Page 13 of The Marriage Deal (Sunset Falls #1)

DONE DEAL, BABY

brIGGS

Ican see the bright pink of her sundress through the window of The Tasty Rise. The woman does subtly like a bullet to the gut. Which isn’t usually my thing, but for some reason I can’t take my eyes off her.

I see her everywhere, worst of all when I close my eyes. I’d tell myself it’s because I’m using her—we’re using each other—but I’ve never been one for lying to myself. I know I want her. I just don’t know why.

I understand the attraction. The woman is beautiful and vibrant, and I imagine she tastes like life.

I just don’t understand the draw. The allure of her makes little sense. I’ve always been drawn to consistency and predictability. The woman is about as predictable as the ocean waves during a storm.

“Gotta go. I’m here.”

“Does that mean the plan’s a go?”

“It’s a go.”

“I’ll be heading your way soon then,” Nash tells me. “Don’t figure you want me crashing with you and the new wifey, eh?”

“Don’t call her that.” I pull off my hat to drag my hand through my hair only to settle it back on. “And, no, you’re not crashing with me. Not because of her, but because I vowed, I’d never share a living space with you again. Once was more than enough.”

Nash laughs. “I’m not that bad.”

“You’re a pig.” He knows I say it with love. He also knows it’s true.

“You’re just OCD.”

“I’m particular. I like order.”

“OCD.”

“There’s a hotel in town. I’m sure they’d be more than eager to take you and your mess on.”

“Come on, man. We’re like family.”

“No.”

Again, Nash laughs. He’s always taken joy in poking at my peculiarities. I’ve always taken joy in pretending like it doesn’t bother me. Riles him up good. The prick deserves it.

His laughter dies and he asks the question that throws ice on pretty much everything. “What are you going to tell Shana?”

Shana. The best woman in the world. My mom.

“I’m going to tell her I fell head over boots in love.”

“You’re going to lie to her?”

“I’m not tellin’ her I propositioned the sweetheart of Sunset Falls to be my fake wife.”

“Paid.”

“What?”

“Paid, not propositioned.”

Hell. I feel my back teeth grind. I wonder if Nash can hear it through the Bluetooth. “It’s a business arrangement.”

“You keep telling yourself that, man.” My eyes can’t help themselves as they slide once again to the woman in the pink dress on the other side of the window.

She’d been scribbling in a book with a pink pen the last time I’d allowed a glance at her, legs swinging from where they dangled on the high stool.

Now she’s laughing at something the man I’d since learned is her adopted brother, says to her.

My attention focuses back on Nash when he drawls, “I think you like the woman.”

I stiffen. “The town likes her. She’s a hot mess.”

“I’ll bet she’s hot.”

I scrub my hand down my face, biting back a possessive growl I have no business feeling. Only—maybe I do. She is to be my wife, after all. A husband would be, to some degree, possessive of his wife.

“Nash,” I warn. Then I cool it. “My mom has nothing to do with this. In her eyes, this marriage will be real.”

“Dude,” Nash says seriously. “You’re getting married for business.”

“People get married for business all the time.”

“Jesus, you’re a stubborn horse’s ass.”

I can’t help my chuckle. “She needs this deal just as much as we do.”

“I don’t need it bad enough to see you shackled to a woman you don’t love. Man, this is messed up.” He mumbles something about me being the steady, reliable one. “I’m supposed to be the batshit crazy one of us.” I’m grinning until he adds, “Let me marry the girl. I’ll take one for the team.”

“Don’t.” One word. Tone low.

Nash stops laughing. “Is there something you’re not telling me, Briggs?”

“Nope.”

“Sure sounds like it.”

“Funny. I’m starting to think I tell you too much.”

“You like the woman. You really like her.”

I bristle under the weight of his accusation.

“The woman is going to be my wife. I’ll treat her with the respect I’d treat any woman who takes my last name, real or not.

Until this deal is done and we sign the papers to part ways, I’ll treat her like I’d treat any woman I made mine.

I’ll treat her the way my mother taught me to treat the woman I bring into my life. ”

The way my slimy father never bothered to treat my mom.

There’s silence and then Nash says hesitantly, “All right, man. Whatever you say.”

“I say I’ve gotta go. For real this time.”

“Right, you’re meeting the wifey.”

I don’t bother telling him to stop calling her that. Nash will do what Nash does. “Yep.”

“I never got that pic of her.”

“You never will.” I lean forward to disconnect the call, but not before I hear him return, “Don’t matter. I’ll see for myself soon en—”

I cut the call and curse aloud. Then I exit my truck and stroll for the café.

The bells jingle, but she doesn’t look. She never looks, but the man she’s with does.

I don’t miss the curious narrowing of his gaze as it lands on me.

I wonder if she told him about our dinner.

I wonder how much she told him. We’d vowed complete secrecy.

But the way he’s eyeballing me now, I’m not so sure she kept to her side of the deal.

Oblivious to the shift of his attention, Lilah keeps yapping at him. As I come closer, I realize she’s telling him about a pup who needs a home. Probably one of the brood I’ve seen tugging her around town.

The man doesn’t look swayed by her attempts to needle his heart. Good for him.

I’m not sure, struck by the same wide-eyed look of hope that slams into the poor guy from under those long lashes, that I’d be as unmoved.

“Alder.” Her adopted brother, Dakota, lifts his chin in greeting. I can’t help but size him up. The guy isn’t in the pink Tasty Rise shirt and jeans he’d been in the last time I’d seen him here. Today, he’s sporting an old white T-shirt and worn jeans.

“Dakota.” I nod, noticing the arch of his brow at my use of his name. I swing my hand out, aware of Lilah’s pinkening cheeks as she watches.

