For The Sake Of His Heir

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“There are worse reasons to marry, I promise you.” The dark resentment in his voice reminded Brianne of how devastating marrying for love could be. “And the reason I thought of you, Brianne, is not just because this marriage would benefit you. But also because I trust you.”

Her gaze snapped up to meet his.

“Yes,” he said, answering her wordless question. “It’s true. This marriage would place a tremendous amount of power in a woman’s hands for the next year. It also gives my wife access to my family, which means more to me than anything. I can’t think of anyone else I would trust the way I trust you.”

“Why?” She shook her head, not understanding. “We only just work together. I mean, we share a few laughs and things, but—”

“Two reasons. One, you’re good with Jason. I see how gentle you are with him. How your eyes smile when you look at him. You can’t fake that kind of warmth or enjoyment of kids.”

She opened her mouth, but snapped it shut again; she wasn’t sure what to say. “Everyone loves babies.”

“That’s not true. Not even close,” he said with unmistakable bitterness. “But the second reason I trust you is this.” He took her hand again and held it. Firmly. “There was a spark between us from the moment we met.”

“No.”

“Don’t deny it. We both ignored it and that was good. That was the right thing to do.” He squeezed her fingers gently and that warmth trickled through her veins again, like an injection of adrenaline. “Not many women would have ignored that spark. At the risk of being immodest, Brianne, the McNeill wealth attracts way too much feminine attention, and I haven’t always done a good job of appreciating the women who wanted me for my own sake versus the ones who wanted to get close to the lifestyle our world affords.”

She’d never thought about that before, but knowing what she did of human nature, she wasn’t surprised, either. Had Theresa been one of those women? She didn’t dare to ask; she was too overwhelmed by this shocking outpouring from Gabe.

“You, on the other hand—” he tipped up her chin to see into her eyes, and the warmth of his touch there made her mouth go dry “—you respected my marriage and my family, right through the day it all went up in flames and long afterward. That’s how I know I can trust you.”

“Gabe.” She couldn’t find the right words, was still stunned by his admission. He’d known about the attraction all along and hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t acted on it. “If what you’re saying is true, that there is a...spark—”

“Do you doubt it?” He loomed closer.

Her heart beat faster.

“Just, let’s say that there is an attraction.” The word scraped her throat. “It would be playing with fire to get married and play house. I can’t throw away my job—my future—for the sake of one year. I wouldn’t be able to work for you anymore.”

The fact that she’d tossed out an excuse rather than outright saying “hell, no” made her realize she was actually considering it in some corner of her mind. She guessed that he sensed as much since he leaned forward, a glint in his eyes that she recognized from when she’d seen him close a deal. He spotted an advantage.

“We’ll have a prenuptial agreement. You can name your terms for a settlement so you don’t need to concern yourself with work.”

“I like my job.” It was more than just a paycheck. She lived at the Birdsong. The gardens were a work in progress she hoped to develop for years to come. “I had plans to make the grounds an attraction people would visit there just to see.”

“So we’ll add in job security as part of the settlement.” He shrugged like it was such a small concern.

The plane dipped on a patch of turbulence and her belly pitched along with it. Gabe’s arm went around her shoulders automatically, steadying her.

She didn’t even realize that she’d grabbed him—his thigh, to be exact—until the plane was sailing smoothly again. Releasing him, she peered up into his eyes and tried to regain her equilibrium.

The heat glittering in his gaze didn’t come close to helping.

“We’d have to keep ignoring it.” The words slipped from her lips before she had time to think them over, making her realize she was already mulling over how this crazy idea might work.

“What?” He tensed, his arm tightening a fraction around her shoulders where he still held on to her.

“The attraction.” She plowed forward, knowing she might regret it but unable to turn down the offer of help for Nana. The level of help that Gabe could give her—the comfort his wealth could provide for her—was the kind of thing her selfless grandmother deserved in her late years. There was nothing Brianne wouldn’t do to repay Nana Rose. “We would have to keep a lock on any attraction, the same way we’ve always done.” That was nonnegotiable. “I don’t want to feel like I sold my soul for the sake of Nana’s care.”

His eyes dipped to her lips. Lingered for a moment, then came back to hers. “I would respect your wishes, of course.”

Did he know how much his heated glance sent her pulse racing?

“And I would need to trust you. You’d have to promise not to use that attraction to...” She’d never been a woman who minced words, but this was new territory. “What I mean is, you can’t try persuading me to go outside my comfort zone, even if you see I might be caving. Especially if you see I might be caving.”

Instantly, he removed his arm from around her shoulders.

Already, she mourned the loss.

“Done.” He nodded. All business.

And shouldn’t that be a lesson to her? Gabe McNeill was well versed in sensuality. If he could shut it down that fast, no doubt he could apply it when necessary, as well. She needed to be wary around him.

“Then, if you’re really serious about going through with this—”

“I can have our agreement drawn up by noon. We can apply for a marriage license tomorrow before the offices close for the day. Assuming you retained your U.S. citizenship?”

