The Wedding Wager. Sara Orwig

and Jared and get out of this magical dreamland setting where problems lost all reality.

      Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him. He picked her up and waded out to the beach to carry her back into a bedroom.

      They made love in bed, and afterward he held her close while he caressed her and murmured endearments that she barely heard. Her mind raced over what to tell him and when, deciding to let it go this night, and to deal with it in the light of day, which would restore a semblance of normalcy.

      She wrapped her arms around him to hold him and kiss him again.

      They loved through the night and finally slept in each other’s arms, as sunlight began to tint the world with pink. In his arms, she thought about the future, deciding she would go home, mortgage the ranch and hire the best lawyers possible to fight Jared. That would throw it into the courts where the best lawyer usually won.

      She woke to an empty bed and left to shower and dress in blue slacks and shirt.

      As soon as she was dressed and ready, she sat by the open door to gaze at his tropical flowers and the ocean while she called the family accountant to get him to look into the best rates to mortgage the ranch. After a brief argument, he acquiesced and made plans, saying he would be prepared when she returned home.

      Next, she called her South Dakota bank to check on the savings left to her by her father. Then she called the Santa Fe bank to check on savings there, then talked with her stock broker about what she could get from stocks and bonds.

      She would have to find new lawyers, the best she could hire. Jared would know the most competent, but she couldn’t ask him. There was that billionaire client—he’d bought her pottery. He could probably give her sound advice. When she was back at the ranch and knew how much she would have available for a court fight, she’d get in touch.

      She would have to go home and tell Ethan about his father. There was no avoiding that, so it might as well happen her way.

      And she wanted Jared to have a day or two of full responsibility for Ethan, because as a confirmed bachelor, Jared might discover he didn’t want to be burdened with a child after all, and all her problems would be solved. She couldn’t imagine him enjoying being tied down to his son to the extent that he talked about.

      Finally, she brushed her hair and put it in a thick braid. She found Jared in the kitchen with breakfast waiting.

      He wore khakis, a white knit shirt and deck shoes, and he paused to look at her thoroughly. “Good morning. Come join me,” he said, strolling to her.

      She put up her hand and shook her head. “Last night was magic, Jared, but it’s daylight, and reason rules now. I want to go home as soon as possible.”

      “Why? I thought we were gaining ground. We’ve talked about some options, developed a relationship, eliminated some possibilities—what’s the rush?”

      “I never intended seduction and lovemaking.”

      “You can’t say it’s been bad,” he remarked.

      “Of course not. But it isn’t what I want and it isn’t doing my future any good. And I told you, I can’t separate it from my emotions the way you can. I don’t want to fall in love again.”

      “If falling in love occurs, I’d think it would be the best possible development. It would solve our problems.”

      “I don’t trust you. At home we’re in a regular setting, with a normal routine. Logic is not swept away by tropical breezes and magical nights. I want to be back where I can weigh the options for the future. And so far, I haven’t found any I like, even if you have. This may have to get settled in court, Jared,” she said.

      His features hardened and a glacial look came to his dark eyes. She didn’t care if he didn’t like her answer. She hadn’t liked any of his.

      “Megan, don’t make me take you to court. That could get really ugly and cause a world of hurt for all three of us,” he said in a tone of voice that she suspected had made more than one grown man quail.

      She shook her head. “You don’t frighten me. I’ll tell you what I want to do first. I want to go home and tell Ethan that you’re his father. Then I want you to come stay a couple of days at my ranch and begin to get to know him. After that, if it looks feasible, and I approve, I want you to take him home with you and see how you like having responsibility for him all on your own,” she said.

      Jared’s expression changed instantly. He came around the table and placed his hands on her waist. “Megan, absolutely fantastic! Now that’s more like it. I can get to know him and Ethan can get to know me and you can see us together. That’s a terrific suggestion!”

      “I thought you’d like it,” she said, wondering if he thought he would win her over to doing things his way completely.

      “Thank you, Megan. That’s grand. It will give us time to bond. I’ll call to get the plane ready and we can be on our way in about two hours. How’s that?”

      “It’s fine with me, Jared.”

      He smiled at her and her pulse raced. He looked so damned appealing and sexy, and in spite of all her anger with him, she wanted his arms around her and she longed to kiss him.

      But she had the wisdom to not do anything personal. Yearning and anger conflicted; she wanted him to back off. She knew she was in love with him a second time.

      “We’ll work this out to everyone’s satisfaction. You’ll see.”

      “It would be miraculous if it happened. I just don’t see how.”

      He moved away and got his cell phone out of his pocket to make calls. She left him to get ready for the trip home, carrying her bag to the front door and sitting on the veranda to wait.

      “Tell me about Ethan, and remember, I want a picture. I’d like to see your scrapbooks about him,” Jared said as they flew home.

      “Of course,” she said, “although most of the scrapbooks and that sort of thing are in Santa Fe, not South Dakota.”

      “When I come to Santa Fe, I’ll see what you keep there.”

      “Jared, you may find you don’t want the responsibility of a child,” she said, receiving a stormy glance and feeling their clash of wills that had returned full force.

      “If you’re counting on that, you might as well forget it. I’m going to try my damnedest to get along with my son and be a father to him.”

      “That’s different than being a chum.”

      “I know that much. How soon will you get him home from your uncle’s house?”

      “I’ll drive to Sioux Falls when we get back. I called while I was waiting for you,” she said. “I told them I would pick him up today and take him to the ranch. You can come tomorrow.”

      “Did he mind the change in plans?”

      “No. You said it yourself—kids adapt. He’s looking forward to seeing me, and I’ll be glad to see him. This has made me miss him twice as much.”

      Jared nodded and reached over to take her hand. “Thanks for what you’re doing. I know you don’t want to, but it’s inevitable and much better this way, when you smooth the introduction. Anything we can do to make this transition easier will be better for Ethan, and I appreciate it.”

      “I might as well try to do things the best way for him,” she responded, aware of her hand in Jared’s, his dark eyes resting on her.

      “I still want you,” he said, sliding his hand behind her head and leaning forward to kiss her long and slowly.

      She kept reminding herself to resist him, but she kissed him back instead. And each kiss forged a tighter bond, would be a bigger heartbreak and more of a struggle for her.

      He raised his head. “Stop fighting me, Meg. You want this, too.”