Unbridled Billionaire

He shook his head, ignoring her question while he worked out the puzzle in his head, well aware his silence would be intimidating in and of itself. What was happening to him? First his earlier anger. Now he was contemplating...what?

Blackmail?

Sure, that would get him a long way toward acting on this attraction, toward finding out what was beneath Presley’s loose dress. Not. The sudden idea that popped full-blown into his head was very naughty. As if reading his thoughts, Presley leveled a suspicious gaze squarely in his direction. Kane relied on his instincts, but he wasn’t usually quick to act. He thought things through, weighed the consequences, made plans. Impulsiveness was more Mason’s style.

Not tonight.

This was too delicious an opportunity. “I’ll need you to fix this for me—”

“I would think good and hard before you try to force me into anything inappropriate,” she interrupted.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that.” Kane let his deceptively soothing tone confuse her while he, too, slipped beneath the horse’s neck to invade her safe spot. She stiffened even more.

Apparently she didn’t like that at all...

Or did she? This close, he couldn’t miss the uptick in her pulse at the base of her delicate throat or the way her tongue peeked out and slid slowly over her parted pink lips. He also caught the dip of her gaze to his fitted dress pants and button-down shirt before quickly returning to his face with a flash of guilt darkening her eyes.

Surely it wasn’t terrible to use that interest to his every advantage? Selfish, maybe. He wouldn’t let that sway him. “But I do think we will be getting to know each other very, very well.”

“What?” The squeak in her voice and the hot blush that rushed into her cheeks told Kane he’d struck a nerve.

“Macarthur.” He stepped closer, herding her toward the wall. “I recognize your name, Presley. Your stables, your family.” He had a feeling his grin was not putting her at ease. “So does everyone else in the state, and beyond.”

“So?”

Ah, he loved that breathless tone. “So, if we were together, it would put your seal of approval on Harrington stables.”

“Together?”

Her voice was high and nervous. He propped one of his hands on the slatted wall above her shoulder. Had he reduced her to a one-word wonder? The thought made him grin even more. His proximity threw her off, and she seemed to squirm under his direct attention. And not in fear, which made the knowledge a delicious treat.

“Presumably together,” he qualified. “As in, give the impression that we have a thing going.” At her frown, he pushed farther. “Let everyone think we’re lovers.”

Suddenly, the beauty before him shut down. “Um, no.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I’m pretty sure I can think of another way to endorse your stables.”

But that wasn’t what he wanted. Not anymore. “Without sounding like you’re being forced to?”

“Better than I could pretend to be your...ugh...”

“Lover?” Kane was getting the feeling that personal topics made Miss Macarthur very uncomfortable.

“Absolutely not.”

Kane stepped back, palms out in a hands-off gesture. “Okay. We can simply tell them the real story instead. How your stepmother tried to swindle me out of an incredible amount of money—”

“She did not.” Presley planted her fists on her hips, with the unintended effect of pulling her dress tighter over her body, giving him a glimpse of firm curves that set off interesting sparks in his brain.

Presley was oblivious. “She simply...well...”

“What?” Kane challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. “Made a mistake with a million-dollar horse that didn’t belong to her?”

The expressions of indecision and ultimate acceptance that played out on Presley’s face in that moment told Kane a hell of a lot about the woman before him. He knew plenty of men and women alike who would have thrown their hands up and declared the situation not of their making, so they weren’t taking any responsibility. Not Presley. She could have thrown her stepmother to the fishes, but instead she tilted her chin and asked, “Exactly what expectations are we talking about here?”

Well, since he’d just thought this up on the fly, he wasn’t sure. “We can discuss that.”

“Now’s as good a time as any.” She moved to mimic his stance, crossing her arms beneath a surprisingly abundant chest.

He was beginning to see that this was a woman of contradictions. Soft woman. Smart woman. Hard worker. Astute business manager. Timid on an interpersonal level. Which of these was the truest part of Presley Macarthur? The puzzle had his full attention, and it was the first time he’d been drawn away from his goals since—he didn’t want to think about that.

