James Bravo's Shotgun Bride

by Christine Rimmer

  “What house?” She’d given him a look that was part wariness and part willingness to play his game.

  “You’re in the living room, you and your horse.”

  She swung down off the mare. He’d moved to help her, but she didn’t need a man’s help to dismount. Her booted feet were already on solid ground. “So it’s an invisible house.”

  “It is now, but not for long.”

  She’d laughed at that. And then she’d listened intently, her hat down her back and her hair gleaming red-gold under the bright morning sun, as he showed her where each room would be.

  In his arms now, she sighed but didn’t stir. Was she still asleep? How awkward would it be if she woke up with him wrapped all around her?

  He was seriously tempted to find out.

  But then he thought about the day ahead of them, getting a license so they could proceed with their shotgun wedding. They were getting married to keep her crazy grandpa alive. Thinking about that kind of ruined the mood.

  Very carefully, he pulled his arm from the sweet inward curve of her waist and eased himself back so their bodies were no longer touching.

  * * *

  Addie lay very still, her eyes closed, letting James think she was still sleeping as he slid away and out of the bed. He tiptoed around the end of it and she heard him go into the bathroom and slowly, quietly shut the door.

  It had felt good. Right. To wake up with his body pressed to hers. As though that was how it should be, the two of them waking up together in the same bed.

  Addie groaned, grabbed her pillow out from under her head and plunked it down on top of her face. They were going to spend the next two months or so in the same bed.

  And she really needed not to be thinking how amazing it might be to simply let nature take its course.

  But already she was thinking it.

  She put her hand on her flat belly, thought about her tiny little tadpole of a baby swimming around in there. Having a baby without having any of the fun that made babies. How fair was that?

  She groaned again, pressed the pillow down harder and told herself that no way was she planning to try to seduce James.

  And that made her yank the pillow away and plunk it down on top of the covers and press her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. She was totally losing it. All the stress and the worry of the past eight days had wrung the sanity clean out of her.

  Because, dang it, if she was going to be married to a good, helpful, thoughtful, terrific and very hunky guy, well, why shouldn’t she get all the benefits of being married to said guy? Even if the whole thing lasted for only eight weeks.

  A marriage was a marriage, no matter how short.

  James might be a total gentleman, but she really didn’t think he’d take all that much seducing. They liked each other, had from the first. They wanted each other, even if she had spent the past several months trying to protect herself from the danger of falling for him and eventually finding out—as she always had before—that she’d fallen a lot harder and deeper than he had. She’d tried really hard to pretend she didn’t feel the pull.

  In the bathroom, she heard the shower start up. “Not going to do that,” she said quietly to the ceiling. “Not going to make this situation any more complicated than it already is.”

  She frowned at the sound of her own voice. Did she sound the least convincing?

  No, she did not.

  * * *

  James came out of the bathroom showered, shaved and fully dressed. Addie grabbed her clothes and traded places with him. When she came out, she found him on the couch in the living room, his laptop open on the coffee table in front of him.

  He glanced up with a quick smile that did lovely things to all the most feminine parts of her. “I ordered room service. Should be here in fifteen minutes or so. Hope you can get some eggs down.”

  She realized she was starving. Strangely, when he was around, morning sickness tended to be less of a problem for her. “Eggs sound great.” She glanced over and saw that the door to Carm and Dev’s room stood open.

  James caught the direction of her gaze. “They went back to the hospital.”

  Her heart rate spiked. “Is PawPaw okay?”

  “Relax. There’s no emergency. I told your sister we were getting the license first thing. She said that they would hold down the fort at the hospital while we took care of that. She promised to call you right away if there’s anything you need to know about Levi.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He patted the sofa cushion. “Let me show you what I’ve found out.”

  She went and sat beside him. He smelled of soap and aftershave and she wanted to lean against him and have him wrap his arm around her. But then she saw what he’d pulled up on the laptop screen, and her stomach got a knot in it. “A marriage license form?”

  “Colorado makes it easy. No blood tests. All you need is valid identification. We can go to the nearest clerk recorder’s office—that’s in Littleton, less than ten miles from here—and get the license on the spot. And we can make the process even faster if we fill out this form online before we go. Then we go to Littleton, we each produce ID, they bring up our completed form and the license is ours.”

  * * *

  They were back at the hospital well before noon.

  Addie ran to her sister. “How is he?”

  “You won’t believe this.”

  Her stomach turned over. “Oh, God. What now?”

  Carm grabbed her and hugged her. “Hey. It’s good news. He’s sitting up. The nurses say he ate broth, a few diced, canned pears and a little bit of toast. He also participated fully for the first time in the session with the respiratory therapist. And he’s asked that you and James go right in when you get here with the marriage license.”

  * * *

  Levi was sitting up, wide-awake, when they went in. “Let me see it.”

  Addie longed to roll it into a tube and bop him on his obstinate head with it. But James handed it over.

