it to you, but you’re in no condition to do squat. So actually, my proposition could be mutually beneficial.”
“But you haven’t proposed anything. Spit it out. We’ve been friends for years. We’ve discussed work, politics and religion. Surely, this mystery question can’t be too bad?”
“Not at all. In fact, once you think about it, it’s really no big deal.” His crooked grin had her tummy doing happy flips. The man was criminally handsome. “How would you feel about me renting you to be my temporary wife?”
“What?” Paisley took a moment for the question to sink in, then bolted for the bathroom.
“That could’ve gone better,” Wayne mumbled, as he stood outside Paisley’s bathroom door. He’d tried letting himself in, but she’d locked it. “Paise?”
“Go away!” Her voice might have been muffled, but her tone rang through loud and clear. She thought he was crazy. He’d be first to admit he was, but he hadn’t asked her to be his rent-a-wife for himself, but for his dad’s dying wish. There was a huge difference. If she’d just let him explain.
“I want to help!”
“You can’t—” The sound of her tossing her cookies told him she wasn’t naked or anything, so he made a short jog to her kitchen’s junk drawer for a safety pin, then picked the bathroom lock.
Sure enough, when he entered, she was back on her knees in front of the commode. Her complexion was gray. Her expression when she glanced his way shattered his heart. He could kill the guy who’d knocked her up, only to abandon her.
Wayne went through his cool washcloth routine again, then sat on the floor behind her. Legs spread, he drew her back to lean against him. His every nurturing instinct, that he usually reserved for horses, had him smoothing her hair back from her forehead, wishing her free of pain.
“I’m so tired,” she whispered.
“Sorry.”
She waved off his apology. “It’s not your fault I was stupid enough to have unprotected sex with a married man.”
“I know you well enough—or, at least I think I do—to be sure you wouldn’t have been with him if you hadn’t loved him and not known about the wife.”
“True.”
“I saw you kiss him a few times. You seemed happy.” The sight of her with another guy initially set Wayne on edge. He and Paisley were friends. He wanted the best for her. Without personally vetting her new guy, Wayne couldn’t be sure he was good enough. Clearly, he hadn’t been, which pissed off Wayne even more. “How did you find out he was married?”
“After I told him about our baby, he told me he’d pay to have the problem go away.”
“Bastard!”
“Right? I told him I’d always wanted to be a mom and have a family. I thought the pregnancy was a surprise blessing. That’s when he announced that he and his wife had already been blessed three times, and he wasn’t interested in having another.”
“I assume he’s at least paying child support?”
“He said if I promise not to contact him or try talking to his wife, he’ll cover labor and delivery costs, but that’s it.”
Wayne snorted. “I’m no lawyer, but I don’t think he gets that choice.”
She began crying softly. “H-he made me feel so dirty. Like I’d done something wrong. I—I loved him, but now? I feel empty inside.”
“No. You did everything right, hon. Even better? In a few months, you’ll have a gorgeous son and all your pig of an ex will have is a child support bill.” It ate him up inside to see her so defeated.
“I don’t want the legal system involved. As much as I’ve been hurt, his wife would be devastated to know David had been fooling around. Never in a million years would I have dated a married man. He’s scum.”
“Agreed. You’re too good for him.”
“But what about you?” She turned to face him. “What in the world were you talking about earlier? Wanting to rent a wife?”
“It was a stupid idea. Sorry I brought it up. I’m especially sorry it upset you enough to make you sick.” He grappled to his feet, then knelt, scooping her into his arms.
“I can walk.”
“I’m sure you can.”
“And it wasn’t your bizarre question that made me sick, but thinking about those nasty gummy worms.”
He walked down the hall to her bedroom and set her on her unmade bed. After slipping off her pink Converse sneakers, getting her comfy by bunching pillows behind her and under her knees, he drew her floral comforter up to her neck. “Better?”
She nodded.
“I grabbed Sprite at the store. Want some on ice?”
“Yes, please.”
He returned to find her asleep.
Not wanting to leave her alone with her door unlocked, he made his steak, then found extreme winter games to watch on ESPN.
By the time he heard stirring from the bedroom, the sun had long since set.
Paisley wandered down the hall. More hair had escaped her ponytail than was in, and her dress looked more like a rumpled prison uniform than her usual classy style. Everything about her kicked Wayne’s protective streak into overdrive.
“Let me help you.” Up from the sofa, he guided her to where he’d been sitting, then plucked a faux fur throw from the back of the sofa to cover her.
“Thanks, but why are you still here?”
“I don’t have a key. What if I’d left you alone and killers or drug dealers strolled inside?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because we have so many of those in our gated community.”
“Hey—anything could happen. My job is all about safekeeping our American way of life.”
Laughing, she said, “Not to detract from your actual military service, but I’ve seen you and your buddies protecting—especially bikini models. Yeah...” She winked. “You all kept them super safe.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I...” The twinkle in her eyes told him she was not only feeling better, but sassy. It made her kooky hair extra adorable. “Did you ever get my beef jerky?”
“I see how it is—you’re just using me for meal delivery?”
“Wayne...” Something about his teasing question served as