“I already planned to spend a substantial amount of time making the social rounds over the next racing season,” Kane said, softening his tone. He could afford to ease up when his instincts told him he was about to get what he wanted. “You could accompany me—”

“As in a date?”

He quickly suppressed a smirk. It wouldn’t help to appear pompous. “Quite a few dates, actually. You can introduce me around, engage me in conversations that help showcase my business—”

“All while making you look like a stud yourself.”

“If you underestimate the value of personal connections, you haven’t been in this business long enough.”

Despite being much younger than him—he’d guess almost ten years—he could see she understood. She knew how this industry operated. Potential customers wanted to work with people they knew, people who had already been vetted and accepted.

“We will attend together, and if I’m satisfied at the end of the season, all will be forgiven.”

“No,” she said, to his surprise, as she caught him in that narrow gaze once more. “Seems to me you’d be getting a lot of value for very little effort on your part.”

“Is there something else you’d like me to...offer?”

“Yes. A ten percent discount on your refund.”

Kane waited, almost amused at the vibration of energy holding her taut. What would that much emotion feel like? Taste like?

“Attending a bunch of events is going to cost me a good bit—of time and money. I think it’s only fair to be compensated since you are the one getting the positive publicity.”

Kane nodded slowly as he thought. He could afford to be generous at this point. “I think a consultation fee would be even more than that. Let’s make it forty percent.”

Those green eyes widened, which made Kane want to chuckle. Obviously she hadn’t expected him to be so generous, but the facts were: he had more money than he knew what to do with and he wanted to spend more time with this woman. No matter what it cost him.

“But you will pretend to be my lover.”

This time her protest was clear in her expression. He cut her off before she could speak. “No one is going to care about your endorsement if they know you’ve been paid to give one. And lovers touch. So this is part of the deal. Take it or leave it.”

“Then one other condition,” she said, holding her finger up in warning—as if that would ever hold him back. “You keep your hands to yourself.”

“I’ll keep my hands to myself, except when necessary.”

“You mean when you think it’s necessary?” Her disgusted tone told him just how she felt about his caveat.

She was a smart one. Considering the volatile extremes of this encounter, Kane wondered just how long that condition would last.

Or how long he’d be able to talk himself into obeying it. “But Presley, you are welcome to touch me any time you see fit.”

* * *

“Since I’m being so generous,” Kane said before Presley had a chance in hell of processing everything that had happened in the last half hour, “I propose we go into the house and get started.”

“What?” Yeah, processing was not her strong suit at the moment. Which she didn’t like. Being in control meant a lot to her.

“If you want to take Sun home tonight, there’s no time like the present.”

Why did his arrogant expression make her want to both smack him and rub the pad of her thumb along the arch of his raised eyebrow?

“Once we’ve made an appearance, I’ll even make sure he gets properly loaded myself.”

He gave her clothes a once-over. She’d come dressed to fit in with the party crowd, even though she had no intention of setting foot in the house. The irony wasn’t lost on her. Kane thought he’d gained a sidekick who would give him an entrée into the tightest circles of racing society.

What would happen when he found out Presley was far from a social butterfly?

Large groups of people made her break out in hives. She’d only attended parties when her father insisted and usually spent the time doing her best wallflower impression. The men who constantly called her for advice and dropped by the stables to ask about their mares’ latest ailments seemed to grow blinders the minute she slipped into a dress.

Not that she could blame them. Formal clothes looked bad on her and made her uncomfortable. Still, she was well enough known now that plenty of people would drop by her corner to talk business. But the endless conversations about horses dried up when prettier women entered the picture, making parties a minefield Presley had no ability or desire to navigate.

Maybe Kane wouldn’t realize that until she had Sun safely home...

“Shall we?”

Kane graciously waved a hand to indicate she should precede him out of the stall. But Presley had now had an up-close encounter with the power and stubbornness behind the manners. They might have an agreement, but one look into his dark eyes told her he’d release the information about her stepmother and ruin her if she didn’t cooperate.

