Heart and Home: The MacAllister Brothers

by Barron, Melinda

  “Is that a review of my kissing performance?”

  “I’m not sure. Let’s see how the encore plays out.” He captured her lips again, this time more firmly. When his tongue slid along the seam her lips parted and he gently pushed inside.

  Vanessa marveled at the taste of him. She could taste brandy, and the dark tint of a cheroot that he’d obviously enjoyed. When he pulled back she was thankful for his hands that were on her waist, or she might have dropped to the floor.

  “Don’t be long.” His voice was husky. He turned and quickly left the room.

  Vanessa took a deep breath. She’d been kissed before, but never had it felt like that. Her head was dizzy and her breasts were tingling. She put her hands to her lips. She could still feel his heat lingering there.

  Stop it, Vanessa! You don’t have time for schoolgirl crushes. You have a performance to give. You have to show a dragon lady that you are immune to her fiery words.

  At the same time, you have to hide the fact that you are falling in love with your ‘husband’.

  * * *

  “It’s just amazing to me that Win kept you a secret from us. Of course he’s always been a quiet man. Sometimes he comes to church socials and such, but mostly he keeps to himself. I’m always telling my James that these men need wives. They’re much too old to be single.”

  Madeline McKinney took a breath and then continued in the same vein. The preacher’s wife could talk as much as her husband did. Her words floated through the air and landed on Vanessa’s ears, but didn’t take root. Instead, Vanessa thought about Win, and how he was the most devastatingly handsome man she’d ever seen.

  She’d thought he was very nice looking when she’d met him, but that had been kicked up several notches tonight when he’d taken her and his aunt aside, and in no uncertain words told Matty that her conduct that afternoon was unforgivable. That, mixed with the kisses from earlier, had made Vanessa feel as if nothing could hurt her.

  Matty had muttered apologies that didn’t really mean anything, and then quickly walked away. She’d been quiet through most of the dinner, talking with the people around her, but never once looking at Vanessa, who sat at the end of the long table and wondered what it would be like to actually belong here.

  Dinners with her acting friends were never like this. Generally, it was twelve to fifteen people who always wanted the conversation to center on them. This time people wanted to talk about their families, and things going on in town. It was a new, and wonderful, experience.

  “I still just can’t believe that Win would do this to you, and to us.”

  Vanessa turned to Madeline.

  “Do what?”

  “Marry you in secret! Haven’t you been listening to me?” Madeline giggled and welcomed Matty and Nancy into the group.

  Vanessa smiled at the newcomers and then gave Madeline a confused look.

  “I’m sorry, I suppose my mind wandered a bit. Win and I were very happy with the way we married.”

  “Well, we’re not,” Madeline continued. “I’ve already told my James that he needed to speak to Win tonight about having a real wedding, right here in the house.”

  “What a marvelous idea,” Matty said, a smile plastered on her face. “It really was unfair of him to get married without me here. This way I’ll get to attend, and see the beautiful bride.”

  “No, thank you for the idea, but we’re already married,” Vanessa said. “We don’t need another ceremony.”

  Sweat formed on the palms of Vanessa’s hands. How did this happen? And why in the world did Matty agree that it was a marvelous plan?

  Vanessa swept her gaze around the room until it landed on Win.

  “Excuse me,” she said, starting toward him.

  “Nonsense.” Matty grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “What about this Saturday? I’m sure that we can get things together by then. Madeline do you think your husband would perform the ceremony?”

  “Of course he would. He would just love it! James! James!” Madeline took off toward her husband. Everyone turned to stare at her as she came to a stop.

  “Vanessa wants to marry Win this Saturday, in front of everyone. Don’t you think that’s a marvelous idea?”

  “No, I never said…” Vanessa started toward the minister. She stopped when Win’s shocked face came into view. His look was a mixture of emotions that could be anything from anger, to surprise to amusement.

  “Splendid!” The preacher reached for Win’s hand and shook it with enthusiasm. Across the room, Ben and Corbin burst into laughter as she and Win continued to stare at each other.

  “Thank you, James,” Win said after a long minute. “Why don’t we hold the ceremony at two? Then we can have a huge dinner on the front lawn.”

  Vanessa’s jaw dropped. What the hell was he doing? Win was soon lost in a sea of men offering congratulations. The ladies did their part by crowding around Vanessa, talking of gowns and food. Several offered to bring dishes to add to the dinner.

  Vanessa stood in stunned silence, until Matty gathered her in a hug and whispered in her ear.

  “This will prove to me that Win truly loves you. You want that, don’t you?” She pulled back and stared at Vanessa, who nodded.

  This was a disaster. Leaving after pretending to be his wife was one thing. Leaving after having actually married him was another. How was she going to get out of this?

  * * *

  “You are taking this much too lightly! How could you just stand there with a hairbrush in your hand and say ‘bend over’, when we’re supposed to get married this Saturday? Have you lost your mind?”

  Win’s calm attitude drove her crazy. He twirled the brush around and then shrugged his shoulders.

  “Tell me, Vanessa, why does this bother you so much?”

