She married an impostor.

Will she fall for the real thing?

His identity, his life, was stolen by a devious thief. Now Will Sanders is taking back what’s rightfully his. Starting with Megan Sanders. Duped into marriage by Will’s double, she understandably has mixed feelings about staying with the real Will. But all the Lone Star billionaire wants is Megan in his bed. Is his “wife” ready to love the man she did not marry?

CAT SCHIELD has been reading and writing romance since high school. Although she graduated from college with a BA in business, her idea of a perfect career was writing books for Mills & Boon. And now, after winning the Romance Writers of America 2010 Golden Heart® Award for Best Contemporary Series Romance, that dream has come true. Cat lives in Minnesota with her daughter, Emily, and their Burmese cat. When she’s not writing sexy, romantic stories for Mills & Boon Desire, she can be found sailing with friends on the Saint Croix River, or in more exotic locales, like the Caribbean and Europe. She loves to hear from readers. Find her at catschield.com and follow her on Twitter, @catschield.

Also by Cat Schield

Upstairs Downstairs Baby

At Odds with the Heiress

A Merger by Marriage

A Taste of Temptation

The Black Sheep’s Secret Child

Little Secret, Red Hot Scandal The

Heir Affair

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Lone Star Secrets

Cat Schield

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07665-4

LONE STAR SECRETS

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

About the Publisher

One

Will Sanders blasted through the glass doors of the sheriff’s office and squinted as he emerged into the bright sunlight. The September heat rising off the pavement was nothing compared to the anger boiling inside him. Still no word on Richard Lowell’s whereabouts and, with the manhunt showing no signs of ending any time soon, Will was fed up with the lack of progress.

The son of the bitch had tried to kill him. Then, while impersonating Will, Rich had taken advantage of four women—that they knew of—robbing them of their money, dignity and leaving two of them pregnant. Lowell had murdered Will’s great friend and trusted confidant, Jason Phillips, stolen millions and continued to roam free. How many more lives was he going to ruin before getting his just deserts?

Hands shaking with rage, Will ripped the keys from his pocket and hit the button that unlocked his white Land Rover. For a second the color red glazed the landscape around him. Will lost his balance as his left foot caught on an uneven bit of pavement and the stumble cleared his head somewhat. He paused with his hand on the SUV’s hood and sucked in a deep breath. Losing control wasn’t going to help. As reason began to reassert itself, he released the air from his lungs, letting it hiss between his teeth. Another calming inhalation and his vision began to return.

Since waking up in Mexico with a blinding headache and scattered memories of what had occurred, his emotions had become volatile. Some days when he looked in the mirror, he didn’t recognize himself. Before leaving on that fateful trip with Rich, he’d had everything a man could ask for. And it had taken that huge wakeup call to realize he’d taken his friends, family and good fortune for granted.

That period was over, he reminded himself again and again, hoping the litany would keep his demons at bay.

He needed to stay calm because logic and clear thinking would win the day. He couldn’t afford to allow his runaway emotions to lead him to act in ways that would be counterproductive.

Sliding behind the wheel, he pulled out his phone and queued up his favorite contacts. His heart gave a little bump as Megan’s name appeared at the top of his list. Speaking of letting his emotions drive his actions...

Things between them had grown strained since they’d shared that explosive night of passion in the aftermath of Jason’s memorial service. They continued to talk a couple times a week, but their conversations veered from anything personal, revolving around the lack of progress in finding Lowell or how Jason’s daughter, Savannah, was doing now that she’d lost her father. Megan loved her seven-year-old niece dearly and tried to spend as much time as possible with the little girl. Will knew it broke her heart whenever Savannah asked for her daddy.

For about a week now Will had been waiting for Megan to open the door to them finally hashing out what had happened between them, but she was staunchly avoiding the topic. It was as if she wanted to forget it had ever happened. Will hoped that wasn’t the case. It sure wasn’t for him.

Maybe if he’d treated the encounter differently. Megan deserved to be wooed with expensive dinners and slow seduction. Instead, he’d come at her like a freight train, overwhelmed by the raw, primal need to comfort her as she grieved for her brother. They’d come together in a rush of heat and shared pain before establishing any sort of framework they could build a relationship on.

That was on him. Will hadn’t been thinking clearly or logically as she’d torn at his clothes and he’d slid his fingers up her thigh. Instead, he’d succumbed to his body’s call. The sensuality of her lithe body as he drove her wild with his mouth or the sounds she made as she came. She’d been glorious in that moment, and reliving it made him want more. Made him want to take her every way his overactive imagination could conceive. Hard up against a wall, gently in the deep tub in his master suite. In the backseat of his car like a couple randy teenagers.

Blood pooled in his loins as the list grew and he slammed his fist against the steering wheel to distract himself from the beginnings of an erection pressing against his zipper. It didn’t work. Hands shaking with need he closed his eyes and surrendered to the heat burning through him like a wildfire.

Yet even as his body was battered by desire, Will recognized the need to be cautious as he ventured forward. Just because lust had brought them together in spectacular fashion didn’t mean they could make a lasting relationship work.

Their situation was beyond complicated. Two strangers who’d been requested by law officials to maintain the legal aspect of their marriage for as long as Rich remained at large. They didn’t live together and, except for occasional phone conversations and encounters among family and friends, hadn’t spent all that much time together.

Yet each time he saw her, Will grappled with a growing ache to be with her, to have her intimately tangled in his life. A shift in his perception had taken place. He no longer viewed her as merely Jason’s beautiful younger sister, but had started to think in terms of my wife.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t really his. Not in the way he was coming to want her to be.

She’d married an imposter, and Will continuously wondered if the sight of his face, so similar to the man who’d stolen his identity, was one she despised. She refused to discuss Rich. No doubt she felt the same humiliation and fury at being tricked that weighed on Will. Would she forever glimpse his face and be reminded of all the terrible things that had happened?

The truth was, he had a ton of things he wanted to discover about Megan. Putting aside his urgency to glide his hands over her naked flesh, feast on her mouth and plumb her richest fantasies, he wanted to learn about her dreams and aspirations, to explore her goals for her company and figure out why he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

So what tied his hands when it came to puzzling out these and many other questions? Why except for that frantic, passionate encounter following Jason’s memorial service, hadn’t he acted on his irresistible attraction to Megan? In part because the fierce physical pull between them threw his emotions into a tailspin. When he’d first returned home, he’d intended to bide his time until Rich was caught and then secured a divorce or annulment and never looked back. But long before the night of stormy passion, when he’d held her in his arms and tasted her hunger, he begun dreading the time when he’d have to let Megan go. She’d slipped beneath his skin and ignited his lust in a way no woman had ever done before. At the same time, he wasn’t sure how to hold on to her or even if he should.

Whatever else Will wanted, foremost was for Megan to be happy. Already he’d been too late to save her from a sham marriage, and Jason’s death was a burden he’d never put down. He’d trusted Lowell. He’d believed they’d been friends. Will’s bad judgment left a tainted residue in his psyche that couldn’t be washed away by wishing or throwing money at the problems Rich had created. People had been hurt. And it was all Will’s fault because he’d been responsible for Rich coming to Royal.

His phone came to life in his hand. Startled, he glanced down at the screen before answering.

“Hey, Lucy, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to remind you that I’m heading out of town for a few days to deliver a couple horses and to check on some rescues in Houston.”

