The Millionaires' Club: David, Clint & Travis

With a groan he finished showering and toweled off, dressing in clean jeans and a fresh T-shirt, moving automatically, lost in thoughts about his nanny.

He wanted Marissa in his arms, in his bed. The thought revved up his temperature another notch and erotic images tormented him even though common sense told him that he would never get her into his bed without some promise of marriage. And that wasn’t going to happen.

He thought about Ellen Drake, whom he had dated some since being home again. She was amusing, lighthearted, sophisticated, and she didn’t take things seriously. Ellen wanted to have a good time and to be seen in the proper places with the proper people. He suspected Marissa didn’t give a fig about such things. He ought to forget Marissa before he found himself caught in a sticky mess with a weepy female.

Memories still too hot to handle rushed into his mind and he knew he couldn’t just forget Marissa or ignore her. He wanted to persuade her to go out with him, which he suspected would not be an easy task.

A saint was what she said she wanted. Well, he wasn’t one. But since he had no intentions of getting deeply involved, why should it matter?

Marissa was ruining his sleep as effectively as Autumn had her first night with him. He’d thought he would have long, peaceful nights. Now every night, sleep eluded him, and he wasn’t thinking clearly during the day. Females! Get a grip, he told himself. She was just a pretty face. If she went out with him, fine. If she didn’t, fine. Two weeks ago he hadn’t even known Marissa Wilder existed. Forget her.

“Right,” he grumbled aloud, trying to ignore his eagerness to spend the coming evening with her.

All evening Marissa kept him at arm’s length and David had another miserable, sleepless night. Tuesday he was up before dawn, putting on coffee,

When he heard Autumn crying, he fixed a bottle and headed toward Marissa’s room. He knocked lightly on the closed door and heard her cheerful voice call for him to come in.

“Good morning,” he said, swinging open the door. His gaze swiftly took in her jeans and red T-shirt that clung to her delectable figure. She looked as refreshed as if she had slept around the clock, but she had reacted intensely to their kisses, so he knew there had to be some effect. When he looked into her lively brown eyes, his body temperature rose.

“’Morning, David,” she said happily. “Thanks for getting Autumn’s bottle ready. I’ll feed her in the kitchen.”

He handed Marissa the bottle, aware of their hands brushing, wanting to wrap his arms around her and take up where they left off yesterday. Instead, he trailed into the kitchen after her and asked what she wanted for breakfast.

While Marissa was busy feeding Autumn, he left, heading for her bedroom, where he crossed to the closet to quickly peek at the size in one of her dresses and to look at a pair of her shoes. Before leaving the room, he paused a moment, glancing around the bedroom that had been a guest room all his life and a room he barely recognized now. Gertie kept the house tidy and spotless and that was the way David had always known it. Not so any longer.

The bedroom was filled with Marissa’s possessions: everything from two pots of blooming begonias to books, from makeup to a clock. Pictures of her family adorned the dresser. He picked up a picture of a smiling couple and decided they must be her parents even though they looked younger than he would have guessed. Hats were hung on the bedposts and he could picture her in the Bo-Peep dress again. This room fit more with that image. He smiled and left, wondering if Gertie would be in a huff. He might have to pay her a little extra for dealing with Marissa.

When he returned to the kitchen, Marissa was sitting in the rocker with Autumn. While she fed the baby, he called his foreman, Rusty Bratton, to tell him that he wouldn’t see him today. They talked about ranch matters for a while and then David replaced the receiver.

“You’re not staying here to help me with Autumn, are you?” Marissa asked. “If you are, you don’t need to.”

“Nope.” He poured a cup of coffee and crossed the room to sit near them. He tried to keep from staring at Marissa, but he liked looking at her. Her hair was tied behind her head with a red ribbon, and he wanted to go untie the ribbon, and run his fingers through her silky hair.

She had put him off last week about a Saturday night date. He wasn’t going to let that happen again.

“I’m going to town, so give me a list of anything you need or anything I should get for Autumn,” he said.

“I’ll do that before you go. I’d like you to pick up a Chutes and Ladders board game if it’s convenient. My nephew Mitch will have his fourth birthday soon.”

