The Texan's Bride Read Free Page B

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 youwill 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