His stepsister was a talented horse trainer, specializing in rescues. She and her four-year-old son shared the main house at the Ace in the Hole with Will.

“I hadn’t forgotten,” he lied, realizing how preoccupied he’d become in the week since Lowell’s secret stash had been discovered.

To make the millions he’d plundered something he could easily conceal and move, Rich had converted the money to gold bars and hidden them outside Royal. No one understood why he hadn’t taken them with him when he’d fled months ago, but everyone agreed that he’d be back for the loot.

For many days Will had been convinced the discovery meant the imposter’s capture was imminent, but as the days dragged on with no sign of Rich, Will grew more and more frustrated.

“Are you still taking Brody?” he asked.

“The trip is going to go longer than I originally thought, so I decided it would be better if he stayed in Royal.”

“Sounds good. He and I will have a blast while you’re gone.”

“Ah...” Lucy began, sounding reluctant. “Actually, I was going to have him stay with Jesse and Jillian. Brody really loves being around Mac and you’ve got a lot going on...”

Jesse was Lucy’s older biological brother and Will’s stepbrother. He’d dedicated himself to running the family ranch, providing Will the freedom to pursue his passion for the family business. Since returning home, Will had watched Jesse fall in love with another of Lowell’s victims, Jillian Norris. A former Las Vegas showgirl, she’d become pregnant with Mackenzie after a one-night stand with Rich while he’d been impersonating Will. It had been her emails and phone calls to Will in the weeks before the fated fishing trip to Mexico that had led to his being attacked and nearly killed by his former best friend.

“Sure,” Will said into the awkward silence, making sure none of the gut-hit he’d just taken came through in his voice. “I understand. Tell Jesse and Jillian that I’m available if they need any help taking care of Brody.” Although even as he made the offer, he doubted anything would come of it. “Have a safe trip.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you in a week.”

He hung up the phone, trying to shake off the rejection that fouled his mood like cobwebs. In the months he’d been in Mexico, his whole focus had been on what he’d had to do to return home. He’d been eager to return to his life, focusing on close relationships with family and friends, the success he was having with his business ventures and general satisfaction with how great his life was.

Now, after spending months staying out of sight, watching those around him live their lives to the fullest—falling in love, being actively engaged in the world—he was feeling more isolated than ever. Once again, Will queued up his favorite contacts and stared at Megan’s name.

He wanted to reach out to her. She’d become important to him these last few months that they’d been thrown together while Richard Lowell was on the loose. Will’s brows came together. Why was he lying to himself? Playing it cool about his feelings for Megan to others was one thing, but denying the fierce desire that lashed at him whenever she was around was just plain idiotic.

Pain bloomed in his chest as he recalled their lovemaking after Jason’s memorial service. She was a fire in his blood, an addiction he never wanted to be free of. The desperate hunger in their kisses and near frantic coupling had transported him to a whole new level of passion.

Was he getting in over his head with her? Obviously. His emotions were all over the place where she was concerned. Nor did he have a good idea how she felt about him. That heated, wild encounter had been about coping with a loss neither one of them wanted to face alone. He shouldn’t expect that something born of grief could be the start of anything.

Yet for him it had been.

His intimate connection with Megan that night had launched a drumbeat of longing. Will wanted to have what his brother had found with Jillian. What Cole had found with Dani. Of the five women invited to his funeral as his supposed heirs, only Megan wasn’t with the love of her life. Had that man been Rich Lowell, pretending to be Will? Would she have fallen for Rich himself? He’d not asked any of these questions of her, unsure how her answers would affect him.

Before he could question his motives, Will pulled up his app and typed a message.

Cora Lee planning BBQ at the ranch next Saturday. We’d love to see you there.

As soon as he sent the message, he was overwhelmed by a sense of anticipation. No matter what his jumbled emotions, he and Megan were stuck with each other for the time being. In an ironic twist, Will realized that part of him hoped Lowell would continue to elude the authorities for a little while longer. Because until he was caught, Will could enjoy as much time with Megan as he could handle. He caught himself smiling for the first time in hours because when it came to the stunning Megan Phillips-Sanders, Will could handle a whole lot.

* * *

The sky outside her office windows was well on its way to becoming a vivid midnight blue by the time Megan finished looking over the numbers for this year’s fall shoe collection. Her staff had outdone themselves, and pride bloomed in her chest as she contemplated yet another triumphant season.

The success of her company had startled everyone in her family, herself included. Megan had started Royals Shoes to get out from beneath her brothers’ shadows. When she’d voiced her intention to get into the luxury shoe business, they’d initially been stuck on their perception of her as the tomboy who’d spent her childhood trying to keep up with her older siblings. That, she could understand. They were her big brothers, after all. But that they’d doubted her ability to start a company and make a success of it had stung.

In a state like Texas and a town like Royal, bigger was always better. Ranches, fortunes, personalities. It was hard to stand out in an environment where achievement was the norm rather than the exception. Striving to be noticed by her family had preoccupied Megan from the time she was old enough to recognize that her brothers were her parents’ pride and joy. Aaron and Jason had been at the top of their respective classes. And, as if that wasn’t enough for her to keep up with, they’d both excelled at sports, as well.

Megan sank into the leather couch in her office and lifted her feet onto the glass coffee table. The sight of her company’s stiletto pump with its wallpaper-inspired, broad black-and-white stripe and crystal-embellished buckle made her smile. Recognizing that to do well Royals Shoes had to stand out in a crowded luxury shoe market, Megan had decided that every single pair of her shoes would have a wow factor.

Her cell phone buzzed. A glance at the screen revealed a text from Dani Moore. The two women had struck up a friendship in their teens when Dani had been a freshman and Megan had acted as her senior buddy to smooth the transition into the academic and social challenges presented by high school. Despite the difference in their ages, they’d stayed friends through the intervening years separated by distance and time.

Can’t make it tomorrow at 2.

Megan read the text and heaved a disappointed sigh. Between Dani’s work schedule at the Glass House, her new relationship with Cole and her active role as a parent to twins, her free time was slim. In anticipation of enticing her friend to take a little time for herself, Megan had recently gifted Dani a pair of shoes, hoping it would inspire her to come dress shopping for something to wear to the engagement party for Megan’s older brother Aaron and Kasey Monroe, Will’s former assistant turned nanny to seven-year-old Savannah.

Megan had been a little surprised at how fast the brilliant, driven Aaron had adapted to being solely responsible for his brother’s child. Of course, it was quite possible that Kasey had been the driving force behind his abrupt domestication.

She gave a little sigh as she pondered the recent spate of romances spawned surrounding the shake-up in their community thanks to Rich Lowell’s impersonation of Will. In fact, Megan and Will were the only two who’d proved immune to love in the months since his return. Not that she was interested in having a love life after what Rich had put her through. Plus, it was a little challenging for either of them to succumb to a new romance when she and Will had been asked by the authorities to maintain the appearance of being married.

As soon as she responded to Dani, explaining that she understood and soliciting other times later in the week, Megan opened the text she’d received earlier from Will. Her pulse gave a familiar start as she read the simple message.

Cora Lee planning BBQ at the ranch next Saturday. We’d love to see you there.

