Fugitive Fiancee

“Marry her?” Paul’s hand curled into a fist as he slumped in his chair. “We can’t even find her.”

“Mimi simply got a case of cold feet. She’ll be back.” Rupert took a sip of tomato juice. “Her mother was skittish, too. High-strung. The thoroughbreds always are.”

Paul watched Rupert push his food away, half-eaten. He’d lost a considerable amount of weight in the last two years. Of course, Rupert’s loss was Paul’s gain. His illness had given Paul a golden opportunity for a more powerful role at Casville Industries. Not only had he succeeded in a professional sense, but he’d impressed Rupert enough for the CEO to consider him husband material for his man-shy daughter.

Rupert tossed his linen napkin on the table. “I still can’t believe Mimi didn’t come home last night. It’s not like her to be so irresponsible.”

“I suppose we just need to be patient.”

“Patient?” Rupert snapped. “I didn’t become one of the richest men in Texas by sitting around on my backside. I make things happen.”

Paul clenched his jaw, willing himself to keep his mouth shut. He’d been doing a damn good job of it for the last two years, working by Rupert’s side and patiently enduring the man’s patronizing attitude and all-around bullshit day after day.

Now, thanks to Mimi’s little stunt, he’d have to put up with it even longer. He closed his eyes and imagined wringing her beautiful neck. Not that he’d ever follow through, of course. When she finally made an appearance, he’d act the part of the concerned, supportive fiancé, assuring her that this marriage would be good for both of them. Just as he’d been doing almost nonstop for the last three months.

The funny thing was, he almost believed it himself. Mimi was an attractive, vivacious woman who would make a wonderful wife. She knew all the right people and moved in all the right circles. Her basic goodness appealed to him, even when he found himself grating his teeth at her concern for her father and the household staff.

Her only concern should be him.

“The girl’s probably just hiding out somewhere, too embarrassed to come home.” Rupert picked up his tomato juice. “As soon as you’re done with breakfast, I want you to hire someone to find her.”

“It’s already done.” Paul set down his fork. “I called Harper first thing this morning.”

Rupert nodded approvingly. “He’s the best.”

“Discreet, too,” Paul added, then hesitated. “Do you think she found out about our…financial agreement?”

“How could she? I certainly didn’t say anything.”

“Neither did I. So there must be some reason for her sudden departure from the church.”

Rupert set down his glass. “I already told you. Cold feet. I’m sure you’ll find a way to warm her up once we find her.”

Paul had at least a million reasons to try, thanks to Rupert Casville’s incentive program. The old man had agreed to deposit a million dollars in Paul’s bank account as soon as he and Mimi were married. Paul would receive another million if Rupert’s first grandchild was conceived within a year, as well as a hefty share of Casville Industries stock.

The telephone rang, startling them both. Rupert shot out of his chair. “I’ll bet this is it.”

Paul watched Rupert pick up the receiver, then saw his expectant expression fade as he rubbed one hand over the gray stubble on his face. Try as he might, Paul was unable to make out the low mumblings of the phone conversation.

His gaze moved to the silver flask of vodka on the table. His biggest weakness. If he could give up alcohol, he could do anything. Now was not the time to lose control. Mimi’s escape didn’t have to mean the end of his dreams. Just a temporary delay.

Rupert heaved a long sigh as he hung up the telephone receiver. “That was Harper. He’s checked the airport, train station and bus terminal, but no sign of Mimi. As far as he can tell, she’s still somewhere in Austin.”

“Unless she left the city in her car.”

Rupert shook his head. “Her car wouldn’t get her very far since she left her wallet and credit cards at home. She brought that silly little white purse with her to the church, and it barely had enough room for her car keys and driver’s license.”

Paul tensed. “So where is she?”

“Hell if I know,” Rupert snapped, raking his hand through his thinning gray hair. Then he looked up, worry lines etched in his brow. “Do you think she’s all right?”

Paul thought she was a spoiled princess who needed a good spanking, but he knew better than to say it out loud. “I’m sure she’s fine. Mimi knows how to take care of herself. She’ll be home before you know it, safe and sound.”

