by Meryl Sawyer
"Get real," Uma said with a derisive snort. "Tillie Habenny and those relatives of hers don't know squat about serving. They're Talking Waters Clan. That means they'll be in the kitchen gossiping. They'll mess up everything."
"Uma, I mean it. Let Tillie handle things."
Uma grunted her consent, and they walked in silence through the main house. Kelly froze in the doorway to the terrace, her mind and body suddenly numb. Could she go through with this in front of all Pop's friends who honestly believed this was a match made in heaven?
She glanced over her shoulder to the front yard where the security guards were patrolling. When news of the wedding leaked out, reporters stationed themselves outside the house, reminding Kelly of the pagan hordes camped outside Rome's gates. Stalkarazzi.
Uma nudged her. Kelly managed a tremulous smile as Uma left her to take a seat in the front row next to Pop. She waited for Uma to sit, then walked out onto the terrace. Everyone else was seated, and heads turned in her direction.
She mustered a smile that she prayed looked appropriate for a bride in love and looked directly at Logan. He was standing in front of Judge Hollister, waiting for her to join him. Be still my heart did not cover it, Kelly thought.
An electrifying shiver reverberated through her, and it was all she could do to keep the silly grin plastered on her face and walk at the same time. Was she really marrying this 'hunk?'
She'd never seen him dressed up, so she wasn't quite prepared for how heart-stoppingly handsome he looked in the navy suit. The color deepened his eyes to cobalt blue. The cut of the suit emphasized his height and the breadth of his shoulders. For a man who acted as if he never put on anything but jeans, Logan wore the suit with an air of self-assurance that bordered on arrogance.
But the smile he gave her wasn't the least bit haughty. He broke into a wide, open grin that revealed dazzling white teeth. There wasn't a woman on earth who could resist his captivating smile. She was extremely aware of his virile appeal. Each time she was near him, the pull became stronger and stronger.
His gaze dropped from her face to her shoulders, then rapidly slid downward. His pleased expression would have convinced the devil himself that Logan believed she was truly beautiful.
It would be easy to misinterpret the way he looked at her. No question about it. He was a skilled actor with undeniable sex appeal. A very dangerous combination. She was out of her league with this man.
And in a few minutes she would be his wife.
Unbelievable.
She managed to stand beside Logan, a ridiculous smile on her lips. This close, he seemed taller, even more powerfully built. She gazed into his eyes and her heart lurched, then pounded furiously. The smoldering look caught her off-guard, and she quickly glanced away.
Kelly gazed at her grandfather and was astonished to see how happy—no, thrilled—he looked. Oh, Lordy. Pop adored Logan. The expression on his face made her suspect Pop was secretly praying this marriage would work out despite everything.
Judge Hollister cleared his throat. "Are you ready?"
Kelly and Logan turned to face him. Kelly heaved a sigh of relief; at least her back was to the group. Out of the corner of her eye, she'd seen the Stanfields. She didn't mind lying in front of them, but she wished she didn't have to lie in front of the others.
"Kelly … Logan, we are gathered here on this fine day to join your lives together as man and wife," Judge Hollister began.
Like a parrot, Kelly repeated the vows, hardly hearing the judge's words, kept her mind focused on Rafi. The little boy needed her, and since she wasn't going to have children of her own, she needed him, too.
The next thing Kelly knew, Logan's warm hand clasped hers, and an involuntary chill swept through her. He slipped a ring on her trembling hand. Oh, my God! It wasn't an ordinary gold band at all. This ring had channel-set diamonds designed to fit around the stunning engagement ring. Together the two rings were spectacular.
As their eyes met, she detected a certain apprehension in his expression as if he was concerned that she might not like the ring. She squeezed his hand and smiled, silently trying to reassure him.
"Repeat after me," the judge told Logan.
Kelly listened as Logan responded to the questions she'd just answered. Was it her imagination, or did his voice sound huskier than usual?
