The Rancher's Surprise Marriage

by Susan Crosby

  But also because of Tony, who had come to her rescue and to whom she’d promised a payoff. He’d kept her secret, his end of the bargain. She owed him her commitment to their deal. After all, she was honest and reliable and steady. America’s Sweetheart. Little did people know…

  She felt bad about misleading his family, too, who’d accepted her easily, getting over their awe quickly. It was what she’d missed—a big, noisy family. How could she give them up, too?

  Jenny waved a hand in front of Maggie’s face. “Day-dreaming about Tony?” Jenny asked.

  Maggie smiled. “Always.”

  At least that wasn’t a lie.

  It was almost eleven o’clock by the time Dino pulled the SUV up in front of the ranch house. The front porch light was on, welcoming them, even though inside it would be empty. She should’ve stayed in San Francisco overnight, Maggie thought, as she climbed the porch stairs, because then when she got home, Tony would be there. She didn’t want to sleep alone another night.

  Being with Jenny and Richard made her ache in ways she hadn’t known she could.

  Leesa said good-night and went to the guest room in the back corner of the house. Maggie went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, then grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from a rearing-palomino cookie jar. She turned off the light and stood in the dark nibbling on the cookie, looking out the window. The lights were off in Butch and Sadie’s house across the way, but she figured they’d heard the car, had probably been waiting to hear it. The ranch was its own little world, everyone operating as a team, working hard, liking each other. She didn’t sense any issues between people, no egos trying to take over.

  It was an honest life.

  Maggie made her way through the darkened house and into the bedroom. She set her purse on a nightstand, felt for the lamp switch—

  “You’re not downwind of me.”

  She jumped at Tony’s words, then she swore, making him laugh, low and appreciative.

  “Brat,” she said, her heart still slamming against her sternum. “You could’ve turned on a light.”

  “Could’ve, sure.” The bedding rustled as he sat up. “But what fun would that’ve been?”

  Just the sound of his voice turned her to mush. She wanted him so much, wanted to feel what she’d felt that first night—that absolute freedom in his arms. The pure pleasure. The utter satisfaction. She was so tired of resisting, of behaving. She was done with being the good girl.

  She wanted to be irresistible.

  She made her way through the darkness until her fingers made contact with his bare chest. Without another moment’s pause she kissed him, finding his mouth unerringly, her own hard and demanding—startling him, she could tell. She’d missed him so much. So much. He hadn’t been off her mind for one second.

  He turned on the bedside lamp, studied her for a few long moments, then pulled her onto the mattress and rolled her under him. “I think I’ll go away more often,” he murmured as she lifted up, going back for more, kissing him like she would never get another chance.

  She didn’t want him to go away ever again.

  I love you, cowboy. The words stayed trapped in her mind, dazzled by the discovery, exalted by the revelation. She was glad he only wore briefs so that she didn’t have to waste much time undressing him. She needed to feel his skin against hers, his legs tangling with hers, the absolute liberation to give and take and enjoy.

  “I need you,” she said. “If you say no, be prepared for an all-out seduction.”

  “Apparently you think you’re talkin’ to some other Tony Young,” he murmured. “Although an all-out seduction sounds mighty tempting.”

  Which meant yes. She managed to get him to roll onto his back so that she could make a hungry trail down his body, tasting him everywhere, absorbing his heat, savoring his utter maleness, but wanting him now for the amazing and sexy man she’d come to know, not the fascinating and sexy stranger she’d desired before. She slid her lips along scars, moving lower and lower until the tip of her tongue touched the tip of—

  “What’s gotten into you?” he asked hoarsely, his hips rising to meet her.

  “You. Just you. Three weeks of sleeping beside you. Wanting. Needing. I forget why we weren’t doing this all along.” She heard him suck in a deep breath as she took him inside her mouth and cherished him, thrilled at his guttural response, at the way his fingers dug into her scalp. He tried to pull her up, but she wouldn’t let him, treating him—and herself—to the absolute pleasure of it all. She loved him. Had head-over-heels-forever fallen in love with him. Of all the disastrous, wondrous things to have happened….

