Married by Contract--A surprise pregnancy romance Read online

  “Will you join me?”

  “If you want me to.”

  She stepped closer to him. “I’d like that...husband.”

  He took a step back. “This isn’t going to be a marriage in the romantic sense, Rosalind. Just so we’re clear on that.”

  “I’m perfectly well aware of our situation. Now, do you want to bathe with me or not?”

  In response, he shrugged off his jacket and his hands went to the tie at his neck, unknotting it and yanking it from under his collar. Next, he undid the buttons of his shirt. Steam quickly began to fog the window behind them. Ros found herself mesmerized by the play of muscles across his back as he bent and swirled something fragrant and foamy in the water.

  When he stood and returned to her, she was still frozen in place. Caught by the beauty of this man—this stranger—whom she’d married.

  * * *

  Married by Contract by

  Yvonne Lindsay is part of the

  Texas Cattleman’s Club: Fathers and Sons series.

  Dear Reader,

  I am honored to be a part of this series of stories and to work with the amazing authors who are also contributing.

  Wealthy cattle rancher Gabriel Carrington is a cautious man who’s been burned by both family and love. He’s done with romance but dearly desires a child of his own to love, without the complications of a traditional marriage. He’s employed the services of a professional matchmaker to meet a like-minded woman who doesn’t mind having access to his money while providing him with the son or daughter he’s always wanted. He isn’t, in any way, looking for love.

  Rosalind Banks, a successful Australian fashion designer, believes in love and happy-ever-after. When she and Gabe meet and pour out their woes to one another, they develop a powerful mutual attraction—one that leads to a heated night of passion, and that night leads to the one thing Gabe most wants in the world: a baby. So what does he propose? Well, marriage of course, but not the kind that Rosalind always dreamed of.

  Will they find happiness, or are they destined to failure?

  Best wishes,

  Yvonne Lindsay

  YvonneLindsay.com

  Yvonne Lindsay

  Married by Contract

  Award-winning author Yvonne Lindsay is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty-five titles with over five million copies sold worldwide. Always having preferred the stories in her head to the real world, Yvonne balances her days crafting the stories of her heart or planting her nose firmly in someone else’s book. You can reach Yvonne through her website, yvonnelindsay.com.

  Books by Yvonne Lindsay

  Harlequin Desire

  Clashing Birthrights

  Seducing the Lost Heir

  Scandalizing the CEO

  What Happens at Christmas...

  Texas Cattleman’s Club: Fathers and Sons

  Married by Contract

  Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or yvonnelindsay.com, for more titles.

  You can find Yvonne Lindsay on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/harlequindesireauthors!

  I dedicate this to all the dreamers and lovers

  out there. May all your endings be happy.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Excerpt from The True Cowboy of Sunset Ridge by Maisey Yates

  Excerpt from One Little Secret by Maureen Child

  One

  November

  “What do you mean they canceled the order?” Rosalind mentally calculated the time back in Sydney, Australia, where Piers was calling from, and schooled herself to remain calm. “They can’t simply cancel like that.”

  “They can and they did, Ros. They’re citing long-term fallout from the pandemic and a need to cut back. I’m sorry—they see our product as being luxury driven at a time when people are being more careful with household expenditure. The arm of this thing is long. We both know that.”

  Her operations manager, Piers Benet, sounded calm, but then again, he’d had several hours to come to terms with the news that could easily derail Rosalind’s entire business.

  “Did you point out to them they signed the contract after the start of the pandemic?”

  “I did, but they’re cutting us loose. We get to keep the first payment, though, so there’s that.”

  It was small consolation compared to the full contract value, not to mention the value of the exposure of her fashion label into every one of Australia’s major department stores or her production costs to date.

  “So, there’s nothing we can do?” she said bitterly, pacing her hotel room.

  “Nothing except hope your contacts in New York give us the uptake we need to remain afloat. How are things in New York, anyway?”

  “I’m not actually in New York yet.”

  “You’re not? Is there a problem?”

  “No, not really. I...uh...thought I’d call in, say hi to Drake.”

  “Drake Rhodes? That Drake?”

  Piers knew the full extent of the brief but fierce relationship she’d had with the Texan billionaire businessman during his six months in Sydney and he also knew that she’d walked away from Drake when he’d made it clear he was not into marriage. Wanting more than accepting happy-for-now, Rosalind had reluctantly ended their liaison when he’d had to fly home to Royal because his half-sister was ill. But time had given her a new perspective and she was willing to give them both another chance. It was why she was here in Royal, Texas, staying at the Bellamy, instead of already being in New York. A selfish choice, maybe, especially when her business currently teetered on a knife edge, but a necessary one. She had to know if she’d made the right decision because she could never forgive herself if she’d walked away from him too soon.

