Or that I didn’t notice how sexy you look in this little black number.”

Haley felt as if her heart bounced down to the pit of her stomach, then rebounded to lodge in her throat. His strong arms holding her securely to his tall, solid frame and the intention in his dark blue gaze sent a shiver of sheer delight through her. How many times in the past several years had she imagined him looking at her that way? Or what it would feel like to be in his arms and have him kiss her?

But when he lowered his head to cover her mouth with his, reality far exceeded any of her fantasies. Light and tender, his firm lips moved over hers with such care it robbed her of breath and sent a delicious warmth flowing in her body.

Tingles of excitement rushed through her when he used his tongue to coax her mouth to open for him. Haley couldn’t have denied him access to her inner recesses if her life depended on it. She wanted to experience every nuance of Luke’s kiss, wanted to taste him and have him taste her in return.

As his tongue mated with hers, her knees gave way and she raised her arms to his shoulders to keep from falling. Never had a kiss left her feeling as if every bone in her body had been turned to soft, malleable putty.

But all too soon Luke eased the pressure of his mouth on hers and nibbled tiny kisses from her lips to her ear, then down to the hollow below. “I’ll be by around seven in the morning to get you,” he whispered, sending a wave of heat coursing through her.

“Th-that’s awfully early,” she noted, distracted by his warm breath feathering over her suddenly sensitive skin.

“I want to get the wedding out of the way before I meet with the Laurel employees,” he stated, releasing her to step back.

Being doused with a bucket of ice water couldn’t have been more effective in ending the sensual feelings he’d created within her. Of course he’d think of their wedding as an inconvenience to be dispensed with as quickly as possible in order to get back to business as usual.

“Don’t bother,” she said, plucking her key from his fingers. “I’ll meet you at the airfield.”

Walking into her apartment and closing the door before he could argue the point further, Haley barely suppressed the urge to scream. She hadn’t expected him to feel the same about their wedding as she did. After all, she might love him, but he barely knew she existed beyond the office. Yet, it certainly would have been nice for him to view the ceremony as more than just fulfilling one of the details of their agreement.

She shook her head as she entered her bedroom to change into her nightgown. Her father’s housekeeper used to warn her to be careful what she wished for because she just might get it.

Haley had never understood what the woman meant more than she did at that very moment. Tomorrow she would have everything she’d wished for. She would become Luke Garnier’s wife—albeit temporarily—and quite possibly within the next year, the mother of his child.

So why wasn’t she happier about it? And why did she feel like she was embarking on a journey that could very well end up destroying her?

Four

The following morning, barely an hour after they were picked up by a limousine at the Knoxville airport, Haley walked down the aisle of a little log wedding chapel in Pigeon Forge toward Luke and the rotund minister waiting to unite them in holy matrimony. Dressed in a black pin-striped suit, pearl gray shirt and burgundy tie, Luke looked as handsome and confident as she had ever remembered seeing him. And within a few short minutes, they would be husband and wife.

Unbelievable.

After all these years, the man of her dreams had finally seen her as more than his glorified secretary. The only problem was, when he finally did take a second glance in her direction, all he’d been able to see was a fertile egg and an incubator.

When she reached the end of the aisle and stopped beside Luke, the grandfatherly minister smiled. “Please turn to face one another and join hands.”

Haley was sure she stopped breathing when Luke captured her hands in his and smiled down at her. His encouraging expression and the feel of his solid palms against hers sent tingles rippling up her spine and reminded her that later on that evening, she’d feel those same strong hands elsewhere on her body, exploring, caressing, teasing.

“Are you ready to put the final touch on this deal?” he asked, completely unaware of the direction her thoughts had taken her.

“I…um, suppose I am,” she murmured, not at all surprised that he refused to acknowledge their marriage as anything more than one of his business agreements.

“Good. The meeting with the Laurel people is due to start in…” he glanced at his watch “…a little less than forty-five minutes.”

“Of course.” She glared at him and before she could stop herself, added, “I couldn’t possibly expect you to keep them waiting for something as trivial as your own wedding.”

Frowning, Luke looked at her like she’d sprouted another head. “You knew that I’d scheduled the meeting for today.”

Didn’t he realize that no matter the reason for a marriage, a woman’s wedding day was special to her? That having the groom rush off to a business meeting immediately following the ceremony wasn’t exactly the stuff a woman’s dreams were made of?

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, resigned that he would never understand.

His smile faded and clearing his throat, the minister interrupted their verbal sparring to ask “Are y’all real sure you folks want to go through with this wedding?”

“Yes,” Luke declared, his tone leaving no doubt he meant it.

When the man turned his attention her way, she glanced up at Luke. Even though she was keenly disappointed over his insensitivity, the time for backing out of this fiasco had come and gone. She’d given her word and that was something she tried never to go back on. Besides, she wanted a baby—his baby—more than she’d ever wanted anything and she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity for the child she wanted to be that of the man of her dreams.

“Yes, I want to marry him,” she admitted, surprised by the surety in her own voice.

“All right, I guess if you’re both agreeable, we’ll get started then,” the minister indicated, sounding more than a little doubtful as he opened his book of wedding vows. “We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of—”

Staring at Luke, she heard very little of the blessedly brief ceremony and was surprised when the minister asked, “Do you have a wedding ring for your bride, son?”

Luke frowned. “No.”

“It’s really not that important anyway,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t reflect her disillusionment.

She didn’t know if Luke had forgotten about a ring for her or if he purposely hadn’t bought one. But either way, it was one more detail about her wedding day that she’d just as soon forget.

The man raised one bushy gray eyebrow, then shaking his head turned to the groom. “Luke, do you take Haley to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation in his rich baritone when Luke gazed into her eyes and answered, “I do.”

The minister nodded, then turned to her. “And Haley, do you take Luke to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

“I…uh…yes. Yes, I do.” Knowing their marriage was only a temporary arrangement, she hated making a vow she knew for certain wouldn’t be kept.

As if he couldn’t quite believe what he was about to say, the minister shook his head as he announced, “Then by the power vested in me by Sevier County and the great state of Tennessee, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He gave Luke a questioning look. “Son, if you want to kiss your bride, now would be the time to give it a try.”

For the briefest of moments, as she watched Luke lower his head, she thought he was going to brush her lips with his and that would be the end of it. But the light of challenge she detected in his intense gaze a split second before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, warned her that the kiss was going to be anything but casual or brief.