  “Are you joking?” Truly she was more than a little attracted to him. But marriage? “Signing an agreement to be your wife was one thing. Actually being your wife is another. I think you’re insane. This will make everything legal and binding.”

  “And you won’t be able to just walk away, is that your point?”

  “Yes!” The minute the word was out of her mouth, Vanessa felt as if she’d lost her world. “No. I don’t know.”

  “Would actually marrying me be so bad, Vanessa?”

  “I’ve only known you for three days.” Her stomach flopped around inside her. How had this turned from a mere arrangement to marriage?

  “True, but stranger things have happened. Tell me, do you think I would make a good husband?”

  “Yes.” The word escaped her lips.

  “Do you think I’m smart?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you, because I thought the same thing of you. Now I want you to listen to me very carefully. I talked to James this afternoon and told him the whole story. He knows that you and I aren’t really married.”

  Her insides whirled again. “What?”

  “He’s my preacher and I wanted his advice.”

  “What did he say?” Vanessa wrung her hands together.

  “Well, at first he was concerned for our souls. He thought we were having sex outside of marriage. I told him that we weren’t and that made him very happy.”

  Win stared at her and Vanessa stomped her foot. “This is unreal. It is totally unlike any play I’ve ever been in. What did he say next?”

  “I’m glad to see that you have some of your spirit back. And, then he was concerned for my soul when he knew I was lying to my aunt. Once I’d explained the situation, though, he saw the point.”

  “That’s all well and good, Win, but it doesn’t change the fact that your aunt expects us to get married on Saturday.”

  “Yes, I talked to him about that last night, too. He’s going to use words about renewing vows and such. Since there were no original vows the wedding will not be a legally binding ceremony. Now, are you going to bend over the bed, or do I have to take you over my knee? It’s your choice.”

  She thou
ght about what he’d said, and then shook her head. “Wouldn’t that make your friend—your preacher friend—be a part of our lie? What does that do for his soul?”

  “He didn’t seem to be worried about it,” Win said. “Now, do I have to ask again, knee or bed?”

  “Win, you can’t mean to…”

  “Decide, Vanessa.” He kissed her forehead and rubbed his lips back and forth over her skin. “Do you want my knee?”

  “Yes.” The word came out on a shallow breath.

  Win cupped her cheek in his palm and smiled at her. Then took her hand and led her toward the divan.

  Chapter 5

  It was all Vanessa could do to lay herself across his lap. Her hands were shaking, but there was no way she was going to let Win know how nervous she was, not after she’d so blatantly failed him that afternoon with his aunt.

  She deserved this spanking, she knew that. She also knew that this was real punishment. The first two times he’d spanked her hadn’t been hard. He’d used his hand. True the first one had stung, but the second one had been playful. There was no way this one was going to be playful.

  “Lift up.” Vanessa stood on her tiptoes as he lifted her nightgown to expose her behind.

  She hissed when he ran the smooth surface of the brush along her bottom.

  “Tell me, why did you let Matty bully you this afternoon?”

  “I don’t know.”

  The brush popped against her bottom. She let out a yelp of pain and Win delivered two more sharp slaps.

  “Yes, you do. Tell me.”

  “I don’t like being called names.”

  Four more swats were delivered to each side. They stung and Vanessa cried out, then bit her lip to keep from making too much noise. She didn’t want Aunt Matty investigating her cries.

  “Tell me the truth.”

  “I did.”

  The brush came down again, harder and harder. Vanessa squirmed and tried to get away from him, but Win’s free hand held her in place.

  “Stop that! Win, please!”

  “Something more than just being called a name happened.” The brush came down over and over. Vanessa felt tears form in her eyes. They fell down her cheeks and she started to cry in earnest.

  How could she tell him the truth, that she’d developed feelings for him? That his aunt’s harsh words reminded her that she and Win weren’t in the same class? That Win could never care for a woman like her?

  The brush fell on her upper thigh and Vanessa let out a yelp of pain.

  “That’s enough! Stop it.”

  “I want you to answer me. I want to know why you acted like a child this afternoon.”

  Harsh slaps continued against her behind and Vanessa shook her head in frustration. Finally, after what seemed like ages, she screamed, “Fine. I’ll tell you. I don’t like being called a whore when I’m actually a virgin!”

  The spanking stopped immediately. Win lifted her to her feet and then pulled her into his lap. Her behind ached and she cried out in pain.

  “What did you say?”

  “You heard me! All my life I’ve heard how I’m not good enough for this, or good enough for that. How actresses are nothing more than high priced whores. I was determined that I would not be one.”

  She sniffled and wiped tears from her cheeks. Her chest heaved as she tried to get hold of her emotions.

  “Vanessa, I never thought you were a whore.”

  His words were soft and gentle, and it made her feel better about things. But it didn’t change the fact that she was quite a bit below his station. His aunt had proven that. “No, but her words touched a nerve. After my father died, my mother gave herself to every man who wanted her. I swore I would never do that. I wanted more for myself, more than just going from man to man. When I couldn’t find someone to love me, I took a job in the troupe, thinking we could be a family. I was wrong in that regard, too.”

  “You mean because your friend left you here,” he asked, gently.

