by Candace Camp
“What things?” Victoria looked at him curiously, a bit of icy fear beginning to form in her stomach. What was he going to say to her that was so hard?
“I did a lot of thinking while we were riding here today. I don’t have much in the way of prospects. And a lawman’s a bad bet. But I could quit the Rangers. I’m getting tired of being rootless and alone, chasing crooks. I don’t have much, just a run-down ranch. Nothing like what you’re used to. But I’ve saved a little money along the way, and I could fix my place up, run some cattle. I know you said you never wanted to leave your father’s land, but…”
“Slater, what are you talking about?” The lump of fear was melting away inside her, replaced by hope and heat. “Are you talking about getting married?”
“Blast it, Victoria, if that isn’t just like you! This is supposed to be my proposal.”
She took a step closer and placed her palms flat on his chest, looking up into his face. “Then ask.”
“Victoria Stafford, will you marry me?”
“I’m not sure.” Victoria linked her hands around his neck, smiling in a way that belied any indecision. “You’ve said a lot of things about why I shouldn’t marry you. Tell me why I should.”
His mouth quirked up, amusement mingling with heat in his gaze. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Because I love you,” he told her, and all laughter and teasing left his face. “I love you more than anything, and I can’t bear the thought of not being with you. You’re hard-headed and bossy, and I know I’ll never have a moment’s peace with you. But living without you in my life would be sheer hell.” He paused. “Victoria, would you please say something here?”
“Yes!” Joyous laughter burst from her throat. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you, and I don’t care how big your place is or how much work there is to do. I’d marry you if you had nothing. There’s nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you, building a herd and a ranch and a family.” She stretched up and kissed him, quick and hard.
“Good. Cause I’m just as hard-headed and bossy as you, and I’d have never given up. If you’d turned me down, I’d have kept coming back until you said yes.” His kiss was much longer, easing into something fierce and hot.
“Oh, Slater,” she breathed when at last he lifted his head. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore. When you left like that, without a word about coming back or how you felt…”
“Not want you!” Slater nuzzled her ear, his breath searing her skin. “How could you think that? I want you all the time. I can’t think of anything else.”
“Then why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you ask me to wait?”
“How could I? I didn’t know when I’d be back—or if I’d even be coming back. It might have turned out that I’d wind up dead instead of Brody.”
“Don’t say things like that.”
“It’s the truth. I didn’t have anything to offer you. I still don’t.”
“You. You have you to offer, and that’s all I want.”
His arms encircled her, pulling her up into him, and when he released her, his eyes were glittering, his breath uneven. “You know…” He toyed with one of the dark curls that tumbled down around her face. “I was thinking—there’s not really any need to rush right back to San Antonio.”
“No?” She smiled invitingly.
“No.” He placed a light kiss on her cheek. “There’s a little creek over there where we tied the horses.” He kissed the other side of her face. “I thought maybe we ought to wash off some of this dust and soot.” He brushed his lips over hers.
“Why, Slater…are you suggesting that you delay doing your duty?” She smoothed her hands over his chest.
“I am.”
Victoria’s fingers went to the buttons of his shirt, undoing them slowly. “You mean taking off our clothes?”
“I do.” His gaze was scorching, and his hands at her waist spread wide, sliding slowly up her body.
“And bathing….together?”
“Very much together.” His mouth came down to take hers in a long, hungry kiss.
“Well…” Victoria pulled away a little, sending him a flirtatious look. “That sounds terribly scandalous. And absolutely perfect.” Whirling, she started to run toward the creek.
Slater laughed and followed. Catching Victoria, he swept her up into his arms. His mouth came down to take hers in a kiss that seemed to last forever. There wasn’t going to be any more chasing and hurrying. From now on, they had all the time in the world.
Epilogue
Four months later
“You ready, Mr. McBride?” Brody’s chest warmed as Amy slipped her small hand into his and leaned against him.
