Do You Take This Enemy?

by Sara Orwig

  “Mind?”

  “No, I’m just surprised. You’re far more interested in me than I thought you would be since my ranch is really the object of your affections.”

  “We might as well try to make the most of this arrangement we’re agreeing to.”

  “It’s a marriage of convenience, nothing more, nothing less,” she said. Blocking her path, he faced her and placed his fingers lightly on her throat.

  “Your pulse is racing,” he said softly.

  “You know you do that to me, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot.”

  “It means something to me,” he replied solemnly.

  “Well, you told me that’s nature.”

  “Don’t twist my words around. Ashley, the sooner we do this, the better off everyone will be.”

  Gabe held the door for her and she went inside, still in shock over promising to marry him, just as much in shock over his reaction. Had he really meant what he’d said?

  She turned to Gabe, placing her hand lightly on his arm. “If you’ll just wait in the living room, I’ll talk to him and then you can see him. I don’t want you to be the one to tell him. It’s not like we’ve been dating.”

  “No, it’s not, but I wish it were.”

  “You say things like that—I find them a little difficult to believe.”

  “Time will tell.”

  “Yes, it will,” she answered, scared to trust his words, scared to trust a man again. She left him and went to the family room. She dreaded breaking the news to her father, yet this seemed like a solution to all sorts of problems.

  “Dad?”

  He put down a magazine and smiled at her while she closed the doors to the hallway. His brows arched. “What’s happening?”

  “Gabe Brant is in the living room and he wants to talk to you after I do.”

  “Why?” Quinn asked, frowning.

  “Dad, I’ve accepted Gabe’s offer of marriage,” she said, letting out her breath.

  “Aw, Ashley, don’t do that! Hell, it’s just because of me and yesterday. Now don’t go flying off and do something you’ll regret forever.”

  “I don’t think I will regret it. I think it might be very good.”

  “How in blue blazes do you think that? You don’t know each other or even like each other.”

  “We’re getting to know each other, and we do like each other. Dad, I’m doing what I want to do. I wouldn’t do this if I really didn’t want to.”

  “Yes, you would. You’re doing it purely for my sake and I don’t want you to! Ashley, the man is after this ranch.”

  “We’ve got lawyers to protect the ranch. We’ll have a prenuptial agreement drawn up that will safeguard the place. I want your blessing.”

  “You don’t love him and he doesn’t love you.”

  “We both think there is a chance for love,” she said, knowing that was a real stretch, but desperate to get her father’s agreement.

  He clenched his fists, and she hurt for him, but something had to be done. “Dad, I want to marry him. I had a wonderful time with him the other night. Will you let him come talk to you? Please?”

  Quinn inhaled and unclenched his fists. “All right.”

  She crossed the room to hug her father and kiss his cheek, closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer that she was doing the best possible thing.

  As soon as she entered the living room, Gabe stood.

  “You can talk to him now,” she announced.

  “He’s okay with our marriage?”

  The words sounded strange to her. Our marriage. Was she really going to marry this stranger, this Brant, a member of the family that her own hadn’t spoken to or dealt with in generations? This man who excited her more than any other man she had ever known, even though he was still a stranger to her? This man she was going to have to trust?

  “Not very okay, but he’ll talk to you. And he’ll go along with what I want to do,” she replied.

  “Good.” Walking over to her, Gabe placed his hand on her shoulder. “Stop worrying. We’ll work things out.”

  Leaving the room, they walked down the hall together. He draped his arm across her shoulders. She was aware of the energy he exuded. Her father was ill, she was seven months pregnant. Gabe was filled with vitality that showed in every step he took and every move he made. They could use some of that energy on this ranch, and she knew it too well.

  At the door of the family room, Gabe turned to wink at her and then disappeared inside, closing the door behind him.

  She paced the hall, touching picture frames, looking into empty rooms, wondering what was happening with the two men. Finally after twenty minutes, Gabe opened the door.