It suddenly struck her that in a moment the judge was going to tell him to kiss the bride. It would be a quick peck, she assured herself, nothing more. They were standing in front of about fifty people. Don't worry about it.
The judge said, "By the power invested in me by the state of Arizona, I now pronounce you man and wife." He smiled at Logan. "You may kiss the bride."
Kelly looked up at Logan, telling herself that it was only a kiss. It would be over in a second. His expression didn't change, but he became rigid, every muscle tensed as if he were staring down the barrel of a submachine gun.
Time halted, seconds fractured and became an excruciatingly long minute. The guests waited, dead silent while a meadow-lark, bobbing on a cottonwood branch sang scales. Heat inched up Kelly's neck as she felt every eye riveted on them.
Waiting. Wondering.
He was not going to kiss her.
If he didn't, what good were the magnificent rings and this reception? People would know their marriage was a sham and ask why. Couldn't he just peck her cheek or something?
She recalled the other times she had expected him to kiss her, yet he never had. He must have some hang-up about kissing. Why else would such a devastatingly handsome man avoid kissing?
The moment lengthened, and Judge Hollister cleared his throat. Kelly decided she had to take action. Even though she was in heels, she had to draw herself up to the tips of her toes in order to throw her arms around Logan's neck. She smacked her lips against his.
It wasn't graceful, it wasn't sexy, but it got the job done. His lips were clamped together and as rigid as his body.
At least put your arms around me, she silently screamed. Make it look good. But she might as well have been embracing one of Sedona's red rocks for all the response she got.
She moved her lips, encouraging him. Nothing. Poor guy. He really did have a serious problem with kissing. As good an actor as he was when he wanted to be, Logan was having real trouble with this.
Kelly tried to pull back only to discover Logan's arms were suddenly locked around her. His lips parted hesitantly, and the tension left his body slowly like a wave retreating from the shore. His lips were warm and sweet on hers—for a moment.
Then he angled his head to one side and hesitantly brushed her lips with the tip of his tongue. His kiss was unsophisticated, hardly the kiss of a man who knew what he was doing. Instead it seemed as if her kiss had breached some emotional barrier, and he was allowing himself to kiss her—against his will.
Yet there was no mistaking the hunger in his kiss, the unbridled passion. The force of his body bent her backward. Clinging to his shoulders, she realized there was something almost desolate and needy about his kiss.
She recalled his expression when he'd slipped the astonishing wedding band on her finger. For a fraction of a second, his insecurity had been reflected in his deep blue eyes. Now, she sensed that same uncertainty, which was usually concealed beneath his brash veneer.
Encouraging him, she parted her lips. Big mistake! His tongue thrust between her lips and mated with hers in a shockingly primitive way that reminded her of a much more intimate mating.
Pleasure shuddered through her even though a warning bell rang in some distant part of her head. They were in front of all the guests—for God's sake.
In another second the bell stopped ringing. She was kissing him back, loving the feel of his mouth on hers, loving the strength of his embrace. It had been so long since she'd been kissed with such passion. She hadn't missed it until now.
Until Logan.
She didn't know how long they stood there, kissing each other, but Logan finally pulled away.
Kelly felt him release her and she let go of him reluctantly. That's when she realized all the guests were clapping.
And Pop was grinning from ear to ear.
* * *
Chapter 21
« ^ »
It was dark by the time Pop drove around Sedona long enough to elude the paparazzi. He dropped off Kelly and Logan at the Sterling Pass trailhead. Logan used the powerful military flashlight that she had seen in the hogan to guide them up the trail. The path was steep, bounded on one side by boulders that jutted upward. The other side was a sheer drop into a dry creek bed.
They concentrated on the path, neither of them saying anything, which was just as well. He had her totally confused after that scorching kiss in front of everyone. Given the mixed signals Logan sent, it was difficult to tell what he was thinking.
She was worried about what would happen tonight. She was tempted to give him a lecture on this being a mission, and sex was not part of the plan.
What if she were mistaken? He might behave in a totally professional manner and not touch her.