  “Wiley wasn’t my friend. He left me with the bill because I wouldn’t go to his bed. He knew I had no money and would end up in trouble. I’m surprised he hasn’t come back in town offering to pay and get me out of jail so that I would owe him.”

  “Well, actually, he did.”

  Vanessa lifted her shocked gaze to Win’s face. “When did that happen?”

  “Yesterday. He went to the boarding house, where Miss O’Brien told him that your bill had already been paid, and she had no idea where you were.”

  Vanessa put her fingers to her lips and laughed. “Why would she do that? She won’t get her money until after your aunt leaves.”

  Win shook his head. “I gave her the money the day you came here.”

  “Why? That wasn’t our deal. Now that I know you’ve paid her I could just leave.”

  “But you won’t. You have too much pride, and too much self respect, to cheat me that way.”

  “You didn’t tell me why.”

  For a moment she thought he wouldn’t say anything. Finally he cleared his throat and said, “Because I saw a woman in trouble, and I took advantage of it. I felt terrible about it. I was a coward for not standing up to my aunt. I used you as a shield, and I’m sorry for that.”

  “I’m not.” She leaned down and kissed him, her mind reeling as he cupped her neck and pulled her closer.

  “Are you really a virgin?” He sounded shocked, as if such a thing were not possible.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that ruins my plans,” he said. “It means we’ll have to wait until Saturday to make love.”

  “What?”

  Win pushed Vanessa to her feet, stood and walked to his desk. He took out the agreement they’d signed, turned to her and tore it in half.

  “I want you to stay with me because you want to, Vanessa, not because you have to. And I want you to marry me on Saturday, for real.”

  Tears clogged her throat as Vanessa nodded her agreement. She buried her face in her hands and started to cry, her shoulders shaking with emotion.

  Win gathered her in his arms and held her close. “Let’s go to bed, wife.”

  “Do you want to…?”

  “No. You’ve waited this long. I want to make love to you when you are Mrs. Winthorp Jacob MacAllister II.”

  “So we can make Winthorp the third?”

  “And the fourth.” He kissed her forehead. “And the fifth.” He kissed her nose. “And maybe we should make a girl in there, just for good measure.” He captured her lips, wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her from the floor.

  “Only one? Should we name her Vanessa the second?”

  He tightened his grip with one arm, and then slapped her bottom with the other.

  “Watch your smart remarks.”

  “Don’t think you’re going to spank me all the time, Winthorp.”

  “I will spank you as much as I like, wife, especially when it gets me such beautiful results.”

  * * *

  The week passed in a blur. Vanessa had to pinch herself several times just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

  Win loved her. He truly loved her and he wanted to marry her. She was going to have a husband, and a home. In the evenings, it was hard for them to lie together in bed and not make love. Win would kiss her over and over, and then gather her to his chest. She’d fall asleep to the wonderful rhythm of his heartbeat, feeling warm and secure in the knowledge that he loved her.

  Since their decision to marry, they hadn’t been able to keep their lips off each other. Every time they were near they were kissing. They were so affectionate with each other that people started to comment on how in love they were.

  The first person to offer congratulations was Ben, who kissed her cheek and murmured, ‘encore, encore’, in her ear. She’d slapped him playfully on the arm and he’d threatened to arrest her for striking the sheriff.

  Even Matty seemed to know that somehow, things were different. Her demeanor changed dramatically, an
d she offered suggestions to Vanessa about the house, and about the dinner for Saturday.

  On Thursday afternoon, Vanessa laid out the few dresses that she had and stared at them. They were all vibrant colors, nothing that would do for a wedding dress. She tried to remember what ready-made dresses Josh had in the store.

  She was deep in thought when a knock at the open door startled her. Matty stood in the hallway, waiting for an invitation to enter.

  “Come in, Mrs. Thompson.” The older woman hadn’t asked her to call her Matty, and at times that made Vanessa very worried. What would happen if she found out the truth before the wedding? Would she cause trouble? Despite her pleasant attitude during the week, Vanessa was sure that she would.

  “Trying to decide what to wear?”

  Vanessa nodded. She didn’t want Matty to see her meager dresses. That practically gave away the fact that she wasn’t a well-born widow.

  “You look good in vibrant colors, my dear. Perhaps we should have that nice young man bring around the carriage and take us into town. Josh might have something at the store that is more suited to a wedding.”

  “I was just thinking that myself.”

  Matty clasped her hands in front of her and gave a tentative smile. “We should have thought of it earlier in the week. But today is as good a time as any, I suppose.”

  Vanessa nodded and moved toward the doorway.

  “Before we go, I have something I wish to say.”

  Vanessa’s heart plummeted. What was happening now? Things had been going so well. She turned to Win’s aunt and said, “Of course.”

  “I want to apologize for the things that I said to you earlier in the week. It was unforgivable.”

  Vanessa could tell by the look on the older woman’s face that saying the words was hard for her. She didn’t need to lord the apology over her. “I thought we were past that.”

  “We are, but still. I was angry with Win, and angry with you for taking him away from me. I never had children of my own and I thought if I could force one of my nephews back to Boston that I would have someone in my life right now, someone to love and care for me.”