by Cindy Stark
"I'd like that."
The sound of Milo's doorbell ruined their contented moment. He hadn't heard anyone pull into the drive. He grabbed his handgun from the pantry door and tucked it into the back of his pants. "Stay in here, out of sight. If anything were to happen, run like you did before, back to the river and then head south. It'll take you directly to my friend Luke's ranch. He could offer assistance."
Fear darkened her gaze, and it ate at him that he'd put it there.
"Don't worry. That's a last resort. No one knows you're here, and I'm quite capable of handling things."
She didn't look at all reassured as he headed out of the kitchen, toward the front door.
* * *
Ariana put her fingers over her mouth, listening as Milo greeted his friend, Scott. This was bad. Really, really bad. She blew out a guilty breath. She'd tried to find a good time to tell Milo about her excursion and meeting his friends, but they'd been at such odds, and she didn't want to add to the tense atmosphere that had pervaded the house. Another choice she now regretted.
When would she learn? She was making decisions based on her upbringing, but the people she dealt with now were thankfully nothing like her family. She needed to make openness and honesty her first reactions instead of relying on hiding and secrets to protect her.
"Where's the honey you've been hiding?" Scott asked in a jovial tone.
"Excuse me?"
Ariana eyed the back door.
"The woman I met at the river the other day. The hot little brunette who told me and Luke she was living with you. I gave you some time, thinking you'd call and want to introduce her, but I haven't heard shit from you since you got back. What's up with that, man? I thought we were tight."
A long pause followed Scott's tirade, and Ariana could only imagine what must be going through Milo's head.
"You're right, Scott. I've been a selfish jerk. Hang on a sec."
Ariana bit her bottom lip so hard she tasted blood.
Milo appeared in the kitchen doorway, anger sparking in his glacier blue eyes. "Could you come here for a second, darlin'?" His honeyed voice was a complete contradiction to his murderous gaze. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."
"I'm sorry," she mouthed.
He glared and then jerked his head, indicating she needed to go with him. She snagged his shirt as she passed the table and shrugged into it, needing something to shield her from Scott's gaze and Milo's wrath.
Milo gripped her hand in a crushing embrace just before they entered the living room. "Follow my lead."
Scott glanced up, an attractive grin curving his full lips. She could see where his dark hair and goatee might give him a dangerous appeal if he held a serious expression. Tack on the bulging biceps peeking from beneath his Harley t-shirt, and he appeared to be one serious bad-ass.
"Hello again." His dark eyes flashed with amusement.
"Hi." She pulled Milo's shirt closed.
Milo glanced down at her with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Scott, I'd like to officially introduce Anna."
Thank God she'd used the fake name Milo had given her.
"Honey, this is Scott Beckstead, one of my long-time friends." He tugged her toward him, wrapping an iron arm around her waist. "She didn't mention she'd run into you at the river. Otherwise, I would have called sooner."
"So?" Scott looked at Milo with expectant eyes.
"What?"
"God, man, you're dense." He shifted his gaze to Ariana. "You sure you want to be connected to him?" He glanced back. "I'll tell you what worries me. Here's my best friend neck deep in a new relationship. No details? Last I checked, you were a confirmed bachelor headed to Vegas. What the hell?" He looked at her. "No offense."
She couldn't imagine how Milo would explain her.
Milo shrugged. "What can I say? We met in Vegas."
Scott raised his brows, as if asking for more to the story. "I thought what happened there stayed in there." Doubt flashed in his eyes.
She had to help. "It was unexpected. We met at the poker table and just kind of connected."
"Connected?" He looked back to Milo. "Dude, I've seen you connect with hundreds of women, but you've never brought any of them home." Back to Ariana. "Again, no offense."
Milo shifted, his fingers digging into her side. "I guess when you meet the right one, there's no point in waiting. We got married."
Silence encompassed the room as though it waited for everyone to take a collective breath.
"What?" she and Scott asked in unison.
