Chapter Four
While Sarah arranged for a cleaning crew, Reno called Nick to ask him about the baby sitter situation.
“He’s put Lindsey on it,” Reno told Sarah, disconnecting the call. “Everyone’s in school until two o’clock but all the nieces have cell phones so she’ll call and text. She’ll have someone here by three. That will give us enough time to take care of business. We can do it right here in Alamo Heights.”
“Good. The cleaning crew will be here at noon, so I’d better hustle. I asked for the biggest one they had and offered them double. I hope that’s okay. We’ll need it. They can bill Guardian.” She shifted Molly in her arms. “Do you know where the carrier is?”
He tensed, then frowned as if searching for the answer. “I think Mrs. Randall put it in the garage.”
Sarah stared at him. “You mean to tell me this baby has never been out of the house?”
His discomfort was obvious. “I’ll go get it.”
He brought it to her, holding it as if it would bite him, perplexed as to what to do with it. Sarah gritted her teeth and settled Molly into it. “Can you watch her for a minute? I need to run upstairs and get a light blanket to wrap her in and pack a diaper bag.”
“Watch her?” Reno looked as if he’d bolt out the door.
Sarah fought back her impatience. “She won’t get up and run away. Please. I’ll be quick.” Without giving him a chance to object, she raced up the stairs, dug in the chest of drawers in the nursery for some kind of light wrap, found the diaper bag in the closet, and pulled things from the changing table, stuffing them in as fast as she could. She literally ran back down the stairs.
Reno was standing exactly where she’d left him, staring at Molly who stared back at him, sucking on her tiny fist.
She picked up the carrier. “I think we’re ready now. Do you want me to come in when we get to the office and get the temp settled?”
He shook his head. “We’ll take care of it. We’ve done it before. Worst comes to worst, if she’s a washout, I can get one of the payroll clerks to file and help with other things.”
And those were the last words spoken until they reached the office parking lot. Sarah didn’t even go inside, just shifted Molly, the diaper bag, and her purse to her own car.
“I’ll pick you up at three,” Reno said.
Was it her place to ask if he’d be home for dinner? She realized how much about him was still a mystery to her. “I don’t know what time you usually prefer to eat.”
“I don’t expect you to cook tonight, with everything that’s going on today. I’ll just pick something up.”
“No, please. I really want to fix dinner. I think I’ve overdosed on takeout and frozen dinners. Would eight be all right?”
“Whatever’s convenient for you. I have some things to take care of when we’re through with the license and rings. I’ll probably be home by seven.”
“I’ll see you this afternoon, then.”
She slid into her car and backed out of her space. Glancing in the rearview mirror as she shifted into Drive, she saw Reno still standing where her car had been, watching her retreating taillights. Her heart pinched painfully when she thought about the look of torment he wore whenever he looked at his child.
Well, kiddo, fasten your seatbelt. You’re probably in for a bumpy ride.
****
Reno sat in his office, staring at the folder in front of him. He’d gotten as far as opening it, but then his mind had shut down. He knew the decision he’d made was logical, a perfect solution to his dilemma. So why was he having such conflicting feelings about it?
It’s the No Sex rule, dummy.
The last person he’d expected to make his cock sit up and take notice was Sarah Madison. But last night at dinner, he’d had to keep his napkin on his lap and direct his brain elsewhere, because every time he looked at her, every bit of blood rushed from his big head to his small one.
After the disaster with Maggie, sex hadn’t even appealed to him—strange for a man with such a greedy appetite. Then he’d taken a really good look at Sarah. Suddenly, his cock swelled and his balls ached. He began to imagine her naked in his bed, rich sable-colored hair spread out on the pillow, rosy-tipped breasts pointing at him, begging for his mouth. He could almost feel his lips around a plump nipple or his tongue busy between her legs, lapping at her slit and tasting the juices in her cunt.
He shuddered inwardly as he thought of that idiotic phone call last night. It was a good thing he didn’t drink, or he’d have blurted out the real reason. He wanted to change the No Sex rule. He could just imagine how she would have reacted to that. So he’d made up a lame excuse, hung up, and taken a cold shower, hoping that would help.
