Mail-order bridegroom (19 page)

'Until he manages to obtain title to the ranch and forecloses on us. Next comes the divorce and then we're begging on the streets.'

Rose snorted. 'You really are a ninny. Get your butt out of that chair, climb into the pick-up and drive to Houston. Talk to the man. Ask him why he married you. Flat out.'

'I already know '

'He actually told you he married you for the ranch?' Rose asked with raised eyebrows. 'Or did you assume it?'

Leah shook her head in bewilderment. 'I don't remember. I ... I don't think he said. Every time I asked, he'd just stand there.'

'Looking insulted, maybe? I would have.'

'Why?' she demanded. 'That's the reason we married. It's not a secret. No matter how much you try to wrap it up in pretty ribbons and bows, I married for business, not love. And so did Hunter.'

'I'm sure you're right. A man as rich as Croesus, as smart as a whip and as handsome as ever came down the pike is going to sacrifice himself in marriage in order to get his hands on one little old Texas ranch.' She heaved a sigh. 'Sounds reasonable to me.'

Leah bit down on her lip. 'Stop making so much sense! You're confusing me.'

'Good. Now for the punchline. Do you love him?'

There was only one possible answer to that question. 'Yes,' she said without a moment's hesitation. 'More than anything/

Her grandmother grinned. 'That's all you need to remember. Here's your purse. Here's the keys to the pickup. Go to Houston. I'll see you tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the one after that. Go hide out in that apartment of Hunter's and make some babies. I want to be a great-grandma. Soon. You hear me, girl?'

'I hear you. Judging by how loud you're shouting I'm sure Inez, her children and at least two-thirds of our wranglers heard you, too.'

But she obeyed. Without another word of argument, Leah took the keys and her purse and walked out of the study. Not giving herself a chance to reconsider and chicken out, she climbed into the pick-up and started the engine. Pulling a Bull Jones, she spun the wheel and stomped on the gas, kicking up an impressive rooster tail of dirt and gravel as she headed down the drive.

Half a dozen times she almost turned back. But something kept her going. One way or another she'd have her answers—whether she liked them or not. And maybe-just maybe—she could convince Hunter to give their marriage a chance. A real chance. She loved him. And she intended to fight for that love.

She only got lost twice, but the delay added to her growing tension. Finally she found the Lyon Enterprises building and pulled into the underground garage. She didn't know how she'd talk her way into the board meeting, but somehow she'd do it. Stopping at the security desk, she showed her credentials.

'Leah Pryde,' she told the guard. 'Mrs Hunter Pryde. I'm supposed to meet my husband.'

'Certainly, Mrs Pryde. I'll ring upstairs and let him know you're here/

Td rather you didn't,' she said, offering her most persuasive smile. 'I'd like to surprise him.'

He looked momentarily uncertain, then nodded. 'Sure. I suppose that would be all right.'

'Thanks.'

With a calm that she was far from feeling she walked to the bank of elevators, and all too soon arrived on the executive floor. This time no secretary waited to greet her. She glanced down at her clothes and wished she'd thought to change before leaving home. Jeans and a cotton blouse didn't seem quite appropriate. Did they have dress codes on executive floors? At the very least she should have brushed her hair. Her braid was almost nonexistent, loose curls drifting into her face.

She peeked up and down the deserted hallway, aware that it wouldn't be wise to delay much longer. Someone would soon stop her and she didn't doubt for a minute that they'd call security or, worse... Hunter. Looking neither right nor left, she started for the boardroom. If she was going to get thrown out of the place, she'd rather have done something to earn it.

Five yards from the huge double doors, the first roadblock appeared. 'Excuse me,' the tall, perfectly groomed woman said. 'May I help you?'

'No,' Leah replied and kept walking.

The persistent woman scooted ahead, planting herself square in front of the boardroom doors. 'I'm Felicia Carter,' she tried again, offering her hand. 'And you are?'

'Late. Excuse me.' Leah brushed past the secretary and reached for the door, but Felicia proved too quick. The woman grasped Leah's hand and shook it.

'It's a pleasure, Miss...?'