“I hate that name,” he said, but the smile in his eyes betrayed the fact that Amy could call him anything and he’d be just fine with it.
“I know. But it is fitting this weekend.”
“I suppose so.” Brody fidgeted as he looked at the wrought iron gate that marked the entrance to the Stafford ranch. His other hand instinctively went to his side where his holster used to lie, but that was gone now, of course, along with the Bowie knife that had once occupied a scabbard at his back. He still felt a little naked without them.
“Uncle Ed is going to love you.” Trust Amy to know what was worrying him.
“The man who married his precious niece before he could even meet him?” Brody snorted.
“He’ll understand.”
Brody had his doubts about that, but he didn’t say so. “Anyway, it’s not just that.”
“I miss our house.” Amy looked up at him. “Do you?”
He nodded, faintly embarrassed. He was surprised how quickly he’d become attached to the little piece of land in southeast Texas. They had been heading to New Orleans when they’d spotted the ramshackle farm house with a for sale sign. It had felt like home to both of them immediately. The hideout had been where he lived for years, but there Brody had never felt the tug in his chest that he felt leaving his home with Amy.
“Do you miss the horses, too?” Amy asked.
“I’m missing all of the animals.” Brody laughed at his own foolishness and pulled her close to him.
“Including Rufus?” She nodded toward the black and white dog excitedly bounding from tree trunk to tree trunk, sniffing.
“Hard to miss that one when he’s leaping all over us and taking off after every jack rabbit.” But Brody couldn’t hide that there was far more affection in his voice than irritation.
Rufus came bounding back and jumped into the buggy to join in the embrace. “Fool dog,” Brody said without heat and reluctantly released Amy.
“Are you ready?” Amy asked.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” He slapped the reins, and the horse started forward.
He’d never be ready. What the hell was he supposed to say to a man like Ed Stafford? Amy swore that all her uncle wanted was for her to be happy. But even though Stafford didn’t know who Sam really was, he was bound to see that he was rough, not the sort of man Amy deserved. Brody sure wouldn’t want his daughter marrying a man like him. If they had a daughter someday. That was another thought that struck more terror into Brody than pulling off a job ever had.
“Amy!” They had barely pulled to a stop in front of the imposing ranch house before Victoria came pelting out the front door, a smile all over her face and arms open wide, to greet her cousin.
Amy was out of the buggy like a flash and running up to hug Victoria. For an instant Brody felt that little clench in his chest that came on him sometimes, the one that said he didn’t belong in Amy’s life, but then she turned, gesturing toward him, her eyes filled with a loving pride in him that he never could understand. “Sam! Come say hello!”
And everything inside him settled back down, like it always did, and he was reminded that the feeling came upon him less and less often. He swung out
of the buggy and strode forward, taking off his hat and nodding to Victoria. “Miss Stafford.”
“Victoria, please.” The other woman’s face was as sunny as Amy’s, with none of the distrust he had seen in it in the past. “We’re related now, after all.”
She reached out and shook his hand, and at that moment the door opened again, and a large older man hurried out, exclaiming, “Amy! My girl!”
He enveloped Amy in a bear hug. He stepped back, holding her at arm’s length to gaze at her, and then hugged her again, patting her on the back. Still holding one arm around her, the man turned to Sam, beaming. “And you must be Mr. McBride.”
“Yes, sir.”
Amy’s uncle reached out and shook his hand heartily. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man.”
Brody couldn’t keep from smiling back. “Good to meet you, too, sir. Amy talks about you a lot.”
“Does she, now? In a good way, I hope.” Stafford chuckled at his own joke.
“Very good, sir. She loves you and Victoria very much.” Stafford was, Brody thought, the kind of man who was comfortable in his own skin, sure of himself and others. The way Mr. Moore had been. Sam had been determined to like Amy’s uncle for her sake, but he could see now that it would be easy to do so.