We’d had two more outings on the town. Two more ‘dates’ at which people could see us together.

She asked how we were announcing our relationship. I told her I’d find her.

The last thing I wanted was the little lunatic cooking up some dramatic way of announcing her new boyfriend, soon to be husband, to her sleepy little hometown.

Dakota takes my hand in a firm shake. I say, “You’re in construction?”

Dakota dips his chin. “Yep.”

“Could use a man with your experience when it comes time to get things started with Fire Falls Ranch and Resort, and Fire Falls Estates, if you’re interested?

” I slide my hand from his to slide it easily, thoughtlessly, around Lilah’s waist. Though, there’s nothing thoughtless about touching Lilah in any capacity.

I’ve thought of little else since propositioning her to be my wife. Fake wife.

The act doesn’t go unnoticed by Dakota or anyone in the café. Lilah stiffens, and then she leans into my touch. Something warm and foreign swells in my chest.

Dakota says, “Yeah. Sure.” His eyes shift between me and Lilah.

I read the question in them, but don’t explain when he doesn’t verbalize it.

Clapping a hand around the back of his neck, he adds, “Uh, let me know when it’s time to get things started.

I know a few more guys who’d be interested in work. Good guys. Hard workers.”

“I’ll keep in touch.”

His eyes drop again to Lilah, to my hand around her waist. “I’m going to grab a coffee.” He shifts. “You good?”

We all know he’s not asking her about the still mostly full cup of coffee that sits on the table in front of her. Even though she’s still sitting on the high stool, she nuzzles closer to me as though to silently tell her brother that this is exactly where she wants to be.

Again, I’m blasted with that foreign feeling of warmth.

Lilah tells Dakota, “I’m good.”

Dakota gives another nod before he shoots me a look that says he’ll make sure no one finds me if I so much as hurt a single hair on her wild head. The look is so dark and so promising, there’s a beat of tension before I nod once, acknowledging his threat.

He doesn’t know it, but he doesn’t have to worry. This thing between us is fake. It’s business.

Feelings have no part to play in business.

Dakota turns and walks to the counter where Lilah’s parents both stand, jaws dropped, wide eyes fixed on us. Lilah, unaware of her parents’ gazes, tips her head back to slam me with warm brown eyes.

I shift to angle my body into hers. I can no longer see those who stare, eager for a drop of the gossip that is us.

It’s just the woman. Lilah. My soon to be wife.

She’s extraordinary. Really, she is.

“You found me.”

“I’ll always find you.” I hitch a grin that calls her gaze. The moment it lands on my mouth, there’s a sweet little part to her lips and the sound of a short, sharp inhale. A stab of longing knifes through my gut. It takes me by surprise.

I want to kiss her. Want to tug her full lip between my teeth and draw just one more gasp from the depths of her. Want to swallow that gasp and taste the essence of her.

Hell, but Nash might be right. I might like this woman and all her crazy.

She wets her lips as she gives her head a little shake, as though she might shake away the fog of me.

I won’t let her.

Another little hitch sets sparks off inside me as she whispers, “People are staring.”

“Isn’t that the point?” I ask low. I’m not sure if it’s my closeness or the dark rumble to my words, but gooseflesh rises on her exposed skin and her pupils dilate inside the ring of warm buttery amber that surrounds them.

Something darkly unfamiliar, possessive even, flares inside me for this woman.

She drives me crazy—and yet…

I don’t give her a moment to reply before I lean in closer, pressing my lips to her temple in a kiss that pulls a little tremor through her.

“It’s a done deal, baby,” I murmur low against her skin that smells faintly of warm vanilla spice touched with just a hint of citrus infused by the ever-present aroma of pinched flower stems. It’s an intoxicating blend that is wholly and uniquely her. Addictive.

Her eyes, delicately hooded and blasted with something I want to pick apart and analyze, lift to mine. It’s a wonder I remain standing in my boots. A wonder she hasn’t knocked me clean off my feet with eyes like hers—filled with all that.

She breathes a trembling breath. “What?”

“You’re mine. Officially.” Her lips part once more, and damn, I seriously consider dipping my head for a taste.

She cocks a daring brow. I get a flashback of her on that cliff that first time I saw her. I recognize it now. Her challenge. “Yours?”

“Mine. My woman.” My eyes hold hers even as I can feel the eyes of others on us. Studying us. “Soon, you’ll be my wife.” I lean in closer as though I’m drawn in on a string from a web she so naturally weaves. I rumble, “Mine.”

Her eyes flick up to mine again, big and beautiful. And then she hits me with a slow curl of her full lips. A taunt that urges me to do all kinds of things I know I shouldn’t. Things I’ve never been tempted to do in all the days I’ve lived. “Well, this is going to be fun.”

I’m about to ask what she means, because as infuriatingly beautiful as she is—she kind of also scares the shit out of me. I never know what the woman is going to do next. Can’t begin to read her.

She angles her body on the stool, wiggling her hips to the edge.

I get a flash of tan thigh as her hot pink dress rides up, and then she pushes off the stool.

She comes in close, her palm pressing into my pec as she rises up onto her tiptoes, head tipped back enough to draw me even closer in that web of hers.

I can taste her breath, sweet and honeyed when she taunts just inches away from my lips, “Clear your plans tonight, boyfriend. My parents are going to want you for dinner…” She pulls back to flutter those long lashes at me flirtatiously. “And we’ll really get to sealing this deal, baby.”

“Oh, it’s sealed,” I grunt, and call as she spins away from me, “Cemented.”

I realize the entire café is staring at me slack-jawed as I watch Lilah dance away from me, a giggle on her lips that pulls an unwilling grin onto my own.

Damn it, but the woman is dangerous. And I might just be in over my head.