Fortune’s
Vengeful
Groom
Charlene Sands

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Charlene Sands for her contribution to the DAKOTA FORTUNES miniseries.

To the V-alley Girls, Carol Pettis, Ellen Lacey

and Charleene Feldman, dear friends and striking women who

roll with the punches making my Tuesday mornings a real blast.

Your love, friendship and openhearted support bowl me over!

CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Coming Next Month

One

“It’s a stroke of brilliance, Eliza. The place looks great. Nobody does a fund-raiser like you,” Nicole Appleton whispered into Eliza’s ear.

From up on stage, Eliza Fortune smiled with satisfaction as her gaze traveled around the large ballroom filled with invited guests, the men dressed in authentic three-piece suits and the women in elegant gowns of the Old West. She’d designed and decorated the ballroom for the event. “Thanks, Nic. It was a labor of love.”

“Well, you’ve outdone yourself this time. Everyone is having a wonderful time and your Basket Dinner Auction idea is going over well. You’re raising thousands of dollars for the reparations to the Old West Museum.”

The auctioneer announced another dinner basket to be auctioned off. Chloe McMurphy stepped up to the podium and lifted the flap on her basket, retrieving a pledge card to give to the auctioneer. “This lovely young lady will provide dinner for two, three or four. Her specialty is fried chicken and the best dumplings in Minnehaha County. And an added bonus of home-baked apple pie. Now that’s what I call a real fine South Dakota meal.”

Eliza tensed suddenly and glanced at her friend with apprehension. Only she and Nicole remained up on stage. All the other dinners had been auctioned off. “I hope someone bids on my basket.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. Who wouldn’t want to have a dinner cooked expressly by Eliza Fortune? At the Fortune estate, no less. I bet your dinner pledge goes for the highest bid of all.”

Eliza scoffed. “Only if my father or brother decide to take pity on me. My family’s out there somewhere and they know I’m not the best cook.”

“Won’t matter,” Nicole said adamantly. “You’re gonna raise a lot of money tonight—and not from Nash or Creed Fortune. Everyone knows how dedicated you are. They saved the best for last. And that’s you.”

She mouthed a silent thank-you to her friend, then took note of Mr. Phillips at the podium crooking his finger at Nicole. “Oh, look. It’s your turn to go up to the podium, Nic. Good luck.”

And as her friend approached the auctioneer carrying a white wicker basket adorned with a large red taffeta bow, Eliza settled back on the wooden bench seat to wait her turn.

Being a benefactor, as well as Sioux Falls Historical Society chairwoman, she’d had no trouble convincing Siouxland’s Old West Museum’s president to donate some of their Western gear to help her transform a chandelier-ensconced ballroom into a springtime scene straight out of the Old West. Lariats, silver saddles and wagon wheels filled the perimeter, while bound sheaves of grain and husks of corn draped the walls. The dinner tables, though set with elegant china, rested on blue gingham tablecloths with tall, lumbering sunflowers as vibrant centerpieces. A sunrise backdrop and a large buckboard wagon filled with straw sat upon the stage just behind Eliza.

When all was said and done, Nicole’s bid ranked up there with the highest so far. Her dinner pledge of roast lamb and potatoes with carrot soufflé and crème brûlée for dessert garnered over three thousand dollars. Eliza joined the group in applauding the generous bidder.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, you have the distinct honor of bidding on Miss Eliza Fortune’s dinner basket. As you all know, Miss Fortune has worked tirelessly to put on this fund-raiser and it looks like she’s made it a tremendous success.” Mr. Phillips reached for Eliza’s hand and guided her to the podium. Eliza handed him her pledge card from her gold-trimmed basket and stood as he read her offering. “Ah, I see the winner will have a great treat in store for them. Eliza has pledged to cook any meal of your choosing, beginning with hors d’oeuvres and ending with a decadent dessert with as many courses as you desire. So let’s begin the bidding at five hundred dollars.”

Eliza stood smiling at her guests, while inside a tremor of apprehension coursed through her body. And only once the first bid was announced for five hundred dollars—not by her father or brother—did she finally relax. As the bidding continued, she grew more and more confident.

“We have a bid for thirty-five hundred dollars. Do I hear four thousand? Anyone for four thousand dollars?”

Pleased that she’d garnered a respectable sum of money, Eliza was ready to walk away from the podium. She needed to coordinate the country band’s performance on stage so the dancing could begin.

“Going once, going twice for thirty-five hundred dollars and…”

“Thirty-five thousand dollars.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the auctioneer said, “we already have a bid for thirty-five hundred dollars.”

“I said thirty-five thousand dollars,” a commanding voice echoed from the back of the room.

All conversation stopped in the grand ballroom, as heads turned in the direction of the voice.

Eliza stood perfectly still. Her smile faded, while her heart pounded up in her ears. She knew that voice. She would never forget the low, raspy timbre that would send her nerves spiraling out of control. She shut her eyes briefly, willing her body to calm.

It couldn’t be, she told herself.

But she knew better.

She had always known that this day would eventually come.

Mr. Phillips glanced at Eliza with a baffled expression, but when she offered no help, he turned back to his task. “Uh, sorry, sorry, indeed. The bid stands at thirty-five thousand dollars,” he emphasized. “Going once, going twice, sold to the gentleman in the back of the room!”

Just like that, Reese Parker stepped into her line of vision.

And back into her life.

After six years.

Their gazes locked from across the room. For a long moment they just stared at one another. His eyes held no warmth, his face no joy. He hardly looked like the gentle jeans-clad rodeo rider she’d met one summer in Montana.

Oh, he was as handsome as she remembered. Maybe more so now, with a chiseled jawline and dark, piercing eyes. But this man looked as though he belonged here amid South Dakota’s wealthiest patrons, dressed in a dashing ink-black Western tuxedo with lines cut to perfection. A golden nugget clasped the bola tie that lassoed his neck and settled into a single-breasted brocade vest. A black felt Stetson covered shocks of short-cropped sandy hair and, as if he needed it, snakeskin boots added flair to the whole look.