  “Ashley, come join us,” he said, sounding cheerful and looking relaxed and happy.

  Her hopes jumped that her father would accept this bargain she was making because life would be easier for all of them if he did.

  Gabe put his arm around her shoulders as she entered the room. Quinn looked less upset and angry, so Gabe must have settled him down, which was good.

  “Your dad has given us his blessing.”

  “I hope you two know what you’re doing,” Quinn said, looking back and forth between them.

  “We do, as much as anyone who gets married,” Gabe said cheerfully, and Ashley wondered how badly he wanted this union.

  “We’ll put off drinking a toast until another day,” Gabe continued. “Even so, this is a day to celebrate. I wanted you both for supper tonight, but your dad has other plans.”

  She didn’t know about any other plans and looked at Quinn.

  “This afternoon Dusty called and said he would pick me up and take me to his place for supper. He’ll bring me home later or if I want, I can stay there tonight.”

  “You can come to my house another time,” Gabe said to Quinn. “We’ll make our plans tonight,” he told Ashley, looking down at her. For the moment she wished with all her heart that this was going to be a real marriage with love and hope, but then she knew she was getting help for her dad and the ranch, and she would have to be satisfied with that.

  “Sir, thank you,” Gabe said, shaking hands with Quinn as he stood.

  “You keep your word, you hear?”

  “Yes, sir,” Gabe said brightly. “I promise.”

  “Promises are leaves tossed in the wind. Time will tell, but heaven help you if you hurt Ashley.”

  Ashley felt the cold threat from her father, and for an instant, all Quinn’s old strength seemed to return to his demeanor and his voice.

  “I don’t want ever to hurt either one of you,” Gabe answered solemnly, tightening his arm around her slightly to pull her closer against him. “Come to the door with me, Ashley,” he said, keeping his arm around her shoulders as they left the room.

  “I think he’s accepting this even though it’s reluctantly,” she said, looking up at Gabe.

  “It’ll be better with a little time.” On the porch, Gabe turned to face her. “I’ll pick you up tonight about half-past six.”

  “I can drive over.”

  “Nope. I’ll pick you up. Start letting me take care of you.”

  She laughed. “I’m pregnant, not feeble.”

  “I know you’re not feeble, but I want to do things for you.”

  “Stop it! Two weeks ago you would barely have spoken to me.”

  “Two weeks ago I hadn’t kissed you.”

  “That hasn’t changed the world or you,” she said, but her pulse had jumped.

  “Oh, yes, it did,” he answered softly, leaning closer to her and brushing her cheek with his fingers. “I keep telling you that it changed the whole world.” His fingers slid down to tilt her chin up and he kissed her a long, lingering kiss that had her heart pounding.

  When he leaned away, she opened her eyes.

  “See, nothing’s like it was before,” he said solemnly, his expression changing. “For three years I’ve lived constantly with grief. From that first day I met you, something broke throu
gh and for a little while grief vanished. And it’s diminishing, Ashley. I have you to thank for that. Hurt still comes, but not like it was. Not that terrible sense of loss that took my breath and made everything ache.”

  “I’m glad, Gabe,” Ashley said quietly, touched and surprised.

  “I’ll pick you up,” he said, his voice growing lighter as he started to walk away. She caught his arm.

  “Gabe, let’s wait until after tonight to tell our families. Let’s have the details worked out when we break the news to them. I want to call our family lawyer first, too. I’ll get Dad to wait to tell Uncle Dusty.”

  “Sounds like a good plan to me. The minute one of us talks, word will be all over the county within the hour.”

  “I’d give it twenty minutes,” she remarked, and he laughed.

  “You’re right. Okay, for now, only the three of us will know our plans. But the first person I tell is Julian.” He stepped back. “See you this evening.”

  She watched him stride to his pickup, climb inside and wave before he drove away.

  It wasn’t until she was alone in her room that doubts loomed large. She thought of how Lars had smashed her trust. Was she doing something incredibly foolish? Yet, how else could she get immediate help for her father? And a lot of help—both physical and financial.

