The Wife He Needs Read online

  Garth had finished changing when his cell phone went off. He recognized the caller as Maverick and was surprised his youngest brother had waited this long to call. Maverick had a tendency to make a pest of himself, but deep down Garth knew he wouldn’t have it any other way. Maverick was Maverick.

  He grabbed the phone off his bed. “What’s going on with you, Maverick?”

  “I should be asking that of you. Are you treating my girl right?”

  His girl? “If you’re referring to Regan, yes, I’m the perfect host.”

  “Good. She needs to enjoy herself. Working for you isn’t easy, Garth. You’re demanding. Too serious at times. Too driven. Hanging around you for any period of time can be stressful. You work too hard. Regan deserves time to enjoy herself. To chill. I just hope like hell that you’re not boring her.”

  Garth smiled when he thought of what all he and Regan had done that day. He could safely say she wasn’t at all bored. The sound of her screaming out her pleasure was still ringing in his ears.

  “Look, Mav, I need to go take a shower,” he lied.

  “Okay, and tell Regan I said hello.”

  “I will. Talk to you later.”

  He clicked off the phone and quickly left the bedroom. He didn’t want to keep Regan waiting.

  Seventeen

  The next morning, Regan slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noted was that she was in bed alone. How had Garth left without waking her? When she had drifted off to sleep last night, he’d been holding her in his arms, with their limbs entwined. She must have been sleeping pretty hard not to have felt him disengaging their bodies.

  She glanced at the clock on Garth’s nightstand as the aroma of bacon flowed through her nostrils. It was breakfast time and Paulo was back. But she would have to say, Garth had done a great job at breakfast yesterday. In her book, Garth had done a great job in everything yesterday.

  Dinner had been great and the brownies had been delicious. To top everything off, their lovemaking had been wonderful. Both before and after dinner. When she thought about what all they’d done in that hot tub, she couldn’t help but blush. And then last night, right here in this bedroom. They’d taken another shower together—their second that day—and then he’d dried her off, swept her into his arms and carried her to his bed to make love to her again.

  She’d made love more times in one day and night than she’d done in the past three years. The mere thought had her pulse racing, mainly because it hadn’t been with just anyone, but with the man she loved.

  She eased up in bed, wondering where Garth had gone and why he hadn’t awakened her before leaving. Did Paulo know they were sharing a bed? Did she care? No, she didn’t, because she was an adult and free to do as she pleased. The same held true for Garth.

  Even so, she had a feeling Garth wouldn’t be mentioning their affair to anyone. At least that was the feeling she’d gotten when he mentioned last night in the hot tub that Maverick had called and sent his regards. There was no way Garth would have given Maverick a hint the two of them had something going on. If he had, Maverick would have called her, probably to try talking her out of it.

  More than once, he had warned her about guys who meant her no good. She was the marrying kind and should never, ever settle for anything less. He would definitely see any affair with his oldest brother as settling. Especially if he discovered Garth had warned her he could never fall in love with her. Maverick, like everyone in their family, knew Garth was still in love with Karen. Maverick would never understand that although she knew it, too, she was hoping that Garth would see over the next two weeks that she was wife material as much as any other woman.

  She wanted him to enjoy their time together so much he would be willing to take a chance on them as a couple. She knew it was a risk, but she didn’t care. Some risks were worth taking.

  “Whatever you’re thinking about must be serious.”

  She glanced over to the doorway and smiled when she saw Garth leaning there. Why did have to look so jaw-droppingly gorgeous standing there shirtless, with his jeans riding low on his hips?

  “Good morning. I was just thinking about Dad,” she lied. There was no way she could tell Garth what she was really thinking about.

  The smile disappeared from his face and he came into the room to stand beside the bed. “Why? Is something wrong with Franklin?”

  She heard the panic in his voice and understood. He had a close relationship with her father, and she had been surprised he hadn’t used that relationship as a reason for him not having an affair with her. She was glad that Garth had believed her father all those times he’d said he accepted Regan as the adult she was. Her father knew that if she made mistakes along the way, she would learn from them. Now she was beginning to wonder if loving Garth as much as she did would be a mistake she would eventually learn from. Her main question to herself was, if that was the case, would it be one she would recover from?

  Franklin Fairchild believed that, like him, his daughter was a fighter. He had encountered the biggest fight of his life when he’d moved on with his daughter after unexpectedly losing the wife he adored. He had moved on without another woman to love.

  Would Garth be like her father?

  “Yes, Dad is fine. He should be returning from his cruise in a few days. He’s had his cell phone off and I don’t expect him to turn it back on until he reaches one of the islands that are part of the United States territories.”

  He nodded and she could see his features relax. “I’m glad he’s enjoying his life.”

  “Yes, but I wish he could enjoy it more.”

  “How so?” He came to sit on the edge of the bed and—as if it were the most natural thing—he reached out and took her hand in his. An electric current pulsed where he touched.

