“Exactly, as soon as your husband returns with his report, I’ll be leaving town,” Dixy finished, happy that at least one person understood why she and Nathaniel could not make it work.
“Sorry, but by then we’ll already be married.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek and shifted next to her. “We’re heading over to the church this afternoon if you two would like to come to the wedding.”
Stunned by his announcement, Dixy spun around and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Can you not hear? I just told them I am not marrying you.”
The confident smile on his face convinced her, the man was completely insane.
“No, I heard you, but once I decide I want something. I don’t give in until I make it mine. You’re not the only one who can be stubborn.” He cupped a hand over her shoulder, and his heated glare drilled into her. The tension built between them.
Sarah tapped Dixy on the back. “I believe you should consider his offer.”
Turning, she noted the knowledgeable glint in Sarah’s crystal blue eyes. “Why? I don’t love him and planned to head to Georgia as soon as my name is clear.”
“That’s why you should marry him.” Sarah glanced at the man beside her and ducked her head. “I know it’s none of my business but when we talked to Bo last night. He said the only reason he hadn’t arrested you was because Nathaniel promised to watch over you.”
“Yes, and he also mentioned that if you weren’t guilty of killing Tobias, the real killer might come after you.” Chase set his hand on Sarah’s waist and tucked her into his side.
A sudden flush of fear washed over Dixy. She shivered and wondered why she hadn’t considered the possibility of the shooter coming after her. “But I didn’t see anything.”
“Yes, but the person that shot Tobias doesn’t know that.” Chase scowled at Sarah. An unspoken type of communication passed between them, and he shook his head. “We’ve said too much already. What you do is your business, not ours.”
“Wait.” Dixy hastened forward and kept them from turning for the door. “What else did Bo say?”
Sarah laid a hand on Dixy’s arm. The soft touch reminded Dixy, how much she missed the other women friends she’d made here in Texas. “I understand your reluctance to get involve with someone you barely know, but life usually leads us where we need to go. Nathaniel is a good man. He will take care of you. You can learn to love him later.”
The words rang with an element of truth. Dixy wondered if the same might be true regarding Sarah and Bo’s marriage. Had she married him before she loved him?
Nathaniel’s large hands fell over the curve of Dixy’s shoulders. He held her in place when the other woman withdrew.
With a nod, Chase led his sister-in-law to the door, and they left with a simple goodbye.
Staring after the couple, Dixy struggled to find the answers to what she should do next. Leave? Marry Nathaniel? Or “Maybe, I should stay somewhere else?”
“No. You can’t ask anyone to put themselves and their families in danger.” Shifting her around in his arms, he set a finger under her chin, lifted her head, and stared. “As my wife, I’m willing to take on the task to safeguard our future.”
She closed her eyelids, shutting him out and focused on her future. Instead, her thought revisited how wonderful it felt to have someone so close on which to depend. His reassuring warmth and comforting strength helped weakened her resolve, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from agreeing to his suggestion. “Nathaniel, I—”
The brush of his hot breath over her mouth had alerted her seconds before he captured her lips. He didn’t give her an opportunity to ease into his kiss. No, the headstrong man slipped his tongue inside and stole the air from her lungs. Next, he retreated before she had a chance to appreciate his decadent flavor.
A strangling sound whispered from Dixy. The surprise attack didn’t catch her off guard, but her reaction to it did. The hard pressure of his lips on hers ignited a hunger that made her burn. She ached to be even closer and aligned her body with his.
He eased his large hands over her hips, his fingers flexing as if judging her softness. With a quick shift in position, he cupped her shoulders. Ais fingers glided down her goose-fleshed arms to capture her hands.
Blinking open her eyes, she stared into his emerald green ones and melted under the force of his glare. His face held an intensity she hadn’t seen. Suddenly on alert for what he might do next, she gasped for air, afraid she’d revealed how much she relished being in his arms.
