Brazen (32 page)

The reception was held in the church hall. Elizabeth had
taken care of all the arrangements, and everything went
perfectly.

The music began, and Michael escorted Casey to the
center of the dance floor and took her in his arms. Everyone looking on as Michael twirled her around the room
thought they made a most handsome couple and that
they were completely and utterly in love.

John sat at a table watching them dance. He realized
now that the hope he'd held on to until the very last that
Casey would come to her senses had been ridiculous. His
opportunity to acquire the Bar T by marriage was over,
but he still had Jack's bank loans to consider. Glancing
around, he saw Allen Foster across the room, and he
walked over to him.

"Foster, I need to talk with you," John declared.

"Of course," the banker said. He made his excuses to
the people he was with and went to speak with John.

They moved off to a more private area.

"What is it, John?"

"I know you gave Turner more time, but I want you to
revoke that extension and call in the loans on the Bar T
Monday," he said coldly. He planned to move in as
quickly as possible to claim the ranch.

"I can't do that," Allen answered reluctantly.

"The hell you can't! You work for me!" John snarled.
"You'll do what I tell you to do."

"I know I work for you, but I can't call in the loans.
Frank Donovan paid them off this morning. He has the
paperwork to give to Jack Turner."

"Donovan did what?"

"He paid off every cent that Jack owed. The Bar T is
free and clear of debt."

"What good are you to me?" John swore viciously under his breath. "Get out of my sight!"

Forcing himself to appear calm, John mingled for a few
minutes longer, then left the reception. His mood was too
black to continue smiling at people he couldn't stand.

Casey and Michael made the rounds of the hall, greeting
their guests and thanking them for attending. More than
once, someone remarked on how surprised he or she was
that the two of them had married and that their parents
seemed to be getting along. Reverend Harris remarked
that it proved prayer really did work.

Jack was sitting at the same table as Elizabeth and Frank. Now that the wedding had taken place, he felt that
a great weight had been taken off his shoulders. He
watched Casey with Michael and knew she would be safe
from now on no matter what happened to him.

"Frank?"

Frank looked over at him. "What?"

"I want to thank you for convincing Michael to go along
with my plan. I think everything will be all right now."

"You're right. It will be. Here." Frank took the papers
Allen Foster had given him out of his pocket and handed
them to Jack. "This is Casey's wedding present from us."

Jack unfolded the papers and read them. When he
looked up at his former adversary, his expression was
strained. "I never thought I'd say this, but you are a man
of your word. Thank you."

"Whether we like it or not, we're family now, Turner."

Jack gave a short laugh. "You're right. We are."

Both men looked back at their children.

"Shall we dance again?" Michael invited his new bride.
He knew it was almost time to leave, and he wanted to
enjoy one last dance with her before they departed, for
once they left, everything was going to change between
them.

"I'd love to," Casey accepted.

The wonder of the melody and the pleasure of being
in Michael's arms swept through Casey and left her smiling. For just this period of time, she could pretend that
Michael did truly care about her and that their marriage
was a real one. It was a fine fantasy, but she knew it couldn't last. He had agreed to the marriage for business
reasons only.

Casey thought of the night to come and wondered what
they were going to do about their sleeping arrangements.
With only one bedroom in the house, she wasn't sure
where she would be spending the night. She decided this
was not the time to speak of it, though. She wanted to
enjoy their time as bride and groom. She wanted to pretend for just a little while that this man holding her in his
arms really did care about her and had married her for
love.

Nick sat alone at a table near the back of the hall. His mood
was troubled as he tried to figure out what was bothering
him. He looked up, staring at the couples on the dance
floor, and saw Anne dancing with another man.

Nick didn't know who the man was, but that didn't
matter. What mattered was he didn't like Anne dancing
with anyone else.

In a flash of sudden insight, Nick recognized that he
might be jealous.

He'd never been jealous before.

The possibility surprised him.

He frowned, considering what it meant, for if he was
jealous, it meant he cared.

His frown deepened.

Do I care about Anne?

The thought gave him pause.

He never cared about just one woman. He enjoyed all
women, and they enjoyed him. He'd never allowed him self to get serious with any of them; there was too much
pleasure to be found in the multitude to tie himself down
to any single female.

Nick looked up at Anne again.

She was laughing at something her dancing partner had
said.

His irritation grew.

The whole time at the reception she'd studiously
avoided him except for moments when they'd had to act
as part of the wedding party.

But that was about to end.

Getting up from the table, Nick went straight out onto
the dance floor to cut in on Anne and her partner. He
tapped the man on the shoulder.

"What?" the man asked.

"I'm cutting in."

Nick smoothly took his place when the man stepped
away from Anne.

"Nick, what are you doing?" Anne demanded, surprised
by his boldness.

"I'm dancing with the prettiest girl at the reception," he
complimented her.

Anne looked up at him skeptically. "I bet you say that
to all the girls."

"You're right. I do." Nick was being his most debonair,
and he was surprised it wasn't working. Anne seemed
almost immune to his charm. He added, "And generally
it makes them smile."

Anne finally laughed, impressed by his honesty, but
when she looked up at him, her expression was a bit defiant. "But I'm not just one of your many girls."

Nick became very serious as he gazed down at her. "I
know that, Anne. Believe me. I know."

Nick maneuvered them near the side door. Then, without a word, he stopped dancing, took her hand and led
her outside, away from everyone.

It was early evening. The shadows were deepening.

"Where are we going?" Anne asked.

