Cheyenne Bride

by Laurie Paige

  His body hardened so fast he nearly gasped. “You’re going to be the death of me,” he muttered.

  Her gaze dropped down and saw his problem. Instantly she blushed and her teeth bit into her bottom lip. He was learning she did that when she was nervous or unsure of herself.

  “I’d better go.” Abruptly, she rushed toward the door.

  Unable to stay behind, he went, too. They only got as far as the front porch before encountering a furious Rand Harding. The rejected fiancé was with him.

  “You’re here!” Harding exploded. “We’ve looked for you for the past nine days, then find you here.”

  “It was the one place I thought you wouldn’t think of looking,” she admitted.

  “We didn’t,” Bill said. “We went everywhere else, including the cabin where your folks used to go when we were kids.”

  “Do you realize how worried we were?” her brother demanded, looming over her.

  She lowered her head and nodded. “I’m sorry. I left a note—”

  “Saying you were going to a friend’s house,” he snapped. “Not exactly where you ended up.”

  “Well, I didn’t want you to know.”

  “We truly were concerned,” Bill broke in, stepping closer to her. “You can be so…impulsive.”

  Cade watched the two men lecture Leanne, the brother angry, the friend buttressing his words with concern and sympathy. He heard them express their worry, their effort at finding her. He didn’t hear anyone mention her feelings or the trauma of a bride, already dressed in her finery, running from her own wedding.

  He saw her shoulders droop and her eyes mist over as she stoically listened to the lecture. He moved forward, close enough that she would be able to feel his warmth there behind her. He was shocked at just how badly he wanted to tell these two bozos to back off. With tremendous effort he held his tongue and his temper.

  “I’m sorry,” Leanne said, her eyes appealing to both men to understand. “I tried to explain—”

  “Look, I’m sorry about the house, darling.” Bill laid a hand on her shoulder and stroked her as if soothing a nervous animal. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn’t realize it would upset you so much.”

  Cade gritted his teeth at the urge to knock the guy’s hand off Leanne. He laid his hand lightly at her waist to let her know he was there if she needed him. She pressed against him, welcoming his touch. That pleased him.

  Watching the two men crowd in on her, he understood why she had left. He sensed her love for her family and her reluctance to hurt them, including the man who was an old family friend. He wondered if she would succumb to their blandishments if they kept on long enough.

  That was something he wouldn’t allow.

  He didn’t know the whys and wherefores of the decision he’d just made, only a gut-deep knowledge that it was right. He edged in a bit closer.

  Rand glanced at him, then at Leanne. “Let’s go into the house, where we can relax and talk this over.”

  Without this outsider listening in, was what he meant.

  Cade tightened his hold on Leanne while he smiled coolly at Rand and Bill. “Leanne stays with me.”

  Three pairs of eyes stared at him with varying expressions in their depths. Only the luminous green ones affected him, stirring something passionate and protective within him. Gazing at her brother and his friend, Cade felt anger rising in him. Without stopping to analyze it further, he said the first thing that came to mind.

  “Don’t you think we should tell them, darling?” he asked, smiling as he bent to murmur lover-like against Leanne’s ear.

  “Tell us what?” Harding demanded.

  The old friend’s eyes narrowed. His hands closed into fists, but at least they were off Leanne.

  “Leanne and I were married a couple of days ago. My wife and I have no secrets from each other.”

  He felt the tremor shake all the way through her. Disbelief made comic faces on the two men as they fell back a step. His own reaction was more than a little stunned. He’d recognized the innate need to protect her, but not the lengths to which he was willing to go.

  Gazing at the stunned faces of the others, including his supposed wife, his smile widened. There was something to be said for stupendous announcements.

  Seven

  “He’s lying,” Rand said, his gaze narrowing on Leanne.

  To her own amazement, Leanne shook her head. She didn’t know why Cade had said what he did, she didn’t know why she wasn’t denying it, but she didn’t have time to figure it out at this moment.