  Tony dragged her up and switched their positions. He kissed her back just as thoroughly, wondering at her mood and actions. While she’d been a partner that first time, not just a participant, this was different. Almost…desperate.

  Because of that he slowed things down, undressed her like a gift, the wrapping too pretty to ruin, enjoying the way she urged him to hurry, which made him slow down even more. He peeled away her clothes, revealing the perfect temptation of her body. America’s Sexpot, he thought, glad the rest of the world didn’t know that about her. Glad she’d chosen him.

  He hadn’t seen this wild side of her, not to this extent. He was fascinated by it and her, and whatever was driving her. He’d barely got her undressed, barely glided his fingertips down her body once before she was climaxing. Challenged, he took her up again before she’d even come down from the first. Then he rose over her and buried himself in her heat, then he went still, absolutely still.

  She made a long, low sound of pleasure, told him how good he felt, how he filled her with fire. He wanted to drag it out forever, burn the moment like a brand into his mind, but her words snapped his control. He drew back then plunged. Her legs wrapped around him tighter, higher. He drove himself to meet her demands and took everything she offered, giving everything back. Her heart pounded so hard he could feel it reverberate through her whole body, along her throat, where he pressed his lips as they climaxed together. It was the most memorable sex of his life—and that was saying something, considering their first time, almost a month ago.

  The moment ebbed, satisfaction blanketing them. He tucked her close. She wrapped her arms around him and clung. Her breath heated his skin.

  “Welcome home,” he murmured.

  Her body shook with quiet laughter. “Glad to be here.”

  After a minute or so passed she finally let out a long sigh. “How’d your cattle drive go?” she asked, snuggling down, toying with his chest hair, finally seeming to relax.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary. We got done early.”

  “I noticed. I’m glad.”

  “How was your trip to San Francisco? Everything in order?”

  “Looks good. They’re ready for us.” She yawned. “I didn’t sleep well with you gone.”

  “I slept in a bedroll in a teepee with four hundred cows milling around, including a bunch of bawling calves. I think you probably did a tad better than me.”

  She laughed quietly. “Probably so. You must be exhausted.”

  “I am. We can sleep in a little, though, right? You’re all done filming?”

  “Done. The seamstress and tailor will be here in the morning to fit us for our wedding clothes, then will head over to your parents’ ranch. If you’ve got time tomorrow, I’d like to go visit your mom and tell her about the wedding plans now that I’ve got a picture in my head of how everything is going to work.”

  “I can manage that.” He wondered if he should tell her about the honeymoon he’d arranged. Wondered if he should tell her about his bank account. She’d seemed to worry about spending money on her when he’d bought her engagement ring. He felt as if he was cheating a little by not cluing her in, but since only one other person knew he’d made a killing in the stock market through the years…

  Later, he decided. Or maybe not ever, depending on what happened between them down the line. It wasn’t as
if she needed a financial commitment from him. She did just fine on her own.

  He’d had a prenup drawn up and needed to present it at some point soon. He was surprised she hadn’t done so herself. Or maybe she had, but, like him, had kept it quiet so far.

  So. He kept secrets from her. She probably kept secrets from him.

  Not the greatest way to start a marriage, even a fake one. But he’d confided a lot in his first wife, and in the end been sorry about it. She’d thrown it back in his face, all the personal pain he’d shared. And then she’d left, which had been just fine at that point.

  But with Maggie? This was a mature relationship, not one based on fantasies. Sort of. Would they continue to make love or would they go back to square one?

  Tonight marked a turning point for them. But just which way would it turn?

  He only knew he didn’t want anything to change now. He was more content than he’d been in a long time, maybe ever. And contentment was hard to come by.

  Chapter Twelve

  “It’s my gift to you,” Maggie said to Sue-Ellen the next day as she was fitted for her mother-of-the-groom dress, a periwinkle organza gown with a beaded shawl. Her future sisters-in-law and their daughters had already come and gone. “I want you to feel comfortable.”

