Billionaire Bachelor: Logan: Diamond Bridal Agency Read online

  Billionaire Bachelor: Logan

  Diamond Bridal Agency

  Melissa Stevens

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, character, places and incidents ether are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art by Sweet ’n’ Spicy Designs

  Editing by Elizabeth A. Lance

  Copyright © 2019 Melissa Stevens

  All rights reserved.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Also by Melissa Stevens

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Also by Melissa Stevens

  Books and series from Melissa Stevens

  Kitsune Series:

  Change

  Fight

  Hunt

  Live

  The Kitsune Collection

  (with Change, Fight, Hunt and Live in one volume)

  WMC Series:

  Escape

  Jade's Peace

  Risking Alex

  Demented Souls:

  Ruger

  City of Sin:

  Released by Desire

  Redeemed by Desire

  Revealed by Desire

  The Dragon Chronicles

  (with Released by Desire, Redeemed by Desire and Revealed by Desire)

  Diamond Bridal Agency:

  Justin

  Sean

  Alex

  Pelican Lake:

  Steamy Days

  Smoldering Sunsets

  Sultry Nights

  Novels:

  Robin’s Nest

  Her Hot Cop

  Chapter 1

  Dear Mr. Hensley,

  After careful consideration of your requests and needs, the Diamond Bridal Agency is pleased to inform you that a bride has been located who matches your special and specific requirements. All communications have been kept private, as is our policy. Communications from the agency will cease after this missive and we request, for the security of our other clients, that you destroy this message after reading it.

  Your satisfaction is guaranteed. To comply with your request for haste and privacy, your bride will arrive on the 14th day of February, via private jet to the Clinton Municipal Airport. Please do not hesitate to contact me should there be any issue with your bride. Her name is Claire Raferty and she understands the stipulations of the contract as you set forth.

  We are aware of the time sensitive nature of your request, therefore with your permission we can arrange for the marriage to be legal and filed this week, before Ms. Raferty arrives, we just need the included form returned by overnight mail.

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. Alveda Creed, Diamond Bridal Agency.

  Logan dropped the letter on his desk and stared at it a moment as he gave the plan a quick second thought. A mail order bride wasn’t how he’d planned to find a wife, but he was running out of time. Maybe if he’d known about the deadline sooner it wouldn’t be such a problem, who knew? For some reason he didn’t understand, his father’s attorney had waited until just six months ago, a full three years after Logan had inherited the business his grandfather had started and his father had grown into a multi-billion-dollar corporation, to drop his bombshell.

  The will stated that he had to get married by his thirtieth birthday, and have a child by his thirty-fifth birthday, or the company, Equipment International, EI as Logan thought of it, would go to Logan’s cousin and long-time rival, Travis. There was no way Logan was going to let Travis have EI. Not after all the work and time he’d put in to it. Maybe at one time, he would have, but not since Logan had caught Travis in the bathroom with Sofia Fitzgerald, Logan’s girlfriend, at the Senior Prom.

  Disgusted, Logan shoved his chair away from the desk and stood. He paced the open space on the other side of the desk as he brooded. He would do whatever he could to keep the business from going to Travis. After the latest revelation he’d had his own attorney review his father’s will, partly to find anything else that had been kept from him, partly to see if he could find a loophole, any way out of it. His attorney hadn’t found a way around the marriage or baby requirements, but he had informed Logan that there was no stipulation stating the child had to belong to the wife he’d married by thirty, that he couldn’t divorce and re-marry or even that he must be married to the child’s mother. Only that he be married by thirty and he have a child by thirty-five.

  Armed with that knowledge, Logan had formed a plan. He would marry this woman, this Claire they bridal agency had found for him, and he’d try to make it work. But with five years until the next deadline, he had time to find someone else to be the mother of his child, if he had to. Hell, if he had to, he’d find a surrogate to carry the baby. It wasn’t an ideal plan, but it would fulfill the stipulations his father had put on his inheritance and secure the company as his.

  Honestly, he hoped it didn’t come to that, but he liked to have plans for as many possibilities as he could, just in case. It’s part of why the lasts minute revelation at least figuratively, of the stipulations in his father’s will had thrown him so badly. He planned to find a wife, but the deadline was too soon to do things the right way. He’d tried for the last six months but while he’d found plenty of women willing to date, or even marry him, there had been no one he was willing to settle down with. They had all ended up being someone he didn’t mind being seen with but not someone he cared to spend more than an hour or two in their presence. He really wanted someone he could talk to, share his worries and fears, as well as his happiness and celebrations. Mostly what he’d found were women who wanted an easy life, wanted his money to let them shop and be socialites, and they could barely hold a conversation that wasn’t about fashion or makeup.

