The Lone Star Cinderella. Maureen Child

      She wrapped her arms around her middle. “Then paying him off accomplished nothing?”

      “It bought me some time,” he said, mind still racing.

      “Time for what?”

      “That’s something we should talk about.” The more he considered his idea, the better he liked it.

      When Alex had disappeared, Dave had hired an investigator. He’d seen the writing on the wall and had known that sooner or later, people would start suspecting him. As always, he’d figured it was better to be prepared. The investigator hadn’t turned up much information on Alex, but Dave now knew enough about Mia to convince him he could get her to go along with his plan.

      “But first,” he said, meeting her eyes, “tell me. Do you think I should be a suspect?”

      She looked at him for a long, silent minute. He knew she was thinking that over and it irritated him more than a little that it was taking her so long to make a judgment call. “Well?”

      She slumped one shoulder against the doorjamb. “Probably not.”

      His mouth quirked. “A resounding testimonial.”

      “I don’t know you well enough for that.”

      “Right. Well. That’s something else we should talk about.” He glanced over his shoulder at the empty yard and scanned the tree line looking for another sneaky reporter. He’d learned over the years that reporters were like ants at a picnic. First you saw one. Then two. Then the picnic was over.

      “Can I come in?”

      “All right.” She stepped back, allowing him to pass by. Dave caught the faintest whiff of a light, floral scent that reminded him of summer.

      Once in the house, Dave headed for the living room. He’d been here before, to meet with Alex. It was a nice house. Plush but tasteful. Cream-colored walls, bold, dark red-leather sofas and chairs and heavy dark tables. The windows looked out across the yard and were tinted, making it easy to see out but almost impossible to see in.

      “What’s this about?” Mia asked.

      Dave turned to look at her. “I’ll come right to the point. Alex being missing is hard on both of us.”

      “Is that right?” she asked. “How are you suffering?”

      “Gossip.” He tossed his hat onto the nearest couch, then shoved both hands into his jeans pockets. “The whispers and rumors about me might screw up a deal I’m working on.”

      “A deal?” Her eyes widened. “Alex is missing and you’re worried about a deal?”

      “Life goes on.” He said it flatly. Cold and hard. He saw reaction glitter in her eyes and he could appreciate that. He admired loyalty. “I didn’t have anything to do with Alex’s disappearance and I don’t think you did, either.”

      She laughed shortly. “Well, thanks very much. I didn’t know I was a suspect.”

      “Why wouldn’t you be? You’re his housekeeper.”

      “You can’t be serious.”

      “Why not?”

      The look on her face was pure astonishment. And no, he wasn’t serious. No one would ever suspect Mia Hughes of anything illegal. She was quiet, shy—or at least she had always seemed so until this morning—and she didn’t exactly come off as a femme fatale. First, she was too skittish to be involved in any kind of plot. She’d blow the whole thing in minutes if it came down to it. And secondly, she was just too all-American-girl-next-door.

      Shiny red toenails notwithstanding.

      But throwing her off balance was just what Dave needed. Because he needed her. In fact, she was damn near perfect. The plan that had occurred to him while he was dealing with the would-be reporter actually depended on her. If she agreed—and she would—then he had a way to explain him being here—should the kid decide to go ahead and post to his blog anyway. And it might also appease Thomas Buckley and his narrow view of life. What Dave needed was a wife. Not a real wife, mind you. But something temporary. Something that would buy him the time he needed to clinch the deal he wanted. But the women he normally went out with would never convince Thomas Buckley they were the home-and-hearth type.

      Mia Hughes, on the other hand, was just the woman for the job.

      “I’ve got a proposition for you.”

      “And why should I listen?”

      “Because it benefits both of us,” he said simply. “And you’re too smart to say no before you’ve heard me out.”

      Her lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed. “Flattery?”

      “Truth.”

      She took a breath and blew it out again in a huff. “Okay, I’m listening.”

      He rubbed one hand across his face, then waved at the big red-leather sofa. “Have a seat.”

      Obviously still on guard, she walked to the couch and perched on the edge, clearly ready to bolt the moment he said the wrong thing. Well, Dave wasn’t about to blow this. He had never once gone into a negotiation blind and today was no different. Didn’t matter that he hadn’t come here with this plan in mind. He was flexible enough that he could turn any situation around to his favor.

      Dave stood in front of the couch, looking down at Mia. “I need a wife.”

      “Excuse me?” She started to rise but he waved her back down.

      “Relax,” he said. “I’m talking more of a fantasy wife than the real thing.”

      * * *

      Fantasy? It was laughable, really. In what parallel universe would Mia Hughes be anyone’s, let alone Dave Firestone’s, fantasy? This was either some bizarre joke or he really was nuts.

      “Relax?” Mia jumped to her feet, unable to sit still a moment longer. She and Sophie had wanted to check Dave out, which was the main reason Mia had allowed him into the house in the first place. But if she’d known what he was going to say she’d have left him on the porch and thrown the deadbolt to keep him out. “I really think you should go.”

      He shook his head and stood his ground. He was so tall that even with Mia on her feet, he was looking down at her.

      “Not until you’ve heard me out.”

      “Oh, I think I’ve heard enough,” Mia assured him. She tried to move past him to lead him to the door, but he laid one hand on her arm and stopped her.

      She felt the burn of his hand on her skin and told herself to get over it. To pay no attention. But inside, her hormones were concentrating on that rush of heat. This was so not good. He was too tall. Too gorgeous. Too sure of himself.

      He smiled as if he knew what she was thinking, feeling. Well, she’d wanted to know more about Dave Firestone. Now she knew just how formidable he was. And she was worried he was just a little crazy.

      His hand fell from her arm and, despite her best intentions, Mia missed that blast of heat from his fingertips. Okay, maybe he wasn’t nuts. But he was...distracting.

      Then he was talking again. “I’m working on a deal with Texas Cattle—the best company in the state for beef buying—but the head of the company is a pretty conservative guy. He only deals with family men. Thinks they’re more stable or something. Anyway, the upshot is, I need a temporary wife—or at the very least a fiancée. Just long enough for me to seal this deal. Once that’s done, we’ll ‘break up’ and it’s over.”

      “You’re crazy.”

      “Just determined,” he assured her. “I know money’s got to be tight with Alex gone.”

      She stiffened and lifted her chin.

      “With