Heavens, he could have stepped off the pages of GQ.

Eliza was aware of the hush that settled onto the crowded room. But she couldn’t tear her gaze away. She simply looked at the man she had once loved.

Goose bumps erupted on her flesh.

Memories poured in, and her breath caught as myriad emotions ran havoc through her system, but the one that remained, the one she couldn’t banish, washed over her like a deluge of rain.

Anger.

Mr. Phillips took his cue then and concluded the auction, asking that the bidders make good on their bids at the reception table, while the HoneyBees made their way on stage.

Eliza was grateful for the reprieve. She broke eye contact with Reese and scurried off backstage. A gentle hand grabbed her from behind, startling her.

“Eliza, where are you running off to?”

Eliza turned around, relieved to see that it was Nicole. She blinked and couldn’t formulate an answer. The last few minutes had seemed like a dream. No, she corrected, a nightmare.

“That gorgeous guy bid a ton of money on you, Eliza.”

Eliza couldn’t fake a smile. “I know.”

“And you two couldn’t take your eyes off each other.”

“I know that, too.”

“So? Are you going to tell me who he is? You must know him. Either that or he’s flirting big-time.”

“No, trust me, he wasn’t flirting.” The very thought was absurd. She didn’t know exactly why Reese had come to Sioux Falls, but she couldn’t entertain any warm thoughts about him. He had nearly destroyed her with his betrayal. No one knew the whole truth, and she’d hoped to keep it that way for as long as possible.

“Who is he, Eliza?” Nicole pressed. “Please tell me.”

Eliza had kept her secret for six years. Her own humiliation aside, she hated to think of the damage her revelation might do to the Fortune good name.

Good Lord, but she’d been a fool in the past. If the truth got out, Eliza would lose all credibility with her numerous charitable organizations, not to mention the headlines it would cause. One scandalized romance was enough in a girl’s life. She’d managed to survive it, but this one she doubted she would ever live down.

She heaved a sigh. Keeping this from her best friend had been hardest of all. She stared into Nicole’s earnest amber eyes.

“Something’s going on, Lizzie,” Nicole whispered, using her childhood name, reminding Eliza that she and Nicole had a long history of devoted friendship. They’d been close for more than half of Eliza’s thirty-one years. Eliza had wanted to tell her countless times. She decided she’d kept her emotions bottled up long enough. Besides, if the manure were destined to hit the fan, at least she’d have an ally in Nicole.

She spoke the words she’d never said aloud to anyone in Sioux Falls, especially her family. “His name is Reese Parker and…he’s my husband.”

The South Dakota air made Eliza shiver, but she put up with the nighttime chill in order to catch her breath. She’d hurried out of the grand ballroom after speaking briefly with Nicole, finding this little hideaway terrace high atop the Fortune Seven Hotel to collect her thoughts. The magnificent view of the landscape had always helped put her at ease. But tonight it wasn’t working.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

Reese was in Sioux Falls.

She doubted it was a coincidence that he’d shown up in her hometown.

I was passing through town so I thought I’d look up my…wife.

She shivered again.

And felt a wealth of warmth swarm her body as a man’s jacket enveloped her shoulders. She turned quickly and came face-to-face with her husband. “Reese.”

“Eliza.” He stepped away from her as if he couldn’t stand to be near her, yet he’d just seen to her comfort. The tuxedo jacket smelled of him, an erotic mix of musk and pine.

“You…look different,” she said, fumbling for words.

“I am different,” he said curtly as he removed his Stetson.

His hair was just as she remembered—thick, short and neatly groomed. How often she’d run her fingers through those locks just to muss up those perfect strands.

Eliza’s heart hammered again. Even with this awkwardness, Reese held true to his manners. But he didn’t look like a rugged rodeo rider right now, the man whose dimpled smile could send her body humming. There was nothing soft or gentle in the way he looked at her.

But he did look his fill, his gaze traveling over her body with a laziness that could be mistaken for arrogance. Suddenly Eliza was aware of the revealing gown she’d had designed especially for tonight. In keeping with the Western theme, the creamy satin gown dipped low in the front, the bodice forming her figure and cinching in at her thin waist. Shiny golden threads created an intricate pattern throughout and gilded wide lace teased her bosom and wrists. To match the golden highlights in your blond hair, Eliza, the dress designer had said.

Now, with his eyes upon her, Eliza felt exposed and vulnerable to his scrutiny. His gaze lingered on her chest, making her think back to a time when more than his eyes had devoured her.

She trembled again, and this time the night air wasn’t the cause.

“It’s not that cold, Eliza. Ice must be running through your veins.”

Eliza had almost forgotten herself. She wouldn’t let Reese get the better of her. She’d walked out on him once and she’d do it again. “What are you doing here?”

He smiled then, but not the gentle smile that softened his eyes. No, this smile was thin-lipped and hard. “We have to talk.”

Eliza began shaking her head. “No. We can’t. I have to get back inside.”

“Tomorrow, then. During the dinner you’re going to cook me.”

Eliza removed his jacket and tossed it to him. “You’re joking.”

He caught the jacket with a nonchalance that angered her. Reese had always been fast with his hands. “I seldom joke.”

But he had, years ago. They’d spent one glorious summer laughing and joking and making love. It was his quick wit and ease of manner that had attracted her to him initially. That and his hard, lean, gorgeous body.

“I can’t possibly cook you dinner, Reese. I’ll have someone else…”

“No. It’s you or nobody.” His dark eyes held hers firm.

Eliza thrust her chin up. If he wanted a battle of wills, then she’d oblige. “Then I’m afraid it’ll be nobody. I have to get back inside.” She turned to leave, but his hand snaked out to catch her wrist. He spun her around, and she faced narrowed eyes and a set jaw.

“You’re bought and paid for, darlin’. To the tune of thirty-five thousand dollars.”

Eliza’s eyes widened with surprise. She’d been so distraught at seeing Reese again she’d forgotten all about the enormous donation he’d made. “You don’t have that much—”

His brows shot up. “I do.”