“We need to settle the question of whether we’re getting married.” He lifted her hands, kissing one then the other. His wicked smile showcased a flash of devilment. “You seem to enjoy my kisses and don’t mind my touch. So what exactly is the problem?”
Dropping her head, Dixy had to admit she found Nathaniel attractive. He appeared to be everything she ever wanted in a man, kind, attentive, and self-reliant. Unlike her father, he ran his medical practice alone and didn’t whine when he had to see more than a few patients in an hour. On the other hand, Nathaniel probably hadn’t seen the horrors her father had experienced.
“Look, I appreciate your willingness to protect me. And well...” She forced herself, to be honest with him. “I find you appealing.”
He set her hands on his chest and grabbed her waist. “Good, that’s a start.”
Working to keep the distance between them, she shook her head. “You don’t understand. I’ve been accused more than once of being a cold-hearted bitch. If someone is in trouble or hurt, I put their needs first. If I disagree with you, I won’t have a problem telling you flat out you’re wrong.”
Dixy hesitated, uncertain how to explain the reasons why he shouldn’t choose her as his wife. “I’m not a wallflower, and I’ve made enemies by refusing to bend on my convictions.”
A wide smile bloomed across his lips. “And you think I need a sweet, docile woman to do whatever I tell her?”
“That’s what every man wants.” She frowned and got the impression he wasn’t listening to her anymore. He tugged her closer, eliminating the space between them that had served as a small barrier.
“What if I aspire to have a different type of woman, who has a fire inside her that burns for me alone.” Nathaniel lowered his head and brushed his lips across hers.
Chapter Five
Holding her breath, Dixy froze. His mouth inched closer to hers while her thoughts battled with what she should say or do. Her heart raced with anticipation, and she fought the need to sink into him.
The light sweep of his lips didn’t linger. Instead, he teased her with butterfly kisses, tempting her with a mesmerizing touch. A hunger spread through her like a stiff shot of whiskey relaxing her resistance. She lifted her arms and circled his neck. His hard, muscular chest caressed her aching breasts. The drugging pleasure of being so close dimmed her ability to think, and a melting heat gathered between her legs.
Each time his kiss slipped away, a small whimper rumbled through her throat. She meant to resist, but how could she when he taste so good. The kick of coffee he’d had for breakfast added with his unique flavor created an intoxicating blend which left her aching for more.
Parting her lips, she silently begged, but he frustrated her by hovering a hairsbreadth away. His hot breath tickled her chin, and she shivered. Determined to put an end to his teasing, she edged backward. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I know what I want, but I’m not sure you do.” He lifted his hands from her waist and tunneled his fingers through her hair, loosening her hairnet. His gaze met hers, held. “I won’t force myself on you. It’s up to you to decide if you want to make a life with me and all that includes. Because once you’re my wife, you’ll belong to me. I’ll have unlimited access to your sexy body.”
He rocked his hips, and his erection hit her lower belly. She jumped, amazed by how his desire ignited hers. Moisture seeped between her legs. “Nathaniel!”
Leaning closer, he whispered beside her ear. “
My cock will play inside that sweet, juicy twat of yours every night for the rest of your life. Not because I demand we make love but because you’ll need it the same way you require air and water.”
Afraid he might be right, she stiffened. What was it about this man? How could he tempt her to do things with him she’d never considered doing with anyone else?
The light brush of his lips on her ear sent a quiver through her. His fingertips danced over her spine, and he cupped his hands over her ass. Reacting to his caress, she pressed her lower body forward, forcing his erection harder against her pubic bone. Need sizzled through her nerve endings.
“God, Nathaniel, you have to stop,” she groaned and dropped her head to his shoulder.
“Not until you agree to marry me.” He massaged her backside, rocking his hard length against her abdomen.
Darn, but she’d never felt like this before, so hot and needy with every caress compelling her to shed her clothes and have skin to skin contact.
Shocked by her thoughts, she tightened her hands on his shoulders and fought to control her basic urges. “Just because I desire you, doesn’t mean we have to get married.”
