“Hello,” she said. It was Sam! Marielle had been dying to tell her about Trey and fill her in on what was happening. She glanced over at Bandy. She certainly couldn’t tell Samantha about it now, not in front of Bandy.
“Mari, I’ve got great news!” Sam said excitedly. “I’m going to get my vacation early this year. So I won’t have to wait until March to come visit you on your mountain! I can come next week. Isn’t that great?”
“Oh, Sam!” Marielle cried. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I can’t wait to see you. I’ve missed you so much!”
“It’s not going to inconvenience you, is it, Mari? Me coming early, I mean?” her friend inquired anxiously.
“Are you kidding? Of course not,” Marielle said firmly. Uh-oh, she thought. She’d planned on getting a guest room ready before Sam’s visit. Right now her bedroom was the only usable one. But Samantha wouldn’t mind. “You’ll have to sleep with me, Sam. It won’t be the first time,” Marielle laughed, recalling all the nights they’d slept over at each other’s houses as kids.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” Samantha agreed. “At least now we won’t have your mom or mine yelling at us to be quiet and go to sleep,” she said, chuckling. Marielle smiled, remembering how she and Sam had stayed awake for hours, talking and giggling, confiding their innermost thoughts to each other, discussing clothes, and school—and, of course, boys.
“Yeah, Sam, it’ll be just like old times. We’ll have a lot of catching up to do. But maybe after that we’ll actually get some sleep!” Marielle said. “And Sam, I know now that you’ve been right and I’ve been wrong about love. I’m ready to get married.”
“What?” Samantha exclaimed. “What’s going on, Marielle? Tell me!”
Marielle glanced at Bandy. “I can’t talk to you about it right now, Sammy,” she said. Her friend wasn’t happy about being kept in suspense, but accepted it stoically, and they said their good-byes. Marielle was happy and excited at the thought of soon seeing her dearest friend. She hurriedly finished wrapping the portfolio and handed it to Bandy, along with the money to mail it.
“Thanks for the coffee and the candy, Miss Mari,” he said. “I couldn’t help sort of eavesdropping on your conversation. It sounds like Sam must be a special friend.”
“Oh, yes,” Marielle told him happily. “Very special!”
“Go on,” Trey said grimly. “Then what did she say?”
Bandy squirmed uncomfortably under Trey’s stony gaze. “Well,” he began hesitantly, “then after she said. ‘Oh, Sam’; then she told him as how he’d be sleeping with her but it wouldn’t be the first time.” He gulped nervously.
“Oh, she did, did she?” Trey inquired, glowering. He gave his foreman a smoldering look. “Go on,” he told him implacably.
Bandy shifted in his chair at the kitchen table. “Boss, I wish I’d never started tellin’ you about this,” he said miserably. “You’re just getting’ all worked up and—”
“Go on!!” Trey bellowed harshly, showing no mercy on the older man. “You did start it and you’re going to finish it! What did she say after that?”
“She said, uh….” Bandy stammered weakly, “she said….”
“Bandy, I’m warning you,” Trey told him in a dangerously calm tone, “If you don’t spit it out quick, I’m going to drag it out of you. Now,” he added through clenched teeth, “what else did she say?”
Bandy cleared his throat. The expression on his seamed face was like that of someone who was about to swallow a dose of vile tasting medicine. “She told this Sam feller that they had a lot of catchin’ up to do, but that afterwards, maybe they’d get some sleep,” he said unhappily.
Trey slammed both hands down on the table suddenly, causing Bandy to wince in alarm. “Well, if that doesn’t just take the cake,” Trey fumed, jumping up and pacing back and forth angrily like a caged tiger. He whirled to Bandy. “Is there more?” he demanded hotly.
Bandy swallowed nosily. His face wore a look of pained indecision. “There might be a little bit more,” he quavered. The glare he got from Trey must have convinced him that it would be unwise to waste any time divulging the information. “She told him that he’d been right and she’d been wrong about love and that … and that she was ready to get married.” His voice trailed off weakly. “And she told me that he sent her that fancy coffee and chocolate candy from New York. I tell ya, boss,” he said reflectively, “that’s some high-dollar candy. It pure melted in my mouth—”
“I don’t want to hear about the damned candy!” Trey roared. “Okay,” he said then, somewhat calmer. “Thanks, Bandy. You’ve done me a favor, telling me this. You’ve kept me from making a first-class fool of myself—again.”
Bandy gazed at Trey, his expression one of abject misery. “If you say so, boss. But you sure don’t look like somebody that’s grateful fer a big favor.”