He caught her staring at the fine cut of his tuxedo, his tie clasp made of solid gold and his handcrafted snakeskin boots. She wiped the curiosity off her face, wishing he would leave. She didn’t care how much money he had now. Seeing him hurt too much. She’d managed to tuck away reminders of his betrayal, but now that he was so near, all of it came rushing back with frightening force.

“Let go of me,” she said breathlessly.

He released her immediately.

“I’ll be over tomorrow night at eight.”

She shook her head again. “It’s not a good idea, Reese.”

“They don’t know, do they?”

He was smug enough not to have to explain. Eliza knew that he spoke of her family and the secret marriage she’d kept from them. She shook her head slowly.

“Six years, and you still haven’t owned up to the truth. You must have really been…hell, never mind.”

“Reese, you can’t come over tomorrow night.”

He scowled. “Would you rather I went to the press? News of the Fortunes was splashed all over the Tribune this morning. You’d think this damn charity event was the second coming or something. Wouldn’t they just love to hear about the sainted Eliza Fortune’s misfortune one summer in Montana? How she got down and dirty with a local cowboy?”

It hadn’t been like that. That summer had been magical until…She drew oxygen into her lungs. “Is that a threat?”

He jammed his Stetson back on his head. “Damn straight, darlin’. I don’t make them lightly.”

Eliza pursed her lips to keep from lashing out. She’d lost this round with Reese. She couldn’t afford for him to make good on his threat. It had taken several years to live down her last romantic debacle with a man who had aspirations of becoming Sioux Falls’ youngest mayor. She’d been engaged to Warren Keyes for six months and broke off the engagement two weeks before the wedding.

Local news stations and leading headlines in the Tribune had kept a running tally on their breakup for weeks, and Eliza had come out the loser. Her head throbbed as she recalled the pain she’d endured finding her fiancé in bed with his campaign manager. No one knew the entire truth except her family. She’d kept quiet about his infidelity, not out of any concern for him or his campaign but because she hadn’t wanted the public humiliation. Pity was the last thing she’d needed. It was bad enough that she’d suffered public scrutiny, being described as “flighty,” “fickle” and “confused” when she’d walked out on him.

But what she’d really been was hurt, the injury to a young girl’s heart almost too painful to bear. Warren had used her and her family’s name to attain status in the community for political gain.

She’d run away then to Montana and had met Reese Parker. The ruggedly handsome cowboy had swept her off her feet. She’d fallen hard for him, and they’d had a summer affair that led to a quick wedding. Now, if the truth got out about her marriage, the term rebound would take on a whole new meaning.

“Dinner at eight,” he said without compunction. “I doubt you remember my favorite meal, but this really isn’t about food, is it?”

With that, he strode purposefully off the terrace. Eliza watched the glass door slam shut in his wake.

“Pot roast and potatoes with creamed spinach,” she muttered softly.

Then trembled again.

Reese paced his penthouse suite, striding back and forth with suppressed rage. Eliza Fortune Parker, his wife, had tried to cast him off once again tonight. This time he wasn’t having any of it. She’d see him on his terms, whether she liked it or not. And she hadn’t liked it.

No, his appearance at her fund-raiser tonight had put a wrench in her nicely tuned life. Reese could take some satisfaction in that. He’d seen fear in her eyes, and that suited him just fine. Let her fear him and what havoc he could cause her.

She’d caused him enough grief to last a lifetime. Reese shoved his hand into his pocket, coming up with the note she’d written him six years ago, the crinkled, worn parchment he’d been given by a hotel desk clerk a constant reminder to him to succeed in life. Hell, he’d practically used the note as his bible, his guide to never give up. To never let anyone best him again.

He glanced down at the delicate writing, smudged now and bleeding blue ink.

The marriage was a mistake. I’m going home. I don’t want to see you again. Ever.

Ever.

Damn her. He’d stayed away long enough.

He knew every cold, harsh word of that note by heart. It was time to end it all, and too bad if it didn’t fit into Eliza’s plans.

Before his father died last month, he’d made Reese promise that he’d get his affairs in order. With unspoken words, he’d immediately known what his father had meant. Normally, Cole Parker didn’t pull punches. He’d been one up-front tell-it-like-it-is kind of man. But his father had known that Eliza Fortune Parker had been Reese’s one weak spot so he’d trod carefully.

It’s time, Reese, he’d said, almost on his last breath. Take hold of your life, son.

His father had been right. It was time.

But Reese would take his time, making Eliza squirm, upending her perfect little world, showing her that he wasn’t the sweet-natured, bronc-busting cowboy she could tie up in knots, anymore.

God, he’d been a fool thinking that the rich, pretty socialite would be happy with a down-on-his-luck cowboy.

Reese winced and crumpled the note, shoving it back into his pocket.

Man, but he’d loved her. She’d come to Montana and he’d seen something unique in her, something beautiful in her heart. She’d turned him on with that body of hers, wearing clothes that hid her perfection. His imagination had taken wild rides, until he’d known he had to have her. And once they’d made love, it had been better than good. So damn much better than anything he’d ever experienced.

When Reese’s cell phone rang, he checked the number, then smiled. “Hey, Garrett.”

“Where are you, bro?”

“In the Providence Hotel.”

“Top floor?”

“Penthouse.” Reese could picture his brother’s grin. They’d often joked that once they struck it rich, they’d never stay in anything but the best—a result of too many sleazy motels with torn sheets and rodents as bed partners.

“I take it that’s not a Fortune acquisition?”

“Hell, I had to drive across town to find a decent hotel they didn’t own.”

“You’re home early. I take it the night didn’t go well?”

“On the contrary. I accomplished my goal.”

“Which was?”

“You wouldn’t approve, Sir Galahad.”

His brother sighed. “So, how is Eliza?”

Beautiful, sexy, cold as ice. “She hasn’t grown fangs or anything.”

“Ah, still a knockout.”

Reese didn’t answer.

“Hey, I’m on your side, Reese. We’re family. But I liked Eliza from the moment I met her.”

“You only met her one time.”

