Mr Right?

“The Golden Nugget is a permanent fixture here. I’m not.”

At Mia’s words, Marshall’s spoon paused in mid-air as he frowned. “You’re not leaving soon, are you?”

His finger slid beneath her chin and lifted her face up to his. The serious look she saw on his handsomely carved features sent her heart into a heavy rapid thud.

“We’re just getting to know each other, Mia. I’d really like you to stay longer.”

His voice tugged at her every feminine particle. “I – uh – I’ll think about it.”

Suddenly his head was bending towards hers, and the whisper that passed his lips skittered down her spine.

“Maybe you should think about this.”

Longing held her motionless as his lips descended onto hers…

To my family –

the real golden nuggets in my life

STELLA BAGWELL

sold her first novel in November 1985. She still loves her job and says she isn’t completely content unless she’s writing. She and her husband live in Seadrift, Texas, a sleepy little fishing town located on the coastal bend, where the water, the tropical climate and the seabirds make it a lovely place to let her imagination soar and to put the stories in her head down on paper.

She and her husband have one son, Jason, who lives and teaches maths in nearby Port Lavaca.

Dear Reader,

I was thrilled when asked to do a MONTANA book, and when I learned the theme – striking it rich – I knew it was a subject that would touch everyone. After all, haven’t we all wondered what it would be like to win the lottery or fall into sudden fortune? Ahh, the things we could do with all that money. Shopping till we dropped. Travelling around the world. Indulging ourselves with anything and everything we’ve ever wanted. Sounds good, huh? Sounds like all our problems would be solved. Or so my heroine thinks.

After scratching her way through years of poverty, Mia believes money is all she needs to fix the troubles in her life. But when a fortune suddenly befalls her, she slowly and painfully begins to see that being rich in money is not nearly as great as being rich in love.

I hope you enjoy reading how Mia finds the real treasures in her life!

God bless you with life’s true riches,

Stella Bagwell

Mr Right?

STELLA BAGWELL

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Chapter One

Was this his lucky day or what?

Using the back of his arm, Marshall Cates wiped the sweat streaming into his eyes and peered a second time at the woman sitting on a boulder some twenty feet below. From his precarious position on the rock ledge, the only view he had was of a portion of her back, the long fall of her raven-black hair and her nipped-in waist; but those tempting glimpses were enough to tell him it was the heiress.

For the past three weeks every male employee at Thunder Canyon Resort had been talking and fantasizing about the mystery guest. So far Marshall had only gazed at her from afar and wondered what a beautiful young woman with money to burn was doing here alone in Thunder Canyon. True, the small western Montana town was growing in leaps and bounds and Thunder Canyon Resort, where he worked as staff doctor, was garnering a reputation for fine hospitality surrounded by scenic splendor. The clientele was becoming ritzy, flying in from all corners of the nation. Still, Marshall couldn’t help but figure a woman with her apparent class would rather be vacationing on the French Riviera than in the middle of a cowman’s paradise. The fact that she appeared to be here without an escort intrigued him even more.

This morning, Marshall had risen early, wondering what to do with his off-duty time. With his brothers and his buddies all tied up with other interests, he’d eventually decided to do something he loved, climbing, and had headed up one of the mountains near the resort. When he’d set out on this trek, he’d never dreamed that the chance to meet Ms. Heiress would present itself on the edge of a rocky bluff. Since he’d only ever spotted her lounging around the lodge, he hadn’t figured her for a nature girl.

Quickly, he rappelled the last few feet of the layered rock until his boots hit solid ground. Once there, he gathered up his climbing equipment and left his ropes, rings and anchors in a neat pile with his backpack.

As Marshall walked over to the woman he noticed she was sitting near an opening in the trees, looking out toward the endless valley that swept away from the mountain range. The view was majestic, especially to someone who’d never seen the landscape before. But this woman didn’t appear to be enjoying the scenery; she was deep in thought. So much so that she was completely unaware of his presence.

Fearing his approach might scare her so badly she’d fall from the boulder, he stopped ten feet from her and called out.

