The Ransomes: Matt, Nick and Katherine. Sara Orwig

and her heart began to thump faster at the determined expression on his face. “No. If we marry, I don’t want sordid gossip floating around Cedar County about this baby’s mother or stepfather.”

      “So what do you propose? A celibate life?” she asked, unable to imagine that he would agree.

      “Hardly. If I agree to your marriage proposal, I want sex.”

      Heat blazed in her, and she could feel the perspiration break out on her forehead. While her emotions boiled, they stared at each other. “That isn’t what I intended.”

      “That’s what it would have to be.”

      “How often?” she shot back, trying to catch her breath and wondering if she could handle sex with Matt Ransome without falling head over heels in love with him—a love that she was certain he would never return. Could there be great sex and no love with a handsome man who was helping her raise her child? Hardly.

      Fear curled in her, thick and as palpable as smoke from a fire. Jeff had broken her trust and trampled her feelings. Could she expect anything better from his older brother?

      “Let’s say after your pregnancy is over, twice a week and then we can go from there.”

      “And until my pregnancy is over?”

      “I don’t see any need to be definite except if I marry you, then I want a wedding night with sex.”

      She was certain he could hear her heart thudding. His demands were making both propositions, his and hers, real to her.

      “You know what you want, don’t you?” Agitated, she stood and moved to the floor-to-ceiling window to gaze down below at the lights on a sparkling pool. Was she ready for sex with him? Her body was more than ready. His words had set her ablaze, but sex was a fast track to heartbreak. Remembering his spectacular, sizzling kisses that had stormed her senses and had been the beginning of seduction, she knew he would be a fabulous lover. And that was what worried her because Matt Ransome seemed as hardhearted as they came.

      “There’s always my offer,” he said quietly, standing close behind her. She hadn’t heard him get up or move across the room. She turned to face him. He stood only a foot away. He had rolled back his sleeves and unfastened one more button on his shirt. All she could think of was sex with him—a wedding night.

      “If I increased the amount of money, would you accept my offer? If I changed the hundred thousand dollars to a hundred and fifty thousand, how’s that?”

      Again, he shocked her and she stared at him while the amount spun in her thoughts. “If you’re that willing to raise what you’ll pay me, then marriage must be binding enough that you want to avoid it at all costs,” she whispered.

      Matt stood waiting quietly, letting her think about the money. He could afford what he had offered and he did not want marriage, yet standing so close to her, gazing into her wide green eyes, his pulse raced and he was hot with desire. She was stunning with her new hairdo and clothes. She had been a looker before, but now she was breathtaking. Men had watched her all evening in a restaurant where people would be far more restrained than the honky-tonk at home.

      No matter how enticing she was, he didn’t want a permanent entanglement. Even with the increase in his offer, he felt to his soul that she was going to hold out for marriage.

      He inhaled deeply, his gaze sweeping over her slender bare shoulders and long, graceful throat, the soft curves that the dress hugged and her tiny waist. Her long legs were spectacular. He already knew that from seeing her in the towel and cutoffs. Could he take her to bed, live under the same roof, share a baby with her and still keep his heart locked away?

      He had no doubt that once she got her law degree, she would be gone. He hoped by that time, she would feel that her child was part of the Ransome family. In the meantime he better worry about the present. What would he do if she turned down his offer?

      “I’ve made you a damned handsome offer,” he said aloud, half to her and half to himself.

      “I know you have. It was generous before you raised the amount. It’s the long-term commitment I want.”

      “I’ll never love again,” he said. “You better believe me because I do what I say.”

      “I imagine you do,” she replied, looking up at him. “Jeff told me about how your father got lost one time when his small plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains and after the searchers gave up hunting for him, you flew up there, trekked into the mountains on your own and found him and brought him out of there on a stretcher you improvised. Jeff said you do what you say and you don’t give up. Actually, he said you’re stubborn as a mule.”

      “As if he wasn’t. I knew my dad was there and I wasn’t going to leave him. He had broken one leg and he couldn’t get out on his own and no one else survived the crash. My dad is a tough old codger.”

      “I suspect you’re rather tough yourself.”

      “If so, I’ve had to be sometimes,” he replied, fighting an urge to reach out and touch her. In spite of the conflict between them and his anger, he wanted her. Desire was a throbbing, hot flame tormenting him. She was beautiful and he couldn’t stop wanting to hold and kiss her.

      “And stubborn?”

      “I suppose. If it’s stubborn of me to avoid falling in love again, then so be it. I believe you have a streak of that trait yourself,” he said, and she smiled at him. “So you still plan to move on someday?” he asked.

      “We both know marriage will give the baby more,” she said, ignoring his question.

      Every minute with her he had been torn between anger and attraction and that was still true. They were at an impasse, and his desire was escalating. He knew he needed to get distance between them.

      “I’ll sleep on it,” he said. He strode out the door into the hall, closing her door quietly behind him and going to his room.

      Shedding his clothes he moved around his room. Sleep wasn’t going to be part of his night. Would she walk away from all he offered simply to hold out for marriage?

      He absolutely didn’t want to marry again. Not even if the woman was fabulously beautiful and sexy? The question taunted him because he couldn’t extinguish memories of holding her in his arms, of her scalding kisses, or how stunning she had looked tonight. How badly he had wanted to peel her out of that scrap of a dress! Marriage would mean sex with her. She had already agreed to it.

      He groaned, knowing sleep was impossible. He glared at the door that led to her room. She would give up most of the cash if he would marry her, but that didn’t matter because cash was no problem for him.

      Coming from the background of poverty, she had a far smaller regard for money than he would have expected.

      Feeling hemmed in and wishing they had flown home tonight, he paced his room and then moved to the window to stare outside. It was late and traffic had thinned. He wasn’t giving up the baby. Deep down, he still felt that she would disappear if he rejected her proposal. “Dammit!” he swore, knotting his fists, wishing he could walk away. She knew she had what he wanted.

      By morning, after a shave and shower, he continued to toss the choices back and forth in his mind. He went around to knock on her door and stood waiting, wondering how she had slept.

      She opened the door and gazed up at him. Dressed in a white suit and red blouse, once again, she looked stunning. Her hair was looped and pinned on one side of her head, giving her a more sophisticated appearance. No amount of fancy clothes or cosmopolitan hairdos could extinguish her sultry, sexy aura and there was no stopping his body’s immediate response to the sight of her.

      Matt drew a deep breath. “Good morning.”

      “Good morning,” she replied and stepped back. “Won’t you come in?”

      As he entered the room, he inhaled the seductive scent she wore. He wanted to tangle his fingers in her hair