For the Love of a Centuar: Centaur Agency, #1

By A.S. McGowan

Analise woke up in the hospital to find that her parents were dead. Her father's business partner has inherited the ranch she grew up on. To make matters worse her father's will stipulates she cannot receive her inheritance until she turns twenty-one. Now penniless and homeless, she agrees to a marriage of convenience with her father's business partner.

After turning twenty-one and with her inheritance in hand, she no longer wishes to be trapped in a loveless marriage. Moving out she builds a life for herself away from the ranch and her husband. When her husband shows up on her door step asking to give their marriage a chance, she jumps at the idea of a marriage of love. The problem is: everyone has been lying to her, her whole life. Now those lies may very well get her killed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.S. McGowan
• Release date: Dec 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9798201825133

Book preview

Chapter 1

November 1997

Analise slowly awoke. Turning her head to the side, she heard the crinkle of a plastic pillow encased in the soft pillowcase beneath her head This was not her pillow. Slowly she took in her surroundings. This did not make sense. Where was she? Turning her head to the other side, she spotted Matt Duclain, sitting in a chair next to where she was laying. Why was her father’s business partner sitting in a chair? Wait, everything looked like a hospital room. Why was she in a hospital room? This had to be a weird dream, right?

Matt? she asked.

You’re awake. How do you feel?

Everything feels sore. What happened? Why am I in a hospital room? What are you doing here? She scanned the room again.

Analise, there was an accident. The doctors said that you should be just fine. But you have a head injury and a few broken ribs.

Matt, where are my parents? She did not like the look on his face. Something inside her sank, when he just stared at her. Matt? Where are my parents?

Analise, I am so sorry. He reached out and held her hand.

Sorry? No, no that did not sound right. Sorry was what you said when the news was bad. Like when someone dies. Her parents could not be dead. No, this could not be happening.

She tried to catch her breath. Her breathing became more rapid and shallow. She felt herself getting dizzy. She could see Matt standing by her bed. He was saying something but she could not hear him. Thoughts began to explode and swirl around inside her head. This was a dream, a terrible dream in which she would awake soon. Fight or flight instincts kicking in, she tried to get up out of bed. She felt hands push her back down. The dizziness increased, and she could feel her heart racing. The sound of her pulse pounding in her ears was the last thing she had heard before the dark oblivion began to pull her under.

When she came to, the reality of the situation sat heavy on her heart. What was she supposed to do? Matt had to be mistaken, her parents could not be dead. It just did not make sense to her. She carefully wiped her palms on the blanket that covered her.

I see you are awake again, a voice next to her said.

Slowly turning her head, she saw Matt sitting beside her. She could not understand why he was still here. He was her father’s business partner, but why was he still here with her?

Why are you here?

Because you are injured. I stayed to make sure you were alright. When you are ready we need to talk.

No time like the present. So, what could we possibly need to talk about? She watched him as he sat there. Did the man really have to always look so good? Self-consciously, she raised the blanket a little higher across her chest.

I hate to do this right now but things need to be put into place. Luther’s will left the ranch to me. The ranch needs to continue to operate, so I will be moving into the ranch house. Your parents left you a very sizeable inheritance but you cannot access it till you are twenty-one, he began.

What are you saying? That I not only lost my parents but that I no longer have a home? Tears began to run down her cheeks. Angrily she wiped at them.

No. Of course, you still have a home. I just wanted you to understand that I would be living at the ranch house as well. Geez, Analise, I would never throw you out of your home.

But you cannot live there. Matt, you are a single man, and I am a single female. We cannot live under the same roof. It would cause a scandal.

I thought about that. There is an alternative. It would prevent a scandal. He smiled at her in a way that made her feel a little better.

What alternative?

We could get married, he started but quickly added, on paper only.

She shook her head. Are you sure you are not the one with a head injury? This man was out of his mind.

Think about it Analise, it makes sense. I am moving into the ranch house. You still need your home. It would be the only way to protect your reputation. After all, you just said we couldn’t live under the same roof because it would cause a scandal. He smiled at her again.

Matt, please leave. I cannot deal with this right now. She turned her head, looking away from him.

OK but I will come back later and check in on you.

She heard the door to her room close. This could not be happening. She is injured, lost her parents, and got a marriage proposal from her father’s sexy business partner all in one day. Only she could have such a screwed-up day. This would not be the first time she has had such a roller coaster of a day. Only before she always had her parents to turn to. Their sound advice and wisdom always helped guide her decisions. Now they were gone. Who could she turn to for advice on such major decisions as the one Matt, proposed to her?

There was always Stella. She loved their housekeeper just as if she were another mother. She did not want to discuss this with Stella though. In fact, she did not want to discuss this with anyone. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

Looking about she took in the room. Countless pieces of medical equipment so common for hospital rooms were in various locations in her room. Hanging from the chrome rail was a curtain that had been washed at least a thousand times. The colors so faded, they were barely there. Looking upward, she tried to distance herself from her thoughts by counting the cracks in the polystyrene tiles. It was no use; she could not shut off her thoughts. Too many of them, running around jumbled inside her brain.

She reached for the button to her pain pump. She could lay here and think about all that has happened, or she could just push the button. In the end, the relief offered by the pain medication won. She pressed the button and waited for the medicine to take over her brain. There could be worse things in life than being married to a sexy man that she already had feelings for, she thought, just before the pain meds pulled her under.

