Bachelor-Auction Bridegroom

She should have known better than to respond to his kiss, no matter how wonderful he made her feel. Yesterday at the auction she’d sensed he was a rogue at heart and maybe a little dangerous. True or not, she didn’t intend to become another conquest of his or of any other man’s.

She pasted on a tight smile so that anyone watching her would think she enjoyed T.J.’s embrace. “I meant I wanted you to be lovable at the lawyer’s office. Not out here on the street!”

He grinned. “Sorry about that. I’m a strong believer that practice makes perfect. We’ve got to make it look good, don’t we?”

Emily straightened her suit collar, tucked stray tendrils of hair behind her ears. But not before she reached into her purse for a roll of peppermints. “We’ll have to hurry, or we’ll be late.”

By now, T.J. was ready for anything that would take his mind off Emily’s lips. He held out his hand for a peppermint and popped it in his mouth. “Come on, my car is parked around the corner.”

“No need,” Emily answered as she started off down the street. “The lawyer’s office is just two blocks away. That’s why I chose this hotel.”

“Gotcha,” T.J. murmured gratefully. The pungent peppermint wasn’t doing much to keep his mind off Emily’s lips or the satisfying way she’d felt in his arm. Failing a cold shower, a brisk walk might do the trick.

The concrete buildings and the sounds of traffic along their way proved to be a distraction. By the time they reached their destination, T.J. had cooled off. Some, but not all the way. He was as aware of Emily as ever. And, judging from the overt glances she kept sending his way, the feeling was mutual.

Wilbur Daniels, the lawyer behind the gilt letters on the door to his office, regarded Emily quietly when his secretary announced them. As soon as they were seated, she introduced T.J. as her husband. Daniels raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. May I see the photograph again?”

“Of course.” With a warning glance at T.J., Emily handed over the small photograph, then reached into her purse for another peppermint.

By now T.J. recognized that the pungent candy was a sure sign Emily was nervous. And that beneath her outward bravado, there had to be a growing fear her plans could blow up and take her inheritance with it.

Between Tim’s well-intentioned matchmaking and the way he’d just manhandled Emily on a public street, T.J. felt he owed her. He had to give her a chance at the inheritance she had coming. Even if it took him posing as her husband. But first, there was the matter of the disturbing marriage clause.

He put his arm around Emily’s shoulders, hugged her to him and planted what he hoped was a welcoming kiss on her lips. He felt her soft moan of protest but was grateful she didn’t pull away. “Atta girl,” he whispered into her lips.

Daniels glanced from T.J. to the small picture and back again. “Kind of blurry, don’t you think?”

“It’s not studio quality, if that’s what you mean.” T.J. mustered a proud grin. “The truth is, when I met Emily I fell head over heels in love with her.” He laughed and squeezed Emily again. “I didn’t give her time to change her mind, let alone to have wedding pictures taken. I couldn’t wait to…” His voice trailed off. The wink he gave the lawyer finished the sentence.

“T.J.!” Emily admonished. A blush covered her face. “Mr. Daniels will think—”

T.J. broke in and finished the sentence for her. “He’ll think we’re a happily married couple, sweetheart.”

Daniels frowned. “Frankly, Mr. Kirkpatrick, in itself, the photograph is hardly proof of your marriage.” He tossed the picture on his desk, sat back in his leather chair and steepled his hands. “I’m afraid I’ll have to see your marriage certificate.”

“For Pete’s sakes! I didn’t think I had to carry it with me,” T.J. replied with a frown. “Did you, Em?”

Em. Emily stared at her temporary husband. How could he know that Em was the loving nickname her aunt had used for her? What was there about T.J. that made her heart beat faster even while her temper boiled?

“Of course not! No one carries around their marriage certificate.” Emily pulled away from T.J.’s arm and leaned across the mahogany desk. “Mr. Daniels. It’s my belief you’re making this more difficult for me than you need to!”

Daniels stood and closed the folder on his desk. “Not at all, Miss Holmes. It’s a matter of following my client’s wishes. And the law governing probate.”

“Mrs. Kirkpatrick! And don’t you forget it!” T.J. exploded. He jumped to his feet before he realized that if he didn’t watch himself, he’d be knee-deep in a possibly illegal conspiracy.