Victoria whisked Amy inside the house to show her the wedding dress, and the men were left alone. Brody braced for an interrogation now that the women were no longer present. Better, he thought, to plunge into the matter himself. “I apologize for how quick we got married. That you didn’t get to give her away.”
Stafford waved his apology away. “It’s fine, son. Victoria explained it all. I’d have liked to walk her down the aisle, but Tory was right—it would have been too hard on Amy coming back here and all. It was better this way. I couldn’t be mad; I’m just so grateful you killed that monster Brody.”
Guilt snaked through Sam. “Well, um…”
“Yeah, he got rid of that outlaw, all right,” Slater said behind them, stepping out onto the porch. He looked at Brody. “Didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did.” It was the truth, he realized. That man was gone; he hardly recognized him as himself. Returning Slater’s gaze, he went on, “Nobody’ll have to worry about him anymore.”
“That’s good. Glad you could make it.” Slater moved forward to clap him on the shoulder. He turned to Stafford. “Sir, Mrs. Childers is looking for you.”
“You didn’t tell her where I was, did you?” Ed glanced around.
Slater’s lips twitched. “No, sir, I did not. But it might be a good idea to head upstairs to talk to Victoria and Amy.”
“Good thinking. Why don’t you show Mr. McBride around, Slater? And there’s a bottle of my best bourbon in the bottom of the cabinet in my office.”
“I’ll do that, sir.” They watched as Stafford went into the house.
He was barely out of sight when they heard a woman’s voice trill, “Mr. Stafford! There you are! I was just looking for you.”
Slater winced. “Guess he wasn’t quick enough.” He turned back to Sam. “Well. How have you been?”
“Good. And you?” It was strange to be making idle conversation with a man who had spent years hunting him.
“Alive, thanks to you. I’m ready to be married, though, so I can move Victoria out to my ranch. It’s been lonely getting it ready there without her.”
“It’ll be worth the wait,” Brody said. If Slater was anything like him, he’d never want to leave it again once Victoria helped him make it home.
“Says the man that got married inside of three weeks.”
Brody laughed. “I didn’t feel like waiting.”
“Patience was never your strong suit.”
“I was pretty good at running, though.” Brody grinned.
“I caught up to you.”
“The way I remember it, I came back to find you.” Maybe it wasn’t so strange talking to Slater, after all.
“Because you needed my help.” Slater reminded him. “And I was talking about the first time I caught you.”
“Everybody can get lucky once.”
“Come on. Let’s put your wagon in the barn, and then I’ll show you around.”
***
“Oh, Victoria!” Amy breathed when Victoria spread her wedding dress out on her bed. “It’s gorgeous! You are going to be so beautiful tomorrow!”
Victoria reached out and pulled Amy in to hug her again. “I’m so glad you’re came!”
“Of course I came. It’s your wedding! Besides, I’ve missed you. Promise me you’ll come visit us soon. Slater’s land isn’t nearly as far away from us as this ranch is. It’s just a little place, but you don’t need much for raising horses, and it’s so green and pretty.”
“We will. I promise. As soon as we get everything squared away. There’s so much work to get things back into shape. Slater’s been driving himself hard, but there’s still lots left to do. He says the house is fine, but then, you know…”
“He’s a man,” Amy and Victoria chorused and broke into laughter.
Her face sobering, Victoria took Amy’s hands in hers and looked straight into her eyes. “How are you, really? Are you happy? Your letters are always so cheerful, but…”
“I’m wonderful!” Amy squeezed Victoria’s hands. “Oh, Tory, I couldn’t be any happier.” Her face shone so brightly Victoria knew she spoke the truth. “The front porch was sagging, but it had a wild rose bush still growing by it. Brody had to patch the roof, and we’ve had to do some work on it inside, but it’s fun, you know, when you’re working together. Building something for the future. We have chickens, and Sam swore he wasn’t going to get me any baby goats, but he did. Sam’s so sweet to me.”
“It’s hard to picture Sam Brody as sweet.” Victoria’s smile took any sting from the words.
