“I’ve never asked a man to, well…”

Eden’s voice faltered as she struggled to find the right words.

Luke swallowed hard, and sympathetic to her discomfort, he supplied, “Have an affair?”

She snatched her hand back, shock enveloping her features. “Oh, goodness, no!” Then she laughed, as if she found his wrong assumption amusing. “I don’t want us to have an affair, I want us to get married.”

“Married?” Luke repeated incredulously, feeling as though he’d just been prodded with a fiery branding iron. His entire body burned. He’d been prepared to divert a seduction, not a marriage proposal!

To have and to hold…

Their marriage was meant to last—

and they have the gold rings to prove it!

To love and to cherish…

But what happens when their promise

to love, honor and cherish is put to the test?

From this day forward…

Emotions run high as husbands and wives discover

how precious—and fragile—their wedding vows are….

Will true love keep them together—forever?

Marriages meant to last!

Part-Time Marriage (#3680)

by Jessica Steele

The Wedding Deal

Janelle Denison

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my nephews, Corey, Tanner and Brendan. May you all grow to be strong, handsome heroes no girl can resist.

As always, to Don, the perfect hero.

Thank you for being mine.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER ONE

PRESSING a hand to her stomach to still the batch of butterflies swarming in her belly, Eden Lowe glanced out her kitchen window toward the bachelor apartment above the garage for the third time in the past five minutes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the dark-haired, lean-hipped cowboy she’d recently employed as a hand at the Double L—a man who could be her salvation, if she could just convince him to agree to her daring, and very brazen proposition.

An hour and a half ago she’d been down in her office finishing up paperwork when Luke Bodene had ridden up after spending a full day out in the North pasture mending a split fence. She’d deliberately waited for him, and when he’d walked into the barn, she’d exited her office.

As always, he’d been excruciatingly polite. He’d acknowledged her with a courteous nod of his head, and touched the tips of his long fingers to the brim of his broken-in Stetson that covered pitch-black hair in need of a haircut. The silky-looking strands layered past his ears, and brushed the collar of the dusty, sweat-stained chambray shirt that molded to wide shoulders, a muscular chest, and a lean torso honed by pure physical labor.

“Good evening, Ms. Lowe,” he’d murmured cordially, his voice a low, velvet rumble that matched the flickering warmth in his rich, golden-brown eyes.

Her pulse had leapt, as it seemed to do whenever they made eye contact, or he spoke to her. Outwardly, she’d maintained her professional composure. First and foremost she was his boss, and it was important to her that her hands knew she was the one in control of her ranch and employees.

“Luke, would you mind coming up to the kitchen in the main house when you get the chance? I need to speak with you.”

For a moment, his jaw clenched and his eyes seemed to turn granite hard. Then an odd look of resignation had eased across his expression. “I need to take care of Diablo after the long day he put in,” he said of the gelding he’d brought with him the day he’d drifted onto the Double L and asked if she needed an extra hand. Like most cowboys, his horse seemed to be his best friend, but this man seemed more of a loner than most. “And I’d like to get cleaned up myself, unless you need to speak with me immediately?”

There was the slightest defensive edge to his voice, as if he expected a reprimand of some sort. She’d smiled to alleviate the sudden tension swirling around him. “No, go ahead and see to Diablo and yourself. That’ll give me a chance to shower and change, as well.”

As soon as the words escaped, she’d wished them back, especially when she caught the curious upward quirk to his brow. The last thing she wanted him to think was that she was primping for him—but she couldn’t deny that when she extended her unorthodox offer to Luke she wanted to be dressed in something other than old, faded jeans, a wrinkled blouse, and work boots.

He’d turned, and she’d watched him head toward his horse’s stall, her gaze unerringly drawn to the way his soft worn jeans paid homage to his toned buttocks and hard thighs. He was, undeniably, a breathtakingly attractive man, and much to her dismay she found she wasn’t immune to his good looks, his unconsciously sexy swagger, and those bedroom eyes fringed in thick lashes that seemed to hold an equal dose of temptation, and something far more reserved.

But for all his appeal, he’d never made an improper advance toward her, unlike some of the men she’d hired in the past, inaccurately believing their boss to be a lonely widow in need of male attention. No, despite his remote attitude, Luke Bodene was a gentleman, and that’s exactly why she’d chosen him to help her out of a very delicate predicament.

If he’d ever show up!

Chewing on her bottom lip, she cast a quick glance at the clock on the wall. Down in the barn she’d been filled with confidence, but with every second that ticked by with no sign of Luke, her fortitude wavered. The pot roast dinner she’d painstakingly prepared warmed in the oven, and if she waited much longer the meat would dry out and taste like shoe leather. If he was the kind of man who judged a woman by her cooking skills, in another half hour she wouldn’t stand a chance of impressing him with her culinary talents.

A sudden bout of dread and apprehension filled her, making her question the insane, but viable plan that had taken up residence in her head a few days ago. Uncertainties assailed her, yet she refused to allow any doubts to obstruct her goals, or her chance at an independent future.

She had no choice but to proposition a man she’d known less than a month. A gorgeous, brooding, solitary cowboy who suited her purpose perfectly. Now that she’d finally gathered the nerve to state her arrangement to him, she could only hope Lucas Bodene would appreciate and accept the generous payment she was willing to offer in exchange for his services.

One year was all she was asking. Twelve months of a marriage in name only while he continued to work her small cattle operation, and played the part of her husband in the eyes of Maddox, Texas. Once he fulfilled his end of their wedding deal, he’d collect the handsome parcel of land in Montana that had belonged to her parents, they’d file for divorce, and he’d continue on his way, and out of her life. A desperate plan for an equally desperate need to secure her and her daughter’s future and regain control of her life, and the ranch her brother-in-law held just out of her full reach.

According to a stipulation in her late husband’s will, her brother-in-law Allen Lowe had every right to exert his authority over the ranch that had become Eden’s livelihood, since he’d been granted control over the Double L’s finances until she remarried. For the past two-and-a-half years since her husband Bryce’s death, and the stunning announcement that he hadn’t trusted her with the cattle operation they’d built together, Allen had gloried in holding his power over her head. He never let her forget that he maintained ultimate influence over every decision she made, every penny she spent. More times than not, he thwarted her attempts to expand or buy extra supplies, just to prove that he was, indeed, in control.

The soft thump-thump of the apartment door closing brought Eden’s attention back to the window, where she saw Luke heading up to the main house. He’d left his hat behind, and the setting sun glinted off the raven hair still damp from a shower. The rebel-long strands were combed away from his face, making his features appear sharp and chiseled. His jaw was square, his cheekbones high, and he had the fullest, most sensual mouth she’d ever seen on a man. He wore a clean chambray shirt with the sleeves cuffed to reveal his strong, tanned forearms, a pair of jeans as faded as the ones he’d worn earlier, minus the dirt and grime, and the beige leather cowboy boots he wore when he wasn’t working.

As he neared, anticipation raced through her veins.