No such luck. When he’d gotten into bed, nude—a big mistake—and closed his eyes, his head had filled with images of Sarah under him, over him. In frustration, he’d grabbed his demanding cock, trying to squeeze it into submission, but instead, he’d imagined Sarah’s slim fingers wrapped around it. Or that mouth that suddenly fascinated him so much. Or the tight muscles of her pussy clenching around him, pulsing with her climax, bathing him in liquid heat.
Before he realized it, his spine tingled, his balls drew up, and cum spilled over his fingers.
Great, just great.
He hadn’t done that since he’d been sixteen years old. At least another cold shower had helped settle him for the night. He wished he had something to settle himself now.
A knock on the doorframe made him look up to see Nick and Tony standing there. He grimaced, then motioned to them. “Come in. You might as well hear all the gory details or you’ll pester me to death.”
****
Sarah’s morning went by in a blur. She felt like a marathon runner, her mind still in turmoil and moving as fast as her feet. God only knew what Reno thought about her stepping into his life as if she’d always been there. Well, he’d told her to take charge, and that’s exactly what she’d done.
First, she’d gone to her house for some clothes. She’d hurried since she was holding Molly in her carrier along with the diaper bag. But once there, she realized with a sinking feeling she hadn’t bothered to get Molly’s feeding schedule. She’d smiled down at the baby who sucked happily on her fists.
“Oh, well. We’ll just wing it.”
Packing two suitcases, she lugged them out to the car. Whatever else she needed she could come back for when she was better organized. Based on what time she’d arrived at Reno’s and found the housekeeper struggling with breakfast—and a late one at that, for God’s sake—she figured she had at least until noon before the baby was hungry again. That would give her time for grocery shopping and anything else she needed to do right away. Taking one last look around the house, she locked the door with a strange feeling. Tonight, she would be sleeping somewhere else.
Thanking her good luck that the grocery wasn’t crowded, she filled the basket with staples and items for the meals she was planning. She had no idea what Reno’s food preferences were except for steak, so tonight they’d have spaghetti and meatballs, a dish she figured was a safe choice. She stashed the groceries in the car and hurried back to Reno’s, arriving just as the cleaning crew was pulling up in the driveway. Gary had been told about them, but she swallowed a smile when she saw him still giving them the fisheye.
“Top to bottom,” she told the crew chief, a man she’d worked with many times. “Dump everything in the refrigerator and pantry and leave all the windows open. And let me know when I can get into the kitchen to put the groceries away.”
He nodded. “Leave it to us.”
Meanwhile, she stuck the perishables in a cooler she’d seen in the garage and luckily found some gel packs in the freezer so the stuff wouldn’t spoil. She changed Molly, fed her, heated a bottle for her, and rocked her to sleep in the nursery. It felt good to hold the baby in her arms, to sing to her and watch her cherub face as she sucked on the nipple and watched Sarah with intense concentration. By the time she put Molly in her crib, the kitchen was ready for her. She unloaded groceries and put away things in the cheerful, yellow and white kitchen, now sparkling clean. Sun slanted in through the two huge windows that looked out on a wide backyard and patio.
She found vases for the flowers she’d bought on impulse and put the largest bunch in the center of the kitchen table. Already the air was sweetened with their gentle fragrance.
Finally, taking a deep breath, she called her mother.
“Well,” Ellen Madison said, after Sarah had brought her up to date. “That must have been some dinner.”
Sarah fielded questions, giving out minimal information. No, they hadn’t been dating each other exactly, but the relationship had developed since she’d been working. Yes, his wife had died two months ago, but she understood the marriage was really over long before the baby was born.
“A baby!” her mother said. “No wonder he wants to move things along.”
There was something in Ellen’s voice that Sarah didn’t want to think about. Time to end the conversation. “I’ve got to run, Mom, but I’ll call you later tonight, and we’ll have more time to talk. Okay. Bye.”
Her last chore was to unpack her suitcases in the room adjoining the nursery and make up her bed with the sheets she’d found in the linen closet. There. At least, she had a place for herself, whatever that place turned out to be.
She glanced at her watch. Two-thirty. Reno would be there at three on the dot. Time to get ready. Too bad she wasn’t looking forward to what should be the beginning of a happy chapter in her life.