Megan stared at the words for several minutes, wishing she knew how to respond to what appeared to be a casual invitation. Obviously he was being polite and it infuriated her that it annoyed her. She didn’t want to recognize that what she wanted was for him to indicate his interest in resurrecting their passionate encounter from a week earlier. As electric as that night had been, Megan had become self-conscious around him, making their interaction seem overly polite and awkward.

Or maybe she was just imagining things. Will wasn’t behaving differently. He was the same solicitous man he’d been since discovering he had a wife. He recognized that she’d been duped by Richard Lowell and, although neither of them understood the legal ramifications of their sticky situation, he’d understood that she was as much a victim as he was.

With a heavy sigh, Megan stood and gathered her purse and briefcase. It was late and she needed to go home. She hated returning to her big empty house on the edge of town. What had once felt like a symbol of her success now reminded her of the biggest mistake she’d ever made. Some days she wanted to set a torch to the place and burn it to the ground, but the memories of her marriage to a man who’d lied and manipulated her were deeply embedded in her psyche and there was no escape.

After setting the alarm, Megan let herself out the front door. Since the building was accessed by electronic locks, she could sail through the door without pausing to secure it. Before her, the small parking lot lay in deepening shadows. Near the far edge sat her Porsche, its carmine red darkened to a maroon blob. She loved the sporty car and drove with the top down as often as possible. Tonight, however, she wasn’t in the mood to let the hot Texas wind blow her long brown hair into knots.

A sudden wave of weariness assailed her, brought on by a dip in her blood sugar. She’d neglected to eat dinner again and had not had anything since breakfast fourteen hours ago. No wonder she was feeling tired.

Her steps slowed as she dug into her purse for her keys. The damned things were always getting lost in the bottom of her bag. Finally her fingers closed around them and she eased a relieved sigh from her lungs. A second later her breath hitched.

“Megan.”

Her head swung toward the familiar voice. Rich. Heart hammering, she stopped in her tracks and rotated her gaze in his direction. He was dressed in dark tones, gray or perhaps black, the color making him barely distinguishable from the shadows filling the parking lot. From the way his clothes fit his powerful physique, she guessed he wore one of the expensive suits he favored. Leave it to Richard Lowell to be impeccably tailored while on the run.

She was struck once again how much his features matched Will’s. Yet after getting to know the real Will Sanders these past few months, Megan couldn’t believe she’d ever been taken in by this monster. And yet the proof that she had occupied her finger. How could she have been so stupid?

Shame flared, attacking her confidence even as her “husband” advanced from her right, moving to get between her and the Porsche. Too late she realized her danger. Terror blazed. What a fool she’d been to stay so late and then leave on her own.

“What are you doing here?” Despite her bone-chilling fear, she was proud of her strong tone. “What do you want?”

“I want you. The only reason I came back is to convince you to come away with me.”

His words sent a spasm of revulsion through her. She rocked back, knowing there was nowhere to run. In her five-inch heels she’d never make it back to the building before he overtook her.

She stood her ground and made sure he couldn’t see her fear. “What do you mean?”

“You’re my wife. We belong together.”

The deepening twilight made his expression hard to read, so Megan wasn’t sure if he actually believed this or if he was enacting some twisted game to terrorize her.

“I’m not your wife.”

Yet as bravely as she declared the words, she wasn’t sure that was true. She’d married him. Richard Lowell. She might have sworn to love, honor and cherish Will Sanders, but she’d stood before this man, looked him in the eye and pledged to be with him forever. The reality had crippled Megan’s confidence these last few months.

“You are,” Rich countered, his tone harsh. “You love me.”

“I fell in love with Will Sanders.”

Was she imagining the rage transforming Rich or had she picked up on subtle body language, clues that made her brace for an act of violence. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d put his hands on her.

Looking back over their time together, Megan wondered how she’d ever believed he could be Will. The two men were nothing alike. Yet she’d made one excuse for another for his mood swings and quick temper. She’d been a fool to avoid looking past the surface resemblance and not recognizing that this man’s soul was tainted with poison.

“You fell in love with me. I was the man in your bed. The one you couldn’t get enough of.” He took several menacing steps in her direction. “Do you remember how you gasped my name as you came?”

Summoning her waning bravado, Megan declared, “I called Will’s name. Not yours.”

“I was Will. Your Will.” His right hand balled into a fist but his arm remained rigid at his side. “The only Will Sanders who would have you.”

Even as she absorbed Rich’s verbal blow, Megan’s instincts warned her to keep her attention on Rich’s hands in case he made any sudden moves in her direction. She carefully shifted her stance and put her feet shoulder width apart for better balance. If he tried to grab her, she wanted to make sure she was ready to dodge.

“But you aren’t Will Sanders,” she declared, standing her ground. “And you’re nothing like him.”

Her instincts screamed at her to shut up. He was a murderer and she was alone in a dark parking lot with no one to come to her rescue.

“No. I’m better.” Bragging about his superiority caused the tension to ease from Rich’s posture but his tone remained razor-sharp. “I was always smarter than him. The difference between us was that I didn’t get a fortune handed to me on a silver platter. I had to work for everything I got.”

And Megan suspected that was where Rich’s obsession began. Maybe this was something they had in common. She had endured her own bout of fascination with Will during high school. Only, in Rich’s case, admiration had twisted into the darkest sort of jealousy.

“Why did you kill my brother?” While bringing up his crime was the height of foolishness, Megan needed answers.

“Jason asked too many questions and discovered too much.”

“So you killed him.” The declaration rasped from her raw throat as grief nearly overwhelmed her. “Are you planning on killing me, too?”

“I could never harm you. You belong to me.”

“I don’t belong to you,” she shot back, the very idea filling her with dread. But then curiosity got the better of her once more. For months she’d brooded over why he’d picked her. Had he glimpsed some weakness and exploited it? “Was it all just a big game for you?”

He didn’t answer but she sensed she’d surprised him. Whether by her question or the bitterness with which she’d delivered it, Megan didn’t know.

“Come with me and I’ll show you how important you are to me.”

His cajoling tone transported her to those first days of their courtship when he’d swept aside her reservations with a barrage of romantic words and sweet gestures. Her treacherous heart began to pound. She knew her feelings for Rich were based on a farce, but opening herself to love had transformed her.

Where once she’d avoided romance and sentimentality, falling for “Will Sanders” had been magical and had filled her with wonder. To have it all eventually turn to dust had returned her heart to a Popsicle.

Megan shook her head. “You’ve lost your mind if you think I’d leave town with you.”

Little by little during their exchange, Megan’s right hand had been making slow progress toward the side pocket in her purse where she kept the pistol she’d bought in case of an encounter just like this one. Neither its compact size nor its pink-pearl grip detracted from the gun’s reliability and stopping power. She’d bought the pistol in the days following Will’s reappearance in Royal. Living alone and working late, she’d imagined this scenario hundreds of times, but now that she was here, Megan wondered if she was equipped to shoot Rich in cold blood.

“My life is here,” she continued, thumbing off the safety and curving her fingers around the grip as Rich took a step in her direction.

“Your life is here...or is it all about Will?” Rich sneered. “You’re a fool if you think he could ever love you. I’ve seen you with him and know why you haven’t filed for divorce. You’re hoping he’ll eventually come to love you. But that won’t happen.”

“You don’t know anything.” Driven by emotions she couldn’t define, Megan pulled out the gun and pointed at him. “Don’t come any closer.”