  “You’re married to this…this guy?” Bill demanded in total disbelief, obviously failing to come up with a description for Cade allowable in polite company.

  “Yes,” she heard herself say. “We…we are.” She felt as if she were another person, that she was watching herself and this little drama being played out from a front row seat. Another tremor raced through her.

  Rand opened his mouth. Bill looked at him as if waiting for a clue on how to react. Her brother’s face hardened. “You’ve made your bed. Now you’ll have to lie in it. Don’t come to me if it isn’t to your liking.” He stalked off.

  Bill hesitated, looking from her to Cade, doubt in his eyes. “We’ll talk later and maybe make some sense of all this.” He followed after Rand.

  A terrible heaviness descended on her. She’d disappointed her brother and hurt Bill. The supposed marriage had left them with nothing to do or say since it was presented as a done deal.

  Aware of Cade standing quietly behind her, she faced him, slowly, reluctantly, almost fearfully. “Why?” was all she could manage to say.

  His eyes bored into hers as if searching for the answer to her question. Finally he shrugged. “You wanted the two weeks your brother was supposed to have been gone to think things over. Now you’ll have them.”

  “Rand knows we’re lying. He only has to ask your family to find out the truth.”

  “My family will believe whatever I tell them.”

  “How’re you going to explain this farce to them?” Her worry shifted to include him and the repercussions from the powerful Kincaid family.

  “That we got married in a fever? That we were overcome with passion? We’ve been to town this past week. Who’s going to say we didn’t tie the knot?”

  His grin was so insolent she wanted to hit him. She wanted him to be serious. She wanted… She sighed and gave up on hopeless wishes.

  “Your sister-in-law for one,” she reminded him. “She’s a private investigator. Garrett apparently uses her for a lot of things.”

  “My grandfather won’t question the marriage.”

  “I wish my brother would take my word and leave me alone,” she said glumly, envisioning the coming lectures. “He means well—”

  “You’re a big girl now,” Cade interrupted. “Take control of your own life. Without running away to do it.”

  She lowered her head at the criticism. “I’m not sure I could have held out against both Rand and Bill if I’d stayed.”

  Cade didn’t look sympathetic.

  “What now?” she asked. “You got us into this latest mess. Now get us out.”

  He stroked his chin as he thought. “First, we move your things from the bunkhouse to my room—”

  “What?” she squeaked.

  He gave her a facetious smile. “If we’re supposed to be married and everyone knows it now, won’t it look a bit strange if we don’t share a room?”

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.” She bit down hard on her bottom lip as emotion rose in her. She wasn’t going to wail like a baby. She didn’t even know why she felt like it. “You’re right.”

  “Well, will miracles never cease?” he murmured. “The lady agrees for once.”

  Glaring at him, she headed for her room, with him walking beside her. The heat had already taken over the day, and the air shimmered over the hills around them. She wondered if hell was half as hot…or if she was already there and didn’t know
it.

  Or maybe she did. She glanced at the tall, silent man beside her and smiled ruefully.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked, but in a friendlier tone than any other he’d used with her that morning.

  “This has to be a classic case of ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire.’”

  “Yeah. In more ways than one,” he agreed enigmatically.

  She sighed as she entered the bunkhouse. Cookie was reading the paper and having a cup of coffee. He didn’t pay any attention to them other than to relay a cursory glance.

  In less than ten minutes she had her few belongings packed and ready to go. Cade picked up her canvas bag and started for the door.

  “You leaving now that your brother’s back?” Cookie asked, looking mildly disappointed.

  “She’s moving in with me,” Cade answered easily. “We’re married.”

  They left Cookie with his mouth open.

  Leanne kept up with Cade’s long stride until they entered his room by the verandah’s side door. There, the full implications of the situation hit her. She stopped, unable to tear her gaze from the big bed that dominated the room.

  “We can’t do this,” she said.

  “What?” He put the bag on a hassock in front of an easy chair and turned leisurely to study her.