Haley caught her breath and when his mouth settled over hers, every cell in her body seemed to zing to life. At first, his firm, warm lips moved over hers with such tender care, such thoughtfulness, she felt as if she might just melt into a puddle right there on the chapel floor. But when he tightened his arms and pressed her even closer, her heart began an erratic cadence and a current of electrified heat coursed from the top of her head all the way to the tips of her toes.

The feel of his solid body against her much softer one as he coaxed her mouth to open for him caused an interesting little swirl in the most feminine part of her and Haley didn’t have the presence of mind to put up so much as a token protest. Allowing him access, she leaned into him as he stroked and teased. But when he engaged her tongue in a game of advance and retreat, she felt as if her knees had turned to rubber and she wrapped her arms around his trim waist to keep from falling in an undignified heap at his feet.

She’d been kissed many times before, but never like this, never with such tenderness and purpose. Not even their first kiss had affected her as profoundly, and by the time Luke eased away from the caress, Haley felt completely and irrevocably claimed.

She silently stood by Luke’s side as the chapel’s photographer snapped several pictures, then handed him the disk of still shots and a DVD of the ceremony, along with their newly signed marriage certificate.

“Thank you,” Haley murmured as Luke took her hand in his and led her up the aisle and out of the chapel door to their waiting limo.

“I’ve got to hurry to make the meeting with the Laurel employees on time,” he said, helping her into the backseat of the long black car. When he slid in beside her on the plush leather seat, he checked his watch, then tapped on the window separating them from the driver. “Take me directly to the Laurel Enterprises office in Gatlinburg, then drive Ms. Rollins up to the Mountain Crest Lodge.”

“You don’t want me to attend the meeting with you?” Since she was his executive assistant, she’d been included in several employee meetings in the past and she’d assumed that would be the case this time.

He shook his head. “Besides meeting with the office staff, I’ll be touring a couple of job sites and talking to the work crews. But I plan to be back in time for dinner this evening.”

“Will I need to go shopping for food?” At least buying a few groceries and preparing a meal would give her something to fill the empty hours of the long day ahead.

“No. I’ve arranged for a caterer to make dinner for us. And the housekeeper will oversee the clean-up in the kitchen before she leaves for the evening.”

After college, Haley had done her own cooking and cleaning and she liked it that way. Having someone perform those duties for her again was going to take some getting used to.

It took a moment for her to realize that the car had stopped in the parking lot of Laurel Enterprises on the outskirts of Gatlinburg. As with most of the other buildings in the area, it was a log structure that complimented the surrounding environment, instead of detracting from it.

“What am I supposed to do for the rest of the day?” Being abandoned by her new husband right after they exchanged vows, then sequestered in a mountaintop lodge with nothing to do wasn’t exactly the way she’d dreamed her wedding day would unfold.

“It’s a nice spring day. You could sit on one of the decks and enjoy the view of Mount LeConte,” he said, waiting for their driver to open his door. “Or you could spend the afternoon relaxing in the hot tub.” He started to get out of the car, then turned back. “But whatever else you decide to do, make sure that you get plenty of rest.” Giving her a quick kiss and a smile that spoke volumes, he winked. “If you’ll remember, we’re going to start making a baby tonight.”

All the way up the mountain to the lodge where they would be staying, Haley tried to remind herself that her marriage to Luke was one of convenience. He viewed their union as the means to an end—a way to get the heir he wanted.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t help but resent the fact that he wasn’t even willing to take their wedding day off from work. Nor could she stop a keen sense of sadness from filling her. She’d always envisioned having a baby with a man who loved her and was as devoted to her and their child as she intended to be.

And although she’d known and accepted that theirs was a one-sided relationship, that knowledge did very little to help her stifle an almost uncontrollable urge to let the flood gates open and have herself a good cleansing cry. Nor did it keep her from wanting to tell the driver to turn around and take her back to Nashville and the safe haven of her comfortable little apartment.

Long after the limousine driver let him out in front of the Mountain Crest Lodge and drove back down the mountain, Luke stood staring at the dark windows of the huge three-story log structure. Haley hadn’t bothered leaving a light on for him and he couldn’t say that he blamed her. Hurrying off immediately after the wedding ceremony to meet with the Laurel people, he’d left her to fend for herself on their wedding day. That was probably more than enough to get him nominated for jerk of the year.

He checked his watch. It was well past midnight and he’d missed most of his own wedding night as well. He didn’t pretend to be an expert on the subject by any means, but even he knew that kind of behavior fell short of what was expected of a newly married man. And especially one who had wed for the sole purpose of making his partner pregnant. But the truth of the matter was, he hadn’t expected the intensity of his reaction to Haley when he’d watched her walk down the aisle toward him or the emotions that he’d experienced during the ceremony. Wearing a simple, sleeveless white dress and with her hair in that curly style he’d liked the day he stopped by her apartment, she had been absolutely stunning. And he still had a hard time believing that in the five years she’d worked for him, he hadn’t once taken notice of how beautiful she was.

But it was when she’d looked up at him with those trusting turquoise eyes, that a need to protect and take care of her threatened to overwhelm him.

And if that wasn’t enough to throw him for a loop, the kiss they’d shared at the end of the brief ceremony was. When he’d kissed her the night before, it had been quite promising and more than a little pleasant. But it couldn’t compare to the kiss they’d shared to seal their vows. The feel of her soft, sweet lips beneath his and the need to possess her had been staggering. He’d never in his entire thirty-six years experienced anything even close to that with any other woman.

That was what sent him rushing off to meet the Laurel people. He’d needed the distance to regain his perspective on the matter.

Unfortunately, the meeting ran a lot longer than he anticipated, then he’d learned of a labor dispute that threatened to shut down work on several job sites. By the time he’d straightened out the problem so that the jobs could resume the next week, it was well after midnight. And if missing the wedding dinner he’d arranged for them and not being there to make love to Haley on their wedding night didn’t lock up the prize jerk award for him, he didn’t know what would.

He sighed heavily as he started up the steps to the front door of the lodge. As he keyed in the security code and opened the door, he wondered if she would honor their agreement of having his child. But as he walked through the great room on his way to the master suite, he shook his head. There was no doubt in his mind that Haley would hold up her end of the arrangement. If there was one thing he knew about his executive assistant, it was that her word was as good as any signed contract. And he’d known from the minute she’d outlined her conditions that if he accepted her criteria, she’d go through with it.

Still, that didn’t change the fact that she probably expected a lot more from him on their wedding day.