'Leah/

'Leah/ The handshake turned to an iron-like clasp. 'If you'd come this way, we can find out what your situation is and we can get it taken care of right away.'

'We appreciate your help,' Leah said with an amiable smile, and turned in the direction Felicia indicated. The second the woman moved from the door Leah broke free, and lunged for the knob. An instant later she scooted inside the boardroom and slammed the huge door in Felicia's face, locking it.

'Take care of that,' she muttered beneath her breath, and turned to face the board members.

To her horror there were about twice the number there'd been on her last visit. And every last one of them stared at her as though she'd just pulled up in a flying saucer. At the far end, where Buddy Peterson had last been, sat Hunter, his chair pushed back, his feet propped on the glass table. Buddy now sat to Hunter's right.

'Don't be shy.' Hunter's words, gentle and yet oddly menacing, dropped into the deafening silence. 'Come on in.'

'Okay.' She took a single step forward. 'I think that's far enough.'

For an endless minute their gazes met and held—and if his was implacably black and remote, she didn't doubt for an instant that hers was filled with a mixture of defiance and fear.

The phone at Hunter's elbow emitted a muted beep and he picked it up. 'Yes, Felicia, she's here. Relax. I'll take care of it.' He hung up and addressed the board members. 'Ladies. Gentlemen. My wife.' Cautious murmurs of greeting drifted around the room and after

a long, tense moment, he asked, 'What can we do for you, Leah?'

She swallowed hard. Maybe she should have rehearsed this part at some point during the drive. She glanced at him uncertainly. 'I wondered.. / She took a deep breath. 'I wondered if there was something you have to tell me/

His eyes narrowed and he removed his feet from the table and straightened in his chair. 'No. Is there something you have to tell me?'

So, he wasn't going to admit who he really was. He'd warned her that he'd never explain himself again. Still, he had to know that she wouldn't be here if she didn't at least suspect the truth. He had to know that the cards were stacked against him. And yet he expected her to trust him ... or not. It was that simple. And suddenly she realized that despite everything she'd been told, despite all the facts that proved his duplicity, she did trust him. And she loved him.

'No,' she whispered. 'I don't have anything to tell you.'

His mouth tightened. 'Then if you'd excuse us?'

With a passion that brought tears to her eyes she wished she'd never come, that she'd never listened to Bull Jones, that she'd never given an ounce of weight to any of the despicable suggestions he'd made. Did she believe Jones more than Hunter? Never. Now she'd failed. She'd failed her husband, and she'd failed herself. When it came to a choice, she'd chosen to doubt him. And he'd never forgive her for that.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat and she started to turn away. Then she froze. What had he said that night at his apartment? 'I've never had anyone give me unconditional trust before—never had anyone stand by me in

the face of overwhelming odds. I guess it's a futile dream. Still... it's my dream.'

She set her jaw. No. She wouldn't walk away. She wouldn't give up. She loved him. She loved him more than anything in her life. More than Dreamseeker, more than her employees, even more than the damned ranch. He wanted blind trust? Fine. She'd give it to him.

'Yes,' she said, turning around again. 'I do have something to say. In private, if you don't mind.'

* Ladies, gentlemen. Sign the papers,' Hunter ordered, snapping his briefcase closed and lifting it from the table. 'If you'll excuse us. My wife and I have a few matters to discuss in private.' He stood and walked to a door that opened on to a small office off the conference-room. Shutting them in the restrictive confines, he tossed his briefcase on to the desk and turned to her. 'What the hell is this about, Leah?'

She gathered her nerve to speak, to say the words that were long, long overdue. "The whole time we've been married you've asked for only one thing from me. You told me that it's more precious to you than anything else. I offered to box it up for a wedding-gift if I could. Well... Here it is. My gift to you. It's up to you what you do with it.' She opened her purse and pulled out the gift-box from the jewelers.

He stared at it, making no move to take what she offered. 'What is it?'

'Open it and find out.'

He took the box then, and ripped it apart, removing the statue. She heard the swift intake of his breath, saw the lines of his jaw tighten. And then he looked at her, his black eyes aflame with a fierce, raw joy. 'Do you mean this?' he demanded. 'You trust me?'

