The Fairest of Them All
Leanne Banks

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Daniel Pendleton is restless. The eldest of six brothers and one sister, he was forced to grow up quickly after the deaths of their parents. Now, with his siblings all grown up, he finally has time to sow his own wild oats, to escape the role of the responsible, reliable Pendleton, if only temporarily. And there’s just one woman he wants to live out his forbidden fantasies with: Sara Kingston.

Sara firmly believes she can be nothing but bad news to a good man like Daniel. Her sensible side says she should avoid getting involved, but her sensual side wants nothing more than to give in to his offer of a passionate, no strings affair. And after a few searing kisses, she gives in.

Daniel thought getting Sara into his bed would get her out of his system. He didn’t count on falling in love. Or that secrets from Sara’s past would cause her to push him away…

Previously published.

To Beth and Nita who started it all with “We’d like you to add three more dwarfs…”

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Epilogue

Prologue

“I’ll never get over him!” wailed seventeen-year-old Carlene Pendleton.

Russ Bradford patted her on the back and looked around. The rented palm would have concealed them if Carly wasn’t making such a racket. He’d been taking a breather from his friend Brett’s wedding reception when Carly had flopped into his lap and started weeping. Now he was stuck nursing a heartbroken mass of teenage femininity wrapped in layers of chiffon when he’d rather be home watching the baseball game and nursing a beer.

He felt her tears seep through his starched shirt and gave a heavy sigh. “Carly, you gotta get a hold of yourself. You don’t want your brothers to see you like this. Think how much teasing you’ll have to put up with.”

Carly lifted her moist eyes to his and sniffed. “I can’t help it. I had such dreams for Brett and me. Now,” she choked, “they’re all gone.”

Russ didn’t bother to point out that Carly had been the one with the dreams, not Brett. In an attempt to divert her, he said, “Hey, in a couple of weeks, you’ll start your senior year. You’ll probably have guys lined up asking you to the homecoming dance.”

The thought gave her pause. She sniffed again. “Think so?”

“Sure,” Russ said emphatically. Carly was tall and skinny, and Russ had enough experience with the female gender to know she was definitely a late bloomer. “I bet all the girls wish they had your dark hair and violet eyes. And your brothers are probably gonna have to shoot the male population of Beulah County for whistling at your legs.”

“I’m too tall,” she said miserably. “The doctor says I’ll probably grow at least two more inches. I feel like an ostrich. If I get a date for homecoming, his cheek will be pressed against my rib cage instead of my forehead.”

Russ withheld his chuckle. He didn’t want to bring on another spate of tears. “I’ll tell you what. If you don’t get a date for homecoming, I’ll come back from the university and take you myself.”

“I might as well ask one of my brothers,” Carly muttered as she smoothed her frilly dress.

She had a point, Russ thought. He’d grown up with Carly’s brothers and had become acquainted with Carly when her biggest problems had been colic and diaper rash.

“Baby, you don’t see it now, but everything will come together for you in a year or two. I promise you’ll be leaving trails of men in your wake.”

“I don’t want trails of men,” Carly insisted, her eyes filling with tears again. “I w-want B-Brett.”

Russ’s uneasiness increased tenfold. Carly hardly ever stuttered anymore. The rare occasion she slipped was a sign of extreme distress.

The balcony door opened, and Russ heard the sound of music and masculine voices. He whipped out a handkerchief and wiped Carly’s tears, thinking she was going to kick herself tomorrow if she didn’t dry up now.

From longtime experience with the Pendleton clan, he knew there were two things you didn’t mess with—pride and independence. “You don’t want everybody to get the idea you’re a sniveling crybaby, do you?” he asked, aiming directly for her pride.

Carly stiffened. “I am not a sniveling crybaby,” she said in a wobbly but stutter-free voice.

“Then quit acting like one.”

Jerking the handkerchief from his hand, she stood, ready to run for the ladies’ room. She took two steps, then turned around. She took a deep breath. “Uh, Russ…”

“Yeah?”

She gave a shaky version of the smile that made her brothers willing to slay dragons for her. “Thanks.”

Chapter One

“Hey, babe, you’ve got a nice swing on that back porch.”

Carly Pendleton stopped checking the heavily laden table of hors d’oeuvres and cut her eyes in the direction of that familiar, naughty male voice. She shook her head chidingly. “You’re setting a horrible example for these impressionable high school seniors, Russ.”

He shrugged his wide shoulders as he played a ballad on the grand piano. “What can I say?” Russ asked innocently. “In six years, you’ve gotten a rear end that bears watching.”

She fought the smile teasing her lips and lost. “I’m surprised you noticed, what with Tina and Amanda.” Carly looked heavenward in mock confusion. “Or is Natalie the latest one?”

“You wound me,” Russ said. “You know you’ve always had my heart.”

“And I suppose you’ve donated the rest of your body to research.” Carly arched a dark eyebrow. “Feminine research.”

“Well,” he said, running his hands up the keyboard in an arpeggio, “if you ever decide you want to conduct a study of your own…” He let the thought dangle seductively between them.

Carly’s breath caught, then she laughed. After all, Russ wasn’t serious. She watched him pick up the wineglass and take a drink. “You know, I never have figured out how you can make your big square hands play such beautiful music on this piano. It just doesn’t seem possible.” She briefly touched one of his broad fingers.