  She couldn’t quite believe that Drake had forsaken the busyness of Sydney and the exciting lifestyle they’d led there, to return to this small, so very country town. She knew that before he’d come to Sydney he’d lived in New York and she couldn’t understand why he’d returned to his birthplace—a town he’d never spoken highly of. It made no sense to her that he’d come back here.

  “Yes, that Drake,” she said carefully. She knew Piers wouldn’t be impressed.

  “Are you sure about this, Ros? You were pretty upset when you broke up. Last thing you need right now is more emotional upheaval.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she responded firmly. “I can’t help feeling I pushed him too hard, too early, on marriage. Maybe that was a mistake and all he needed was a little more time. Look, if things don’t work out then I’ll carry on to New York regardless. But I have to know, Piers. I can’t live with ‘what if’ echoing in the back of my mind, forever.”

  Her operations manager sighed heavily on the other end of the call. “You take care. And let me know how it goes, okay?”

  “I will. And send through the report on the loss we have to carry on that order cancellation. Looks like we’re going to need get creative to shift that stock. G
et one of the team to look into pop-up stores in both Australia and New Zealand, okay?”

  By the time they ended the call, Rosalind was beside herself with frustration. This was to have been their big break. It had meant everything to her. Sure, she was American born but she’d lived half her life in Australia and taking the Australian leisure-wear market by storm would have been the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

  Rosalind flicked a glance at the diamond-encrusted Cartier watch that adorned her wrist. It had been a gift from Drake for her birthday. Tonight she’d hoped it would bring her luck for what she had planned. Winning him back.

  It was time to get ready for the gala at the Texas Cattleman’s Club here in Royal. She’d been lucky to get a ticket at such late notice, but she knew Drake would be there and hopefully the knockout scarlet gown she’d packed would surprise him enough to agree to them taking a second chance on each other. After Piers’s phone call, she needed some good news.

  Housekeeping had steamed the gown for her earlier in the day and it hung in splendor in the bedroom of her suite. Rosalind took her time over her toilette and makeup. She smoothed on lightly scented body lotion with long strokes and applied her makeup with a practiced hand to emphasize her sculpted cheekbones and large blue eyes. She’d chosen to wear her long blond hair loose, but had curled it to give it more volume and bounce and, after brushing it out and spritzing with a light mist of hair spray, she was ready to don her gown.

  The deep V of the crossover front of the bodice made it impossible for her to wear a bra and she felt a shiver of excitement course through her as her nipples brushed against the lining of the dress. The V wasn’t salacious, but it certainly displayed more of her lightly tanned skin than her usual attire. The lower section of the dress hugged her hips and split at the left front, exposing her leg to lower thigh as she walked.

  After slipping on her silver strappy heels, she took stock of her image in the full-length mirror on the wall. Yes, she thought with a nod at her reflection, she would most definitely do just fine tonight. Now all she had to do was knock Drake’s socks off, and maybe a few other items of clothing along the way, and life could resume a better normal again.

  When her bedside phone chimed with a message to say her car was waiting for her, Rosalind grabbed the faux silver fur coat she knew she’d need on this cold November night and slung it over her shoulders before picking up her silver clutch and heading for the door. Tonight had to work out. Given what was happening to her business right now, she couldn’t handle another failure.

  * * *

  There was quite a crush in the ballroom at the club when she arrived and Rosalind felt a minor quiver of trepidation as she left her coat at the coat check and made her way to where everyone was gathered. Everyone was listening to the speeches and presentations to the first responders.

  A passing waiter offered a tray loaded with champagne flutes and she lifted a glass with a smile of thanks, taking a moment to sip the wine and survey the room. She searched for a familiar dark head and broad shoulders. Drake was the kind of man who dominated the room and, to be honest, there were many other men here who also fit that bill. Both dark haired and fair and all darned attractive.

  “Must be something in the water,” she muttered under her breath.

  “The water you say? I could have sworn that was champagne.”

  A deep and melodic voice from right next to her made Rosalind start. She turned toward the man and took in the humor reflected in his dark, almost black, eyes. And look at that, she thought, here was another ridiculously handsome, commanding specimen. Rosalind felt an unwelcome twinge of interest. A purely instinctive feminine response to an attractive, healthy male, she told herself. She wasn’t interested in anyone here but Drake, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate a fine-looking man when she saw one.

  “I was making an observation,” she said and took another sip of her wine.

  “First sign of madness, you know.”

  “What?”

  “Talking to yourself. Or so they say.”

  “What do they know?” Rosalind responded.

  “Indeed. I’m Gabriel Carrington. You’re not from around here, are you?”

  She took the proffered hand and felt that spark of interest flame to life as his broad, warm palm connected with hers.

