A Bachelor For The Bride (The Brides of Grazer's Corners #2)
Page 20
A smile stole through her insides and blossomed on her face. This revised scenario might even be a better one.
“Kidnapping seems a solid plan,” she said at last, feeling a giddy sense of joy. “Though I hope you know I’m broke.”
“I’d heard that. How about we consider the grand for the dress a down payment on ransom?”
“I don’t know, Tanner. That’s a ten-thousand-dollar dress. You picked it up pretty cheap.” Just for the sheer fun of it, she steered the Harley into a gentle snake pattern that zigzagged across the whole lane. “Where am I kidnapping you to, by the way?”
His arm around her waist tightened, but he didn’t make a peep about her erratic driving. “Keep going. I’ll guide you.”
And he did, right to the acres of paddocks on Mr. B.’s estate, where her beloved stallion waited, a red bow wrapped around his neck, a white blanket tossed over his back.
Written in bold red ink were the words,
Marry Me, Blackie. I Love You.
She was barely aware of Tanner placing his hands over hers, bringing the motorcycle to a safe stop. If left up to her, they’d have fallen over like an animated tricycle in a comedy show.
Tears clogged her throat, trembled in her voice. “My horse wants to marry me?”
Tanner pressed his lips to her neck, then shifted her to face him on the bike. “What do you think?” he asked dryly.
“I’m overwhelmed. I can hardly breathe, let alone think. Did you give back Samuel’s money?”
His hands were linked behind her back, her thighs straddling him. “In a manner of speaking. It was a little tough to figure the interest based on hours rather than days.”
“He made you pay interest?”
“No. I offered a bonus. You’re worth it. And I really am rolling in dough.”
“You are?” She shut her eyes. That had sounded so mercenary.
He laughed, loud and deep—at her. With her. Those wonderful dimples cut sexy furrows in his whisker-dusted cheeks. He looked disreputable and just a little dangerous.
And he was all hers.
“My last financial statement showed thirteen million. But business is up this year. I’d estimate closer to fifteen.”
“Fifteen...?” Her voice squeaked on a note of awe. “Million?”
“Give or take.”
“I’m staggered.”
“And I’m in love.” He pressed his lips to hers, swept her hair behind her ear. “I’ll buy you a stable of horses. The best around, not just the needy ones—although we can get those, too, if you want them. No matter what stock you choose, I’ve got faith in you. You’ll make the best damned horse breeder around. Kentucky bluegrass country won’t have anything over on you.”
“We could go to Kentucky, if you want,” she said, trying to get closer. That kiss wasn’t nearly long enough. “Start over where nobody knows us.”
He shook his head. “Sorry. There’s a catch here. If you’re going to breed horses, you’ll need to do it in Grazer’s Corners, or close to it, anyway. Seems the mayor’s position could be up for grabs soon. I’m thinking I might just toss my hat in the ring.”
She couldn’t have been more astonished if he’d told her he was an alien. “You want to be the mayor?”
“Sure. Why not? My offices practically run themselves. I’ve got great staff and more money than I know what to do with. I thought I’d take a stab at small-town life, and at mucking out stalls in my wife’s stables.”
Jordan thought she might burst with happiness. Tanner had sworn he’d never settle back in Grazer’s Corners. And she’d sworn she’d never leave. Their families had sworn they couldn’t be together.
And that thought gave her pause, deflated her happy bubble just a little.
“My father—”
He placed a fingertip over her lips. “Your father and I have established a truce. We’ve even made a date to work on becoming bosom buddies.”
Jordan rolled her eyes. “Now I know you’re getting carried away. When is this date?”
“After our wedding...provided you say yes, that is. You haven’t yet.”
She gave a delighted laugh. “Yes. A hundred times, yes. If you hadn’t asked, I’d have done it myself.”
“You were going to propose? Even thinking I was poor?”
“I don’t want your money, Tanner. I want you.”
With melting tenderness, he cupped his hands around her face. “You’ve got me, baby. For life. There’s just one more small detail I need in order to seal this bargain.”
“What’s that?” She was sinking deeper into the velvety depths of his steady brown eyes.
“The words.”
“Words?”
“Yeah. Three of them.”
It took her a moment. The wondrous strength and heat he gave off was causing a short circuit in her brain. The rest of her nerve endings were humming along just fine “I haven’t said it?”
“With your eyes, yes. But not with that sexy mouth.”
She stroked his long hair back from his face, traced the indent in his cheek where a dimple lurked. “I love you. Anywhere, anytime, always and in all ways, I love you.”
“That’ll do.” His voice was deep and low and shook with raw emotion. “That’ll do just fine.” He tossed his head, sending his long hair streaming, then cleared his throat. “If you trust Mr. B. with Honor Bleu for a few more days, I’ll have him trailer the horse home for you.”
It wasn’t often that she saw Tanner Caldwell shaken. That she’d caused it—with her words and with her love—gave her a fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach that was almost too much to contain. “There’s no need for Samuel to go through the trouble. I can come back with my own rig.”
His mouth canted at the corners—slowly and sexily. “I think he’s looking for an excuse to get back to Grazer’s Corners.”
“Agatha.”
“Agatha”
Jordan laughed. “Oh, the town is going to be buzzing, for sure. Will you want a long engagement?” she asked slyly, knowing his answer. “Because if you don’t, I happen to know for a fact that the church is available this Saturday.”
“Forget it. I’m not taking any more chances with weddings in Grazer’s Corners. We’ll find the nearest justice of the peace and get the job done.”
“Now that seems a shame,” she said playfully.
“You did just purchase a wedding dress, you know.”
He gave her a look so hot she nearly melted. “I love you like hell, baby, but there’s no way I’m wading through thirty-three buttons to get you naked.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “I could make it worth your while.”
He groaned and pressed her up against him. “We’re gonna have a dozen kids at the rate we’re going.”
“Three at least,” she allowed, climbing right onto his lap. It was a good thing he had his feet planted firmly on the ground, because she was definitely off-balance.
But that was one of the things she loved about Tanner. She could trust him to hold her, to never let her fall.
“You know, we might have a little problem talking Charity Arden into doing the photos. Though maybe her luck with botched weddings will change since we won’t be using the church.” Her mind was racing now. “And I can’t help but feel a little guilty for being so happy with Kate Bingham still gone and all. Even though she’s been in contact with Moose and says she’s fine—”
“Jordan?”
“Hmm?”
“Can we talk about photographers and churches and missing school principals later?” He tugged her shirt from the waist of her jeans. “I’m trying to seduce you.”
“Right here?”
“To start with.”
His clever hands were lighting a fire too hot to ignore. The pasture was sheltered by a grove of trees, isolated from prying eyes. The only one to see was Honor Bleu, and he was parading around like a proud matchmaker, wearing a proposal blanket, and bobbing his head as though a
dding his equine blessing to the suggestion.
Jordan was thrilled to give in.
“Do carry on.”
“I intend to.”
And he did, proving very effectively that all her dreams—past, present and future—were forever wrapped up in this one incredible man.
ISBN : 978-1-4592-6084-9
A BACHELOR FOR THE BRIDE
Copyright © 1998 by Melinda Neff.
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