“Jessie, we need to talk.”

Cadde’s deep voice demanded Jessie’s attention.

She looked up, trying to appear as innocent as possible. “About what?”

“You know damn well about what. We spoke last night and you seemed in agreement about the next steps for Shilah Oil.”

“I didn’t promise you my vote.”

“Oh, no, you’re way too smart for that.” Anger now edged his voice. “Do you get some kind of perverse pleasure out of blocking my every move?”

“Actually, no.”

“Then what the hell is it?” He waved a hand around the green-and-white room. “If the oil company goes under, so will all of this. Why are you keeping Shilah stagnant? It’s me, isn’t it? You’re not comfortable with me taking over Roscoe’s position so you’re trying to stick it to me every way you can.”

She shook her head. “No. I think you’re more than qualified to fill Daddy’s shoes.”

“Then what the hell is it, Jessie? What do I have to do to get your support? What do you want?”

“It’s quite simple. I want a baby.”

Dear Reader,

I’m happy to present you with the second book in The Hardin Boys series. Cadde Hardin and Jessie Murdock are two strong-willed people who know exactly what they want. Cadde has worked years toward one goal: owning an oil company. Jessie wants a family. She has the power to make his dream come true and vice versa. But as we all know, life doesn’t come with a blueprint.

As far back as I can remember I wanted to be a nurse. I took all the right courses and worked as a nurse’s aide. My dream was set, but like I said, life’s blueprint is different from our own. In college I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and I had to adjust, regroup and create new goals. Today I write happy-ever-after books for Harlequin. Not too bad of an adjustment.

Cadde and Jessie think their goals are set, but they get derailed for a lot of reasons. Through some heartache the two of them learn a hard lesson—love is not a business arrangement. I have to admit I shed a few tears while writing this book. I have a box of tissues on my desk that is now almost empty.

You know this story has a happy ending, so hang in there. I hope you enjoy The Texan’s Bride. It took a piece of my heart. Please look for the third book in the series, The Texan’s Christmas, Cisco’s (Kid’s) story, in December.

With love and thanks,

Linda Warren

P.S.—It’s always a pleasure to hear from readers. You can email me at Lw1508@aol.com or write me at P.O. Box 5182, Bryan, TX 77805. Visit my website at www.lindawarren.net or www.facebook.com/authorlindawarren. I will answer your letters as soon as I can.

The Texan’s Bride
Linda Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

RITA® Award-nominated and award-winning author Linda Warren has written twenty-nine books for Harlequin, including Superromance, American Romance and Everlasting Love. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch, all set against the backdrop of Texas. When she’s not writing or at the mall, she’s sitting on her patio with her husband watching the wildlife and plotting her next book. Visit her website at www.LindaWarren.net.

To Jennifer…may all your dreams come true.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people

who answered my many questions and

made this book possible:

Vicki, Jennifer, James O., Phyllis, Lauren, Mark,

Laura and Scott.

All errors are strictly 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 TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CADDE HARDIN ALWAYS THOUGHT he’d eventually get married. He just never dreamed it would be a marriage of convenience.

And a pain in the ass.

“One of these days I’m going to wring her damn pretty neck.”

He threw his briefcase onto the desk, scattering piles of folders, and slam-dunked his body into a leather chair, which protested with loud, annoying squeaks. He was so angry he could barely breathe.

How many more times was Jessie, his wife, going to stab him in the back?

His brothers, Cisco—known as Kid—and Chance stood in the doorway. “Is it safe to come in?” Kid asked. Cadde nodded.

“What the hell happened?” Kid wanted to know. “You said you had it handled, but once again Jessie shot down your proposal.”

Cadde yanked off his tie. “I’m well aware of that.” For a whole week he’d been telling Jessie how much he needed her vote at Shilah Oil’s next board meeting. The company had to move forward. She had agreed, but evidently she’d changed her mind, voting against expanding drilling outside of Texas. He could feel his blood pressure rising by the minute.

“What did she say when you told her about the proposal?” Chance asked, taking a seat.

Cadde threw the tie onto the desk. “She said it sounded like something her father, Roscoe, would do. He was always a wildcatter, a risk-taker.”

“Did she agree to vote your way?” Kid plopped into a chair and rested his boots on the desk. Usually, Cadde would knock them off, but today he wasn’t in a mood to fight with Kid. Jessie and her about-face was all he had on his mind.

“No,” he muttered.

“Sounds as if she’s still pissed about the marriage,” Kid commented.

“I didn’t force her into this arrangement. Roscoe was dying and he wanted me to protect her, to take care of her, and I agreed.”

“For a piece of the pie,” Kid murmured under his breath.

He glared at Kid. “Don’t start with me today.”

Chance spoke up. “Face it, Cadde, she has to be upset at having her husband chosen for her.”

“She was there when Roscoe made his wishes known. She didn’t object or get angry. She accepted her father’s decision.”

“Still…”

“Dammit, Chance.” Cadde swung out of his chair and stood to gaze at the view of Houston, but all he saw were Jessie’s dark eyes. Swinging back, he said, “Don’t you think I’m aware of that? I’m at my wit’s end on how to handle Jessie.”

“Since I’m an expert on women—” Kid formed a steeple with his fingers and looked at Cadde over the top “—I’d say Jessie wants something…and she wants it from you.”

“What would that be, Kid?” Cadde asked in a sarcastic tone.

“I don’t know, but whatever she’s angry about is aimed at you.”

“That’s for damn sure.”

“Shilah Oil is going nowhere without her support on the board,” Chance said. “So your best bet is to have an honest-to-God talk with her.”

“It might be as simple as a divorce,” Kid added.

Cadde frowned. “You think she wants a divorce?”

Kid shrugged. “What else could it be? I mean, Roscoe sheltered her all her life. She’s probably looking for some sort of freedom. And fun—preferably not with a man handpicked by her father.”

Chance turned on Kid. “You don’t know that. He needs to talk—”

“I’ll see y’all later,” Cadde said, grabbing his briefcase and heading for the door.

“What? No orders?” Kid’s pesky voice followed him.

“Get your damn feet off my desk! Chance, I want the drilling log on the Carver well when I return.” Why had he brought his brothers in on this oil venture? They had a way of getting under his skin. But the truth was he needed their expertise to make Shilah Oil a successful company. Besides, they were brothers who stood together in rough times and in good times.

Right now Cadde didn’t want to think about his siblings. Jessie occupied every corner of his mind.

In record time he was in his truck and driving north out of Houston toward Brenham. Maybe he and Jessie could talk and work things out. The knot in his gut eased a little.

Lord knew he didn’t enjoy the marriage any more than she did. The first time he had dinner at the Murdock estate Roscoe had made it very clear that his daughter was off-limits, so he was shocked when Roscoe had brought up the suggestion of them marrying. He’d told the man he would look out for Jessie, but he didn’t see any reason for a legal ceremony. They didn’t love each other. They were barely more than acquaintances.

He’d never paid much attention to Roscoe’s daughter, and he’d thought she’d grown to be an unattractive old maid without much appeal, except her father’s wealth. As for Roscoe—it had been said that he resembled the back end of a horse going the wrong way. The man wasn’t handsome by any means and Cadde had assumed his daughter favored him. He’d been mistaken.

Roscoe was big and barrel-chested with a booming voice that could make babies cry. Jessie was just the opposite; slim, feminine and beautiful with long dark hair and the blackest eyes he’d ever seen. She obviously took after her mother. Roscoe never spoke about his wife and there were no photos of her in the house.

That first night Cadde had dined with the two of them, he looked everywhere but at the gorgeous woman sitting across from him. No way did he want Roscoe to catch him eyeing his daughter. That would put an end to his oil career. He played the part of cool indifference well, and the status quo remained the same every time he visited the Murdock estate.

He’d spent a lot of years working toward one goal—owning his own company. He, Kid and Chance had roughnecked all over Texas. They knew the oil business. He wasn’t jeopardizing that goal by acting stupid. Jessie was his boss’s daughter and in his eyes that meant she was off-limits.

Then, Roscoe being the gambling wildcatter that he was, sweetened the pot.

“How long have I known you, boy?” Roscoe had asked that day in his hospital room.

“A little over ten years.”

Roscoe nodded. “You roughnecked on a wildcatter well. I saw you had potential and I brought you into the office. You’ve been my right hand since then.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve learned from you and I’ll always appreciate the opportunity you gave me.”

“It’s payback time, boy. Don’t you know that?”

“What?” Cadde wasn’t sure where the old man was headed with the conversation.

“I’m not asking you to marry Jessie. I’m telling you.”

That took a moment for Cadde to digest.

“I’ve always been a gambler. You know that. Tomorrow I’m taking the biggest gamble of all…they’ll remove the tumor from my brain. The doctors say I have a fifty-fifty chance of surviving the surgery and I’m willing to take that risk. I’m damn tired of the headaches and losing my eyesight, but I can’t go under the knife until I know Jessie’s future is secure.”

“Sir…”

“Okay, boy,” Roscoe interrupted, not willing to listen to anything he had to say. “I’m gonna make this easy for you. Marry Jessie and I’ll give you half of my shares in Shilah Oil. Jessie gets the other half.”

That sent Cadde’s heart galloping like a wild steed.

