Taking her time to get ready carefully, Gen tried to decide if she was pleased with the direction they’d taken the night before, or not.

They got word from Carter that the car was ready, and she didn’t want to leave the hotel. Last night, she’d been safe, but at home, she’d be a few miles away from her father. Not near far enough.

They rode down the elevator together, yet, even in the cramped space, she couldn’t look him in the eye. What they’d done had been glorious, but it was like sleeping with a stranger. Will wasn’t the boy she knew back in school. He was a man. A man who made her feel tense, jittery, and silky hot all at once. In fact, if there had been time, she’d lock them in the elevator and start over. But she couldn’t, not if she was to maintain the wall he wanted.

Will wanted a dutiful wife, one who would join him when he asked and avoid him when he didn’t. That morning, he’d barely said a word to her as she’d climbed from their bed and combed her hair. He’d disappeared into the shower and came out of the bathroom in another expensive suit, everything about him completely business. And no part of that was hers.

She put on the same suit she’d worn the day before, concealing the tiny nightgown in her purse. She hadn’t brought anything else that wasn’t still in the car. The agency had told her to keep all her clothes in the big bags except what she would need for one night. That was to be kept in a side pouch of her purse. The agency knew all and was quite prepared for any situation. They were in the business of keeping wealthy business men happy.

She couldn’t say it hadn’t been worth it. There was no way she would’ve had a night like that with anyone but Will. When he looked at her with those smoldering dark blue eyes, she would do about anything for him. Her belly tightened even now, thinking about it.

As soon as the car left the hotel, she turned to talk to him, but he reached into the pouch of the seat in front of him for his phone, pressed a few buttons, and then started talking to someone on the other end. The conversation held little appeal since it was all about money, business dealings, and partnerships. It was about a three-hour drive from Dallas back home to Casper and, the whole first hour, she spent looking out the window. Because Will was busy.

When he finished, he rested his head on the seat back and closed his eyes. For a newly wedded husband, he had very little interest in her. In fact, last night had been the only time he had. Perhaps that was just what he wanted in a relationship. She’d become little more than a high-class booty call with a title. She crossed her arms and slid away from him, closer to the window.

His phone beeped and he picked it up again, this time she recognized the name.

“Yes, Mrs. Feast, we’re on our way. Another two hours or so.”

She heard muffled yet shrill talking on the other end.

“Well, that’s not really a surprise, her brother is coming home, too. I don’t doubt that Carter will take her back home as soon as we arrive. Though, I would guess she’ll be over often while we’re home. I’ll need Carter there with me every day.”

More garbled, excited talk.

“Is that so? She might get a bit of a shock. Did you prepare the extra room, the purple one?”

Gen couldn’t keep from listening. Extra room? That had to be for her, but why bother now? They’d spent the night together, had he tired of her that quickly? She’d been a virgin… Hadn’t had a clue how to really please him. Her pride stung. He hadn’t tired of Maddie that quickly.

“Good, perfect. I think the lavender room was an excellent choice. She’ll like that one.”

She turned away again and popped in the available earbuds, so she wouldn’t have to hear the remainder of the conversation, nor would she have to listen to Will’s silence once he was done. If he’d had anything to say to her that morning, he’d have said it already. Where had she gone wrong?

He slipped the phone back into the seat pocket and wove his fingers behind his head, leaning back and relaxing. He probably didn’t get much opportunity to do so. What right did she have to expect him to entertain her, or explain anything? Though, her thoughts couldn’t calm her down. They’d been married for less than a day and hadn’t seen each other for ten years, didn’t he wonder about anything? She certainly did.

She slipped her heels off and curled her legs up on the seat, listening to country music as the endless dry grass of Texas flew by her window. Two hours later and the scenery had all become far too familiar. Her stomach clenched as they drove by her own driveway and she glanced at Will, just to make certain he hadn’t changed his mind, but he made no move to tell the driver to stop.

Her stomach had almost settled after they’d driven up Will’s long drive. When the car came to a stop, Carter came back and opened Will’s door. Before he was even fully standing, the screen door to his house slammed open and Maddie ran down the stairs and across the lawn, throwing her arms around Will’s neck and kissing him full on the lips.

Gen couldn’t move. Will was right there in front of the door and he wasn’t making any effort to remove Maddie from her perch. In fact, Maddie seemed quite in the throes of passion, sliding her leg up his, and blocking him in with her body and the door of the car.

Carter finally put a stop to it and tugged his sister back as she licked her lips. Maddie had always been brazen where Will was concerned, but Gen hadn’t seen either of them in so many years, she’d just assumed their relationship ended when they all parted ways.

Maddie wore cut-offs, short enough that the pockets stuck out both in front and back, along with a cami, the ample evidence of her lack of bra poked out for all the world to see. She wore more makeup than a Cover Girl ad, and cowgirl boots. Her baby-doll pigtails seemed adolescent in comparison.

“Billy-boy, it’s so good to finally have you home. Will you be staying long?”

Carter handed him a tissue and Will wiped his mouth off and shoved the tissue in his pocket. “I don’t know how long I’ll be staying, Maddie, but I do know that most of the time, I’ll be working. In fact, your brother and I have a meeting with the county commissioner in two hours.”

Wasn’t he going to tell her that he was married? To go away? To not call him Billy as he had told her? Anything? Maddie latched on to his arm as he strode toward the house, without even a backward glance. Had he forgotten Gen was even there? She slid awkwardly from the back seat, quivering with fury from her roots to her toes. They might only have a marriage on paper, but that didn’t mean he could just run off with the first woman he saw.

The driver came around, carrying her two bags. “I’ll take these to your room, miss.”

Part of her wanted to correct him, she wasn’t a miss anymore. But maybe that wasn’t true. Maybe Will had done what he thought he had to do to get her to Texas. He might even use her as a pawn to find out what her father was up to. It had seemed like he’d cared the night before, but that easily could have been an act. Men were lusty creatures, and she’d not only allowed herself to be used, she’d asked for it. If he returned her to the agency now, she couldn’t be signed on again. She was no longer a virgin.

She pushed through the door, the driver on her heals. “Which room, sir?” he glanced to Will, who was, again, thoroughly wrapped in Maddie’s arms.

Maddie glanced up and her eyes locked with Gen’s in hot contempt. “What are you doing here?”

Will’s short, dark laughter echoed through the large kitchen, slicing at her already frayed nerves.

“She’s my wife.”