  Levi peered at it as though searching for flaws. But when he lifted his gaze to them, the blue eyes flashed with triumph. “Looks official to me. I’ll be in a regular room by tomorrow—Thursday at the latest. Just see if I’m not. And Patty over there...” He gestured toward a nurse at the central nurses’ station. She gave him a wink and a big smile. “Patty says they have pastors and priests on call to minister to the critically ill. She says it should be no problem getting a pastor to perform the ceremony in my regular room as soon as I get there.”

  “We looked into it already,” Addie said defiantly. “In Colorado a couple can solemnize their own marriage. We thought we’d do that. It’s as legal and binding as if you have a pastor or a judge do it.”

  “We’re havin’ none of that,” snapped her grandfather. “I want a pastor and that means you’re havin’ one.”

  Oh, it was going to take a very long time for her to forgive him for all this. She considered calling him a very bad name. But then she felt James’s fingers brushing the back of her hand. She grabbed on tight and said with quiet dignity, “All right, then. A pastor it is.”

  * * *

  Two days later, at nine in the morning on Thursday, eleven days after Levi’s heart attack, he was moved at last to his own hospital room. At two that afternoon, Addie and James stood in front of the smiling pastor at Levi’s bedside.

  James looked so handsome in his beautifully cut dark gray suit with an ice-blue tie. Addie wore a cream-colored lace dress that she and Carmen had bought at Nordstrom the day before. She carried a bouquet of bright Gerbera daisies. Okay, the marriage wouldn’t last forever. But she and James had agreed they wanted to look their best when they stood up in front of the pastor.

  Devin, who fooled around with photography in his spare time, had gon
e home Wednesday to check on things in Laramie. He’d brought back one of his digital cameras so he could take pictures of the simple bedside wedding.

  Addie tried not to think how sad she would be later, when the two-month marriage was over, to look at the photos of her and James holding hands and repeating their vows. It might bring a tear or two, to see herself clutching her bright daisies, dressed in lace, facing the tall, broad-shouldered man she’d married—but was destined not to keep.

  Did it surprise her when James produced a ring? Not really. They hadn’t talked about getting one, but he’d spent the day before in Justice Creek, checking on his sister Elise and her friend, and catching up on work. At some point in his busy day, he’d taken time to choose a ring for her.

  How like him to think of it—and then to make it happen.

  It was a beauty, too. With a double halo of diamonds circling the wonderfully sparkly round central stone and channel-cut stones along the band. He slipped it on first and then the matching wedding band.

  She knew he’d spent way too much on it and she almost whispered that he shouldn’t have. But it was so beautiful. Why not simply be grateful and enjoy the moment? “Oh, James. And it’s a perfect fit. How did you manage that?”

  “I asked Carmen your ring size. She took a guess.”

  “She guessed right. I love it. I do.”

  The pastor cleared his throat.

  Addie giggled. “Oh. Sorry. Carry on.”

  With a solemn nod, the minister instructed, “James Bravo, you may kiss your bride.”

  Addie was already looking up into his dark-fringed blue eyes, already feeling that she’d pretty much hit the jackpot as far as temporary husbands went.

  And then James slowly smiled at her and she realized that it was actually happening: they were about to share their first kiss.

  She stuck out her daisy bouquet and Carm took the hint and whipped it free of her hand.

  James said her name, “Addie,” softly, in that wonderful smooth, deep voice of his that sent little thrills of excitement pulsing all through her.

  She said, “James,” low and sweet, just for him. And she thought of the past three nights, of the two of them together in the hotel room bed. Of waking up each morning cuddled up close to him, of one or the other of them gently, reluctantly pulling away...

  Okay, maybe it wasn’t a real marriage. And it would be over as soon as her grandfather was back on his feet.

  So what? It was probably as close to a real marriage as she was ever going to get. Her luck really stank when it came to love and forever. She had her mother’s special talent for getting it wrong.

  But “so what?” to all that, too. She had this, didn’t she—a certain magic, a certain undeniable attraction to James? She’d spent months denying that attraction. Where had that gotten her?

  No place fun, that was for sure.

  And now, as he smiled down at her about to kiss her for the very first time, she made her decision.

  If James agreed, tonight would be their night, a real wedding night. When morning came, neither of them would feel that they had to pull away.

  So what if they weren’t forever? Right now felt wonderful. Right now felt right. And if they had to be married for her crazy grandfather’s sake, well, why shouldn’t she and James enjoy the full range of benefits getting married was supposed to bring?

  Addie lifted her face to James. His mouth still curving in that tender, sexy smile, he lowered his dark head to hers.

  Chapter Seven

  James’s lips brushed Addie’s, so lightly, a caress and a question both at once. More? that kiss seemed to ask.

  Longing moved within her. Heat flared across her skin.

  Oh, yes, definitely. More.

  With a sigh, she put her hands on the fine fabric of his suit, over the strong, hard contours of his deep chest. And then she slid them up to wrap around his neck.