“Sure, that’s an easy one,” he replied, still thinking more about running his hands through her hair than the day ahead of him. “Get your list. I’m going to make some phone calls before I go,” he said, and left the room before he did reach for her.

Less than an hour later, dressed in jeans, boots, a shearling jacket and a broad-brimmed Western hat, David left, glancing back over his shoulder to see Marissa standing at the window, holding Autumn close to her shoulder. She waved and he returned the wave.

In town after he had run his errands, David stopped by the hospital to talk to whomever was guarding Jane Doe. On Jane Doe’s floor, nurses passed David with soft steps while farther down the hall, a door wheezed shut. He saw a familiar jeans-clad figure at the end of the hall. Clint nodded in greeting and came toward David.

David shook hands with Clint. “I had to come into town and I thought I’d stop to see if there’s any change.”

“Nothing,” Clint replied, glancing at his watch. “Ryan will relieve me soon. And I talked to Alex and he still hasn’t come up with any significant leads on her identity or the money. The police don’t have anything on the missing persons list, either, that fits her description. No change. No progress.”

“Damn, that’s bad.”

“How’s the baby?” Clint asked.

“She’s fine. She likes her nanny and vice versa, so no problem there. So there’s nothing?”

“There was one little incident that might not have anything to do with Jane Doe,” Clint said, rocking back on his heels with his hands jammed into his pockets.

“What was that?” David asked.

“Ryan was on watch in the early hours of the morning today. He went to the pop machine and was out of sight of her door for maybe less than a minute because it’s right down there a few yards,” Clint said, pointing behind David. “When he stepped back into the hall, a man was almost to her door. When Ryan appeared, the guy turned and left in a hurry.” Clint shrugged. “It may mean something and it may have been sheer coincidence. Had it happened in the middle of the day, Ryan wouldn’t have thought anything of it.”

“If someone who’s searching for her has found where she is,” David said, “that’s not good news, either.”

“I agree with you, but we may be jumping to the wrong conclusion.”

“Under the circumstances, you guys take care,” David urged, glancing down the hall and seeing nurses and aides bustling in and out of hospital rooms. Two visitors strolled along the hall, looking at room numbers and disappearing into a room.

“We’ll be careful and we’ll keep watch over her,” Clint promised.

“Can I do anything?”

“Nothing besides taking care of the woman’s baby,” Clint replied. “That’s enough.”

“I’m heading back to the ranch now. I hope something changes here or someone learns something. Our Jane Doe didn’t just come out of a void. Someone must be searching for her. Someone must know her.”

“Yeah, there may be a lot of someones.”

David nodded and left, striding through the hospital and to his car with an uneasy feeling. The minute he stepped outside, he looked at his surroundings. His skin crawled as if he were being watched, yet he knew that was probably a foolish feeling. Still, his basic instincts about danger had protected him often in the past.

He sat behind the wheel of the car and waited, his gaze searching the hospital grounds and parking lot as he watched for anything unusual. People came and went in the most ordinary way. Finally he switched on the ignition and left.

It was late afternoon when David returned home. Marissa was in the family room on the floor changing Autumn, who was lying on a blanket. As David passed the open door, he called a greeting. His arms were ladened with boxes, and for a few minutes she could hear him making more trips to his car and returning with sacks. Then Marissa heard him talking to Gertie in the kitchen.

Finally he came into the room, his green gaze meeting hers with the force of a blow. She was breathless, staring at him, reacting to nothing more than his gaze, but that was enough. The navy sweater and jeans complemented his black hair, and made him look very sexy.

Knowing she shouldn’t stare, Marissa turned to pick up Autumn. When she did, David crossed the room to take the infant from her. “Let me hold her for a little while. I missed both of you,” he said quietly.

“Did you get all your errands run?” she asked him, trying to ignore his remark about missing her. She smoothed her pale blue T-shirt into her jeans and then caught him watching her.

“Yes, and I got that game you wanted for your nephew,” he said, mentioning the game she had on her list.

“I can’t believe that you never played it,” she said, recalling their discussion earlier. “You don’t know some of the basic kid stuff. You didn’t know Bo-Peep. What kind of childhood did you have?”