  “Live a lie.” She waved a hand at the bed. “Cohabit,” she added for lack of a better word.

  He gave her a sexy perusal. “That wasn’t what you said last night.”

  To her chagrin, she felt her face grow hot. She didn’t have to peer into a mirror to know she was beet red.

  “And don’t remind me about gentlemanly conduct,” he added on a more irritable note. “Where you’re concerned, I’m no gentleman. I want to make love with you. It’s that simple.”

  She slumped down onto the bed, realized where she was and jumped up. “I’m not much of a lady around you, so I guess we’re even.”

  He gave a snort of wry amusement and shook his head. “You have a way of being totally candid that’s downright disconcerting at times.”

  Resolute, she stared him straight in the eye. “I’m not going to sleep with you, Cade.”

  He raised one dark eyebrow mockingly.

  “I’m not. It wouldn’t be fair to Bill—”

  Cade broke in with an expletive regarding the ex-fiancé.

  “What kind of person would I be if I fell into bed with one man after running out on my wedding to another little more than a week ago?” She added quickly, glumly, “You don’t have to answer that.” She sighed, not sure what to do.

  “Look,” he said impatiently, “we’ve bought you the time you said you needed. You could have denied the lie, but you didn’t. Until you do, you’ll act the part of my wife. If I catch you playing around with good ol’ Bill, I’ll knock his teeth down his throat. And lock you in this room.”

  “You might try,” she retorted.

  He took a slow breath, released it, then walked out the door, leaving her standing there primed for battle with no one to fight with. It was the most frustrating experience of her life. No, she amended, only one of many where Cade Redstone was concerned.

  Cade stood at the corral and watched the horses frolic in the sun. The fierce anger eased. In its place came a sense of calm acceptance. For whatever it was worth, he was involved right up to his neck with the runaway bride and her problems. He heaved a sigh, still not sure why he’d spoken up. Marriage. When he jumped into trouble, he did it with both feet.

  Hearing footsteps, he turned defensively.

  Garrett smiled and leaned beside him at the fence, his eyes on the horses. “I just heard the news.”

  Cade didn’t bother to ask what news. Rumor spread through the grapevine faster than the speed of light. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you first,” he said cautiously.

  “Well, I was surprised but not overwhelmed. I saw how it was between you and the girl.”

  Cade was silent, thinking about those first moments in the cabin. Leanne in her bedraggled bridal outfit. In the pretty robe and gown. In his clothing.

  “It was the same for me when I met your grandmother,” Garrett continued. “After I saw her, no other woman would do. Looks like the same thing happened between you two.”

  “Sir…” Cade began, the lie heavy on his conscience. This was the one person, other than his parents, he hated to deceive. Perhaps he should tell Garrett the truth and explain why he’d felt Leanne had needed drastic action to protect her from her family.

  Garrett held up a hand. “It’s all right. Whatever is between you and your bride is your business. I’ll say no more. Only…don’t let this chance of happiness slip through your fingers. Hold on tight, son, no matter what happens or what others might say.”

  With this enigmatic advice, he nodded and headed back to the house, his gait displaying the bounce and energy of a much younger man. Cade stared, baffled by his grandfather’s obvious satisfaction in the situation. He wondered if the old man knew they were lying and was encouraging them to hold to it.

  Cade didn’t know. Hell, he didn’t know anything anymore.

  Leanne felt speared by four pairs of eyes when she went into the dining room at lunch. Gina had stopped by the office and told her the meal was ready, her eyes sparkling with undisguised humor and interest.

  “Have you met Wayne Kincaid?” Garrett asked after seating her to his right.

  There was an empty chair beside her, reserved for her errant “husband,” she assumed. She smiled at the man who was introduced as a trustee of the ranch and its manager for the past few years. He was around fifty, with a rather lived-in face, and his eyes were the most beautiful blue she’d ever seen.

  She exchanged greetings with him.

