The Ransomes: Matt, Nick and Katherine. Sara Orwig

that I intend to study. Also, I think that child care is more likely to come to me innately than to you,” she replied with a haughty air.

      “We won’t argue that one. Time will tell,” he replied, drawing circles on her knee with his finger. She was aware of his touch and the warmth of his gaze and she wanted to lean toward him, to brush his lips with hers.

      “Later this month I’m in a rodeo in Jet. The event is bronc riding. Will you come watch me ride?”

      She nodded. “You always say your brother was the wild one. Seems to me bronc riding is on the wild side.”

      “Not so much. We do that on the ranch just for the fun of it.”

      She turned back to look out the window while she thought about the man she was marrying and what an enigma he was.

      The rest of the day was dizzying. As soon as they landed in Fort Worth, Matt whisked her to a bank downtown and they were ushered into a thickly carpeted office where she watched with perspiring palms while Matt signed papers and deposited twenty thousand dollars into an account for her and put the remaining amount of money into a savings account. She was stunned to walk out of the bank a wealthy woman with an account and money to spend any way she so desired.

      “Matt,” she said, placing her hand on his arm while he stopped and looked down at her.

      “Thank you. I never dreamed I would have money, not until I’d maybe practiced law forever. When I become a lawyer and pass the bar, I’ll repay you,” she said.

      “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re getting married. I don’t like having my money and your money. It’s ours. If you contribute, fine. If you keep what you make for yourself, fine. If I marry you—even in a paper marriage, Olivia, then I’ll share my bank account with you unless you go hog wild with it.”

      Amazed that he would allow her full access to his fortune, she could only stare in speechless wonder.

      “Okay?” he asked when she didn’t respond.

      “Of course it’s all right,” she replied hastily. “I am constantly taken aback by your generosity. I can’t even imagine someone sharing like you’re willing to do.”

      He stopped and turned to her and she felt as if she were drowning in pools of blue. “Olivia, next week you’ll become my wife. That’s the way you wanted it. We’ll have a bargain that I intend to live by for the rest of my life.”

      For the first time, she realized how permanent the approaching marriage of convenience would be. “Suppose you fall in love with someone?” she asked, wondering again what she had gotten herself into—for that matter, gotten both of them into.

      “I won’t.”

      “You can’t know that! No one knows what will happen when love is involved.”

      “I’m not going to fall in love with anyone. My money will be your money as long as you handle it reasonably well. You don’t have to repay the money I put in the bank account for you today.”

      “I’m absolutely stunned over what you’re doing,” she admitted, knowing every small detail of this moment would be etched in her memory forever. Wind blew locks of his black hair and his blue eyes were intent on her. A faint smile hovered, deepening creases in his cheeks. Besides Matt, the passing crowd, the sound of cars, the heat of sunshine—she would remember this event that in her wildest imaginings she had never dreamed would happen.

      “Are you all right?” he asked.

      “Yes. Just bowled over by your magnanimity.”

      “I’m just doing what I want to do. You can show me your gratitude tonight,” he drawled in a husky, sensual voice that strummed across her nerves and set them quivering. As the same time, his eyes twinkled, so she didn’t know whether he was teasing, goading her into something, or really meant it.

      “I’ll think about it,” she said, giving him a saucy toss of her head.

      He chuckled softly as she turned to walk to his car.

      Finally they returned to the ranch and when they entered the house, Matt tossed his keys on the kitchen counter. “I’ll call my brother and sister tonight. In the meantime, I’ll grill steaks and we can make more plans. Where do you want this dress? You can keep it in another bedroom so it won’t crowd you.”

      In minutes they had all her new purchases in another bedroom, and she had agreed as soon as she changed clothing, she would join him for a swim.

      While she hurried to get ready for the swim, his words echoed in her head: “You can show me your gratitude tonight.” Had he meant that? Was he going to want sex before the agreed time because of the money he had given her? Or had he been teasing? If sincere, then he was in for a surprise because sex for her new bank account was not part of any bargain they had struck.

      Before she left for the pool, she took a long look at herself in the mirror. She had bought a new black two-piece swimsuit that was cut low on her belly, high on her hips. She studied the changes in her body, aware that her breasts were fuller. Her stomach was still flat and she ran her hand over it, thinking about her baby. A girl or a boy? She was beginning to want to know and not wait another six months to be surprised. She wondered whether or not Matt would want to know.

      Satisfied with her looks, she twisted her hair and pulled it up in a ponytail. She grabbed her cover-up, a big towel and flip-flops before going to the sparkling blue pool. Matt already had fired up the grill and the smoking mesquite smell was tantalizing.

      As she walked across the patio where cool air was piped near the house, Matt bobbed up in the pool, and raked his hair away from his face, giving him a harsher, more rugged look. Water glistened on his broad shoulders, and her pulse began what was becoming a familiar racing.

      He watched her approach and her heart thudded at the slow, thorough perusal he gave her from head to toe. His gaze lingered on her breasts and on her stomach, drifting down over her legs and she was on fire by the time she neared the pool.

      He pulled himself up out of the water with a splash, sending cold drops sprinkling her. Her pulse was already racing, but now her heart thudded as she looked at him clad in only a scrap of black suit. His skin was tan, glistening with water, muscled, lean and hard. He was studying her, but no more than she was eyeing him and she couldn’t resist staring. While her heart pounded, she marveled again that soon—tonight possibly—she would be in bed with him.

      “If I hadn’t seen the doctor’s report myself, I’d never believe you’re pregnant. You don’t show at all,” he said in a husky voice, walking closer.

      With each step he took, her drumming pulse beat faster. She barely knew what he said as she looked up at him. They wore only bits of clothing and she knew he was as aware of her bare body as she was of his. And she wanted his lean hard body against hers. She could feel heat creep into her cheeks over the way she had been ogling him.

      “How in heaven’s name did you get my doctor’s report? That’s private,” she asked, annoyed. “I may call my doctor about that.”

      He shrugged. “Who knows what my P.I. did, but he had the report. Your doctor may not have known someone looked at your record.” Matt jerked his head toward the pool. “Come in. The water’s great.”

      He made a running dive into the pool, swimming away from her. She followed, sliding into the cool water to swim. At the end of the pool she clung to the edge, shook water away from her face and found him beside her.

      “You’re beautiful, Olivia,” he said in a husky voice. “I think we may have made a damn fine bargain.”

      “Those aren’t exactly the magic words that every woman wants to hear two weeks before her wedding.”

      His eyebrows arched. “We’re going into this like any business deal. You surely didn’t expect hearts and flowers.”

      “No. That’s not one of my stipulations. Last night was great