He grinned. “Has a man ever fucked you?”
Stunned by his words, she shoved at his chest, disturbed by his bold manner. “Of course not.”
Without releasing her, his focus narrowed, and he glared. “Good, because from now on you’re mine. Do us both a favor and say yes.”
“To what?” She argued, not willing to give into his claim that he’d have a voice in what she did or didn’t do.
“Dixy,” he growled and swung her up in his arms. “If you have no desire to wait until after we are married, I’m game.”
His foot hit the bottom step, and she realized where he was heading. She wiggled in his embrace and stared at the hard line of his jaw. The man had said he was stubborn. Nevertheless, she didn’t believe his willfulness held a candle to hers.
What could she say to distract him from his final destination of his bedroom? Because he was right, she felt they should wait. Why? She couldn’t exactly say, but she did. “Nathaniel, don’t you have patients arriving any minute now?”
He paused at the top of the stairs and glanced at the front door. “I’m willing to risk it.”
“What if I want us to be married first?” Dixy stared at the buttons of his shirt, unsure how he’d respond to her request.
“Damn,” he muttered and set her on her feet. His green-eyed gaze ran over her from head to toe. He rubbed a hand behind his neck and frowned. “I can’t see that it matters. But I’m willing as long as the wedding is today.”
He waved a finger in front of her face, revealing his unwillingness to bend on this point. “But don’t tell another soul you’re not my fiancée. After today, you can merely say you are my wife. Understood?”
She nodded, uncertain if she should have created the delay. Right now, she longed to have him hold her and enjoy his touch. Would she feel the same way later?
And most of all, could she wait?
****
Time crawled by, Nathaniel surveyed his appointment book and wondered how he could still have two more patients to see. He’d skipped lunch and had grabbed a quick bite in hopes of being done before three. However, at the moment, the odds of him getting Dixy to the church before then weren’t looking good.
Shoving aside his impatient desire to flee, he focused on his current patient. “Thank you, Mrs. Hinnes’. I’ll schedule an appointment for the same time next week, and Dixy will see you out.”
The short, gray-haired lady grabbed her cane and rose from the examining table. “Yes, well, it’s about time you found yourself a wife. I’m tired of hearing how you should wed this girl or that one. Ain’t a one of them that has any know-how about what it takes to help a person that’s ailing.”
Nathaniel finished the note he’d been jotting down and closed Mrs. Hinnes’ file. “You’re right. I was lucky to find someone like Dixy. Did she tell you her father was a doctor?”
“Yes, we had a right nice chat while I was waiting for you to finish up with that cantankerous Elmer Peabody.”
“Now, now, Mrs. Hinnes,” Dixy admonished, entering his office. Her instincts to know when he was finished with a patient fascinated him and confirmed his belief that she’d make him an excellent wife and helper. “He’s not so bad. He even managed a smile before he left.”
Mrs. Hinnes laughed.
Surprised by the older woman’s amusement, Nathaniel marveled at Dixy’s bedside manner. Not a single person, who’d stopped by today, had taken exception to her gentle probing. She had teased and scolded, but people appeared to like her.
She walked to Mrs. Hinnes, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her across the room. “You know, I think Mr. Peabody might even be sweet on you.”
Nathaniel waited for the explosion. The two were neighbors and had been sworn enemies for years. They were never friendly to each other and argued whenever they were together.
“Oh poo, I’ve known that man since I was knee-high-to-nothing. He use to pull my hair back when we were both in school. He was also my husband’s best friend until we had a dry summer, and they got into a ruckus concerning water rights.” She shook her head with a sad smile. “No, he simply has an eye for the ladies.”
She paused by the doorway. “That reminds me. Nathaniel, you’d better watch that old coot, or he’ll make a play for Dixy. He has no idea he’s older than dirt and just as ugly.”
Unable to keep from laughing, Nathaniel stood and winked at Dixy. “Believe me, I understand. We plan to visit the minister today to see how soon he can marry us.”