Trey stalked out, saddled his horse and rode away, needing to be alone with his thoughts. How could he have been such a damned fool? He’d let his heart rule his head, convincing himself that Marielle loved him, when all the time she’d had this Sam in New York. He wondered if that was the man who had dropped her right before she’d come up here.
Now he was coming here to see her. He’d be sleeping with her in that feather bed, enjoying that beautiful body that Trey himself had enjoyed just last night. Kissing her, holding her, making love to her and … from what Bandy had said, marrying her. Trey’s heart contracted painfully. His breathing grew short as he labored under the strong emotions that possessed him.
That man would take Mari away from here. Trey laughed bitterly, remembering that only this morning, he’d been thinking of her as his Mari. Well, she wasn’t his, obviously. She was Sam’s. He’d have to face up to it, live with it. The thought of living without Marielle was nearly too painful to endure. He could only imagine how much more it was going to hurt … having to actually do it.
He could do it, he told himself fiercely. He’d get over her in time. Riding along, trying to calm down before going back to the ranch, Trey wondered how much time it would take him to stop loving Marielle. A lifetime, maybe?
Marielle looked out the living room window again, and then checked her watch anxiously. Where was Trey? She’d expected him at least right after dinner, and now it was past ten—no Trey. She frowned. He hadn’t called, either. Maybe something had happened over there at his place. She snatched up the phone, worried now. Something must have happened, or he would have called or been here by now, she reasoned, dialing his number.
Consuelo answered. Marielle apologized breathlessly and asked to speak to Trey. She waited anxiously for several long minutes. Finally Consuelo came back on the line. “Miss Mari,” the housekeeper said, “Señor Trey says he is busy right now and cannot come to the telephone.”
Consuelo sounded strange, Marielle thought, her apprehension growing. “Consuelo,” she asked hesitantly, “is something wrong?”
“No, Miss Mari. Nothing is wrong.” Marielle said good-bye and hung up. Her hands trembled. She felt stunned, hot and cold all over. She sank down on the sofa and pressed her hands to her burning face, nearly numb with shock. It seemed incomprehensible that Trey would treat her like this.
She lay awake all night. By morning, she’d come to the conclusion that maybe Trey felt a little overwhelmed by their relationship and just needed some space. After all, she told herself hopefully, it hadn’t been that long since she’d seen or heard from him. No need to panic … yet.
Now it was time to panic, Marielle told herself wretchedly two days later when she still hadn’t heard from Trey. She felt physically ill from shock and pain, moving through the days like an automaton … going through the motions of her life in a daze. And the nights … the endless nights were worse. Long hours of lying wide-eyed in bed, her mind too agitated to allow her exhausted body the rest it needed. From heaven to hell in a few short days, she thought dismally.
Finally, she knew that she had to accept with her heart what her mi
nd knew: Trey had ditched her. She’d been a conquest. Just another notch in his belt, she told herself sadly, wiping away a tear. He was probably making his point by staying away—hoping she’d get the message. Well, she had. Loud and clear.
Marielle then decided that she’d spent enough time wallowing around in self-pity and nursing a broken heart. Her heart was broken and she didn’t expect to get over it anytime soon. If ever. Still, life went on. Samantha would be here in a few days and she wanted to fix up the house a little. That would be a more productive use of her time than sitting around crying.
Trey had decided to stay away from Marielle for awhile. For one thing, he needed time to try and get his feelings under control. Right now he couldn’t trust himself not to either cuss her out or throw himself at her feet and beg her to love him. For another thing, he thought with a frown, he didn’t want to be around this Sam person. Seeing the two of them together would just be rubbing salt in the wound. But, Lord, how he missed her! He wondered if he’d ever stop missing Mari, ever get over this aching need to see her, talk to her and—he groaned—touch her.
He’d been in a foul mood for days. Bandy and the boys eyed him warily and tried to stay out of his way. He didn’t blame them. He could barely stand his own company. Sometimes he saw the concern on their faces and that just made him grumpier. He didn’t want their pity. Hell, he didn’t need it—he felt sorry enough for himself. He’d been in his office all morning now, trying to concentrate on some book work. But the figures swam before his eyes.
He blinked wearily, and then slammed the open ledger shut. It was no use, he told himself morosely, leaning back in the leather swivel chair. He couldn’t think of anything but her … Marielle … and Sam. What kind of man had Mari fallen in love with? He wondered. What was so all-fired special about good ol’ Sam? It was impossible that any other man could love and care for Marielle more than Trey himself did. He massaged his jaw thoughtfully. Sometimes women could be fooled by men, taken in by superficial charm and sweet talk. He wouldn’t want that to happen to her.