“The papers are there on the nightstand. They require your signature to become the CEO of Shilah Oil.” Roscoe took a labored breath. “Sign it, boy, because I’m not giving you any other choice. You’ve got integrity. I’ve known that from the start, and you’ll keep Jessie safe.”

Fear choked the man’s voice. Roscoe’s paranoia was never more evident than it was that day, but Cadde had to ask, “How does your daughter feel about this?”

Jessie walked into the room in a brown pantsuit and heels. Her dark hair was coiled into a knot at her nape. She looked elegant, sophisticated and uptight as any woman could be. The only sign she was nervous was the false smile on her face.

“Here’s my baby,” Roscoe said, and held out his hand.

She grasped it. “Daddy, I’m hardly a baby. What are you doing talking business with Mr. Hardin? You should be resting.”

“I can’t rest until I know your life is secure.”

“Oh, Daddy.”

“I’m serious, Jessie. Marry Cadde.” Roscoe took another tortured breath. “We’ve talked about this and it’s the right thing to do. Cadde knows the oil business and he’ll keep Shilah profitable so you’ll never want for anything. Please, baby.”

Jessie met Cadde’s eyes for the first time and their depths bore right through him. “Has Mr. Hardin agreed to this?”

“Yes,” Roscoe said before Cadde could answer.

She turned back to Roscoe. “Daddy, you do realize I can take care of myself? I’m twenty-nine years old.”

“Don’t argue with me, Jessie. Please let me die in peace. I have to know you’re safe.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and Cadde felt a sucker punch to his chest. She hugged her father tightly and then straightened. “Okay. I guess I’m getting married.”

They had the ceremony that afternoon by Roscoe’s bedside and Cadde signed the papers that gave him a large interest in Shilah Oil. The next few hours were tense as they waited for news that Roscoe had survived the surgery. He hadn’t. He’d died on the operating table.

Losing Roscoe had been a big blow. He thought the old man could win at anything, but the stakes were too high this time. Pushing aside his grief, he tried to comfort Jessie by offering to take her home. That was a huge mistake. She lit into him like a dog in a chicken coop.

“Contrary to what my father believes, Mr. Hardin, I can take care of myself and deal with Daddy’s death…on my own.”

That’s when the iceberg set in—big-time.

She was stoic at the services. At the grave site, she stumbled and he caught her. She leaned on him for a second before she’d pushed away, thus setting the tone for their eighteen months of marriage.

The reading of the will was an eye-opener. Everything Roscoe owned was equally divided between him and Jessie, except Shilah and the Murdock estate. The house belonged to Jessie, and Roscoe’s shares in the oil company were split twenty-five percent to Cadde and twenty-six percent to Jessie.

Roscoe omitted mentioning that little tidbit, which gave Jessie the upper hand. She used it every time she could—like today. Roscoe’s cronies, who owned the remaining percentage of shares and sat on the board, always voted her way.

He never understood why Roscoe had done that. Jessie didn’t know anything about the oil business, yet she was the one calling the shots—not him. That irritated the hell out of him on a good day. On a bad day he cursed a lot. If Shilah Oil was going to succeed, he had to find a way to reach Jessie.

Cadde sped down the paved road leading to the Murdock estate. Climbing Mount Olympus might be easier than reaching Jessie. And definitely less painful. But today he was angry and he was having his say. She wasn’t giving him the cold shoulder and walking out of the room as she usually did. If he had to tie her to a chair, they were discussing their farce of a marriage, and most definitely her sabotage of Shilah Oil.

He drove up to the double wrought-iron gates leading to the house. As he touched a button on his windshield visor, the gates swung open. An eight-foot steel fence surrounded the entire property and was held in place with brick cornerstones every twelve feet. Razor wire curled across the top. The entire structure was linked to a state-of-the-art security system. To say Roscoe was paranoid about Jessie’s safety was putting it mildly. But Cadde knew he had good reasons.

Roscoe’s brother, Al, who had started Shilah Oil with Roscoe back in the forties, had a six-year-old daughter who’d been kidnapped. The child had fought so vigorously that the kidnapper had broken her neck. The man had been a roustabout who Al had fired.

Al’s wife couldn’t handle the grief and died six months later. Al followed her the next year. After the tragedy, Roscoe made sure nothing would happen to Jessie. He had her guarded twenty-four hours a day, even when she went away to college. That couldn’t have been easy for her.

Usually, a guard was at the gate, but today no one was there. Jessie had dismissed them a week after the funeral. It was their first marital argument, if you could call it that. He told her he didn’t think it was wise and she told him to mind his own business. They went back and forth until she stormed out of the room, leaving him in no doubt what she thought of his opinions.

She never rehired the guards and neither did he. Somehow he felt he had failed Roscoe, but he knew if he hired new security, she’d fire them. So maybe for once in Kid’s life he was right. Jessie wanted her freedom.

The house loomed in front of him, and he had the same thought he did every time he visited—the structure resembled a fortress or a castle in England with its turrets, tower and mullioned windows with bars. It was impressive, but seemed out of place in Texas. That was Roscoe, though. He never did anything the normal way.

Cadde parked at the garages and got out. Two Dobermans ran to greet him, sniffed at his boots and trotted back to their spot at the door. At his first visit he almost had a heart attack when the dogs lunged at him, intending to take him down as if he was no more than a poodle. Roscoe had shouted, “Stay,” and they’d immediately backed off. He had the dogs sniff him so they’d know his scent. From then on the Dobermans never gave him a problem.

For the first time Cadde realized that Jessie virtually lived in a prison of Roscoe’s making. Why wouldn’t she want to spread her wings?

The stifling August breeze almost took his Stetson. Anchoring it with his hand, he headed for the house. The heat was almost suffocating, but soon the temperatures would drop as fall arrived.

It certainly was a time for a new direction.

JESSIE WENT THROUGH THE document once again. Hal, her lawyer, had drawn it up just like she’d asked. She paused for a moment, thinking over what she was about to do. A small shiver ran through her.

The small mixed Jack Russell terrier at her feet whined for attention. “What’s the matter, Mirry?” she cooed. She’d named her Miracle but she always called her Mirry. The dog sat on her foot as if all she needed was to know that someone cared. The poor thing looked pathetic with no tail or ears.

Jessie had found her on the side of the road and had taken her home and nourished her back to health. She couldn’t believe that some people could be so cruel, but no one was going to hurt Mirry again. She’d make sure of that.

The grandfather clock chimed in the hallway. It was time. Cadde would be here any minute. She’d bet money on it.

She straightened the dark suit and white silk blouse she’d worn to the board meeting this morning. Her hands went to her hair to check for loose strands that had worked their way out of her knot. She didn’t want to appear vulnerable.

Rosa, the housekeeper, walked in. “Can I get you anything, Miss Jessie?”

“No, thank you. If I need anything I’ll get it myself,” she chided softly. “Besides, I have iced tea.” She held up the glass. “That’s all I need.” A shot of vodka wouldn’t hurt, she mused to herself. Rosa would faint at the mention of such a thing. But if courage came in a bottle, she could definitely use it.

Round and barely five feet tall, Rosa was like her mother. She’d raised Jessie since she was seven years old. Sometimes she felt suffocated by all the sheltering. Her father never saw her as anyone but his baby girl who needed protection, as did Rosa. Jessie was thirty now and she was determined to have the life and freedom that she wanted.

“You’ve been so sad since Mr. Roscoe’s passing.”

“I’m okay,” she said, and smiled at the woman who would do anything for her. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m really fine. When Cadde arrives, tell him I’m in the sunroom.”

Rosa frowned. “What’s Mr. Cadde doing here this time of day?”

“Now, Rosa, don’t pry,” she teased.

Rosa shook a finger at her. “You’re up to something, Miss Jessie, I know that look.” Rosa had called her “Miss Jessie” ever since she could remember. She’d often asked Rosa to just call her Jessie, but Rosa never heeded her wishes.

They heard the back door open and close.

Rosa clicked her tongue as she went to confront their visitor. Jessie held her breath as she listened to the stomp-stomp of his boots against the hardwood floor. In a few seconds he was standing in the doorway, fury etched across his strong features. His jacket and tie from the morning were gone, but the jeans, white shirt, Stetson and boots were the same. The shirt was opened at the neck, revealing tiny swirls of dark chest hair. Her stomach tightened.

The first time she’d met him she’d thought how handsome he was: strong, powerful and everything a woman could want. There was just one problem. He treated her like a piece of the furniture. Today she was going to change that. She was going to rock Cadde Hardin’s world.

Without speaking to her, he walked into the room and carefully placed his hat on the table, as if he was gauging his next words.

“Okay, Jessie, we need to talk.” His deep voice demanded her attention.

She looked up, trying to appear as innocent as possible. “About what?”

“You know damn well about what. We talked last night and you seemed in agreement that Shilah should explore drilling outside of Texas, especially the Louisiana leases that Roscoe kept up-to-date. But once again you did a flip-flop. Why?”

“I didn’t promise you my vote.”

“Oh, no, you’re way too smart for that.” Anger now edged his voice and she could see that he was keeping a tight rein on his temper. His muscles were taut and his brown eyes intense. She refused to squirm. “Do you get some kind of perverse pleasure out of blocking my every move?”