“Hello there.”

The moment she heard his voice, her head whipped around and her palms flattened against the rock in preparation to push herself to her feet. Surprise was etched upon her parted lips and wide eyes, telling him she’d definitely believed herself to be totally alone on this particular piece of mountain. She was dressed in khaki shorts that struck her mid-thigh, a pale pink T-shirt that hugged her breasts and sturdy brown hiking boots. Her hair hung like shiny satin against her shoulders.

An enchanting princess sitting on her throne, he thought, as he felt every male particle in him begin to buzz with excitement.

“Sorry if I scared you,” Marshall went on before she could gather herself enough to speak. “I saw you sitting here and thought I’d say hello.”

Slowly, warily, she eased her bottom back on the boulder and her dark eyes carefully monitored his movements as he came to stand a few feet beside her. Marshall wondered if he really looked that sinister. It was an odd thought for a doctor who’d taken an oath to save lives, not harm them. But Ms. Heiress didn’t know him and he supposed she was wise not to trust a strange man out in the wilderness.

Finally, she returned his greeting with a faint nod of her regal head. “Hello.”

Spoken quietly, that one word was clear and without a hint of accent, giving little clue as to where she might live. However, it did tell Marshall that she’d not traveled up to Thunder Canyon from a Southern state.

Giving her the sort of smile he reserved for skittish female patients, he asked, “Enjoying the warm weather?”

Actually, it had been downright hot. Not an unusual occurrence for August, but it would take a native like himself to know the nuances of Thunder Canyon climate and right at this moment he wasn’t ready to let this beautiful sophisticate know he was a born-and-bred local. She might just snub her straight little nose at him and walk off, and he was too curious about the woman to take that chance.

“Very much,” she quietly replied.

Marshall took two steps forward, all the while feeling her dark eyes gliding over him, weighing him as though she were trying to decide if he was worthy of conversation. The idea irked Marshall just a bit. Especially since he was accustomed to women smiling warmly at him, not studying him like a bug on a leaf.

“The view is beautiful from here,” she suddenly went on. “The sky seems to go on forever and I was thinking about hanging around to see the sunset this evening, but I suppose being caught out here in the dark wouldn’t be wise.”

At least the woman had a little common sense to go with all that beauty, he thought, as his gaze covertly slid down a pair of long shapely legs. Her skin was slightly kissed by the sun and the warm gleam told him it would be butter smooth beneath his hand.

Trying not to dwell on that pleasant thought, he shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t recommend being here on the mountains after dark. Black bears and mountain lions are spotted in this area from time to time. You wouldn’t want to meet up with any of those.”

Glancing at the forest surrounding them, she said, “I’ve noticed the warnings signs on the hiking trails and read the information posted in the lodge.” She lifted one hand and shook a bracelet adorned with sleigh bells. “Just to be safe I wore a bear bracelet. I was told the sound would scare the creatures away.”

“So they say.” He didn’t go on to tell her that as a teenager he’d had his own run-in with a black bear and that the sow had refused to back down until his brother had shot a round from his hunting rifle over the angry animal’s head. Scaring the woman would hardly be the way to entice her into further conversation.

To Marshall’s surprise, she suddenly climbed down from the rock and stood within an arm’s length from him. The short distance was enough to give him a clear view of her face. High rounded cheekbones, a dainty dimpled chin and full lips were perfectly sculpted out of creamy skin. Her eyes, which appeared dark from a distance, were actually a blend of earthy green and brown, outlined by a thick fringe of jet-black lashes. Above them, delicate brows of the same color arched into a smooth, wide forehead. At the moment, the corners of her pink lips were curved faintly upward and Marshall could hardly tear his gaze away.

“You’ve been mountain climbing?” she asked, her gaze sweeping past him to the mound of equipment he’d left beneath the rocky bluff.

“Since this morning,” he answered. “I didn’t make it all the way to the top, but far enough for a good workout.”