****
Pulling into his garage, Reno felt every muscle in his body knot in tension. He had no idea what he’d find—Sarah gone in panicked flight, the babysitter watching the child? Or would he find Sarah inside, still dashing around in an attempt to make order out of the chaos?
He managed to stall by checking with the alarm crew who was just packing up. The crew chief gave him the code they’d used, but Reno would set his own. The diagrams and other information had been sent to his email so he’d open them up later on. Gary walked out to meet him, they shook hands, and Reno sent him on his way.
The moment he stepped inside, he stopped short, his senses jarred. He felt as if he’d walked into someone else’s house. Everything was different. He heard James Taylor, a favorite of his, playing softly in the background, the soothing notes drifting through the air. A delicious aroma, drifting from the kitchen, tantalized his nose and blended with the delicate hint of something floral. His nose twitched at the pleasant but unfamiliar fragrance.
In the kitchen, he saw the verticals on the glass door and the window over the sink had been pulled wide, exposing the lawn and shrubs bathed in early evening diffused light. Funny, he’d never taken a good look at the well-manicured, well-tended area, even though he paid a fortune for its upkeep.
Sarah was just coming down the stairs with a young, ponytailed girl. “Reno, this is Nicki, Nick’s niece. She’s going to watch Molly for us.”
“She’s just so adorable,” the teenager enthused.
Reno simply nodded. “Ready, Sarah?”
“Yes.” She turned back to Nicki. “We should be back by five o’clock. Are you sure you’re comfortable giving her the bottle and everything?”
Nicki grinned. “I’ve done it for two sisters and a brother when I was a lot younger. You can trust me. Besides, Uncle Nick wouldn’t be too happy if I screwed up.”
“Well, thank you for doing this on such short notice.” She noticed Reno jingling his keys impatiently. “I’m coming.”
****
As they pulled away from the house, he announced, “Judge Harrison can marry us next Friday at five. That’s a week from tomorrow. Will that work for you?”
“Yes. Fine. That would be good.”
“I’ve asked Tony to be my best man. You’ll need to decide on who you want to stand up with you. I know it’s short notice, but is there someone you’re close to?” He suddenly realized how little he actually knew about her personal life.
“Oh.”
He glanced sideways and noticed her discomfort. Didn’t she have any close friends? What had she done with herself since her husband died, live like a hermit? And now he was consigning her to another kind of isolation. He needed to find a way to make this more comfortable for her. “Let me make a suggestion? You know Nick’s wife, Lindsey. You’ve had lunch with her and talked to her when she’s come into the office. If there’s no one special you want to ask, I know she’d be happy to do this.”
“Reno, she’s your partner’s wife, not really a personal friend.” Sarah’s voice was strained. “I’m sure she’d think it’s a terrible imposition.”
“I don’t believe she’d see it that way.” He softened his voice. “Call her. I’m sure she’d be honored.”
“If you say so.” She shrugged. “I’ll call her when we get home. Thank you.”
By four-thirty, they had applied for and received their license and stopped at a jewelry store to buy rings.
“Pick whatever appeals to you,” Reno told her. “You don’t need to worry about the price.”
Red stained her cheeks, and she turned her head away. “I don’t need anything expensive. It should be something that represents our…bargain.”
Reno didn’t know what to say after that, so he simply kept quiet while she chose a plain gold band. Her eyes held a shocked look when he purchased one for himself.
“Good protection,” he said matter-of-factly.
He dropped her back at the house, his parting words brief. “See you about seven.”
As he backed out of the driveway, he couldn’t help but spare a glance for her slim figure climbing the steps to the front door, back straight, determination in every line of her body. Somehow, he had to find a way to make this pleasant for her. Make this work. But he’d be damned if he knew how.
He would have stayed at the office much later, finding busy work, if Nick hadn’t chased him out at six-thirty.
“You’re about to get married,” he pointed out. “You got Sarah to agree to the bargain. At least behave with common courtesy.”