“Actually, no.”

“Then what the hell is it?” He waved a hand around the green-and-white room. “This is paid for by Shilah. If the oil company goes under, so will all of this. Do you understand that?”

“I’m not stupid.” She could feel her anger bubbling to the surface and that’s the last thing she wanted. She had to remain calm, but that was hard to do with a six-foot-plus all-male glaring at her and demanding answers.

“Then why are you keeping Shilah stagnant? It has to grow to succeed.” He didn’t give her time to respond. “It’s me, isn’t it? You’re not comfortable with me taking over Roscoe’s position so you’re trying to stick it to me every way you can.”

She shook her head. “No. I think you’re more than qualified to fill Daddy’s shoes.”

“Then what the hell is it, Jessie? What do I have to do to get your support? What do you want?”

She played with the pen lying on top of the document for a second and then raised her eyes to his. “It’s quite simple. I want a baby.”

CHAPTER TWO

A BABY!

Had he heard her correctly?

Cadde swallowed. “What did you say?”

“A baby. I want a family.” She stated each word clearly.

His brow knotted together so tightly it made his brain hurt. Was she out of her mind?

“You mean you want to adopt?” That was the only explanation he could think of. “You don’t need my permission for that.” Or maybe she did. He didn’t know.

Her dark eyes flared like charcoal being lit by a match. “It may surprise you, but I don’t need your permission for anything.”

“Whoa.” He held up a hand. “I can see that pushes a button, but I’m out here in left field. What the hell are you talking about.”

“I’ll say it one more time, slowly, so you’ll understand.”

He gritted his teeth at her condescending tone and kept a leash on the curse words burning his throat.

“I want a baby. I want to conceive, feel the life grow inside me and give birth to my son or daughter.”

“Oh.” That pretty much obliterated every response from his mind.

“Since Daddy died I’m all alone in the world. I have no relatives that I know of. I want someone to call my own…someone to love.”

He heard the sadness in her voice and he felt himself weakening toward something he didn’t even understand. “If you’re talking about being artificially inseminated, as you pointed out, you don’t need my permission.”

She slapped the folder in front of her, drawing his attention to the file. On it, he saw the words Jessie Hardin. He wasn’t aware she went by her married name.

“Good grief, are you dense or what?” The first sign of emotion flashed across her pretty face. “Why would I need to go to a sperm bank? I have a husband.”

The creases on his forehead became tighter. “You mean you’re asking me to donate…?”

“No,” she interrupted him. “I want to have my husband’s child the old-fashioned way.”

What! It took a moment for him to catch his breath.

“You want us to make a baby?” he asked, motioning from her to him.

“Yes. You asked what I wanted and that’s it.”

His brow was so furrowed now he could barely think. “You do realize we’d have to have sex to accomplish that?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever had sex?”

Resentment flashed across her face. “Of course. I’m thirty years old.”

“When, Jessie?” he probed. “When have you had sex? Your father had you guarded twenty-four hours a day even in college.”

“There are ways to escape the guards,” she said with a lift of a dark eyebrow. “I’ve learned every trick in the book.”

“Did Roscoe know?”

“Of course not. The guards didn’t want to lose their jobs.”

He placed his hands on his hips. “Who did you sleep with?” He had no idea why he was asking her this. It was none of his business, but for some unknown reason it seemed important.

“I resent that question.” Like a shade being drawn to block the light, her eyes shut out any emotion other than anger. How he wished he could see beyond that veil of darkness.

“I am your husband,” he reminded, just to needle her.

She glanced at him. “Who I’ve slept with in the past is no concern of yours.”

He nodded, conceding her that point.

“We’re getting sidetracked,” she said. “Let’s get back to my request.”

Cadde rubbed his jaw. “Frankly, Jessie, I’m surprised. You’ve never shown one sign of making this marriage legit in every way.”

“Neither have you.” Her eyes held his like a trap held an animal.

The thought made his tone sharper than usual. “It’s damn difficult to get close to an iceberg.”

She bristled just as he knew she would. “And it’s even more difficult to attract a machine whose only focus is the oil business.”

“Damn, Jessie, this is the longest conversation we’ve ever had.”

She twisted the iced tea glass on her right. “I’d like an answer to my request.”

The word request irritated him. “I’m not Roscoe and I don’t automatically grant your every wish.”

“Fine,” she answered without pausing, “I’ll continue to block your proposals at Shilah.”

“That’s not fair, Jessie.”

“Whoever said life was fair?”

He swiped his hand through his hair. “Honestly, Jessie, I’m not ready to be a father. I spend every waking minute I can trying to get Shilah back on its feet. Roscoe wasn’t feeling well his last year and made some bad decisions.”

She stood in a quick movement. “My father never made a bad decision.”

“Okay,” he replied to pacify her.

“Don’t patronize me,” she snapped.

He took a long breath, giving them both some time to cool off. “As I said, I’m not ready to be a father.”

“You’re almost forty,” she shot back. “When will you be ready?”

“When Shilah is making a steady profit.”

“Oh, please, you had time to go out to dinner with Karen Harvey—twice.”

He did a double take. How did she know that? “It was a business dinner—a reward for a job well done on a lawsuit pending against Shilah.”

One dark eyebrow lifted again. “You rewarded her twice?”

He tried not to appear guilty but he feared he failed. “There’s nothing between Karen and me. It was only business. I didn’t cheat on our sham of a marriage.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that.”

At that moment the crazy dog of hers sniffed at his boots. The mutt was small with a ring of brown around her left eye and another brown spot on her white body. “If she pees on my jeans one more time…”

Jessie bent and patted her leg. “Come, Mirry.”

The dog immediately trotted to her and Jessie stroked Mirry’s head. The little thing looked weird without any ears or tail, but that didn’t matter to Jessie. Her classical features softened as she cooed to the animal. He remembered Roscoe talking about her love of animals and it showed in her expression. None of that emotion had ever been bestowed upon him. He thought it best to get back to the matter at hand.

“A baby should be conceived between two people who are in love and building a life together,” he told her.

She straightened from petting the dog. “In most cases that’s true. It’s quite different for us, though. We were forced into this marriage and I’ve decided to make the best of it. I do not intend to remain childless.”

“But—”

“I thought sex to a man was like turning on a faucet…anywhere, anytime type of thing.”

He studied her face. “You’re so unemotional about this.”

“You want emotion, Cadde?” She reached down and opened the file. Pulling out a document, she slid it on the glass table in front of him. “Here’s the kind you will understand. The day I give birth I will sign over one share of my stock to you. I’ll then have twenty-five percent and you’ll have twenty-six, giving you control of Shilah. Isn’t that what you want more than anything in the world? Well, there it is in black and white.”

For the first time in his life words failed him. He couldn’t push a single syllable through his throat. Was she serious?

“I want full custody. You will give up your parental rights.” She tapped the paper. “It’s in the document. You can see the baby whenever you want, but I will raise the child, leaving you free to run Shilah. You have twenty-four hours to think it over and then the deal’s off the table.”

She brushed past him and he came to his senses, grabbing her arm. “Oh, no, you don’t get to walk away after delivering a bombshell like that.”

Her skin felt as soft and inviting as anything he’d ever touched, reminding him of a magnolia blossom from the tree his mother had planted in their yard in High Cotton, Texas. Jessie’s chest rose and fell with each labored breath. His eyes were glued to her breasts pressing against the white silk. A delicate, tantalizing scent reached him.

She was petite, barely five foot four, and all woman. Suddenly he could feel the heat building between them and he wondered why she didn’t pull away or why he didn’t let go.

“There’s nothing left to say,” she said in a hoarse voice he’d never heard before. “The next move is up to you.”

Reluctantly, he released her. “I thought you wanted a divorce or an annulment.”

“Quite the contrary.”

“So this is a business deal?”

“If you want to call it that.”

He shook his head. “You really are Roscoe’s daughter.”

“I learned from the best.” She left the room with that weird dog following her.

He jammed both hands through his hair. All it took was for him to get Jessie pregnant and he’d be in control of Shilah. He almost laughed out loud. What man wouldn’t want to go to bed with her? Why was he hesitating? He didn’t understand it. He didn’t understand the whole damn conversation he’d just had with her. But once again he knew Jessie was in control.

JESSIE QUICKLY CHANGED OUT of her suit and into jeans and a T-shirt. She had animals to feed. She paused for a moment to let her heart rate subside. Her hand went to the spot where Cadde had held her. His fingers were firm, powerful, but the touch of his skin against hers was warm, tempting, and she wanted him to wrap her in his arms and say…what? He didn’t love her. She knew that. Cadde loved the oil business. Her father had said that Cadde had oil in his blood and she now believed that was true.

She had practically offered herself to him and he had to think it over. He wasn’t ready to be a father. That was crap. He just didn’t want her. He preferred the blond willowy type—like Karen Harvey.

Her pulse quickened at the sheer jealousy running through her. And then she laughed. What did she have to be jealous about? She and Cadde were married, yet they went their own ways. She certainly never asked him to be faithful to her. Dealing with her only parent’s death was hard enough without contending with a new husband.