  “Rosalind Banks, and no, I’m not.”

  “Ah, a woman who doesn’t feel the need to inform a total stranger of every detail about herself. Sensible,” he commented as he let her hand go again. “Are you visiting Royal?”

  She nodded. She had no idea if her plan would work. If it did, she might be here a short while before returning to New York where hopefully Drake would join her because he’d made the bustling, vibrant East Coast city the base for all his business interests prior to his time in Sydney. If it didn’t, she’d be on the next plane out of the area tomorrow and connecting to a flight to New York on her own.

  “Business, or pleasure?”

  “Oh, pleasure, at least I hope so,” she said with a small smile.

  “Then I wish you luck,” he said. “It’s very nice meeting you, Rosalind.”

  “And you,” she said, raising her glass in a small toast as he raised his whiskey glass in return.

  She turned her gaze back to the crowd of men in black tie and women in a dazzling array of jewel-toned evening wear. With the speeches finished, the dance floor started to fill with couples. Through the throng Rosalind caught a glimpse of a very familiar profile. Drake. He was here. She felt her body alternately ease with relief that she’d found him, and tense in anticipation of what would come next. What would he say when she told him she’d made a terrible mistake and that she wanted a second chance? There was only one way to find out and that was to approach him but she wasn’t about to cut in while he was dancing. No, she’d keep her sights on him and wait until he left the floor. Then she’d make her move.

  Ros turned her attention to the woman he danced with. Tall and slender with beautiful red hair and delicately fair skin, she was dressed in a couture gown of dark forest green silk that complemented her skin tone perfectly. Low cut in the front and the back and held up with spaghetti straps that showcased her feminine shoulders and with sparkling beads decorating the edges and catching the light as she moved, she was quite a vision of perfection. Ros mentally costed the gown while appreciating its cut and construction at the same time. Definitely quality and class.

  The couple turned, and Ros caught a glimpse of the woman’s left hand which was adorned with a large diamond ring. She felt ice water run in her veins a moment before she schooled herself to consider that Drake may simply be dancing with a friend. Just because he was dancing with the redhead, it didn’t mean they were an item, let alone an engaged item.

  “See someone you know?” Gabriel Carrington asked.

  He was still here?

  “Yes,” she said. “Over there, with the woman in the green dress.”

  “Drake? You know him?”

  Intimately. “We met when he was in Sydney,” she replied.

  “Small world, huh? You’re Australian.”

  “Australian American, to be more accurate.”

  “But you grew up Down Under, right? Your accent?”

  She nodded, her eyes riveted on the subject of her entire reason for being here.

  “Did you hear about their engagement?” Gabriel gestured toward the couple with his whiskey tumbler. “Took us all a little by surprise. Drake never made any secret about not wanting to settle down and start a family and yet, here he is.”

  The ice-cold sensation in her veins returned and Rosalind’s hand shook a little as she lifted her champagne and downed it. Could tonight get any worse? First the news about her business and now she was too late with Drake, as well?

  “No,” she finally managed. “I didn’t. Have they been engaged long
?”

  “Not long. Here, let me get you another of those.”

  Gabriel took her glass and gestured to a nearby waiter who immediately came over with a replacement. Gabe pressed the glass into her hand.

  “Do you want to congratulate the happy couple?” he asked.

  Ros noticed that Drake and his fiancée were leaving the dance floor. They were totally absorbed in one another. She clenched her teeth as Drake bent his head and whispered something in his fiancée’s ear—something that made her blush delicately before they eased their way through the crowd and out the door.

  “Not particularly,” she bit out, before taking another long drink of her wine.

  “Ah, like that, huh?”

  She turned and looked at him. “He didn’t know I was coming and doesn’t know I’m here. I’d prefer to keep it that way.”

  “Noted. Shall we move somewhere a little more private?”

  “Please.”

  He took her by the elbow and guided her to a smaller bar area with secluded seating spaces and settled her at a table.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I will be, eventually.”

  She had already dealt with the disappointment of losing Drake once and, to be honest, she hadn’t really thought this through enough. She should have done more research before diverting to this out-of-nowhere town with too many cows and not enough bright lights.

  “Good to know. Life sucks, right?”

  “Sure does. I didn’t think Drake would take up with someone else quite so quickly. I had hoped...”

  “Hoped?”

  “That I could convince him that we deserved another chance.”

  “What happened?”

  She finished her second glass of champagne and gestured to a waiter for another.

  “I wanted love, marriage and happy-ever-after. He didn’t. Not with me, anyway.”

  Gabriel made a sound that was a mix of irony and humor.

  “What you wanted is vastly overrated. In fact, I don’t think it truly exists anymore.”