“True, but I could tell she was crazy about you. I thought you were a lucky man. And Pops, well, he wanted you to sort out your life, Reese.”

“That’s what I’m doing. I plan on getting her out of my life.”

There was a long pause. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Reese let out a bitter laugh. He knew his brother only meant well, but what option did a man have when his wife walked out on him without any explanation. She’d kept their marriage a secret because she’d been ashamed of him and his status in life and feared her family wouldn’t approve. She didn’t care enough about him to fight for what they had. He’d been broke, making his way through the rodeo circuit and pouring all of his money into his venture. But Eliza hadn’t stuck around long enough to see his dream come true. When she’d had enough, she’d simply walked out. Without taking a backward glance. Well, he’s making her take a good long look now. “I’m sure.”

“Okay,” Garrett said quietly, and Reese knew his brother only had his welfare at heart. “Hey, want some good news?”

“Shoot.”

“We had a blowout in Cinder Basin. A real gusher. Your instincts were right on. That makes seven straight oil strikes, Reese.”

Reese’s mood lifted. “Pops would’ve liked to hear the news.”

“He knows, Reese. He’s overseeing our operation from up above.”

“Yeah.”

Reese had ridden the rodeo circuit to sustain his dream, using his winnings to help finance his venture as a wildcatter. He’d worked long and hard coming up with nothing but dry holes his first three years. The standing joke was that he couldn’t find oil in a gas station. But then his luck changed and his rigs started paying off. He became a respected oilman, hitting five straight blowouts that year, and his success continued to mount every year, his ratio of blowouts to dry holes ten to one. It hadn’t taken him long to form his own company—Parker Explorations being one of the most prosperous oil companies in Montana.

“Thanks for the call, Garrett. I’ll be dreaming of black gold.”

“You’re going to need it with that house you’re building.”

Reese agreed. “Yeah, it’s a money pit, but it’ll be perfect when I’m through.”

“Perfection has its drawbacks at times.”

How well he knew that. At one time he’d thought he’d found the perfect woman, the perfect wife. They were to have the perfect life. Eliza had crushed that idea and left him a broken man. It had taken him a long time to dig himself out of that hole. But now he was back on top and nothing was going to stop him. He had the perfect plan for getting back at his wife.

“Yeah, but when you get it right, there’s nothing that compares to it.”

Two

“Here are the books you requested, ma’am.” Ivy Woodhouse, the Fortunes’ chef, handed Eliza three cookbooks as she sat in the great room just off the kitchen. “Are you sure you don’t need my help for that special meal you’re cooking tonight?”

Eliza glanced up at Ivy. “No, but thank you for the offer. I plan on doing this myself,” she said.

Even if it kills me, she thought. She couldn’t risk having the cook or anyone else around when Reese came over tonight. “In fact, since my father and Patricia won’t be home this evening, why don’t you take the night off.”

Ivy’s brows rose in surprise and she paused briefly before answering. “Thank you. Shall I set the table for you, miss?”

“I’ll take care of it. Enjoy the night off, Ivy,” she said as the cook thanked her again and left the room.

Eliza leaned back against the sofa, planning her dinner outside on the veranda, where no one would bother them. She remembered the chills she’d experienced last night when Reese had joined her on the hotel terrace. Most of what she’d felt had little to do with the weather. She’d been shocked and then angered by his appearance, which she believed was the exact reaction he’d wanted from her. He’d made her darn uncomfortable last night.

Now she had the chance to return the favor. If she could make Reese uncomfortable enough, maybe the evening would end quickly. She’d be willing to endure a slight frost to get rid of Reese. His presence here in Sioux Falls made her jumpy, but having him show up at her home tonight could surely do her in.

As luck would have it, her father and stepmother had dinner plans this evening. As for the rest of the family…hopefully they wouldn’t make an appearance, either.

Eliza opened a cookbook and began flipping pages.

Her father took a seat in his wide velvet-tufted wing chair, facing her. “Good morning, honey.”

Eliza lifted her face and smiled. “Hi, Dad.”

Nash Fortune, never one to miss a sign, sent a worried look her way. “Tired today?”

“Not really,” she said, telling a little fib. She’d spent a restless night worrying about what Reese’s appearance in Sioux Falls might mean, and she feared the lying would only continue.

“You worked very hard last night, Eliza. The fund-raiser was a huge success. And, as a father, I couldn’t be more proud of what you managed to accomplish.”

“Thanks, Dad, but it wasn’t all me. I had a great deal of help and—”

“And you’re the one with the ideas, the guts to pull it together, to make it all work, right down to the final dotting of the i’s and crossing of the t’s. I understand you’ve outdone yourself this year, bringing in more money than the museum had ever hoped.”

“Yes, I’m happy we raised the funds they needed for the repairs.”

“The gentleman who bid on your dinner put you over the top.”

Eliza slammed the cookbook closed, took a deep breath, then nodded.

“Do you know who he is? Where he’s from?”

Eliza’s heart raced with dread and she cursed Reese for putting her in this position. Her mind fumbled around for just the right words. “Montana, I believe. He’s passing through Sioux Falls.”

“Just passing through?” Her father scratched his head, then furrowed his brows in a gesture Eliza knew so well. When Nash Fortune wasn’t buying something, he couldn’t hide the expression on his face. His instincts were usually right on, but the man didn’t have a poker face. “Why would he donate so much money if he had no stock in Sioux Falls? No one I questioned seemed to know.”

Eliza clenched her teeth. Her father had asked people about Reese Parker? “It’s a good tax deduction,” she said, keeping her comments noncommittal, “and a wonderful cause, Dad. Maybe he’s generous by nature.”

He didn’t seem convinced. “I suppose. Too bad I won’t be meeting him tonight. Patricia’s been a little down lately, so I thought a romantic dinner for two at her favorite restaurant would help lift her spirits.”

“Patricia mentioned that you wouldn’t be home tonight for dinner. I think she’s excited about some alone time with you.”