“Years of practice,” he said after she released his hand. “My mother forced me. I took a lot of ribbing until I beat the hell out of a few of my tormentors.”

“I never thought of that.” Carly smiled. “I owe your mother a debt of gratitude. Who’d have ever thought Beulah County’s premier catfish fanner would be playing piano for special occasions on my riverboat?”

“You owe me a debt of gratitude,” Russ corrected. “I got several black eyes as a result of my music training. The least you could do is console me.” He struggled to plaster an unbelievably pitiful expression on his rugged face.

Carly shook her head. Russell Bradford simply could not look pitiful. At thirty, he stood six feet four with over two hundred pounds of weight distributed into well-defined muscle throughout his tanned body. As a child, his hair had been bright red. The years had toned it to a dark auburn. His craggy, mobile face had the ability to both intimidate an opponent and charm the panties off his current conquest. But although he was an outrageous flirt, he kept his practical heart under lock and key.

“My mother always gave my brothers milk and cookies for consolation,” she said sweetly. “I can have some sent up from the galley.”

“You’re breaking my heart, Carly.”

“You’ll survive.” She glanced around the noisy dining room to make sure everyone was having a good time. The graduation party was going off without a hitch, she thought, then turned back to Russ. “By the way, I’ve had a special request for your services next Thursday night at an anniversary party. Can you make it?”

“You’ll have to play me for it,” he replied, loading the simple statement with challenge. “Then we’ll negotiate.”

This was an old routine between them. When she first started the riverboat cruises, she couldn’t afford to pay Russ, so they’d played a hand of poker and she’d won. Now, every time she asked him to play the piano, they still played poker and she won every time.

“You’re on, Bradford. Get ready to lose. Tomorrow night at the potluck at Aunt Bitsy’s, okay?”

Russ looked at Carly while she ran a hand through her short, black, attractively mussed hair. Her violet eyes were fringed by spiky dark eyelashes that didn’t need mascara. The color in her cheeks came from her emotions, he knew. He’d teased her often enough to cause his share of blushes. She might have bothered to powder her nose that morning, but it was shiny now. She’d probably nibbled the lipstick off her lips five minutes after putting it on. Russ figured he could take care of her lipstick removal in about ten seconds. His mouth buzzed just thinking about it.

He had plans for Carly Pendleton. The way her sultry eyes danced with a daring light made him want to teach her things she’d never learned before. “Tomorrow night’s okay. But one of these days,” he said roughly, “a man’s gonna take you up on your reckless challenges.”

The growl in his voice brought an involuntary flutter to her stomach. Carly shook it off. Fighting attraction to Russ was as natural as breathing. In her opinion, a prudent woman brushed her teeth, paid her bills, and took Russ Bradford’s provocative masculinity with a grain of salt.

“He’ll have to be fast and smart. I’m too busy taking care of business right now.” She checked her watch. “We’re about to dock, so I’ll see you later.”

Carly greeted a few guests on her way outside, then stole a moment to enjoy the evening breeze and star-filled night. She felt a rush of affection for her boat and nourished her secret wish of full ownership of Matilda’s Dream. Sharing it with her seven loving, but overbearing older brothers would try a saint’s patience. Somebody up there was giving her a temporary break, though, since three of her brothers were taking a camping trip on the Appalachian Trail.

Carly knew full ownership was more of an emotional issue than a financial one. Her childhood had left her with an aching private need for something or someone to call her own. Someones tended to be unreliable, so Carly had chosen Matilda’s Dream.

Watching the boat dock, Carly thought of her distant, unreachable father and her remote stepmother. Even now, the pain cut deep. Some dreams, she’d learned, never come true.

As Carly finished setting the redwood table in the backyard for dinner, she looked up at the threatening clouds and worried. She had a full boat tonight. If it rained, the galley crew would be pulling extra duty.

Russ strolled up beside her. “What are you scowling at?”

“If it rains, it’ll flood the galley.” She twisted her hands. “They’ve got a full boat. I should be there.”

“Are you telling me your crew doesn’t know what to do with buckets and mops?”

“Well, no.” A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth. When he put it in such a matter-of-fact way, her anxiety seemed ridiculous.

“Then don’t worry.” He took her elbow and ushered her toward the dessert table set up under a weeping willow. “Enjoy your family. Enjoy the food. Enjoy me.”

Carly stumbled and felt a flush steal across her face. “I think I’ll start with the brownies,” she said dryly and scooped up one from the table. “Three more groups have asked you to play the piano at their parties within the next two months. Do you think you can do it?”

“I’ll play poker for it.” Russ stole a large crumb of her brownie and put it in his mouth. Then he licked his lips.

Watching the agile motion of his slick tongue, Carly felt a tug of curiosity. His mouth was wet and clever. And Russ was probably equally clever in the ways of using his mouth to steal the breath and sanity from a woman. For an instant, she wanted to know how it would feel to have his undivided sensual attention.

Feeling his gaze on her, she looked into his caramel eyes. He stared at her for a long moment.

Her throat grew tight. Could he possibly know what she was thinking? How humiliating, she thought. Forcing her mind back to business, she cleared her throat. “Let me get some cards. Is the living room okay? The kitchen’s busy right now.”

“The living room’s fine.” He rested his hand on her shoulder and rubbed the nape of her neck with a callused thumb. “Lead on.”