“I hope so.” Rupert sighed. “I’m exhausted. I stayed up half the night waiting for her to come home.”

No doubt the vodka was kicking in, too. Paul picked up the flask and handed it to him. “Go get some sleep. I’ll stay here and handle any incoming business calls.”

Rupert slipped the flask into his pocket. “Wake me if you hear anything new from Harper.”

“I will.” Paul placed his hand on the old man’s shoulder as they walked toward the door. “And don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

GARRETT OPENED his eyes, squinting at the sunshine streaming through his bedroom window—a sign that it was long past daybreak. Surprised that he’d over-slept, he threw back the covers and sat up in bed. Something niggled at the back of his sleep-numbed brain. Something important. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head.

Then he smelled bacon frying.

Mimi. The peace of the morning shattered as reality came rushing back. She was the reason he’d tossed and turned most of the night, snatches of erotic dreams invading his sleep. Dreams she’d invoked with her lilting voice and her inviting mouth and those incredible eyes.

Garrett rubbed one hand over the rough whiskers on his face, trying to remember just how long it had been since he’d slept with a woman. Finding female companionship had never been a problem, but lately he’d been too wrapped up searching for his birth mother to make time for anything else.

Garrett stood up as the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee teased his nostrils. He dressed and shaved at twice the usual speed, driven by the gnawing hunger in his stomach and the need to apologize to Mimi for his temper last night. The shock of finding a runaway bride hiding in his hayloft was no excuse. The least he could do was offer to give her a ride to her car first thing this morning and fill the tank with gas.

“Good morning,” she said cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen. She stood at the stove wearing one of his old flannel shirts, the tails hanging almost to her knees. The denim jeans she wore looked suspiciously familiar, too, the long legs rolled at the ankles. Her feet were bare, and her silky blond hair hung loose around her shoulders.

He shifted from one boot to the other, his throat suddenly dry and his heart pounding double-time. The stylish bride from the night before had disappeared. In her place was a woman who looked as if she’d just rolled out of his bed, her hair tousled and a sexy flush on her cheeks.

She transferred the bacon strips from the frying pan onto a plate, then flashed him a smile. “I found these clothes in your laundry room. I hope you don’t mind.”

He swallowed hard. “Not at all. Did you sleep well?”

Her smile widened. “I haven’t slept so well in years. It’s so quiet and peaceful out here. If you could bottle up the serenity and sell it, you’d make millions.”

Serene wasn’t exactly the way he felt when he looked at her.

“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, setting the bacon on the table next to a colorful egg casserole and a pot of steaming coffee.

“Starving,” he said, pulling out a chair for her and telling himself to confine his appetite to breakfast.

She served a hearty portion of the casserole on his plate, then watched expectantly as he forked up his first bite. “Well?”

He let the succulent flavors linger on his tongue, then swallowed. “What is it?”

“A vegetable frittata.”

He scooped up another bite. “What kind of vegetables?”

She picked up her coffee cup. “Onions and tomatoes and broccoli. Among other things.”

He reached for the serving spoon and covered half his plate with more of the frittata. “If you can make broccoli taste this good, you’re the one who will make millions.”

She laughed, and his heartbeat kicked up another notch. He picked up his coffee cup, telling himself it was a good thing she’d be gone soon or he could be in big trouble.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, setting down her fork. “You got a phone call while you were in the shower. Some woman from the employment agency had a question about the position you want filled.”

Garrett swallowed a sigh of irritation. He’d contacted the agency over two weeks ago looking for a temporary employee. At this rate, calving season would be over before he ever got a ranch hand hired. “Did she leave a number?”

“No.”

He looked up from his plate. “Is she planning to call me back later?”

Mimi tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “No, but she is refunding your money.”

He scowled. “Why?”

“Because I told her the position is already filled.”

His stomach lurched, unsettling the large amount of vegetable frittata he’d just inhaled. Garrett wasn’t psychic, but he did have good instincts. And those instincts were telling him that trouble had already arrived. He took a deep breath, determined to remain calm. “Do you mind telling me why you did that?”

“You don’t need to find a ranch hand,” Mimi said, opening her arms wide. “You’re looking at her.”

