The Wedding Wager: Dakota Daddy. Sara Orwig

on,” Chase replied in a good-natured tone.

      “I will,” Jared said, and broke the connection, trying to be the one to get in the last word, a habit of the cousins since childhood. Jared gazed out the window. What to do about the Sorensen ranch …

      The day seemed an eternity long, but eventually Jared showered, shaved and dressed with care in a tan knit shirt, chinos and hand-tooled leather Western boots that added to his six-foot-six height.

      Promptly upon her arrival at seven, Jared met her on the porch. Watching her get out of her SUV and walk toward him, her slim column of a navy dress swirling around her shapely calves, he sucked in his breath. A large bow held the dress on her left shoulder, leaving the other shoulder bare. The material split as it fell from her shoulder, revealing her long legs as she walked. Her hair was rolled and fastened at the back of her head, giving her a sophisticated, self-possessed appearance. Had they gone out in public, she would have turned heads anywhere—the men in appreciation and speculation, women in envy and admiration.

      Jared’s pulse skipped, and he wondered if that bow on her shoulder released the front and back of her dress. He desired her with an intensity that shocked him. She was gorgeous, and momentarily he forgot the ranch, his purpose, old hurts, even anger. He saw a ravishing beauty whom he intended to seduce.

      “Evening, Jared,” she said. Her greeting brought him back to reality.

      “You’re stunning,” he said in a deep, raspy tone, gazing into the cool, thickly-lashed turquoise eyes. “Welcome to my ranch,” he added. “Come inside.”

      Without a word, she swept up the steps past him. When she passed, he caught that same exotic scent, a perfume he couldn’t identify. Watching the slight sway of her hips, he followed her through the flagstone-covered entry into the wide front hall with its polished plank floor. She took his breath away with her beauty. He was reminded again that the open, outgoing warmth of the eighteen-year-old had deepened into the fieriness of a beautiful woman.

      “I’m grilling steaks. Let’s go to the patio,” he suggested as he caught up to walk beside her.

      She strolled in silence beside him outside to the patio, where smoke came from a large state-of-the-art stainless steel cooker. “You have all you need to live out here,” she said, glancing around.

      “Can I get you a glass of wine, tea, a soft drink? What’s your preference?”

      “White wine, please.” She followed him to the bar, and he turned to hand a glass of pale wine to her. Even though their fingers brushed lightly, the contact was electrifying. He could feel the sparks, as close as he stood to her.

      She tilted her head to study him. “You’ll be returning to Texas soon, won’t you?”

      “It depends on what happens with you. I’m not in a hurry to go after seeing you again.”

      “Stop flirting, Jared. Or is that impossible?”

      “Not impossible, but infinitely more interesting when you provoke it. How can I be with you and remain all business?”

      “You might as well. The personal touch will get you nowhere.”

      He gave her a mocking smile. “Watch out, I might prove you wrong.” He saw her gazing up at gray clouds streaking across the sky.

      “When I crossed your river, the water was almost up to the bridge.”

      “Scared you’ll get stranded with me?” he asked in amusement.

      She whipped around to give him a level look. “No. I’ll leave before I let that happen,” she remarked.

      “Here’s to the future and forgetting the past,” he said, ignoring her remark and raising his drink in a toast, even though he doubted he would ever lose all his bitterness toward her.

      “This is pointless, Jared,” she said, sipping her drink.

      “Megan, we both did things that hurt. I left here and you married someone else two months later,” he said, hoping he kept his tone casual enough to hide the stab that memory always brought.

      “I’m sure you know my marriage didn’t last much more than a month before we filed for a divorce,” she replied with anger in her voice.

      He recalled his fury and pain when his parents told him about a reception her father had for her and her new husband shortly after the marriage, and then the next thing he’d heard was that she was divorced, which gave him a degree of satisfaction.

      “Where’s your son from that marriage?” he asked, wondering about her child.

      “With my aunt and uncle in Sioux Falls,” she replied. A shuttered look had come over her features and he could feel a wall of coldness between them. She looked half angry, half afraid. He tried to curb his emotions and not let his bitter feelings interfere with his goals.

      “At the time I couldn’t stay to tell you why I was doing what I was doing,” he said. “I never meant to hurt you like I did,” he admitted quietly, refusing to get into it now, knowing she wouldn’t listen to the truth about her father.

      Twisting her shoulders out of his grasp, she strolled farther around the patio while he walked with her. “Jared, let’s not rehash the past. As you said, it’s done. Let go of it.”

      “I will if you will. But I know this is why you backed out of the deal we had for the ranch. Admit it, you were ready and willing until you discovered that I was the buyer.”

      “I’m not arguing with you about it. My dad would have despised selling to you. I’ll not do it—I promise you,” she said, her eyes wide and almost green again.

      “Wait and let me talk to you about it, and what I’m willing to pay,” he said, fully confident he would win her over.

      “I agreed to tonight only. In the next hour over dinner you can make your offer and then I’m out of your life.” Her gaze slid away from his, as if there were more she wasn’t saying. She’d hardly been reticent before. He had a suspicious feeling there was something he was missing, but he didn’t know what.

      “As far as leaving you alone—I don’t know about that. There’s unfinished business between us.”

      “I can promise you, we won’t renew it,” she said with such force he was taken aback. She walked on and he stared after her. Again, he had been mystified by the venom in her quiet tone. Why would she be that bitter now? They had planned to marry, but he hadn’t left her at the altar. He’d never gotten that far—they’d talked about marriage and getting engaged, and he was looking for a ring for her when her father ruined their plans. Her reactions were still strong enough for it all to have happened last week instead of seven years ago.

      “I’ll check on dinner,” he said, and went to the cooker.

      Jared turned the steaks, watching her between glances at his cooking. He wondered whether she was truly interested in her surroundings or simply trying to avoid him.

      After turning the meat, he went into the house to get things ready. Because of the threat of rain, they would eat inside. If they had a real downpour, his bridge would be underwater and the ranch cut off.

      Jared hoped to avoid any threat that would send her home early before he could convince her to sell. Revenge was his goal. He didn’t want to return to Texas empty-handed, so he planned the kind of offer she couldn’t turn down. This was a battle he wanted to win. And he hoped to have her in his arms tonight.

      As he returned outside to get the steaks, she continued to circle the expansive patio. He observed her for a moment, aware how easy it was to watch her, letting his gaze drift slowly over her, recalling her passion and fire the night he had taken her virginity.

      Pushing aside memories, he plated the steaks and joined her. “Dinner is served. I thought we’d eat inside—it’s cozier.”

      “Fine,” she said, smiling.