He walked close enough for her to feel the heat from his body, and that small movement of his thumb had her breath coming too quickly. Russ didn’t usually touch her this much, or maybe she’d never noticed before.

“Watch that croquet bracket,” Russ said in a low voice that rumbled along her nerve endings. He wrapped a steadying hand around her rib cage, brushing the underside of her breast. Carly nearly fell flat on her face. A gasp locked in her throat. A couple of inches higher, she thought, and he’d be palming her breast, rubbing her nipple.

Carly clenched her jaw, fighting his effect on her. She’d always been able to shake off her awareness of Russ. Why couldn’t she now?

By the time she sat across from Russ in the living room, she felt rattled. She thrust the cards at him. “You deal.”

He nodded. “Same as usual. Whiskey poker. One hand.” He shuffled and dealt the cards one at a time to her, to the “widow” in the middle and then to him.

Carly noticed his hands, the broad square fingers and rough calluses. With his shirtsleeves rolled up, her attention was drawn to his forearms, brown and muscled, dusted with light sun-bleached hair. She’d felt those arms around her and never realized how…

“Carly,” Russ prompted. “Don’t you want to pick up your cards?”

Carly blinked, then quickly gathered the cards from the table. The hand wasn’t great, but she’d beat him with worse. He was terrible at poker. Carly always won. She kept the two fours and traded the other three cards.

She tried not to grimace at what she got.

Russ traded two of his cards and thoughtfully rubbed his chin.

She traded two cards. The result brought her another four. Not bad, but she didn’t trust him. He wasn’t joking or talking as he usually did when they played.

It was Russ’s turn, and he knocked on the cherry table.

Carly raised her eyebrows. Knocking meant she had one more chance to trade before they showed their hands. After trading, she drew one more four. A rush of adrenaline shot through her. She would beat him again.

“I hope you’re keeping brushed up on anniversary songs,” Carly said confidently and laid down her cards with a flourish. “Four of a kind.”

The barest hint of a smile played around Russ’s eyes. He didn’t look at his cards as he turned them over. He watched Carly’s face instead.

Carly gasped in shock as she stared at his winning hand. “A straight flush! How did you do that? You’ve never had a straight flush before.” She looked at his face. “You won!” she said in an accusing voice.

Russ laughed. “I guess I finally got lucky. It’s about time, isn’t it?”

She was still shaking her head over the outcome when the consequence came to mind. “I guess I’ll have to pay you now.”

His smile fell. She noticed his jaw tighten before he picked up the cards and shuffled them. “I’ve never taken money for playing the piano. It wouldn’t feel right. But I’d be willing to negotiate.”

Negotiate. That word again. Carly grew suspicious. She opened her mouth to refuse until she remembered her goals for the summer. She needed Russ for these parties. He was part of the draw. The people probably wanted him as much as they wanted Matilda’s Dream.

It wasn’t that his piano playing was so superb. It was more the easy and relaxed mood he set for a party. He talked with the guests and took requests, occasionally led everyone in a sing-along.

She sighed. “Okay. What do you want? A private moonlight cruise with your latest favorite lady?” The idea pinched her insides but she said it anyway. “Do you want me to go over your books for free? Or,” she finished tongue in cheek, “do you need some help harvesting those ugly fish of yours?”

“None of the above.” He rose from the armchair and made his way over to her. “I’ve got a problem,” he said thoughtfully. “And I think you can help me with it.”

“Problem?” He sounded serious. Concern washed over her as she stared at him. He didn’t appear ill. “You’re not sick, are you?”

He wiped a broad hand across his mouth to hide a smile and sat beside her. “Not sick. More like harassed. You know how the Ladies’ Auxiliary at church—” He broke off, spying the Band-Aid on her thigh.

He circled the bandage with his index finger. Her skin was velvety soft. Her feminine scent wove around him, and he completely forgot her overprotective brothers were within shouting distance. The hem of her white shorts lay about an inch from his finger. Russ was so aware of just how close his hand was to her feminine secrets that his hand shook.

He brought his finger to his mouth and kissed it, then returned it to the bandage on her thigh. When her leg trembled beneath his touch, his dark gaze shot up to hers.

Carly struggled for breath. The innocent notion of kissing it to make it better took on a totally different meaning. Russ was so big, so male, sitting there in an ordinary cotton shirt and faded jeans that suddenly seemed to scream his virility.

There wasn’t anything different about him, she told herself. He’d always been both gentle and playful with her. He’d always sat that way, feet planted firmly on the ground, legs spread wide. Her gaze fell to the area that gloved his masculinity, and a staggering excitement raced through her.

Appalled at the direction of her thoughts, Carly jerked her leg away from his touch. She felt like a complete idiot. Inhaling sharply, she admonished herself to speak slowly.

“I was climbing over one of the fences, and I got scratched.” Was that pitiful, wobbly voice hers? Giving herself a hard mental shake, she continued more forcefully. “You were saying something about a problem.”

Russ cleared his throat and leaned back. “The Ladies’ Auxiliary has me targeted for this summer. You know how they find an eligible bachelor and shove every available female under his nose until he either marries one of them or moves away.”

Carly nodded, remembering how her oldest brother, Daniel, had actually left town for an entire summer. The older ladies of Beulah County took seriously their duty of making matches for the younger population.