Luke narrowed his eyes at the sight of his big empty bed. The comforter was still in place, indicating no one had been in it. He looked around the room and noted that her overnight case was nowhere in sight.

Where the hell was she?

His strides purposeful, he crossed the great room and taking the stairs two at a time, went in search of his wayward assistant. There were seven other bedrooms in the place and Haley had damned well better be in one of them.

By the time he got to the door at the end of the hall, Luke was already planning to call the housekeeper and put the woman through the third degree about when Haley had left and if she’d indicated where she was going. But when he glanced in the last bedroom, his irritation instantly disappeared at the sight before him.

The moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in an ethereal light. Haley looked like a golden-haired angel curled up in the middle of the king-size bed. Walking over to wake her and ask her why the hell she wasn’t in his bed in the master suite, Luke stopped short at the iridescent trace of tears on her flawless cheeks.

She’d been crying?

Without warning the protectiveness he’d experienced at the wedding chapel began to spread throughout his chest and he didn’t think twice as he quietly shrugged out of his suit coat and began to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt. Tossing them on the chair across the room, he removed his shoes and socks, then unzipped his trousers and added them to the growing pile of clothes. Careful not to wake her, Luke pulled back the covers and stretching out on the bed beside her, reached out to take Haley into his arms.

As he pulled her against him, he thought he heard her murmur his name in her sleep, but he didn’t have time to dwell on what that might mean when she moved to snuggle against him and placed a delicate hand on his bare chest. The feel of her slender body aligned with his and her soft palm against his hair-roughened flesh sent heat streaking at the speed of light down the length of him and he concentrated on drawing in his next breath.

Suddenly, and completely without warning, the memory of their wedding kiss came rushing back and his body hardened so fast it left him feeling light-headed. The memory of the feel of her perfect lips against his had him wondering what the hell he’d been thinking. Why had he put work ahead of what he knew for certain would have been one of the most exciting nights of his life?

Luke glanced down at Haley’s head cradled on his shoulder. He’d like nothing more than to wake her and make love until they both collapsed from exhaustion. But all things considered, he doubted she’d be overly receptive to the idea of sharing her body with the man who had abandoned her in favor of work.

Tightening his arms around her, he forced himself to relax and concentrate on getting some much needed sleep. The first thing in the morning, he’d let her know he regretted the way things had gone the evening before. And once she was in a more congenial mood, they could spend the rest of their stay in the mountains on the pleasurable task of making her pregnant.

Trying her best to prolong her tantalizing dream, Haley moved closer to the warm, hard masculine body lying next to her. But one by one, as her senses woke up, she became aware of several things at once. The feel of crisp hair beneath her palm, the light woodsy scent of a man’s cologne and the sound of soft snores chased away the last traces of sleep and opening her eyes, she found herself face-to-face with Luke.

Her sharp intake of breath must have wakened him because the corners of his mouth slowly curved up in a sleepy smile a moment before he opened his eyes. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

“What are you doing here, Luke?”

His low chuckle caused a wonderful fluttering sensation deep in the pit of her stomach and made every one of her feminine instincts come to full alert.

“If you’ll remember, we got married yesterday. This is where I’m supposed to be.”

“Oh, I remember.” She shook her head and started moving away from him. She wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily. “But I was under the impression that you had forgotten all about that.”

The smile on his handsome face faded and before she knew what was happening, he reached out and pulled her back to him. “I really regret that I missed having dinner with you last night.” He used his index finger to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. “But during my meeting with the Laurel office staff, I learned about a labor dispute with the work crews which had to be resolved immediately or there would have been a walkout on Monday.”

Her skin tingled everywhere he touched her, but Haley tried her best not to notice. As far as she was concerned, no matter what the reason for their marriage, there was no excuse for a man to completely ignore a woman on what was supposed to be one of the most important days of her life.

“There’s always going to be something that needs your attention.” She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but his arms were like two steel bands holding her firmly against him.

“That’s true,” he said, confirming her suspicion that she would always come in a distant second to Garnier Construction. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Would you like to know what’s going to claim my attention today and tomorrow?”

“Not particularly.” She wasn’t interested in hearing about labor problems or another meeting with office managers. All she wanted to do was take a shower, get dressed and pack for their return trip.

“That’s too bad because I’m going to tell you anyway,” he continued as he ran his hand down the outside of her thigh, then back up, bringing the tail of her nightgown to her waist. “Today and tomorrow, you will have my complete and undivided attention.”

Haley wasn’t sure if her heart skittered to a stop because of what he’d said or from the feel of his hand slipping beneath her gown to caress her lower back. “B-but I thought…I mean, you said we would be going back to Nashville early this morning.”

“I’ve decided that we need time to rectify the situation you brought to my attention the other day at the office. We need to get to know each other on a more…personal level,” he said, giving her a smile that warmed her all over and left no doubt about what he had in mind. “We’ll head back home in a couple of days.”

“Home? Meaning your mansion?”

He nodded as his finger traced the lace edge of her panties. “Didn’t you inform the complex that you would be moving? Surely you didn’t think you’d be returning to your apartment, did you?”

She shook her head. “I…still have to…move my clothes.” How was she supposed to think with his fingers dipping beneath the scalloped trim?

“Don’t worry. I had some of my staff move your personal effects after we left yesterday,” he stated, his voice low and intimate.

Haley froze. “You did what?”

He kissed her shoulder. “Everything will already be unpacked and put away by the time we get back on Tuesday.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Your arrogance has no bounds, does it?”

“What do you mean?” He had the audacity to look truly puzzled.

“Did it ever occur to you that I might not like someone else handling my underwear?”

He smiled as he continued to touch her and every stroke of his warm palm on her suddenly sensitive skin increased the heat building deep inside of her. “I don’t…know what surprises me more…your arrogance or…you taking a day off from work,” she explained, struggling to catch her next breath and trying desperately to remember she was irritated with him.

“Why would my taking time off surprise you?” he asked, his warm breath close to her ear.

“The only time I’ve ever known you to take a day off from the office was when your sister graduated from college,” she retorted, trying to concentrate on something besides his hands moving steadily over her body. She was definitely losing the battle.

“I’m not all work,” he insisted, slowly easing her to her back. When he leaned over her, his smile and the gleam in his vivid blue eyes told her in no uncertain terms exactly what he meant when he added, “Believe me, I do know how to play, sweetheart.”