Walking over to the window, she gazed outside in time to see Cadde’s truck drive away. Her father had once told her that if she wanted something to go after it no matter the consequences. She wanted Cadde Hardin and she went after him in the only way she knew. Time would tell if he would take the bait. Daddy was a gambler to his soul but she’d never thought of herself that way.

Until today.

Once you make a decision, stick to your guns, Jessie. His words came back to her. It wasn’t that simple, though. She was gambling with her heart—so dangerous. The consequence of getting hurt didn’t deter her and, like her father, she was willing to take the risk.

Her eyes went to the bars on the window. The prison especially built for her. She never had a normal childhood, a normal life, and that was her dream—to have a real family living without fear. She wanted to fill this big house with kids, laughter and love. And she wanted to do that with Cadde.

He’d called her an iceberg. Ouch. Well, she had to admit that in part it was true. She had thought her father would survive the surgery, but he hadn’t. In shock, she’d pushed everyone away, even her new husband.

She hated that Cadde had to be forced to marry her. She hated that he treated her like a piece of furniture. She hated that life had been so cruel.

After her grief had subsided somewhat she decided to try and make her marriage work. But first she had to get Cadde’s attention and doing that proved more difficult than she’d ever imagined. Therefore she aimed for his heart.

Now she waited.

CADDE SAT AT HIS DESK going over the document Jessie had drawn up. She was willing to give him control of Shilah for a baby. That should be easy—for any man. Why wasn’t it easy for him?

The door opened and his brothers burst in. They had extrasensory perception where he was concerned because they always seemed to know when he was in the building.

“Hey, any news?” Not being afraid of the devil, Kid dove right in.

“From the look on your face I’d say the talk with Jessie didn’t go well,” Chance said.

“Depends on how you label well.” His hand rested on the document. He was still wrestling with its content.

“What the hell does that mean?” Kid asked with his usual tact.

“Jessie didn’t want a divorce. You need to brush up on your women skills, Kid, because that was the last thing she wanted.”

“Damn.” Kid snapped his fingers. “I’m hardly ever wrong when it comes to the fairer sex.”

“I won’t take that to the bank.”

“What did Jessie want?” Chance asked in his calm way. Of the three brothers Chance was the youngest and the one with a heart of gold. The night their parents had died, Chance had been sleeping in the backseat of the car. He was the only one who’d survived the crash. To protect his brothers he’d kept a secret for over twenty years. Their parents screaming at each other had awakened him. Seemed the man they adored was leaving their mom for someone else.

Chance had struggled with his demons for a lot of years, only telling them recently the real story behind the accident. But then fate dealt him another severe blow. He fell in love with the daughter of the woman who had destroyed their family. Chance, with his heart of gold, had worked through all the pain. He and Shay were happy and they had a nine-year-old adopted daughter, Darcy, who was the light of Chance’s life. His brother had found true happiness, but Cadde had to wonder if that was in the cards for him.

“Cadde?” Chance prompted him and he realized his thoughts had drifted.

He cleared his throat. “Jessie wants a baby.”

“What!” echoed through the large office.

Kid frowned. “You mean those little creatures who crawl around and slobber all over themselves?”

“If Shay and I have a child you’re never holding it,” Chance told him.

“I didn’t ask to,” Kid fired back.

Cadde got up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over Houston. It was a magnificent view and he swore he could see Galveston in the distance. But it was only an illusion. He was having a hard time with fact and reality today.

His thoughts turned once again to his father. Cadde was in the oil business because of him. Chuck Hardin roughnecked his entire life, but he’d said his sons would do better. They’d get an education and work their way up the ladder into a position of power.

Cadde had worked toward that one goal and now it was within his grasp. Somehow, though, it was tainted by the betrayal of his father. The man who’d taught him about family values and honor was a phony. Cadde didn’t want any son or daughter of his to think that of him. He wanted to be in his child’s life one hundred percent of every day. And he didn’t want a baby conceived as part of a business deal.

Damn Jessie!

“Cadde,” Chance prompted again.

Cadde swung from the window and walked back to his desk. “Are you two through arguing?”

“Yeah,” Chance replied. “We decided Kid’s an ass and left it at that.”

“We did not!” Kid protested.

Cadde held up his hand. “Enough. I have some important things to discuss with you.” He glanced at the document. “The day that Jessie gives birth she’ll sign over a share of her stock to me…giving me control of Shilah.”

“Hot damn, now we’re talking.” Kid jumped to his feet in excitement and then stilled. “What’s wrong? I can see something is by the look on your face.”

Cadde remained silent, having a hard time explaining the situation to his brothers. But they had a stake in Shilah, as well.

Chance leaned forward. “What you’re saying is that you and Jessie haven’t had a real marriage and she wants to make it real in every way possible.”

“That’s about it,” Cadde had to admit.

“So what’s the problem?” Kid wanted to know. “You’ve worked your ass off for Roscoe for years and now it’s time for the big reward you’ve been waiting for. Jessie’s handing it to you on a platter. All you have to do is get her pregnant. Easy as pie.” Kid’s eyes narrowed on him. “You’re hesitating. Why?” Before he could form a reply Kid added, “You’re not impotent, are you?”

Chance slapped Kid’s shoulder. “Shut up, you idiot.”

“I’m not shutting up!” Kid yelled. “I have a stake in this business, and if you hit me one more time I’m gonna knock you on your ass.”

“Just try.” Chance faced him—two brothers, same height, same build, both angry and neither afraid to fight.

“Cut it out, dammit. I don’t need you two at each other’s throats.”

“Hell, Cadde, that’s what we do best—fight with one another.” Kid was back to his usual cheerful self. “Just tell us why you’re finding it hard to accept Jessie’s offer.”

“Because it’s a business deal. I never planned on my firstborn being part of a negotiated legal document.”

“So?” Kid pressed. “It gives you control of Shilah. That’s what you’ve wanted.”

Cadde eased into his leather chair. “I keep thinking about Dad.”

“Oh, God.” Kid closed his eyes. “Let’s not go down that road.”

“When we were boys,” Cadde went on, as if Kid hadn’t spoken, “he was a good father. I thought there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. I hung on his every word, but in the end he tarnished all of those childhood memories with his betrayal. I don’t want a child of mine to have bad memories of me.”

“Why would he or she have anything but love for you?” Chance asked.

“Because Jessie wants full custody.”

“Oh, my God.” Clearly, Chance was shocked. “She’s asking you to give up your flesh and blood?”

“She says I can see the child whenever I want, but basically I’d be trading the baby for Shilah.” His eyes swung to Kid. “Now do you understand my hesitation? Imagine how that child is going to feel about me later in life. I don’t want any kid of mine to have bad feelings about his father.”

Kid looked straight at him. “Then do something. You’re a wheeling-dealing gambler just like Roscoe. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Remember that little old lady in Midland who said she’d die before she’d lease her land? Even I couldn’t sweet-talk her, but you mentioned her kids and how the money would benefit them. You had her eating out of the palm of your hand. You have to do that now. Find a way around this business deal. Make it work for you and Shilah.”

“For once I agree with Kid,” Chance said. “Whatever you do, though, do not give up your rights as a father.”

“I’ve got a handle on it now, guys. Thanks.”

“That’s what brothers are for,” Kid replied as he and Chance headed for the door.

Cadde drew the document forward. Jessie wasn’t going to have it all her way. He picked up a pen and began to scratch out lines he didn’t like and then he added his demands. At the bottom he scribbled his name.

Jessie was in for a shock.

CHAPTER THREE

CADDE MARCHED THROUGH the back door of the Murdock house. “Jessie,” he called.

No one answered, but he found Rosa in the kitchen. “Where’s Jessie?”

“Mr. Cadde,” Rosa acknowledged in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you again.”

“Where’s Jessie?”

Rosa wiped her hands on her apron. “Probably at the barn. She went to feed her animals.”

Animals? What the hell was Rosa talking about? It suddenly hit him that he knew absolutely nothing about his wife other than she was Roscoe’s daughter and a pain to deal with at board meetings. He had no idea how she filled her days. He just had this vision of her lying across the bed in that big master bedroom eating bonbons. Obviously, she had more animals than that silly dog.

Before he could question Rosa, Jessie came through the door looking flushed. He did a double take and wasn’t really sure it was her at first. She wore jeans, a blue T-shirt and work boots. Dark stains smeared her T-shirt and strands of dark brown hair had worked loose from her knot, curling around her face. She looked like a teenager bent on a day of mischief.

“Cadde,” she said, breathing heavily. Evidently she’d run to the house. “I saw your truck…”

He held up the document in his hand. “We need to talk.”

“Oh. Okay. Let me wash my hands first.” She hurried into the bathroom off the kitchen.

“You don’t really know Miss Jessie, do you?” Rosa asked in a disapproving voice.

“No, ma’am. I don’t,” Cadde answered truthfully.

Rosa shook her head. “Mr. Roscoe was a good man but paranoid about his daughter. He never allowed her any freedom and…”

Jessie came back, interrupting Rosa. “I’ll check on Mirry and I’ll meet you in the sunroom,” she said to him.

“The dog can wait. We need to talk.”

“I’m checking on Mirry.” Her dark eyes narrowed and she brushed past him.