“I just don’t have time for it this year,” Russ explained. “And there are several community activities I’m expected to attend.”

Carly frowned, wondering how he wanted her to assist him. “Russ, I wish I could help, but I don’t see how. I have no influence on those ladies. It’s not like I attend their meetings or anything.”

“Well, I wasn’t asking you to speak on my behalf.” He leaned forward. “I want you to be my escort for the summer. That would keep them off my back,” he told her in his most unromantic voice.

“Your escort?” Carly stood, trying to comprehend him. “For the entire summer! Then everyone would think we’re involved.” That was only her first objection.

Russ shrugged. “Yeah.”

She narrowed her eyes. “This could mess up your, uh, other romantic liaisons.”

He gave her a direct gaze. “I don’t have any other romantic liaisons. Besides, it’s a small price to pay. The Ladies’ Auxiliary is relentless.”

She rubbed her pounding forehead. Something about this just didn’t seem right. “Why didn’t you ask someone else? Someone who appeals to you.”

“Because,” he said patiently as he stood, “someone else would misunderstand my intentions. You won’t.”

That sensible explanation should have reassured her, but it didn’t. Her confusion suddenly cleared and in its place came anger. “What you want,” she began in a slow, quiet voice, “is for me to pretend I’m your—” she groped for an adequate term “—your adoring romantic interest for the summer. I would be at your disposal to attend activities, during which time the gossips would have a field day over our affair.”

Russ’s jaw tightened.

Carly ignored it. “Come September, we would stop seeing each other, and I’d have to deal with pity from every Tom, Dick and Harry on the street. Have you—”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Russ interjected. “They might think you dumped me.”

“Oh sure,” she said with complete disbelief. “Exactly how many women have dumped you, Russ?”

Russ put his hands on his hips and sighed. “There was probably someone in high school. Hell, I don’t know, Carly. All I know is you need a piano player and I need a female escort. We’ve always been pals, so there’d be no harm in it.”

He shrugged his powerful shoulders once again. “As far as your reputation is concerned, everybody knows your brothers practically keep you under lock and key and that you’re as innocent now as the day you were born. Seeing me won’t change that.”

With each placating word, she became more insulted. She’d never been particularly confident of her feminine allure. To know that Russ viewed her as a nonwoman hurt. There was no basis for her feelings and that only made her more upset.

She had only one thing to say to him.

“G-G-Go t-to hell!”

For one endless second, she watched shock envelop his face. Then, completely mortified, she turned on her heel and left the room. She instinctively raced for the back door. So caught up in her humiliation, she barely noticed the astonished faces of her brothers in the hall.

Aunt Bitsy asked her to take a bowl of ice outside. Carly complied, but her final instruction to Russ rang through her mind like a chord played on a poorly tuned piano.

She winced. It had been six years since she’d stuttered.

Back in the parlor, Russ was trying to collect his thoughts when Carly’s brothers entered. He had a couple of seconds’ grace before they started in on him in descending order.

“What was that all about, Russ?” Daniel began.

“You’ve been playing poker again,” Garth said, pointing at the cards on the cherry table.

Jarod’s mouth was tight with disapproval. “Carly’s never told anybody to go to hell before.”

Then finally Troy offered the most telling piece of information. “She stuttered,” he said accusingly.

Four pairs of violet eyes stared at him, waiting for an explanation. If Ethan, Nathan and Brick were here, they’d be staring him down too. Another man might have trembled in his boots, but Russ had known the Pendletons a long time. He’d played football with two of them, shared a college dorm room with Garth, and worked alongside all of them after a vicious tornado tore through their daddy’s farm.

They were the closest thing to brothers he had. They could also be a pain in the ass.

“We played whiskey poker, and she lost,” Russ said simply.

Garth’s mouth twisted ruefully. A chuckle escaped from him, then another. Soon, the room was filled with masculine laughter.

“Carly always did hate to lose,” Daniel said.

“She was madder than a hornet. You probably should have let her win, Russ,” Troy pointed out.

Russ shook his head. “No. Carly’s tired of being treated like a child. She’s ready to stand on her own two feet.”

“Yeah, but she’s a girl,” Troy said.

“Do you remember how you felt when people kept calling you a boy after you turned twenty?” Russ asked. “Do you remember what you did to prove you weren’t a boy?”

They all remembered. Russ could read it on their faces. He remembered the struggle for manhood himself, the taking of a woman not out of love, not even out of respect, but out of an empty search for proof.

The atmosphere in the room grew thoughtful.

Daniel cleared his throat. “You’re trying to tell us something.”

“Nothing you don’t already know,” Russ said gently. “Carly’s a woman. She still needs you, but not in the same way she used to.”

Troy shifted his stance. “But if we don’t look after her, who will?”

Russ wanted to say that he would, that they needn’t worry. But that wouldn’t solve the problem. She didn’t want to be taken care of. “I think Carly wants to look after herself. If she doesn’t get some space, she might decide she needs to prove herself. And you don’t want that.”

They all muttered their agreement.

The men grew uncomfortable with the serious discussion and found excuses to leave the room. Garth, however, hung back and when the others had left, he turned to Russ.

“You want her,” he said bluntly.

Russ’s lip curved grimly. “You know me well.”

Garth shook his tousled dark head and sighed. “I don’t know if she’s ready for this, Russ.”