When she awoke later, she saw Matt was back in the chair. Well, she decided, guess it was time to face what life had thrown at me.

Alright, Matt. I will marry you she said.

Good that settles that problem. You do realize this will not be a real marriage? Don’t get me wrong I will financially take care of you. Once you get your inheritance we can end the marriage and go on with our lives.

Of course, I understand. This is just something on paper to keep people from gossiping. After all, my mother’s country club friends sure do love to spread gossip.

I will take care of everything and we can get married as soon as the doctors release you. Matt stood and left the room.

Two days later, Matt returned with clothes for Analise to change into. The doctors finally said she was free to go home, as long as she promised to come back in a week for additional tests. Ready to finally be free of the hospital with all its constant sounds and nauseating smell of disinfectants, she dressed as quickly as she could.

The nurse insisted on wheeling her out of the hospital. Sitting in the wheelchair, she took in the hospital with cautious eyes. The walls were the same color as those in her room. The same polystyrene tiles with various cracks made up the ceiling. Bland artwork decorated the walls. Someone must have thought the art would liven the place up. They were wrong. There was no way in which to liven a place up that was intended for the sick and the dying. It was here she was brought to recover. It was also here her parents’ bodies had been brought. There was no way art, framed and hung on a wall could change that.

Once they reached Matt’s pickup, he helped her up inside. Not sure what to expect, her stomach was tied in knots. All she knew was that he had told her earlier that they were going to the courthouse. The justice of the peace would take care of the ceremony. In all the years, she had dreamed of the day she would get married, this was never what she thought her wedding day would be like. She was supposed to have the big white wedding, her mother helping her get dressed and her father walking her down the aisle. Not some hasty courthouse wedding, without her parents.

At the courthouse, she sat in her seat while Matt came around to help her out of the pickup. He did not hold her hand on the way in, instead, he left her to trail behind him. Analise could not help but think he looked like a man on his way to his execution. She could call this off. If she did call it off, where did that leave her? She could not live with him unmarried, and she had no money until she received her inheritance. There is no other option but to continue with this unconventional marriage idea of his.

Once inside, everything happened so quickly. A marriage of convenience ceremony did not take as long as one sees at a traditional marriage ceremony. The marriage certificate showed them as husband and wife. But there was no love, no strong feelings of joining with one’s soulmate; just a contract inked out between them. The marriage certificate felt cold in her hand as she followed her new husband out of the courthouse. He helped her into the pickup and drove her home.

She thought he would spend some time with her. She was wrong. For the rest of the day she was left to either spend time alone or with Stella. Stella did spend a good amount of time fussing over her. When she broke down and cried over her parents, it was Stella, not Matt, who was there to hold her and soothe her. She wondered what he was up too, spending all these hours in what had been her father’s office with the door closed. Dinner came and went and Matt never made an appearance.

By the end of the night, she made her way upstairs and to get cleaned up. She had to be careful not to get the bandages wrapping her broken ribs wet. The stitches in her shoulders were also required to stay dry. Standing in front of the sink, she dipped the washcloth into the soapy water and wiped herself down. This was not as easy as she had thought it would be. She wished her mother was here to help. Her mother could make even the worst situation seem like an adventure.

Growing frustrated, she grabbed the towel and dried quickly. Dressed in a tank top and pajama bottoms, she brushed her teeth. Even brushing her teeth hurt. The movements pulled the stitches in her shoulder, and her ribs began to ache again. Done with what she could for her hygiene she made her way down the hall to Matt’s bedroom.

***

He was sitting on the bed, pulling his boots off when he heard the door open and then close. Looking up, he saw Analise standing just inside the door. Her tank top and pajama bottoms were not any man’s idea of sexy, yet parts of him took notice and came alive at the sight of her. There was no way he could give in to those desires. She was Luther’s daughter. Your partner is not even cold in the grave. Get your mind out of the gutter. You cannot do that with his daughter.

Can I help you? he asked.

I was just coming to bed.

Are you lost?

What?

He saw her confusion. I asked if you were lost. You said you were just going to bed and yet, here you are in my room.

She took a step further into the room. We are married now, so it is our room.

No, it is not our room. It is my room. You have your own room. I told you this was a paper only marriage. Not a real marriage.

I realize this is not a marriage of love. I thought we would still share a bed though.

Analise, let me set you straight right now. We will not be sharing a bed. Ever! So, get those school girl fantasies out of your head. He ran his hand through his hair.

I am not a school girl! she snapped.

Go to your own room. Shoving himself off the bed, he went and opened the door. Gently he guided her into the hallway and shut the door.

Leaning against the door, he let out the breath he had been holding. If she continued to come into his room at night, avoiding her was going to be difficult. He was no saint after all. He could not betray Luther though. They had been more than partners, they had been friends. Luther had trusted him. He would never break the other man’s trust in him. Even if the other man was dead and gone. I will protect her, keep her safe and I will never betray you, my friend.

Chapter 2

January 2000

Three years later....

Analise looked around the kitchen. It was spacious and showed the Good Housekeeping, style that was so much a part of who her mother was. Light pine cabinets, white stove and matching refrigerator, and pale yellow walls. Her mother had always been very much the country club lady. The home was