Or—Trey was electrified by a sudden idea—he’d told her that he never wanted to get married again. She probably thought that he meant it. Hell, he’d thought he meant it when he said it. She had said the same thing, then told Sam that she was ready to get married. Maybe if he went to her and told her that he’d changed his mind about marriage, that she’d changed his mind about marriage … maybe he could give this Sam some competition.
At least he could put up a fight for her, he realized. He loved Marielle, didn’t want to live without her, couldn’t stand the idea of her marrying anyone except him He’d be damned if he’d let some New York dude waltz in here and steal his woman right out from under his nose without any opposition. Trey made up his mind as he put his hat on and strode out to his truck. When it came to a fight, Trey Masterson wouldn’t roll over and play dead. He was about to try and give Sam a run for his money!
Marielle was in the kitchen when she heard someone knocking at the front door. “Come in,” she called loudly. Her heart leapt when she heard the quick, sure footsteps in her living room. It sounded like Trey.
“Who’s there?” she asked cautiously. Her pulse clamored wildly. It was him! Suddenly he was standing in the door way looking at her.
“It’s me, Marielle,” he told her unnecessarily. “I’m here.” He crossed the room to where she stood in front of the sink. “I’m here and I’m not leaving until I’ve said what I came to say!” He grasped her by the shoulders almost roughly. “Marielle Stevens, can you look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t love me … that the night we spent together didn’t mean anything to you … that you love another man and want to marry him instead of me?” He drew a deep breath.
Marielle stood frozen, her trembling hands behind her back, staring at him in mute amazement.
“Don’t answer me yet,” he said, holding up a hand. “I’ve got one more question first.” Suddenly, he kissed her passionately, a hard demanding kiss that gradually became soft and irresistibly seductive. Marielle melted against him, stunned and breathless. Trey did love her!
“Now,” he demanded forcefully when he finally broke off the kiss. “Just tell me, Marielle—can Sam kiss you like that?”
Marielle stared at him blankly. “Trey, what on earth are you talking about?”
“I know all about him,” Trey said. “Bandy heard you on the phone with him, remember? Can he kiss you like that? Make love with you all night and have you screaming his name the way you did mine? Can he do that, Marielle?”
Marielle’s face cleared as comprehension dawned. Oh, Lord, she thought—this was priceless. She started laughing. “I don’t know, Trey. To be fair about it, I don’t think she’s ever wanted to k-kiss me, but—” she began, dissolving in helpless laughter. What a mix-up, she thought, recalling now her conversation with Samantha and how it must have sounded to the elderly man who’d overheard only her side of it.
Trey broke in. “She?! What do you mean—she?”
“Just what I said. She. Her. Sam’s a female—Samantha. She’s my oldest and best friend,” Marielle explained. “And the only person I’m ready to marry is you. That is,” she said feeling suddenly a little shy and unsure, “that is … if you want me.”
Trey whooped with joy and threw his hat in the air, smiling broadly. “Do I want you? Woman, you just try to get away from me! Sam will get here just in time to be your bridesmaid.” He stepped closer to Marielle, his deep, dark eyes shining with love. “I love you, Marielle Stevens. These past few days when I thought I had to be way from you have been pure hell.” He folded his strong arms around Marielle and held her tightly. “Hold me, Marielle,” he said softly, “hold me and tell me you love me, too.”
Marielle swallowed. “I … I can’t,” she said unhappily.
Trey looked down at her, his expression puzzled. “What do you mean you can’t?” His gaze traveled to her arms, still held behind her back. Mutely, she held them out so he could see her problem, the problem she’d been wrestling with when he got there.
One of her hands was stuck fast to a cardboard contraption with a sticky surface. Trey stared at it curiously. “What is that?” he asked.
“A glue trap,” she said. “I have a mouse and I bought this trap and then the poor little mouse got stuck in it and Trey,” she rushed on breathlessly, “it was just awful! The poor little thing squeaked and squeaked—it was stuck by the very tip of its tail, and so I tried to get it loose and I did, but—”
Trey finished the story for her, grinning broadly. “But it got loose and you didn’t. I understand,” he told her sympathetically. Marielle saw his shoulders begin to shake with laughter he was unable to hold back. Trey looked down at her, his eyes brimming with laughter and love and deep, abiding tenderness.
He smiled that slow, sweet, sexy smile that had captured her heart from the very beginning and said, “That’s my Mari.”
Table of Contents
Cowboys are Forever
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Cowboys are Forever Page 13