“I’m not waiting any longer. I’ve been planning this for two years.”

Garth’s eyes widened in surprise. “Two years? I guess this isn’t just one of your flings, then.”

Russ understood the question. After all, when they had roomed together in college, Garth had seen the number and variety of females that had paraded in and out of his life. “I mean business,” Russ assured him. “Cut me some slack. Between you and your brothers and Carly’s drive for independence, this summer is going to be pure hell.”

Garth chuckled and gave Russ a commiserating pat on the shoulder. Russ shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. He was determined to remain clearheaded and objective. With painful accuracy, he recalled the one time he’d acted impulsively and the disastrous results. He’d made a complete fool of himself during his brief ill-fated marriage, and it wouldn’t happen again. Russ prided himself on his ability to extricate himself from emotionally volatile situations. As a matter of fact, he’d given Carly’s brothers a tip or two on the subject.

Shaking his head, Russ thought back to Carly’s parting comment. He hadn’t counted on the full scope of her feminine pride. He’d tried to make his request as nonthreatening as possible. In trying to reassure her, he’d obviously botched his plan. Now he had to figure out how to get things back on track.

The next morning, Carly was late for church. She scooted in the last wooden pew, not wanting to draw attention to her tardiness. It was those crazy erotic dreams. She’d tossed and turned a good part of the night, then overslept this morning. And it was all Russ Bradford’s fault.

The ushers took the offering, and the choir sang a soothing hymn. The quiet setting had just begun to calm her when Russ appeared beside her pew. Carly tensed, but moved over.

She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead at the pastor, although she couldn’t hear a word he said.

Russ leaned over and murmured in her ear, “To err is human.”

She remained silent.

“Are you ever going to speak to me again?” he whispered.

Giving up her pretense of paying attention, Carly sighed. “I haven’t decided. I’m torn between wringing your neck and apologizing for telling you to go to—” She broke off, remembering she was in church. Even though God knew what she’d said to Russ, she didn’t think she needed to refresh His memory.

“Let me take you to lunch,” Russ murmured.

She cut her eyes at him and started to shake her head.

“No strings,” he whispered.

The older woman in front of them turned around and frowned. Carly pointed at Russ. The woman’s frown turned to a smile. Carly looked at the ceiling.

“Lunch,” he murmured again.

“Be quiet,” Carly said.

“Lunch.”

Carly was caught in a dilemma. She wanted her easy friendship with Russ back, but she had to get rid of this new awareness first. It was making her do crazy things, think crazy thoughts.

“It’s not like I’m asking you to go to bed,” Russ whispered.

Her heart jumped. Shocked, Carly’s head whipped around. He couldn’t possibly know she’d dreamed that very scenario this morning.

She studied him carefully. His brown eyes held the same lazy humor as always. His body appeared relaxed, with one ankle propped across the opposite knee, and one arm resting behind her on the top of the pew. If she were just a little closer, his big hand might be on her shoulder or back. Her stomach fluttered.

Something about the set of his mouth told her he wasn’t going to give up.

“Will you be quiet?” she asked in her softest voice.

“Lunch.”

“Yes,” she whispered tersely.

Chapter Two

Carly was relieved Russ didn’t begin a discussion about the pastor’s sermon. Since she’d spent the rest of the service mentally rehearsing all the logical reasons why she couldn’t be his summer escort, she could only guess what the pastor had talked about.

Russ had suggested the Davy Crockett Diner. She politely agreed. He ordered steak. She ordered chicken.

She expected him to begin negotiations any minute.

Russ loosened his burgundy-print tie. “I met your new assistant last night. She told me you’re looking for new entertainment.”

Carly nodded and relaxed. “For the cruises with meals. I think it would draw more customers, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money.”

He smiled at the waitress as she served their iced tea and tossed salads.

“Have you thought about a disc jockey?”

“Yes, but they’re so loud.” Carly took a sip of her drink. “I don’t know what I want. Just something different.”

“Why don’t you let your waitstaff pull double duty? Maybe they could serve drinks and dessert, then do some kind of musical comedy act.”

Carly considered the idea and felt a spark of excitement. “That’s wonderful. I could hire some community college students. Their schedules would be flexible.” She beamed at him. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Carly took a bite of her salad and made a mental note to contact the community college tomorrow. After a moment, she noticed that Russ was still looking at her. She felt a curious tugging in her stomach.

“So you think the idea will help?”

“Yes, thanks for sharing it with me.” She had a niggling feeling he expected something besides thanks from her. Then the light dawned.

“Exactly how much is this idea going to cost me, Russ?”

Russ raised his hands. “Hey, I’m on your side. Consider it a token of my friendship.”

Carly nodded and went back to her salad.

“Of course, if you found it in your heart to return the favor…”

Glancing back up at him, she noted the guileless expression on his face. His eyes, however, were pure temptation. She gave up on her salad. “I don’t suppose you have any ideas about how I could return the favor?”

“Well,” he said, slowly rubbing his chin, “since you brought it up, there is one thing.”

“Uh-huh,” Carly said.

He bobbed an ice cube with one of his fingers.

“What I need is a beautiful, intelligent woman who will let me take her out to dinner and community functions for the next few months.”

He glanced back at her. “I find I have a preference for a tall, leggy riverboat owner with short, dark hair and violet eyes. And a smile a man would kill for.”