“Maybe not your run-of-the-mill nursery-rhyme-filled one,” he said lightly, “but I had a childhood.”

“I’m beginning to doubt it. I need to get Autumn a bottle,” Marissa said, and David walked with her to the kitchen, which was filled with enticing smells from Gertie’s afternoon cooking. Marissa’s appetite had taken a nosedive, brought on by a running current of excitement over being near David, a condition she wished she could control.

“I’m through now,” Gertie said, shedding her apron and getting her coat. “The table is set, everything is dished up and covered and ready. I’ll go, unless you have anything else you’d like done before I leave.”

To David’s amusement, Gertie said all this to Marissa without once glancing in his direction. How had Marissa become the boss in his kitchen when he had been in charge here for years now?

“No, thanks so much,” Marissa said. “Anything else that you want, David?”

“Oh, no. Thanks, Gertie. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

In seconds, she was gone, cold air wafting in from the door being opened. David stepped to the door to watch her walk to her house. He studied his surroundings until he was satisfied everything was safe.

Autumn stirred and Marissa took the baby from him.

“It’s time for her to eat. If you’re hungry and don’t want to wait, go ahead without me.”

“I wouldn’t think of going ahead without you,” David drawled. “I’ve been looking forward to dinner with you all afternoon.”

“Oh, my!” she sighed, giving him a wide-eyed look that made David’s pulse jump. She reacted, all right. In spite of her protests and logic and caution, she responded to him. He drew a deep breath, glancing at Autumn and knowing they had to take care of the baby right now and flirting with Marissa had to wait.

“I’ll get her bottle ready,” he said, and left the room.

Marissa watched him, her heart racing over his words and the look in his eyes. Since yesterday, she had lectured herself to keep her guard up. Did she want another heartache like her divorce? She knew the answer to that one. I nstinct told her that David would never be into anything lasting and she knew she would never be into anything casual.

When David handed her a bottle for Autumn, Marissa sat in the rocker, settling the baby and watching her take her bottle. David moved around, turning on music, building a fire, finally sitting down near Marissa.

“While you were in town, did you find out anything about Autumn’s mother?” Marissa asked.

“I went by the hospital. Her condition hasn’t changed.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! Poor baby and poor Mommy,” Marissa said, tightening her arm slightly around Autumn, who was taking her bottle and watching Marissa with an intent stare.

“I don’t suppose they know any more about your Jane Doe’s identity,” Marissa said. “If they did, I’m sure you’d tell me.”

“That’s right. Every search is a dead end, and no one has popped up on missing persons lists who fits her description. It’s still a puzzle. She has to have family somewhere.”

“Maybe not. Not everyone does.”

He shrugged. “There are times and places I’ve been completely out of touch with my family, so if something had happened to me, no one who knows me would have learned about it for quite some time.”

“I don’t know how you did that kind of work. Or why.”

“Maybe to avoid the regular job that is waiting for me in Houston,” he replied, raking his fingers through his thick black hair. “When you’re young, right out of college, life looks different. At the time, I didn’t want to sit in an office day after day.”

“And you do now?”

“I’m resigned to it more than I was then.”

“Resigned?” she asked, surprised. “Why are you doing it if you don’t want to?”

“I’ve been aimed that direction all my life with a detour to the air force. Dad expects it of me, and there’s no big reason to disappoint him. That’s not my habit. I figure I’ll get used to it.”

“That’s a dutiful son,” she remarked, seeing another side to him. “It’ll be different from what you’ve been doing.” All the time he answered her, Marissa was aware of his rugged handsomeness. She probably should have avoided this job and David Sorrenson at all costs. But then she glanced down at Autumn in her arms, and warmth for the baby filled her. The job was fabulous pay and the baby was adorable. She should just guard her heart no matter how sexy he was.

“I pray your Jane Doe recovers soon so she can get her baby back. Autumn’s a wonderful little girl, David.”

“I’ll bet you say that about every baby you’ve taken care of,” he said, smiling at her.

She smiled in return. “I might have.”

Crossing the room to the wine rack, he held up a bottle. “Want to celebrate? Want a glass of wine?”