Smoothing a hand over the front of her casual dress, and quickly sifting her fingers through her just-washed, unbound hair, she grabbed two pot holders and pulled their dinner out of the oven just in time to save their meal. With her daughter at her sister’s for the night, she had all evening to sway Luke Bodene to her way of thinking.

A savory home-cooked meal for a man used to bland grub and the local diner’s greasy food was a good start.

In Luke’s vast experience over the past eight years, ranch owners summoned him after a long day’s work for one reason only, and that was to relieve him of his job upon discovering the less than sterling history that made him a high-risk employee. Considering his pretty lady-boss lived by herself, she had more reason than most to distrust him. Fear him, even. Especially if certain details of his past had been brought to her attention, which, judging by this after-hours trek he was making up to the main ranch house, he was guessing was the cause.

Resigned to the inevitable, Luke attempted to push aside old resentments, wondering why Eden hadn’t just issued him his walking papers when she’d seen him down in the barn earlier. Why prolong something that was bound to be frustrating for him, and awkward for her? He should have made it simple on the both of them and just packed up his belongings and moved on without putting either one of them through this unpleasant confrontation.

It still wasn’t too late for him to turn around and follow through with that plan. If she were a man, he wouldn’t have hesitated. But, Eden was a woman, and she deserved the courtesy and the security of knowing that he wasn’t leaving the Double L as a disgruntled employee; that he understood her reasons for letting him go, and there were no hard feelings on his part.

Just a weary acceptance of what his life had become.

Releasing a soul-deep sigh for the empty, lonely life he’d lived the past eight years, and for the solitary years to come, he climbed the stairs to the back kitchen entrance to the main house and knocked on the screen door.

“The door’s open, Luke,” Eden said from inside the house. “Come on in.”

Her voice was soft, feminine, and just as welcoming as her invitation for him to step inside her home—a place he’d never ventured before. Oh, there had been a few times over the past month that he’d stood at the screen door to relay a message or wait for her to come outside to take care of a problem on the ranch, but he’d never allowed himself to step past the barrier that was as much a physical obstruction as an emotional one. He found it difficult to breach that boundary even now. Passing over Eden’s threshold felt personal, especially when he found the woman too attractive and tempting for his peace of mind.

And if she planned to lay him off, he’d prefer she did so right where he stood so he could be on his way.

Appearing just on the other side of the screen door, she tilted her head curiously, causing her rich russet hair to flow over her shoulders. The light behind her touched the end of those strands in fiery gold.

“Hey, didn’t you hear me?” she asked lightly.

A startling rumble of awareness broadsided Luke as his gaze took in the transformed woman standing before him. For the most part he was used to seeing Eden in no-nonsense jeans and a blouse, with her hair in an efficient braid or ponytail. She’d showered and changed, and the pretty dress she wore made her look as spring-fresh as the tiny violet flowers printed on the material.

She wasn’t one of those petite, delicate types most men preferred. Luke wasn’t most men, and in his estimation Eden was all woman, as was evident in the way the rounded neckline and snug bodice of her dress displayed her full breasts and nicely rounded hips. She stood only a few inches under his six foot height, and her body was lush and curvy—offering the kind of warmth and softness a man could lose himself in for hours.

He couldn’t deny that she stirred his baser male instincts, though he’d never touch a respectable woman like her. Fantasies were a whole other issue, and his mind often strayed in the darkness of night to thoughts of Eden, and just how fiery and passionate she might be beneath that practical, sensible facade of hers.

“Luke?”

The amicable smile threw him off-kilter. Though he detected a hint of nervousness in her green eyes, it wasn’t the grim look he was accustomed to seeing when an employer discovered his disreputable past and decided to cut him loose.

Her mixed signals confused him, prompting caution. “Ms. Lowe, I don’t think it would be such a good idea if I came inside.” Whatever she needed to discuss with him, they could do it just as easily where they stood.

“I’m inviting you inside,” she insisted, and opened the screen door as if to prove her point. “And it would be rude of you to refuse.” Her voice was light and teasing.

He didn’t understand why she was being so insistent, but rather than argue, he reluctantly brushed past her and entered the kitchen. He caught that familiar floral scent that clung to her skin, and his gut tightened. And then a more savory aroma attacked his senses, nudging the appetite he’d suppressed since the two sandwiches he’d eaten for lunch.

He didn’t advance any farther than a few steps into the modest kitchen, but he could easily see the small oak dining table set for two—for her and her daughter, he assumed. The surface was laden with a virtual feast of fragrant pot roast, peeled and browned potatoes, fresh green beans in a butter sauce, and biscuits and gravy.

Much to his chagrin, his stomach growled at the sight of such a delicious banquet of food. Loudly. Fiercely. And there wasn’t a thing he could do about intercepting the announcement that he was starved.

She laughed, the husky, intimate sound igniting a slow heat in his veins. “I’m glad to hear you’re hungry. I was hoping you hadn’t eaten yet.”

Unable to help the perplexed frown that touched his brows, he watched her move to the counter and pick up a platter of cantaloupe sliced into juicy wedges. “Uh, no, ma’am, I haven’t.”

“Good.” Setting the fruit on the table, she turned to him with a beguiling smile no healthy, red-blooded male could resist. “Will you stay for supper?”

What the heck was going on? Was she offering him his last meal before sending him on his way? He scratched his temple, certain he’d misunderstood the whole scenario. “Excuse me, ma’am?”

“Please, call me Eden,” she insisted, the waver in her voice at odds with the determination in her eyes. “Right now, I’m not your boss, just a woman who invited you to join her for supper. No ‘Ms. Lowe’ or ‘ma’am’ allowed.” She gestured toward the table with a slender hand. “And I made plenty as you can tell. More than enough for just one.”

More than enough for just one? Which meant she was alone. They were alone. His boots remained grounded where he stood. “Where’s your daughter?”

“Phoebe is at my sister’s for the night.” After smoothing a hand down the skirt of her dress, she went to the refrigerator and opened it. “What would you like to drink? I have iced tea, apple juice, or beer.”

She held the latter choice out to him, and he noticed that her hand trembled ever so slightly. Still trying to put all the pieces of this intriguing puzzle together, he took the chilled bottle from her. “Thank you.”

Twisting off the cap, he took a long drink of the malty liquid, quenching his thirst. He watched as she drew a deep breath, then turned to retrieve a glass from the cupboard and pour herself a glass of iced tea. It gave him an extra moment to analyze Eden’s intentions.

In the month that he’d been working for Eden, she’d always been kind to him and they’d worked well together on the ranch. He had no problems taking orders from his lady-boss, unlike most men. He liked and respected her, and she offered him the same. But, at the end of the day they went their separate ways, him to his small apartment over the garage, and her to the main house.

Though there seemed to be an undercurrent of awareness between them, they’d never fraternized beyond business, and their employee/employer relationship had never crossed the boundaries of propriety.

He felt as though they’d just leapt across that line of demarcation and straight into forbidden territory.

Now that his confusion had worn off, the signs were fairly blatant. With a quick sweep of his gaze, he gathered up the evidence and sorted it out in his mind. She’d prepared a sumptuous meal for two, her daughter was gone for the night, she looked pretty and feminine in her dress, and she smelled soft and alluring. Her anxious behavior fit the pattern, as well.