  Just before seven that evening she opened the door to face Gabe, who looked as handsome as ever in jeans and a blue, long-sleeved shirt. As his gaze went over her appreciatively, she became aware of her size again. She had dressed in a plain navy jumper and simple white blouse, a silver bangle her only jewelry.

  “You look pretty,” he murmured.

  “Thank you. I just feel huge,” she replied.

  “Well, you’re not, and you’re beautiful pregnant.”

  “You’re very nice.” She felt herself blush.

  “No, I think you do look beautiful,” he said, touching her hair. “Very expectant.”

  “I’m that, all right,” she said, closing and locking the door behind her. Gabe took her arm.

  When they drove up to Gabe’s house, she saw that it bore a resemblance to her own. It was rambling, added to through the years, a hodgepodge of wood and stone and glass. A wraparound porch held chairs and gliders and a swing. Just the same as hers, the yard was fenced and the grass well-watered. The road divided and the other branch led to a low, rambling brick-and-wood house that looked much newer.

  “Who lives there?” she asked.

  “I built that house for Ella,” Gabe replied gruffly. “After Mom and Dad died, one house was going to stand empty so I decided to move here into the old house. The memories aren’t quite as painful.”

  “Sorry, Gabe.”

  “Yeah.” He parked near the back door and came around to open the door for her. “Welcome to the Circle B,” he said.

  “I can tell you right now that I don’t want to move into your house,” she said as she stepped out. “I can’t leave Dad and I don’t want to uproot him.”

  “That’s fine. I have a lot of memories here that hurt. I have to know, will your dad be good to Julian? If we live in your house, those two will be together often.”

  She smiled. “You don’t know my dad. He’ll love Julian. You’ll see.”

  Gabe touched the corner of her mouth. “I love it when you laugh or smile. You’re a beautiful woman.”

  She could feel her cheeks burn. At the same time, his compliment warmed her and made her feel as if she glowed. “Thank you.”

  He took her arm and walked beside her. “Come on and I’ll give you a tour of my home.”

  As they stepped onto the porch, the back door opened and Julian ran out. He was followed by an attractive blonde in cutoffs and a yellow T-shirt. She smiled at Ashley. Julian stopped and gazed at Ashley with big brown eyes as he said hello.

  “Hi, Julian,” Ashley replied.

  “Ashley, meet Lou Conrad,” Gabe said. “Lou is our nanny. Lou, this is Ashley Ryder,” Gabe said easily.

  Ashley greeted Lou Conrad and then turned back to Julian. “Are you going outside to play?”

  “I get to ride Popcorn,” he answered with a big grin.

  “Popcorn’s the horse we save for Julian to ride,” Gabe explained. “Lou promised Julian a ride on a horse, so they’re going to the corral.”

  Ashley suspected the ride had been arranged to keep Julian from interfering in any conversation Gabe wanted to have with her. As Lou and Julian walked away, Gabe took Ashley’s arm to cross the porch and go through a small entryway.

  “Too bad Lou doesn’t own a neighboring ranch,” Ashley commented. “She’s very pretty.”

  “She’s also very engaged and pretty doesn’t figure into the equation, although you certainly are.”

  “So if I had been incredibly homely, you’d still have made your offer?”

  “Your looks have nothing to do with what I want,” he said quietly, but with an underlying force that surprised her.

  “I better remember at all times—you’re after our land.” She met his solemn, dark-eyed gaze and wondered about Josh’s declarations that she could trust Gabe. There were moments when he looked unfathomable and determined.

  “Will I get to see Julian later?”

  “Of course. I want you two to get to know each other,” Gabe answered as he ushered her into a kitchen with new, shiny appliances, dark oak cabinets and an oak cabinet for the refrigerator. A large, well-lit alcove held the table and eight chairs.

