Bonds of Matrimony

by Carrigan Fox

  “Politely refused and sent one of his men to follow me home. Six of them rode up to my front door this morning and bullied Elisabeth.”

  “Was Stockton with them?”

  “Yes. He told her that I was clearly tryin’ to steer him away from Slaughter. Said I obviously wanted to get rid of him. Threatened to hurt her if she didn’t tell them what I was hidin’. He insisted that she also knew that Chase here was in Slaughter with her sister and grandmother.”

  Marcus frowned in concern. “What did she tell them?”

  Colton scowled back at Marcus. “My cousin told them nothin’, Fairfax. We pride ourselves on our loyalty in my family.”

  “Did he hurt her?” Chase interrupted, fighting the image of Stockton forcing himself on Elisabeth.

  Colton nodded. “He hit her. Knocked her to the floor.” His jaw muscles clenched angrily. “She’s scared, but she’s okay. Clearly, this bastard won’t leave town until he finds Chase.”

  “You figure if you marry my sister, he’ll have lost, and he’ll go back to England.” Marcus nodded in approval.

  Chase’s emotions shifted more abruptly than ever before, from fear for Elisabeth to fury at Webb and her brother. He was proposing marriage because he thought she was so fragile that she needed his protection? Her head was suddenly pounding. “You think that selling me to a neighboring rancher is better than Stockton? I suppose that Webb, at least, won’t beat me and try to break me. But truly, Marcus, I will not be the property of any man.” She turned on Webb and glared at him. She clenched and unclenched her fists, debating whether or not to hit him. “I thought that you understood my decision to never marry. I thought that you were above possessing a woman that way. But clearly, you are no better than any other man.”

  “It’s not about possessing you, woman,” Webb retorted impatiently. “It’s about keeping you safe and getting rid of that madman before he hurts someone else.”

  “I think it’s a fair suggestion, Chase,” Marcus added.

  “Fair to whom? I suppose I should do the selfless thing and give myself over to a man? Tie myself to someone I don’t love in order to protect the other helpless women in this town?” Both men anticipated a reasonable response. “Absolutely not. You can both go bugger yourselves. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, as are most of the women I’ve met in this town.”

  Webb’s eyes widened momentarily in surprise. “This isn’t just about you, Chase. I agree with your hatred of marriage. But I am willin’ to move past it. We suit each other as well as any person could suit us. And most importantly, we can free Slaughter of this woman-hittin’ bastard.”

  “You, Mr. Webb, don’t suit me at all. It’s very big of you to make this loathsome sacrifice for the sake of the town. I’m certain they would be grateful. As for me, I refuse to owe you my gratitude.”

  “He’s a good man, Chase,” Marcus pointed out.

  “Exactly, Marcus. He’s a man. And I’m a woman. But we’re in America now. The land of the free. And I refuse to enslave myself to any man, good or otherwise. Your answer, Mr. Webb, is a definite no.”

  “No?” he repeated in disbelief.

  She looked at his sexy brown eyes and felt tears threatening her own. She clenched her teeth, spun on her heel, and stormed away before he could see her cry.

  ***

  No? She said no?

  Webb had raced over there on his horse, bombarded the entire way with fear and anger. When he had seen Stockton’s men riding away, he immediately realized what must have happened. He had found Elisabeth crying on the floor, hand to her face. Once he calmed her down, the solution had immediately come to him. If he married Chase, Stockton would have no reason to stay in Texas.

  He had helped Elisabeth settle into her room for a nap. He had also fetched a cool cloth for her cheek, all the while preparing how he would phrase the proposition.

  On the ride there, it had occurred to Webb that unless he wanted to declare war on the Fairfax family permanently, he needed to appeal to her brother for his blessing. Frankly, he hadn’t cared whether he would approve or not. But Webb had thought it chivalrous to at least ask.

  The prospect of proposing marriage to any woman was frightening. But proposing marriage to Chase Fairfax had him terrified. If he was honest with myself, he would admit that asking her brother’s blessing was easier than broaching the subject with the woman herself.

  As he had drawn nearer the Fairfax ranch, he had begun focusing on the positive aspects of marriage with Chase. The idea of sleeping with her naked body every evening was definitely appealing. Eating meals across the table from her would be nice. Sparring with her verbally was always arousing. Even the simple act of watching her dress and brush her hair sounded heavenly.

  Heavenly?! What in the hell was the matter with him?

  And to make matters worse, the blasted woman had rejected him! He had discarded his own principles in order to keep her safe and solve her dilemma. He had made a noble gesture, and she threw it back in his face!

  Webb couldn’t remember ever having been rejected by a woman. Never once. And although it was insulting, it was also a bit of a relief. Chase Fairfax was only a woman. One of a million in Texas alone. Granted, making love to her was incredible, but she’s only one woman.

  Still, she was gorgeous.

  And not completely annoying to talk to.

  And strong and stubborn and opinionated.

  And when she was angry with him, she was even more attractive.

  And the sex was incredible.

  But there were millions of other women. It wasn’t like Webb was in love with her or anything. He led his horse into the barn and handed her off to my stablehand. He pushed his hat back on his head and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

  “Dammit.”