He charged into the sunroom, anger eating at his insides. Was she always going to have the upper hand? Whipping off his hat, he slammed it onto the glass table along with the damn document. He eased into a rattan chair, feeling out of place in the green-and-white room that overlooked the closed-in pool. Plants seemed to be everywhere, even hanging from the ceiling.

He took a long breath, trying to relax. He’d been negotiating business deals for years and he never felt as nervous as he did today. Jessie had a way of making him crazy, but this time he was going to be in control.

From the sunroof of the pool, sunlight danced off the water. He watched as if mesmerized…and waited.

AFTER CHECKING ON MIRRY, Jessie paused at the bottom of the stairs and drew a calming breath. She wanted to change her clothes, but that was pointless since Cadde had already seen her looking like one of the hired hands.

Why had he returned so soon? Could this unexpected visit mean he was accepting the offer? Or throwing it back in her face? Could this be the one thing Cadde Hardin wouldn’t do to gain control of Shilah—have a baby with her?

It was an insane idea in the first place. Yet they were married and she wanted a child. This old house was so lonely. Next time she would rethink her father’s advice.

She walked into the kitchen and got two glasses from the cabinet.

“What are you doing?” Rosa asked.

“Getting iced tea for Cadde and me.”

“That’s my job.” Rosa took the glasses from her.

“Rosa.”

Rosa paid her no attention, as always. In a matter of seconds she had them filled with ice and tea. She reached for two napkins off the granite kitchen island and handed them to Jessie.

Jessie kissed her cheek as she took them. “I love you.”

“You need someone else to love,” Rosa told her. “And I don’t mean all those animals out there.” She thumbed over her shoulder.

Jessie winked. “I’m working on it.”

“Miss Jessie, what are you up to?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

She breezed out of the kitchen and braced herself for the scene with Cadde. Her courage intact, she walked into the sunroom and placed a glass of tea and a napkin in front of him.

“Thank you,” he muttered, taking a swallow.

Jessie sipped hers before taking the seat across from him.

He pushed the document lying on the table toward her. “I signed it.”

“Oh.” Relief rushed through her. She hadn’t expected him to concede so quickly.

“But I made some changes.”

“Oh.” His abrupt attitude was making her edgy.

“Read it, sign on the dotted line and we have a deal.”

She flipped through the document and stopped when she saw his bold handwriting. She reread the page, not quite believing her eyes. “You…you…want a real marriage?”

“That’s what it says. When the deal is official, I’ll be moving into that big master bedroom.”

Her eyes caught his. “I sleep alone. I always have.”

“Not if you sign that document.”

“Why can’t you sleep in your own room?” She didn’t want him to know her secret. She slept with the bathroom light on. All those fears from her childhood were still there. She was seven when her cousin, Crissy, had been kidnapped and killed, but she remembered it. They’d lived in Houston then and after the murder her father had slept on a cot in her room with a gun across his chest. That frightened her even more.

“Because married couples sleep together.”

“But we don’t have to.”

He poked the document with a long finger, his brown eyes determined. “That’s the deal, Jessie.”

She clenched her hands in her lap until they were numb and then she forced herself to continue reading his other demands. “You claim all your rights as a father, which are granted in our marriage vows.”

“Yes.”

“And you insist on my full support at future board meetings after the marriage is consummated.”

“Yes.”

She raised her head and looked into his steady, unwavering gaze. “You’re asking an awful lot.”

“How bad do you want a baby?” he asked, and her insides quivered at the magnitude of her actions.

He reached for his hat and stood. “You have twenty-four hours to think it over.” With an in-your-face nod, he strolled from the room.

“Wait just a minute,” she called, infuriated that he was turning her tactics around on her.

He paused at the door and faced her. “What?”

“We need to talk.”

“Jessie, we’ve talked this to death. Bottom line I refuse to walk away from a kid of mine. I will be there from day one. Sign it or not. It’s up to you. If you don’t, we’re getting an annulment because I’m not living in this sham of a marriage any longer.”

“I see.” She should have known it wouldn’t be simple. Cadde was a skillful businessman and he had upped the stakes. She had to accept them or live the rest of her life alone. And if Cadde left she would truly be alone.

She gulped a breath. What were her options—loneliness or a real sleep-in-her-bed-every-night marriage? She’d started this out of desperation and she had to have the courage to finish it.

Her hand shook as she picked up the pen that was still lying there from the morning. She took another breath and wrote her name beneath Cadde’s. The action caused her to feel limp, weak and defeated somehow.

Cadde strolled back into the room and placed both hands on the table. Leaning in close to her, he asked, “Wanna go upstairs?”

She drew away. “I’m not a hooker, Cadde.”

“That’s how you make a baby, Jessie.” His eyes sparkled with glee at his victory, and she wanted to smack him.

“I want to get to know you better first.”

He straightened. “Now there are rules?”

“Yes,” she told him, taking the wind out of his sails. “We’re going out to dinner tonight.”

“Tonight! I’ve been fooling with this insanity most of the day. I have work piled up. I don’t have time to go out.”

She stood and picked up the document. “I’ll get this to my lawyer.” Her eyes locked with his. “Be here at eight or the deal is off.” After delivering that blow, she brushed past him. He didn’t grab her arm this time but she heard him curse. She smiled all the way up the stairs. At least she had the last word. Now she had to fulfill his demands.

CADDE TRIED TO CONCENTRATE on the Louisiana leases. With Jessie’s approval, he planned to move on them quickly. First they had to consummate the marriage. He tapped his pen on the papers in front of him. That would be a big step. It would make their relationship real, but he had to wonder how a marriage could survive without love.

He ran both hands over his face. How much did love matter? His parents had been in love until… Would he be like his father and cheat on Jessie? He didn’t know, but he hadn’t cheated on her in eighteen months and it had been a strain. He could have with Karen. Something held him back, though. It had to be that integrity thing Roscoe had talked about. He didn’t want to be like Chuck Hardin even if the marriage wasn’t real.

Sleeping with Jessie could turn out to be rather pleasant. If only he could get those off-limits notices out of his head. Who knew she wanted to change their relationship? She showed no signs of doing so…until today.

Fatherhood. He hadn’t thought much about it. He’d been too busy building a career. How was he going to balance his job and Jessie and a baby?

A baby! He couldn’t quite wrap his mind around that just yet. But as Jessie had mentioned, he was almost forty. It was time to think about a family.

With Jessie.

Shaking his head, he brought his concentration back to the leases. After they consummated the marriage, the first thing on his schedule was to call an emergency board meeting. He had to have their approval to move on anything.

He’d already talked to his geologist and engineers. They felt if they could drill deep enough they’d hit a big well. As soon as he decided which lease had the most potential, he’d get Kid out there to inform the lease holders. In this economy he was hoping they’d be grateful for some extra income. Roscoe had sat on those leases for a reason and now Cadde had to make it work.

Reading through the engineers’ notes, he glanced at his watch. Dammit! He didn’t have time to go out to dinner. Irritated, he found himself looking at the time every few minutes. At first, Jessie’d balked at the real marriage thing, but then she’d caved. His moment of victory was short-lived, though. Living up to his own demands wasn’t going to be easy.

The luxury of having an apartment down the hall from his office was something he was used to. Now he had to make the drive in every day. What was he thinking? At the time he was angry and wanted to get back at her. After cooling off, he realized some things were not going to work in his favor.

He slept about three nights a week at the house to keep an eye on Jessie, as he’d promised Roscoe. But he rarely saw her. He worked long hours and she was usually in bed when he came home and still asleep when he left. Through Rosa he knew she was okay and everything was running smoothly. If he needed to talk to her about business, he’d call and come home early.

“Damn you, Jessie, for screwing up my life,” he said under his breath. Her biological clock was ticking and she’d zeroed in on him, her husband, like a buzzard on a carcass. But he was the logical candidate. They couldn’t continue to live in their farce of a marriage. It would have been so much simpler if she had wanted a divorce or an annulment. Then they could have gone their separate ways. Still, he wouldn’t have felt good about that. He’d made a promise to Roscoe and, unlike his father, his word meant something to him.

Closing the files he got to his feet and headed to the apartment to get ready for a date with his wife. And God help him, it was the last thing he wanted to do.

JESSIE WENT THROUGH ALMOST every dress in her closet and finally shimmied into a black slim-fitting one with a V-neck. Looking in the mirror, she frowned. The V showed too much cleavage and she actually had some to show off. For so long she’d been flat-chested.

Taking another glance, she decided to wear the dress. After all, tonight she was starting a new role—being a wife and hopefully a mother. She sighed. Why did it have to take a business deal to bring them together? Why couldn’t they have magically fallen in love? Because Cadde never saw her as anyone other than Roscoe Murdock’s daughter.

Pushing the depressing thought aside, she sat at her dressing table. With her olive complexion, dark hair and eyes she needed very little makeup. She applied liner to her eyes and brows and then added some lip gloss. That would do. She brushed her long tresses until the static electricity almost ate her brush. Rarely did she wear her hair loose, but tonight she let it flow down her back.

She glanced at herself in the mirror and wondered like she had so many times in her life—who did she favor? Her father had blue eyes and blond hair. Without a doubt she took after her mother. When she’d asked about her, he’d say, “Jessie, baby, your mother left us a long time ago. You’ve got me, so put a smile on that pretty face.” Then she’d feel guilty for asking about a woman who would leave her child. It didn’t keep her from wondering, though.

