King’s Million-Dollar Secret by Maureen Child Page A

Thanks.”
    â€œYou busy? I’m taking the jet to Vegas tonight. Why don’t you come with me? We’ll hit a show, then wipe out the craps tables.”
    Rafe smiled. Ordinarily, he’d have appreciated the invitation. But tonight, he had something better to do. “Thanks, but I’ve got plans.”
    â€œWith the King hater?”
    â€œHer name is Katie, but yeah,” Rafe said tightly.
    â€œShe doesn’t know who you are, does she?”
    â€œNo.” Irritation hummed inside him again. He’d never before had to disguise himself to be with a woman. Hell, if anything, the King name had women clamoring to get near him.
    â€œGreat. Well, pick me up some cookies before she finds out you’re lying to her and you ruin what’s left of our rep with her.”
    Rafe hung up a second or two later, his brother’s words ringing in his ears. He dismissed them though, because there was no way Katie would find out Rafe’s last name until he was good and ready for her to know. And that wouldn’t be until he’d romanced her, seduced her and shown her just how likeable he really was.
    Then he’d tell her he was a King. And she’d see how wrong she was. About all of them.
    But for now, he was enjoying himself with a woman who didn’t want anything from him beyond barbecuing some burgers.
    He got out of the truck and headed for the house. But before he reached the porch, Katie rushed out the door and skidded to a stop when she saw him. Her curly red hair was loose around her shoulders and her long legslooked tan and gorgeous in a pair of white shorts. Her dark green T-shirt made her eyes shine as she spotted him. “Rafe, I’m so glad you’re back! Follow me!”
    She sprinted down her front steps and past him, headed toward her neighbor’s house. She rounded a white picket fence with bright splashes of flowers climbing across it and headed up the driveway. Rafe stayed right on her heels, his mind already racing to possible disasters. Someone dying. Someone bleeding. He reached into his pocket and gripped his phone ready to dial nine-one-one.
    Adrenaline pulsed through him as they rushed up the drive to the front porch of a small, Tudor-style cottage with a sloping roof and leaded windows.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” he shouted.
    â€œNicole needs help!”
    The front door of the house swung open as they approached and a harried woman with short, blond hair and a toddler on her hip sighed in relief.
    â€œThank God you’re here, it’s all over everywhere.”
    Katie made to run inside, but Rafe pulled her back and went in first. He didn’t know what the hell was going on around here, but damned if he was going to let Katie run into the heart of whatever trouble it was.
    She was right behind him though. He took a moment to glance around, while looking for whatever disaster had happened. He registered the toy cars strewn across the floor and the wooden train set. Then he heard the trouble and his heartbeat returned to normal. No one was dying but it sounded like there was an indoor fountain on full blast.
    The woman was talking to Katie, but Rafe was only half listening.
    â€œI can’t turn the water off—it’s like the valve is frozenin place or something and there’s water everywhere and Connor was crying….”
    â€œIt’s okay, Nicole,” Katie said. “We’ll get it shut off and help you clean it up.”
    He ignored the women and headed for the kitchen, following the loud sound of splashing. Not the way Rafe had planned on this first date with Katie going, but he could adapt. Water was shooting out from under the kitchen sink through the open cupboard doors. Already there was a small flood in the room and a kitchen rug was drifting out on the tide.
    Cursing under his breath, Rafe sloshed his way through the kitchen. He crouched down in front of the sink, reached through the cascading