“Oh, but he is. He built me a porch out back, with a swing so we can sit out there in the evenings. There’s a loft upstairs, and we can climb out the window and lie on the roof of the porch and look at the sky at night. But, here, I’m doing all the talking. You’re the one getting married. Sit down and tell me about what you’re doing.” Amy pulled her cousin over to the bed and climbed up onto it, just as they had done so many times over the years. “How are you feeling?”
“I am feeling so ready to get married!” Victoria exclaimed, flopping back on the bed. “I never should have agreed to wait four months to get married. But I knew I had to have a proper wedding for my father.”
“Because he didn’t get to see me get married,” Amy said. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you did the right thing, and he was very good about that. And Slater wanted to get his ranch in order, at least to some extent. Nobody’s lived in the house for years. But I shouldn’t have set the date this far away. It’s been awful. I miss him so much, and he’s so hard at work he’s only been able to come up here one time. And, well, it’s just not the same being with him here, anyway.”
Amy laughed. “No, it wouldn’t be.”
“That’s enough about me. I want to hear about your news. How are you feeling? Are you having morning—“
“Shhh…” Amy held a finger to her lips. “I don’t want anyone to overhear.” She slipped off the bed and closed the door into the hall. “I still haven’t told Sam.”
“Why not?” Victoria was instantly concerned. “I thought you said he couldn’t wait to have children!”
“He can’t—we’ve daydreamed about it a thousand times. He wants to have the family he never got to have. But that’s why I wanted to wait. To be absolutely sure. I didn’t want to tell him and have something go wrong. Besides, I was afraid he’d start to fuss and worry about my being able to make the trip up here. He always worries about me as it is—I can’t imagine what he’ll be like now!” Amy laughed. “And there was no way I was going to miss your wedding.”
“Then you should tell him now. Tomorrow can be a double celebration!”
/> “I don’t want to distract from your wedding.”
“The wedding is not the important part anyway. It’s all the life that comes after that I can’t wait for. Things like your news. I just want to be with Slater and start a family.”
“I’ll be lucky if Sam lets us leave after I tell him the news. We may have to move in here with Uncle Ed. At the very least he’s probably going to bring a plank of wood so that he can cover every pothole on the way home.”
Victoria laughed, glancing out the window. “Look. There are Slater and Brody. Throwing a stick for your dog.”
“Really?”
The two women went to the window to look down at the scene below. Some of her father’s men were roasting a steer over a pit and others were setting up sawhorses and planks of wood for tables. Ed Stafford had been caught by Mrs. Childers and, with a resigned look, was listening to her. Brody and Slater were walking away from the barn, talking, the black and white dog dancing around their feet. Brody picked up a stick and threw it, and the dog went racing off.
“Imagine that,” Victoria said. “A Texas Ranger and a fearsome outlaw, playing fetch.”
“Better than playing hide and seek,” Amy said, casting her a sidelong grin.
Victoria laughed. “It is, indeed. Come on. Let’s go down and join them. And maybe we can save my father from Mrs. Childers.
***
Victoria looked as beautiful in her wedding gown the next day as Amy had predicted. Her mirror told her so, but seeing it in Slater’s eyes as she walked down the aisle toward him was what mattered. To her surprise, the nerves in her stomach had been jumping this morning, but as soon as she saw Slater, waiting there for her at the front of the church, all that fell away. This was what she wanted. This man. This future.
They said their vows, the ceremony as simple as the plain little church. Slater’s voice was sure, his gaze never leaving hers. And though she had heard the words dozens of times in dozens of weddings, here in Slater’s voice, they were new, promises made that were as intimate as a caress, as unbreakable as iron.
After the ceremony, everyone returned to the ranch for the wedding feast. It was a loud, boisterous celebration, full of talk and laughter around the makeshift tables. People called to one another in greeting. Smoke from the pit drifted through the air. Children shrieked and ran and played, and Rufus joined in their games, barking and darting about.