Rich’s eyes widened satisfactorily before he began to laugh. “You’re not seriously going to shoot me with that tiny thing?”

“I won’t if you back off and let me go.” She tried to ignore how badly her hands were shaking and hoped Rich wouldn’t notice. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“We’ll see about that.”

He took another step forward and, without thinking, she pulled the trigger. The explosion shattered the quiet night and shocked Megan. There was only ten feet between her and Rich—she’d consistently hit the target at the range from twice that distance—but she hadn’t been aiming for the center of his body. When he spun to the left and before she could wonder if she’d struck him, Megan bolted for her car.

She didn’t look back as she slid behind the wheel and fired up the engine, but as she put the car into gear, her door jerked open. Rich’s wild eyes blazed down at her. Megan’s heart hammered in her throat, blocking a cry. Instead of pulling the door closed, she shoved it away, banging it into Rich’s lower half as she gunned the car. The scream of tires on pavement drowned out her panicked keening.

For a heartbeat Rich held on to the door as Megan pushed down on the accelerator and then he was gone. Panting from fright and exertion, she made a right-hand turn out of the parking lot, the momentum causing her door to slam shut.

Fortunately there was no traffic on the side road that led to Royals Shoes because Megan’s only concern was to put as much distance between her and Rich as possible. She glanced at the pistol resting on the passenger seat. Thank goodness she’d bought the gun and practiced shooting it. Still, she couldn’t believe she’d actually used it against Rich. And she’d hit him. Not badly, since he’d been able to chase her down and try to pull her out of her car. But she’d demonstrated her ability to take care of herself.

Megan couldn’t settle on an emotion. Part of her rejoiced that she’d gotten away from a madman unscathed. Yet another was shocked at her lack of remorse for having fired a gun at another human being. And deep down inside was the fear over what sort of monster Rich had turned her into.

As if on autopilot, her car negotiated the roads that led to the sheriff’s office. She’d spent far too much time around police lately, but couldn’t imagine heading home where she ran the risk of encountering Rich again before reporting that he’d tried to accost her.

“Call Will,” she commanded to her car. As ringing poured through the expensive speakers, she fought to swallow the lump in her throat.

“Hey, Megan, I was just thinking about you.” His deep voice penetrated the final thread holding her emotions under control and she started to shake.

“R-Rich...”

“Are you okay?” His concern came through loud and clear.

“He came after me.”

A sharp curse and then, “Are you hurt?”

“No.” She dragged in a ragged breath and shook her head. “I think I shot him.”

Silence followed her declaration before Will spoke again. “Where are you?” The question came briskly, filled with impatience.

Ahead of her were the familiar downtown stores and the Royal Diner. Except for the diner, the buildings were dark, enhancing Megan’s isolation.

“In my car.” Her jaw was so stiff she was having trouble speaking. “Heading to the police station.”

“I’ll meet you there.” A pause. When he next spoke, his tone was soft and heavy with worry. “You’re sure he didn’t hurt you?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Okay.” Megan disconnected the call, shocked by how much better she felt. Will’s support during this difficult time had never wavered. He was the rock she clung to in the whitewater that had become her life and she found herself relying on him more and more.

To her relief, a visitor spot was available right in front of the door leading into the sheriff’s office. Megan came to an abrupt stop, the Porsche’s front tires bumping against the curb. For a second she stayed where she was, car running while she scanned the sidewalk to make sure Rich wasn’t moving to intercept her. Deciding he’d be a fool to track her to the station, Megan exited the car and hurried toward the building.

When she burst through the front door, tears burned her eyes. Damn. She hated giving in to the weakness. Her emotions were running away with her again and she must have looked a sight as she set her hands on the reception desk.

“Is Sheriff Battle here?” she asked the woman manning the front desk. “Richard Lowell just attacked me outside my office.”

The woman’s eyes widened but her voice remained calm and professional. “He’s not, but Special Agent Bird is in the conference room. I’ll get him for you.”

Megan took a seat on one of the cold, plastic chairs in the reception area and clasped her purse on her lap to keep her hands from shaking. At this hour the sheriff’s office was nearly deserted and a dull despair swept over her as adrenaline ebbed from her system. Chills racked her body. With each minute that ticked by, her muscles grew stiff until she doubted she could stand without falling over.

What was taking the FBI guy so long?

The front door opened and Will stepped into view. A strikingly handsome man whose height and powerful physique commanded attention, his features were set in granite as his vivid green eyes scanned the immediate vicinity with feverish intent. A small, incoherent noise vibrated in her throat an instant before his gaze swung in her direction.

“Megan.”

A single word. Just her name. But relief erupted like a fireworks display and suddenly everything was all right now that he was here with her.

Two

Will’s entire world had narrowed to razor-sharp focus the instant he’d heard Megan’s shaky voice on the phone. When she’d called, he’d been working in his office at Spark Energy Solutions, combing through the financials for more missing money.

Now, as he stormed through the door of the police station and spied Megan sitting whole and unharmed in the reception area, the knot in his gut slowly began to unravel. But when she glanced his way and her expression shifted into delight, it was as if a series of explosions began in his chest.

“Are you really okay?” he demanded, moving to kneel before her. He reached out and trailed his fingers gently over her pale cheek.

She caught his hand and drew it away from her face. “I’m fine.” Her steady tone warned him not to coddle her. “Really. He never touched me.” A smile ghosted her lips. “If anyone was damaged, it was him.”

“Did you really shoot him?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t realize you owned a gun.”

As Will shifted onto the seat beside her, Megan opened her purse and gave him a peek at the contents. Sure enough, resting between her wallet and a polka-dot makeup pouch was a small pistol with a pink-pearl grip. He couldn’t help himself. Will grinned.

“It’s a 38-caliber Sig Sauer P238.” Seeing his amusement, her eyes glinted combatively. “Wayne at the gun range describes it as a ballistic bauble.”

It was hard to take the deadly weapon seriously when it was tricked out in such a way. No doubt Rich had underestimated the gun—and the woman who’d wielded it—and that had cost him.

“How does it handle?”

“Nice. There’s not much recoil and the pull is about five pounds. I’ve gotten to where I can put nine bullets in a three-inch target at twenty feet.”

“Impressive.”

“Mrs. Sanders,” Special Agent Bird said, coming toward them, his hand extended.

“Special Agent Bird,” Megan murmured, getting to her feet and taking his hand.

The FBI agent was a thin man with a thick mustache who looked more suited to pursuing cases involving money laundering and cyber crime than getting his hands dirty with terrorism or murder. After spending long hours with the agent in connection with the funds stolen from SES and the Texas Cattleman’s Club treasury, Will knew the man was well versed in the intricacies of Rich’s money trail.

“I hear you had an encounter with Richard Lowell tonight.”

“In the parking lot outside my building.”

Will had risen at the same time and stood at Megan’s back, scowling at the special agent. Despite his ever-increasing irritation, Will stayed silent. He’d already spoken his piece earlier in the day and venting wouldn’t help anyone at this point.

“Why don’t you come to the conference room and tell me what happened,” Agent Bird said, gesturing toward the hallway that led deeper into the building.

Megan nodded and began to move in his wake. She hadn’t done more than shift her weight forward, however, before reaching back for Will’s hand.