Apprehension skittered across his spine. “Absolutely not.”

She leaned forward. “But, Garrett, I know I can do it. And this way you don’t have to waste time and money advertising for a ranch hand. I’m willing to work hard from sunup to sundown. And even longer, if necessary.”

His gaze fell to her chest, his whole body tightening at the way she filled out his old flannel work shirt. If he couldn’t even eat eggs with Mimi without fantasizing about her, how could he possibly work with her?

“Forget it,” he finally said. “You’re not cut out for ranch life. You’ll be much happier back in the city where you belong.” He stood up. “Thanks for breakfast. I’m going to feed the horses, which should give you just enough time to get cleaned up and ready to go.”

“Where exactly am I going?”

“That’s totally up to you. I’ll take you as far as your car.” His resolve wavered a little when he saw the bleak disappointment on her face. “Surely you have friends or family, someone who can help you.”

She shook her head. “I can’t go back to Austin.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

She didn’t say anything, just stared mutely at the coffee cup in her hands.

For the second time he wondered if she was in danger. He’d given refuge to a woman in danger before. And paid the price. He absently rubbed his left shoulder. The bullet hadn’t done any serious damage. The wound was scarred over, but still a little tender.

Of course, that had been an unusual situation. Jake Maitland had asked him to give Camille Eckart and her baby a place to hide from her abusive ex-husband. The old cabin on the outskirts of his ranch had provided the perfect sanctuary for them. At least, until Camille’s ex-husband showed up, armed and definitely dangerous. He’d tried to kill her, but had ended up dead by the time the confrontation was over. Garrett had suffered the only injury, but it still chilled him to think of the harm that might have come to Camille or her baby.

Still, Mimi didn’t act like a woman in jeopardy. She didn’t have the same shadow of fear that had hovered around Camille. No, Mimi was probably just afraid to face her fiancé. Or her family, who no doubt had gone into debt to pay for her fancy wedding. Still, what would it hurt him to grant her a temporary refuge?

Garrett firmed his jaw, feeling himself weakening. He couldn’t solve Mimi’s problems. He had enough of his own to handle.

“Do you need money?” he asked, trying to assuage his pesky conscience.

She met his gaze and tipped up her chin. “I don’t take charity. I’m willing to work for room and board, Garrett. The lady from the employment agency read the job requirements over the phone to me. It’s just a temporary job, which is exactly what I need. Just a month to get my life straightened out.”

A month. He’d barely made it through one night. The thought of having Mimi around day after day, night after night was enough to make him break into a sweat.

He shook his head. “You don’t understand. This is a working ranch. I raise registered Texas longhorns. I’ve got customers coming out all the time to buy breeding stock, so I need a ranch hand who can pick up the slack when I’m busy making a sale. Usually I can handle it on my own, but I do need help to get through calving season. Experienced help.”

“I’m a fast learner,” she countered.

He arched a brow. “Can you fix fence? Pull a calf? Brand? Vaccinate? Ride a horse?”

His litany of chores didn’t daunt her. “I can ride a horse and I’m willing to learn the rest.”

He reached for the doorknob. “Maybe so, but I don’t have time to teach you.”

“Garrett,” she began, “wait…”

But he walked out the door before she could say another word. Relief washed over him with every step that put distance between him and Mimi. He’d been too close to accepting her offer and letting her stay.

Much too close.

CHAPTER THREE

MIMI HAD NEVER believed in miracles.

Until Garrett turned his pickup truck onto the country road where she’d left her convertible yesterday. The empty country road.

“Are you sure this is the place?” he asked, slowing the truck to a snail’s pace.

“Positive.” She pointed out the front windshield. “I recognize that mesquite tree.”

“So where is your car?”

“Someone must have stolen it.” She tried to sound forlorn, but it was hard when her prospects were suddenly looking so much better.

He snorted. “This area is hardly a hotbed for car thieves.” He braked to a stop, then cut the engine. “It’s got to be around here somewhere. A car just can’t disappear.”

Mimi climbed out of the truck and joined him in the middle of the road, telling herself not to get her hopes up. He could still refuse to hire her.