From his own observations over the past month, he had concluded that Eden Lowe was an independent woman, confident and competent in her business decisions, and headstrong in her ideals when it came to the small cattle operation she managed, despite how her brother-in-law tried to thwart her attempts to keep the facilities running efficiently.

From the information he’d gleaned through casual conversation with Jake, the only other hand Eden employed on a part-time basis, he knew she was a widow of two-and-a-half years. But, according to Jake, she rarely dated. Which made Luke guess that she preferred having a brief fling with a man who wasn’t looking for a commitment or emotional entanglements and wouldn’t demand anything more than a good time.

He was certainly that kind of man, and while the thought of having an affair with this woman appealed to him on a masculine level, she posed too much of a threat to his mental well-being. One taste of her whole-some, generous nature, and he feared he wouldn’t be able to walk away.

And sooner or later, he always walked away.

She carried her drink to the table, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Well, let’s sit down and get started before everything gets cold.”

At the moment, he was feeling warmer than usual, and it had nothing to do with the heat in the kitchen, and everything to do with his own internal temperature that had risen at the image of Eden soft and willing in his bed, her lips lush beneath his, her hair spread over his pillow, tangled in his hands…

Abruptly, he banished those sensual thoughts that would never come to fruition. Not with her.

Despite his resolve not to engage in extracurricular activities with his boss, Luke decided there was no sense in refusing a perfectly good meal. Taking the chair next to Eden, he settled in and accepted the platter of succulent pot roast she passed his way. He wasn’t shy about heaping his plate with the array of delicious-smelling foods, and as he started to eat, he kept waiting for Eden to engage him in conversation.

She didn’t. Nor did she eat any of the small portion of supper she’d served herself. Instead, she fiddled with her fork, and pushed her food around on her plate, and absently chewed on her bottom lip, as if uncertain how to broach the subject that was on her mind. Her obvious preoccupation took away from his own enjoyment of the meal.

He sighed, and tried to find the best way to gently prompt her to open up and divulge the real purpose for inviting him to supper. “Ma’am…” She glanced up at him expectantly, making him realize he’d reverted back to a formality that was better used during working hours. “Eden, you’ll have to pardon me for being so forward, but I’d really like to know what all this is leading to. It is leading to something, isn’t it?”

She cringed, and her face flushed a becoming shade of pink. “Um, yes, I suppose it is,” she admitted, unnecessarily smoothing the napkin in her lap. “Am I that transparent?”

She sounded completely disgusted with herself. He found a rare smile kicking up the corner of his mouth, as well as experiencing a profound sense of relief that she didn’t do this sort of thing often. “Well, you did say you wanted to speak with me about something, and a woman doesn’t usually go through all this trouble for a man she hardly knows unless she’s trying to impress him.”

“Are you impressed?” she asked, hope glimmering in her eyes.

“And flattered,” he said, the admission an honest one. At least she’d know that her efforts hadn’t been in vain, that he’d appreciated the meal, and her attempts to seduce him, even if he wouldn’t allow himself to reap the end results.

His response seemed to gratify her, bolster her fortitude, even. Straightening in her chair, she reached over and rested her hand on his arm, her gaze locking on his. “Luke…I have a proposition for you.” Before he could swallow the bite of potato he’d just taken and waylay her request, she forged ahead. “I’d like for you and I to, well…” Her voice faltered as she struggled to find the right words. “I’ve never asked a man to, well…”

He swallowed, hard, and sympathetic to her discomfort, he supplied, “Have an affair?”

She snatched her hand back, shock enveloping her features. “Oh, goodness, no!” Her hand fluttered to the collar of her dress, and then she laughed, as if she found his wrong assumption amusing. “I don’t want us to have an affair, I want us to get married.”

Stunned, Luke’s fork clattered to his plate, and his appetite vanished. “Married?” he repeated incredulously, feeling as though he’d just been prodded with a fiery branding iron. His entire body burned, and he had a strong urge to bolt for wide open spaces. He’d been prepared to divert a seduction, not a marriage proposal!

She pulled in a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. “I know this is all very sudden—”

“Ma’am,” he managed to interrupt with extreme politeness, “I think you’ve roped the wrong cowboy.” Prepared to leave, he scooted his chair back, the scraping sound much like the clawing sensation in his belly.

Abruptly, she stood, too, panic flashing in her eyes. “Luke, wait a minute.”

Another minute, and he’d surely give in to the pleading note in her voice—and she had to be desperate to ask a renegade like him to marry her. He was certain she had her reasons for picking him, a stranger, he just didn’t want to be any part of whatever ploy she had in mind.

And considering what a fiercely independent woman she was, he had no doubt that this marriage proposal was a scheme of some sort. He didn’t believe for a moment that she needed a husband.

He headed toward the back screen door, but she beat him to it, blocking his path. When he stepped even closer to intimidate her into moving out of his way, she held out her hand and pressed her palm against his chest to keep two feet of distance between them. He immediately tensed at her bold move, but she didn’t seem the least bit afraid of him, and she might not know it but she had many reasons to fear him.

He scowled down at her. Stubborn woman!

“Luke, please,” she persisted, ignoring his dark look. “Just give me a chance to explain.”

His jaw clenched tight, until a muscle in his cheek ticked. “There’s nothing to explain,” he said with more calm than he felt. “I think we both should just chalk this up to a big misunderstanding.”

“But it’s not a misunderstanding.” Her chin rose and purpose fired her green eyes to a bright shade of emerald. “I am proposing.”

That heat prickled his skin again, settling in his stomach like a ball of fire. “I’m not interested.” The lie tumbled gruffly from his lips.

Frustration radiated off her, and her fingers flexed against his chest. “I’ll make it worth your while,” she blurted.

Her brazen statement threw provocative images into his mind that he had no defenses against. Oh, he had no doubt the benefits of marrying Eden would far exceed any sacrifice on his part. She was a beautiful woman, and it would be no hardship to share a house and bed with her, to be able to claim his husbandly rights and take their attraction to its logical conclusion. She was an excellent cook, an intelligent, hardworking business woman, and a good mom. She possessed all the qualities a man would pick for a wife, and then some. But whatever her reasons for singling him out, and no matter how appealing he found the idea of marrying Eden, he couldn’t do it.

And then there was his past to consider that would forever haunt him, a past which would only taint Eden’s reputation and the credibility of the Double L if someone discovered what he’d done.

He was a solitary man for a reason, a drifter by necessity—for the sole purpose of being able to pack up and move on when his transgressions nipped at his heels. Far from being poor, he’d been saving his earnings for years now, and he hoped that one day he’d be able to settle down on his own spread, be his own boss, raise his own cattle…alone. Always alone.

Regret twisted within him, and he gently grasped the hand Eden still pressed insistently to his chest. His callused thumb grazed the silky soft skin along her wrist, as much of a touch as he dared when he craved something far more intimate with Eden—warmth, caring, acceptance. The very things he’d sworn he’d learned to live without.

Obviously not.