A wolf tended to hide behind the good ol’ boy facade here in the South.

She picked her way out of the stall, taking care not to dirty her sandals. The soothing cocoon of familiarity she always felt in the presence of animals immediately disappeared as she slipped into the wide alley that cut through the stables. As she passed Kane, she was once more impressed with his height; she barely reached his chest.

What little she knew of the Harrington brothers had come from local gossip after they had taken over the manor, and then it had mostly covered Mason. Kane hadn’t moved here full-time until very recently, and lived in his own home in the historic district downtown. According to the gossip mill, he had yet to hook up with anyone, but that wasn’t for lack of trying on the ladies’ parts. More than a few were eager to take Kane for a test drive.

Which meant Presley would not be their favorite person. Her steps slowed as she came back to the major flaw in his plan: she was not the best person to help Kane gain acceptance. And though she’d never admit it in a million years, the thought of this virile, astute man seeing just how inadequate she was in this situation had her cheeks burning already.

But she also couldn’t let her reputation be ruined because of her stepmother’s greed and ineptitude.

When she got close to the main door of the stables, Presley let her trepidation bring her to a full halt. Kane got a little ahead of her, then paused. He threw a look over his shoulder that seemed to ask what the problem was. How could he say so much with just a look? She had the feeling time spent with Kane Harrington would not be filled with idle chitchat.

Which would be a welcome prospect after endless hours of it with her stepmother.

Shoot! She’d forgotten her stepmother had spent all week expounding on what an event the Harrington’s open house would be, which meant Marjorie would be a witness to this command performance. And she was a woman who was more than aware of Presley’s faults and not shy about bringing them up when she had the chance. Not vindictively—it just never occurred to her flighty little self that what she was saying embarrassed Presley to no end.

Presley just couldn’t do this. She’d end up falling flat on her face, literally and probably physically, too.

“What is it, Presley?”

If he had demanded, she might have lied. Instead his coaxing tone brought the most unexpected words to her lips. “How can I possibly pretend to be the—” she choked a little “—lover of a virtual stranger?”

Kane didn’t seem the least bit fazed by her naive question. Instead he retraced his steps until he was all too close and her body was a jumble of sparks she didn’t recognize.

“Would you like to practice first?” he asked, his husky tone sending a singular shiver down her spine.

Yes. “No! I just need time—”

“And I need everyone to talk about something else besides why the prize stud horse won’t be making an appearance in my stables. The surest way to distract people from that is if we have a captive audience.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.”

His unexpected chuckle had her stomach doing somersaults. What was wrong with her tonight?

Without warning, Kane brushed her chin with his long fingers. Startled at the warm contact, she glanced up, but the shadows over his face didn’t give her any clues to his thoughts. He simply covered her lips with his.

Sensations immediately assaulted Presley, as if her body weren’t already on overload. This simple touch sent her over the top.

He didn’t grope or force his tongue into her mouth. No, Kane wasn’t an overeager boy looking for an easy in. Most of her experience had been like that. Instead, he rested against her mouth for a few moments. Just long enough for her to anticipate the next move.

When it came, it left her gasping. He brushed his lips lightly across hers, back and forth, until she opened to him. Still, he didn’t force himself in. Instead he traced the outline of her lips with his tongue...and everything inside Presley tightened in response. One quick flick against her parted teeth, then he was gone.

Only then did Presley realize that her entire awareness had narrowed to the man touching her. The man she should have been scolding like a chaste maid from the seventeenth century. But no—

“How dare you?” she breathed.

He glanced down. Her gaze followed his and her cheeks started to burn.

Her hands clutched the lapels of his suit jacket, wrinkling the fabric. Her lungs strained for air as though she were a horse bellowing after a race. Her heart beat hard in her chest, the pounding of her pulse finding an embarrassing echo lower in her body.

And the man before her stood with his hands loose at his side, appearing completely unmoved.

Mortification that she could be overwhelmingly affected while he was completely cool hardened her attitude. “I told you to keep your hands to yourself.”