She’d even asked Rosa, but Rosa had come to work for them after the tragedy. She’d never met Jessie’s mother.

As a child she’d dream about the mysterious woman coming back, but she didn’t. In her teens Jessie had finally accepted that. Her mother had made her choices for whatever reasons and Jessie seldom thought about her these days.

Glancing at the crystal clock on her vanity she saw it was after eight. Damn! Where was Cadde? If he bailed on her, she’d make his life a living hell. She laughed out loud. She really was her father’s daughter. But she wasn’t making anyone’s life a living hell. If he didn’t come, they’d go back to the status quo of ignoring each other. That would be her living hell.

“Get a grip, Jessie,” she said to herself as she reached for a long strand of pearls her father had bought her in New York. Slipping into high heels, she hurried downstairs to wait.

CADDE WAS RUNNING LATE, but he couldn’t help it. He’d had a call from one of his engineers and they talked about the Louisiana leases.

He rushed through the back door and found Jessie pacing in the living room, her dog trailing her every step.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” The rest of his excuse evaporated as he stared at his wife. He knew the poised Jessie in business suits and the casual Jessie in jeans, but the sexy siren in front of him was someone else entirely. He could feel his blood pressure taking a hit.

She looked at the gold watch on her arm. “Fifteen minutes, to be precise.”

“I told you I had a lot of work to do and I got away as quickly as I could.”

“And so gallant about it, too.”

“Let’s go then.” He struggled to look anywhere but at her cleavage. He felt like a teenager seeing breasts for the first time.

Jessie bent to pat the dog. “Go upstairs to your bed, Mirry. I’ll be back later.” The little thing trotted away as if she understood every word.

“Where did you get her?” he asked to focus his attention on something beside her. If it was up to him, they’d just go upstairs but he knew that wasn’t what she wanted—just yet. Damn! Why did women have to be so picky?

“I found her on the side of the road,” Jessie was saying. “Someone abused her severely and left her for dead.”

He experienced a moment of guilt for not liking the little dog. The cruelty of people floored him, but Mirry seemed to have found a savior in Jessie.

“You’re staring,” she said.

He blinked. “I’ve never seen you with your hair down.”

She called his bluff immediately. “My hair is here.” She touched her head.

“Okay, I was staring at your breasts,” he admitted like the honest Christian boy that he was. “I never realized you had…”

“Breasts,” she finished for him.

He nodded, wishing they’d never started this conversion.

“They’re pretty much standard equipment, Cadde.”

He sighed. “Could we go?”

“Sure.” She picked up a small purse from the coffee table.

“Do you want to go in my truck or your Suburban?”

“Your truck,” she replied. “My vehicle has feed in it and it’s smelly.”

“What do you feed?”

“Animals that would starve if I didn’t.”

They talked as they walked through the dining room to the kitchen. Rosa had said something about animals and now he was curious.

“What kind of animals?”

“I have five horses from the Houston SPCA. Their owner left them to starve to death in a pasture. I know someone there and she calls me when they have an animal that’s been mistreated or abused and needs a home. I also have a donkey that had an infected eye and a ram with one horn. Gavin cut off the other one and operated on the donkey’s eye. They’re doing very well. The horses were skittish at first, but between Gavin, Felix and me we’ve managed to gain their trust. Gavin doctors their sores every week or so.”

“Who’s Gavin?”

“The vet.” He opened the back door and she asked, “Do you want to know who Felix is?”

“No. I sign his damn paycheck. Why isn’t he picking up the feed?”

“Felix was busy and I was in town at a board meeting, as you may recall, so I picked it up. No big deal.”

As soon as they stepped into the garage, the Dobermans sniffed at their feet.

“Oh, I hate these dogs.” Jessie made a face.

“Why?” Again he was curious. She seemed to have an affinity for animals.

“They’re trained to kill. I told Daddy I didn’t want an animal like that, but he insisted when he went on that trip to Alaska. He was afraid someone would breach the security system while he was gone. And he wanted a surprise for the perpetrator.”

Cadde remembered that trip with Roscoe. They were checking out the oil situation, but Roscoe decided it was too damn cold for his Texas blood. Roscoe called Jessie two to three times a day and sometimes more if he was feeling restless and worried. Fear was his constant companion. He never lost the paranoia that someone was going to take Jessie from him.

“Why don’t you just get rid of them?” he suggested.

“I tried. No one wants a dog like that. I might see if Gavin can gently put them to sleep. I hate doing that but they kill every animal that comes into their perimeter—squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, possums, birds, anything. There’s always something dead in the yard in the mornings.”

She took a breath. “And they attacked the man who delivers hay for the horses. He stopped at the house and made the mistake of getting out of his truck. They were on him in a second. Felix was barely able to grab their collars and restrain them so the man could get inside his vehicle. It was very scary. I’m even afraid to go out after dark, and if they attack one of my mistreated animals I would just die.”

“Then call your friend Gavin first thing in the morning.” He didn’t want her living in fear. He wasn’t all that fond of the dogs, either.

They walked to the passenger side of his King Ranch truck. Suddenly she turned and he bumped into her. He caught her arms to steady her. Smooth, silky skin tempted his fingers and a delicate fragrance wafted to his nostrils. His heart rate rose like mercury in a thermometer. Oh, God. He released her. This was going to be a long, long evening.

“A couple of days ago Will brought me a baby fawn,” Jessie was saying. “Someone had killed her mother.”

“Who’s Will?” How many men came out here to see Jessie? He knew she was the big selling point. The animals were just an excuse. For the first time jealousy flickered in his gut. It was ridiculous. He’d never had these symptoms with the other women he’d dated. So why was Jessie different?

“The game warden,” she replied, and he jerked his attention back to the conversation. “The little thing needed nourishment badly. I have her in a cage in the barn. Since she’s a new scent I’m afraid the Dobermans will attack her. I keep a rifle at the barn and one in the house if anything goes awry.”

“Jessie, I don’t like the sound of this. Call the vet.”

She flipped back her long hair. “Are you telling me what to do?”

“Yes,” he replied.

In the light from the garage he could see her black eyes flashing. “Just so you know I don’t respond well to people telling me what to do.”

He met her gaze. “Just so you know, as your husband, I’ll be doing that—a lot.”

“I figured,” she replied in a saucy tone. “Don’t expect me to be a dutiful wife.”

He opened the passenger door of his white truck. “That’s the last thing I expect from you.”

She laughed softly and it seemed to clear the tiredness and stress from his mind.

His vehicle was high off the ground and he intended to help her inside, but she hitched up her skirt, showing a long length of smooth thighs, and hopped in without a problem.

Why did Roscoe think Jessie was fragile and helpless? She had as much strength as he had. Why had Roscoe never seen that?

He walked around to the driver’s side. Why had he never seen that? He just assumed Jessie was as vulnerable as Roscoe had described. They’d both been wrong. Jessie could match his strength any day of the week. Their marriage would be a test of wills. Who’d be the first to give in, the first to compromise?

As he backed out, he knew one thing. It wasn’t going to be him.

CHAPTER FOUR

STUPID! STUPID! JESSIE CURSED silently. Why didn’t she let Cadde help her? Her father’s paranoia had made her dependent and she’d spent many years staking her independence, proving to everyone, mostly herself, that she was capable of handling her life. Claiming that prize hadn’t been easy, but she was tired of being afraid of everything around her. So she faced life head-on, determined to do things on her own. Sometimes, though, she needed to make better judgment calls—like tonight.

Little was said as Cadde drove away from the house. She watched his big hands on the steering wheel: capable, efficient and strong. That described him to a T.

A Shilah Oil coffee cup was in the console along with papers listing oil wells and production numbers. The four-door cab truck was big, but with Cadde’s presence it seemed to grow smaller. A woodsy coffee scent tempted her nostrils. She leaned back and let the cool air from the air-conditioning calm her nerves.

When they reached the cutoff to U.S. 290, Cadde stopped the truck. “Where would you like to go?” His tone indicated he didn’t care and that irritated her.

“There’s a nice Italian restaurant in Brenham,” she replied. “It might be more miles, but less traffic.”

“Fine.” He turned right. He was halfway friendly earlier. Now he seemed to have nailed that door shut. If he wanted to be temperamental, that was okay with her—up to a point. This evening was about them getting to know each other and he had to make an effort.

They breezed into Brenham, a small town of nearly fifteen thousand, and home to Blue Bell Creamery. As a child, she loved it when her dad would take her to get ice cream. Even though it was one of her fondest memories, it took all of her childish imagination to ignore the guards. She had wanted to run and play with the other kids, but was never allowed.

She switched her attention to the road and gave Cadde directions. He followed them without saying a word. When he stopped at the house that had been converted into a restaurant, he asked, “Is this it?” Clearly, he wasn’t impressed.

“Yes. It’s very nice and has great food,” she informed him.

“Fine,” he said again in that clipped tone.

She gritted her teeth and got out. It was pointless to wait for him to help her. She’d already blown that.