“I’m, uh, sure you do,” she hedged, staring up at him. “But I don’t think—”

“That’s all right. I’ll do the thinking for both of us,” he interrupted as he brought his mouth down to cover hers.

His lips teased and caressed, making Haley forget anything she’d been about to say. Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, she gave up trying to think and lost herself to his tender exploration.

How could she even begin to form a rational thought when she was lying in bed with a half-naked man? The very man she’d fantasized about for over five years? The man who was kissing her like she was the most desirable woman he’d ever known?

When he used the tip of his tongue to trace the edge of her mouth, she couldn’t deny him entry. She wanted to once again experience his taste and the feeling that Luke was claiming her for his own.

Her pulse sped up and she wasn’t entirely certain it would ever return to normal when he slowly slid his hand from her back to her abdomen, then up to the underside of her breast. Never in her wildest imaginings could anything have felt more sensual as when he cupped the soft mound and began to relentlessly tease the puckered bud with the pad of his thumb.

“You’re so sweet,” he said, breaking the kiss to nibble his way down her throat to the top of her nightgown. When he raised his head, he gave her a smile that heated her all the way to her soul at the same time he used his finger to trace the delicate lace edging at the neckline. “Let’s get you out of this.”

Before she could respond, he tossed the comforter back and propping himself up on one elbow, used both hands to rip the thin cotton garment from the top all the way to the hem.

Gasping, she reached for the sheet. “Good heavens, Luke, you didn’t even give me the chance to take it off.”

He was not the least bit apologetic when he shoved the sheet farther from her grasp. “I didn’t want to waste the time.”

“That was the only gown I brought with me…I didn’t expect to be staying more than one night,” she explained, covering her breasts with her palms.

Taking her hands in his, he moved them to her sides. “Don’t try to hide from me, Haley. We’re married. There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed or shy with me.”

“But couldn’t we learn about each other on a more personal level with our clothes on first?” she asked as a fiery flush heated her cheeks.

She knew he thought she’d lost her mind, but that couldn’t be helped. To have their relationship go from strictly business with no contact outside of the office one day, to being married and naked in bed together the next was more than a little intimidating. And even though she’d dreamed that one day he’d notice her as a woman instead of just his competent assistant, in her fantasies, things between them had never progressed this far this fast.

“I told you before that there’s no better way for a man and woman to get acquainted than making love,” he reminded, lowering his head to kiss the tip of her breast. “Besides, the sole reason for our getting married was for me to make you pregnant.” Laughing, he traced the valley between her breasts all the way down to her navel. “And that would be hard to do with clothes on, sweetheart.”

When he lowered his mouth to her overly sensitive nipple, a swirl of heat gathered in the very core of her and Haley forgot about everything but the way Luke was making her feel. Shamelessly threading her fingers through his thick black hair to hold him to her, it took a moment for her to realize he’d slipped his hand below the band of her silk panties.

Inch by slow inch, he caressed his way to her most secret parts, and she thought she’d melt from the delicious heat threading though her veins. The intense longing he created was like nothing she had ever known and she didn’t even try to stop her moan from escaping.

“Look at me, Haley,” he said, raising his head from her breast. When she did, his smile sent another wave of tingling sensations straight through her. “In the past few minutes, I’ve already learned several things about you that I wasn’t aware of before.”

“R-really?”

Smiling, he nodded. “You like the way I make you feel when I touch you here.” When he moved his fingers to dip inside and stroke her intimately, every fiber of her being hummed with pleasure.

“I…oh…y-yes.”

“And you really like for me to do this,” he added, nipping at the tip of her breast with his firm lips.

When he took the bud into his mouth to draw on it deeply, exquisite feelings flowed to every nerve in her body and her will to resist became nonexistent.

Unable to make a sound, she nodded as Luke continued his gentle assault on her senses. Completely lost to the feelings he was creating within her, she didn’t have the slightest clue when he’d removed her panties and his boxers. But the feel of his bare body against hers and the solid strength of his arousal as he pressed himself to her thigh, brought back some of her sanity and she shivered from nervous anticipation.

“I’ve gotten to know you quite well already, sweetheart,” Luke informed, kissing her. “But now it’s time you learned something about me.”

“W-what…would that…be?” she asked, finding oxygen in extremely short supply.

“I want you,” he said, nudging her legs apart with his knee. “I want to be deep inside of you. Right now.”

As he moved to cover her, she closed her eyes and lay back against the pillows. The electrifying excitement he’d built inside her was undeniable, but so was a fair amount of nervous apprehension.

He’d said that making love was a good way to get to know each other on a more personal level. And there was something very important that he was about to find out about her. Something that she was fairly certain he would have never guessed.

What was Luke going to think when he found out? How was he going to react when he discovered that his wife had never been acquainted with any other man the way she was about to become acquainted with him?

Five

Luke felt Haley’s body tense as he guided himself to her and his protectiveness returned tenfold. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.” When she did, he thought he saw a brief shadow of fear in her blue-green gaze. “You do trust me, don’t you?”

She stared at him a moment before she slowly nodded. “Y-yes. But there’s something I should probably tell you.”

“Do you want me, Haley?”

“Y-yes.”

“That’s all I need to know.” Giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, he brushed her soft lips with his, cutting off anything she was about to say. “It’s going to be all right, Haley. I know you haven’t been seeing anyone and it’s probably been a while. But I don’t want you to worry. We’re going to be good together and I promise to take care of you.” He moved his lower body forward a fraction of an inch. “I’ll make sure that you get as much pleasure from our lovemaking as I do, sweetheart.”

As he entered her, Luke gritted his back teeth and forced himself to go slow in order to allow her body to adjust to the invasion of his. He’d been right in his assumption that she didn’t have a lot of experience at making love. She’d been too inhibited about him seeing her body and he could tell that she’d been genuinely surprised by the way he’d made her feel when he’d touched her. And if that hadn’t been evidence enough to prove his theory, the mind-blowing tightness surrounding him now was.

But when he met a slight resistance within her, then the feeling that he’d pushed past a thin barrier, he froze and tried to come to grips with his newest discovery about her. He’d thought it had been some time since she’d been intimate with a man, but it had not even crossed his mind that Haley might still be a virgin. After all, she was twenty-eight years old and extremely attractive. He couldn’t believe some man hadn’t swept her off her feet at least once.

“You’ve never had sex.” He hadn’t meant for the words to come out more as an accusation than a statement of the fact.

