Page 9 of Sweet Temptation (Honeysuckle, Texas #3)

Last night they’d had little chance to talk about the plans for their temporary marriage.

Within a few minutes of Jackie informing him she was willing to partake in the next charade, one by one and two by two, his siblings, and his mom, had joined them on the back porch.

They’d all laughed and joked and teased, and it had done Garret’s heart good to see Jackie laughing along with everyone.

The one thing they had managed to discuss was the need to return the rental car to the Midland airport.

So, first thing this morning, he’d called the school to tell them to get a substitute for the day and he’d followed her on the hours’ long drive. Now, Garret watched the rental car lot shrink in the rearview mirror.

Seated beside him on the passenger seat, Jackie watched the traffic ahead, her hands loosely resting on her lap, her shoulders remained stiff, her gaze fixed on the entrance ramp that would bring them back to Honeysuckle.

No doubt, now that the first step to moving to Honeysuckle was out of the way, she was thinking the same thing he was; what the hell were they going to do next?

“So, are you hungry?” He glanced over at her.

“Not really.” Jackie met his gaze. “If I keep eating your mother’s breakfasts while living out here, I’m going to be as big as that house of yours.”

Even when she was nervous, she could make him laugh. “I doubt that.”

“I don’t.” Her focus returned to gazing out the window at the vast, flat Texas landscape blurring past them. “Is everything out here this flat and empty? Most of the way here, I barely saw anything in the distance.”

“There was a cow.”

She flung around in her seat. “You saw it? The one lonesome cow?”

“With nothing else around it.” He smiled. “Oh, yeah.”

“Shouldn’t there have been a barn, or a house, or other cows, or something?”

He chuckled again. “Maybe, but that one probably broke a fence line somewhere. His people will find him sooner than later.”

“Wow.” She twisted back to face forward, her shoulders a tad more relaxed.

“This would be a good time to discuss exactly what you’ve gotten yourself into.

” Without hesitation, he stretched out his arm and took hold of her hand.

She jumped slightly at the unexpected gesture.

“This is the first thing that you’ll have to get used to.

If we’re supposed to be in love, and soon happily married, we’re going to have to hold hands, hug, and,” he tried not to choke on the words, “kiss—sometimes—even in public.”

She nodded, but kept her hand in his.

Her profile was calm, thoughtful, but he couldn’t quite gauge what was going on behind those green eyes. “What are you thinking?”

“That I might be crazy.”

He let go of her hand.

Instantly, without hesitation, she snatched it back. “On the other hand, sanity is highly overrated.”

“Fair enough.” So much had to be broached.

“I’ll want to work. I know I’m helping your family out, but I still want to earn my keep.”

“You’re doing more than helping. You’re saving us.”

“God has a sense of humor.”

“How is that?”

“I can’t even save myself, and yet here I am, helping save a two-hundred-year-old ranch.”

“You understand that we have to convince my mother, and quickly, that we’re in love and don’t want to wait to marry?”

She nodded.

“So far, my brothers have avoided a church wedding, but Mom’s itching for a big shindig. If she insists on a church wedding, will that be a deal breaker?”

Those shoulders stiffened again. “I don’t suppose I don’t know is the answer you wanted.”

“If it’s honest, yes, that’s the answer I want.”

She turned to face him again. “Honest?”

He nodded.

“I’m scared to death, but I’m more scared of what will happen to me if I don’t stay.”

“I’m not sure that’s the response to a proposal that a normal man would want to hear, but I promise you this, no matter what, I will never lie to you.”

“Okay.” She bobbed her head, still holding his hand. “Ditto.”

“There won’t be any money in this for you until after the year. By then we should be able to give you a little bundle for you to set yourself up where you want, but I’d be lying if I were to tell you it will be a lot.”

“I understand. Seems fair enough. After all, I’ll be getting free room and board. I’ve been paying rent since I went off to college. That alone will be a tidy savings.”

“Yes, well, about that room and board. As I mentioned yesterday, the only real apartment building in town burned down a while back. It’s where Preston used to live. Anyhow, there’s a good chance that we’re going to have to stay at the ranch.”

“Okay.”

“Which means, we’ll have to share a room.”

Her lips pressed together tightly, and her eyes bore into him.

“It will still be in name only,” he reassured. “Strictly business.”

“Business,” she muttered.

He had a feeling he was going to be reminding himself of that a whole heck of a lot over the next year or so.

Especially since right about now, all he could think about was how the sunlight caught the gold strands in her blonde hair, how her hand rested so lightly in his, and how dang right it all felt.

Right or not, if he didn’t let go of her hand, he might do or say something really stupid.

Just about then, he spotted the road sign flashing past: Monahans Sandhills State Park– Next Exit.

An idea, impulsive and utterly ridiculous, sparked in his brain.

He’d been so focused on the practicalities, the business, he’d forgotten none of that meant there couldn’t be… fun.

“How do you feel about sand?”

“Excuse me?” Surely in the middle of discussing sleeping arrangements for their temporary marriage, he’d not asked about sand? Then again, the last two days had been a little bit like Alice in Wonderland . For all she knew, she’d fallen down a rabbit hole.

“Ever seen a sand dune?”

Yep. He’d said sand. “Do the bumps by the beach at Galveston count?”

“Nope.” His mouth widened in a grin that almost took over his face. “Hang on, you’re about to see your first, honest-to-goodness, sand dune.”