  “There were times when I would walk into a room and he would be just sitting there staring at Mom’s picture. Those were the times when I knew his heart was in pain. He loved her so much that he refused to move on. Dad’s a very handsome man, and a number of women made it known they would have loved for him to return their interest. But he didn’t. He dated on occasion, but he pretty much decided that only one woman could have his heart.”

  Garth didn’t say anything, and she knew why. He and her father shared the same views in that respect.

  Maybe this would be a good time for them to talk about it again. A couple of days ago he’d told her he could never love another woman, but she wanted to believe his heart was big enough to share. Why, like her father, did he not believe that?

  “I know where Franklin is coming from, Regan. It’s not easy to fall in love a second time when your heart is still consumed with memories of the first. I recall the number of times Franklin would say you helped keep Geneva’s memory alive because you looked so much like her. And you had her spirit and compassion. I agree. Geneva was a beautiful woman. I recall when she began working for the company and how smitten Franklin was of her. I was a kid and I walked in on them kissing once.”

  Her eyes widened. “You did?”

  He chuckled. “Yes. However, before your mind gets overloaded with scandalous thoughts, they were married, but you hadn’t been born yet. On that particular day, he’d flown my dad on a business trip somewhere in the Lower 48 and had been gone for at least two weeks. Roberta took all of us out to meet the plane when it returned. Geneva was there waiting, too.”

  He paused. “Your dad always looked dapper in his uniform, and being the professional that he was, he waited until he’d taken care of all the paperwork before he got off the plane. Your mom waited patiently. I remember having to go to the bathroom. I went down some hallway near one of the hangars and he and your mom were there. I guess you could say they were letting each other know how much they were missed.”

  “Ah, how romantic,” she said, imagining the scene.

  He looked over at her and s
miled. “And if I do recall, nine months later you were born.”

  Regan threw her head back and laughed. She laughed a lot around him and she noticed he laughed a lot around her. She loved how he would share these fond memories with her.

  Now she needed to ask him something that would place a damper on the mood, but she needed to know.

  “Garth?”

  “Yes, sweetheart?”

  That was the second time he’d referred to her that way, and yes, she was keeping count. She doubted he was aware that whenever he used that term of endearment it made her heart swell. “Tell me about her.”

  He lifted a brow. “Who? Your mom?”

  She shook her head. “No. About Karen.”

  For a long moment, he didn’t say anything, and just stared at her. Then he slowly released her hand and stood. “Why do you want to know anything about Karen? I told you all you needed to know about her, which was that I love her and will always love her. What else is there for you to know?”

  Regan nervously nibbled her bottom lip. She could give him a page of reasons, but none that she could tell him without putting him on the defense. Why was he hesitating? Her father would have seized on any opportunity to talk about her mother. A part of Regan didn’t understand why Garth wouldn’t do the same. Granted, any information about Karen wasn’t her business, but a part of her wanted to know.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I just want to know about the woman who still has your heart. I think that’s a special kind of love.”

  He didn’t say anything for a minute and then he walked over to the dresser and leaned against it, as if he needed to put distance between them. Six feet of distance. He drew in a deep breath and said, “I don’t think I will ever forget the first time I saw her. Walker and I went into a club on base and there she was, sitting at a table with friends, other female soldiers.

  “I could tell she seemed nervous about being in the club. After I met her, I found out why. Her parents were very religious. Her father had been a minister. It was obvious she wasn’t used to being in such a place. Guilt was written all over her face.”

  He rubbed his hand down his face and Regan knew reliving the memories was hard on him. “When we began dating, I would take her to nice places off base. The zoo, various museums and markets. Then we got our orders to leave and discovered we were headed for the same place in Syria. By then, we’d been dating exclusively for four months. I knew we were head over heels in love with each other. We talked about marriage. I’d even met her parents and her older brother when we had chance to go visit while on leave. Unfortunately, she never got to travel to Alaska to meet my family.”

  He paused a moment and she could see deep sadness in his eyes when he finally said, “I will never forget the day I got the word her chopper had gone down. We’d had a few stolen moments the night before. In less than a month, both our groups would be leaving Syria. I would be assigned to Camp Pendleton in California and she had orders for Virginia. She had less than a year left and I had a few months longer than that. She was to start planning our wedding.”

  “I’m sorry, Garth.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “So am I. For whatever reason you wanted to know about Karen, there you have it. Any other questions?”

  “Yes, there is one. Do you stay in touch with her family?”

  “Somewhat. Her parents are now deceased, and her older brother followed in his father’s footsteps and is a minister in Kansas. I hear from him from time to time.”

  He didn’t say anything for a minute. Then, he said, “I came to let you know breakfast was ready. That seems like ages ago. I’m sure Paulo has kept everything warming.” His posture straightened and he moved away from the dresser.

  “I’ll be showered, dressed and ready to join you at breakfast in twenty minutes.”