“Mrs. Kirkpatrick,” the lawyer amended. His complexion blanched, but he held his ground. “It doesn’t matter what I think. As an officer of the court, it is my duty to make sure your aunt’s wishes are carried out. And the wishes contained in her last will and testament clearly state you must be married in order to inherit her estate.”

T.J. sensed Daniels was far from convinced he and Emily were married. He sent her a warning glance. Whatever it would take to insure she got her inheritance wasn’t going to be accomplished here, or today.

Daniels glanced at Emily. “I’m going out of town for a few days. That should give you time to produce the certificate.”

As far as T.J. was concerned, the man’s trip out of town was too convenient to be true. Without coming right out and saying he doubted Emily was a married woman, Daniels was giving Emily time to hang herself.

T.J. intended to make sure Emily understood she was headed for trouble if she insisted they were married in order to gain her inheritance. Without a license or a marriage certificate, there had to be another way.

Back on the street, T.J. drew Emily into a small coffee shop. The comforting odor of freshly brewed coffee and the scent of warm cinnamon sticky buns were tantalizing. But they didn’t do much to ease the growing premonition sending icicles running up and down his spine.

He motioned to a table and headed for the serving counter.

“I hope you’re not thinking of doing something irrational or illegal,” he said when he rejoined Emily. “If you are, count me out.” He set the paper cups of hot coffee on the table and glanced at her clenched hands and tense lips.

She nodded her thanks. “Of course I’m not.”

“You’re not?” He wasn’t convinced, not when she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I’m not,” she repeated. “I’m not even sure where to go from here. But I can tell you this. I’m not going to give up. My aunt wanted me to have the property, and I intend to fight for it.”

“I’m sure she did,” T.J. soothed. “It’s just too bad she added the marriage clause to her will. Maybe you ought to consult a lawyer of your own?”

“A lawyer might help,” Emily agreed. “Unfortunately, I don’t know any lawyers around here. I’d have to go back home to Placerville to find one.”

T.J. held his tongue. He was afraid if he gave her his own lawyer’s telephone number, he would be getting more involved with Emily than was wise. He was already too attracted to her for his own good.

Emily silently drank her coffee and mulled over her options. With none in sight, going back home and talking things over with her mother was the logical thing to do.

There was a problem: with T.J. across the table, she was in no mood to think logically. Not after the way she’d reacted to his unexpected embrace. Not after the way she’d reacted to his kisses, either. And certainly not when her senses were in a turmoil.

After she’d been jilted by Sean Foster, she’d sworn off men, hadn’t she?

She still had her dream of visiting Italy, didn’t she?

So why was she even thinking of the amazing way she’d felt after T.J. had taken her in his arms and kissed her senseless? Or why she could hardly wait for him to do it again?

“I think I’ll go back to the hotel and try to take a nap,” she finally remarked. Her head throbbed and her stomach was in knots. “These have been very trying days.”

“Sure,” T.J. answered, wishing he could take a nap with her. Maybe it was just as well he hadn’t been invited. He couldn’t have stopped with a nap. He settled for getting to his feet and reaching for her hand. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to the hotel.”

Emily’s comment about trying days was the understatement of the year. Courtesy of his brother, T.J. had gone from being a bachelor to being a married man in a matter of hours. Married to a woman he didn’t know.

He’d participated in a masquerade that looked as if it didn’t have a prayer of succeeding. The way things were now, he’d be lucky if he didn’t wind up getting charged with intent to commit fraud.

If that weren’t enough to keep his mind and body in turmoil, he was becoming more and more attracted to Emily Holmes.

He glanced uneasily at the woman who, intentionally or not, was rapidly turning his safe and ordered world around into a place where he couldn’t recognize himself. He was even afraid to imagine what her next move in this wacky scenario would be. Her ideas, at least so far, had been naive and maybe harmless. Unless he was mistaken, the next idea would probably be illegal.

Instead of thinking of taking a nap with Emily, he should have taken his head out to be examined.

“Trying days” was putting it mildly, Emily mused as she and T.J. walked back to the hotel. T.J.’s continued silence didn’t help, either.