  “Leanne is our newest granddaughter-in-law,” Garrett explained to Wayne, his voice filled with undisguised pleasure. “As soon as I get the rest of these boys married, then maybe we’ll have a bunch of grandkids running around here.” He gave Gina and Trent an approving glance.

  Gina went pink, Leanne noted, experiencing a similar telltale heat in her cheeks. She’d never been worth a darn at maintaining a lie. Thinking of children, or rather, the making of them, had her squirming in her chair as if on the proverbial hot seat. She realized the depth of the deception on Cade’s family and new waves of guilt overcame her.

  Footsteps in the hall and the arrival of Cade delayed further discussion. He took the seat beside her, muttered hello to everyone in general and no one in particular.

  Everyone helped themselves to platters of fajitas with beans and rice and, Leanne’s favorite, guacamole dip. The conversation stayed on ranch business.

  She gradually relaxed and ate the delicious meal, aware of the man at her side with every bite. She was astounded anew each time she thought of his shocking statement that morning. Electrical thrills ran over her body even now. She didn’t know what Cade had told his grandfather and other Kincaid relatives, but they seemed to have taken the marriage in stride.

  Scraping the last smidgen of guacamole onto her roll, she prepared to take the last bite. Without a break in his demeanor, Cade spooned the remaining dip from his plate onto hers in a gesture of husbandly sharing.

  He met her startled gaze calmly.

  For a minute she envisioned what marriage to him might be like. As a husband, he would be gentle, considerate…passionate…tender. She’d seen all those qualities in the time she’d been there.

  Her heart went through its hitch-and-tap dance routine. Along with the excitement came an overweening sadness. She wished she could find a love of the kind she sensed Cade would give to his wife, and wondered if he had loved his fiancée very much.

  That thought made her hurt someplace deep inside where dreams lived, but whether the pain was for him or herself, she didn’t know.

  “Are you through on the computer?” he asked, startling her out of the morose musing.

  “I can quit if you need it.”

  “Actually I need you to
help with the horses.”

  “Oh.” She brightened. “Of course.”

  Garrett laughed and patted her hand. “Never saw a gal so thrilled at the chance of hard work. I believe you’ve got a keeper here, Cade.”

  Her heart stumbled to a stop.

  Cade reached over and casually ruffled her hair. “Yep. I think you’re right.”

  Again she felt the direct beam of several pairs of eyes. She couldn’t quite look at anyone.

  “And she blushes,” Garrett said softly. “I never could resist a blushing woman.”

  “Me, either,” Cade agreed, his tone going deeper.

  She found her voice. “We’d better get to work.”

  The Kincaids laughed outright as she and Cade departed for the stables.

  “Slow down,” he drawled halfway across the quadrangle. “Here comes your kinfolk.”

  Rand and Suzanne, who held baby Joey, plus Mack and Bill, came toward them from the foreman’s quarters.

  Cade dropped an arm across her shoulders. “Courage, Braveheart,” he murmured. “We’re outnumbered, but we’re the toughest of the bunch.”

  She had to smile. The smile became genuine when she spoke to Suzanne and Suzanne’s seventeen-year-old brother, Mack. She turned to her youngest nephew and held out her hands.

  “Will you come to Auntie Leanne?” she crooned. She gave him a big grin and clucked her tongue at him.

  He held out his arms and came readily to her, giving her his four-toothed smile.

  “Any more teeth yet?” she asked.

  Suzanne shook her head. “I’ve decided he’s going to be a chipmunk all his life. And have to be carried around all the time, too. He refuses to walk.”

  “He’s not ready. Are you, big fella?” She teased the baby. “Don’t let them push you into anything—”

  She stopped abruptly, but couldn’t take the words back. Rand and Bill stiffened. Suzanne and Mack looked uncomfortable. She’d accused the two men of doing that to her on the aborted wedding day. Guilt ate at her for the hateful things she’d said. She didn’t know why she’d been so frightened and defiant.