Milo squeezed her waist. "I'm sorry, honey. I know we were going to wait a bit before we told everyone, but Scott's my best friend."
"What the hell, man? Were you drunk?"
She ignored Scott's slander, still reeling from Milo's announcement.
Milo removed his hand and stepped forward as though to protect her from any potential verbal attacks. "What exactly are you insinuating, Scott? That I made a mistake? That I would never have married my beautiful wife if I wasn't drunk? That because I made a quick decision, it's wrong?" He folded his arms in a menacing manner.
Scott blinked several times before he glanced at her. She was sure the surprise on his face mirrored hers. "Uh…no. No, I wouldn't insult you like that." He looked back and forth between them, and then released a short bark of a laugh. "Damn, man. I just…never would have expected it of you. But you seem like you're of sound mind, and she doesn't seem like she could pull the wool over your eyes." He held out his hand to Milo. "I guess I'll be the first to offer my congratulations."
When Milo reached forward to shake it, Scott tugged him into an embrace and clapped him on the back. He released Milo and approached her. "I apologize, Anna, if I offended you."
"None taken." Milo watched her closely, and she wanted to reassure him she wouldn't blow her cover. But married? Seriously?
Scott gave her a quick squeeze. "Welcome to the family."
"Thank you." His comment brought tears to the surface, as though he truly was welcoming her into the fold. A rapid succession of blinks took care of the moisture. She hadn't belonged anywhere since she'd turned sixteen. She missed it. "I promise I have no evil plots to use and abuse him."
Both men laughed, and she released a sigh of relief. Tense situation diffused.
Scott stepped back and looked at them both. "Wow. Just wow. Wait until Luke hears about this."
Milo cursed under his breath, but he seemed genuinely happy as he leaned against the back of the couch. "I'll never hear the end of it."
"Very true. However, your shocking announcement does segue very nicely into the other reason I stopped by. A couple of the guys, uh, obtained a certain amount of alcohol, and they're planning a barbeque for Saturday night out at the pond just past old man Jackson's farm." He grinned at his friend, and Milo responded with a chuckle.
"You know I know the place well. Are you telling me there's going to be a wild-ass party going on? You do recognize I'm a sworn officer of the law."
"Exactly why I put it so delicately. But don't worry, Kim's agreed to be the designated driver for anyone who needs to be home before sun up, and, unlike a few years ago, we're all of legal age now. Come on. It's most of the old gang, and we can celebrate your recent nuptials."
Milo slipped Ariana an uneasy glance. "We'd love to, but—"
She couldn't be seen in public.
"If you don't show, everyone will be talking about you. I can only imagine what they'll say." Scott wiggled his brows, promising a juicy story.
Milo leaned away from the couch, standing straight. "Not if you don't tell them anything." His previous tension returned two-fold.
His friend didn't catch on to his change in temperament. "I can try, but there's no telling what might come out of my mouth once I have a few beers in me."
Ariana closed her eyes. This was why she shouldn't have let herself be seen by anyone. It had been a critical mistake.
"We'll be there."
She met Milo
's gaze with surprise.
"Great." Scott beamed. "I knew I could convince you. If you could round up some firewood, that would be great. Party starts at seven."
Each second that passed until Scott said goodbye tied another knot in Ariana's nerves. By the time Milo closed the door behind him, she was a tangled mess. She watched him with a wary gaze as he turned toward her.
He stared at her, not a trace left of the friendliness he'd shared with Scott.
"Married?" she whispered, afraid to say more.
He released a long, slow breath as though he needed the time to gain control over his words. "It was the only thing I could think of, being blindsided like I was. Trust me. I'll pay more than you ever will for making that up."
"I'm sorry, Milo. I only went to the river like we'd done the day before. I thought it was safe."
He raised his brows. "Why do I still feel like this is all a game to you? Do you not understand how vitally important it is to keep your identity hidden?"