He stood with his hands on his lean hips and a disgruntled expression on his face. “What have I done to deserve this?”

She looked at him, squinting in the glare of the morning sun. “Maybe it’s a sign.”

“I don’t believe in signs.” He stalked to the truck. “I’ll just take you back to Austin myself.”

“Okay,” she said, trudging along beside him. “You can drop me off on a street corner somewhere.”

He stopped to frown at her. “I don’t think so.”

“A homeless shelter?”

A muscle flexed in his square jaw. “Stop fooling around, Mimi. Tell me your address.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “I assure you I’m completely serious. You may not want me to work for you, but you can’t force me to go home, either.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You’re trying to make me feel guilty. It won’t work.”

“I’m not trying to make you feel anything. I’m just telling you I won’t go home. Not yet.”

“Then when?”

She gave a slight shrug. “Maybe in about four weeks.”

He looked at the sky, but she couldn’t tell if he was contemplating hiring her or leaving her out here to the coyotes. Suddenly, she wanted more than a refuge from her problems. She wanted to get to know Garrett and his life out here. A life that was so different from her own.

Mimi heard him swear softly under his breath before he turned to face her. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You really want to hire on as my ranch hand?”

Her heart leaped. “I’ve always wanted to work outdoors.”

He shook his head. “Ranching isn’t some glamour job. And it’s nothing like what you’ve seen on television. It’s hard, dirty, exhausting work.”

“I’m not afraid of hard work.”

“How about ice storms? This January is looking to be worse than usual. And we work every day, rain or shine. I mean every day, no weekends or holidays off. During calving season, we take shifts and work through the night, too.”

“You’re trying to scare me. It won’t work.”

“I’m just telling you the facts of ranching life. You’ll get kicked by cows, stung by bees and definitely break every single one of those fancy fingernails. Ranching is tough for any woman. But for a city woman, it’s downright impossible.”

She arched a brow. “You have a pretty low opinion of me, don’t you, Garrett?”

He sighed. “It’s nothing personal. I just don’t have time to waste coddling a tenderfoot. This is a working ranch, not some vacation spot for bored debutantes.”

His words stung. “I’m not looking for a vacation. I expect to earn my keep. I’m just grateful you’re willing to give me a chance.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “Wait just a minute,” he began. “When did I offer to give you a chance?”

“Are you a gambling man, Garrett?”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Only when the odds are in my favor.”

She moved a step closer to him, the air crackling between them. Yesterday she’d blamed her initial attraction to him on exhaustion and nerves. But today she was drawn to him even more. His strength and vitality appealed to something primal inside her. Something that made her want to throw off the stuffy constraints of her upbringing and make him really see her. Make him believe she was a woman worthy of his respect.

She looked at him. “Let’s make a little wager. I’ll work here for three days. If I can keep up—”

“And keep out of trouble,” he interjected.

“Then you’ll let me stay.”

“But if you can’t keep up, then you’ll give me your address and let me take you home. Deal?”

Three days. She just hoped it was long enough to prove herself to him. Still, it wasn’t as if she had any options. “Deal.”

He smiled, obviously convinced he’d gotten the best of her. “Don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’re a woman. I’ll treat you like I’d treat any other ranch hand.”

She resisted the urge to do a little victory dance right in the middle of the road. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“And don’t be afraid to tell me when you’ve had enough. I can take you back at any time. You don’t have to stick it out for the whole three days.”

He was very confident. Alarmingly so. For one brief moment, Mimi wondered what exactly she’d gotten herself into. Then she shook off her qualms. Nothing could be as bad as facing her father and Paul.

Their betrayal still cut into her like a knife. A shiver ran through her when she realized how close she’d come to marrying Paul. Especially when her short time with Garrett had elicited a more intense physical reaction than she’d ever experienced with her fiancé.

“Second thoughts?” he asked, misinterpreting her silence.

“Not at all,” she replied, squaring her shoulders. “What do you want me to do first?”

He tipped up his cowboy hat. “Well, for starters, you could tell me your full name.”