Reluctantly, not knowing what kind of reception to expect when he got home, he put away the bid he was working on and went home. He held his breath as he walked into the house, hoping the earlier scene hadn’t just been a dream. But the air was still fresh and a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
Sarah was stirring something on the stove and humming along with the little under-the-counter stereo, her body moving to the music. She’d changed back into her jeans and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. The shiny mane swung in time to her movements. The soft denim of the jeans molded to her hips, and the T-shirt emphasized the fullness of her breasts. This was a Sarah he’d never seen before. She looked softer, more relaxed. Less businesslike. Certainly less tense than she’d been last night and earlier in the day.
He wanted to pinch himself because he still had trouble believing this warm, inviting atmosphere was his house. And this very sexy woman was about to become his wife.
Then he froze in place. What the hell was this? Shocked at the way his eyes roamed her body, at the hardening of his cock the minute he looked at her, he reminded himself this was an arrangement of convenience, nothing more. He couldn’t let this assault on his mind and senses shove him off track. No good could come of that.
He moved, making a slight noise, and Sarah looked up, flushed from the heat of cooking. “Sorry. I guess I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Am I in the right place?” he asked. “This doesn’t look or feel as if it’s the same house.”
“Thanks.” Her smile was tentative. “Dinner will be in just a minute. It’s really nothing special, just spaghetti and meatballs. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s fine. More than fine.” He stood there stiffly, trying to figure out what to do with himself. “Well, I’ll get rid of this jacket and tie and be right back. Sarah, I want to thank you again…”
“I told you. No thanks necessary.” She turned her gaze back to the stove.
“You know,” he said, “both times I came home today, I worried all day that you’d decided it was more than you wanted to handle. That you wanted to run back to your desk as fast as possible.”
“Not when I see how much Molly needs me,” she told him firmly.
“Speaking of the child, where is she?”
“Molly,” she stressed the name, “has been fed and bathed and is sound asleep.”
Reno just shook his head, completely amazed.
****
The atmosphere at the table was stilted, each of them trying to adjust to the idea that, from now on, they would be sitting down to meals together.
What should we talk about? How does he expect me to act? Lord, all the little things she hadn’t thought about. Did Reno feel as out of place as she did?
By the time the meal was finished, they hadn’t gotten much past the basics.
How did things go at the office?
Fine. The temp is very bright. I’ll keep her a couple of weeks in the hope that she works out.
Would you like me to come by and go over anything with her?
No, I can handle it.
Fine. More iced tea?
When the dishes were cleared, Reno stood and filled his coffee mug from the freshly brewed pot. “I want to get out of these clothes. Can you meet me in my den in a few minutes? It’s just past the stairs. I have some papers to go over with you.”
Sarah tensed. “Is everything all right?”
“More than all right. I just want to make sure everything is in order before I ask you to sign anything.”
Of course. The bargain.
She relaxed. “Okay.”
“Then I want to show you about the alarm system.”
But her nervousness returned as she waited for him. She wiped her sweating palms on her jeans and fiddled with her ponytail. The den was very much him. Wood paneling on the walls, thick carpeting, a heavy oak desk, with a credenza that held enough electronic equipment that Sarah was sure they could have launched a NASA expedition. The desk chair, the couch, and the large armchair were upholstered in the soft leather she knew he preferred. The only pieces of artwork in the room were a Russell painting he’d paid the earth for at a charity auction and a copy of the Remington bronze statue, Broncobuster. He’d tried and failed to get his hands on the original.
When Reno came in wearing sweat pants and a University of Texas T-shirt, her eyes widened. Oh, lord. How was she supposed to remain neutral and keep her mind on the reason she was there when he dressed this way. She couldn’t help noticing the way the soft material clung to his narrow hips and emphasized the leanness of his body. Or the outline of a semi-erect cock pushing against the fabric. Dark, curling hair peeked over the neck of the shirt, the same masculine hair that dusted his corded arms and the backs of his strong-looking hands. His hair, wet from what was obviously a quick shower, looked even darker than usual and curled slightly at the nape of his neck. Delicious.
Get yourself under control before you make a mess of everything!
She swallowed, hard. This was not good.
“Sorry,” he said stiffly, noticing her reaction. “I guess I dressed down a little too much. This is just what I’m used to throwing on when I get home.”
“No, no, that’s fine. This is your house. You should wear whatever you want. I’m…just not used to seeing you so…casual.”
For a moment, his eyes darkened even more. “Same here.” Then he sat down at his desk, indicating Sarah should take the armchair, and handed her a folder and an envelope in front of him.