Her lips parted on a catch of breath, and the pulse at the base of her neck fluttered in reaction to his caress. Her dark, spiky lashes drifted to half-mast, and she made no attempt to pull her arm back. The tension in the room shifted, crackling with those sensual sparks that flared whenever they got too close.

Right now, they were close enough to ignite a wildfire.

His heartbeat drummed in his ears and reverberated heavily through his body, making him intensely aware of Eden, of himself, and the need that had crept up on him without his permission—a dangerous kind of longing he couldn’t seem to shake when it came to this particular woman.

Kissing her would be only a matter of lowering his head and stealing what she unconsciously offered. And there was no denying he ached to taste the sweet heat of her mouth, to draw her body against his and lose himself in her scent and softness.

And though he suspected Eden wouldn’t so much as issue a protest to something they’d both been fighting for the past month, deny himself he did. For her protection as much as for his own sanity.

Releasing her hand, he watched as the smoky desire in her gaze ebbed to confusion. He forced himself to speak, to reestablish those boundaries that had crumbled the moment he touched her.

“As tempting as your offer is, ma’am, I’m not interested,” he said succinctly.

Stepping around her before she regained her composure and countered him yet again, he headed out the back door, mentally justifying his brusque actions—better for her to experience a gentle rejection now than for her to suffer later.

CHAPTER TWO

EDEN wasn’t ready to admit defeat, not when Luke hadn’t even given her the opportunity to explain her predicament, or extend her generous offer.

I’ll make it worth your while.

Eden dipped her hands into the soapy water in the sink and scrubbed a bowl, her face warming as she recalled the words she’d spoken in haste—and the unintentional sexual connotation behind her reckless statement.

Good grief, the man probably thought she was a desperate widow in need of attention. She cringed, realizing she was a desperate widow, but not for the reasons he most likely believed.

She didn’t want a man in her life, but she did need one to achieve her ultimate goal of securing the house and Double L as hers, and finally be free of her brother-in-law’s influence.

Not for the first time, she cursed the stipulation her husband had written into his will, one last controlling contingency she’d had no knowledge of until his death. The last laugh had been on her, and she’d spent the past two-and-a-half years berating herself for being such a fool.

She’d grieved her husband’s death for many reasons, but not for a love lost. Looking back on their whirlwind courtship, she knew she’d married him for all the wrong reasons. At the young age of nineteen she’d found herself pregnant, and when Bryce insisted that they marry, she’d honestly believed they’d be happy together like her own parents had been before they’d passed away. But she’d soon realized that Bryce Lowe had expected a meek and mild-mannered wife he could manipulate.

Months after the wedding, the conflicts, struggles, and arguments began. There was no compromising in this marriage. Every issue had been resolved Bryce’s way, leaving Eden feeling frustrated, and resentful of her husband’s chauvinistic behavior.

Unfortunately, Bryce’s brother was cut from the same cloth. Allen might be a high-finance city slicker who lived and worked in Houston, but there was no doubt he relished the power and authority he held over Eden.

Which was why she needed Luke’s temporary help. But first, she had to gain his cooperation, which she was determined to do, despite his reluctance.

A quick glance out the window reassured Eden that Luke hadn’t taken off for town, as she’d half expected. His truck was parked in the drive, and the light glowing from the bachelor apartment above the detached garage confirmed that he was home.

Finished cleaning the kitchen and putting the leftovers from their aborted dinner away, Eden retrieved a wicker basket from the pantry and filled it with two small plates and mugs, utensils, napkins, a thermos of fresh brewed coffee, and the French apple pie she’d made for dessert that they hadn’t had the chance to enjoy. Then she headed out the back door and across the lawn toward the unit where Luke lived as part of his room and board compensation.

This time, she wouldn’t give him the chance to refuse her. This time, she’d state her intentions clearly so there would be no mistaking her motives for asking him to marry her.

She climbed the wooden stairs at the side of the garage, and by the time she reached the screen door, Luke was waiting there, as if he’d watched her approach across the yard. He leaned casually against the jamb, his stance lazy, but there was enough caution in his rich brown eyes to give her the impression that he was wary of her visit.

“Hi,” she said, suddenly nervous all over again.

It wasn’t the impending conversation that had her stomach in a sudden jumble, but the man himself. While his single status, work ethic, and lack of ties to any one place declared him an unequivocal candidate for her husband hunt, he was so male, and everything feminine in her appreciated those virile qualities he possessed. Just standing there he exuded a shimmering heat and energy. And then there were his eyes, so deep and dark and potent. She shivered at the thought of him unleashing all that banked intensity, of being the recipient of all that latent sensuality.

He inclined his head, and an unruly lock of black hair fell over his forehead.

Since he didn’t seem inclined to strike up a conversation, she got down to business. “I came to apologize for the way I handled things back at the house.”

“Nothing to apologize for,” he drawled in rich, soothing tones that belied the tension bunching the honed muscles across his chest and biceps. “The incident is already forgotten.”

He lied. His eyes revealed that just like her, he was remembering the lingering way he’d stroked her wrist, and the forbidden kiss that had tempted them both.

“I’d really like a fair chance to explain my proposition.”

His lips pursed in frustration. “Ms. Lowe—”

“It’s Eden,” she insisted, wanting to dispense with all formalities. “And I’m not leaving until you’ve heard me out.” To soften her forceful announcement, she smiled and opened one end of the wicker basket so the fragrant cinnamon streusel aroma wafted his way. “I brought a warm French apple pie and coffee.”

He lifted a brow, but didn’t move. “A bribe?”

“A bribe. A peace offering. The dessert I made that we didn’t get the chance to enjoy.” She shrugged as if the reasons for her bringing the pie were inconsequential. “Call it what you will as long as it gets me into your apartment, and a half hour of your time.”

Seemingly deciding that he’d lost this particular battle, resignation softened his features. He opened the door to let her enter his domain. As she passed, he said, “I never thought you were the pushy type.”

The slightest hint of amusement tinged his voice, giving her hope that she might be able to sway him to her way of thinking.

Setting her basket on the counter separating the tiny living room from the equally small kitchen, she gave the place a cursory glance. Other than the sparse furnishings that came with the apartment, there was nothing personal to indicate he’d made this place a home. No, a man like him would live life day to day, always ready to move on at any given moment.

At the end of a year, that trait would work to both of their advantages.

A startling warmth engulfed her when he came up beside her at the counter. Shaking off her awareness, she glanced his way. “I think persistent and determined are more apt descriptions for my personality type, and much more complimentary.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “And stubborn.”

His tone was serious, but there was a teasing twinkle in his eyes that put her at ease. He might try to be gruff and remote, but he obviously had some charm buried beneath that reserved exterior. Briefly, she wondered what had happened to him to make him such a solitary man, a loner who didn’t seem to need anything or anyone.

Opening the lid of her basket, she withdrew her bribe. “My mother always did say that I inherited my father’s stubborn streak. I’ve always considered it a strength.” Her husband, Bryce, however, hadn’t appreciated her backbone, and spent their six years of marriage trying to stifle her strong-willed personality.