Her gaze pulled back to him and he could feel it sliding over his sweaty face and down to the damp patch in the middle of his black T-shirt. Normally when a woman looked at him, Marshall didn’t give it a second thought. But Ms. Heiress was studying him in a way that left him close to blushing. Something he hadn’t done since his sophomore year in high school.

“I hiked up this far, but when I ran into the rock bluff I realized this would be as far as I could go,” she said a bit wistfully. “Is this something you do often?”

His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes and exposed a mouthful of snow-white teeth. “You mean, find a beautiful woman up in the mountains?”

The faint flare of her nostrils said she didn’t appreciate his flirty question and Marshall inwardly sighed. He should have known the woman would be cool. Rich, pampered women usually were. The words friendly and down-to-earth probably weren’t in her vocabulary.

“No. I mean rock climbing,” she said a bit curtly.

“Oh. Well, actually I do quite a bit of climbing and hiking. Along with biking and kayaking. Once the snow leaves the slopes, that is.”

She looked faintly interested and Marshall felt momentarily encouraged. Maybe the woman was approachable after all.

“You obviously like outdoor sports,” she said.

“Yeah. Skiing is my first love. I could do that every day of the year. But of course, my wallet would get pretty empty if I didn’t work once in a while,” he added with a grin.

Like the flip of a light switch, her back went ramrod straight and her lips compressed to a tight line. Her gaze shifted from him to a magpie squawking from a branch on a nearby spruce tree. Apparently she preferred the bird’s talk to his.

After a moment, she asked in a cool tone, “Or find a willing woman to pay for your sporting games.”

Stunned by this abrupt change in her, Marshall stared at her profile. She might look like an exotic princess, but that didn’t mean he was going to let himself be insulted. Hadn’t she ever heard of a joke?

“I beg your pardon?” he asked.

Her head swiveled back around and she stared down her straight little nose at him. “Oh, come on, I’m sure you do this all the time. Strike up innocent conversations with single women, turn on the charm and eventually get your hand in their pocketbook. Isn’t that the way your game is played?”

So she thought he was after her money. Marshall was so incensed he would have very much liked to turn her over his knee and whack that pretty little bottom of hers until she apologized. But he wasn’t about to use caveman tactics on a woman. She’d probably miss the point of a spanking anyway.

“Sorry, Ms.—uh—Smith, isn’t it? Mia Smith?”

A mixture of surprise and suspicion suddenly crossed her face. “How do you know my name?”

“I’m Marshall Cates—the staff doctor for Thunder Canyon Resort. I’ve heard your name mentioned by some of the other staffers. And in case you didn’t know, there are people, like me, who can make it just fine in life without a pile of riches. My salary easily takes care of my wants. I certainly don’t need a woman to take care of me financially,” he added coolly.

Completely stunned now, Mia stared at the man standing a few steps away. She’d assumed he was also a guest at the resort. She’d jumped to conclusions and figured he’d heard she was a single woman with money and thought she would probably be an easy prey to his good looks. To learn that he was a doctor at the resort—no doubt a well-to-do one—both rattled and embarrassed her.

Hot color washed across her face as her fingertips flew up to press against her lips. Too bad she hadn’t kept them shut earlier, she thought. No telling what the man was thinking of her.

“Oh, I—I’m sorry, Dr. Cates. I don’t know what else to say.” Glancing away from him she let out a loud, inward groan. Why couldn’t she do anything right anymore? Is that what inheriting money had done to her? Turned her into a mistrustful snob?

Drawing in a deep, bracing breath, she turned her gaze back to him and once again felt the jolt of the man’s presence. He wasn’t just a good-looking guy in a pair of sweaty shorts and T-shirt. He was so masculine that she could almost feel the sexuality seeping from him. Waves of coffee-brown hair naturally streaked by the sun were tousled around his head. Eyes the color of a chocolate bar peered at her from beneath thick, hooded brows. A straight nose flared slightly over a pair of lips that at the moment were compressed into a tight, angry line. A faint shadow of evening stubble covered a strong jaw and a chin that jutted proudly forward, telling her more about his personality than his words.