Eliza envied the love her father and Patricia shared. He was devoted to her. And after losing Elizabeth—Eliza’s mother—early in life, he’d rebounded with a disastrous marriage to Trina Watters before finding true love again with Patricia. Eliza had once thought she’d found that same kind of love, but nothing with Reese had worked out as she’d hoped.

Her father glanced down at the cookbook still in her lap. “So what kind of fabulous meal are you planning for tonight?”

“Don’t say fabulous and meal in the same sentence when you’re talking about me. I’ll be lucky if I don’t poison the man.”

Now, there’s a thought.

Her father’s lips twitched, but he didn’t comment any further. Nash Fortune was a wonderful husband to his wife and a caring father to Eliza, but he never showed her much outward affection. She knew her father loved her, but he’d also held high expectations for all his children. Case, Creed and Eliza all did their best never to disappoint him. They’d wanted his approval as much as his love. But Blake and Skylar, her half brother and half sister, were a different matter.

And now, with Reese Parker on the scene, the truth of her six-year secret marriage might hurt her family, disappoint her father and splash unfavorable headlines in the newspapers about the Fortune name.

Eliza shoved that thought aside and instead focused on something else. “Was my mother a good cook?”

Her father stared off for a moment as if reliving another time in his life. When he spoke, his voice broke with a certain reverence mingled with pain. “Your mother was good at everything she did….”

Eliza listened carefully, noting the momentary win-some look on her father’s face. It was an expression she’d seldom witnessed.

“Except cooking,” he finished.

She released an amused sigh. “Oh, Dad, really? I take after her?”

He looked into her eyes. “She was smart and dedicated to what she believed in, pretty as a picture—and couldn’t cook worth a darn. Yes, you take after her.”

Eliza had heard some of these things before, but she never minded hearing them again. It made her feel closer to a mother she’d never known. She’d wanted so much to know the kind of unconditional love that she’d seen among her girlfriends with their mothers.

“I loved her dearly, Eliza. You know that.”

She nodded. “I do know that.”

Her father stood, then and placed a rare but much-needed kiss to her forehead. “Good. And, honey, no matter what you cook tonight, if the man is a real gentleman, he’ll eat it without complaint.”

“Except the man isn’t a gentleman,” Eliza said to Nicole over the phone hours later. “And the weather gods aren’t cooperating, either. A light mist is falling. We can’t eat out on the veranda as I’d hoped.”

“So why not use the dining room?”

“No, I can’t do that. Family. Patricia and my dad will be gone, but I can’t chance anyone else popping into the house and overhearing our conversation. I’ve set everything up in my design studio. If the rain stops, then we can go out onto the veranda.”

Her gaze traveled around her beloved room, where she’d spend hours dreaming up designs and wishing that one day she could open her own studio. She realized suddenly—and perhaps too late—how the room appeared. In an effort to conceal the mess, she’d arranged beautiful lengths of silk and satin cloths, draping them over bolts of fabric, design charts, spools of thread and ribbon. With soft lighting, her work area hidden and colorful material flowing in an array of delicacy, she’d unintentionally created a dining area that one might conceive as seductive.

“I think this might be a mistake, Nic,” she said slowly, trying to calm her impending panic.

“You’ll do fine, Lizzie. You always do. Just keep your head up, your mind on something else and you’ll get through this evening.”

That had always been her problem with Reese. Whenever he was in the room, she couldn’t focus on anything but him. She’d met him right after watching the rodeo and walked up to him in a meet-’n’-greet line to shake his hand. He’d held on to her hand a little longer than the other cowboys had and looked deeply into her eyes with a certain sweet promise, then released her to shake the next person’s hand. She’d been fascinated, transfixed in the moment—and disappointed when she’d left the rodeo without seeing him again.

So when he slid in the seat right next to her that night at her hotel bar, she’d been captivated by his slow and easy manner, quick wit and undeniable sex appeal. She’d fallen hard for Reese Parker, and she’d realized right then, that what she’d felt for Warren Keyes wasn’t love at all. She’d dismissed her feelings for him quite easily after meeting Reese.

She’d had the real thing with Reese—or so she believed. And when he’d betrayed her, her world had crumbled apart.

“Thanks, Nic. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She’d never regret telling her dear friend the truth. She’d been a godsend today, coaching her through the cooking and giving her moral support.

“So, are you wearing a knockout dress?” Nic asked.

“No, just a plain black cocktail dress with simple lines. I don’t really care how I look to Reese.”

Nic sighed. “Eliza,” she said, taking a serious tone, “you were married to him. I mean, you’re still married to him. A woman who’s been placed in your situation would surely want the man to eat crow…at least for a little while.”

“It’s not crow, Nic. It’s pot roast. You helped me with the recipe, remember?”

“Is that a joke coming from my worried friend? Maybe there’s hope for you after all. Besides, I know that black dress you’re talking about. And it’s killer on you. You could make a burlap sack look great with your figure.”

Eliza closed her eyes briefly, wondering if Nicole had a point. After all, why had she chosen Reese’s favorite meal to serve unless a small part of her wanted him to see what he’d missed out on these past years. A small part of her wanted him to recognize that he’d thrown away an abiding love. Maybe she had chosen a dress, though conservative in design with a high neckline and a decent hemline, that seemed to set off her curves. With Eliza’s body, unless she truly did choose a sack to wear, she could hardly conceal her womanly form.

When the doorbell rang, she froze. I need more time, she thought. I’m not ready for this. “He’s here,” she breathed into the phone.

“Eliza, keep your cool. Be honest with him. And whatever you do, don’t…”

“What, Nic? Don’t what?”

“Don’t fall for the guy again.”

“Not a chance. I’m immune to his charm now. I’ve learned my lesson with Reese Parker.”

She clung dearly to those thoughts as she descended the stairs and greeted her estranged husband.

Reese Parker stood outside the Fortune estate, barely containing his temper. The last time he’d been here, he’d been effectively tossed off the property. Now he was an invited guest. Hell, not exactly. It had cost him to get this invitation, but it would be well worth the money paid to see Eliza’s reaction when she learned the truth about him. She’d toyed with his affections in the past, then cast him aside. Reese would only give her a dose of her own medicine.