He was serious all right. She nodded.

“So did I. And New York only requires a twenty-four hour waiting period after we apply, so that makes it simple.”

So for Nana’s sake, she would find a way to make it work.

Before she could second-guess herself, she blurted, “In that case, you have yourself a deal.”

And with one look at his heat-filled eyes, Brianne had the feeling she was in over her head even before she said “I do.”

Four (#u9945bf98-7f25-52d8-b020-e0731532b2bf)

She’d said yes.

An hour later, Gabe had to remind himself of the fact as he peered over at Brianne beside him in the limousine. Her expression was tense. She didn’t look like a woman who had any reason to celebrate as the lights from the bridge flashed on her face while they crossed the East River and headed into Brooklyn. The drive from the airport had been quick thanks to light traffic, and Gabe had sent Nadine and Jason ahead to the apartment in midtown Manhattan in a separate vehicle so the baby could have some rest after the long trip.

Which left Gabe and Brianne alone for this next leg of the journey. Their first trip as an engaged couple.

The drive into Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood was a far cry from how he’d celebrated his first wedding proposal. He’d taken Theresa to Paris to propose over dinner—a romantic night he’d wanted for a woman who adored being romanced. In the long run, what had it meant to her? While he regretted that he hadn’t even given Brianne a ring with his proposal, he still felt relieved that this marriage agreement was nothing like the first one. They both knew what they were getting into. There would be a prenuptial agreement. Clear terms for the future. He’d messaged his attorney’s office from the plane after Brianne agreed to his plan and she’d seemed content to let him make the arrangements.

No one needed to be disappointed. On the contrary, they could both enjoy the peace of mind that came with knowing their interests were well protected. That they were helping one another.

So why did Brianne’s dark expression make her look like she’d just made a deal with the devil?

“Are you okay?” he asked, laying a hand on her arm hidden inside the cashmere wrap she’d worn in place of a jacket.

The clothes were plenty warm for Martinique in February. Not so much for New York. He’d have to see about having a winter wardrobe delivered for her. He wished he could put her at ease, but maybe she was just keyed up about her grandmother. No doubt she was worried.

“I didn’t realize how strange it would feel to come home.” She stared out the limousine window into a dark and silent park as they sped deeper into Brooklyn. “I was so sure I didn’t miss this place, and yet now...” She shook her head. “I have so many memories here. Not all of them bad, though.”

“You’ve never really said why your grandmother sent you away.” He hoped maybe talking would help her relax. Or at least distract her from worrying about her grandmother. He’d called a private health-care service to meet them at the Brooklyn address in case Brianne needed help moving her grandmother. She hadn’t protested when he made the call now that they’d agreed to the marriage deal.

For his part, Gabe was glad to focus on helping her. Maybe that would alleviate the twinge of guilt over how he hadn’t mentioned that a marriage might help him with custody if Theresa decided to revisit the terms they’d agreed to previously.

“My family life was complicated even before my father remarried.” She turned to stare at an all-night diner lit up in bright pink lights. “Then, once he brought Wendy home, I was the odd one out.”

Something her father should have never allowed to happen. Gabe wouldn’t let anyone near his son who didn’t care about the boy. Jason had already been abandoned by his mother.

“You two didn’t get along?” Gabe asked, trying to envision her life as a kid.

Brianne had told him once that her mother had a long-term problem with prescription painkillers and had run off with her dealer when Brianne was only eight, leaving her in the care of a disinterested father. Even then, the grandmother had been Brianne’s role model, the woman who kept her family together.

“Something like that.” She glanced up at the high, neon vacancy sign flashing on a nearby hotel. “My stepmother had a jealous streak. She didn’t see me as a threat when I was nine, and gladly ignored me. But once I hit puberty, she turned vicious if anyone noticed me.”

Defensiveness for the girl she’d been had him straightening in his seat. He was angry on her behalf.

“Vicious how?” he asked, keeping his voice even. “Did she hit you?”

“No. Not quite.” She pivoted her shoulders toward him, dragging her attention from the window. “Some shoving once or twice. Mostly, she raged at me to keep my, um, breasts to myself while trying to wrench my too-small clothes around me to cover more.” She shook her head, dragging weary fingers through her thick waves. “A real class act.”

And Brianne had been just a kid. Damn.

His hand found her wrist, and he squeezed gently.

“No wonder your grandmother wanted you out of there.” He hated to think about an adult manhandling her like that when she was a child. “I’m so sorry you went through that.”

“I’ve heard Wendy is on medication now for some of her issues.” She crossed her legs, her foot swinging with the motion of the limousine as it made a sudden stop for a red light. “She was taking reasonable care of Nana and helping out with the rent up until a couple of months ago.”

He sincerely hoped he didn’t run into the woman who’d treated Brianne that way.

“Where’s your father these days? He doesn’t participate in caring for his family?” Gabe would trade almost anything to have his mom back. Losing her to cancer while he was a teen had devastated him far more than when his father quit showing up.