  “Gracious, I don’t feel comfortable at all. I feel elegant. Aren’t I supposed to? Like Grace Kelly.” She posed. “Or maybe more like Barbara Stanwyck at the end of her career. And for you to get all of us dresses, even the granddaughters, and all the men and boys tuxes—well, it’s just too much.”

  “Just remember the designer’s name when you’re asked,” she said with a smile. “I’m glad we didn’t waste a lot of time arguing about it. If you don’t count Hoyt.”

  “Well, once you told him he wouldn’t have to wear a bow tie, he was okay with it. He wants Tony to be proud. We’ll have to figure out someplace else to wear the fancy duds at some point.”

  The woman pinning her hem sat back on her heels. “Done. Thank you. It’ll be at the hotel waiting for you.”

  Maggie thanked the seamstress for coming. As soon as Sue-Ellen had changed, the gowns were taken away.

  “I think Tony will be tied up for a while. Have you seen our property yet?” Sue-Ellen asked, dressed in her usual jeans and shirt again. “Would you like to take a ride?”

  “I’d love to. I’ve only had a quick tour by truck.” Maggie wondered how Tony was doing. He’d left the women to talk, reluctantly joining his father and brothers, who were building a new mare motel, he called it.

  “Good, because I already had two horses saddled,” Sue-Ellen said, almost winking. “Yours is Buttercup. I wasn’t about to take no for an answer.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Sue-Ellen laughed. “You ever say that to anyone before?”

  “No, ma’am. Never figured to, either.”

  “Shows you how life can change, doesn’t it?”

  “In a heartbeat.”

  They walked outside. The horses waited at the hitching post off the porch. Tony wasn’t in sight.

  “The men are down the hill a ways, behind the big shed,” Sue-Ellen said knowingly. “You can’t see them from here. We’ll drop by and tell them where we’re headed.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Since realizing—and accepting—last night that she’d fallen in love with Tony, Maggie had felt…different. Her pulse never quieted. She wanted to be next to him all the time. Then she didn’t want to be around him at all. She wanted to touch him every second. Then she wanted to stay far, far away.

  During breakfast he’d flat-out asked what was wrong with her. How could she answer that? Nothing was wrong. Everything was wrong.

  She zeroed in on Tony as she and Sue-Ellen approached by horseback. His heels were dug into the earth as he held a bar in place while his brother Grady attached the other end of it. Cal and Hoyt worked on a crossbar. Grunts and head gestures were their form of communication.

  Tony spotted them first. “Where’re you two headed?”

  “Your mom’s going to show me where you used to swim naked.”

  “I never—”

  Maggie laughed. “Just having fun with you, cowboy.”

  “I was going to say, before you interrupted—” he ambled over and ran his hand down her leg “—I never got caught.”

  “So you’d like to think,” Sue-Ellen said. “There’s only a couple of good places. Hoyt and I found them, too, but sometimes we had to pull back, ’cause one of you boys was there.”

  “Too much information,” Grady called out. “Tony, quit flirtin’ and get your butt back here. I can’t hold this thing forever.”

  “Have a good time,” Tony said to Maggie, giving her leg a squeeze.

  She didn’t want to leave him, but she nodded and nudged her horse to get going. Sue-Ellen came alongside her. They moved along at a steady pace, not talking much.

  Like Tony’s, his parents’ land started flat then rose. She’d learned they had to have elevation for the best grazing, a graduated terrain, and year-round access. Although it took forty-five minutes to drive from one ranch to the other, they looked similar, at least to Maggie.

  “It’s beautiful country,” she said to Sue-Ellen, who looked out at her land with satisfaction in her eyes.

  “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It’s not an easy life, but I think I’ve been a good ranch wife.”