“I wasn’t using my hands,” he said, holding them out to his sides. “See? No harm, no foul.”

Despite herself, the deep tone of his voice gave her just a smidgen of satisfaction, even when he was lying through his teeth.

Three

“Sir, there’s a trailer out—”

The words barely registering, Kane turned to find his stable manager, Jim Harvey, standing in the doorway of the barn. Jim’s gaze moved from Kane’s face to Presley.

His eyes widened.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt—”

“No problem,” Kane cut him off quickly. He had a feeling Presley was on the edge of bolting at any moment. He needed this to be short and simple to set her at ease.

“Jim, this is Presley Macarthur.”

Jim nodded. Recognition softened his expression, and he slipped off his cowboy hat. “Pleasure, ma’am.”

He looked back and forth between the two of them, obviously curious about what he’d walked in on but smart enough to know when something wasn’t his business.

“Give us about an hour, if you don’t mind,” Kane went on, “then load Sun up for Miss Macarthur in the trailer so she can take him home.”

Despite his confused look, Jim didn’t question Kane in front of Presley. “Yes, sir.” He turned to the woman who hadn’t spoken a word. “I’ll be right nearby, ma’am. We’ll inspect the trailer when you get back.”

“Thank you, Jim.”

Ah, they were back to the confident, businesslike voice now. Probably for the best, though the off-guard squeaky one was Kane’s favorite so far. What would she sound like if he kissed her again? Touched her more intimately? Cutting off the interesting train of thought, he offered Presley his arm and escorted her out of the stables.

They had barely stepped into the night air when she paused. “I don’t understand. You’re just gonna hand him back over to me?” She waved toward the brightly lit house. “Don’t you want to test the goods before you make that decision?”

Kane couldn’t help smirking. “I believe I already have.”

Feeling the wave of shock shoot through her, he patted her hand in a benign gesture and continued on. As they crossed the drive back to the house, Kane found himself hyperaware of the woman at his side. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, which made her taller than the average woman. She would fit right into the crook where his chest met his arm. The faint scent of honeysuckle teased his nose, an unusual perfume and one that reminded him of some of his happiest times on a horse in the countryside near his childhood home.

Honeysuckle had also grown on the edge of the yard at the house where he’d grown up before his mother died. He could still vividly remember her first attempts to teach him the gentle force needed to get the liquid from the honeysuckle flowers—and the tiny burst of sweetness on his tongue when he succeeded.

“Besides,” he continued on, “I never go back on my word. Sun will be home tonight.” They’d reached the covered side entry, and Kane paused with his hand on the doorknob. “This situation is tricky, but I know you’ll do what’s best for your family and your business.”

Blackmail wasn’t a sexy subject, but before they stepped onto the stage, Kane wanted Presley to remember exactly what was at stake here. The stiffness of her body told him more about her state of mind than her simple nod of acquiescence.

He ushered her inside with a hand at the small of her back, and the lights from the Swarovski crystal chandeliers left her blinking. In fact, her whole demeanor changed the minute they walked through the door. If someone had told him a person could become invisible, he wouldn’t have believed them—until he saw Presley practically pull off the impossible.

They’d barely made it halfway down the back breezeway when Mason and EvaMarie stepped out of the office. “Kane,” his brother called.

Only as he stopped and registered the concern on Mason’s face did Kane remember that he hadn’t taken the time to shut down his computer before storming out the door. The knowledge sat between them like a lead brick. Mason knew exactly what that email from Vanessa Gentry would have done to Kane—he’d been there when Emily had left him behind, and watched as Kane systematically let everything disappear from his life except their shared goal.

Because life was easier that way.

Hoping to ward off any questions from his impulsive sibling, Kane preempted the conversation. “Mason, this is Presley Macarthur.”

His brother blinked, then focused on the woman on Kane’s arm. “Oh, from Macarthur Haven?”

Presley’s hand tightened on Kane’s elbow. But she relaxed a touch when EvaMarie nodded and smiled. “Hello, Presley.”