“No,” she whispered. A couple of tears slipped from the corners of her tightly closed eyes and Luke felt like the biggest fool alive.

He knew she was experiencing a bit of discomfort and careful to hold his lower body completely still, he wrapped his arms around her and cradled her to him. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I know it must be uncomfortable, but try to relax. Just a little more and you’ll have all of me.”

He waited until he felt a slight easing of her feminine muscles surrounding him, then moving forward, joined their bodies completely. The realization that he was claiming her in a way that no other man had, caused the possessiveness within him to reach heights that he never expected and didn’t even want to think about.

But concentrating on more pressing matters, he ignored the fire in his belly that urged him to complete the act of loving her. Her body needed more time to get used to the newness of accommodating his. And the very last thing he intended to do was hurt her any more than he had already done.

“It’s a little better now,” she said, opening her eyes. The spark of desire he detected in the turquoise depths and the easing of tension in her slender form reinforced her statement and he knew that the unfulfilled passion he’d created within her was beginning to return.

As he eased his hips back, he captured her gaze with his. “I want you to promise me that you’ll let me know if I’m hurting you in any way.”

“I promise,” she repeated, bringing her arms up to encircle his shoulders.

The feel of her arms embracing him and her soft body accepting him almost sent him over the edge. But focusing all of his attention on making things as easy for her as was humanly possible, he slowly began to rock against her.

His body demanded satisfaction, but Luke refused to give in to his own needs without ensuring that he’d first met hers. He knew it wasn’t always enjoyable for a woman the first time she made love, but even if it killed him, he was going to see that Haley found their lovemaking at the very least pleasant and if he had his way, quite pleasurable.

When her body began a tentative movement that joined the rhythm of his, he knew his efforts had been worth the hell he’d been going through to ensure her comfort. But all too soon he felt her gently tighten around him, signaling that she’d reached the pinnacle and was about to find the ecstasy he was determined to give her. Deepening his movements, he waited until he felt the trembling of her delicate body beneath his and heard her softly cry out his name before he let go of the slender thread he held on his control. Only then did he give way to his own desire and allow himself to find the release he so desperately needed.

Luke’s pulse pounded in his ears and he thought he just might pass out from the rush as he thrust into her one final time and wave after wave of intense pleasure flowed through him. As he filled her with his essence, he felt as if he’d been completely drained of energy and eased himself down on top of her.

He wasn’t certain how long he lay covering her as he tried to catch his breath, but when he finally gained enough strength, he moved to her side and gathered her to him. “Are you all right?”

“That was…” She paused as if trying to find the right word. “…absolutely amazing.”

Smiling at the fact that he’d taken her virginity and still managed to bring her pleasure, he reached down to pull the sheet over their rapidly cooling bodies. “I promise next time our lovemaking will reach incredible status.”

“Really?” She shook her head. “I don’t see how it could be any better than what I just experienced.”

“That’s because you haven’t had anything to compare it to.” He hugged her close and tried not to dwell on the possessiveness that threatened to consume him. “My mission is to see that every time we make love the pleasure keeps getting stronger for you.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that,” she conceded, sounding extremely sleepy.

He kissed the top of her head pillowed on his shoulder. “Get some rest, sweetheart. We’ll talk after you’ve had a little nap.”

As he held Haley while she slept, Luke couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the fact that he was the only man to make love to her. Had he ever been a woman’s first time before?

If he had, he knew for certain he would have remembered it. Taking a woman’s virginity wasn’t something a man was likely to forget.

Glancing at Haley sleeping so peacefully next to him, several questions kept running through his mind. Why had she waited so long to be with a man? If she’d been holding out for the permanence of marriage before taking that step, why had she agreed to birth his heir when she knew their arrangement would eventually end? And how had she managed to save herself from players like Chet Parker, who were out there just looking for the right opportunity to swoop in and seduce a woman as beautiful and innocent as Haley?

When Haley moved closer to him in her sleep, he tightened his arms around her and kissed her soft cheek. He didn’t want to analyze his uncharacteristic protectiveness toward her or the unfamiliar need to possess her. They’d reached an agreement and she was his for now—the woman he’d chosen to be the mother of his child. As far as he was concerned, that was reason enough.

Oh, he still wanted answers to his questions regarding her lack of sexual experience and an explanation of her motives for agreeing to have his child. But he wasn’t overly concerned about getting them right away. As he got to know her better, he’d learn her secrets and reach a satisfactory conclusion to the mystery of Haley Rollins.

In the meantime, he had every intention of enjoying the pleasure of making love to her every night and reaching his goal of soon having an heir to inherit the vast holdings of Garnier Construction.

Slowly opening her eyes, Haley found herself alone in the big log bed and wondered if she’d been dreaming. After all this time imagining what it would be like, had she really slept with Luke?

As she stretched to loosen the kinks of sleep from her limbs, the feel of the sheet sliding over her bare skin and the interesting little aches in her lower body quickly told her that they had indeed consummated their marriage. Her cheeks heated as the memory of what they’d shared in the early predawn light came flooding back.

Luke had seen her as no other man had and made her feel things she would have never thought possible. But once he’d learned she was a virgin, his incredible patience and the extra care he took to reduce any discomfort she might have had touched her deeply. He’d seen to it that her first experience making love was pleasurable and even though their marriage was destined to end one day, she’d never be sorry that she’d waited for her husband.

“I see you finally woke up, sleepyhead,” Luke greeted her cheerfully, shouldering the door open. He carried a breakfast tray with two plates of delicious-looking food, glasses of orange juice and a single rose in a glass bud vase. “Time to rise and shine.”

His thoughtfulness was unexpected and quite touching. “I haven’t had breakfast in bed since I was child,” she reminisced, holding the sheet to cover her breasts as she sat up. “And I was too sick to care about eating anything then.”

“Well, I hope you have a hearty appetite now, because Mrs. Beck outdid herself,” he noted, referring to the housekeeper. “I think she cooked every breakfast food known to man.”

“Could you get my overnight case, please?” Haley requested, wanting to retrieve the new bathrobe she’d purchased for the trip.

“Uh-oh.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “When I got up and went to shower and change, I moved it to my room.”

“What am I going to put on?” she asked, looking around for something—anything—to wear.

“I really like what you’re wearing now,” he observed, setting the tray on top of the dresser.

“I’m naked under here.”

“Bingo.”

Her cheeks heated at his lascivious grin. “Seriously, what am I going to wear?”

“I think you wear nothing very well,” he commented, rocking back on his heels. “It really looks good on you.”