Luke slid onto one of the cushioned bar stools as she served up two generous portions of warmed pie and pushed a plate toward him. “Where are your parents?”

“Both are gone.” She poured him a mug of fresh coffee from the thermos she’d packed, then a cup for herself. “We were traveling through Kansas when they died, on our way to Billings, Montana, where my parents planned to build a ranch and retire on some land that once belonged to my mother’s father. I was seventeen at the time, and my sister, Sarah, was twenty.”

He absorbed that while savoring a bite of pie, then asked, “Do you mind me asking what happened to them?”

“No.” Settling onto the stool next to his, she picked up her fork and recalled the events of that terrifying and life-altering day over eleven years ago. “My sister and I were in a hotel where we were staying for the night, and my mom and dad were on their way back from getting us dinner at a fast-food restaurant when they got caught in a tornado. It killed both of them.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his gaze compassionate.

“Me, too,” she said, scooping up a piece of pie. “We still miss them. They were good, honest, hardworking people, and wonderful parents. And they were all the family my sister and I had.”

Taking a bite of apples, streusel, and flaky crust, she thought about that land in Montana, and how she was going to sacrifice the only family legacy she had to ensure the Double L’s future. Her sister had sold her portion of land when she’d married her husband, Ray, but Eden had always hoped to build on her share one day. Financially, the dream wasn’t feasible. Emotionally, she couldn’t afford to start over, not with Phoebe’s welfare to consider.

And if Luke accepted her offer, what was left of her family’s legacy would belong to a stranger.

“So, if you were heading toward Montana, how did you end up coming to live in Texas?”

She watched as he picked up his mug of coffee, her gaze drawn to his hands, which were large, tanned and callused, his fingers long as they wrapped around the ceramic cup. For as much strength as those hands possessed, she knew they were also capable of great tenderness. Many times, she’d seen him gently stroke his palm along Diablo’s neck, and she’d witnessed the patient way he’d untangled a calf from a string of barbed wire, his deep voice soothing the frightened animal. She’d also seen those fingers stroke affectionately over Mouser, the pregnant female cat who lived in the barn and spent her days catching rodents.

An unexpected shiver swept through Eden. She knew from her own experience earlier that evening that Luke’s hands and voice could work magic on a woman’s senses as well.

Ducking her head back to her dessert, she banished those thoughts and considered his question. “After my parents’ death my sister and I stayed in Kansas, and that’s where Sarah met her husband, Ray. He was a bronc rider and traveled the rodeo circuit, but she managed to reform him.” Eden grinned, and Luke returned the gesture with a small smile of his own. “When they got married, he wanted to move back to Texas to be near his family, who lived in Centerville. Since I was only eighteen at the time, and Sarah didn’t want to leave me behind in Kansas, I came with her and lived with her and Ray for about a year, until I married Bryce and moved to the Double L.”

It was clear from his curious expression that Luke had more questions, but he didn’t voice any of them. She was grateful, because she had no desire to dredge up memories of her marriage and her husband’s domineering ways.

She considered turning the tables and asking Luke about his family, but figured a man like him wouldn’t have roots to speak of. But, their casual conversation had served to relax the both of them, establishing a friendly atmosphere for the topic to come.

Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she set it next to her plate. “I suppose we should discuss the real reason I’m here.”

He served himself another slice of pie. “Ahh, yes, your proposition. I was hoping that slipped your mind.”

Not likely, she thought. Though he sounded skeptical, at least this time he seemed willing to listen to her. Without further preamble, she said, “Luke…I need to get married, and I think you and I could both benefit from such a union.”

Wiping a crumb from the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb, he met her gaze. “Eden, I’m very flattered, but not only do we not know each other, I’m not the marrying kind.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Enthusiasm welled within her, and she turned on her bar stool to face him. “In fact, that’ll work out perfectly!”

Her eager response made him pause a moment. He took a long drink of coffee, subtle interest touching his expression. “All right, you’ve piqued my curiosity. Why are you looking to get married, and why someone like me?”

“Someone like you?” She tilted her head, grinning, trying to keep the conversation light. “You make it sound like you’re a bad thing.”

She was teasing him, but he didn’t respond in kind. Very slowly, he turned on the bar stool, so that his hard thighs bracketed her knees, trapping her between heat, and the male scent of him. He leaned a bit closer, invading the scant distance between them. “How do you know I’m not some depraved criminal?”

With his eyes so direct and intense, and his features shadowed with grim purpose, a distinct tingle of doubt shot through Eden, forcing her to acknowledge just how little she knew about this man she’d employed without checking past references. From the moment he’d walked onto the Double L looking for temporary work she’d liked and trusted him—pure instinct on her part—and in the weeks since hiring him he’d done nothing to diminish her high opinion of him.

If he was even an ounce as corrupted as he was suggesting, then he would have taken advantage of all the times they’d been alone on the ranch long before tonight. She’d also seen him with Phoebe, and how kind and patient he was with her daughter. If anything, Eden’s respect for Luke had increased during the past month.

He was trying to shake up her composure, attempting to make her back down and cower, just like he’d attempted up at the house earlier. But, she wasn’t one to retreat from a challenge, and he was about to learn just how deep her fortitude ran.

“You’re not some depraved criminal, Luke.”

His gaze narrowed. “But you don’t know that for sure, do you?”

She dismissed his direct provocation, and the insinuation behind his words. The only thing she knew for certain was that something in Luke’s past haunted him, made him believe he wasn’t worthy of trust and respect. “I believe it, and that’s all that matters.”

She’d given him the perfect opportunity to do something to prove the sort of man he was, but he merely released a sound of disgust and sat forward again. “Why don’t you wait until you fall in love with a man who’ll make you a suitable, proper husband?”

She chose her answer carefully. “Because I don’t care to be any man’s wife again, not in the sense that includes honoring and obeying.”

He chewed on a bite of pie, then washed it down with a drink of coffee, all the while studying her speculatively. “Which brings me back to my original question. Why are you looking to get married, and why me?”

“Because you’re safe, and you won’t demand anything from me.”

Her candid response seemed to surprise him. She hadn’t meant to be so blunt and truthful, but she didn’t regret her words. If they did marry, she’d be honest for the duration of their short-term relationship, and she’d expect the same from him in return, which meant she needed to be up-front with him now.

“My marriage wasn’t an ideal one,” she admitted, pushing her plate aside. “My husband was very controlling and manipulative, and when he died, his will stipulated that his brother Allen maintain control of the Double L until I remarried. Since I prefer to live alone, without a husband, that means I’ll never secure the ranch and cattle operation as mine. The Double L is Phoebe’s future, and with me barely making ends meet on the paltry monthly allowance Allen gives me, by the time she inherits the ranch there might not be anything left.”

“So you figure the best way for you to gain back control of the ranch and accounts is to get married?”

“Yes. Temporarily.” She had no desire to become emotionally involved with another man, or give up the freedom and independence she treasured. “All I’m asking for is one year of marriage.”

“That’s six months longer than I stay in any one place.”