“Will you come along?” she asked, biting her lip in an uncharacteristic display of uncertainty. “I can’t do this without you.”

Mascara smudges and rubbed-off lipstick were testament to Megan’s upset. Only one other time had Will seen her so out of sorts. Jason’s memorial service. The night they’d made love. Then, like now, glimpsing her vulnerability made him long to pull her into his arms and kiss her worries away, but this was neither the time nor the place for a display of affection.

Too much remained unspoken between them since that fateful night. Will had to be satisfied with the fact that she’d called him, chose him to be with her tonight.

“I’m not going to leave your side.”

With a satisfied nod, she squeezed his fingers and together they made their way toward the conference room Sheriff Battle had set aside as a command post for tracking down Lowell. As they entered the room, Megan glanced around at the whiteboards, taking everything in.

Will, who had been in this room several times in the months since he’d returned home, was frustrated by the lack of progress.

Bird gestured toward a chair as he said, “Mrs. Sanders, you told the receptionist that you shot Richard Lowell?”

“Yes. With this.”

Before she sat, Megan withdrew the small pistol from her purse. Beneath the fluorescent lighting, the gun’s small size and fanciful handle made it look like a toy and Will glanced at the FBI agent to gauge his reaction.

“You’re sure you hit him?”

“I think so. He spun to his left, but I may have only grazed him because he chased me to my car and tried to stop me from driving away.”

From his seat beside her, Will regarded Megan, stunned by her bravery.

The FBI agent nodded, his expression impassive. “How long have you had the gun, Mrs. Sanders?”

“A month, but I only started carrying it recently after I received my conceal and carry permit.”

“Did you mention to anyone that you’d bought the weapon?”

Her lashes fell before she answered. “Dani Moore came with me to the firing range. I didn’t go public about the gun. When no one is supposed to know what’s going on, how could I explain my sudden need for protection?”

Special Agent Bird nodded. “That probably explains why Lowell approached you.”

“Why can’t you figure out where he’s staying?” Will demanded.

The agent’s gaze flicked in Will’s direction before he said to Megan, “Perhaps you could walk me through tonight’s events.”

“I was working late and everyone had left by the time I headed out to the parking lot.”

As Megan spun her story, Will clenched his hands into fists and held them on his knees out of sight. Tonight’s incident had been stressful enough and she didn’t need his anger mucking up the interview.

Still, it was a struggle to keep his frustration in check. Especially as she explained how Lowell had grabbed at her car door as she’d tried to make her escape. He didn’t like what he was hearing. Lowell stalking Megan, watching her, waiting to make his move.

At the same time, Will was astonished by her quick, clear thinking in pulling out her gun and shooting him. He doubted anyone could’ve done better.

“He acted like he expected me to go away with him,” Megan concluded, her energy trailing off as her story wound down.

“Did he say where he was headed?”

“No.” Her eyes went wide and her voice vibrated with dismay. “I should have asked him that. I’m sorry I didn’t. I was just so shocked that he showed up.” She stared at the gun sitting on the polished dark wood of the conference table. “All I could think of was getting away from him.”

“You did the right thing,” Special Agent Bird said, sounding kinder for a second.

Megan visibly relaxed. Had she been worried at the agent’s reaction to her actions that night? Could she have thought for a moment that she’d done something wrong? Will covered her hand with his and gave a light squeeze in support. The grateful smile she shot his way struck his nerves like a gong and reverberated through him long after she grew serious again. More than anything he wanted Megan to be happy.

“Is there anything else that he said that might help us find him?” Bird asked.

A crease formed between Megan’s brows as she considered the question. At last she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t think of anything more. It all happened so fast.”

A knock sounded on the conference room door. A moment later Deputy Jeff Baker poked his head inside and swept the room with troubled eyes.

“Any luck?” Agent Bird asked.

“Lowell was long gone by the time we reached the parking lot.”

“Any sign of blood?”

Baker shook his head. “If Mrs. Sanders shot him, it must’ve been only a graze.”

“I see,” Bird said. “Were you able to get ahold of Sheriff Battle?”

“He’s on his way in.”

When the FBI agent nodded, Deputy Baker withdrew. Bird returned his attention to Megan. “Do you have somewhere safe you can stay tonight? I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go home.”

“Do you really think he’ll try again tonight?” Will thought Megan had given Lowell something to think about. She wasn’t going to go without a fight.

“I doubt it, but the guy has a tendency to act impulsively. I don’t want to take a chance of losing him again if he does.”

He could see it in the agent’s eyes. They wanted Lowell to try again. Now that he’d demonstrated he wasn’t going to leave town without Megan, she became their best hope for catching him.

Bait.

Will ground his teeth together in irritation. Part of him understood the agent’s perspective, but the thought that Megan was in danger triggered a powerful need to protect her at all costs.

Setting his hand on Megan’s upper arm and feeling the tremors vibrating through her, he said, “I’d like to take Megan back to the Ace in the Hole tonight.”

“I’m not sure—” Megan began, only to be interrupted by the FBI agent.

“I think it’s a good idea. We can send someone to watch her house in case he tries to contact her again. And we’ll park a squad car near the entrance to your ranch.”

“I could call Aaron,” Megan offered without much conviction.

“I’m your husband,” Will reminded her, overriding the beginnings of another protest. “I should be the one taking care of you.”

Megan opened her mouth, glanced toward the FBI agent, and made her next protest in a low growl. “I don’t need to be taken care of.”

Both Will and Bird ignored her claim.

“We’ll want to keep the gun for a few days,” Agent Bird said. “As soon as we get a look at the parking lot and run some tests, we’ll get back to you.”

Megan nodded and got to her feet. “I hope you can find him. I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.”

“I know this is a difficult time for you. If there’s anything you need or if Lowell contacts you again, please let us know.”

“Thank you.” Megan’s gaze flicked to Will as she headed toward the door.

“Do you want to run by your house and pick some things up?” he asked her.

She shook her head. “I know he’s probably long gone, but I don’t feel safe going there tonight. I don’t suppose there would be a pair of pajamas I could borrow?”

Her half smile zinged through him like a lightning bolt. The thought of her spending the night in his house tempted Will. A little too much.

“I think I can find something for you to sleep in,” he said, surprised by the effort it took to keep his tone casual. The memory of her wearing nothing at all flashed through his thoughts. He nearly winced as his body stirred. Sharing the ranch house with her was going to be challenging.

“I really appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

“Do not thank me. What you’re going through is my fault.”

She stopped in the doorway and turned to face him. “How do you figure that?”

Will slipped his fingers around her arm and guided her to the front door. “Look, it was my life Rich wanted. If I’d paid attention to the signs, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten the jump on me in Mexico.”

“You can’t take responsibility for his actions. No one saw him coming and you aren’t the only one whose life he messed up.”

Will nodded, thinking of all the women Rich had lied to and manipulated. The lives he’d damaged. And the one he’d ended.

Megan’s brother, Jason, who’d investigated the discrepancies surrounding imposter Will and had lost his life because of it. No one blamed Will for what had happened to his good friend because no one knew that Will had called Jason from Mexico and possibly set him on the path to his death.

“But you have to admit that I was his obsession,” Will said. “He wanted my life and he got it.” Silence fell between them as they left the sheriff’s office. As they reached the sidewalk, Will paused in front of Megan’s Porsche. “Do you want to come with me? I can send a couple of the boys back for your car.” He let his gaze drift over the sporty vehicle. “They’ll probably fight over who gets to drive it to the ranch.”