At the moment he appeared to be waiting for her to explain the meaning of her insulting comments and she supposed he deserved that much from her. Yet how could she really explain without telling the man things about her that she didn’t want anyone to know?

“I thought— I took it for granted that you were a guest, Dr. Cates, and I was afraid— Well, you see I’ve had to deal with the problem of men…approaching me for financial reasons.” Her features crumpled with remorse. “I’m sorry I was so quick to misjudge you. Please accept my apology.”

He continued to study her with a guarded eye and Mia realized he was weighing her words and her sincerity. She couldn’t blame him for that. Even so, she didn’t know why his opinion of her should matter so much. She wasn’t at Thunder Canyon Resort to find herself a man, even a respectable man like Dr. Cates. In fact, she’d run almost blindly to this area of Montana, hoping that no one from her past would be able to follow. She’d come here seeking peace and privacy, nothing more.

“I’m curious, Ms. Smith. Just exactly what is it about me that made you think I was a gigolo?”

More hot color washed up her neck and over her face and her gaze dropped guiltily to the toes of her hiking boots. “There wasn’t— You don’t look like a gigolo, Dr. Cates. I guess it was that flirty line about finding a beautiful woman in the mountains that set my alarm bell off.”

She glanced up to see the doctor folding his arms across his chest while studying her with curious amusement.

“I’m sure a woman like you runs into flirty men on a daily basis. I hope you don’t insult them all the way you just did me.”

So he wasn’t going to make this easy for her, Mia thought. Well, it didn’t matter. She had apologized to him. He could accept her offer or not. Either way, she’d probably never see the man again.

Stifling a sigh, she reached up and shoved back a strand of hair being tossed about by a lazy wind. “Look, Dr. Cates, I’ve apologized. There’s not much more I can say.”

He grinned at her in much the same way that he had earlier and, in spite of the rigid resistance she’d been trying to hold onto, she felt herself drawn to the man.

He said, “Except that you’ll walk down the mountain with me.”

His offhand invitation took her by surprise. Even though that flirty smile of his was aimed straight at her, she wasn’t expecting him to take this meeting between them a step further. And though her first instinct was to withdraw and tell him she preferred her privacy, the feminine side of her was intrigued and flattered by his overture.

“That is,” he added, “if you are ready to leave the mountain. I wouldn’t want to rush you away from this spot. Not after the laboring hike it took to get up here.”

The idea that he appreciated her physical effort to climb to this particular shelf of the mountain warmed her even more and she found herself smiling back at him.

“It was quite a trek for me to make it this far,” she admitted. Twisting around, she bent down and picked up a small backpack lying at the base of the boulder. As she shouldered it on, she said, “But I am ready to go. The sun is beginning to dip.”

“Great,” he said with a smile. “Just let me get my things and we’ll head down the trail together.”

Mia followed him over to the rock ledge and waited while he shoved his climbing equipment into a vary large backpack. After he’d secured the straps over his shoulders, he gestured toward the direction of the trail.

“Shall we go?”

Nodding, Mia fell in step with him and was immediately staggered by his nearness. Since less than a foot separated their shoulders, she was close enough to pick up the faint spicy scent of cologne mingled with sweat, an odor that was extremely masculine, even erotic. And for the first time in ages, Mia found her senses distracted by a man.

“I guess getting outdoors is a nice break from working in an office,” she commented as they picked their way down the rocky trail.

“I’d go crazy if I couldn’t get out and do something physical,” he told her. “But I do enjoy being a doctor.”

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Looking at his lean body, Mia could plainly see he got plenty of strenuous exercise. His arms and legs were roped with hard muscles.

“Are you a general practitioner?”

A hint of amusement grooved his cheeks and Mia couldn’t help but wonder about his odd reaction to her question. Did he think being a general practitioner was a joke? She hated to think he was one of those specialists that went around with their nose up in the air.

“No. There’s not much need for one of those at the resort. I specialize in sports medicine. Twisted ankles, broken bones, strained muscles and pulled tendons. We have lots of skiers and hikers here.”