She’d assumed as much, and was prepared to compensate him for his time. “I’m hoping I have the incentive to make your extended stay worth your while.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth, as intimate as a caress. “What kind of incentive?” he asked, his low, rich voice drizzling over her like warm honey.

There was that melting heat in his eyes again, and her entire body responded, glowing with expectation and need. “At the end of a year, I’ll give you the deed to one thousand acres of prime land in Montana.”

“Your parents’ land?” he guessed.

She nodded, hating to part with the property, but knowing her options were limited. “Yes.”

He blew out a stream of breath and rubbed at the back of his neck with a broad hand. “That’s quite an offer.”

But he hadn’t agreed. Yet. Feeling restless, Eden slid off the stool and rounded the counter into the kitchen to rinse off their dessert plates. The sink faced him, allowing her to keep an eye on him and gauge his response.

“I’d like to think of this as the barter system,” she said in a businesslike voice as she reached for their dishes. “One year of marriage in name only so I gain full control of the Double L in exchange for a deed to land in Montana. During our year of marriage you’d continue to work on the ranch as you are, but you’d live up at the main house for appearance’s sake. You can sleep in the downstairs guest room, and I’ll provide all your meals.”

He braced his arms on the counter. “In return for me playing the doting husband.”

She stacked their clean plates on the dish drainer. “Only when a convincing performance is required,” she said, wanting him to know that his husbandly duties wouldn’t be required on a full-time basis. “I know Allen will be skeptical of a sudden marriage, and I don’t doubt that he’ll ask around town about us, and stop by often.”

“And after a year?”

“We divorce, and go our separate ways.” She dried her hands on a dish towel, wishing her bargain didn’t sound so cold and calculating. “I don’t expect that you’d want to hang around any longer than that.”

Harsh laughter escaped him. “No, you’re right about that.” He stood and paced into the living room, a raw kind of energy pouring off him. “What about Phoebe?”

She knew what he was asking. How would she explain this unorthodox situation to her daughter? “She’ll know we’re married, of course. Just treat her the same way you do now, and I’ll do my best not to let her get attached to you.”

He moved to the window overlooking the ranch and scrubbed a hand down his face. “That would be for the best.”

Hope surged through her. “Then you’ll agree?”

Luke remained quiet, his body taut, as if he was struggling with deep, dark forces.

She knew what she was asking would change his way of life for a year, but he had to see the value of her proposal, for the both of them. Maybe he just needed time, and she could give him that. “Luke, I know this is very sudden and unexpected. Please, just take a few days and think about my offer.”

He turned back around and braced his hands on his lean hips, looking every inch a renegade. “And what will you do if I decline your proposition?”

She didn’t want to think about that, because he was the perfect man for the job. So, she lifted her chin determinedly and bluffed. “Then I’ll have no choice but to find another man who’ll appreciate my mutually beneficial offer.”

Two hours later, unable to concentrate on one of the suspense novels he liked to read at night before retiring to bed, Luke left his quiet apartment and followed the moon’s silvery glow toward the darkened barn. No matter how much distance he put between himself and the main house, Eden’s proposition pursued him, relentlessly dogging his heels, and preying on his mind like a plague.

Frustration snuck up on him, at her for enticing him with a chance at the freedom and independence that had eluded him for the past eight years, and at himself for wanting that land in Montana so badly.

But not at the cost of her reputation.

I’ll have no choice but to find another man who’ll appreciate my mutually beneficial offer.

Luke scowled at the moon, and stopped at the split-rail fence surrounding the paddock. Eden’s sassy reply didn’t seem to take her reputation into consideration. But then, he suspected her words had been a show of bravado, a dare to provoke him into agreeing to her outrageous, and very desirable offer.

A marriage in name only.

Laughing at the incongruity of that, he leaned against the fence, and propped the heel of his boot on the bottom rung. He gazed up at the main house, unable to imagine any healthy, red-blooded male agreeing to her marriage of convenience scheme. A year of living with Eden would surely test a man’s self-control, and his libido. Granted, she wasn’t offering her bed or her body as part of the deal. The guest bedroom downstairs would lessen temptation, but she obviously wasn’t taking into account the day-to-day intimacies that a husband and wife shared that would surely heighten their awareness of one another. Living in the same house meant constant contact with each other, and the risk of casual touches turning into burning, needy caresses.

He already found her too attractive for his peace of mind. And as their relationship currently stood, this evening proved that they were struggling to evade their attraction, and trying to ignore its existence.

Releasing a deep sigh, he reached into his shirt pocket for one of the hard cinnamon candies he favored in lieu of a cigarette since he’d quit smoking four years ago. Unwrapping the disc, he popped it into his mouth, welcoming the sharp sting of cinnamon on his tongue that curbed his craving for nicotine.

His craving for Eden wasn’t as easily appeased.

As if his thoughts had beckoned her, the light in her upstairs bedroom went on. A moment later, she walked up to the window, pushed aside the sheer curtains, and lifted the casing to allow fresh air into the room. The diaphanous drapes fell back into place, enabling him to see her silhouette as she bent her head and began releasing the buttons down the front of her dress.

Her hair tumbled over her shoulders, looking like burnished gold from the lamplight reflecting off the strands.

He told himself to go, but his feet wouldn’t move. He told himself to look away, but his eyes remained riveted on her shadowy outline, which was far more provocative than seeing her without the flimsy obstruction of the curtain. This ethereal view of her was soft, unfocused, and teasing. He found himself completely enthralled with this unveiling…and powerless to resist her.

When the button task was done, she shrugged her shoulders and the dress slid to her waist, and with a subtle shimmy of her hips it glided the rest of the way to the floor. Next came her bra, allowing him a profile glimpse of her lush curves before she walked out of sight.

Luke’s breath left him in a rush, and his body throbbed in startling awareness and need. He crunched into the hard cinnamon candy, but the fiery flavor only inflamed him more.

When she walked by the window again, she was dressed in a gauzy nightgown that reached her thighs. She climbed up onto a high poster bed, and turned off the lamp. Darkness enveloped Luke as well, and for as much as he’d learned to live a solitary existence, at the moment he wanted to trade in his lonely life for a real home, family, a wife.

He could have that with Eden, for a year. In exchange for land in Montana, which would go a long way in expediting his personal dreams of having his own spread, and the security of being his own boss. But for as much as he would gain, he couldn’t dismiss what Eden might lose if someone discovered his past and brought it to light. Without a doubt, scandal and outrage would erupt. Her own reaction to his deception wouldn’t be pleasant, either. It never was.

Eden was so sure of him, so trusting in believing that he was a good, honest, hardworking man. He’d like to think he was those things, and could be all that she needed. Eight years ago he could have been, before another woman had destroyed not only his reputation, but the course his future would take.

Always drifting. Always running. Always alone.

That land in Montana beckoned, as well as his freedom, and Luke struggled with his conscience. He thought of Eden’s parting remark that she would find someone else to accept her offer, and felt something deep within his gut twist at the thought of another man reaping the benefits of taking her for a wife for a year.