His warm gaze fell on her eyes, then her mouth. Despite reason, Carly’s heart fluttered. Her cheeks heated. She felt charmed and flattered. She almost believed the snake. It was on the tip of her tongue to accept. What woman would turn away this delicious, undivided attention from such a sexy man?

Then she came to her senses. “Have you considered the personal ads?”

A reluctant grin tugged at his mouth as he shook his head. “Carly, this is no way to treat a buddy.”

That was the problem. She didn’t see Russ as just a buddy. She saw him as a desirable man. Although his teasing was intended as innocent fun, she could easily envision herself getting hurt under the constant onslaught of his brand of masculine attention. Everybody knew Russ Bradford changed women as often as a college freshman changed majors.

She risked an assessing glance at him. Since his brief disastrous marriage, no woman had ever touched Russ’s heart. When things got sticky, Russ extricated himself from the situation. He had the ability to hold his emotions aloof. After her childhood, Carly needed a man who wore his heart on his sleeve.

Just then, the waitress set their steaming entrées on the table, and Russ led the conversation in other, less volatile directions.

They talked about her new brochure. She asked about his mother who had moved to Florida after Russ’s father’s death.

One of Carly’s clients, Francine Granger, and her husband stopped by their table. “Carly, you’re just the person I’ve been wanting to talk to. We need to confirm my reservation for our anniversary party on your riverboat.” Francine gave her balding husband an affectionate squeeze. “Norman and I have been married for twenty-five years, and we want a big celebration.”

Carly smiled at the effervescent Francine and long-suffering Norman. She’d bet money that Norman would be happy with a quiet dinner at home, but she wouldn’t quibble. Francine’s anniversary party promised to be as extravagant as the woman herself.

“Russ, you will be able to play the piano for us, won’t you?” Francine continued.

Carly’s stomach sank. She and Russ still hadn’t resolved the issue, and she didn’t want to lose Francine’s business.

The middle-aged woman, who happened to be a member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary, fixed an appraising eye on Russ. “You know, Russ, my daughter Caroline will be visiting from graduate school soon. She’ll need someone to take her around. Do you think you could—”

Russ cleared his throat and threw a meaningful glance at Carly. “As far as my playing for your party, that’s totally up to Carly.”

She could have killed him. He’d boxed her in. Francine and Norman were waiting for her reply. If she refused, she might lose the business. If she accepted, she’d be obligated to Russ for the entire summer.

Slowly, as if the words were squeezed from her, Carly said, “Russ will play for your party.” Then her mind snatched another idea. The corners of her mouth turned up into a bright smile. “As for Caroline, Russ is—”

“Completely booked,” Russ interjected smoothly. He shot her a grin that somehow mixed triumph and sensual promise. “I’ve got all sorts of plans for this summer.”

The Grangers murmured goodbye while Carly glared at Russ. “That was dirty,” she hissed after they left.

Russ shook his head. “That’s negotiation. I give you something you want.” His warm gaze lingered on her lips. “You give me something I want.”

Her heart jumped into her throat. Carly knew his explanation was pragmatic, but that didn’t explain her dizziness. She cleared her throat. “And what do you want?”

“I’m attending a banquet next Saturday where I’m supposed to present an award. I need you to go with me.” He shrugged. “Natalie’s been hinting about rings I won’t be buying her.”

Carly felt a stab of disappointment. Ever practical, Russ sensed when a woman was getting too close and preferred to take care of it in an expedient way. She sighed in defeat. Grudgingly, she asked, “What time?”

“Five-thirty,” he said as they stood to leave. “And heels would be nice, Carly.” Russ ignored her startled expression. He’d thrown in that last request as a test. She hated wearing heels. Opening the door, Russ stifled the urge to let out a victory yell. His plan was working.

It hit Carly late one night when she was going through some correspondence at the office. She shoved aside the bills and thank-you notes from the local police and senior citizens group.

Carly almost tossed the form letter announcing the opening of Central Tennessee’s Women and Children’s Center. One of the support groups, however, struck her as if she were an unarmed soldier.

Children who have lost a parent.

She should be past it, but her memories were ruthlessly vivid. She remembered a five-year-old girl struggling with the death of her mother, crying alone in bed. How many nights had she called for Mommy or Daddy and neither had come?

She rubbed her cheeks, surprised to find them damp. She remembered the stuttering. She remembered reaching out to her daddy only to have him turn away. It had gotten worse when her stepmother, Eunice, entered the scene. Looking back, Carly realized she’d lost both parents at the same time. While her stuttering had inspired her brothers’ protective nature to epic proportions, her father had become more distant.

Carly had spent the first part of her life trying to reach an unreachable man. A man who kept his emotions to himself. She wouldn’t do it again. She’d tried hard to please her stepmother when her stepmother didn’t want to be pleased.

An uneasiness settled deep in her stomach at the thought. Although Russ was kind, he scrupulously avoided emotional involvement. Could she spend the summer pretending to be his romantic interest and remain unaffected?

Carly thought of Russ’s sexy mouth and shuddered. You’re dead meat.

Disgusted with her weakness, she thumped her desk. She would just have to remind herself that Russ would never be serious about her. Russ liked to play. When things got emotional, he tended to leave. She needed a man who could handle the tender side of a relationship.