  Garth nodded and was about to leave the room when she called out to him. “Garth?”

  He turned around. “Yes?”

  “Thanks for sharing that with me.”

  He nodded again and walked out.

  * * *

  Garth stood at the huge window in the dining room and looked out at the ocean. Today the gusts were high, and the waves were choppy. Regardless, the sea looked beautiful, and this spot was great to view it all. His waterfront home on the Chena River in Fairbanks, even with its rustic appeal, couldn’t compare to this.

  His lips curved into a smile. Nothing could compare to Regan. When he’d walked into the bedroom and seen her in his bed... With the sheet pulled up to cover her breasts and her hair all mussed around her shoulders, she’d looked like a goddess. A sexy, tumbled goddess.

  Nothing could erase that image from his mind. Not even the question she’d asked about Karen. A part of him had initially felt Regan didn’t have a right to ask anything. But then, when he’d begun talking about Karen, he’d realized he had needed to have that conversation. He wasn’t sure why he felt that way, but he had.

  Before walking out of the room, he’d come close to asking a question of his own. Was she honestly thinking about taking that job with Anders? Although Charm thought she wasn’t, he wanted to hear it from Regan’s own lips. However, to ask her about it would reveal where he’d heard it from and all fingers would point to Charm. He’d promised his sister he would keep the information to himself.

  His mind filled with thoughts of yesterday. Especially their time in the hot tub. That had been the first time he’d ever made love to a woman in one. After getting out of it, they’d showered together, and ended up in bed making love the entire night. He could get used to this.

  Suddenly, it flashed through his mind that no, he could not. Should not. In a few days they would be leaving, and when they did, their affair would end. She knew it and accepted it. No drama. That was the way he wanted it. Their affair had been a mutual, adult decision and was nobody’s business. She would return to being his pilot and he her boss.

  “Garth?”

  He turned at the sound of her voice. If all these sexy outfits she’d been wearing every day were meant to grab his attention, they were working. Today she’d put on what looked to be an island dress that swished around her ankles and hung off her shoulders.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m ready for breakfast.”

  She seemed somewhat nervous. Did she assume he was upset because she’d asked him about Karen? If that was the case, he needed to arrest her fears. Crossing the room, he wrapped his arms around her as he looked down at her. “You look beautiful as ever, sweetheart. I love this outfit on you.”

  Her lips parted into a smile. “Thank you.”

  “I hope you know I’m wondering about my downfall—”

  She lifted a brow. “Your downfall?”

  “Yes. I forfeited yesterday’s kissing game, so you’re the declared winner. That means you get to do whatever you want to me. I hope you take pity on this poor soul.”

  Her smile widened. “Poor soul? I can’t see you falling in that category. I’ve been thinking of just what I want to do to you, Garth. I’ve come up with plenty of ideas. Too bad I have to settle on just one.”

  He took a step closer to her. “Would you like to share that idea with me?”

  She took a step back and grinned. “No, and our breakfast is getting cold.”

  She turned to walk away, and he reached out and pulled her into his arms, leaned in and kissed her. This was his first kiss from her today, but he was going to make sure it wasn’t his last. Her taste did something to him each and every time.

  When he finally released her mouth, he took her hand and together they headed toward the kitchen.

  Eighteen

  “Garth, could you come in here a minute, please?”

  Regan knew what she intended to do to him would take more than a minute, but she couldn’t think of a better way to end their two weeks in Santa Cruz. For as lon
g as she lived, she would always remember the time they’d spent together here. They’d attended a couple more operas, shared dinner at several posh restaurants in town, gone to a movie and taken a drive along several of the scenic beaches. They’d eventually gone hiking in the tropical laurel forests and had spent an entire day kayaking and canoeing.

  He’d even gone shopping with her again. They’d bought more souvenirs and she’d helped him find gifts for Walker and Bailey’s twins. But no matter what they did during the day, they looked forward to each night when they returned to the château to make love until sleep claimed them. Often, they would awake in the middle of the night and make love again.

  She also appreciated how they would spend time talking. Over breakfast Garth would tell her of plans he had to move the company forward, his concern for his father—who still didn’t accept that the Westmorelands were related to them—and how finding out about the Westmorelands had enriched his family’s lives in many ways. Family meant even more to him now.

  He told her about the renovations he intended to make to his home at the beginning of the year, which included adding a theater room. She loved his home and had visited him a number of times with Charm. She especially loved how she could see the Chena River from almost every room.

  They’d talked about her father and how he was enjoying life in Florida and how she planned to spend Christmas with him this year. She told Garth about the trip she and Simone had planned to Ireland next year and the renovations she planned to do to her own home. Conversing with him was easy and she enjoyed it tremendously.

  Tonight was their last night together. Tomorrow they would leave to return home. He probably assumed she’d forgotten about collecting her reward from the kissing game. If that was what he thought, then he was wrong, because tonight was the night.