“There you go.” Mrs. Hinnes patted Dixy’s hand, which rested on hers. “Living in a small town, you don’t want to start any wild gossip.”
“Certainly not.” Dixy guided the woman out into the hallway.
Not listening to their chatter, Nathaniel followed behind them. He checked the sitting room to see if his next patient had arrived. With no one else in the house, he figured they’d have a few minutes together before his next appointment. Granted, he should probably avoid Dixy. Every time he looked at her, he longed to lock the front door and head upstairs. His body ached for relief.
Dixy paused by the door. “It was great to meet you, Mrs. Hinnes. We’ll see you in a week.”
“Certainly, my dear, you stay inside while Nathaniel helps me to my carriage.” The older lady stepped outside and hurried across the porch.
“I’ll be right back.” He rushed forward to help Mrs. Hinnes.
In no time, he had her loaded in her carriage. The sky a crystal blue and the sun burning bright, anyone looking out their window might believe it to be a warm day. However, a cold wind sped through the barren trees and cut through anything in its path. Nathaniel raced for the door and into the house.
Once inside, he hurried along the hall. “Dixy, I thought I heard someone arrive while I was examining Mrs. Hinnes.”
He stepped into the kitchen, found it empty, and retraced his steps to the front of the house. “Dixy, where are you?”
“Upstairs.” Her voice filtered down to him from above.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he paused in the doorway of his guest bedroom. She stood by the window. Her sleek body silhouetted by the light shining into the room. All the lust he’d kept at bay for most of the morning, hit him again.
“What’s wrong?” He walked to her and caressed his hands over her shoulders.
She turned, and the urge to have her smile on his lips consumed him. “Nothing, I was just trying to decide what to wear to church.”
He retreated enough to take in the dark blue dress she wore. Pearly white buttons ran down the front to her waist. The skirt flowed straight to the floor with no ruffles or pleats. When had she changed? For most of the day, she’d worn the faded pink dress he’d given her yesterday. “What you have on looks good.”
With a brief nod, she patted his chest and stepp
ed around him. “Then I guess we better go.”
Grabbing her hand, he stalled her progress. “What? We can’t. I still have a few more patients to see.”
“No, a man stopped by when you were with Mrs. Hinnes to say your last two appointments wouldn’t be making it today.” Dixy shuffled forward and brushed her hands over his coat.
“What man?” He queried, not in the least concern she hadn’t recognized him, but why not questioned him.
“He didn’t give me a chance to ask. After handing me two handwritten notes, he disappeared.” Dixy smiled and tilted her head to one side. “We can leave. Unless, of course, you’ve decided not to marry me.”
Pulling her into his embrace, he hugged her close, enjoying the lush softness of her body next to his. “No, that’s not the problem. I’m a little uncertain if I should step into a church giving my current condition.”
She crinkled her brow as if confused. “Are you sick?”
Nathaniel chuckled and squeezed her tighter into his chest. “Yes, I believe I have a fever that won’t go away until we are both naked, and I have my cock buried deep inside you.”
“Oh, so you’re still suffering from our earlier encounter.” She toyed with the buttons of his shirt, her fingers waltzing seductively over the cotton fabric. His thoughts jumped to her hands slipping over his stomach and her slender fingers covering his cock. The ache in his groin mounted.
“No, I’m in pain from seeing you flutter around my office, sweet talk my patients, and having you so close but unable to touch you.” He circled her waist and fought the urge to strip her out of her dress.
“You’re touching me now.” A wicked grin played over her lips.
“This isn’t enough. First, I plan to strip you bare and kiss every inch of you. Once I’ve discovered all your secrets, I’ll sink into your hot, wet twat and make you scream.” He unbuttoned the top disk and moved to the next one.
“Nathaniel, we said we’d wait until after we were married.” She wiggled and captured his wrist before he unhooked the final button.
The Country Doctor's Bride (Historical West - The Cowboys of Naked Bluff, Texas series Book 6) Page 4