“Will you be serious?” she pleaded, feeling a little desperate. “I can’t even go downstairs to get my clothes without something to cover up with. Poor Mrs. Beck would probably have a massive coronary.”

He looked thoughtful. “I guess you might have a point.”

“I do have a point.” She shook her head. “And unless you intend for me to stay in this bed the rest of the day, I need something to put on.”

“Staying in bed presents some very interesting possibilities,” he responded, his grin widening. When she tugged the sheet free from the end of the mattress, he pulled the tail of his shirt from his jeans. “If you’re that adamant about it, I’ll have to make the sacrifice.”

She stared shamelessly as Luke unbuttoned the garment and revealed his wide chest. Earlier when they’d made love, she’d been too nervous and preoccupied with the newness of it all to pay a lot of attention to his physique. But as he shrugged out of the shirt, her breath caught and her heart did a funny little thump against her rib cage.

His body was absolutely perfect. Every muscle from his shoulders all the way to the waistband of his low-slung jeans was well-defined and he was most definitely the type of man dreams were made of. At least, her dreams.

When he handed her the shirt, then stood there expectantly, she forced her thoughts back to the matter at hand and shook her head. “Turn around.”

His smile sent a wave of sizzling warmth shimmering over her skin. “Sweetheart, I saw your body when we made love and believe me, you have no reason to be self-conscious. You’re beautiful.”

“I’ll have to take your word on that,” she remarked, refusing to give too much weight to his appreciation of her body. “But it’s extremely difficult to throw caution to the wind after twenty-eight years of keeping myself covered up.”

Apparently deciding she meant business, he finally blew out an exaggerated breath, shook his head and turned his back to her. “We’ve already made love once and I anticipate doing so again quite frequently. It won’t take long before I know your body as well as I know mine.”

“In less than a week, we’ve gone from nothing more than boss and employee to sleeping together,” she tried to explain, pulling on his shirt. The delicious masculine scent surrounding her as she buttoned the garment caused Haley to feel warm all over. “We only went on one date—if you want to call it that—and that was the night before we got married.”

When he picked up the breakfast tray from the dresser and turned to face her, his expression was thoughtful. “So what you’re saying is, you don’t switch gears quite that fast.”

“Something like that.” Maybe he was beginning to understand how she felt.

“I guess that makes sense,” he said absently as he set the tray over her lap, then lowered himself to sit on the mattress beside her. He looked pensive for a moment. “Since we’re discussing your inhibitions, were they the reason you were still a virgin?”

She knew he’d be curious and ask about it. “It’s quite simple, really. I went to a very strict, private high school for girls. In our Freshman year, we were encouraged to take a pledge to stay pure until we married. I promised that I would.” Reaching for a slice of crispy bacon, she shrugged. “Besides, I never met a man that I cared enough about to be intimate with.”

“Never?”

“Oh, I was tempted a couple of times in college with one or two of the guys I dated.” She shook her head. “But I always found a reason not to break my vow. Probably because it just didn’t feel right with them.”

“Do you always keep your word, Haley?” His question was casual enough, but she could tell he was extremely interested in her answer.

Swallowing the bacon she’d been nibbling on, she nodded. “It’s not always easy, but if I tell someone that I’ll do something, I try my best to do it.” She smiled. “I have had to break my promises a few times, but I’ve never made a habit of it.”

“So that’s why you followed through when I called your bluff about having to be married,” he proclaimed, capturing her gaze with his. “You gave me your word.”

Haley nodded again. She wasn’t overly surprised that he’d figured out that she was discouraging him when she laid down the terms to have his baby. He was very perceptive and it was one of the many reasons he was such a highly successful businessman.

“Knowing how you feel about relationships, I thought mentioning marriage would dissuade you,” she admitted. “If I’d tried to back out when you said you were agreeable, you wouldn’t have given me a minute’s peace until I honored my word.”

“That’s true, but why didn’t you just reject my request outright?” he asked, obviously trying to figure out what made her tick as he took a big bite of his scrambled eggs.

“Because I know you well enough that when you set your sights on something, you don’t give up. You’re like a dog with a juicy bone.” Picking up her glass of orange juice, she gazed at him over the rim. “Would you have abandoned the idea of me having your child if I’d said no right away?”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “Not a chance in hell, sweetheart.”

“My point exactly.”

“So, if you know me so well,” he argued as he placed his fork on his empty plate, “why do you keep insisting that we need to get to know each other further?”

How could she explain that it was the little everyday things that she wanted to know?

“Do you have any idea why my hair is straight when I’m at the office, but when I’m at home it’s curly?” she finally asked.

His expression clearly stated he thought she’d lost her mind.

“Bear with me for a minute.”

He gave her a dubious look. “Okay. I assume you’re like my sister and use a curling iron when you want to make your hair curly.”

“Just the opposite.” She couldn’t help but laugh. “I use a flat iron to take the curl out.”

“Your hair is naturally curly?” He shook his head. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

“That’s what I meant about knowing each other. Don’t you think that’s something a man would know about the woman he has a child with?”

He looked thoughtful. “I suppose it might be since it’s a trait that could be passed on to my son.” Grinning, he winked at her. “But it’s certainly not a requirement for having sex.”

Luke wasn’t going to concede easily. But neither was she.

“I know how you take your coffee. Do you know how I prefer mine?”

He was silent for several seconds before he finally answered. “No.”

“That’s something else most couples know about each other by the time they walk down the aisle or have a baby.” She smiled. “And just for the record, I don’t drink coffee because I don’t like the taste of it.”

“I never noticed,” he acknowledged as he picked up the tray. “But I think I have an excellent way of remedying this little problem you think we have while learning each others’ likes and dislikes.”

“Really? What would that be?”

“We’re going to take a drive across the mountains over into North Carolina. And while we’re traveling, we’ll take turns asking questions about the little everyday things.” He looked quite pleased with himself. “It won’t take any time at all and we’ll know each other quite well.”

“But I thought you had plans to stay here for the rest of the weekend,” she reminded him, fascinated by the play of muscles in his broad back as he balanced the tray and walked to the door.

Stopping, he turned. “That was before I took your virginity.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” she asked, getting out of bed to find her clothes and take a shower.

Luke suddenly groaned, closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.

Alarmed by his uncharacteristic behavior, she went to him. “Are you all right?”