  Now, with his birthday less than a week away, he was starting to get desperate. He’d spent the last week trying to figure out what he would do if Diamond Bridal Agency didn’t come through in time. He signed the form and sealed it into the envelope, addressed it and called the messenger service. To hell with overnight mail, he’d ship it overnight. It would cost a little more but he could be sure it would get there on time.

  Chapter 2

  Claire shifted in the plush seat. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. They were descending to the rural airport where she would meet the man who was now her husband. She folded her hands in her lap to make them stop shaking.

  The plane touched down, making her jump. It would only be a few minutes now. In just minutes she would meet him. Her husband. That was going to take a little while to get used to. Husband. Yes, she’d known what she was signing up for when she’d signed on for Diamond Bridal, but now it was done. She’d signed the paperwork several days ago and still hadn’t gotten used to the idea. She was convinced that part of the reason was that she hadn’t yet met him. Hadn’t even seen a photo.

  Ms. Creed had only told her that he was a little older and well able to make sure she never had to live out of her car again. She’d spent half of her senior year of high school living out of the back seat of her 20-year-old sedan, that she spent everything she’d saved from her babysitting and part time jobs, to buy. That was one of the down sides of growing up in the foster system, even if you lucked out and landed in good homes, but as soon as you turned eighteen, you’re out of the system and on your own. Claire had b
een lucky, she’d managed to land in families that were good to her, and treated her well, but she’d been removed from her last home just after her seventeenth birthday and had been in a group home when she turned eighteen. The family she had been with likely would have let her stay after she’d aged out of the system but the state had been less generous.

  The plane taxied to a stop, pulling her from her thoughts and back to the moment. A couple minutes later the pilot appeared.

  “Are you ready Mrs. Hensley?” The pilot went to the door. “Your husband is waiting on the tarmac.”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” She unbuckled the seatbelt and took a deep breath before standing. She waited while the door opened, and a set of wheeled steps was pushed up to the plane. Then stepped up to the door and froze. The moment had arrived. She glanced around a spotted a shiny black pickup parked nearby, a man dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt leaning against the bumper. She was too far away to tell much about him, other than that he had dark hair.

  Could that possibly be him?

  Unable to come up with any reason to delay any longer she slowly descended the steps. Her small purse clutched in her hands to keep them from shaking as she let her eyes scan the area, wondering if maybe she was wrong, and she was married to someone else. But she didn’t see anyone. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, the man leaning against the truck pushed himself away from the vehicle and approached. She hesitated at the foot of the steps, then gathered her courage and headed for him.

  “Claire?” he asked before she could gather the courage to speak.

  “Yes. Are you Mr. Hensley?”

  “I am. Call me Logan. We are after all, married right?”

  “We are.” She looked away as heat rushed to her face. Growing up, she expected to know more about someone before marrying them. Now, all that she knew was his name and that he had passed the intense screening the bridal agency used. Oh, and he had some kind of money as well, because that had been one of her requirements. She hadn’t asked to marry someone insanely rich, only that whomever they fixed her up with be established enough she never again had to worry about having a roof over her head. It seemed reasonable.

  “Do you have any luggage?”

  “Just one bag with me, the agency said they’d have the rest delivered. It’s still not much, but it’s mine.” She shrugged. She wasn’t sure how he would react, to anything, but she hadn’t been warned to be careful about his temper. She wasn’t sure it would have mattered if she had been. If this was going to work, she needed to be herself, and she wanted it to work.

  “No problem.” He held out one arm as if he wanted to escort her somewhere. “Why don’t we wait in the truck. It’s cold out here.” He was right. It was far colder here than it had been when she’d left the agency headquarters in Dallas. And the flirty, flowing skirt and heels she wore didn’t offer much protection from the biting wind.

  “I’d appreciate that.” She tucked her hand into his arm and let him lead her across the tarmac. They’d covered about half the distance to the pick-up when she stepped on a patch of ice and slipped. Her foot went one direction and her body another. She let out a startled scream as she braced for an impact that never came. A strong arm had wrapped around her waist and now held her snug against him.

  “Are you all right? Are you hurt?” His voice was kind and concerned as he set her back on her feet.

  “I’m okay. I’m just glad you caught me.” She gazed up into his face, unable to keep from noticing the golden whiskey color of his eyes. They sparkled and drew her in, making her forget just how cold it was for a moment.

  “The least I could do for a beautiful woman. Though, I’d recommend something warmer and definitely something with better traction in the future.” He gave her heels a pointed glance.

  “you’re right. Boots, like yours would be much better, even tennis shoes would be better than these. I just wanted to look nice and didn’t think there might be ice.”