For some reason, she could easily imagine him examining a blond ski bunny’s strained leg. She’d bet a pile of money that the majority of his patients were female. But she wasn’t about to suggest such a thing to Dr. Cates. She’d already stuck one foot in her mouth this afternoon. Mia wasn’t about to try for a second.

“What about sniffles and fever? Can you treat those, too?”

He tossed her a wide grin. “Sure I can. Why? You’re not feeling ill, are you?”

Her nostrils flared at his suggestive question. “I feel very well, thank you. I was just wondering about those guests that might get colds or tummy aches.”

He chuckled and Mia realized she liked the warm husky sound that rolled easily past his lips. It said he was happy with himself and his life. She was envious. Desperately envious.

“Well, wonder no more, Ms. Smith. I can do what any general practitioner can do, plus a little more.”

The teeny thread of arrogance in his voice was just enough to give him an air of confidence rather than conceit. And she realized she liked that about him, liked the self-assurance he possessed. If only she could be that sure of her own abilities and decisions, she thought wistfully. Maybe then she could step out and begin to live again, instead of hiding herself here in Thunder Canyon.

“If that’s the case, the resort must be getting a lot for their money.”

He chuckled again. “I like to think so.”

The trail suddenly turned a bit steep and treacherous, forcing them to focus on their steps rather than their conversation. But despite her best effort, Mia’s boots slipped on the loose gravel.

Her arms were flailing about, snatching for any sort of bush to help her regain her balance, when she felt the doctor’s arm wrap around her waist and his strong hand grip the side of her waist.

“Careful now,” he said in a steadying voice. “I’ve got you.”

Breathing deeply from the physical scramble to stay upright, she tucked her long hair behind her ears and darted a grateful glance at his face.

“Thanks,” she murmured between quick breaths. “I…almost went over head first.”

Their gazes collided and Mia felt as though everything around them were slowing to a crawl. Except for her heart, which suddenly seemed to be going at breakneck speed, pumping hot blood straight to her face.

“It would be a steep tumble from here,” he said, his voice husky. “I’m glad that didn’t happen.”

His brown eyes left hers and began to glide over her face as though they were fingers reverently touching a beautiful flower. The idea so unsettled Mia that she nervously swallowed and looked away from him.

Tall, pungent spruce along with white-barked aspen grew right to the edge of the hiking trail. The branches blocked out the sun, making it appear later in the evening than it really was and leaving Mia feeling as though the two of them were cocooned in their own little world. She wasn’t ready for that much togetherness with a man who took her breath away each time she looked at him.

“Uh, we should be going,” she quickly suggested. “The shadows are getting longer.”

“Let me go first so I can help you down this rough patch,” he told her.

To her relief he released his hold on her waist and carefully eased down the path a few feet in front of her. Once he found solid footing, he reached a hand up to her.

“Take my hand. I don’t want you to fall.”

She could have sat on her rump and scooted down the washed out part of the trail, but that would have been a little humiliating to do in front of a man who climbed mountains. Besides, he was only watching out for her safety, not merely trying to find an excuse to touch her, she told herself.

Leaning forward, she latched her fingers around his and with a firm grip he steadied her as she maneuvered over the last few treacherous steps.

“Thanks,” she told him. “I’ve got to admit I was dreading going over this area again. I had to practically crawl on my way up.”

He nodded. “I think this washout needs to be reported. The resort has maintenance people for repairing just this sort of thing. It might save a guest from a bad injury.”

Mia suddenly realized he was still holding her hand and she was letting him.

Feeling like a naive teenager, she disengaged her fingers from his and carefully stepped around him. To her relief, he didn’t try to delay her. Instead, he followed a few steps behind her.

She was trying hard to focus on the trail and the birds flittering among the limbs of the aspens, rather than the man behind her, when his voice suddenly sounded again.

“Are you a Montana native?”

His question put her on instant alert. If his questions grew too personal she didn’t know how she could evade them without coming off as snobbish.