"I wanted to be alone with you," he told her honestly
as he looked around in frustration at the people on the
streets.

All her life, Anne had been responsible and mature in
her decision-making. In that moment, though, she suddenly felt as if she were living a scene from one of her
dime novels. The man she wanted had just swept her
away, and he wanted to be alone with her! Her heartbeat
quickened at the thought, even as her conscience warned
her: Nick will be leaving soon, returning to his life back
East. There could be no future fbr us.

"I know where we can go," she said, casting discretion
to the winds, not caring that they would only have this
one night together.

They slipped away together, and Anne led him to the
store's back entrance and opened it using the key her
parents kept hidden there.

"Come on," she invited in a soft voice, leading the way
inside the darkened store.

Nick followed Anne, then closed and locked the door
behind them. He turned back to her, and she went into
his arms.

Nick held her close and kissed her. It started softly, but
passion erupted between them at that first embrace.

Anne had never known such excitement. Nick's kiss
sent a thrill to the depths of her very soul. She had kissed
a few of the men she'd been seeing around town, but
none of their kisses had ever affected her as Nick's did.
She gave a soft moan of delight as she responded fully to
his embrace.

She was with Nick!

It was her dream come true!

Suddenly it didn't matter that he would be leaving
soon.

It didn't matter that they had no future together.

It only mattered that they had this moment.

Nick, too, was caught up in the power of their attraction. Something about Anne aroused him as no other
woman ever had. He deepened the kiss and began to
caress her.

Anne stiffened at his touch, for she had never known
such intimacy before, but then she relaxed against him
as excitement shivered through her. A hunger to know
more grew deep within her. The last shred of conscience
was cast aside as she drew him through the darkened
store and up the steps that led to a small loft area. She
kissed Nick again, then quickly spread out one of the
heavy blankets stored there. She knelt down and lifted
her hand to Nick in invitation.

That simple gesture was all he needed. Nick took her
hand and joined her on the blanket.

There was no need for words between them as he took her in his arms and kissed her. His kiss told her everything
she needed to know. The passion Nick had tried to deny
overwhelmed them, and they came together in a blaze of
glory. Kiss after heated kiss stoked the flames of their desire.

Anne had never known such ecstasy. She responded
fully and without reserve.

She wanted this.

She wanted Nick.

When he began to work at the buttons on her dress, she
helped him and slipped it from her shoulders. Nick pressed
kisses to her throat and then moved lower to explore the
pale silken flesh exposed above the top of her chemise.

Anne gasped at the feelings his intimate touch aroused.
She stirred restlessly, wanting no, needing more. She
reached down to draw him up to her.

For an instant, they gazed at each other in wonder and
excitement, and then their desire overwhelmed them.
Nick bent down to her and claimed her lips in a passionate exchange that told her without words of the power of
his desire for her.

Each touch, each kiss, stoked the fire that burned between them. Soon it flared out of control.

Anne had never known such ecstasy. She was mindless
in her need to love him.

Nick's passion overwhelmed him. He wanted Anne as
he'd never wanted another woman. A vague and distant
warning sounded in his conscience, but he ignored it. He
was driven on by his need to be one with her.

Each kiss and caress took them higher and higher until they could bear the barrier of their clothing no longer. Nick
helped her slip out of her gown, and she shivered in anticipation of what was to come. She was shy before him.

But only for a moment.

"You're beautiful," Nick told her in a husky voice, visually caressing her.

Anne reached for him to help him shed his clothes. She
felt brazen as she ran her hands over the width of his hardmuscled chest and shoulders. "So are you."

Nick took her in his arms, and the heat of his naked
flesh upon hers seared her.

"If you want me to stop, Anne, tell me now," he said in
a low voice, barely in control of his passion.

"No, Nick. I love you." The words escaped her.

There was no time to say more.

Nick responded with a searing kiss that sent the flames
of their desire out of control. He moved over her to make
her his, and his body was a searing brand upon her.

An innocent in the ways of love, Anne held him to her
heart as he claimed her as his in all ways. When Nick
breached the proof of her innocence, she gasped in pain.

Nick had been caught up in the overwhelming beauty
of her love, but he went completely still when he realized
the magnificent gift she had just given him. He drew back
and looked down at her, his expression one of awe.

"Anne-"

She gazed up at him, her eyes shining with the glory of
her love. "I love you, Nick," she whispered.

He bent down and captured her lips in a tender
exchange.

"And I love you," he answered, finally realizing the
truth of his feelings for her. They hadn't known each other
long, but there was no denying what was in his heart.
Anne was special. He wanted her.

They came together in rapture's promise then.

One in heart.

One in mind.

One in body.

They loved.

When ecstasy burst upon them, they clung together,
caught up in the power of their love.

Moments passed in silence as sanity returned.

Nick knew what he had to do.

He drew away from Anne.

"We need to get dressed."

She felt bereft as he left her. She also felt uneasy and
frightened by the power of what had just happened between them and by the reality she now faced. Nervous,
she clutched at her clothing, disoriented and wondering
what she was supposed to do next.

Nick sensed her inner turmoil and reached out to touch
her cheek in a gentle caress, smiling tenderly at her. "How
far is it to the justice of the peace?"

"What?" She was shocked by his question.

"We're getting married. Now. Tonight."

"But... are you sure?" She was still confused.

He smiled and leaned toward her to press a sweet-soft
kiss on her lips. "I'm sure. I love you, Anne, and I want to
spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you, too."