  “Let’s go this way first,” he said, taking her arm and leading her into an adjoining room. While she looked at a huge room with a vaulted ceiling and rough beams, floor-to-ceiling windows along the south giving a glorious view of ranch land, she was more aware of his hand on her arm than of his house. No matter what she told herself or him, that schoolgirl crush had a residual effect, because she still felt something anytime she was around him. Or was there an attraction now that was completely adult and went way beyond a crush?

  “We had the wall taken out and put the family room and the living room together.”

  “For a minute there I was beginning to think our houses might be a lot alike, but this is entirely different from ours.”

  “Over here is the dining room,” he said, taking her arm lightly again and they moved to another large room with a spectacular view to the west. “This was all remodeled about eight years ago.”

  “It’s beautiful. I wouldn’t think you’d want to leave this at all.”

  “I don’t. But one of us ought to live in the other’s house.”

  “My father hates the thought of our marriage. There’s no way I’m asking him to move and no way I’m leaving him. That was the whole purpose of my coming home in the first place.” They stood in the doorway of the dining room. Gabe rested a hand on the doorjamb above her head and his other hand on his hip, leaning a little closer, and she had to catch her breath as she looked into his riveting brown eyes.

  “But there’s more here than either one of us expected.” He touched her hair lightly.

  Her heart thudded. Was she being taken in by a smooth-talking man who was accustomed to getting what he wanted out of life?

  “You and I barely know each other.” She reached up and caught his chin with her hand. “Are you falling in love? she demanded. “And don’t ever lie to me, Gabe.”

  As he drew a deep breath, his gaze went beyond her, and she had her answer before he spoke.

  “No, you’re not,” she continued solemnly. “Let’s just stay realistic.”

  “I promised I wouldn’t rush you or make physical demands. I’ll keep my promise.”

  “You may be locking yourself into a situation you won’t like later,” she warned.

  He shook his head, his gaze going over her with an intensity that made her tingle all over. “I’m happy with our agreement and I’ll stay happy with it.”

  “You want our land!” she snapped impatiently. “Show me the rest of your house.”

  His gaze held hers a mo
ment longer before he turned, taking her arm to lead her down the hall. They looked at bedrooms, his office, a playroom adjoining Julian’s bedroom, Lou’s sitting room and bedroom.

  “Does she live here?”

  “Nope. This is just to have a place available if she sleeps over or is out here and I bring Julian with me. She’s engaged and going to college. She commutes and isn’t here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have a housekeeper, she cooks and cleans, and watches Julian on those days if I don’t take him out with me. Here’s my bedroom,” he said, leading her to a room that adjoined Julian’s.

  The moment Ashley entered, she seemed surrounded by Gabe. His bedroom reflected his presence and revealed the man. She looked at pictures of his wife, Ella, his king-sized bed covered in a navy comforter, Navajo rugs, several bronze statues of cowboys and cattle. She turned to face him.

  “Sure you want to move to my house?”

  “Yep. I’ve been damned lonely here. Get your lawyer to draw up whatever kind of deal you want. We can work out a feasible bargain.”

  He moved closer and placed his hands on her shoulders, sending a tremor through her.

  “Let’s get married soon. If for no other reason, your dad needs help as quickly as possible.”

  “Gabe,” she said, “I don’t want to tell anyone except Dad that it’s a paper marriage. I don’t want to tell my uncles. I think I would have even more of a hassle.”

  “I agree,” he replied quietly. “It’s no one else’s business. Let’s sit in the family room where it’s comfortable and we can talk,” he said.

  In another half hour Lou returned to leave Julian with them and to tell them goodbye because she was leaving for the evening. Gabe went to the back door with her and left Julian with Ashley.

  As Julian leaned against a chair, Ashley smiled at him. “While we wait for your dad to come back, do you want me to read a story to you? Do you have books in here?”

  He was gone in a flash, darting to a bookshelf to rummage around and return with an armload of books.

  Ashley moved to the sofa and patted it as Julian brought the books to her. When he climbed up beside her, she asked him, “Which one shall we read first?”