When he opened his eyes, the intensity in his incredible blue gaze warmed her. “Do you have any idea how sexy you look wearing nothing but my shirt? Or what a turn-on it is for me just knowing that you don’t have anything on underneath it?”

“Not really.” She wondered if he knew how sexy he looked without a shirt.

“The reason we need to go for a drive is because if we don’t, I’m going to put down this tray, carry you back to bed and make love to you until we both collapse from exhaustion.” He glanced away. “And that wouldn’t be a good idea right now.”

Had he changed his mind about wanting her to become pregnant immediately?

“Why not? Isn’t that a prerequisite for making a baby the old-fashioned way?”

“Sweetheart, nothing would make me happier than making love to you all day and all night.” He gazed at her and shook his head. “But you’re new to this and I’m sure you’re a little sore. If we wait until this evening, it might not be as uncomfortable for you as it would be now.”

Haley felt as if her cheeks were on fire. She wasn’t used to discussing something so intimate and personal. “Oh, I…um, didn’t realize.”

“We’ll make love again tonight.” He gave her a quick kiss, then walked out into the hall. “Now, do me a favor. Go down to the master suite and get ready. We’ll leave as soon as the rental car agency can have a car delivered.”

When she started to walk past him, he shook his head.

“Let me go first.”

“Why?”

Giving her a look so sensual it could have easily turned a stone to mush, he started down the hall. “Because if you walk downstairs ahead of me, I’ll end up hard as hell. And when I take the tray back to the kitchen, I don’t think Mrs. Beck could stand the shock of seeing me in that condition.”

“That might even traumatize her more than me wearing nothing but a sheet,” she said, laughing.

Luke snorted. “Knowing Mrs. Beck, I’d put money on it.”

As Haley followed him toward the stairs, a tiny feminine thrill flowed through her at the knowledge that he was that attracted to her. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that just because he wanted her, that he cared deeply for her. But if he desired her now, maybe one day he would develop true feelings for her.

As Luke steered the rental car into a parking area at Chimney Rock in North Carolina, Haley gazed at the lush green mountains surrounding the natural monolith. “I see why this location was chosen for several movies. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Can you imagine how fantastic the hiking must be around here?”

Turning off the car’s engine, he smiled. “Did I just learn another little known fact about you that I wouldn’t have guessed? Are you a hiker?”

“Not anymore.” She looked out at the panoramic view. “But I used to go hiking all the time when I was younger.”

“Let me guess. One of the college boyfriends appreciated nature.”

“Not hardly. They might have gotten their hands dirty.” Just the thought of any of them going anywhere that took them outside of a climate-controlled environment was laughable. “My passion for hiking started long before college. I went on nature walks when I joined the Campfire Girls. Then later, when I was in high school, I joined the hiking club.”

“Interesting.”

“What about you? Do you enjoy any outdoor activities?” She grinned. “Surveying the work-in-progress at a job site doesn’t count.”

He laughed. “But that’s outdoors and I do enjoy watching another Garnier project take shape.”

She shook her head. “That’s something I already know about you. Remember, we’re supposed to be sharing the unknown.”

“Right. Let’s see, Jake and I used to go on an annual camping trip in the Sierras,” he replied, referring to his twin brother. “But in the past several years, we’ve both been so busy that we haven’t had time.”

“Did you enjoy those trips to the mountains?” she asked, trying to imagine what it would be like to have a family to share things with.

Looking thoughtful for several seconds, he nodded. “We’d spend an entire week fishing and catching up on what plans we were making to advance our careers.”

“You should make the time to do that again, Luke.” If she had a brother or sister, nothing would stand in the way of their spending time together. “You know what they say about taking the time to smell the roses.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he indicated, getting out of the car to come around and open the passenger door for her. “What about you, do you have a family tradition with one of your siblings?”

Taking the hand he offered to help her out of the car, she tried not to meet his questioning gaze. If she did, he might see how truly alone and sad she’d always felt.

“I was an only child,” she revealed.

“Really?” Closing the car door, he put his arm around her waist and tucked her to his side as they walked to the edge of the scenic overlook. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

Before he could question her further about her family, she pointed to a black bear and two small cubs that waddled into a clearing on the slope below. “Aren’t they adorable?”

He snorted. “I suppose, if you like a lot of fur and really big teeth.”

“I love babies of all kinds,” she confirmed as she watched the two cubs engage in an impromptu wrestling match.

“What about alligator babies?” Turning her to face him, he pulled her close. “They don’t have fur, but they do have a lot of teeth. You don’t think they’re cute, do you?”

The feel of his arms around her sent a languid heat flowing through every part of her. “Well, they may not be as sweet as a live teddy bear, but I’m sure the momma alligator thinks they are.”

He stared at her for several long moments, then slowly lowered his head to capture her lips in a kiss so tender it brought tears to her eyes. Thoughtful and sweet, Luke explored her with a thoroughness that made her feel as if he truly cherished everything about her.

But when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth to taste and tease, the kiss became so steamy that Haley felt as if the earth moved beneath her feet. Stroking her inner recesses at the same time he pressed his hips against her belly caused an empty ache to settle deep in the most feminine areas of her body. The feel of his strong arousal and the mastery of his kiss caused her knees to give way and she clung to his solid strength for support.

“I think we’d better head back. Otherwise, I’m going to abandon my good intentions and make love to you right here and now,” he vowed, breaking the kiss. “Besides, there’s one other place I think you’d enjoy seeing.”

“Really? Where would that be?” she questioned, not really caring as long as they were together.

“You’ll see,” he promised, guiding her to the car.

Two and a half hours later, as they stepped onto the moving walkway that led through the acrylic tunnel at the aquarium in Gatlinburg, they were immediately surrounded by thousands of species of aquatic creatures. “This is wonderful, Luke,” Haley declared, marveling at the activity surrounding them. “It’s like being underwater.”

“You find this interesting, do you?”

“Absolutely.” She smiled at a couple of orange and white striped fish gliding effortlessly through the water. “Aren’t they sweet?”

Luke snorted. “I’ve never associated that word with fish.” He smiled suddenly. “Let me guess, you’re thinking of the cartoon movie that came out several years ago about a lost clown fish.”

“You know about that?” she asked, somewhat surprised. She wouldn’t have thought he’d have known anything about a children’s movie.

Nodding, he shrugged. “Arielle insisted that Jake and I had to take her to see it when it first came out. It was part of her birthday present and we couldn’t get out of it.”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“I suppose it was a good kid movie,” he commented, gazing at a shark lazily gliding toward them. “But I normally prefer psychological thrillers or action/adven-ture movies.”