In the next few minutes, she was alternately stunned and amazed. The amount of money stated in the agreement was completely absurd. More than she could need, even with the financial demands of her father’s illness. She knew exactly how much money Guardian Security took in and that Reno could well afford this, but it still bothered her.
Her eyes widened when she opened the envelope to find a thick wad of cash with a rubber band around it and bank signature cards.
“This is ridiculous,” she said when she could find her voice again. “I can’t possibly sign this.”
“Too little?” he asked, frowning.
“Too much,” she insisted.
He picked up a pen from the desk and rolled it in his fingers. “You’ve agreed to turn your life upside down and enter into this crazy agreement with me. In addition, you’ll be acting as a bodyguard to the child. There isn’t enough money to express my gratitude. And you can’t know at this point what financial assistance your parents will need. So please don’t argue with me about the one thing I can provide in this arrangement, okay?”
Her pulse jumping at the enormity of what he was offering her, she finished the short document, reached for a pen, and signed it.
“The signature cards, too,” he prompted. “I opened an account, but it will have your new—that is, your married name. The cash is to tide you over until then.”
“It could probably tide me over until next year.”
“Please, Sarah, just allow me this,” he pleaded.
“I guess this will work out okay,” she told him. “I need to shop for Molly, anyway.”
He frowned. “I also thought you might want to buy something new for the wedding.” But he sounded as if the words were dredged up from six feet under.
She didn’t know what to say so she just nodded.
“Well, then. Let’s look at the alarm system.”
He showed her the laptops set up, four in all—his den, the kitchen, his bedroom, and hers. Showed her how to scroll through all the camera angles and went over with her the diagram of where the concealed cameras and ground sensors were located. Then he took her back into the den where he gave her the code and explained how much time she’d have to enter it when she went in and out.
“Hopefully they’ll find the asshole in record time, and this will just be overkill. But in the meantime, I feel better about having it.”
She nodded. “So do I.”
“And don’t forget. If it’s breeched, the alarm automatically sounds back at the office and the team is dispatched. It will also emit a screeching sound that hopefully will scare off whoever broke in.”
Then silence dropped like a cement wall.
Sarah wet her lips. “I spoke to my mother today. Needless to say, this was a shock to her. I thought I’d take Molly by in the morning and see if I can talk my mother into going to the mall with us.”
“Whatever you think best.”
Whatever I think best? Don’t you ever think about this?
“I grocery shopped today, but I really don’t know the kinds of things you eat. If you’ll give me a list I’ll make sure we have them.”
“I’m not fussy. Anything is fine.”
“Fine.”
Something simmered between them that neither of them wanted to acknowledge.
Reno cleared his throat. “I’m sure you must be exhausted and ready for bed.”
“Yes. I guess I am.” She rose on legs not quite steady and pushed back her chair.
When he handed her the folder with her copies of everything, their hands brushed, and she almost jumped at the spark that passed between them. He pulled his hand back, and she realized he’d felt it, too.
They stared at each other, the look a mixture of surprise, bewilderment, and panic.
Oh, this is so not good. This stupid agreement isn’t twenty-four hours old, and already I can feel trouble.
“G—Goodnight,” she stammered, backing out of the room. She literally ran for the stairs and up to her room, dropping onto her bed and throwing her arm over her eyes. Her heart raced, and her whole body felt flushed. Pulses she didn’t even know she had throbbed as if they were some animated neon sign.
Was this what happened when you didn’t have sex for years? Hadn’t even wanted it? She’d better get control of herself, or her business arrangement would turn into a disaster. The fact that Reno had reacted, too, only made things worse. How had she gotten herself into this?
Forcing herself to sit up, she dug her cell phone out of her purse and called her parents to give them the details of the wedding ceremony. That ought to get her heated urges under control.
****
Reno sat at his desk with his head in his hands.
You stupid shit.
He was batting a thousand in his How To Fuck Up My Life program. Hadn’t he learned a thing with Maggie? Of course, comparing her to Sarah was like comparing Hell’s Kitchen to Park Avenue, but the end result was still the same. His dick kept getting him in trouble.