She had to be bluffing, provoking him. She’d told him to take a few days and think about her offer, and he’d do just that—not because he was considering accepting her wedding deal, but to give her time to realize just how crazy this harebrained scheme of hers really was. To realize that taking a husband wasn’t the solution to her problem with her brother-in-law.

CHAPTER THREE

IF she had a husband, Eden firmly believed her biggest problems on the Double L would be solved. With Allen unable to control the trust Bryce had set up, her bills would be paid on time, she’d be able to expand her cattle operation, and she’d even be able to indulge in a few luxuries for Phoebe.

Unfortunately, the man she’d chosen to fill the role of bridegroom wasn’t cooperating with her plans.

With a determined stroke of the mascara wand, Eden applied a coat to her lashes, then swiped a shade of shimmering peach across her lips. Taking a step back, she eyed her reflection in the bathroom mirror critically.

A smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Not bad,” she murmured, pleased with the subtle transformation from her everyday, “au naturel” look, to chic and sophisticated. She’d never been one to wear a lot of makeup, but she had to admit that the basics highlighted her green eyes, defined her cheekbones, and made her lips look full, glossy and alluring.

She’d rolled her hair into the hot rollers her sister had given her a few years ago, but she’d never used before because she’d never had a reason, or an occasion, to primp. The end results of those curlers were soft waves that tumbled to her shoulders, adding to the sensual aura she’d created. She also wore a new pair of formfitting black jeans, a white blouse with a western design patterned in black piping with pearled snaps down the front, and her waist was cinched with a black-and-silver belt.

Her chin lifted confidently, matching the enthusiastic sparkle in her eyes. “This ought to make Luke sit up and take notice,” she said to her image in the mirror.

She’d given Luke a week to think about her proposition and accept her offer, and all she’d got for her patience and waiting was Luke reverting back to the polite, courteous hand she’d originally hired. He spent the long days out on the range until the sun set. When he rode back to the main ranch in the evenings, he avoided being alone with her, and didn’t encourage casual conversation. From what she’d learned from Jake, Luke was spending his nights down at The Silver Spur.

She found his evasive behavior exasperating, but a challenge as well. Her renegade cowboy had yet to see just how stubborn and persistent she could be.

Turning, she headed into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed to pull on her black leather heeled boots. She refused to put her pride on the line and beg for Luke to help her, but she had no qualms about using feminine wiles to prompt him into accepting something she knew he wanted, coveted even. The way his eyes had glimmered with interest when she’d mentioned that land in Montana, along with their attraction to one another, gave her hope that he only needed a little prompting to agree to her one-year proposition.

Tonight would tell, when she followed through on her bluff to find another candidate who would appreciate her profitable overture. For the first time since Bryce’s death, she was going out in public with the pretense of finding herself a man. There was only one man’s attention she sought, and with luck, and a little jealousy, she’d have him—for a year.

“Mom, is it almost time for you to take me to Ashley’s?”

Eden glanced up as her daughter entered her room, an overnight bag in hand, looking anxious to get to her best friend’s house where she was spending the night. At eight years old, Phoebe was sprouting like a weed and was taller than most of the girls in her third-grade class. Her legs were long and coltish, her body slender yet sturdy from riding her horse, and doing her share of chores around the ranch.

She wore the long sable hair she’d inherited from her father in a single braid down her back, and her wide hazel eyes sparkled with youthful bliss. Like any young girl who adored her daddy, Phoebe had been devastated when Bryce had died, but over the years she’d adapted to life without him, and it just being the two of them.

Smiling easily, Eden stood and crossed the room to the dresser. “We’ll leave in just a few minutes, honey-bunch.”

Phoebe dropped her bag on the floor and plopped down on the four-poster bed on her stomach. Propping her chin in her hands, she regarded Eden with a small measure of curiosity. “You sure look nice, and you smell pretty, too.”

Eden slipped on a pair of dangly silver earrings, and met Phoebe’s gaze in the mirror. “Thank you,” she said, certain there was more to come from her inquisitive daughter.

Phoebe didn’t disappoint her. “Are you going on a date?”

Eden was grateful that Phoebe didn’t sound opposed to the idea, but tonight’s quest didn’t really qualify as a date in the traditional meaning of the term. “No, not really a date,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “I’m just going out with a friend for the evening.”

Enthusiasm brightened her eyes. “A man friend?”

If Eden’s plan worked, she’d definitely land her man. “Yes, a man friend.”

Phoebe’s smile was both hopeful and yearning. “Will I get to meet him?”

Eden didn’t want to think of the complications of that…yet. “We’ll see,” she said, playing it safe by being vague. Coming back to the bed, she sat beside her daughter. She stroked a hand over the crown of her head, down the length of her soft, thick braid, and toyed with the end. “What do you think of Luke, Phoebs?” She needed to know, because it was important to her that Phoebe connected with Luke. There had been other hands she’d hired that her daughter hadn’t taken to.

Rolling to her back so she was looking upside-down at her mother, Phoebe shrugged. “I like him. He’s always really nice to me, and he shares his cinnamon candies with me.” She grinned impishly. “He told me where he keeps his secret stash of candies in the tack room, and told me I could have one any time I wanted.”

Eden laughed with amusement and relief. “He did, did he?”

Phoebe nodded, clearly won over by Luke’s simple but thoughtful gesture. “He also likes to play with Mouser, and has special treats for her, too. Yesterday I helped him make a soft bed for Mouser since she’s going to have her kittens soon.”

Eden wasn’t surprised to hear what a softy Luke was beneath that brooding facade of his. She knew he was a kind, gentle man, despite his attempt to keep everyone at arm’s length. Now, if she could just break through his frustrating reserve and convince him to agree to her bargain…

Hopefully, tonight’s performance would change his mind.

Luke wasn’t into drinking and carousing like most hands were, and preferred to keep to himself. In fact, he’d just recently, as of a week ago, started frequenting The Silver Spur in an attempt to avoid Eden in the evenings. Making himself scarce during the day was easy since the ranch and cattle occupied his time. Staying in his apartment at night left too much opportunity for Eden to visit him again, and plead her case. The time in between when he had no choice but to talk to her, he kept their conversation strictly business, and though she’d had ample opportunity to broach the issue of her offer, much to his relief she hadn’t.

A week had passed since Eden’s proposition, and he was beginning to think that she’d given up on her outrageous idea, and her threat to find someone else. While one part of him was grateful for the respite, another part worried about her future as it stood in her brother-in-law’s controlling hands.

Just a few days ago he’d ridden in early and overheard Eden in her office in the barn, arguing with Allen on the phone. She had creditors who were demanding payment on accounts that were running over thirty days, and she needed an increase in her monthly allowance to keep her accounts open. Judging by the angry way she’d slammed down the phone and the very unladylike oath she’d muttered, he’d surmised that Allen hadn’t acceded to her request.

Rolling his shoulders in an attempt to shake off the guilt preying on his conscience, Luke finished his first bottle of beer, then motioned to the burly man standing across the bar and ordered another. For the hundredth time, Luke told himself that Eden’s welfare wasn’t his concern. He was merely a hand who was doing his job, but he couldn’t help but feel culpable, since he knew he could help her out of her predicament.

