then got out of the bed. “Want a glass of champagne and strawberries while we recover in the hot tub?”
“You are just full of good ideas, Mr. Martin.” Barb followed him, slipping into the steaming water.
“You haven’t seen anything yet, Mrs. Martin.” Hunter flashed her a wicked smile as he filled their champagne flutes.
And as the night passed, he kept that promise.
• • •
Hunter woke the next morning to the five A.M. wakeup call from the front desk. Barb was nestled against him — spooning, they called it. He hung up the phone and fingered her wild red curls away from her face. She was magnificent. In bed, in life. He would be honored to have Barb Carico as his wife. Real or fake. Too bad she’d never go for it. Besides, he had Kati to watch after. Who wanted a man with baggage? Barb deserved more than a confirmed bachelor raising his orphaned niece. She deserved everything.
He kissed the top of her head and reluctantly slipped out of the heart shaped bed. Fantasy time was over. Real life was calling. And they had a plane to catch in two hours.
“Barb, time to get ready. The shuttle will be leaving in thirty minutes,” he called out to her. “I’m jumping in the shower. You can join me if you’d like.”
Barb sat up, pulling the sheet over her ample breasts. “We’ll never make the shuttle if I do. Get showered. I want to get in there.”
Hunter turned back from the bathroom door. Barb’s voice was cool — not cold, but definitely not warm. Maybe she regretted last night, thought it was a mistake. He knew last night had been far from a mistake. It just was a reality that couldn’t be. Not now. He needed to lighten the mood since they had a two-hour flight to get through. “You sure — last chance?”
A pillow hit the wall next to him. “Stop stalling and get in there. I want in the shower too.” She paused then added, “By myself.”
“Your loss.” He stepped into the bathroom but left the door open just in case. He knew Barb wouldn’t join him. Hell, lightening had struck last night and he’d gotten lucky. Luck like that with a woman that special didn’t happen twice. Turning on the shower spray, he stepped under the steaming water hoping to clear his head.
Eight minutes later, he was out of the bathroom. With a towel wrapped around his waist, Hunter thought he caught Barb’s eyes drop to his abs. He sucked in automatically, even though his time at the gym had done the work he’d wanted. He knew he looked good, but for some stupid reason he wanted Barb to think that as well.
Barb sat at the edge of the bed in a long tee-shirt covering her amazing body, her clean clothes and a small toiletries bag on her lap. She waited for him to turn toward his suitcase, then the girl sprinted to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Hunter smiled. He’d never seen Barb Carico flustered before. The woman was cool under pressure. The more pressure, the cooler she’d become. Right now she looked like a scared rabbit — and he was the hawk, circling the sky over her.
Humming, he got dressed and waited for his wife to get ready. When the front desk called to let them know the shuttle had arrived, he carried their luggage down to the lobby, Barb by his side. Just like any other married couple in the universe. Except this marriage would be annulled with a call to his lawyer tomorrow morning.
At least Barb would have the cheap ring he’d bought her as a souvenir. All he had was his memories. Memories that had convinced him, for a second, that he’d found his soul mate. And now he was letting her walk out of his life.
Chapter 6
Sitting on the back deck, drinking coffee with Lizzie, Barb watched the cottage where her mom slept. “Thanks again for taking us in for the week. I needed to get out of Boise. We won’t be a bother, I swear. I’ll do everything.”
Lizzie rubbed her swollen belly. “I didn’t want to close the cabins but James is convinced the babies are coming any
“You are just full of good ideas, Mr. Martin.” Barb followed him, slipping into the steaming water.
“You haven’t seen anything yet, Mrs. Martin.” Hunter flashed her a wicked smile as he filled their champagne flutes.
And as the night passed, he kept that promise.
• • •
Hunter woke the next morning to the five A.M. wakeup call from the front desk. Barb was nestled against him — spooning, they called it. He hung up the phone and fingered her wild red curls away from her face. She was magnificent. In bed, in life. He would be honored to have Barb Carico as his wife. Real or fake. Too bad she’d never go for it. Besides, he had Kati to watch after. Who wanted a man with baggage? Barb deserved more than a confirmed bachelor raising his orphaned niece. She deserved everything.
He kissed the top of her head and reluctantly slipped out of the heart shaped bed. Fantasy time was over. Real life was calling. And they had a plane to catch in two hours.
“Barb, time to get ready. The shuttle will be leaving in thirty minutes,” he called out to her. “I’m jumping in the shower. You can join me if you’d like.”
Barb sat up, pulling the sheet over her ample breasts. “We’ll never make the shuttle if I do. Get showered. I want to get in there.”
Hunter turned back from the bathroom door. Barb’s voice was cool — not cold, but definitely not warm. Maybe she regretted last night, thought it was a mistake. He knew last night had been far from a mistake. It just was a reality that couldn’t be. Not now. He needed to lighten the mood since they had a two-hour flight to get through. “You sure — last chance?”
A pillow hit the wall next to him. “Stop stalling and get in there. I want in the shower too.” She paused then added, “By myself.”
“Your loss.” He stepped into the bathroom but left the door open just in case. He knew Barb wouldn’t join him. Hell, lightening had struck last night and he’d gotten lucky. Luck like that with a woman that special didn’t happen twice. Turning on the shower spray, he stepped under the steaming water hoping to clear his head.
Eight minutes later, he was out of the bathroom. With a towel wrapped around his waist, Hunter thought he caught Barb’s eyes drop to his abs. He sucked in automatically, even though his time at the gym had done the work he’d wanted. He knew he looked good, but for some stupid reason he wanted Barb to think that as well.
Barb sat at the edge of the bed in a long tee-shirt covering her amazing body, her clean clothes and a small toiletries bag on her lap. She waited for him to turn toward his suitcase, then the girl sprinted to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Hunter smiled. He’d never seen Barb Carico flustered before. The woman was cool under pressure. The more pressure, the cooler she’d become. Right now she looked like a scared rabbit — and he was the hawk, circling the sky over her.
Humming, he got dressed and waited for his wife to get ready. When the front desk called to let them know the shuttle had arrived, he carried their luggage down to the lobby, Barb by his side. Just like any other married couple in the universe. Except this marriage would be annulled with a call to his lawyer tomorrow morning.
At least Barb would have the cheap ring he’d bought her as a souvenir. All he had was his memories. Memories that had convinced him, for a second, that he’d found his soul mate. And now he was letting her walk out of his life.
Chapter 6
Sitting on the back deck, drinking coffee with Lizzie, Barb watched the cottage where her mom slept. “Thanks again for taking us in for the week. I needed to get out of Boise. We won’t be a bother, I swear. I’ll do everything.”
Lizzie rubbed her swollen belly. “I didn’t want to close the cabins but James is convinced the babies are coming any
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