The Wedding Wager: Dakota Daddy. Sara Orwig

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      “In the meantime, you’ve built a fortune on delicious dinners, with your exclusive Dalton’s steak houses.”

      “I’ve been lucky. That first restaurant in Dallas was a far bigger success than I ever dreamed. You have to make reservations a month ahead at a Dalton’s.”

      “Sounds impressive. You’ve had a spectacular rise.”

      He shrugged. “My dad bankrolled me with a huge sum of money, telling my brothers he would do the same for them when the time arrived. That hasn’t been necessary. I made enough of a fortune that I brought my brothers into the business and we’ve never looked back.”

      “So what about your life and your offices and homes?”

      He looked amused by her refusal to discuss herself. In spite of the polite conversation, they were sparring. She could feel the tension in the undercurrent, with his constant, unwanted appeal. So much about him was agonizingly familiar that it tore at her. Guilt, anger, desire pulling at her with increasing force. Dinner was eons long already, and they hadn’t even gotten to the true purpose. She had lived with a secret for over six years now. Was she staying silent and committing a sin beyond measure?

      She tried to focus on what he was saying about himself.

      “I’m not anywhere half as interesting,” he said. “I work and I play. The usual way. Mostly, I’m at my headquarters in Dallas, in meetings or on the phone. Depending on what’s happening, I go out in the evening. Nothing exciting. I travel a lot, have no serious love life. Any men in your life right now?”

      She wished she could answer yes and put another wall between them, but if he’d had staff check into her lifestyle, even minimally, Jared already knew the answer to his question. She shook her head. “No. I lead a busy life and my days are dedicated to my son first and my pottery second. They fill my hours.”

      “You’re a beautiful, desirable woman,” Jared remarked, his words slowing and his voice growing husky. “I find it difficult to think there’s no one. It has to be your choice.”

      “Thank you,” she replied, intending to answer briskly and move on, but her words came out breathless, far too revealing. “I suppose it’s my choice, but my hours are taken. As it is, there aren’t enough hours in the day.”

      Even though the steak was delicious, she had little appetite. Each bite was an effort. She was aware the evening had darkened early given the thunder, but she sat with her back to the windows.

      “Tell me about Ethan,” Jared said, startling her to hear him say her son’s name.

      “What’s to say? He’s a normal six-year-old. He plays soccer and T-ball. He has a mind for numbers, even at this age. He’s tall and has my black hair.”

      “Where is he tonight?”

      “In Sioux Falls with Aunt Olga and Uncle Thomas. Every summer when school is out, he stays with them for several weeks. You must know my parents died, but Uncle Thomas and Aunt Olga are like grandparents to him.”

      “Do you have joint custody?” he asked, startling her. She shook her head quickly.

      “No. Mike wanted out of our marriage as much as I did. When he learned about a baby on the way, we were already divorced. He gave me full custody. He had no interest in Ethan. Ethan doesn’t even know him.”

      “I can’t imagine a man not wanting to know his own son. Sorry,” Jared said. “At least Ethan was too young to know what happened.”

      Thunder growled, rattling the windows and she glanced back. “I’d like to head home while it’s not raining.” She turned to look into Jared’s dark eyes. “Let’s get this over with. We might as well get to the main topic. My ranch is not for sale.”

      “Look at options,” he said easily, leaning back in his chair. “You plan to stay in New Mexico, don’t you?”

      “Yes, I do, but as long as my aunt and uncle are alive, I have Dakota ties. They’re close to Ethan, as I am with them.”

      “If you sell the place at the price I’m offering, you can afford your own plane and pilot, or charter a plane whenever you’d like to see them. That’s not any reason to hang on to something that will be a burden. Your place will go to ruin if you don’t care for it constantly.”

      “I’m aware of the problems,” she said.

      “Your uncle and aunt won’t move out here?”

      She shook her head. “No. They’re city people and they have no interest in the ranch. I said I’d pay them to run it and give them a share in it, but they prefer to stay in Sioux Falls. Uncle Thomas and Dad never got along, and I don’t think Uncle Thomas wants any part of the ranch. Their only son, Ralph, lives in D.C., and his wife’s family is from Virginia, so he’ll never come back here.”

      “So, why spend your money maintaining the ranch?” Jared asked. “Surely not out of spite. That’s expensive and impractical.”

      “Our ranch is a profitable place, as you know. Which is exactly why you’d like it.”

      He shook his head. “It’s profitable if it’s run right. But you know your dad invested hours and money into it and made it what it is. You can’t work in Santa Fe and maintain the ranch the way your dad did.”

      She knew Jared was right, but she wasn’t going to admit it. She couldn’t keep from feeling that if she refused him, he would go on to other things, and she could quietly find a buyer later in the year and sell without Jared knowing until it was a done deal.

      “Are you willing to close your gallery and move back here?” Jared asked. He sounded as if he were asking a casual question. His quiet voice and easygoing manner were deceptive. Even though she hadn’t been around Jared in years, she knew better. He had to care, and with his wealth, she suspected he was unaccustomed to rejection.

      “I don’t think I’ll have to,” she answered, with the same lightness of tone that he maintained. “If it turns out more of my time is required, I’ll hire someone to run my gallery.”

      They both had stopped eating and she could feel the tension increase. She also realized the thunder was more frequent. “Jared, I have to get across your bridge.”

      “You have time,” he said dismissively, and with as much certainty as if he controlled the weather, which, under other circumstances, would have amused her. “Here’s what I’ll do,” he said. “I’ll pay you one million more than your asking price of thirty million,” he said flatly. “That has to be a figure that you have to consider.”

      Stunned, she stared at him. One million more was huge. On top of her asking price, it was fantastic. “That’s impressive,” she said, studying him. “Why would you possibly want the Sorenson ranch that badly?”

      He nodded. “Plus, I’d like the water rights.”

      “The river runs through the Dakotas, far north of us. You can’t control all of it.”

      He smiled as if they were discussing the weather. She knew he expected her to jump at his spectacular offer. “No, I can’t, СКАЧАТЬ