“Sand dunes,” Jackie breathed, as the truck drove under the massive arch at the entrance to the state park.

Garret pulled into a parking spot in front of a single level building. Inside, he paid the entrance fee and took her over to the area that carried round discs in every color imaginable. He turned to her, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Ready to try something completely ridiculous?”

As if leaving Houston, showing up at Brad’s door, and now moving clear across the state to a small town almost impossible to find on a map, and marrying a man she barely knew wasn’t ridiculous enough.

Lately her life had become a master class in the absurd.

Ridiculous had become her new normal. “Sure.”

From where she stood, she watched as Garret slung the discs over his shoulder, the bright green and red plastic circles a stark contrast to his pale blue chambray shirt.

When he turned back to her, his eyes were warm with amusement, and something else…

something that made her breath catch in her throat.

“Let’s go.” His hand at the small of her back, he nudged her forward.

Together, they trudged up the slope. With every step, her feet sank deep in the sand.

Finally, at the top of the first dune, she was pretty sure her jaw had just dropped wide open.

Hills—no, more like mountains of pale golden sand rose against the bright blue sky.

She could only imagine that this must be what the Sahara Desert looked like.

Her gaze shifted to the bottom of the steep slope. “Uh, I don’t know about this.”

“Don’t tell me Jacqueline Drake is afraid of a little sand,” Garret teased, holding out the bright red disc to her.

“It’s not the sand I’m worried about.” Shaking her head, she cautiously took hold of the disc. “It’s the stopping part.”

“That’s the beauty of it.” He set the green disc down on the edge of the dune. “You don’t have to worry about stopping—the sand does it for you. It’s easy. Watch.”

He sat down on the disc, legs extended in front of him, and pushed off with both hands.

Zooming down the dune, kicking up a spray of sand behind him, his whoop of delight echoed back to her.

About three quarters of the way down, the disc slowed naturally, coming to a gentle stop at the bottom.

He stood up, sand clinging to his jeans, arms raised in triumph. “See? Easy!” he called up to her.

Jackie clutched the red disc. “You’re out of your mind!”

“Probably!” he shouted back, grinning. “Come on, city girl. Live a little!”

Taking a deep breath, she placed the disc at the edge just as he had done.

This was ridiculous. She was a grown woman about to slide down a mountain of sand on a plastic disc.

She’d been spontaneous and daring following after Brad, and look where that got her.

Crazy wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and yet, looking at Garret’s expectant face below, it struck her, with the right man, some chances were worth taking.

She flashed a wide smile to accompany her teasing tone.

“If I break something, you’re driving me to the hospital! ”

“Deal!”

Lowering herself onto the disc, she extended her legs the way Garret had done. Teetering at the edge, her heart hammered rapidly in her chest. Before she could reconsider, she pushed off with both hands.

The initial drop made her stomach lurch, and a startled shriek escaped her lips, followed by sheer exhilaration.

The disc picked up speed, and the wind whipped her hair about.

Sand sprayed up on either side, tickling her arms and face.

Without meaning to, she let out a laugh that built into a full-throated whoop of joy.

The disc gradually slowed on its own, coming to rest just a few feet from where Garret stood, applauding wildly.

“That was amazing!” she gasped, her heart still racing frantically.

“You’re a natural.” He offered his hand to help her up, pulling her to her feet with such enthusiasm that she stumbled forward, colliding with his chest. His hands steadied her shoulders, and for a moment, they stood too close, sand-dusted and breathless.

“Sorry,” she murmured, stepping back.

“Don’t be,” he replied softly, then cleared his throat. “Ready to go again?”

Twenty minutes later, they’d climbed the dune three more times, racing each other down on parallel paths.

Jackie’s sides ached from laughing, and sand had worked its way into every possible crevice of her clothing.

She collapsed at the bottom of the dune after their fourth run, flopping back to make a sand angel.

“I can’t believe I’ve lived in Texas my whole life and never done this.”

Garret dropped down beside her, still clutching his disc. “It’s one of those hidden treasures. Dad used to bring us here when we were kids. Mom would pack a picnic, and we’d spend the whole day sliding down, climbing up, sliding down again.”

The wistful note in his voice made her turn her head to look at him. Sand clung to his dark hair, and a smudge marked his cheek. Without thinking, she reached out and brushed it away. His eyes met hers, curious and warm. “You miss him,” she said simply.

Garret nodded. “Every day. But being here—it brings back the good stuff. Makes him feel closer somehow.”

“Thank you for bringing me,” Jackie let her hand fall back to the sand. “For sharing this with me.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Well, if you’re going to be my temporary wife, you might as well know what you’re getting into. The Sweet family tradition of completely ridiculous fun.”

“Is that written into the contract? Mandatory ridiculous fun?”

“It’s non-negotiable,” he said gravely, then broke into a grin. “Along with getting sand absolutely everywhere.”

“I think I can live with those terms,” she laughed, sitting up and shaking sand from her hair.

Garret stood up and offered his hand again. “One more run?”

Looking up at him—this man she barely knew and yet was about to sort of marry—Jackie felt something shift inside her.

Maybe it was the childlike joy of sliding down sand dunes, or maybe it was the way he’d shared something personal, a memory of his father.

Whatever it was, for the first time since arriving in West Texas, the idea of staying didn’t feel quite so crazy.

She took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. “Race you to the top!”