Megan wrapped her arms around herself and regarded the car. “I’m okay.”

“You’ve had a major shock tonight. I’d be surprised if you weren’t rattled.”

“Really, I’m fine.” Megan scowled at Will, but he wasn’t fooled.

“You’ve been through a lot.” He followed her to her car.

Her shoulders drooped. “I’m not the only one.”

“That doesn’t diminish your experience tonight.” Once again he had to bite back myriad questions dancing in the back of his mind. Ever since coming home and finding out she’d married “Will,” he’d struggled to contain his tumultuous feelings for her.

“We have a lot to talk about,” she said unexpectedly, keying the remote and popping her door locks.

“Such as?” He wholeheartedly agreed but wondered if they were on the same page.

“For the last few months we’ve been dancing around each other. Being polite and skirting the reality of our situation.”

Will flashed back to the night of Jason’s memorial. Nothing about that encounter had been polite. It had been raw and emotional. Naked. Panting. Clinging to each other in an effort to feel alive amidst the day’s crushing sadness. Taking support and pleasure in each other’s arms. They’d needed connection and oblivion.

The trouble for Will was that he still needed her. In his bed. At his side. Making love with Megan had blown a hole in what Will believed he wanted in his life. Now he recognized that he wanted more. He just wasn’t sure she felt the same. Or that she ever would.

Will held on to her open door, preventing her from getting away. “You’re right. We haven’t talked much about the emotional ramifications of Rich taking over my life.”

He had dozens of questions bubbling in his brain, but with curiosity came caution. How many of her answers would tell a tale he didn’t want to hear?

“How about we drink a few shots and you can ask me anything with no repercussions?” she offered.

“I think that sounds like a great idea. We really should get to know each other better.”

“The feeling is mutual,” she said, her smile creating more confusion than clarity as she pulled her door out of his grasp.

* * *

On a dark patch of Main Street between two streetlights, Richard Lowell sat behind the wheel of a nondescript pickup truck and watched Will Sanders disappear into the sheriff’s office. Inside were dozens of people who had been actively seeking him for months and sitting here in the open like this was a grave risk to his freedom.

He shifted on the seat and pain blazed in his side where Megan had shot him. Before following her to the police station, he’d checked the damage and determined that the bullet had merely nicked him. It didn’t stop the graze from hurting like a son of a bitch, but he used the discomfort to fuel his determination.

Who would’ve guessed that his wife would’ve grown claws in the months since they parted ways? He’d never imagined she’d buy a gun to defend herself against him, much less use it. This turn of events meant he’d have to plan more carefully if he intended to take her with him across the border into Mexico. Or he could say screw it and take Vanessa with him instead.

The stripper was younger, prettier and more to his taste in bed. Not to mention she did whatever he asked. As long as he indulged her craving for designer fashions and fed her opiate habit, she’d be decent enough company. At least until he wearied of her.

So why wasn’t he putting the truck into gear and heading for Vanessa’s dumpy apartment? He was already weeks past when he should’ve collected the gold and gotten the hell out of town. To linger invited capture. In fact, he would’ve been long gone if Sanders hadn’t showed up at his funeral.

Rich hadn’t foreseen that development and would’ve given anything to see the expression on people’s faces that day. Of course, at the time Rich had been too pissed off to find any humor in the situation. And he still couldn’t believe Will hadn’t died in the explosion. Nor could he figure out where Will had been in the year since. He struck the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. It was just like that bastard to survive and make a triumphant return to Royal.

At least a dozen times in the last few months Rich had thought about going to the Ace in the Hole and finishing the job he’d started off the coast of Mexico. But the ranch security was more than a match for him. Instead, he had settled down to wait, knowing Will would eventually make a mistake. Only, he hadn’t. He remained frustratingly vigilant. Which was why Rich had decided to grab Megan, go after the gold and get the hell out of town.

But Megan refused to go and now Rich thought he knew why. Given the speed with which Will had showed up at the police station, no doubt she’d called him. Had Megan transferred her love to the real Will Sanders? The thought twisted in Rich’s gut like a knife. Should he be surprised? She’d confessed to having an unrequited crush on Will in high school. It was what had made it easy for Rich to seduce her.

As for why he’d decided to marry her when so many other women appealed to him more? Rich had noticed Will’s attraction to her, yet he’d never acted on it. He hadn’t been convinced by Will’s denials that there was anything to it and gotten a rush out of moving in on someone Will coveted but had never had. Even better, he liked the idea of destroying every good thing in Sanders’s life from his solid family relationships to his reputation as a businessman and community leader.

But the best part? After he’d finished dismantling Will’s life, he could collect his plundered millions and head somewhere tropical to live like a king for the rest of his days. Or that had been the plan before his dear old friend had turned up alive.

Now, with Will back in Royal, working behind the scenes to fix all the damage Rich had done, it wasn’t good enough that he had stolen millions from Spark Energy Solutions and the Texas Cattleman’s Club. Nope. His hatred ran so much deeper than that. It was about revenge. Payback. Taking what should have been his in the first place. Bottom line? Rich refused to allow Will to be happy. So he had been hanging around, looking for a way to cause the maximum amount of mayhem. Now, seeing his old buddy come to Megan’s rescue, he had an idea how to make Will pay.

Three

Megan smoothed her damp palms along her skirt and eased her foot off the gas as the brake lights on Will’s Land Rover flared ahead. They were nearing the road that led to the Ace in the Hole entry gates. Moments later, her Porsche followed Will’s luxury SUV onto the driveway.

Was coming here a huge mistake? Driving for half an hour had calmed Megan’s nerves and allowed her to think clearly instead of just react. When she’d agreed to Will’s suggestion that she spend the night at his ranch, she’d been anxious that Rich might show up at her house. Now, however, she had a whole new set of concerns to consider.

The last time she’d felt this vulnerable, she and Will had fallen upon each other with no thought to the consequences. She shuddered at the memory of his lips sliding over her skin and the way he’d filled her.

She cursed as an insistent ache began between her thighs. The craving to be possessed by him again consumed her. And this time it had nothing to do with grief or loss. The strength and confidence he exuded was like an aphrodisiac, turning her thoughts lusty and her impulses wanton.

Earlier she’d suggested they drink shots and get to know each other better. How shocked would he be to discover she’d made the offer while imagining herself pouring whiskey over his chiseled abs and licking the strong liquor off his skin?

Megan blew out a shaky breath as the wide iron gates, adorned with the ranch’s brand, slid aside, offering them passage to the road beyond. The enormous ranch house had been built on a rise nearly a mile down the curvy driveway and couldn’t be seen from the road.

Although she’d been to the Ace in the Hole many times, she never lost her appreciation for the main home’s long, low profile with its white paint and expansive windows, placed to best enjoy the sweeping views. Chairs and a swing stretched along the broad wraparound porch. Against the dark sky she could almost make out two chimneys poking up from the roof.

Megan parked her car beside Will’s and walked beside him up the wide steps to the porch. A soft glow spilled through the side panels on either side of the center-set, double front doors. After her wedding to imposter Will, she’d been disappointed to learn he didn’t want to live at the ranch. She loved it out here. The wide-open spaces, the scent of rich soil and grass, and the intermittent lowing of the cattle from far off in the fields.