She breathed past the large dose of regret that threatened to choke her and met his hard gaze. "I understand better than anyone how lethal my father's men are. That's why I'm testifying." She didn't need that lecture. "I'm sorry I didn't mention meeting Scott and Luke. That was the day I'd run home, and you'd thought someone was after me. Then everything went to hell between us and…" She dropped her gaze to her hands, holding her palms up. She intertwined her fingers and clasped her hands to keep them from shaking. Never in a millions years had she dreamed her life would become so difficult. She looked up. "I apologize. I know you're only trying to do your job, and I'm complicating things. It's not my intention."
He released a drawn out breath, shaking his head. "Damn. It's hard to stay mad at you."
"Should I call Quinn?"
He scrunched his brows together. "What for?"
"To come get me? To tell him I'm leaving? If he could get me some money, I think I could lose myself in the outskirts of Salt Lake for a couple of weeks without drawing attention."
Milo stepped closer to her, his bare chest and intense eyes spiking her pulse. "Number one, since you've officially left the program, there are no funds Quinn can access on your behalf. That is no longer a viable option. Number two, there's no way in hell I'm letting you walk out of here alone. Did that once, and it ended badly."
Ariana widened her eyes. She'd really backed herself into a dark corner this time. "Then what are we going to do? My cover has been blown." She'd allowed her self-pity to rule her emotions and decisions far too often lately, and now she'd destroyed her best opportunity to stay alive. "I can't stay here."
"Your cover might be compromised, but it hasn't been blown."
He couldn't be right. "What about Scott? You know he's going to tell Luke at the very least. Then Luke will tell someone. It's only a matter of time before everyone knows." Cold fingers of despair wrapped around her.
"Think about it, Ariana. What exactly does Scott know?" He took her hand and held it. She soaked up the comfort. "I know you're worried, and you damn well should be. Ultimately, being seen could be a costly mistake, but right now, the town is talking about their favorite deputy sheriff and the shooting at the hospital. As soon as Scott starts talking, the gossip will be about me bringing home some stranger I married in Vegas. They're talking about long, dark-haired Anna, not blond-haired Ariana Trasatti. Finding a person of notoriety in their midst is the last thing on their minds. They'll be wondering if you've cast some evil spell and now control me. They probably think you're after my money, not that you're running from the mob. Why do you think I came up with that outlandish story?"
"I didn't consider that. Smart thinking." She certainly wasn't going to suggest he'd voiced a fantasy of spending their lives getting to know each other, even if she'd toyed with those thoughts. She knew two people couldn't know enough about each other after this length of time to commit to anything, but waking up in the quiet solitude of Aspen every morning with a man like Milo greatly appealed to her at the moment. "What do we do about the party? They're expecting us."
"We go."
She pulled her hand from his and took a step back, shaking her head. "I can't go. That's more exposure."
"We don't have much choice at this point. Not showing will cause more speculation. The best thing we can do right now is act natural. If you hide, they'll start searching the web for info on you. If you go, they'll take one look at you and understand why I was smitten."
Smitten? Did he mean that or was he acting the part? "That makes sense."
"It's all we have to work with right now. I'm going to shower. Do what you need to get ready." He walked past her and down the hall. "Our next move will be to introduce you to your new mother-in-law." He stopped at the bathroom door. "She'll kill me if she hears this from someone else first."
Ariana let her head fall backward as she released a quiet groan.
CHAPTER NINE
Milo parked in front of a small, maroon-brick house and killed the engine on his Dodge. Silence infused the vehicle. Ariana couldn't bring herself to open the door and get out, and Milo didn't seem to be in any hurry, either.
"She's a nice lady. I think you'll like her."
Ariana expelled a restrained breath. "I'm sure I will." Why did this feel so much like the real thing? She'd taken extra care with her hair and makeup that morning, needing to impress the woman who'd raised the remarkable man sitting next to her. When Milo still didn't make an attempt to exit the vehicle, she shifted her gaze toward him.