As they walked to the front door, a warm breeze ruffled her hair. Tossing it back, she gazed at him and had to admit he’d made an effort in dressing. He wore dark slacks, a white shirt, with his dress boots and Stetson. Every woman in the place was going to be looking at him. He had that air, that presence that drew attention. He’d certainly caught hers and her feelings hadn’t changed since the first time she’d met him. She had to wonder, though, if they could build a life on her feelings alone.

They didn’t have a reservation, but were able to be seated without waiting. She could just imagine Cadde’s ire at having to wait. Their table was by a fireplace, which was unlit because it was the last month of summer. Still, with the muted lighting and a candle flickering in the center of the linen tablecloth, it was very romantic. They had a view of a small courtyard with green plants. The whole ambience was relaxing. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to enjoy the evening.

Cadde laid his hat on a chair as a waiter placed menus in front of them. “May I get you something to drink?” he asked.

“A glass of your best chardonnay,” Cadde replied without pausing.

The waiter turned to her. “I’ll have the same,” she told him.

As the waiter walked away, she opened her menu. “The chicken alfredo is good, and so is the marsala.”

“Mmm.” He studied the dinner entrées.

The waiter came back with two glasses of wine. Setting them on the white tablecloth with a coaster, he asked, “Are you ready to order?”

Jessie closed her menu and unfolded her linen napkin. “Yes. I’ll have the chicken alfredo.”

Cadde did likewise. “Parmesan steak. Medium rare.”

She should have known he’d order steak. There was just something about Texas men that they had to have steak. Her father had been the same.

She shifted uneasily and thought this would be a good time for them to talk. Straightening her napkin in her lap, she said, “You have two brothers, but I know little else about you or your family.”

“I was born in High Cotton, Texas.” He took a gulp of the wine. “After our parents died in a car accident, we lived with our aunt and uncle.” A flash of resentment crossed his handsome face.

“Your expression changed when you mentioned your parents.”

He looked at her for probably the first time since they’d left the house. “I don’t know why.” His chilling tone issued a warning—don’t pry.

The silence stretched and she could almost feel a negative vibration coming from him telling her he wasn’t in a talkative mood. She was about to ignore all the warnings when their dinners arrived.

Cadde emptied his glass. “Bring the bottle, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

In a matter of seconds, the waiter was back with the wine.

“Thank you,” Cadde replied, filling his glass.

She twirled fettuccine around her fork and watched him cut into his steak with sharp strokes. Between each bite he gulped the wine. After the third glass, she’d had it. She carefully placed her napkin on the table and picked up her purse.

“If you have to drink yourself silly to have dinner with me, then the deal is off.” She stood and strolled from the room, but not before she saw the shock on his face.

At the small entry alcove, she asked the lady for a taxi. She didn’t even know if Brenham had taxis, but evidently they did since the woman handed her a card with a number. She noted the curious look on the woman’s face. After seeing her come in with Cadde, she was probably wondering what was going on.

As she went out the door, she punched the number in on her cell and gave the taxi company her location. Darkness had settled in over the neighborhood, but the outside lights were bright, illuminating her way. The houses were lit up and a couple of boys rode by on bicycles, enjoying the last days of summer. Through some of the windows with open curtains she could see families were sharing their day—loving families. That was something she was never going to have so she might as well face it.

She glanced at her phone for the time. How long did it take a taxi to get here? The cell was suddenly jerked from her hand. She whirled around to find Cadde. He was furious from what she could glimpse in the streetlight. His hat hid most of his expression.

“Give it back to me.” She jumped for it, which was ridiculous since he was so much taller.

“You’re going home the same way you came here,” he snapped.

“Like hell. I’m not going anywhere with a man who has to get drunk to spend a couple of hours with me.”

“I’m not drunk.”

“Oh, please.” She placed her hands on her hips.

“Jessie…”

The cab drove up, interrupting him. Cadde opened the door and handed the guy some bills. “Sorry. Thank you.”

Jessie was seething. How dare he! She was so angry she was about to burst out of her dress. “Give me my damn phone!”

“You’re not getting it.” He held it higher and it made her that much angrier. “Listen to me. I’m not drunk, but it’s hard for me to adjust to this situation so easily. For years Roscoe told me to never mess with his daughter. You were off-limits. I can’t make an about-face overnight.”

Some of her anger cooled. “Why would Daddy say that?” She couldn’t believe her father would do such a thing, but then again he protected her from life every way he could. He scared most of her men friends away only because he was afraid of her getting hurt. Cadde was different, though. Her father knew him.

“Think about it, Jessie. Roscoe shielded you from everything and everyone.”

“That doesn’t excuse your insensitive behavior tonight.” She wasn’t letting him off with that ludicrous explanation. “Give me the phone and we’ll call this evening a waste of time and put a big emphasis on my insanity in thinking that we could make this marriage work.”

“Jessie…”

She didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. Jumping for her phone again, she stumbled in her high heels and fell toward him. His arms went around her and he balanced her against the car that was parked at the curb. Somewhere between the anger and something she couldn’t describe, everything changed.

Her breathing became shallow as his head bent toward her. She stood on tiptoes to meet his lips. It wasn’t gentle nor did she expect it to be. Her arms slid around his neck and she melted into a kiss fueled by anger but buffeted by emotions that doused every trace of outraged feelings. His lips softened and she went with the flow of discovering Cadde.

He tasted of wine—heady, delicious wine that made her dizzy. She knew he would kiss this way, completely, mindlessly and without any doubt of who was in control. The hair at his nape tickled her fingers, his broad chest felt like a wall she could always lean on for support. Her phone was still in his hand and it rubbed her back in a soothing erotic way. His other hand pressed her closer to his male frame, and she experienced his all-consuming power.

Just when she thought her feet would leave the ground and she’d float around in outer space from the sheer pleasure, he eased his lips to her cheek, to her forehead.

“Let’s go home,” he whispered in a throaty voice.

She breathed in the heady scent of him, the wine. The moonlight spilled its magic rays upon them and she wanted to explore these feelings, but she also knew she wasn’t ready. She needed time to get to know him. Would he understand?

“I’m hungry,” she murmured.

“Me, too.” He kissed her forehead and her resolve weakened.

She played with a button on his shirt. “I’m hungry for food.”

“Jessie,” he groaned.

“You ate. I didn’t.”

He took a step backward and the heat of summer stung her skin—skin that he’d refreshed with his male touch. She felt bereft, wanting his body against hers again. Why was she hesitating? She wanted more than a sexual relationship. She wanted love and trust along with the intimacy. She wanted a marriage that would last a lifetime.

To ease her erratic thoughts, she picked up her purse from the ground where she’d dropped it when she’d stumbled. Her hair fell forward and she flipped it back.

He handed her the cell and stared. The moonlight seemed to draw them closer and closer, not physically, but emotionally. He understood. Taking her hand, he led her into the restaurant. “These people are going to think we’re nuts.”

She laughed and it eased all the doubts in her mind. They needed moments like this to build a foundation for a real marriage.

The lady at the entrance looked surprised and the waiter raised a questioning eyebrow since they were seated at the same table. But being a professional, he asked politely, “Would you like something to drink?”

“Iced tea,” Cadde replied, hooking his hat on a chair.

“Me, too,” Jessie added. “And I’ll have the alfredo again with a house salad.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The waiter walked away with a curious expression.

Laughter bubbled inside her.

“Don’t laugh,” Cadde said, as he noticed her struggle to contain her amusement. “He has a right to think we’re insane.”

She unfolded her napkin. “Don’t start again. This evening is about us getting to know each other.”

“I certainly know a lot more about you. You’re as stubborn as Roscoe.”

She bit her tongue to keep sharp words from escaping. Patience was not her forte, but tonight she would try. Just as well the waiter returned with a tray. He placed iced tea on a napkin and a salad in front of her and then served Cadde’s drink.

“Thank you,” she said, and the waiter walked away with a slight smile.

Soft music played in the background. She hadn’t noticed that earlier, but now it seemed to intensify the romantic mood. Picking up her fork, she was determined they’d have a normal conversation, even though she knew she was stepping on some forbidden ground.

“How old were you when your parents died?”

Cadde was staring at his Stetson, but her soft voice drew his undivided attention. Well, partially. He was reeling from the kiss. The off-limits signs were no longer in his head. Jessie had completely demolished them with her passion. He still tasted her lipstick—tasted her. He’d always thought of Jessie as unemotional because she was cool, businesslike. He was wrong—again. Now he was learning about Jessie the hard way—shock after shock. Her lips, her touch he would remember for a long time.

He moved uncomfortably. “I was sixteen.” Running his thumb across the rim of the glass, he felt its dampness, its coolness. This wasn’t an easy subject for him to talk about, but he couldn’t continue to stare at the glass or his hat. He had to share. That’s what Jessie wanted. It was time to open the door he kept firmly locked. He wrestled with his thoughts.

“We…were in Austin at the state basketball championship for our district and Kid and I played on the team. Kid was almost fifteen but tall for his age so the coach let him play cause we needed another player. High Cotton had never gone that far in the play-offs and we were determined to win, which we did by one point. We were riding a wave of excitement and someone sneaked beer onto the bus—well, everyone knew it was Kid. He never said how he got it and I didn’t want to know. The coach fell asleep in the front seat and the driver’s attention was on the road. We celebrated all the way home.”