“You’re smiling,” Will said as he ushered her into the main living space. “That’s good.”

He didn’t ask her why as his gaze roved over her expression, but his curiosity was palpable. After gesturing to the couch, he crossed to the bar and poured shots of whiskey into cut-crystal tumblers for each of them.

Megan kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet beneath her. Propping her head on her hand, she observed his smooth, economical motions. Damn, she enjoyed looking at him. All broad shoulders, muscular thighs and rock-solid abs. Tonight he was dressed in jeans and a white button-down shirt. He wore his black hair longer these days and the untamed style gave him an edginess that Megan found exciting.

“I feel safe when I’m with you,” she explained, accepting a glass from Will and feeling a shivery tingle run up her arm as their fingers brushed. “And I like being here at the ranch.”

“Can we talk about what you did tonight?” He dropped beside her on the couch and cradled his glass in both hands, staring at it for several seconds as if searching for answers in the amber liquid. When his gaze switched to her, anxiety and respect warred in his electric green eyes. “You are incredibly brave.”

Heat suffused her from head to toe and she basked in Will’s admiration. “I can’t believe I shot him.”

“I’m sure he can’t believe it, either.”

“Do you think it will make him more or less determined to get to me?”

There was a significant pause before Will answered. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

His fervent declaration swept over her, igniting her blood. He sounded possessive, like she was his to protect. It made her want to curl up in his lap and show him just how much she liked the idea of belonging to him.

“I hope they find him soon,” she said. “I can’t wait for this nightmare to be over.”

“That makes two of us.” A lengthy pause followed his words during which they both sipped their drinks.

“You know, we should talk about what happens when Lowell gets caught.”

Her heart gave a little jump. “What do you mean?”

Despite what Megan had said earlier about answering whatever questions Will might have, she was nearing her last sip of whiskey and too drained to guard what she said.

“For now, while Lowell is still at large, the FBI wants us to act as if we’re married. But once he’s caught, we need to consider how to go forward. Legally, I mean.”

Megan knew what he was getting at, but how did she divorce someone she hadn’t actually married?

“Technically,” she began, “I married Will Sanders.”

Will’s lips twitched. “And he’s a lucky man.”

His playfulness gave her the courage to ask, “Are you wondering if I’m going to ask for alimony?”

He grew immediately somber. “I’m happy to pay you whatever you want.”

“I was kidding.” She frowned at him. “You don’t seriously think I expect financial remuneration.”

“I think you’re entitled to some sort of a settlement. After all, your entire life has been turned upside down because of Lowell pretending to be me. That makes me responsible for you.”

“That’s a terrible...” She didn’t want to insult him but his assumption that she should receive money from him annoyed her.

“Terrible what?”

“I’m not some gold digger who needs or expects to benefit from marrying you,” she huffed. “You might have a lot of money, but I’m not exactly destitute.” In fact, she was doing better than she’d ever imagined.

“Of course not, but legally—”

“Stop right there,” she said, throwing up her hands. “We are going to end up in our first argument if you keep on that way.”

Will’s quicksilver grin was back. “But think of the makeup sex we’ll get to enjoy afterward.”

To her horror, Megan’s cheeks went hot. So did other parts of her. The whiskey had dimmed whatever qualms she might’ve had about tearing off her clothes and throwing herself at him again. She shifted on the couch all too aware of the ache between her thighs.

“Then by all means,” she said, her voice sounding odd to her ears, “let’s get to it.”

They stared at each other in silence while Megan’s heart pounded so hard she couldn’t imagine how Will didn’t hear it. What would it take for them to come together in this moment? If she got to her feet and started unbuttoning her blouse, would Will stop her or meet her halfway?

Will blinked, breaking the spell. A grin slowly brightened his expression.

“You know,” he murmured huskily, “I’ve enjoyed being married to you.”

Disappointed that neither one of them had stepped up, Megan finished the last of her drink and held the empty glass to him. “It’s been nice being married to you, as well. I’ll have another, if you’re pouring.”

Will tipped the balance of his drink down his throat and got to his feet. Taking her glass, he crossed to the bar once again. For a moment there was only the sound of the top coming off the bottle and the splash of whiskey into the glasses.

“It was a pretty major shock to walk into my own funeral and realize I had a wife,” Will said, returning to the couch.

“I’m sure you had several major shocks that day.” Megan took the refilled glass and peered at the level. Had he given her a healthier dose this time? “Discovering you were dead, for example.”

“It’s weird, you know.” Will turned sideways on the couch and watched her through half-lidded eyes.

She surveyed his features, pondering the edgy intensity he sometimes displayed since returning to Royal. Where once he’d been easygoing and wholly confident, these days she sometimes glimpsed discontent. He wasn’t as perfect as he’d once been and that made him more human and less godlike. More like a man who might be interested in a woman like her with flaws and insecurities she worked hard to hide.

“What’s weird?” she echoed.

“That Lowell was able to step right into my life and nobody questioned it. Was he so much like me?”

“He was a poor man’s Will Sanders,” she said lightly. “Everyone remarked on the differences, but we all put it down to the accident.”

“Well, he must’ve done something right to get you to marry him.”

Megan considered what Will hadn’t asked and remembered that she’d agreed to open up. “Frankly, I was so thrilled that he—you—finally noticed me that I got sucked in.” Megan noticed Will’s surprise and forged ahead. With everything she’d been through tonight, why not take a chance and let Will know about her past crush on him? “Back in high school I would have given anything for you to smile at me, but you didn’t know I existed.”

“That’s not true. I knew.” He released a rough breath. “I’m just sorry I wasn’t ever smart enough to appreciate you. We’ve known each other for a long time, but I never wised up and took my shot.”

“I didn’t help you out any,” Megan said. “I was always so awkward around you. I guess it came from having such a huge crush on you when we were young and assuming you could never be attracted to me since I was such a tomboy back then.”

Will shook his head. “I don’t want you to think I wasn’t attracted to you. Then...or now. You are an intelligent, beautiful woman with drive and passion...and I find that extremely appealing.”

“That’s really nice of you to say—”

Will interrupted her with an impatient snort. “Why do you think Lowell picked you out of all the women in town to pursue?”

“I don’t know.”

When she’d first learned that she was married to an imposter, Megan had suspected Rich had zeroed in on her because she’d never really gotten over Will even though her heart had been broken when she’d heard that Will married Selena Jacobs in college. One thing about Rich, though, he was good at preying on vulnerable people and had probably decided her unrequited love made her an easy mark.

“He wanted my life,” Will continued. “Maybe he thought that should include a woman who I admired and lusted after.”

“You lusted after me?” Megan shook her head. “I don’t believe it.”

“You can’t be serious. After what happened between us the night of Jason’s memorial service?”

“That was...” Oh, hell. What had it been? She knew what it had been for her. Had it been more than grief and a need to connect for him? “I just thought we were both upset and needing comfort.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Whenever I pay you a compliment, you wave it aside like you don’t believe I’m telling you the truth.”

“I do.” But in truth she had a hard time accepting his claim that before he’d gone on that fateful fishing trip, Will had noticed her. Seeing his doubt, she amended, “I want to.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“There’s a critical voice inside my head constantly telling me that I need to do better, work harder. It’s as if I can’t enjoy my success because it’s never enough.”