She nodded, biting down on her lip. 'With all my heart/

A brief knock sounded at the door and Buddy Peterson stuck his head in the office. Tapers are signed and the boardroom's all yours. By the way, that was a gutsy move. Some might call it chivalrous. You could have lost everything you own.'

Hunter inclined his head in acknowledgement. 'Instead I won.' He glanced at Leah. 'Everything.'

Buddy grinned. 'I guess things will change now that you own the whole shooting-match.'

'Count on it,' Hunter agreed.

The door closed behind the executive and they were alone again. 'I don't understand,' she whispered. 'I thought you already owned Lyon Enterprises.'

He shook his head. 'Not until two minutes ago.'

'And before that?'

'I was their chief rival... and their worst nightmare.'

She could hardly take it in. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

'Because until the papers were signed there was nothing to tell. Like the man said, I could have failed in my takeover bid and lost everything.'

'Not everything,' she suddenly realized, tears starting to her eyes. 'Not the ranch.'

'No,' he conceded. 'I made sure that was protected by our prenuptial agreement.'

'You told me to read it. I guess I should have.' She gazed up at him a little uncertainly. 'Hunter?'

His eyes glittered with amusement. 'Yes, Leah? Could it be there's something you forgot to tell me after all?' He reached for her braid, releasing the strands and draping the curls across her shoulders.

'I believe there is.' A slow smile crept across her mouth and she tilted her head to one side. 'Yes, now that I

think about it, I'm positive there is/ She stepped into his arms and rested her cheek against his chest. 'Have I told you yet how much I love you?'

He dragged the air into his lungs, releasing his breath in a long, gusty sigh. 'No. I believe you forgot to mention that part/

'I have another question, and this time you have to answer,' she said, pulling back to look up at him. 'Why did you marry me?'

He didn't hesitate. 'Because you were going to marry the next man who walked through your door. And I couldn't let you do that unless I was that next man.' His tone reflected his determination. 'Fact is, I planned to be the only man to walk through your door.'

'But you wanted to buy the ranch.' It wasn't a question.

'True. At first, I wanted it in order to block Lyon and force them into a vulnerable position. Later it was so that I could protect you from them.'

'That's what Buddy Peterson meant when he said that the takeover attempt was a chivalrous move?'

Hunter shook his head. 'It wasn't. Buying the ranch would have facilitated my takeover. Marrying you...'

'Was riskier?' she guessed.

'A little. But worth it.' He reached behind her and removed a file folder from his briefcase, handing it to her.

'What's this?'

'Open it and find out,' he said, throwing her own words back at her.

She flipped open the file. Inside she found the deed to Hampton Homestead—free and clear, and in her name. The date on the title was the day before their wedding. 'Hunter...' she whispered.

'I love you, Leah. I've always loved you. How could I not? You've given me my dream.'

She managed a wobbly smile, tears clinging to her lashes. *I think it's time for some new dreams, don't you?'

He enfolded her in his arms. 'Only if they're made with you,' he said.

And he kissed her. He kissed her with a love and passion that she couldn't mistake. And wrapped in his embrace she knew she'd found her life, her heart and her soul. She'd found her knight in shining armor.

At long last her dragon had been vanquished.

EPILOGUE

Leah took a sip of coffee as she leafed through the morning paper. And then she saw it—the ad practically jumping off the page at her.

Wife Wanted/ Male rancher in immediate and desperate need of his woman/ Interested applicant should:

1. Be 27 today and have eyes the color of Texas bluebonnets—a feisty and ornery personality is a plus/

2. Have extensive ranching background—and the good sense to know when not to use it!

3. Have solid business know-how—particularly the ability to dampen the tempers of bullheaded board members.

4. Be pregnant. Did I mention the doctor called? I am a thirty-four-year-old man and can offer you a comfortable bed and an occasional roof top picnic with all the stars a Texas sky can hold. (Details of a more intimate nature are open to negotiation as soon as you hightail it upstairs). Your husband awaits. Impatiently!

Tossing the ad to one side, Leah leapt from her chair and ran...ran to her husband, the love of her life...but, most important of all, to the father of her baby.