She stumbled over a loose rock on the trail, and Logan stopped and turned to check on her.
"Are you all right?"
The concern in his voice changed her mind. She mumbled something about being tired and decided not to make a fool out of herself with a no-sex lecture. If he tried anything, then she could set him straight.
Overhead lurked unusual rock formations, awesome in their size. The darkness and their surrealistic shapes made the area seem almost as if she'd been transported to another world. Despite the low level of light, she spotted tenacious clumps of mesquite that had found footholds among the boulders. Its aromatic scent perfumed the cool night air.
"Are you sure they can't find us here?" she asked when they reached their destination.
"No one is going to find us." He slid his backpack off his shoulders, his eyes scanning the area in that hyper-alert way of his.
His instinctive responses to the world around him amazed her. Logan seemed to have an ingrained ability to scan his surroundings in a way that might seem casual to most people. She knew better. No detail escaped his notice.
Here was a man who accepted danger, expected it. His life was in grave danger. Maybe he wasn't at risk immediately, but she was convinced danger lurked around him.
Waiting for a chance to strike.
"You saw me check everything we have with us for micro-transmitters to prevent anyone following us."
Logan had explained to Kelly and Pop that a micro-transmitter the size of a peanut could have been planted in their things. It would send out a silent, electronic signal, telling someone exactly where they were.
She shrugged her pack off her shoulders and dropped it on the ground. Logan didn't seem the least bit tired, but she wondered if she could have made it much farther. She massaged her shoulders where the pack had chafed against her skin.
Logan was busy lashing the food Uma had packed into a satchel and hoisting it up into a tree, so animals wouldn't be lured into their camp, enticed by the smell. Kelly concentrated on taking out what little she'd brought in her pack.
They were only going to be gone two days. Logan had suggested camping because people expected newlyweds to go somewhere after their wedding. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now Kelly wasn't so sure. This place seemed terribly isolated.
If anything happened, they were miles from help. Logan was accustomed to danger, she knew as she watched him, fascinated. What a way to live, yet he seemed to thrive on it.
There was no moon, and the usually bright stars were haloed by brush-stroke clouds. A trio of bats hovered near a night-blooming cactus at the perimeter of their camp, sipping nectar from its blossoms. From a distant ridge, a coyote howled, a distinct, shrill sound that was immediately answered by yips from the rest of the pack. The only light in the small clearing came from Logan's Krypton flashlight.
She felt more than a little useless. Not only had he carried most of their gear, he'd evidently been here before on one of his hikes. He hauled an armful of mesquite from a stash behind a boulder, and built a fire more quickly than she could imagine. He must have built dozens and dozens of fires.
Then he draped both bedrolls over a rock, letting the bottom part of each trail on the ground. "This is about as close as we're going to get to a comfortable seat." He sat down, his back against the rock and patted the spot next to him. "Come on. You're tired."
The prickle of uneasiness that had been with her all day kicked up a notch as she dropped down beside him. "This is heaven." She rested against the rock, the bedroll cushioning her back. "This is the first time I've sat down all day."
Logan didn't reply. He turned down the flashlight until it was little more than an eerie glow in the darkness.
"I want to talk to you about something." She hadn't told him about her visit to Suzanne's mother or about Jim Cree's strange comments. Now she was glad. It gave her something to talk about.
"I'm listening." Logan turned toward her, his head cocked slightly to one side in a way that indicated conversation was not uppermost in his mind.
They had changed into jeans and sweaters for the camp-out. Logan was wearing a navy blue pullover that Pop had worn for years. The color and the lack of light had turned his eyes almost black with just a thin band of slate blue rimming the pupils. He had been heart-stoppingly handsome in his suit, but now there was something rugged and outdoorsy about him that she found even more appealing.
He waved his hand in front of her face. "Earth to Kelly."
"Sorry, I was thinking."
"I was afraid of that."
She ignored his joke, asking, "Did you know Tyler had been married and his wife died?"