  CHAPTER 19

  She couldn’t sit around uselessly for another moment. Besides, it just so happened that she was extremely hot and still furious. A very big part of her hoped that she would run into Colton Webb so that she could give him a piece of her mind without worrying about her brother finding out what they had been doing.

  As Artemis and Chase approached the pond, her stomach fluttered. It only lasted a moment before she realized that she was alone.

  “I should be thanking my lucky stars,” she muttered to herself. “I could come out here alone and find myself facing Jett Stockton.”

  Chase shivered slightly at the thought, in spite of the dead-still heat. It was nearly noon, and the sun was unbearable. She gazed longingly at the cool water and slipped out of her trousers, shirt, and underclothes. Without hesitation, she walked into the water, lowering herself to sit on the sandy bottom. She didn’t trust that swimming wouldn’t pull on her sore ribs.

  She replayed Webb’s marriage proposal for the twenty-ninth time in the past few days. Since she had had time to calm down, she did recognize that he cared enough to keep her safe. But that wasn’t enough. And the fact that he asked Marcus for permission made her livid.

  Floating on her back, she considered Colton Webb as a husband. Granted, if she was forced to marry, he was the only man she would even remotely want to be married to. He was considerate of her reputation and her safety. But he was also pompous and infuriating. Somehow, that made him more attractive.

  Chase pictured his cocky grin and found herself smiling at the cloudless sky. The man was beautiful; nobody could deny that. And he was an unbelievably attentive lover, not that she had any basis for comparison. But in truth, she didn’t want any basis for comparison. She wasn’t in love with him. She simply loved being with him; that’s all.

  Her smile faded slowly as a realization dawned on her. Chase had been shocked by his proposal, and not in a bad way. And when it was all said and done, and when he’d explained his reasons, and when he didn’t profess his love for her, she had felt like crying. She had felt vulnerable. She had felt rejected. She had felt…heartbroken.

  “I didn’t expect to ever find you here again,”
he drawled.

  Startled, Chase floundered in her back float and ended up dunking underwater and snorting water up her nose. She came up coughing and blowing water out of her nose, a most unattractive and unlady-like image.

  Webb laughed and reached an arm out to steady her. “Well that greeting makes the proposal rejection a bit easier to take,” he laughed.

  “So much for retaining my dignity,” she muttered.

  “You did the rejecting, remember? You aren’t the one who lost her dignity.”

  She didn’t know how to respond to him, so she didn’t. With her most recent revelation, she found myself in unfamiliar territory. She was in love with the man, but she couldn’t accept his proposal. His love wasn’t only a requirement that would satisfy her pride, it would also reassure her that he loves all of her, including the independence that she needed to keep.

  “No response? Are you still mad at me?”

  “You shouldn’t have asked my brother’s permission. You should have known better,” she scolded quietly, dipping lower so that her chin was in the water.

  “Marcus and I haven’t been friendly in quite a while. I was trying to make things easier on all three of us.” He ran a wet hand through his curls. “If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t have cared if he had not agreed. In the end, I do what I want…and to hell with someone who disagrees with me.”

  “Is it so hard to imagine, then, that I try to live my life the same way? The only difference is that as a man, you don’t have people who try to dictate your life on a daily basis. You aren’t constantly disappointing someone.”

  “So you turned me down because I didn’t ask you first? Because I asked your brother’s permission?”

  “I turned you down, Webb, because I don’t want to be married,” she lied. And the fact that this declaration was a lie was startling to her. Not too long ago, she had sat in her bedroom dreaming of how her life would change once they moved to America. Chase never would have imagined that she, herself, would change so much.

  “I don’t either,” he responded. He sounded defensive.

  “Then why would you propose? Nevermind, I remember why.”

  “But we don’t have to be married like other people are married. I meant what I said about suiting each other.”

  She smiled a bit, thinking of their last tryst in this same pond. Suited? Indeed.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked with a grin.

  She answered by moving toward him, and he immediately took her in his arms. He kissed her hard and moved his hands down her back. Then he abruptly pulled back and stared into her face. He gently pushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear, kissed her on the nose, and then began softly teasing her mouth with his own lips and tongue. When he gently pulled her body down onto his own lap, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and groaned. Their bodies grew hotter, even in the cool water, and their motion pulsed slowly and rhythmically with the lapping water.

  They had made love hungrily before, but never like this. This time was raw, vulnerable, and emotional. Her tears mingled with the trails of water on her skin, and she hoped that Colton wouldn’t notice. And when she climaxed, he climaxed with her, wrapping his arms around her body and caressing her tongue with his own. And when it was done, they stayed folded in each other’s arms for what seemed like hours.

  “Marry me,” he whispered against her shoulder.

  She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Why?” she asked.

  “Because of this. We are incredible together. There is no denying that we were made for each other.”

  It was better than his previous proposal, but it was not enough. Chase was honest enough with herself to admit now that she was in love with the man. And she refused to entrust her heart with a man simply because he was a fantastic lover.

  She kissed him softly on the mouth and moved out of his arms. “I can’t,” she answered quietly.