Frustrated with his thoughts, he redirected his mind and attention to the people out on the dance floor. It was Saturday night, and the establishment was full and rocking. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing going on at nearby tables, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Although Luke found it amusing to watch the men flirt with the single ladies in hopes of getting lucky, and vice-versa, he wanted no part of the one-night-stand scene. A few women usually approached him to dance, or to attempt to draw him into conversation, but he’d politely refuse their company, preferring to be left alone.

After the first hour, word usually spread that the dark-haired cowboy at the bar was a solitary man, which only served to heighten speculation about his reputation, and intrigue women even more.

If they knew the truth about his past, they wouldn’t be so eager to attract his attention.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” a deep voice drawled from a table next to the bar. “Is that Eden Lowe?”

“Sure does look like Eden,” another man confirmed, his voice infused with masculine interest.

A low whistle expressed male appreciation. “Yep, that’s her,” a third added. “And if I do say so myself, she sure is lookin’ mighty fine, boys.”

At the mention of Eden’s name, Luke’s entire body grew taut. Unable to believe that she’d venture to such a rowdy establishment when she didn’t strike him as the type to patronize the local bar, he squinted toward the entrance of The Silver Spur, struggling to see through the haze of stale cigarette smoke hanging in the air and the crush of people shuffling across the sawdust-strewn floor.

He saw a cloud of russet curls first, the rich shade enough to verify that his lady boss had, indeed, ventured into rowdy territory. As the crowd alternately shifted and cleared, he caught a full-length glimpse of her, and his mouth went dry.

She looked absolutely stunning. And sexier than the fantasies that had plagued him the past week. Gone were the fresh face, efficient braid, and conservative clothes she wore to work the ranch on a daily basis. Her body-hugging black jeans and blouse showcased her voluptuous curves, and had most of the men in the establishment doing double takes. He was no better, considering he couldn’t pry his gaze from her, either.

She glanced around, saw him, and a sultry smile lifted the corner of her mouth. She started through the crowd toward the bar at a leisurely stroll, stopping occasionally to talk to someone she knew, then continued on. A good-looking cowboy lightly grabbed her wrist to stop her, and just when Luke would have vaulted across the room to intervene Eden laughed at something he said and seemingly chided him good-naturedly for whatever comment he’d made. The other man grinned, and let her go.

The deep breath Luke took did little to calm the frustrated anger skirting the edge of his temper.

“I wonder what she’s doing here at The Silver Spur,” one of the men at the table behind Luke speculated. “She hasn’t been here for years, from what I know.”

Luke took a long drink of his beer and narrowed his gaze on Eden, wanting to know the same thing.

“Maybe she’s lookin’ for a good time,” another at the table suggested, a leer in his voice.

“Oh, I’d be happy to show her a good time,” the third one drawled, cocky and self-assured.

Luke’s blood began to boil and the hand resting on the surface of the bar curled into a tight fist. He turned his head and glared at the young men, but the trio at the table had their gazes trained on Eden, and wolfish grins pasted on their faces.

He swore beneath his breath. Did Eden even realize what a pretty little hen she was in this den of foxes? Before the night was over, if she wasn’t careful she’d be gobbled up.

“Good evening, Miz Lowe,” one of the men at the table said as she neared. His gaze took a slow trip down the length of her, his interest obvious.

“Hello, Tom,” she acknowledged pleasantly. “How are Mary Jane and that new baby girl of yours doing?”

The tip of the young man’s ears turned red at the mention of the woman and child he had waiting for him at home. “They’re doing just fine.”

“That’s good to hear.” She smiled easily, as if she hadn’t just put him in his proper place. “Tell her I said hello.”

Tom nodded curtly. “Will do.”

Eden came up to the bar, and her leg brushed Luke’s thigh as she settled herself on the padded stool next to his. That soft, alluring scent she wore wrapped around him, stirring a deep, vital hunger that was becoming more and more difficult to suppress.

His frown deepened, tightening the skin across his forehead.

She brushed her lustrous hair away from her face with a slender hand and eyed him with too much amusement. “Quit scowling. Tom is completely harmless.”

Though Luke was impressed with the way she’d handled the young buck, she was out of her element here. She was a respectable woman, and most of the men here were merely out for a fun, temporary tryst.

He pinned his heated gaze on her. “What are you doing here, Eden?”

She gave a one-shoulder shrug, unaffected by his growl of a question, and glanced around the crowded room. “Just checking out the prospects, Mr. Bodene.”

His spine stiffened. He didn’t know why it infuriated him that she’d addressed him so formally, but it did. “You honestly expect to find a ‘prospect’ here?” he asked incredulously.

“Sure. It’s as good a place as any.” Devious pleasure glittered in her eyes, as if she was enjoying herself. “I know a few of the hands here from neighboring ranches, and I’m sure I can persuade one of them to accept my offer.”

Luke’s nostrils flared at the thought of any of those men being cozy with Eden, being her husband, even in name only.

She was provoking him. She had to be. But then he remembered her desperation when she’d approached him with her proposition, that phone call with Allen, and her need to gain complete control of her ranch.

He stared straight ahead, his jaw clenching. None of that was his concern. He didn’t care what she did, or who she lassoed into being her bridegroom.

The lie burned like acid in the pit of his stomach, and he took a long drink to douse the flames, which seemed to glow even hotter when another man approached Eden and sidled up to her right side—luckily out of Luke’s reach, who had the uncharacteristic urge to tell the fresh-faced kid to get lost.

“Hey, Eden,” the light-haired cowboy greeted her amicably. “It’s good to see you. Can I buy you a drink?”

Eden graced the young, eager man with a dazzling smile. “Why, how thoughtful, Billy. Yes, you may. I’ll take a whiskey sour.”

Luke’s brows shot up, and while Billy ordered her preferred drink from the bartender, he leaned close to Eden. “A couple of those, and a teetotaler like yourself will be passed out before you issue your first proposal.”

“I can hold my liquor just fine, Mr. Bodene.” Her smile was full of sugar, but the tone of her voice held a bit of an edge. “But it’s incredibly sweet of you to worry about me. And as far as that proposal is concerned, as long as I don’t issue it to you, why should you care?”

Indeed, his conscience prodded him—why should he care? “I don’t,” he bit out, wishing he sounded more convincing.

She patted his forearm in a consoling gesture he found more infuriating than soothing. “I’m glad, because if I remember correctly, you didn’t take me up on my offer, and I did warn you I’d try and find someone else.”

Before he could respond to that, the bartender delivered her drink, and she smiled her thanks. Picking up her glass, she slipped off her stool and allowed Billy to gently grasp her elbow and guide her toward a table where two other men sat, grinning like fools.

Eden turned and waggled her fingers at Luke. “Have a good evening, Mr. Bodene.”

His good evening turned out to be a pure, living hell. For the next hour, he nursed his beer and watched Eden flirt with the male population at The Silver Spur. He actually found himself envying the way she’d listen intently to something someone said, or laugh huskily at a joke. And with each minute that passed and she ignored his presence, jealousy gnawed at him.

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