He gripped the cold glass. “When we reached the school, the principal was waiting for Kid and me. We thought it was because of the beer. He took us to the gym and Aunt Etta, Uncle Rufus and Chance were there. Chance had a bruise on his face and arm and his clothes were dirty. The moment I saw him I knew something was terribly wrong.” He took a swallow of tea to cool the heated emotions inside him.

“Our aunt put her arms around us, and said, ‘Boys, your parents died tonight.’ The world we knew suddenly ended. The high of the win was replaced with a gut-wrenching low. We stood there holding on to each other until Dane Belle walked in.”

“I’m so sorry.” As she placed her hand on his forearm, his eyes were drawn to her long slim fingers. He wasn’t sure what to say and all he could feel was her soothing comfort. He never talked about this to anyone but his brothers.

“Who’s Dane Belle?” she asked, and that broke the headlock on his emotions.

“The owner of the High Five ranch and the nicest man you’d ever want to meet. Aunt Etta, my dad’s sister, and Uncle Rufus worked for him. He moved us into my aunt and uncle’s house, which is on High Five. Dane was there to help us every step of the way. He literally stepped into our dad’s shoes.”

She removed her hand to continue eating and he felt a moment of disappointment. He was the strong one, never needing anyone’s comfort, but her soft supportive touch got to him.

“I can’t imagine anyone taking Daddy’s place.” She pushed the salad aside as the waiter brought her entrée.

“He didn’t replace him. He just filled this big empty void in me, Kid and Chance.” Leaning back, he fiddled with the napkin and the words seem to gush out of him like one of his oil wells when they hit pure Texas gold. “You’d have to know Dane to understand. He was a gambler, a drinker, but he had a big heart that he gave to everyone. He never met a stranger and he made the Hardin boys feel right at home. We spent all our holidays with them. Chance still does. Kid and I have a harder time getting home. We always seem to be hundreds of miles away.”

“Does Dane have children?”

“Oh, yeah.” He took another swallow of tea. “Three beautiful daughters by three different mothers. Dane was also a ladies’ man, a charmer, sort of like Kid.”

“No one is like Kid.” She lifted an eyebrow. “So you grew up with his daughters?”

“Yeah. We lived down the road from High Five and then we relocated to their backyard. Summers were fun because all the girls were home.”

“What do you mean?”

“Caitlyn was raised on the ranch because her mother died in childbirth. Madison and Skylar lived with their mothers. There was a clause in the divorce papers that Dane got the girls during the summer and Christmas, that way their lives weren’t disrupted during the school year.” He felt a smile tug at his lips. “I’m surprised Kid survived those summers because the sisters knocked him for more loops than I can count. He was always teasing and picking on them. We usually baled hay in the summer and the girls were always there, even though Dane and Miss Dorie, their grandmother, didn’t want them to be. They wanted them to be proper ladies.” Cadde suppressed a laugh. “You’d have to meet them to understand that one. Caitlyn is bossy and responsible. She tried her damnedest to be the boy Dane had always wanted. Madison is like a lollipop—she’s so sweet you just want to lick her, which Kid has done on more than one occasion. And Skylar, well, she’s the wild sister, the one Dane worried about the most. They certainly kept Dane on his toes.”

Cadde leaned back as memories seemed to grip him. “After baling hay under a hot Texas sun, we’d pull off our hats, boots and shirts and jump into Crooked Creek to cool off. Sometimes the girls would join us. One time Kid dove in and snuck up behind Caitlyn and pinched her butt. She slapped him and he sank like a rock. We thought she’d killed him. We kept diving trying to find him, even Dane got in the water. Kid came up downstream, laughing. Caitlyn chased him all the way to the barn. He hid from her for two days.”

“Sounds as if you had a happy life on High Five.”

“Yeah.” He twisted his glass, knowing Dane and the sisters had given them a reason to keep going, to keep living. “I still miss Dane.”

“He passed away?”

“His drinking finally got him.”

There was silence for a moment.

“You haven’t said anything about your parents.”

Glancing up, he saw her gazing at him with dark, concerned eyes. While he’d been talking, she’d finished eating. “That’s not an easy subject.”

He could feel the gusher of words being capped, his throat closing. Then she laid her hand on his arm again and her gentle touch freed his emotions.

“Dad said they were high school sweethearts and married after graduation. They were happy…”

“They weren’t.”

“What?”

“I’d rather talk about Dane and the sisters. Those are good memories. My parents…”

She squeezed his arm. “What happened?”

He could do this. He could handle anything. From somewhere deep inside him he heard the word liar. Talking about his parents was something he didn’t do, except with his brothers. They understood. Jessie wanted him to talk, to share. Could he?

She rubbed his arm and it eased the grip on his throat, and the words came gushing out once again. “My…dad…is the reason I’m in the oil business. He preached education and how we should be bosses, not roughnecks. He taught us family values and about trust and faith, but in the end it was all a lie.”

“Why?”

“Seems my dad told my mom he was leaving her. It had just happened and all that kind of stuff. My mother wanted to know who the woman was, and he wouldn’t tell her. She started hitting him and he lost control of the car.” He swallowed. “On the biggest night of his young sons’ lives we were going to come home to find that our father had left us. I thought he’d meet us at the gym and he’d tell us how proud he was. Instead, we came home to find that our father had really left us…for good.”

Both her hands gripped his arm. “Cadde, I’m sorry.”

The waiter poured more tea and removed the plates. “Would you like dessert?” he asked.

“No, thanks,” Jessie replied.

“My mother didn’t deserve that,” Cadde murmured as if the waiter hadn’t interrupted them. “She was the nicest person.”

The words had come from a deep personal well inside him and Cadde thought he’d done enough sharing. “How about your mother?”

Jessie removed her hands and folded them in her lap. “I never knew her.”

“Not ever?”

“She left when I was a baby. Whenever I asked about her, Daddy would say that she left us and I had him. That was all I needed.”

“But you know who she is?”

She fidgeted in her chair. “I didn’t until I was older and snuck into Dad’s study and found my birth certificate.” She paused. “Her name is Angela Martinez.”

The spotlight was now turned on her, and by the thinning of her lips Cadde knew she didn’t like it. Sharing was hard for her, too.

“And?” he persisted.

“Okay.” She reached for her tea glass and took a swallow. “I called every Martinez in the Houston phone book, and believe me, there were a lot. I found a lot of kind people, but not my mother.”

“Did Roscoe know you did this?”

Her eyes darkened. “I would never hurt him like that.” She placed her napkin on the table. “I just wanted to talk to her.”

“About what?”

“I was fifteen. I didn’t have a plan.” She cocked a dark eyebrow. “Are you trying to make me angry?”

“Not intentionally.”

“Good.” She took another sip of tea.

He watched her. “But you do get a little heated when you talk about your mother.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits of fire and he knew a whole lot of stubborn was coming his way.

“Have you ever asked Rosa about her?” He tried to sidetrack her.

“Rosa and Felix didn’t come to work for us until after Crissy was kidnapped.” Her temper seemed to cool instantly.

“I didn’t realize that.”

“I’d had a normal childhood until then. Crissy and I were like sisters. Aunt Helen would take us to school and to our ballet and soccer classes. Life was fun. Suddenly it all changed.”

Dark emotions clouded her face and he wanted to comfort her in some way, but he wasn’t good at that. “You lived in Houston at that time?” he found himself asking.

She nodded. “Two blocks from Crissy. The kidnapper came in through her window and carried her away to his car. The police said that’s when she woke up and started to fight. She scratched his face and his hands. While he was trying to restrain her he broke her neck.” Jessie took a deep breath. “He stuffed her into a culvert at the end of the street and covered her with leaves. It was two days before they found her.”

“I’m sorry, Jessie,” was all he could say, and it seemed to be enough.

“Life became hell. Daddy carried a gun and hired Rosa and Felix to watch me. Felix had a gun, too. Daddy took me out of school and hired a tutor. I never went back.”

“But you went to college.”

She tossed her long hair over her shoulder. “Now that was a fight.”

Knowing her and Roscoe’s temperaments, he could imagine. “You won.”

“In a way.” She shrugged. “The college had to be up north where no one had ever heard of Roscoe Murdock, and the guards had to go with me. It was difficult to make friends with big, burly guys hanging around, but I managed. I missed Daddy, Rosa, Felix and Myra so much. I’d never admit it, though.”

“Never,” he joked.

She made a face at him.

The warm vibes stoked a flame deep in his groin. He cleared his throat. “Myra is Rosa and Felix’s daughter?”

“Yes. She works for Houston’s district attorney’s office, a very tough lawyer.” Her face became thoughtful. “I can see what you meant about Dane now. Myra is two years older than me and she sort of took Crissy’s place. She was someone to play with, talk to, share secrets and giggle with. She’s my very best friend.”

He was glad she had Myra so she could vent her frustrations. He had Kid. A fight with Kid spiked his blood pressure more than a five-mile run. And Kid knew him better than anyone.

“Sadly, though—” she was saying “—no matter how much I told Daddy I could take care of myself, he never lost that fear of someone kidnapping me.”

“I know.”

Her eyes caught his. “That’s why I’m married to you.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.