“If that’s because you’re constantly comparing yourself to Jason and Aaron, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. What you’ve built at Royals Shoes is fantastic and I know both your brothers are...were very proud of you.”

A spasm of pain crossed his features. Jason’s death had packed a double whammy for him. Not only had he loved Jason as a brother, but he also felt guilty that his friend had died at the hands of the imposter.

“I know that’s true,” Megan said, reaching out to cover Will’s hand with hers. “I guess I continue to be the product of two older brothers. Competitive older brothers. They rarely took it easy on me because I was a girl.”

“They should’ve cut you some slack. Not because you’re a girl, but because I know how they could be, and I’m sure they ganged up on you. That wouldn’t have been fair regardless of your gender.”

“It made me tough.” At least on the outside. “I’ve learned to smile through every meeting I’ve ever taken.”

“You don’t have to be strong for me. Or with me.” Will set his fingers beneath her chin and turned her face until their gazes met. “In fact, I like riding in on my white steed to rescue you.”

“Having you as my knight in shining armor sounds really nice,” she said, leaning the tiniest bit into his space, hoping he’d see that she really wanted him to kiss her.

“That’s good because I intend to be there if Lowell shows up again.” Will’s somber vow sent goose bumps chasing over Megan’s arms. His fingers stroked along her cheek, leaving tingles in their wake. “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you.”

To her dismay, when the longed-for kiss came, Will’s lips brushed her forehead, not her mouth. She sighed at the contact, anyway, impressing a memory of the scent of his cologne and the softness of his breath against her skin.

“Now,” he said with a wry smile, “can we talk about the pistol with the pink grip?”

Megan rolled her eyes, accepting the ribbing but still feeling like she needed to explain herself. “I did my research and the gun had great reviews.”

“But it was pink.”

“It was the only one they had in stock and I wanted to get it as soon as possible.” She made a face at him. “And it did the trick. I shot Rich, didn’t I? Or, at least, I grazed him. In any case, I surprised him and that’s what enabled me to get away.”

“You did a stellar job defending yourself. No one could have done better. I just wish I’d been there to see his expression when you pulled out that gun and pointed it at him.”

“It was pretty funny,” she admitted. But her satisfaction was short-lived. “And most of the reason he was probably surprised was that I didn’t exactly stand up for myself during our marriage.”

“Why not?”

“I was afraid. What did it say that I couldn’t keep Will Sanders interested during the honeymoon stage of our marriage? And if I lost him...” She glanced away as she spoke, but Will reached out and touched her chin, guiding her head until their gazes met. The understanding in his eyes gave her the courage to finish her thought. “I would’ve been a big fat failure.”

“He should’ve been the one afraid of losing you. You’re worth a million Rich Lowells.”

Definitely Rich Lowell, but maybe not Will Sanders.

Initially, while pretending to be Will, Lowell had showered her with cheap phrases, praising her beauty, how she dressed, making a point to tell her how sexy she was. She’d been too besotted to notice that he only pointed out what was on the surface.

By contrast, Will saw beneath her skillfully applied makeup and designer fashions. He glimpsed her flaws and didn’t judge her for them. This allowed Megan to relax in his company and loosened her tongue.

“I’m sorry that I ever thought he was you.”

“I’m not.” And he sounded like he meant it. “We wouldn’t be married if that was the case.”

“We’re not really married.”

“Technically we are.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking. Megan’s brain was scrambling for what to say next. A dozen replies reached her lips, but none passed. Each of them sounded too much like an easy, flippant retort.

But what if she put her cards on the table and he freaked? After all, he hadn’t chosen her as his wife while she had fallen in love with and married Will Sanders. Granted it had been the wrong Will, but she’d enjoyed plenty of time to think about what she did and didn’t want out of her marriage. And the truth was, after the fireworks of their courtship, marriage to Will’s imposter was a low point in her life.

“Did you love him?”

Megan regarded Will, trying to determine what was at the heart of this question. Was he wondering if she still loved him? The simple answer was no, but she hadn’t married Rich Lowell. She’d married Will Sanders. Or, at least, she’d thought she had.

“I wouldn’t have married him if I didn’t love him,” she declared, still unsure what that said about her judgment.

Looking back she realized that Rich Lowell had been a poor man’s copy of Will, lacking depth, character and compassion. So what had attracted her to him? Had she loved the man or who she’d believed the man to be?

Megan had no good answer and that bothered her immensely. Would she ever be able to trust herself to make the right decision when it came to love?

A muscle jumped in Will’s jaw before he answered. “Of course.”

Was Megan fooling herself to think she detected the slightest hint of disappointment in his manner?

“I promised you the truth,” she said, “and saying that I loved him is a straightforward answer to a complicated situation.”

Will nodded. “I imagine you have all sorts of crazy mixed-up emotions when it comes to Lowell.”

Not just Lowell.

“Not when it comes to him.” Megan traced the pattern of the pillow she held on her lap. “Our marriage wasn’t all that great. He became a completely different person after the wedding.”

“How so?”

“When we first started dating, he was the most romantic man I’ve ever known. He sent me flowers and called just to say he missed me. I got swept off my feet.”

“Sounds like he was a better me than me,” Will said with a self-deprecating grin. “I’ve never worked that hard to get a woman to like me.”

“But you’re Will Sanders. I’m sure most of the women you date don’t require much encouragement to fall hard for you.”

“Why? Because I’m wealthy? And easy on the eyes?” The corners of his mouth kicked up, but Megan noticed a hardness around his eyes. He was pretending to poke fun at himself. Pretending his experiences over the last year hadn’t changed him.

“Don’t forget successful in everything you do. Every guy wants to be you. Women want to be with you.” Even as she spoke Megan realized he no longer took all those things for granted. How hard it must have been for him to come back from whatever he’d gone through in Mexico only to discover the man he’d thought was his good friend had betrayed him in every way possible. “And you’re a good man.”

“My psyche isn’t all that fragile,” he said and this time his irony appeared real. “You don’t have to assure me I’m okay.”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “You seem to be blaming yourself for things that aren’t your fault.”

“I can’t get off the what-if merry-go-round.” Green eyes steady and grave, he gave her an unrestricted look into his soul. “I spent a lot of time thinking while I was down in Mexico.”

“What happened to you in Mexico?” she asked, emboldened by the whiskey and what she’d shared of her own troubles to step into uncharted territory.

Something haunted flitted through his gaze and then he was shaking his head. “That’s not a conversation for tonight.”

“Sure.” She withdrew into herself like a spooked turtle. “I’m sorry I asked.”

“Don’t be.” Will reached out and dusted his fingertips over her knuckles. “I’m still coming to grips with some of the things that happened, but I know I need to talk to someone about it. I’m just not ready.”

“I hope when you are ready that you know you can talk to me.”

“I appreciate the offer.” He got to his feet and held out his hand, signaling an end to their exchange. “Are you ready to see your room and get some rest?”

His fingers were firm and warm against hers. As she rose to stand beside him, he gave just the tiniest squeeze, a comforting gesture that sent a spike of longing through her. The whiskey and conversation had lowered her defenses. More than anything she wanted his strong arms around her tonight. She’d expended all her bravery in her escape from Lowell and had none left to fight her attraction to Will.

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