He rang the doorbell, and when the door opened, he was surprised to find a nervous Eliza standing there instead of one of the staff. “Still keeping secrets, darlin’?”

Her chin jutted up, angling her nose in the air, but she couldn’t conceal the rosy color flaming her cheeks. “I thought we could be civil to one another tonight.”

Think again, he wanted to say, but she did have a point. Nothing would get settled if they couldn’t stand to look at each other all evening.

Although looking at Eliza had never been his problem. She’d captured his attention from the moment they’d met. Tonight, she dressed in a classy black dress that attempted to hide a body he’d tried damn hard to forget. With blond hair caressing her shoulders and those soft blue eyes—glaring at him right now—Reese remembered her all too well, in and out of her clothes.

He stepped inside and handed her a bottle of Dom Pérignon.

A faint smile crossed her lips when she glanced at the bottle he’d given her.

When I make my first million, we’ll celebrate with Dom Pérignon.

Reese had always wanted the best for her, no matter the cost, and now that he could afford it, he knew the champagne would taste bitter to them both.

“I keep my promises,” he said quietly.

Eliza nearly dropped the bottle she held. “Except the most important promise of all,” she said, handing him back the champagne. “Dinner is waiting.”

Reese set the bottle down on an entry table and arched his brows. He hadn’t really wanted to drink champagne with her. No, his intention was to make a point, and he wasn’t entirely sure he’d succeeded.

Eliza led him up a wide winding staircase to the second floor. It irritated him to no end the pains she took in order to keep their marriage a secret. She’d probably arranged for the entire family, as well as the staff, to be gone this evening. Fine by him. He wasn’t overly fond of the Fortunes anyway, from the little Eliza had shared with him about her family. And now she was tucking them both away somewhere on the second floor.

“You have a dining room up here?”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “We need privacy. We’ll dine in my studio.”

“Ah, worried that your father or brother might stumble upon the domestic scene? Wonder what they’d say to see you actually dining with your husband?”

“Shhh. Please, Reese. Keep your voice down.”

Reese clammed up, but not to ease her distress. His plan of action called for charm and wit, not anger. He’d had six years to stew and now he’d have to control his boiling point.

He followed her into a large room that appeared welcoming and warm, a room that clearly wasn’t ordinarily used for dining. Yet she had a table set beautifully with all the finery he’d have expected from a Fortune and she’d obviously gone to some trouble to conceal a work area using drapes of material. Reese felt himself relaxing some. “This is nice.”

Eliza shut the door behind them, then let out a deep sigh of relief. “We can talk in here without…”

Reese raised his brows. “Without?”

“Interruption. Would you like to have a seat?”

So formal, he thought. Had she forgotten how it’d been with them? The laughter, the sweet promises, making love anywhere and everywhere, including the backseat of his truck. Reese shoved aside an image of Eliza straddling him on a chair not too unlike the one she so properly offered him just now. She’d been beautifully naked, gripping him tight and rocking that chair for all it was worth.

He removed his jacket and loosened his tie.

Eliza approached, coming up close enough for him to catch a whiff of her scent. The familiar exotic perfume teased his nostrils, bringing back even more memories. She still wore the same fragrance that had lingered on his clothes for weeks after she’d gone.

“I’ll take that,” she said, reaching for his suit coat.

He handed her the jacket and sat down. Within a few moments, she joined him at the small round table. When she uncovered the dishes, he glanced down at the meal, then lifted his gaze back up to her. “Pot roast and all the fixings.”

“Yes,” she said, meeting his eyes as though meeting some sort of challenge, as well.

Reese studied her for a second, while something fierce slammed into his gut. She remembered. Damn her. They’d had a good thing, and she’d destroyed it—and him, nearly—when she’d walked out of their marriage. Well, he was here to set things straight. He tempered his anger with the knowledge that he would do just that. Then he’d be gone.

Reese took a bite of the roast and nodded. “This is very good.”

Eliza’s lips trembled into a little smile. “Thank you. I, uh…my cooking ability hasn’t improved much, but I’m happy with the results.”

Reese swallowed and leaned back in his seat. “Are you saying you cooked this meal?”

She nodded. “It was a huge donation, Reese.”

“So you figured you owed me? You figured—”

“I’d do the same for anyone who made a bid,” she said in a rushed breath. “It’s only right.”

Too bad his wife had a slanted view of what was right or not. She’d honored her pledge to cook a meal for a hefty donation, but she hadn’t the decency to tell him to his face that she’d missed the good life and was leaving him high and dry six years ago. Reese let her comment drop for the time being.

He scanned the room again, this time with discerning eyes, noting the objects partially hidden behind draped fabrics. “So what is this place?”

Eliza’s eyes brightened for the first time tonight. “It’s my studio. I do interior design. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed.”

“Are you in business?”

She shook her head. “No. Maybe someday,” she said on a wistful note. “I’ve decorated the third floor of the estate. And I use my talent for charitable events at times.”

Reese forked another mouthful and chewed thoughtfully, wondering about Eliza’s life. Didn’t sound as though she lived on the edge anymore. The Eliza he’d known had been part risk taker, part sexy bed partner. She’d been carefree and happy—or so he had thought until he’d realized that he had been her entertainment that one summer.

Now she spent her time raising money for good causes, but it seemed, from the light that sparked in her eyes just then, that she wasn’t pursuing her true passion. He’d noted the longing on her face when she’d let down her guard.

He glanced at her full plate. “Not hungry?”

She lifted a quick smile to him and picked up her fork, ready to stab the meat. Then she lowered the fork down none too gently. “Reese, why’d you make such a large donation last night?”

He smiled. “Because I can.”

Eliza’s blue gaze met his. He’d always thought she had the prettiest eyes. That hadn’t changed, only now he knew what kind of deceit those eyes could conceal.

“How can you? What’s changed in your life?”

“I told you one day I’d strike oil, darlin’.”