  “You can’t? Christ, Chase, what the hell do you want from me?!” he exploded.

  She moved out of the water and began dressing hurriedly. “You can’t give me what I want, Colton. I know you well enough to know that much.”

  “I’m not asking again,” he warned.

  “That would probably be best,” she responded dryly. His frustration was only angering her. Clearly, Colton Webb was not used to rejection from a woman. She imagined that every other woman took what little of him they could get and rejoiced in that tiny bit. He most certainly expected her to respond the same way. Unfortunately for him, she was not one to settle. She untied Artemis from the tree and moved to mount her.

  “I think it’s probably best if you don’t come back here.” He narrowed his eyes at her in fury. “In fact, I want you to stay out of my way completely.”

  “You don’t want to see me again?” Chase asked.

  He snorted and dipped his head back in the water. “Watch yourself, Chase. I’m not good enough to marry. A woman who makes love with a man who’s beneath her is usually considered a common trollop in your circles.”

  She swallowed the thick lump in her throat. “Go bugger yourself, Webb.” And with that, she dug her heels into Artemis and ran from him and his anger.

  ***

  “Looks like I just missed your friend,” a deep voice called from behind him.

  Webb had been watching Chase’s dust cloud trail her as she raced off with her horse. He thought she had called her Artemis. For a minute or two, he considered going after her. He had been hateful to her, and she deserved better. But his pride kept him paralyzed in the water, unable to act. He, Colton Webb, was in love with a woman who loathed the idea of becoming his wife.

  When the voice spoke up, Chase was far enough away that Webb could only see a figure on horseback and a cloud of dust. Without even turning around, he recognized the voice from the saloon.

  “Stockton,” he greeted coldly, moving toward the shore to retrieve his clothes. “I hope you weren’t hoping to join me for a swim. Duties call from the ranch.”

  He smiled greasily. “No, of course not.”

  Webb put his pants on, tugging hard to get them over his wet hips. “I’m glad you stopped by, actually. This will give me a chance to make you understand how we treat our women here.”

  “I apologize for the incident with your cousin. I did not intend for her to get hurt. One of my men lost patience with her refusal to cooperate.”

  “One of your men? That isn’t the story Elisabeth tells.”

  Stockton had the arrogance to shrug. “Well, you know women.”

  “Why are you here?” Webb asked, trying to contain his anger.

  “Just exploring your ranch. I told your cousin that I knew you were hiding something. And I’m going to find out what it is,” he promised without emotion.

  “I’m a simple man, Stockton. But I’m not stupid. Trust me when I say that I know better than to tangle with you. I am merely a rancher who is interested in minding my own business…and seeing to it that my cousin is safe and happy,” he added with a curt nod in the Englishman’s direction.

  “I have apologized for my man’s temper. And I am simply warning you, Mr. Webb, that I don’t trust you. I will be watching you.”

  “Well then, I’m sure that will prove to be quite boring for you.” He propped his hat on his wet head and mounted his horse. “You will excuse me. My ranch will not run itself.” And with that, Webb turned his horse and rode back toward his home. His hope was that their conversation was long enough to keep Stockton from following Chase’s trail back to the Fairfax ranch.

  CHAPTER 20

  Chase sat on the porch that evening replaying the two marriage proposals from Colton Webb. The bottom line was that she was in love with the man. She knew that he could make her happy. He could also make her furious. Life would never be boring with him. And she knew deep down that he was right, they were made for each other. The question was whether or not she could marry a man she loved knowing he wasn’t in love with h
er.

  “You look deep in thought,” a whisper came from behind her. She turned to see the silhouette of a very pregnant Elisa outlined in the front doorway. Her sister-in-law quietly closed the screen door behind her and struggled to sit in the rocking chair on the front porch. Chase was sitting on the front steps and turned to face her shadow.

  “He proposed.”

  “Yes. Marcus told me.”

  “Twice.”

  “And you declined the second time.” It was not a question.

  “I promised myself I would not marry. If I want to maintain my own values, I cannot give in on this issue.”

  “Even if you are in love with him?” she asked softly and gently.

  A wry smile touched the corners of Chase’s mouth. “Because I am in love with him.” Her voice trembled and her throat tightened.

  The rocking chair creaked on the floorboards of the front porch, signifying that Elisa was leaning toward her. Her hand found Chase’s shoulder, and she patted lightly. “He’s a good man.”

  “That won’t comfort me when he breaks my heart.”

  “Perhaps you aren’t giving enough credit,” she suggested.

  “I’m giving him the credit he’s due.”

  “I meant you. Perhaps you aren’t giving yourself enough credit.”

  Chase sat puzzled for a moment and turned her face away from her. She knew it was too dark for Elisa to be able to see her tears, but she found the sliver of moon somehow comforting. “If I gave myself less credit, I would marry him tomorrow. But I have my pride, Elisa. I have my stupid, stupid pride.”

  “I suppose that you have a difficult decision to make.”

  “I’ve made my decision.”

  “And your pride is more important than marrying the man you love?”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “He doesn’t love me, Elisa. And I can’t sacrifice my being for a man who isn’t in love with me.”