Tempted by the Wrong Twin (Texas Cattleman's Club: Blackmail 8)

“I have a few contacts at city hall,” she said, “so I’ll see what I can do about fast-tracking our license just in case Maverick is on the scent.”

“Good idea. Hang on.” In the background she heard a door opening and closing before Nick spoke again. “Have you given any thought to when you’d like to move in?”

She needed some time to steel herself, but since part of the reason they were doing this was for appearances, she couldn’t move in with him any later than their wedding day. “I’ll need to take a day of vacation leave for the wedding, so we could do it then.”

“Sure,” he said. “That suits me.”

They’d touched on the length of their marriage last night, and although it was a discussion she’d rather have face-to-face, she was unlikely to see him before the wedding—especially if she managed to speed up their license—and she’d rather they agreed before vows were exchanged.

“I was thinking, too,” she said, “about how long we should commit to being married.”

“And what did you come up with?”

“The five years you suggested is reasonable. I can’t imagine I’ll have any energy to date with two tiny humans at home, anyway.” And it was hard to imagine any man affecting her the way Nick did with only a look. In fact, he might have ruined her for other men for life.

“Good to know I won’t be cramping your style,” he said, heavy on the sarcasm, along with a note of something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“That gives the babies a solid five years with us together, so they’ll have a strong relationship with both of us.”

“And,” he added, his voice confident, “as long as we handle the divorce well, it shouldn’t impact them too much.”

She looked up at the ceiling. Nick was probably being overly optimistic, but she’d definitely do her best to make the transition seamless.

She paced from her kitchen through to her dining room. There was one other issue they hadn’t agreed on—their love life. Nick had said at dinner that he was open to the idea of a consummated marriage, and then their meals had arrived, so she’d been saved from having to give her view. She’d thought about it since, but she still didn’t know what she wanted. Correction. She knew she wanted him, but she wasn’t sure an active love life in a relationship they were trying to keep practical was wise. She waited a beat, wondering if he’d raise the topic, but either he thought it was decided, or he was waiting for her.

And instead of facing how they’d handle one of the most important aspects of marriage head-on—and despite Nick’s view of her as someone who didn’t back down from anyone or anything—she let it go. They’d already agreed to marry, so it wouldn’t change things now. After the wedding? They could play it by ear.

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So she simply said, “I’ll let you know when I have any information about the license.”

“Till then,” he said and disconnected the call.

Harper kept the cell in her hand an extra minute, wondering why she’d flaked from discussing their potential love life.

And, more importantly, what she would decide to do once she was finally confronted with the option of having Nick Tate in her bed.

* * *

Friday morning Nick arrived at his own wedding at city hall, hoping like all hell that his bride would turn up. She’d agreed to the plan, but reluctantly, so he wouldn’t have been completely surprised if she’d changed her mind.

Harper had managed to fast-track their civil ceremony and had phoned earlier in the week to share details, but it had been a short call. Just the details.

His gut had been in knots all morning thinking about whether she’d changed her mind. He’d shot off a text saying, Everything okay for today? and she’d replied Yes, which was somewhat reassuring, but he wouldn’t relax until the vows were said and his ring was on her finger.

Squaring his shoulders, he walked into the small, carpeted waiting room and found her there, looking elegant, and his entire body practically sighed in relief. She wore a knee-length dove-gray skirt with a white silk blouse, her hair fell in dark, glossy waves down her back and her lips were painted a soft pink. He’d never seen anyone more beautiful.

“Late to your own wedding?” said a familiar voice beside him. Nick scowled at the interruption and turned to his brother, who was making a mock-concerned face. “Gee, I don’t know, Harper. I think you could probably do better. Find someone who prioritizes you and your wedding enough to arrive on time.”

“I’m not late. In fact, we’re all early.” Nick saw his mother beside Malcolm and stepped past his twin to embrace her. “Thanks for coming on short notice.”

When he’d called with the news, she’d been staying with her sister in Dallas and had to come home a day early. He’d put a lot of thought into how to tell his mother and decided that the truth would break her heart—she and his father had enjoyed a strong, loving marriage, and the last thing she’d want for her one of her boys was a loveless union. So he’d stretched the truth a little and told her that he’d been seeing Harper for months and left out any reference to the fact they were embarking on a marriage of convenience. Even though his mother had admitted to some surprise, she’d clearly interpreted the story as a whirlwind romance and was thrilled about both the wedding and the babies.

She patted his tie. “Of course I came. I had to meet the woman crazy enough to marry you.”

“Jesus, Mom,” Nick said and shot a glance at Harper. His mother and brother’s humor didn’t always translate well to strangers, but thankfully Harper was chuckling. He shook his head. “So much for family support.”

“It’s okay, honey,” his mother said. “Harper and I have had a few moments to chat. I like her. And your father, bless his soul, would have liked her, too.”