A Contract Bride's Triple Surprise (9 page)

He’d faced dangerous men, hungry catamounts, and bears, and never been afraid. But he knew the acrid taste rising from his belly was fear. Having found a woman who cared about him, what would he do if he lost her?

The good folks of Tanner’s Ford called him a savage. They thought him illiterate, dumb, stupid, and eager to kill with the knives they knew he carried. He didn’t care. What the townies thought of him didn’t affect anyone else. Though he swore he wouldn’t change, it was different now. He had a wife to protect. She was almost a foot shorter and had none of his strength. She was a pampered city woman with no mountain survival skills though she could learn those in time.

He cursed Gillis, only now realizing the gift of a wife was a double-edged knife. She not only stopped him from exacting vengeance, she was his Achilles heel. When they left their room, her eyes would shine with knowledge of what she’d learned during the night. Not that they could hide anything after leaving the window open.

She was his wife and belonged to him. Whether he loved her or not, she’d be an easy target to get at him. All he could do was make sure everyone knew the repercussions. Even an unpleasant glance in her direction would bring a swift, personal response.

He’d not let her know of his protection, of course. He didn’t know much about women, but strong ones like Miss Lily, Sophie McLeod, and Patsy Tanner did not take kindly to a man’s protection. They believed they could take care of themselves. He let them think so while sending the message that they were to be left alone.

Sophie had some trouble when Orville Rivers first arrived, but Ross suggested the mayor not accost her again. No threats but a strong suggestion it would be better for the Mayor’s health if he treated Sophie as a businesswoman. He’d kept his eye on Rivers every since. Something about the man was familiar and not in a good way. He’d met enough two-legged beasts to recognize one.

He’d make sure no one trifled with Amy. He would protect her as the mother of MacDougal heirs and part of the MD Ranch. He’d enjoy her body and share it with Nevin. When Gillis recovered, he would be invited as well. Surely, if a man loved a woman, he could love her sister as well?

That should give Amelia enough open love to keep her satisfied.

Unfortunately, it was too late for him.

Chapter Eight

“You’d better stop looking at me like that, Mrs. MacDougal.” He purred the words. “I’m too hungry to spread you on that bed and do what you’re thinking about.”

His nostrils flared and golden hazel eyes darkened in promise. He’d tied his long, silky hair back with a leather thong. Instead of a tie, another thong draped around his neck. It was held together with a huge lump of—

“Is that a gold nugget?” She pointed at his throat.

He nodded.

“Aren’t you afraid someone will try to take it?”

He blinked, stared for a moment, then leaned back his head and laughed, deep and slow. He shook his head at her, still smiling. “Let them try.”

He actually looked eager, as if having someone attack him before breakfast was the perfect start to a wonderful day. She remembered the men, women, and children she’d consoled and bandaged, victims of a man’s anger.

“I abhor violence.” She held herself as tall as possible and set her shoulders. It was the first morning of their marriage, and she had to make this clear. “Violence is evil. I do not want my husband to be involved in such acts.”

His only visible movement was to raise one eyebrow, but everything changed. From the laughing, relaxed man of a moment ago, he seemed to turn to stone. She swallowed. If the chair wasn’t behind her she’d have stepped back. Was this the man the townspeople feared? If she saw him, even on the street on a sunny Sunday morning, she’d pull herself into a doorway as well. But he’d taught her body pleasure greater than anything she could have imagined.

“Things are different out here.” He spoke so slow and deep it sounded like a growl. “I will protect what’s mine. Any man comes near you, he’d better leave town before I find him.”

He wore a gun on his hip like almost every man she’d seen in the last week. And there were the knives. He was just another man posturing to prove who was top dog. She would not be part of that. No one should be hurt because of his male need to strut around like a rooster!

“I will not have someone hurt because they smiled at me and you got jealous.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

He growled his order like a feral dog. A very big, very dangerous one who could snap her neck with one hand. She couldn’t stop the tremble that hit as they stared at each other. He looked down her body as if assessing her, wondering how far she would go and what he would do about it.

The longer she stared, the more intense his look. His nostrils flared like a bull about to charge. She swallowed. This was not something she could win. Her husband was far too strong in body and character for her wishes to have any sway over him. The beaten women told her to let the man win and avoid being beaten.

One slap of his hand to her head and she’d be knocked to the ground or into a wall. She would not fight Ross. Not today. But she would not go along with him, either. A man who would attack another man could do the same to a woman or child when drunk or angry.

Last night was magic. She’d never forget it. A different man stood in front of her now. This one she could never love. She dropped her eyes and turned away. She pulled at the thick ribbon and removed the pretty gray bonnet that matched her dress. She set it on the table and walked over to the padded chair. She’d left a book beside it on the table. She picked up the book, sat down, and began reading. She couldn’t see a thing through the tears welling in her eyes, but she’d not give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

“What are you doing?”

Unlike her, his voice was calm and controlled. Obviously, his heart wasn’t pounding hard enough to escape the cage of her ribs. A cage. That was what she would have to live in. She’d switched one house for another, both run by opinionated, arrogant, violent men. Would Ross throw her out as her father had if her first child was a daughter?

“Reading.”

Her throat was so tight she almost squeaked the word. She opened her mouth to breath, unable to get enough air otherwise.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

She shook her head. She pressed her right hand tight in a fist against her heart, but it didn’t slow. She closed her eyes, knowing she must calm down or risk a terrible headache. Soft footsteps approached. She opened her eyes just enough to see his boots a few feet in front of her. He moved away for a moment and then set a chair down in front of her, backward. He threw a long leg over it and sat as if he was on a horse. He leaned his arms on the back and stared at her.