With that plan in mind, Carly felt comforted. She looked at the letter again. She couldn’t volunteer. It would hurt too much. She could, however, offer a cruise as a special outing for the children. Going with her instincts, she wrote a letter to the center and sent it off.

At twenty-nine minutes after five on Saturday night, Carly was tearing through the bottom of her closet in search of heels. She pulled out a pair of pink fuzzy bedroom slippers, tennis shoes and black patent-leather flats. She felt hopeful when she found a white sandal with a real heel, but she couldn’t find its mate.

The doorbell rang, and she cursed. “Just a minute,” she called. What was wrong with her? This was just Russ, for Pete’s sake. She took a deep breath and stood. Smoothing the little black knit dress over her hips, she attempted to regain her composure.

She glanced into the mirror and approved the contrast between her freshwater-pearl choker and the black jewel neckline. After ruffling her hair and applying red lipstick, Carly scooted into the black patent flats and went to open the door.

Russ stood there, bigger than she remembered, rendering her temporarily shy. He wore a brown nubby silk sport coat that accented his broad shoulders. His dark red hair was brushed back, but part of it fell attractively over his forehead. Sexy, she thought. Then she clamped her teeth into her lip before it could quiver.

As the silence continued, a grin played around the edges of his brown eyes, but not his mouth. Carly felt like a gawky adolescent again, and she didn’t like it one bit.

Russ gave her just enough time to become uneasy, then said, “You look good.” He touched one of her dangling earrings. “Pretty. Are you ready?”

Carly breathed carefully. “Yeah.” Then she laughed at herself and closed the door behind her. “I never asked you who’s sponsoring this banquet.”

“The chamber of commerce. You might be able to drum up some business while we’re there.” He glanced pointedly at her feet. “No heels?”

“High heels hurt my feet. You’re such a practical man I’m surprised you like them.”

He looked her over once again. “Every man has his weaknesses. Why don’t we skip the banquet and go back inside? I’ll tell you all about mine.”

An instant surge of heat sped through her veins. He wasn’t serious, she reminded herself. But the image of Russ, naked and aroused, giving and demanding, robbed her of speech. She cleared her throat. “You need to present an award,” she reminded him, walking toward his car. “And I’m hungry—”

“So am I,” Russ said in a sexy growl behind her.

Carly spent the short drive telling herself not to wonder what kind of hunger Russ was talking about and exactly what breathtaking methods he would use to appease that hunger. By the time they arrived, she was gritting her teeth with the effort.

She and Russ entered the hotel banquet room where rows of tables dressed in white tablecloths and candlelight created an elegant mood. They were seated across from Natalie Conner and her date, Bob Miller, the new electronics company representative.

A voluptuous blonde with sexy, reproachful brown eyes, Natalie had been the darling of Beulah County High School when Carly had been an awkward nobody. Natalie was the kind of woman who somehow always seemed to make Carly feel less confident. It wasn’t just Natalie’s appearance. It was her manner. Even now, Carly had to resist the feelings of inadequacy the other woman’s presence generated.

“Russ, honey, when will you be taking your catfish to the processor again?” Natalie asked with an adoring smile.

“In another two months,” Russ answered simply.

Carly took another sip of her wine, swirled it around in her mouth and wondered if it would taste better as the evening wore on.

Russ went to the podium to present the award for best new business contribution to the community, and Natalie finally acknowledged Carly. “That’s a cute little dress you have on, Carly. I wouldn’t have thought someone with your height could wear that style.”

While Carly tried to decide if that was a compliment or not, Russ returned to the table. Dancing began, and Natalie immediately pulled him onto the floor.

A furrow of irritation crossed Russ’s face, and Carly felt unexplainably consoled. She noticed his warm gaze returning to her throughout the dance. It made her feel attractive, desirable… Carly rolled her eyes. What she really felt was crazy.

“Would you like to dance?” Bob asked.

“Why not?” Carly said with forced enthusiasm.

They shuffled along to the lovelorn song the band played. “She’s kind of overwhelming, isn’t she?” Bob asked.

“Natalie?”

“Yeah. She works for my boss. I didn’t understand why she gave me the big rush about coming to this banquet at first. Now I do.” Bob pushed his tortoiseshell glasses up on his thin nose.

Carly attempted to think of something kind to say about Natalie Conner. Glancing over at Natalie and Russ, she saw the woman press her well-endowed body into him and run her red fingernails through his hair. Carly gave up on saying something nice and switched the subject. “Have you been with National Electronics long?”

“Several years.”

She’d just suggested National Electronics hold their next company social on Matilda’s Dream when Russ cut in.

“You’re not holding up your end of the bargain,” Russ said in a no-nonsense voice as he took her into his arms.

Carly blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re supposed to act like you’re happy to be with me instead of hustling Natalie’s date.”

“Well, Bob’s been a little more accessible. The way Natalie plastered herself against you, I’d have needed dynamite to blow you two apart.”

Carly felt his shoulder muscles tense beneath her hand, but she continued anyway. “Besides, you didn’t say anything about me fawning over you when I agreed to come to this banquet.”

Russ’s voice became very quiet. “If I wanted fawning, I could have Natalie.” His arms tightened, drawing her even closer. “I know it’ll be tough, but for the next few minutes, pretend you find me attractive.”

