a few minutes later, Parker turned to her, hauled her into his arms and kissed her.
Hard. Long. Until she heard someone—it sounded like Josh—chuckle.
———
Her wedding had been a circus, and now her wedding night seemed to consist of a long, grueling ride to the West ranch and an armed escort in the form of her three brothers.
It was probably not an auspicious way to start a marriage.
She was half asleep when they rode up to the ranch house, and it was full dark. For a moment she blinked, not sure where she was, still comfortably resting against her husband‘s broad chest.
Her husband. That seemed extraordinary. She and Parker were finally married.
“You got it from here?” John said it with a slight amused tone to his voice, reining in his restive mount. “If so, we‘ll be off home.”
Parker gave a grim little laugh. “Yeah, I got it. She‘ll be safe. Thanks for being there today. I guess I didn‘t realize how far Colter had gone around the bend. I knew he tried to court her, but Celia didn‘t tell me he was so intent he‘d try something like what he did with the judge.”
“I doubt she suspected. I just took a guess myself. I‘ve got a few other guesses you might be interested in. My father and I will ride over tomorrow and I think we need to have a talk.” John‘s face looked tight in the thin light of a few stars visible through a haze of high streaming clouds.
At the mention of her father, Celia stirred with a small, sleepy yawn. Her other two brothers sat on their horses in the shadows. “Will you all tell him I‘m fine? I don‘t want him to try and kill Parker or anything.”
Jared grinned at her, a flash of white teeth in the dark. “Hey, sis, if we haven‘t killed him, Pa‘s not likely to do it. We‘ve all been waitin‘ for you to come around and marry him. I guess Parker finally lost patience and took matters into his own hands.”
His hands, yes, certainly, Celia remembered very well those hands…everywhere. There wasn‘t a part of her body he hadn‘t touched and done a thorough job of it. However, it was irritating that everyone seemed to be on Parker‘s side all the time.
Her husband slid off Diablo in a graceful movement and nodded at her brothers. “I guess I‘ll see you all tomorrow, then.”
They rode off in a small thud of hoof beats that retreated into the distance and died. She felt a small qualm as Parker‘s hands closed around her waist and lifted her from the saddle. “I guess I live here now.” She didn‘t mean for her voice to sound so subdued, but as her brothers left without her and headed toward the only home she‘d ever known, it struck her deeply just how much her life had suddenly changed.
“Hey.” Long fingers touched her chin and tilted her face up. He peered down at her. “ We live here. Together.”
“That just feels so…different.”
“Yeah, I know, sweetheart.” His fingers trailed down her throat and along her collarbone in a light caress. “But do you know how long I‘ve wanted to bring you here as my bride?”
She shook her head.
“Let‘s just say it‘s been a very long time. Come on, let‘s go inside. I‘ll tend to Diablo in a few minutes.”
The house was low and rambling, and Celia knew it almost as well as she knew her own home. It was a clear evening and the windows were open, the aroma of fresh baked bread mingling with the cool, sweet air. Inside, the big house was furnished in a curiously charming mixture of antiques that Parker‘s mother had brought with her from her childhood home in Connecticut and practical, plain handmade pieces. A huge stone fireplace dominated the living room, and there was a brightly patterned Indian blanket on the wall along with a few framed portraits. A beautiful cut glass lamp from France sat on a rough-hewn pine table in a corner, and on the floor there were several luxurious oriental rugs.
It was a lovely place and she wasn‘t certain why she felt so unsure of herself. It
Hard. Long. Until she heard someone—it sounded like Josh—chuckle.
———
Her wedding had been a circus, and now her wedding night seemed to consist of a long, grueling ride to the West ranch and an armed escort in the form of her three brothers.
It was probably not an auspicious way to start a marriage.
She was half asleep when they rode up to the ranch house, and it was full dark. For a moment she blinked, not sure where she was, still comfortably resting against her husband‘s broad chest.
Her husband. That seemed extraordinary. She and Parker were finally married.
“You got it from here?” John said it with a slight amused tone to his voice, reining in his restive mount. “If so, we‘ll be off home.”
Parker gave a grim little laugh. “Yeah, I got it. She‘ll be safe. Thanks for being there today. I guess I didn‘t realize how far Colter had gone around the bend. I knew he tried to court her, but Celia didn‘t tell me he was so intent he‘d try something like what he did with the judge.”
“I doubt she suspected. I just took a guess myself. I‘ve got a few other guesses you might be interested in. My father and I will ride over tomorrow and I think we need to have a talk.” John‘s face looked tight in the thin light of a few stars visible through a haze of high streaming clouds.
At the mention of her father, Celia stirred with a small, sleepy yawn. Her other two brothers sat on their horses in the shadows. “Will you all tell him I‘m fine? I don‘t want him to try and kill Parker or anything.”
Jared grinned at her, a flash of white teeth in the dark. “Hey, sis, if we haven‘t killed him, Pa‘s not likely to do it. We‘ve all been waitin‘ for you to come around and marry him. I guess Parker finally lost patience and took matters into his own hands.”
His hands, yes, certainly, Celia remembered very well those hands…everywhere. There wasn‘t a part of her body he hadn‘t touched and done a thorough job of it. However, it was irritating that everyone seemed to be on Parker‘s side all the time.
Her husband slid off Diablo in a graceful movement and nodded at her brothers. “I guess I‘ll see you all tomorrow, then.”
They rode off in a small thud of hoof beats that retreated into the distance and died. She felt a small qualm as Parker‘s hands closed around her waist and lifted her from the saddle. “I guess I live here now.” She didn‘t mean for her voice to sound so subdued, but as her brothers left without her and headed toward the only home she‘d ever known, it struck her deeply just how much her life had suddenly changed.
“Hey.” Long fingers touched her chin and tilted her face up. He peered down at her. “ We live here. Together.”
“That just feels so…different.”
“Yeah, I know, sweetheart.” His fingers trailed down her throat and along her collarbone in a light caress. “But do you know how long I‘ve wanted to bring you here as my bride?”
She shook her head.
“Let‘s just say it‘s been a very long time. Come on, let‘s go inside. I‘ll tend to Diablo in a few minutes.”
The house was low and rambling, and Celia knew it almost as well as she knew her own home. It was a clear evening and the windows were open, the aroma of fresh baked bread mingling with the cool, sweet air. Inside, the big house was furnished in a curiously charming mixture of antiques that Parker‘s mother had brought with her from her childhood home in Connecticut and practical, plain handmade pieces. A huge stone fireplace dominated the living room, and there was a brightly patterned Indian blanket on the wall along with a few framed portraits. A beautiful cut glass lamp from France sat on a rough-hewn pine table in a corner, and on the floor there were several luxurious oriental rugs.
It was a lovely place and she wasn‘t certain why she felt so unsure of herself. It
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