“Congratulations, EvaMarie.”

The lovely woman, who had been Mason’s first love and had been the epitome of a woman defeated by life when they’d returned to Kentucky, now practically glowed. “Thank you.”

As the women chatted for a moment about the engagement, Mason looked at Kane with a raised brow.

“There’s been a change of plans,” Kane murmured, keeping his voice low though he’d moved slightly away from Presley.

“As in?”

Kane turned to face his brother. “It appears Ms. Macarthur didn’t have the proper authority to sell Sun.”

Mason cursed. “That’s a helluva mistake to make.”

An understatement if ever there was one. But then, Kane was being generous when he labeled Marjorie Macarthur’s actions a mistake.

“What are we gonna do now? Our plan going forward hinged on having a celebrated stud for the stables.” Mason’s worry practically vibrated in his voice.

“Never fear,” Kane assured him, as he had many times in the last two years. They’d been through a lifetime of ups and downs together. Kane wasn’t about to let them fail. “I’ve got a new plan that will work just fine.”

His brother’s gaze followed him as he turned back to the women and slipped his arm around Presley’s shoulders. The muscles beneath his palm tightened and her smile faltered for a moment, but he didn’t move away. The sooner she became used to his touch, the better.

The more he touched her tonight, the sooner word would start to spread. Nothing overtly sexual. He’d keep it completely casual—not that anyone would interpret it that way.

Kane wanted his name linked with hers from this moment forward...for however long this situation remained beneficial to them both.

Mason continued to watch him with interest and just a touch of shock. Not surprising, since Kane hadn’t been publicly involved with a woman since Emily left.

He hadn’t wanted to be and was actually shocked by how much he wanted it now. But then he spotted Presley’s stepmother over Mason’s shoulder. When her stepdaughter’s presence registered, Ms. Macarthur trotted their way with the grace of an overadorned poodle, and Kane had only a moment to wonder if he really knew what he’d gotten himself into.

Her loud greeting only confirmed it. “Lordy, Presley! Is that really hay in your hair?”

* * *

As her stepmother’s words echoed throughout the long, open back hall of the Harrisons’ home, Presley wished she could sink into the floor.

Not that embarrassing her was anything new for Marjorie. No, it actually seemed to be her regular pastime. But repeated experience didn’t take away the sinking feeling in Presley’s stomach or the hot flush that flooded her cheeks so quickly that she was surprised she didn’t pass out from blood loss.

Her stepmother practically shoved herself between Presley and Kane. “Look at you. Hay on your dress, dirt on your sandals. What were you doing out in the barn, you silly girl?”

“I think the answer to that might be just as embarrassing as the question.”

With that single answer, Kane caught the attention of everyone within hearing distance. Presley wished she could fade into the flowered wallpaper as his laser gaze inspected her from head to toe, no doubt noticing her lack of style and ability to attract dirt no matter how hard she tried to stay clean. But he didn’t mention it. Oh, no. Kane had embraced this pretend relationship wholeheartedly.

If he only knew what a mistake he was making—though it was beneficial for her that he didn’t. The sooner he realized she wasn’t going to be the perfect princess on his arm at all these events, the sooner she’d have to repay him in full.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he murmured near her ear, though his voice still seemed to carry. “I didn’t mean to get you all dirty.”

Holy Moses. The heat that swept through her as she heard him talk should have been an embarrassment. She should have been wishing he would quit making a spectacle of her. Instead, she wished he would keep on talking and make her forget about their audience.

He reached out to snag the small piece of hay from the tip of her loose ponytail—the only hairstyle she could comfortably create—and then held it up as he smiled into her eyes. There was mischief in that look, and also something deeper, darker, that tempted her to join him in his game.

Only she’d never learned how to play.

Her stepmother was just as nonplussed, which was the first time Presley had ever seen that happen. Marjorie watched Kane’s actions with a kind of wide-eyed fascination, then glanced back and forth between the two of them as confusion clouded her expression.