  He gathered her closer, his big arms tight around her. He smelled so good and he felt even better. And he tasted like a promise of good things to come.

  She parted her lips under his and tasted him more deeply. Yes, she thought happily.

  Or maybe she’d actually said it, maybe she’d kind of breathed the word into his beautiful, oh-so-kissable mouth. Because he lifted away a little and opened his eyes.

  And the way that he looked at her...

  Definitely. Tonight.

  They could be as married as they wanted to be when they were alone. It might mess things up for an annulment and they’d end up having to get a divorce.

  So what? Divorce or annulment, the end was the end.

  He dipped his head to kiss her again and she waited expectantly, her mouth tipped up. But then her grandpa gave a thoroughly annoying raspy little chuckle. Totally wrecked the mood.

  James heard that chuckle and arched an eyebrow at her. Reminded all over again of how angry she was at Levi, she pulled a face. He stepped back.

  Carm and Dev moved in with hugs and congratulations.

  * * *

  After the pastor left, they all hung around in Levi’s room.

  James was thoroughly enjoying himself. Why shouldn’t he be happy? He’d gotten a first kiss out of Addie. It made him grin to think that he’d had to marry her to get it.

  Carmen went out briefly and came back with a cart on which sat a three-tiered wedding cake decked out in frosting flowers. It even had the bride and groom figures at the top beneath a miniature flower-bedecked arch.

  Addie laughed. “A cake? You actually went out and ordered a cake?”

  “Yes, I did,” Carmen replied proudly. “There’s a bakery just down the street.”

  Addie’s face betrayed the conflict inside her. James understood. She didn’t want to give her grandfather the satisfaction of having a good time at the wedding the old coot had forced on her.

  But she was having a good time. Her very kissable mouth kept trying to pull into a smile, and that dimple kept tucking itself into her sweet, round left cheek.

  In the end, her good nature won out over her anger with Levi. She threw her arms around Carmen and planted a loud kiss on her cheek. “You are the best sister I ever had.”

  “You bet I am—now get over here, the two of you, and cut this cake. Dev, get the camera ready.”

  James and Addie mugged for the camera and fed each other the cake and then cut the whole thing into slices so that everyone—the nurses, the clerks, the candy stripers, everyone—could have a slice if they wanted one.

  Carmen tried to stop them when they started cutting up the top tier. “You’re supposed to freeze that for your first anniversary.”

  Levi, who was looking healthier by the second and way too pleased with himself, piped up with “Good thinkin’.”

  Addie ignored her grandfather. Instead, she sidled up close to her sister and whispered something in her ear. James had no trouble guessing what. Something along the lines of What first anniversary?

  Whatever she said, Carmen pretended to pout. “Just getting into the spirit of things.”

  “Right.” Addie pulled off the little bride and groom and their plastic floral arch, licked the frosting off the base, plunked them down on a paper plate and got busy cutting up the top tier.

  The cake was rich and white, with a jam and custard center. Everybody at the nurses’ station and up and down the hall wanted some. By the time they were through, there was nothing left but crumbs.

  Eventually, at a little after four, the nurses shooed them out so they could look after Levi and make sure he got up and walked around a bit. They all—Addie, Carmen, Dev and James—decided they were starving, even after all that cake.

  So the four of them went out for dinner. James drove. He took them to his favorite steak house downtown, which was just ope
ning its doors for the dinner crowd. James passed the maître d’ a fifty and they got a cozy table in a quiet corner. He ordered champagne.

  Dev raised a laughing toast. “To the healing power of marriage.”

  They all laughed at that, even Addie. Marriage—his and Addie’s—did seem to be damn good for Levi’s health.

  Actually, Addie seemed downright happy. James was glad. He’d half expected her to endure their hasty wedding and the aftermath with a grim expression and possibly a couple of quick trips to the ladies’ room, because the stress of this whole situation tended to bring on her morning sickness.

  But no. She was taking it in stride.

  And that kiss—the one that sealed their destined-to-be-short-lived vows, the first kiss he’d ever shared with her?

  She’d really gotten into that kiss. The way she’d gazed up at him before and after, well, that look had been something he wouldn’t soon forget.

  That look had him wondering if tonight was going to be a real wedding night.

  Was that just wishful thinking?

  He hoped not. He’d waited a long time to get Addie in bed—and now that he’d gotten her there the past three nights, well, could anyone blame him for fantasizing about how fine it would be to do more than just sleep with her?

  But whatever happened when they were alone together later, getting married to Addie, even temporarily, was a lot of fun. She might get him even hotter than Vicki did—but that was the only similarity he could find between his first and second wives.

  Addie had a big heart. And when she wasn’t seething in fury at her grandfather, she was funny and open and easy to be with. She never tried to control him or tell him what to do the way Vicki used to—well, except for the day of Levi’s heart attack, when she had been constantly trying to send him on his way.