She ignored him. After a few minutes of complete stillness and silence from him, she managed to get herself under control. She turned the page of her book, still unable to read.

“Why?”

She looked up at the sudden question. This close, she could see the individual gold flecks that speckled his eyes. Lines radiated out, likely from squinting into the sun. She doubted it was from too much smiling. His stare was so intense she had to look down.

“You afraid of being seen with me?”

He’d whispered the words, but she’d heard clearly, though she didn’t understand what he meant. This time, when she looked into his eyes, she saw a flash of pain and longing. It was gone when he blinked, but she knew it was still there, hiding.

She let out a shuddering breath. She was scared and upset about facing the world without her veil and gloves. Ross was not an emotionless beast like those she’d seen beating their wives and children. He would have saved those children and been burnt just like she had.

Ross wasn’t a vicious brute, and he wasn’t her father. When he woke her, she’d railed at him, ordering him from his own bedroom on his wedding night. Worse, she called him a vicious killer. He might have killed, but he liked to play with babies. Like her, he had scars inside and out. He used his strength and power to keep people away. She used her burns.

She looked away. A line of heat crept up her chest to her face. The considerate, caring man she spent the night with would never attack her. She’d tarred him with a black brush from her past. But she still couldn’t let him hurt anyone because of what she might innocently do. She pressed her lips tightly together. He sighed and then stood up. She heard him move the chair, and then he gently tugged her book out of her hand.

“I was reading that,” she choked out.

“Useful skill, reading upside down.”

He set her book back on the table and then swooped her in his arms. He sat on her chair with her in his lap. She looked across the room instead of at him. His chest warmed her left arm where it rested against him. His thighs warmed her bottom, reminding her what tonight might bring. Unless this was a major fight. Then she might sleep alone.

“Talk to me, Amy.”

She tried to wait him out, but the man had the patience of her old neighbor’s hunting cat. The scruffy tom would wait in the weeds, perfectly still, until an unwary rat would run past. She was more like a mouse.

“Go eat,” she said. “When it’s time to leave town, I’ll come down to the wagon with you. I’ll wait here until then.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t wish to go outside.”

He snorted at her answer. “That’s not what you said earlier.”

“That was before I realized you might kill someone because of me.” She paused, but he said nothing. “If I smile at the simple joy of walking outdoors, you might see a man smile back. You’ll get jealous and get into a fight. If you hurt him, you’ll go to jail. They’ll hang you.”

He shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”

“You won’t get jealous of me smiling at strange men?”

Though his expression didn’t really change, she was learning to read him. When gold warmed his eyes and he stared at her mouth or lower, she understood what he was thinking. Her nipples responded immediately.

“You’ll be too satisfied to smile at anyone else,” he murmured.

She pouted at his smirk of satisfaction when he saw her nipples.

“Why did you ask if I was afraid to be seen with you?” Barely a moment passed before brown covered the gold flecks in his eyes. They were truly the mirror of his soul, telling her more about him than the rest of his body. “You’re a very attractive man. I’m proud to have a husband who speaks so well and has excellent manners.”

“Very few people know that.”

“Why?” This time, she said the word.

“I have my reasons.”

She stared, waiting him out. The turnaround gave her a sense of satisfaction, even a touch of control. He finally sighed, but she knew he’d allowed her to win. This man didn’t give in. It took lots of her usually nonexistent patience, but she managed to sit quiet and almost still during the many minutes it took him to begin speaking.

“Nevin and I came home from Texas five years ago on a cattle drive. When we rode into town, we’d been riding hard for months. We were dirty, hungry, and tired to our bones, but we were finally home. We went into Baldy’s Saloon for a celebratory drink. A few miners objected to him serving ‘dirty savages.’ We were not longer boys but not yet men, skinny and ragged. We fought off six of them until Sheriff Chambers broke up the fight.” He rubbed his jaw, smiling slightly.

“Were you hurt? What about them?”

“A couple broke bones. Four or five needed stitches. Nev and I had sore ribs and jaws along with black eyes for a while.” He shrugged as if it was nothing. “Just another Saturday night. After that, they called us savages, maybe because two of us took down six of them.” He looked away. “I’ve seen white men do things far more savage. If they want to believe I’m eager to kill, so be it. It helps keep the MD safe.”

Amelia held still until his breathing slowed.

“Have you killed anyone?” She whispered the words, praying the answer would be “no.”

“A few who needed it.” He gently brought her chin to face him. “I need to kill three men. They will die by my hand.”

“Just three? You’re not going to change your mind and kill a dozen or more?” She pressed her fingers over her mouth. Father would slam her against the wall when she used sarcasm. He said it was an affront to his authority.

Ross looked deep into her eyes. His were now mostly dull brown with a few brassy flecks. No gold.

“This I do not joke about. They will face me, and they will die. It is a debt of honor.”

“You won’t kill anyone else?”

He smiled like a coyote.

“Because they think I’ll kill without a thought, I won’t have to. No one touches me or mine.” He released her chin and let his hand drop to her breasts. “Smile all you like, Amelia MacDougal. No one will dare behave improperly to my wife.”

Her mind went blank at his touch. She nudged his arm away so she could think. “If everyone is afraid of you, will I be able to make friends?”

“I’ll introduce you to the few who know me well. I can trust them.”

“Will they pity me for marrying you, like the hotel clerk?”

A slow, sensual smile appeared. He guided her head to his, first brushing his lips against her then pressing her close for more. He molded her breasts as his kiss deepened. Under her bottom, she felt his cock struggle to rise. He pulled back, panting. This smile was full of wicked promise.