She slumped back in her seat, stunned. “You mean…you did it? You actually…I never thought…”

“That was the problem, wasn’t it? You never believed in me. You never thought I’d fulfill my dream. All you saw was a silver-buckled rodeo cowboy without a dime in his pocket.” His tone turned gruff. “But after you left, I made it my mission in life. I partnered up with my brother Garrett. We pooled our resources. With his business sense and my gut instincts we struck oil after two years. Now Parker Explorations is a successful wildcatting company in Montana.”

“You own your own company?”

Judging by the look of awe on her face, she appeared truly surprised. Reese had wanted that reaction from her, but now it seemed that her lack of faith in him achieving his goals just irritated him even more. He’d wanted to shock her and rub his success in her face to gain well-deserved satisfaction. He’d done all that, but it wasn’t enough, damn it. “Let me get this straight. You married a rodeo cowboy from Montana and never in your wildest dreams did you think I’d amount to anything. I had no money, and that just wasn’t good enough for you. After our little summer fling, you got tired of playing the penniless wife and headed for home. I get that now. But you should have stuck around. My company is one of the fastest growing in Montana, and now I’m finally setting down roots. I’m staying in one place for a change and building my own estate just outside of Bozeman. So let’s just call our marriage what it really was—a foolish notion. Or how did you say it in your note? A mistake.”

Eliza blinked, then stared at him as if he’d gone raving mad. “Reese! What are you talking about? I didn’t run out on you because of money. And I certainly wouldn’t have married you if I hadn’t lo—”

“Hadn’t what, Eliza?” he probed, shoving his plate away and leaning in with elbows braced on the table.

She hesitated for a moment and then on a long-winded sigh finished, “Hadn’t thought it would last forever. I’d planned on staying married, but you…you were the one who made that impossible. How could you think I’d stay in a marriage to a man who’d been unfaithful? After less than three months together, Reese! I’d trusted you. And you, you…”

Reese tossed his napkin onto the table and bolted out of his seat. “What?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I was never unfaithful.”

Eliza sat perfectly still in her seat and spoke slowly. “I’m not a fool, Reese. But apparently you thought I was. That last night, when I left you to go home for my father’s surprise birthday party, I came back to our hotel room unexpectedly and saw her.”

Completely baffled, he asked, “Saw…who?”

“The rodeo queen. Suzette, SueBelle, Sue…something. She was in our bed. Our bed!”

Reese slumped back into his chair as faded memories came back and he recalled that night. He’d kissed Eliza goodbye in front of the hotel, hoping she’d go home and finally have the courage to tell her family about him and their marriage. He’d met up with a friend from the rodeo named Cody Pierce and together they’d gone to the bar for a drink. Aside from missing his wife already, he’d had an event that next day so he’d decided one drink would have to be it. “Her name was Susanna.”

Eliza nodded scornfully. “So you don’t deny it?”

“Damn straight, I deny it. I never touched that woman. No, that’s not true. I did touch her….”

Eliza’s expression blackened.

He was so damn angry with her right now that he didn’t give a damn what she thought, but he hated being accused of something falsely. “I was at the bar with Cody that night. You remember him. He’s the big, good-looking bull rider who always managed to flirt with you.”

Eliza opened her mouth to respond but clamped her lips together, apparently deciding against it.

“We spotted Susanna in the corner, drinking herself into oblivion. She was really wasted. It seemed her younger brother had gotten in a bad car wreck and she couldn’t catch a flight out of town until the morning. She was pretty upset and then announced that she’d drive herself all the way to Texas if she had to. When she stood up to leave, she would have collapsed if Cody hadn’t caught her. We both knew if we left her, she’d do something stupid. Since you were gone anyway, we put her in my bed, talked to her awhile and waited until she fell asleep. I bunked with Cody that night.”

“Sounds like a good story,” Eliza said bitterly, “except when I entered the room, she called out your name.”

“And did I go to her? Did you see me? Hell, no. Because I wasn’t there. It was after midnight when we finally got her to sleep. And when I went to check on her just after dawn the next day, she was already gone. She couldn’t have spent more than a few hours in our room. I was never alone with her.”

“But…but I thought…I came back so unexpectedly, and when I saw her…I assumed—”

“I know what you assumed,” Reese said, barely managing to contain his hurt and anger. He’d given Eliza everything he had to give, but still she hadn’t trusted in him. She’d instantly thought the worst, without even bothering to stay and confront him to get to the truth. “Did you really think I’d be unfaithful to you? Where were you for those three months we had together? Didn’t you know how I felt about you?”

Eliza closed her eyes slowly, her face void of expression.

“What brought you back that night, anyway?”

She opened her eyes, the pretty blue tarnished with regret. “My…my father took ill. It was nothing serious, but Patricia decided to postpone the party. And I was so happy to come home to you that night that I rushed inside that room and then…saw her there.”

“So you wrote me a note.”

She stiffened and then sank her hand into her hair. “Yes. But first I ran. I couldn’t help it. I had to get away. I came back just before dawn after crying my eyes out in my car. I decided to leave the note with the front desk clerk.”

“Why? Why not blast me right then and there if you thought I’d been unfaithful? At least the truth would have come out. And we wouldn’t have wasted six years of our lives.”

“I couldn’t,” she said, the regret in her eyes turning to pain. “I couldn’t because…You know that I had a broken engagement right before I met you.”

“Yeah, that’s about all I know. You never gave me details.”

“You didn’t seem to want any.”

“What for? I only knew that I wanted you. I didn’t care that some loser let you go.”

“But you see, it’s so much more than that. He hurt me in ways that I can’t describe. And then when I thought you had betrayed me, too…I couldn’t face it. Or you. And I couldn’t face another disastrous scandal. I’d put my family through enough that year, breaking off that engagement. The headlines were cruel and probing…and I just couldn’t put my family through that again.”

“So you walked?”

She nodded.

“And it never occurred to you that I might have been innocent?”

Eliza lifted her eyes to meet his squarely. She breathed out, “Not once.”

“Not once,” he repeated. He tamped down rising rage. Not once had she even thought it possible that what she’d seen had been something harmless, something that could have been easily explained if she’d only sought the answers.