“Banyon.” She improvised with only a moment’s hesitation. Her mother’s maiden name wasn’t nearly as recognizable as Casville. It also wasn’t in the Austin phone directory, just in case this was a trick and he planned to call every Banyon in Austin until he found one who would claim her.

She tilted her head at him. “And yours?”

“The name’s Lord. Garrett Lord.”

She held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to be working for you, Mr. Lord.”

He clasped her hand in his, and Mimi couldn’t ignore the warm tingle that shot up her arm. Then he smiled and said, “I think you’re in for a surprise, Miss Banyon.”

“Just remember, I get three days.”

His smile widened. “Mimi, you won’t even last one day.”

SHE BARELY LASTED one hour.

First, she stepped into a gopher hole, wrenched her ankle and landed in a fresh pile of cow manure. It only got worse after that. By dusk, her entire body ached from the arduous task of helping Garrett fix fence. It didn’t sound difficult, but it took muscle power to straighten fence posts and tighten barbed wire. Unfortunately, her one-day-a-week workouts at Austin’s trendiest fitness center hadn’t prepared her for life on the range.

“Ouch!” Mimi gasped as a razor-sharp barb on the wire fencing pricked her finger.

“There’s a pair of leather gloves in the truck cab,” Garrett informed her as he tightened the barbed wire with the wire stretchers.

“I’m fine,” she replied, feeling a little woozy as she watched blood ooze out of her thumb. She closed her eyes and hastily wiped her thumb on her jeans. No doubt it blended in well with the dirt and manure already staining them. If Garrett wasn’t yet having second thoughts about giving her free access to the clothes his sister Shelby had left here, he soon would be.

She was filthy from head to toe. He, on the other hand, looked wonderful. His faded blue denim jeans outlined his powerful legs and trim backside. Perspiration molded his white cotton shirt to his broad chest, delineating every well-defined muscle. The only dirt he’d collected was a fine layer of dust on his scuffed cowboy boots and a tiny smudge of mud on the side of his jaw.

She was staring again. When he looked up and caught her gaze, something hot and sweet uncoiled inside her. She liked his mouth and found herself wondering how it would feel against hers. If he kissed her, the dark whiskers shading his jaw would scrape against her skin. She swallowed at the imagined sensation.

“How about some water?” he asked, his voice slightly husky.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. When he brought her the jug, she took a long drink of the icy water.

“The sun’s hot today,” he said, removing his cowboy hat and wiping his forearm over his brow.

Not quite as hot as her employer, Mimi thought, handing over the jug. Then she turned her attention to the fence, where she inadvertently snagged her thumb on another razor-sharp barb. “Ouch!”

Garrett lowered the jug from his mouth, moisture glistening on his lower lip. “Our deal didn’t include you acting like a martyr. Go put those gloves on.”

“Don’t worry about me, Garrett.” She looked away from him, wiping her thumb on the back of her jeans. From now on she needed to pay more attention to her work and less to her boss. “I may be a city girl, but I’m tougher than I look.”

He shook his head, then surveyed the length of fence. “Looks as if we’re done here for today, anyway.”

With an inward sigh of relief, Mimi walked toward the pickup truck, trying her best not to limp. She climbed into the cab, every joint in her body protesting the movement. All she wanted now was a long, hot bubble bath, followed by a warm, soft bed.

Garrett opened the driver’s door, and Hubert jumped in ahead of him. The little dog pranced across the bench seat, then lay down with his head on Mimi’s thigh.

She lightly petted the dog with her sore fingers. “Where did you find Hubert?”

“Actually, he found me,” Garrett said as the pickup roared to life. “Someone decided they didn’t want him anymore and dumped him off in the country. He was skinny as a hickory stick by the time he finally wandered onto the ranch.”

“But he’s such a sweet dog. I can’t believe anyone would dump him on purpose.”

“Believe it,” he said. “Some people seem to labor under the stupid illusion that just because he’s an animal, a dog can survive in the wild. They don’t realize that he’s never learned to hunt for food and water. Or that there are predators out here, like coyotes, just waiting for an easy kill.”

“So you saved him?”

Garrett kept his eyes on the gravel road. “I fed him, and he decided to stick around. He’s not the best cow dog in Texas, but he tries hard.”