“Fine. After Autumn is fed and asleep. What on earth will we celebrate?”

“That you’ve become Autumn’s nanny.”

“Good enough,” Marissa responded, laughing, a tiny inner voice telling her that she should have refused the wine, should stop chitchatting with him, should keep this all business. Even as she argued mentally, her inner voice was losing the battle.

In the living area of the kitchen, David stoked the fire. Then he finished getting dinner on the table and took Autumn for a time until finally the baby was asleep and he put her to bed.

The moment he walked back through the kitchen door, his gaze met Marissa’s, making her breath catch. Watching her, he brought a glass of wine to her and held out his in a toast, his riveting gaze still on her. “Here’s to little Autumn coming into our lives.”

“That’s reason for us to celebrate, but I hope her mother recovers soon.”

“I do, too. But I’m glad we met,” he said, his voice lowering, giving her a thrill she knew she should be wary of.

David touched her glass lightly and watched her over the rim of his while he took a sip. She drank the red wine, thinking nothing could be as heady as the desire she saw in his green eyes.

“Ready to eat?” he asked in a coaxing voice, as if he were asking her something entirely different.

When she nodded, he took her glass, setting it on the table, and then held her chair for her, his hand grazing her shoulder lightly, yet a contact that she felt to her toes.

David sat facing her, and as she looked at him across the table, she remembered dreams of girlhood. Now here she was, living in his house, having dinner with him, and had exchanged passionate kisses with him. It’s just a temporary job, she reminded herself.

He passed her a platter with thick slices of roast beef. “Roast beef, potatoes and gravy are Gertie’s specialty. You’ve won her over. I’m not sure she remembers I live here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s just very friendly.”

“She was as thankful to get you as I was. I was too distraught the first day to remember my name.”

“I’m still surprised at that. A baby is simple.”

“Not to me. Where babies are concerned, I’m green as grass, as you well know by now.”

Marissa bit into tender roast and chewed. “This is delicious.” She tilted her head to study him, wondering about his life. “How come you don’t know Bo-Peep or the game I asked you to buy today? Did they keep you locked in the attic?”

“No. My mother died when I was a baby. I was raised by a very fine man who knew little about children and didn’t care to get to know much about them. He hired nannies and tutors and sent me to school and took care of my needs and I did what was expected of me, but there are big gaps in my childhood background. I didn’t do a lot of playing like some kids did.”

“You weren’t exactly lacking,” she said, glancing at his surroundings.

“We always had material things,” he said, shrugging, then continued. “Dad inherited money and made still more money, but I just kept quiet, did as I was told, and enjoyed myself in my own quiet way. I loved to read and play soccer and swim. I played tennis, too. Later, I played football. I kept busy, but whoever my nannies were in the early years, I guess they weren’t into cute games and nursery rhymes. There were so many of them, I can’t even remember them until I was about six. Gertie was always around, but she’s not into kids any more than my dad was. Still, she was good to me and slipped me treats whenever I wanted them.”

“What about other relatives?” she asked him, thankful she’d had the childhood she’d had, thinking about her sisters and her other relatives.

He shrugged. “I have my grandparents, who are not into kids, either. Even less than my dad. I suppose it’s passed from generation to generation.”

“Surely not!” Marissa exclaimed, her brows arching. “You’ve done quite well with Autumn.” She sipped her wine and took another bite of roast beef. “Don’t you want to marry and have a family?”

“With my career in Special Ops, I scratched marriage off the list when I went into danger. That’s no life for a married man.”

“I thought you were through with that now,” she pointed out, buttering a fluffy roll and taking a bite.

“I’m through with the military, but I’m older, set in my ways, and don’t know anything about a happy marriage or family life as you know it. I’ll probably stay single,” he replied, and Marissa wondered how many broken hearts he had left in his wake. “Maybe someday…” David said. He paused to eat and then said, “I’m getting the hang of baby care with Autumn. She’s a lovable little thing. Maybe I’m seeing her through your eyes.”

“No, you’re not! You haven’t known me that long.”