"Yes. I used Cobra sources to check on the entire family."
Kelly wasn't surprised, considering his occupation. "Did your sources say there was anything unusual about her death?"
"There were two autopsies. That's highly unusual, but both coroners agreed that she'd had a heart condition."
"Suzanne was three months pregnant when she died." She stared straight ahead, suddenly reluctant to tell him. "Do you know who the father was?"
"Obviously it wasn't Tyler." A beat of silence. "It must have been my old man."
How had he guessed so quickly? It had taken her a long conversation with Suzanne's mother before Kelly had begun to suspect the truth. "That's right. Suzanne's mother says Woody planned to divorce Ginger and marry Suzanne as soon as she divorced Tyler. What do you think?"
"I don't give a damn about any of them." He scooted closer, his gaze riveted on her lips. "Why don't you kiss me again? I can do better this time."
Now she had her answer. Logan did intend to make love to her. She was going to have to set him straight, and it probably wouldn't be easy. He was accustomed to getting his own way.
"Logan, be serious. This is important."
"I'm dead serious. Kiss me again."
His gaze was so seductive that it sent a tremor of anticipation through her, but she managed to calmly ask, "Do you realize Tyler and Alyx aren't Woody's children?"
"You're kidding. Is Benson their father?"
"I don't know. Do you think Woody would have allowed Benson to live with them and be his right-hand man all these years, if he'd had an affair with Ginger?"
"They're all so screwed up. Anything's possible. How many fathers get their son's wife pregnant?"
"Tyler isn't really his son," Kelly pointed out.
"He raised him. If nothing else, Tyler is like an adopted son." He leaned closer and whispered into her ear, his warm breath ruffling her hair. "Let's forget about them. Go ahead. Kiss me again. I like women who take charge."
Take charge?
He was teasing her, and she knew it. True, she'd kissed him, but he had been the one who had taken charge.
Her head would fit perfectly into the hollow between his shoulder and neck, she realized, then mentally gave herself a hard shake. Stop it!
She edged away and chastised him with her go-to-hell glare. It didn't faze him. His smirk said he'd read her mind.
"You need to hear this, Logan. Suzanne's parents believed Woody was going to rewrite his will and leave his fortune to his child, cutting out the twins as well as Ginger. That's why Suzanne was killed."
"Do you honestly believe they murdered her?"
"Suzanne's mother was very convincing. I took a close look at both autopsy reports, and I brought them with me."
He threw up his hands and rolled his eyes. "Aw, hell! I've married a woman who brings autopsy reports along on her honeymoon."
"Suzanne's mother is concerned that they'll try to kill you. We know someone bugged the house. At the reception you kept saying we were camping out near Devil's Bridge. You took every precaution not to let anyone know where we were going. True, we wanted to ditch the stalkerazzi reporters, but don't tell me it isn't possible that your life is in danger."
He shrugged, seemingly not concerned. "It doesn't surprise me. It would be easier to deal with, if I knew who was behind it. Tyler? Alyx? Ginger and Benson? All of them?"
"When we were at the stables, I talked to Jim Cree alone. He said something that made me very suspicious." She recounted her conversation with the shaman in detail. Logan listened intently, his brow furrowing into a slight frown. "I tried to talk to Luz Tallchief but she's out doing an Adant' ti chant for you."
"What in hell is that?"
"Navajos go to a sacred place and chant. Sometimes they do sand paintings as they're chanting. Some chants can go on for days. The Adant' ti is supposed to rid you of an evil person. Luz and Jim think you're in danger now because you were in danger as a child. I've studied reports that indicate you might have been abused.
"I'll bet someone discovered you were Woody's own son, and wanted to get rid of you. I suspect that you never accidentally fell into a ravine. I think they dumped you in some isolated spot and left you to die. Luckily someone found you."
"Lucky me," he responded with a touch of irony. Once she wouldn't have detected the subtle change in his raspy voice, but now she knew him better. "I have an idea. Let's take a look at those autopsy reports."