She continued in a quiet tone, “It was like I was reliving a scene from my past. First Warren’s betrayal, then yours. We’d been engaged for months, and two weeks before our wedding date I found him in bed with his campaign manager. He hadn’t expected me to show up when I did, either. But when I caught him, I realized that he’d used me and the powerful Fortune name for his campaign. He wanted to be Sioux Falls’ youngest mayor. I guess I never really got over that betrayal.”

“So you thought I was just like him?”

“No…yes. I don’t know,” she said, tears misting in her eyes.

“I never asked you for anything. In fact, I refused your money time and again. That’s not what I wanted from you. I only asked that you love me. But you didn’t. Maybe you weren’t ready to get married, Eliza. Maybe you still loved this guy and only used me to get over him.”

“No! That’s not true.” She rose from her seat and implored him with fire in her eyes. “I didn’t love Warren. Not the way I loved you. He got what was coming to him when he lost the election, and I knew a moment of satisfaction in that. But it all seemed so trivial to me because when I met you, I fell in love and didn’t care a thing about Warren anymore. I never thought of him that way again.”

“Except the moment there was a hint of doubt about me, you cast that so-called love aside. No, Eliza. I’m not buying it. That’s not what love is about.”

Eliza’s indignant expression faltered.

Reese hadn’t expected this. No, he’d always thought she’d walked out on him because he couldn’t provide the money and lifestyle she’d been accustomed to. They’d spend their days traveling the rodeo circuit, spending their nights often in a different motel room, in a different city. He’d been so sure that she’d gotten tired of the instability and the lack of luxury.

Now he was blown away by her allegation. She’d really believed that he’d deceived her and he’d had an affair the minute her back had been turned. This truth was a fresh injury to an old wound, one he’d nursed through the years until he’d thought it healed. Now she’d opened that old scar up and plunged it deep with a new sharp and gutting accusation.

Even now, as he gazed into her solemn eyes, he read doubt and mistrust there. What did it matter that she didn’t believe him? After all, he hadn’t come here expecting a happy reunion.

“What now?” she asked, and he noted worry on her sullen face. She didn’t want their marriage exposed; that much was evident.

He approached her, his gaze holding hers. Eliza backed away from him and he smiled. And the more she backed away, the closer he came, until she bumped into a worktable draped with white satin. He grabbed her hand and drew her near, while the other hand reached up to caress her face. She stared at him. He skimmed a finger down her cheek, tracing the delicate lines. Her skin felt smooth and utterly soft, just as he remembered. He skimmed his hand farther down, grazing her throat and then stroked lower to flatten onto her collarbone.

She drew in a quick breath, the gasp reminiscent of the passion they once shared. Heat was still there between them, simmering from their bodies. And want was still there, too. Her pulse pounded under his palm.

He slid his hand to her breast, spreading out to cup her fully. Even through his anger and hurt, the remembered feel of her created havoc below his waist.

He flicked his thumb over her pebbled nipple.

She made a sound in her throat, a little cry that drew him to full erection.

He leaned in, pressing her body to his, his mouth angling toward hers. “Now, darlin’, I give you something to worry about.”

Three

If she pushed at him, she knew he’d release her and back away. But Reese’s heat surrounded her. His eyes held her captive. And those lips, hovering so near, tempted her beyond reason. Eliza’s body responded to his.

It always had.

So when he freed her breast and splayed both hands around her waist, tugging her closer, she allowed it. And sighed when his erection rubbed into her belly.

Her mind flashed images of making love with Reese in all ways and all positions imaginable. They’d been hot for each other. They’d never let up.

They’d been madly in love.

“Kiss me, Eliza.”

And there it was—the low timbre of Reese’s command. He’d always brought her pleasure. He’d been an incredible lover, a man who spoke to her in bed, telling her what he wanted and what he would do to her.

He’d been sinfully erotic, sexier than a man had a right to be. He’d brought her fulfillment each and every time.

Yes, yes. She wanted to kiss him and bring back all those heated, glorious memories. Just this once, she told herself because she knew she and Reese had no future together. They’d hurt each other far too much to ever hope to heal past mistakes. And she’d never reveal him as her husband.

Never.

She lifted her mouth to his. The moment their lips touched, Reese took over, and she flowed farther into his arms, remembering how he’d always taken care with her.

He held her close and gently, but his kiss was harsh, pressing her lips roughly, and the mix of his musky scent and demanding body was the sweetest torture she’d ever known. He took from her and took some more, his lips crushing hers without tenderness or regard.

And just when she meant to push him away, realizing the punishing terms of his kiss, he softened his assault and the blending of their mouths turned into something she’d never expected to feel for Reese again—desire.

It burned through her.

She stood in his arms, stunned by her reaction.

She’d spent the last six years hating him for his betrayal, and in less than six minutes he’d made her want him again.

“Open for me, baby,” he rasped out.

“Reese, this isn’t—”

He mated their tongues, and her protest died quickly as old rhythms came back. The taste of him and the heady way he moved his mouth on hers sent shocking tingles down to her feet. She fell deeply into the kiss, unmindful of reason, throwing caution to the wind.

Don’t fall for the guy again.

No, no. She wouldn’t. She’d promised Nicole and herself. But she couldn’t deny how alive he made her feel. More alive than she’d felt these past six years.

Reese broke off the kiss after long moments. “Still so pretty,” he said, his breath caressing her lips. “Still taste so damn good.”

Eliza’s heart raced. A shocking thrill coursed down her body, making her tremble with need. His seductive tone had always promised a wild night tangling in the sheets.

“Touch me,” he said quietly.

She lifted her hand to his face, her fingers outlining the strength of his jaw. She felt the contours, the slight stubble that shadowed his features, and remembered how that stubble would brush her thighs, creating rough friction against her legs right before he’d…

He bent his head and took her mouth again in another soul-searing kiss. Eliza kissed him back, caught up in memories she’d long ago buried. And when his knee parted her legs and he hiked her dress up slowly, the heat of his palm scorched her thigh. His fingers slid over her skin, inching higher until he teased the silken edge of her panties.

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