A co-worker? Friend? Lover?
She was a little bitty thing, probably about five-three, and she had enormous grass-green eyes and auburn hair with flecks of red and orange that reminded him of a Montana sunset. Soft pink lips created a pouty little mouth that begged to be kissed, and the outline of her jacket showcased breasts that would just fit into the palms of his hands. Heat curled low in his belly, the pool of hunger undeniable.
Taking a deep breath to gather his control, he followed her through the dimly lit parking garage, his eyes feasting on the sway of her hips and the way that dark-blue skirt framed her behind. She had shapely legs, too, as if she exercised regularly, although he couldn’t imagine her wearing dusty jeans or doing hard work on a ranch, like the women he’d grown up with, the type of country girl he’d probably marry one day.
This woman was more like Paula. Educated, prissy, soft.
He’d learned his lesson dating a city girl a long time ago. Once burned, twice shy.
“My car’s over here. I hope you won’t be too uncomfortable, Dr. Montgomery.”
A lover wouldn’t call him doctor, would she?
“We’ll just put your bag in the trunk.”
She stopped at an old red VW bug, or what he guessed had once been red. The paint had faded, giving it a splotched effect, and the sunlight had turned the red to a dull orange.
He’d expected a limo, or Bridget to show up in an expensive sports car or Mercedes. Then again, he didn’t really care. He was a humble guy himself.
His brother’s words rang in his head. Be wary of everyone, especially the women. They all want me for your money.
This knockout had said she wanted to talk to him on the way home. Judging from her ancient car, she probably had financial troubles. Had she offered him a ride because she wanted money from Dex?
And if so, how far would she go to get it?
Chapter Two
Ty wouldn’t mind being seduced by her, he admitted silently. But he would never mix a relationship with business, especially with a woman like that woman.
Besides, Grandma Cooper would paddle his behind.
God, he missed her and the family. They’d probably be planning a welcome-home dinner for him right about now; he could practically smell the steaks sizzling on the grill and taste the buttery home-grown corn and biscuits.
Would the Montgomerys have a special welcome-home dinner, too? With Dex’s favorite foods?
Worry knotted his stomach. He had no idea what Dex’s favorite food was. How would he pull this off? Could he really pretend to be someone he’d just met?
What did he really know about his twin brother?
Nothing, except the information he’d crammed into his brain those few hours they’d sat in the bar. He and Dex might share the same genes, the same face, but they were completely different men.
He wanted to get to know his brother better. When this was over, he would.
The stunning auburn-haired woman next to him cranked the engine, then leaned outside the vehicle, removed a softball-sized rock from beneath her wheel and slid it behind the front seat.
“I have to get Nellie’s emergency brakes repaired,” she said.
He arched a dark brow. “Nellie?”
She nodded, a red blush creeping up her cheek to the auburn roots of her hair. “I named her in college.” She patted the scarred dashboard. “We’ve been together a long time.”
He couldn’t resist a chuckle. Should he offer to fix Nellie’s brakes for her? He was a decent mechanic; he’d fixed his share of farm equipment. Then again, did Dex know anything about cars?
Probably not. And if he did, Ty felt certain he didn’t actually work on them. Dex wouldn’t want to get grease on his expensive suits.
While the woman maneuvered her way through the parking-garage maze, Ty mentally reviewed the few things Dex had told him about himself. Dex had a medical degree, but he’d traded in his stethoscope for a computer. Now, he ran a huge medical conglomerate called Modern Medical Maintenance, Inc. which he’d affectionately called M3I. As if a man could be affectionate about a medical empire, Ty thought. The company owned a chain of cutting-edge facilities throughout the Southeast that sounded like they focused more on maintaining a profit margin than providing quality medical care.
Ty winced. Was he any better, though? He wanted more money to better the ranch.
Hell yes, he was different. He wanted to increase the ranch’s profits so he could make life easier for his family. But he’d never take advantage of people’s business problems or medical conditions to make a buck.
The VW hit a pothole, and he tried to adjust his legs in the cramped space, but his knees hit the dash and his head thumped the ceiling. The city air, the constant barrage of noises and the small space damn near suffocated him.
Oblivious to Ty’s discomfort, the woman wove into the fast-moving traffic. Even this late in the evening, cars flew by as if they were racing in the Indy 500. Ty searched his memory for the woman’s name. But Dex hadn’t mentioned anyone specifically, except for Bridget, his financial advisor.
A car slowed in front of them and several cars blasted their horns. Ty held onto the seat as more horns blared, and a man in a van rolled down his window, shouting obscenities. Lord help them if these maniacs ever came to Rolling Bend and got stopped by a cattle crossing. Where was everyone going in such a hurry?
Buildings and billboards raced by, along with skyscrapers as they drove through downtown Atlanta. A million lights glittered from high-rise apartments and offices, obliterating the stars he might have seen in the Montana sky. How did these people live without fresh air?
“Dr. Montgomery,” the woman began. “I know I mentioned this to you before, but I hope you’ll reconsider giving me the money.”
He gripped the seat edge. Maybe they did business like this in the city, but he was a Montana boy at heart. Sucking in a deep breath, he resorted to the pat answer Dex had told him to use.
“I’m sorry, Sugar, but all my financial decisions go through my advisor.”
“Sugar?”
Judging from the tone of her voice, Ty had committed a cardinal sin. “Miss—”
“It’s not Sugar or Miss,” she said in a tight voice. “It’s Dr. Stovall.” She flashed him an angry look, then pressed her pouty lips together.
He fidgeted in the seat, feeling like a fish out of water, dying on the dusty ground. What the hell had he gotten himself into? At this rate, he’d be discovered before he ever met the Montgomerys.
SO MUCH FOR being indebted, Jessica thought, fuming as she exited I-85 and veered through the Buckhead streets toward Dex Montgomery’s estate.
He’d probably