Sex had been the farthest thing from his mind when he’d concocted this crazy scheme. It was one good reason why Sarah had seemed the logical choice. Efficient well-groomed, sexless Sarah.
Sexless? Bull!
Damn Tony anyway. Ever since he’d rearranged Reno’s thinking about the woman, Reno couldn’t make his body behave. Definitely not his cock. Well, he’d better figure out how, or he’d be in deeper shit than he already was.
****
Sarah opened her laptop and surfed the Internet, looking for information on the care and feeding of six-month-olds, but it seemed no two babies were alike. She’d have to wing it, at least until she could throw herself on her mother’s mercy and get some advice. She called Lindsey, who put Sarah at ease at once. And her mother agreed at once to go shopping, but Sarah knew she had an ulterior motive and prepared herself for what she knew would be a not-so-subtle interrogation. Finally, she showered and pulled on a robe over her nightgown. Molly was sure to wake soon for a bottle, and she didn’t want to traipse around the house in a way that sent the wrong signals to Reno.
Actually, they’re the right signals, but I’d better shut them down. Fast.
At eleven, Molly woke, making little noises in her crib. Sarah managed to get down to the kitchen, heat a bottle, and get back in her room without running into Reno. She peeked down the hall and saw the den was dark, and when she passed his room, heading back to hers, the door was shut with a faint beam of light shining out beneath it. Was he in there reading? Thinking? Regretting the bargain? Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she fed Molly, rocking her to sleep before slipping back into her own bed.
Even as tired as she was, she had trouble falling asleep. The major changes in her life had her mind in turmoil. Applying for the license and buying the rings felt as if they’d happened to someone else. And of course, overriding everything was this unexpected and increasing sexual attraction to Reno. She closed her eyes, and immediately Reno’s face swam before her.
“You’re so beautiful.” In her dream, he was lying beside her, his hand mapping her body with gentle strokes. “I love your nipples, the way they feel when I put my lips around them.”
She felt the familiar flutters in her pussy, the surge of liquid inside the swollen, pink folds. His fingers danced through the curls surrounding her sex then dipped into her slit, finally probing at the entrance to her wet channel.
“Spread your legs for me.” His voice was hoarse and thick with lust.
She complied but, at the same time, reached for his shaft, its thickness burning against her thigh. When she wrapped her fingers around its length, his breath hissed through his teeth.
“Do that too much, and we’ll be over before we start.”
She slowly slid her fingers from root to tip then raised her hand and moved it across his chest. She loved the soft feel of the fine hair covering his hard muscles as she twisted her fingers through it.
“You feel so good,” she murmured, heat building inside her like a fire spiraling out of control.
“So do you. And you taste good, too.”
He shifted his position and dipped his head between her thighs, his tongue lapping the trail his fingers had traced on her slit. When he reached her clit and rasped back and forth across the tip, her body began to shake with need. He teased her with his tongue, tormenting her, while one hand reached for a breast and fingers lightly pinched a nipple.
Her orgasm gathered deep inside her, and she pushed at his head.
“Inside me,” she whispered. “I want you inside me.”
He gave her cunt one last lick, then reached for the condom on the bedside table. Sheathing himself, he moved into position, lifted her with his hands, and plunged inside her with a swift stroke. The first flutters of orgasm clutched at her, drawing him deeper inside her. She wound her legs around him, locking them at the base of his spine and arching to ride his pulsing cock.
“I can’t last.” His breathing was harsh, uneven.
“I’m there.” She moaned his name.
His eyes, dark with lust, bored into hers. “Now, Sarah. Now.”
He thrust one last time, a powerful movement, and they exploded together, shudders racking her as his body stiffened. She felt him spurt through the thin latex sheath and pressed his rigid body harder against her.
He rode her through the aftershocks, gasping for breath himself and…
Sarah sat up in bed, heart racing. Once again she’d fallen into an erotic dream. Her body was covered with perspiration, her hand between her legs. Panicked, she leaped out of bed and raced for the bathroom, turned the shower on, and stepped into it.
As she let the cool spray beat down on her body, she was thankful she’d closed her door. In her own home, she slept with it open, but here, she wanted the privacy. She could just imagine Reno’s reaction if he’d stumbled on her little performance. The bargain would be ended before it even began.