Her breath hitched in her throat. She wouldn’t have to pretend, she realized. Intellectually, she’d always known that Russ’s body was hard and firmly muscled, but she’d never noticed it as a woman would. In her present position, with her breasts heavy against his chest, her stomach fluttering against his abdomen, and his powerful thighs twined with hers, she was fully, femininely aware of him.

“Attractive,” she repeated in an unsteady voice.

Russ raised her hand to his cheek and nuzzled it. “Pretend you feel possessive about me.” When he lowered his mouth to the vulnerable skin just below her ear and made that same nuzzling motion, her heart jumped into her throat.

“Pretend we’re lovers,” he whispered into her ear.

His words hit her with such force, she would swear both the walls and the floor of the banquet room rocked and trembled. Her knees felt like Jell-O, and her head was cloudier than the sky during an electric storm.

For one brief moment, Carly stared into Russ’s eyes and saw the eyes of a hunter, hungry and predatory. She looked at his mouth and felt an achy emptiness inside her.

Then someone jostled her, and she came to her senses. Heat scored her cheeks. This was Russ.

“Have you lost your mind?” she asked breathlessly. “If you wanted Natalie to back off, you should have picked someone more believable. She’s never been threatened by me.”

“She is now,” he said mildly.

“Oh, yeah?” Carly couldn’t keep the disbelief from her voice. “Why?”

“You’ve got me.”

Carly opened her mouth to retort, but to her consternation, no clever words came to mind. She frowned.

The music stopped, and Russ caught her off guard, bringing her hand to his warm mouth. He kissed her bandaged finger. “What’d you do this time?”

A quiver danced through her. She slowly released the breath he’d stopped. “Boo-boo of the week,” Carly said and took another breath. Where had all the oxygen gone? “I had an argument with a paring knife, and it won.” She smiled and removed her hand from his, eager to put some space between them.

Russ guided her back to the table. “I think we can leave now,” he murmured, allowing his lips to brush her ear. “Unless you want to stay?”

Carly resisted the urge to rub away the effect of that distracting caress. Instead, she shook her head.

After a perfunctory goodbye to Natalie and Bob, Russ nudged her toward the exit. When they reached the car, she slumped into the leather seat with a sigh. “Well, tonight won’t have been a total loss if National Electronics starts giving me some of their business.”

Russ revved the powerful engine and backed out of the parking space. “I’m sure Bob will be calling you,” he said none too happily, recalling the interested expression on the other man’s face.

“Good. I’ll be that much closer to my goal,” Carly mumbled and closed her eyes.

Russ’s ears pricked up. “What goal?”

Carly sighed again. “I want to buy out my—” She broke off abruptly and sat up straighter.

“Buy out my what?” He looked at her. She was almost squirming in her seat. “Is it a secret?”

A long silence followed. “I guess it is.”

He didn’t push. From past experience, Russ knew that pushing her was a mistake. “If it’s important to you, then I hope it works out.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her relax slightly.

“It is important. Maybe even vital. And I’ll make it happen or die trying.”

Russ steered the car into a vacant parking space in her small apartment complex. He placed a hand on her delicate shoulder, loving the feel of her warmth and softness. “Well, I wouldn’t want you to kill yourself,” he said with a lazy grin. “But let me know if I can help you out.”

She wavered. It was only a few seconds, but he saw it in her eyes before she straightened and set her chin.

“I’ve got to do this myself.” She softened the statement with a smile. “But thanks anyway.”

Russ resisted the urge to pull her into his lap and kiss the resistance out of her. He trailed his fingers down her arm. “Time for all hardworking ladies to get to bed. Will you share yours with me? I’ve got a long drive back to the farm.”

He heard her soft gasp. Then she hooted with laughter.

“Give me a break, Bradford. When it comes to meaningless flirtations, you wrote the book—and sold it to my brothers. A woman would have to be crazy to take you seriously.” Carly smiled and poked his chest. “If you’ve got such a long drive, you’d better get moving.” Then she opened the car door and got out.

Russ watched her long legs and sweet rear end as she edged out. He felt the familiar heat, rubbed his mouth and wondered if a man could die from being too patient.

He narrowed his eyes. His past was coming back to haunt him. He hadn’t counted on Carly not taking him seriously. This wasn’t part of his careful plan.

Now, if he rushed his seduction of her, Carly would think he was treating her like any other woman he’d dated. Which was the furthest thing from the truth. So what he must do, he realized grimly, was take it slow.

Giving a long-suffering groan, he followed her to her door. He watched her turn around to face him. Her hair was soft and feathery-looking. The light played on her skin, making it look like satin. His hands itched to touch her so badly, he stuck them in his pockets.

“I’ll see you Thursday for the Hendersons’ anniversary.”

Russ nodded, studying her carefully. She cleared her throat and backed in the direction of the door. Was she nervous? His chest swelled with pride. He looked at her mouth and thought again about kissing her. Much as he wanted to, the time wasn’t right. He didn’t want to scare her off. When he leaned forward, he saw her eyes flutter in a feminine show of nerves, and he smiled inside. Then he kissed her on the forehead, just as one of her brothers would.

“Good night, Carly,” he murmured in a low voice and turned to leave.

He was almost all the way down the steps before he heard her soft reply. “Good night, Russ.”

It had taken her that long to form a response. Russ smiled on the outside that time.

But he shook his head when he recalled her flat shoes. He had a long way to go.

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