“Not the best for a growing child.” She paused, then glancing at him from the corner of her eye to make sure she had his attention, she went on. “You do realize that you’ll be taking in a lot of cartoon films once the baby gets old enough to enjoy them.”

He frowned and it was obvious that he hadn’t thought past grooming his heir to take over his business holdings once the child was old enough. “Why don’t I leave that part of the parenting to you?” he finally suggested.

“Why don’t we do that part together?” she shot back. “Don’t you think a child would like to go a few places and do a few things with both parents at the same time? It would be nice for our child to know her parents are on good terms. And you do want the baby to grow up to be happy and well-adjusted, don’t you?”

“Of course, but I hadn’t really given activities and the like a lot of thought.” He was silent for a moment as if digesting what she’d said. “But it probably would be a good idea for us to do things together with him.”

Satisfied that she had Luke contemplating the emotional needs of a growing child, she decided to give him one more thing to think about. “You know that the baby could turn out to be a girl.”

He looked thoughtful. “Something else I hadn’t considered. I just assumed my heir would be a son.”

“Would it make a difference if we had a daughter?” she asked, needing to know how he would react if she had a girl.

“No. I’ve met several women with excellent business instincts. You included.” As they stepped off the moving walkway, he turned to face her and the expression on his face caused heat to shimmer over every inch of her. “You’re going to be a wonderful mother, Haley, and not just for the traits I want passed on to our child.”

“You really think so?”

He nodded. “Now, what do you say we head back to the lodge? I think it’s time we stopped talking about the baby and get started making one.”

Several hours later, standing on the balcony staring out at the night sky, Luke watched a shooting star disappear behind Mount LeConte as he thought about the day’s events. He’d had one of the most fascinating, and at the same time, frustrating afternoons of his life. And Haley was completely responsible.

On one hand, he’d been intrigued by the things he’d learned about her. He now knew that her favorite color was lavender, that she couldn’t resist anything chocolate and that she had a weakness for babies, whether they were human, animal or fish.

He smiled at the thought of her reaction to the mother black bear and two chubby little cubs they’d observed when they stopped at Chimney Rock. Her excitement and joy at seeing the baby animals at play had sparkled in her turquoise eyes and been reflected in her soft laughter. And he couldn’t get over how happy he’d been to share the moment with her. She was going to be a wonderful mother and he was convinced now more than ever that he’d made the right choice for the mother of his heir.

But on the other hand, the day had been sheer hell. He’d noticed things about her that he’d never paid attention to before—how sweet and feminine her voice sounded, how pretty she was when she smiled and how graceful and sensual every move of her body was when they got out of the car at the scenic overlook and when they’d strolled through the aquarium.

He’d spent every minute they were together in a perpetual state of arousal. All he’d been able to think about was getting back to the lodge, taking their clothes off and making love to her the entire night.

And that was what really had him perplexed. After making love to her, he’d started thinking less about having sex for the purpose of making her pregnant and more about giving her immeasurable pleasure. In fact, she’d been the one to remind him about having the baby and how they should share the responsibility of raising the child.

“Mrs. Beck and I finished cleaning up the kitchen,” Haley said, walking out onto the deck. “She said to tell you she’s leaving and will be back tomorrow morning in time to prepare breakfast.”

At the sound of her voice, Luke glanced over his shoulder. She looked amazingly beautiful in her yellow blouse and khaki slacks, but he liked the way she’d looked in his shirt a hell of a lot better. Or better yet, out of it.

The thought caused his body to tighten predictably and he forced himself to remember what she’d just said. “You didn’t have to help Mrs. Beck. That’s what I pay the woman for.”

“I’m used to it,” she advised, walking over to stand next to him. “Even before I moved out on my own, I sometimes helped my father’s housekeeper with the cooking and cleaning.”

It was her first mention of anything about her family. “I take it your folks are fairly well off?”

Earlier in the day, he wondered why she deflected the sibling talk. She had at least met his siblings the few times they’d stopped by his office and knew that after their mother’s death, he and Jake had raised their younger sister. But he knew absolutely nothing about her family, beyond her telling him that she was an only child.

“My father wasn’t overly wealthy, but he did all right,” she finally stated, shrugging.

“And your mother?”

“Was completely out of the picture.” He watched her cross her arms beneath her breasts and fix her gaze on the mountains.

Haley’s defensive body language and the sadness he detected in her voice surprised him. “We don’t have to talk about it, sweetheart,” he ventured, reaching for her.

When he took her into his arms and held her close, Luke wondered what had happened to her mother. But remembering the look on her pretty face when she’d asked him at the aquarium if it would matter if his heir was a girl made him wonder about the relationship she shared with her father, as well. But his curiosity could wait. She clearly didn’t want to discuss any of that now.

He could respect that. The anger and resentment caused by an absentee parent was certainly familiar ground for him. Besides, he had no intention of spoiling what had, up until that moment, been a damned good day.

“Why don’t we get in the hot tub and relax for a while before we go to bed for the night?” he asked, nuzzling her soft curls.

“I can’t.” She sounded less than certain as she brought her arms up to his shoulders. “I didn’t bring my swimsuit.”

Nibbling on her earlobe, he smiled when he felt a tremor course through her. “We don’t have to wear suits. In fact, I think it would be a lot more fun to go skinny-dipping.”

“I—I don’t think so.”

Her breathy laughter sent a shaft of heat straight to the region south of his belt buckle.

“If I couldn’t drop the sheet in front of you this morning, what makes you think I could go skinny-dipping with you in the hot tub this evening?”

“Well, for one thing it’s dark and we’re alone on this section of the mountain.” He trailed kisses down the column of her neck. When she sagged against him, he added, “And for another, I promise I won’t peek until you’re settled in the water.”

“Why am I having trouble believing that?” Her throaty question sent his blood pressure soaring.

He chuckled. “How did you know I used up all of my allocated honor for the day?”

“Just a lucky guess.”

When she threaded her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck the heat in his lower belly turned into a hungry flame.

“I suppose we could wear our underwear in the hot tub,” she suggested.

His internal heat flared out of control and threatened to turn him to a cinder when she kissed the exposed skin at the open collar of his shirt. “I’ve got an even better idea, sweetheart,” he revealed as he swung her up into his arms. He carried her through the French doors of the great room and straight to the master suite. “Why don’t we skip the hot tub and just go to bed?”

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