  Maggie had learned that term from Sadie. Being called a good ranch wife was high praise. It meant she had give and didn’t whine and knew how to become a hand when necessary, and a helpmate the rest of the time. She could doctor anything her man couldn’t. She was strong and didn’t take to her bed unless she’d just given birth. She cooked, cleaned and managed the finances. And she earned her man’s utter devotion by being all that.

  “Nothing in my life has prepared me for that role,” Maggie said honestly.

  “I was the same. Oh, not famous or anything like that, but a city girl. Hoyt found me working as a file clerk in Phoenix. I’d never sat a horse. But I loved that man with all my being, and so I learned what I needed to know and found I loved it all.”

  “No regrets?”

  “Nope. I don’t mean that everything’s been perfect all the time. Every path has a few puddles, after all, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s been a good life. Probably lived as long and healthy as I have because I always worked hard. I’m proud of my children, tickled pink with my grandchildren. I hope the good Lord takes me and Hoyt together, and that’s a fact. And it’ll be easy to go knowing that Cal and Grady will keep the place going, Tony’s got his own, and Mary Beth’s secure.”

  Maggie pondered Sue-Ellen’s words. Her grandparents had been that devoted to each other and had gotten their wish, dying only a week apart.

  “I read that your parents and brother died in a car accident,” Sue-Ellen said.

  “I was ten. I remember how much fun we had together, and my mom always coming to the set with me, which can often be a problem. But the production people liked her. She had a way about her that led to things getting done in a way that was satisfactory to her without alienating anyone.”

  A memory jumped out at Maggie, one she’d set aside for years. “I remember my first day back on set after the funeral. Everyone cried. Everyone. We ended up not working that day but having a memorial of our own. People told stories, some of them pretty funny, things I hadn’t known about her. The series only lasted to the end of that season, then I took two years off from television and did a couple of movies.”

  “Your grandparents raised you.”

  She nodded. “As an adult I can look back and see how much they sacrificed for me. They were uncomplicated people who uprooted themselves from Georgia to move to Hollywood so that I could keep working.” Maggie went quiet for a minute, the memories sharp, as she let her horse follow Sue-Ellen’s up a narrow trail then back into the open. “Once I was grown and living in my own house, they moved back to Georgia, but the high standards
my grandmother held me to stuck with me. Everything I did, I was aware of her voice in my head, saying it was right or wrong. ‘What would Gram think?’ became my first question.”

  “I don’t know for sure what I thought when Tony said he was marrying you,” Sue-Ellen said, “but you are more than I expected. He’s happy, and that’s what matters most to me, but you’re a gem on your own.”

  Maggie went silent. Guilt heaped upon guilt. Her grandmother would be very disappointed. To marry for the sake of appearances? Not good. Not right.

  But it wasn’t without love, she told herself. She did love him. She just couldn’t tell him that or he might change his mind—and she needed time to get him to love her back.

  All she could do was try to show him she loved him before he pulled the plug on the marriage weeks or months down the road, whenever he decided to end it.

  Tony kept an eye toward the east and Maggie’s return. He wondered what she and his mother were talking about for so long, didn’t understand how women could keep up a running dialogue for hours. Finally they appeared, looking easy with each other. He sought his mother’s eyes first, trying to see anything different there, to know if Maggie had said things she shouldn’t have, but his mother only smiled and gave him an unobtrusive thumbs-up.

  He shifted his gaze to Maggie, who did look at him differently. But then she’d been different since she got home from San Francisco last night and come at him like a wild creature, all hot and needy. They hadn’t talked about it this morning. Not one word. He didn’t know what to make of that—or her.

  “Lunch’ll be ready in thirty minutes,” Sue-Ellen said to the group at large.

  “We’ll be done here by then,” Tony said. “Don’t go to any trouble for Maggie and me. We’ll be heading out.”

  “Well, since my daughters-in-law brought lunch to the house, I can’t say it’d be any trouble, son. And you gotta eat.”

  He looked to Maggie, who raised her brows and smiled. He’d come to the conclusion that she was a lot more comfortable around his family than he was.