Texan's Wedding-Night Wager / The Oilman's Baby Bargain. Charlene Sands
her eyes. “I understand your dance studios are doing very well.”
Cara’s heart sped up at his implication. She straightened in her seat and leaned forward a bit. “I’m not here for your money, Kevin.” She glanced around the elaborate surroundings. Exquisite Southwest artwork adorned the walls of his very tastefully decorated office. “Though I see you’ve become a huge success. That was always most important to you.”
Cara made her point and leaned back in her seat, content to put a name on the mistress who’d stolen her marriage from her. “I’m only here for your signature.”
“And you’ll get it,” Kevin said.
Oh, boy. That was easy, Cara thought, sighing silently with relief.
“Under one condition. I want something from you, Cara.”
So Kevin had terms. She’d be willing to hear him out. She wanted nothing more than to get this whole ordeal over and done with. “I’m willing to do anything, within reason.”
Kevin grinned a little too widely. “Considering you abandoned me and our marriage, I think my request is quite reasonable.”
Cara went numb. She didn’t like the look on her husband’s face. “You forced my hand, Kevin. I hung on to our marriage for years, hoping. But you gave me no option—”
“And I’m giving you no option now. If you want your precious divorce,” he said, “you’ll have to agree to my terms.”
Chapter Two
Kevin watched Cara’s sudden panic when his request finally sank in. Momentarily silenced, Cara blinked rapidly, giving him a chance to really look his wife over.
He hadn’t realized what four years of separation had done to him. He’d never met a woman he admired more than Cara, or thought more beautiful or talented. Cara had it all. He’d always thought so, and everything he’d done, he’d done for her. He’d wanted to prove to her and her wealthy family that she’d married well. That he could give her all the things she deserved.
God, how he’d loved her.
Kevin inhaled sharply and Cara’s head snapped up. “You can’t be serious, Kevin.”
“I’m not joking.”
Cara stood abruptly and stared straight into his eyes. “No, I don’t suppose you have a sense of humor anymore.”
He caught a slight whiff of her exotic scent, the same fragrance she’d worn when they’d been truly man and wife. Memories of hot, erotic nights flooded his senses. Of her silky smooth skin against his flesh, her breath against his cheek, her soft, sensual body tucked under his.
He wanted her again. He’d given her no other choice but to accept his demand. He wouldn’t let Cara have the last laugh. “On the contrary, babe. I have a great sense of humor, when something is funny. This, however, isn’t funny.”
“It’s ridiculous! You want me to live with you for a week? Why, Kevin?”
Kevin arched his brows, but remained silent.
Her blue eyes sparked like raging fire when she caught on. She shook slightly and pointed her finger. “This is blackmail.”
“You owe me for walking out.”
Indignant, Cara raised her voice. “You walked out on us!”
Kevin’s gut tightened. “No, Cara,” he said with quiet calm. “I worked hard to give us a good start.”
Cara shook her head so hard her blond curls whipped across her face. “No, no, no. I won’t let you get away with that. I wanted you. I wanted a family. Children. You only wanted to amass a fortune. You were never there for me, Kevin.”
He shrugged. He’d heard this all before and he’d never agreed with her take on their marriage. He’d asked for one thing from Cara—patience. He’d wanted to give her the world. “So your solution was to run away?”
Cara backed up a step and lowered her voice. “I couldn’t do it anymore. I needed more from you.”
“And leaving Somerset solved the problem for you.” Kevin snapped his fingers. “Just like that, you were gone.”
A sharp, stinging pain sliced through his gut. Kevin didn’t think Cara had the power to hurt him anymore, but seeing her again brought back all the bitter memories. They’d argued the night before Cara had left and had gone to bed angry with each other, but that was nothing compared to the memory of finding that Cara had slipped out of the house before dawn, leaving only a note in her wake.
“It wasn’t as easy as you make it seem.” Cara’s pretty mouth turned down. She filled her lungs with a fortifying breath and opened her slim attaché case, pulling out the divorce papers. “If you’ll forget this nonsense and just sign the papers, you and I…”
“Will be done?”
Cara closed her eyes. “Yes. Please, Kevin. This is difficult enough.”
She got that right. It was difficult seeing her again. All the old, hurtful feelings came tumbling back. Her leaving had cut him deep and left him bleeding. He’d hidden his injury from those around him until he’d become numb inside, then bitterness had emerged. He’d spent the next few years resenting Cara Pettigrew and trying to wash away her memory with an occasional one-night stand, women who would never measure up. He’d refused relationships and poured all his energy back into his business.
Kevin shrugged off his pain the way he’d learned to, from years of experience. He stood his ground. “I told you, I want one week with you, Cara. One week at my penthouse. And then I’ll sign the divorce papers.”
Cara’s shoulders slumped. She shoved the papers back into the attaché case and snapped it shut. “I can’t do that.”
Kevin walked around his desk and approached her. Her eyes gleamed like diamonds and her skin appeared soft as a baby’s, but it was her very kissable mouth, tight as it was at the moment, that had him moving in even closer. He’d never gotten over his anger with her, but he’d also never gotten over wanting her. And now that she was here, he wanted one last fling with his wife.
Before he ended their marriage for good.
He touched her wrist and slid his finger tenderly up her arm. Goose bumps broke out on her skin and Kevin felt a moment of satisfaction. “If you want the divorce, you’re going to have to pay for it.”
Breathless, Cara looked deep into his eyes. “You’ve changed, Kevin.”
“I won’t deny it.”
Cara moved back a step and Kevin dropped his hand from her arm. She worked the inside of her lower lip in that adorable way that always made him hot for her.
“I’ll make you a counteroffer.”
Kevin smiled inside. He should have known his feisty wife wouldn’t give in without a fight. It was a trait he’d always admired about her. “I’m listening.”
“One night. You get one night and that’s all.”
Initially Kevin balked. One night wasn’t nearly enough to exact his payback. He wanted more time with her. His plan was to romance her into falling in love with him again. The ultimate revenge for dumping him would be in his rejection of her. Then he’d sign her divorce papers.
A thought struck and Kevin acted swiftly. “You’ve got a deal. If and only if you agree that our one night will be two weeks from tonight.”
“Two weeks? I can’t possibly—”
“That’s my offer. You stay in town for two weeks, and in exactly fourteen days you’ll have your divorce. Take it or walk away now with those unsigned papers, babe.”
Cara narrowed her eyes and crinkled her nose. She mulled