A smile played with the corners of his mouth, but he seemed more nervous than happy. "I have something for you." He dug in his pocket. "Give me your hand."
She held out her fingers.
"Other hand."
A rush of energy flooded her chest, crowding her lungs, making it harder to breathe. Was he doing what she thought he was doing? She raised a brow, a frisson of shivers radiating through her body as she switched hands.
He grasped her fingertips, singling out her ring finger. He slid on a gorgeous diamond ring. He didn't release her, but studied the ring instead, cradling her in his tanned, rough hand. The silver setting held a large, round diamond surrounded by tiny, crusted diamonds and intricate detailing. "My grandmother left this for me to give to the woman who steals my heart."
Ariana couldn't speak.
He released her hand, and she ached to reach out to him.
"Of course, it's just for show."
"Of course," she forced through tightened vocal cords.
"But my mother will know something's up if you're not wearing it."
"Of course," she repeated, unable to locate any other words.
He exhaled. "Let's do this."
She admired his strong, sure gait as he walked around the front of the truck to open her door. As they started down the short cement walk to the front porch, he folded a strong hand around hers and didn't let go.
Damned if this didn't feel like the real thing. Damned if she didn't want it to be.
He released her hand long enough to open the door and let her enter, but then quickly claimed her again. It was almost as if he needed her support as much as she needed his. How could she not admire a man so dedicated to protecting her that he'd lie to his mother? And look how she'd treated him.
No longer.
She'd behave herself if it killed her. She wouldn't flirt or tease him. She certainly wouldn't leave the house without him again.
Ariana glanced around the homey living room, loving the overstuffed tan couch complete with varying shades of rusty red pillows. Photos featuring Milo at every stage of life crowded a sofa table sitting against the wall.
"Mom?" Milo called out.
A scuffling of pans echoed from the kitchen, followed by the appearance of a slender, fiftyish woman with long blond hair cut in a fashionable style. "Milo." Her voice radiated the same affection that shone on her face. Her gaze quickly jumped from her son, to Ariana, to their connected hands. "Looks like you brought company
."
"I did." He tugged her forward until they were firmly ensconced in his mother's personal space. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Anna. Anna, this is my mother, Nancy Sykes."
"Mrs. Sykes." Ariana extended her hand, and Milo's mom shook it with a surprisingly firm grip.
"It's nice to meet you, Anna. Please, call me Nancy."
The warm energy emanating off the older woman flooded Ariana's nerves, relaxing her and coaxing a smile. "Thank you. It's very nice to meet you, too."
"Mom, I have something to tell you." He squeezed Ariana's hand so hard, she wondered if she'd loose circulation. "You might want to sit down."
The woman glanced at Ariana, a touch of wariness now in her eyes, before turning her gaze to her son. "I prefer to stand," she said with a fake smile.
"I met Anna in Vegas, and—" he blew out a deep breath, "—we got married."
The color drained from his mother's face. She didn't say a word, only stared intently at her son as though they somehow had the capability to communicate through silence.
Tension rolled off Milo, clinging to Ariana, making her stomach churn. She couldn't let him put his mother through this kind of drama. "This is my fault."
Milo tightened the vice grip around her hand. "No—"
"Don't make excuses for my son." Gone was the friendly, small-town warmth.
Ariana swallowed her next words, sensing it was better to remain silent for the moment.
Nancy seemed appeased with Ariana's reaction and turned her attention to Milo. "I want to know why you ever thought it would be okay to exclude me from your wedding. My God. I saw your grandmother's ring on her hand and thought you'd gotten engaged, which was bad enough since you've never brought her around before. But you went and married this pretty young thing? You are my only child, my only chance to see my child wed. How could you take that from me?"
Several long seconds of silence roared through the small living room.
Agony etched stress lines across Milo's features. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't consider that."
"Of course you didn't." She threw the words at him. "You're just as dense as your father was."