  “You look nice, more than nice actually, you look amazing, but it’s not real practical, not here and this time of year. I hope you’ve packed some warmer things.”

  “I have a few things, but my wardrobe is a bit limited when it comes to warm things. It doesn’t get that cold in Dallas. At least not often.”

  “No worries, we can get whatever you need.” They reached the truck, he led her to the passenger’s side and helped her into the seat. Then, hitting a button on the key fob he’d had in his pocket, Logan started the truck and reached across her to hit a button on the dash. “There. That will keep you warm.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m dressed for the cold. And I’m a little more used to it, but I like that you’re worried.” He lifted her hand from her lap and kissed the back before stepping back and closing the door. She watched as he met the pilot as the man brought her one suitcase and thanked him and brought the bag back, stowing it in the back before climbing into the driver’s seat. “See that didn’t take long. Are you warm?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Her shivering had stopped and the seat heating beneath her made her slowly relax the muscles she hadn’t been aware of holding so tense until they’d started to ease.

  “Good. Are you hungry? There are a couple diners we can stop at for lunch or I can take you home.”

  “I’m fine. I’d rather go where ever you live.” It hadn’t occurred to her until she’d started to say house that he might live in an apartment or condo. Not that she cared, a secure home was all that mattered, at least at the moment. Ms. Creed had been clear, Logan wanted children. Later, as children started arriving, Claire might care more. A house, and a good-sized yard, would be nice for kids.

  “No problem.” Logan put the truck in gear and they were moving.

  Claire looked around, she’d never been to Oklahoma before and she wanted to see what it was like.

  “Do you live nearby?”

  “Our house is not too far, maybe twenty minutes.” He glanced over at her. “It’s your place now too, you know.” He gave her a smile that added a few small crinkles to the sides of his eyes and made her want to reach out and cup his face.

  “Thank you for that.”

  “For what?” A small crease appeared between his brows.

  “Calling it my home too.”

  His frown deepened. “But it is, unless you plan to live somewhere else?” He lifted one brow as he glanced at her then back to the road.

  “No, I have no plans to live anywhere else. It’s just that—” Her throat tightened, and she had to look away as her eyes filled with tears she didn’t want him to see. Claire swallowed, trying to force down the lump that had formed in her throat. “I’ve just not had anywhere to call home in long time.”

  “I’m sorry.” He kept one hand on the wheel as he reached over and took one of hers in his other. “I don’t know anything about you, all the agency told me was your name and when you would arrive. Where are you from?”

  “I grew up near Longview, Texas. But I left there as soon as I could.”

  “Why?”

  “I needed to get away, find people who didn’t know me and try to start fresh. It worked to a certain extent, but it’s hard to get a foot hold when you don’t have an address. I did manage to find a job serving fast food, then a second waiting tables at a dinner restaurant. It wasn’t much but after a while I found an apartment I could afford.”

  “Where was that?”

  “Tyler.” She shifted, not comfortable talking about herself. She didn’t want him feeling sorry for her, that wasn’t the right foot to start a marriage on.

  He glanced over at her again, but didn’t push.

  “We have a decent amount of shopping here, but if there’s something you want we don’t have, Oklahoma City is only a little over an hour away. I considered getting you a car, but decided to wait until you were here and could have some input. Do you have a license?”

  “I do. A Texas license. I’ll have to have it changed over
to Oklahoma, though.”

  “No problem.” He fell silent for a moment then glanced over at her. “Do you plan on keeping your own name?”

  “Not unless you want me too. My name is just a name, it doesn’t mean anything special to me.”

  “I’d like you to take mine, if you don’t mind?” He shot her another smile.

  It sent heat pooling low in her body.

  “I’ll have my secretary look into the best way to take care of both. I’d like to avoid you having to go to DMV twice if we can manage it. It’s just a huge waste of time.”

  “I don’t mind. It’s not like I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

  Logan glanced across at her. “That doesn’t matter. I don’t want you having to do that.” He was quiet for a few minutes. “What kind of car would you like? A sports car? A convertible? We can figure out what you want and I’ll call a friend at the dealership and have one delivered.”

  Claire blinked, stunned at the idea of his buying her a sports car. “I don’t need a sports car. I don’t know what I’d do with one.” All she could think of was how little space there was in one and what if she needed to sleep in it one day? No. she was past that. She’d never have to do that again.

  “Think about it. Until you decide, you can drive one of mine.”

  She blinked again, not sure how to respond. He had more than one car already? Then why was he wanting to get one for her?

  “All right, thank you.” She didn’t know what else to say, but she did know enough to say thanks.

  Chapter 3