“You make your personality felt. When you were growing up, I’ll bet you played all sorts of games and had all sorts of kids around,” David said, watching her and imagining her life, which was a contrast to his.

“You’re right,” she said, giving him a dimpled smile. He touched her cheek.

“Your smile makes me want to smile.”

Marissa warmed to his words, but didn’t want to. As far as resisting him, on a scale of one to ten, she knew she was definitely one.

As they continued eating a long, leisurely dinner, they talked about their lives. She learned a little more about his background, listened to him talk glowingly about the ranch, and she realized he was a cowboy at heart and loved ranching.

She was unaware of time passing, but finally he pushed away from the table. “We’re finished, let’s move to the sofa.”

“We should clean this up.”

“That’s what I pay Gertie to do. Just leave everything and come here.” He held her chair and then took her arm, leading her to the sofa.

Too aware of his fingers lightly touching her arm, Marissa felt her heart race, and she had a silent argument with herself whether to sit down beside him or move away to a chair and keep some distance between them. While she debated, he stopped and faced her. “Now, close your eyes. I brought you a surprise today.”

Five

“A surprise for me?” Marissa asked, startled. “David, you barely know me!”

He framed her face with his hands and her heart thudded as she gazed up at him. “I intend to know you better,” he said, his honeyed voice escalating the reactions to him that she had already been having. His hands were warm on her face while his expression showed unmistakable desire. Her lips parted and she drew a deep breath, finding it difficult to get any air.

Torn with conflicting emotions, she caught his wrists. “This is a job. You’re my employer. David, we should keep this businesslike.”

“Give me one good reason,” he said quietly.

“So one of us doesn’t fall in love and get a broken heart.”

“Are you ready for a serious relationship?” he asked.

“No! That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” Marissa exclaimed. “I trusted my ex-husband completely, and he used me and broke that trust. He was unfaithful and I don’t think he ever intended to stay married. He was just waiting while I worked to help put him through medical school. Right now, I don’t want to get involved with anyone again.”

“I don’t, either,” David replied. “That makes us immune to hurts. Just relax and lighten up. You were hurt, you need to get out and live a little, and some of the hurt might go away.”

“You should be in sales,” she said dryly, wondering if he was more than barely listening to her. “That’s the argument of someone who’s never been hurt.”

“I’ve never been through divorce,” he admitted, “but you can’t shut yourself off from life. Not you. You’re too filled with life yourself to withdraw from the world.”

“Argue all you want,” she said with exasperation, too aware of his thumbs moving lightly on her cheeks. “I’ve had enough experience with getting hurt and I know what I’m talking about.”

“You’d think I’m getting ready to propose. This is no big deal. Relax and enjoy yourself. I don’t think you’ve done that for a long time. Now, close your eyes, Rissa,” he instructed softly.

The nickname was a lick of fire along her veins. No one had ever called her Rissa or any other nickname. Said in his husky voice, it was special, filling her with warmth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“I’ll be right back. Keep your eyes closed.”

She never heard him leave, realizing he could be very quiet when he wanted, but she knew when he stopped touching her. Why did she have such an intense reaction to the man? Why couldn’t she see him like she saw other men? Her excitement grew, more over David than over possibilities of a surprise. Why was he giving her a surprise? He had continually caught her off balance from the first moment she had looked across the counter into his green gaze.

“All right, open your eyes.” He stood in front of her holding a stack of boxes. “These are for you. Open the big one first,” he suggested. “Then the others make more sense.”

Conscious that he stood nearby watching her, she moved aside smaller boxes and lifted the lid on the largest box. Shuffling aside layers of tissue paper that crackled to the touch, she held up a lightweight black wool dress. It was slim, tailored and beautiful. “David, it’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed, and then realized all the implications.

“I can’t take this!” she gasped, turning to look at him. “This is a bribe, David Sorrenson!”

“Of course you can take it. It’s yours now. It’s not something I want,” he added dryly. “And it isn’t a bribe. It’s a gift.”

“You know I can’t take this. Sneaky and underhanded is what I’d call this,” she said, feeling as if she were drowning in his persistence and her own needs, knowing she was hurtling headlong into hurt with every moment they were together.