Read Online To Love a Stranger by Connie Mason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Connie Mason
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once did he mention a fiancé.”
“It was none of your business,” Zoey declared. “Why are you here?”
“I thought we could discuss … arrangements, but I see I’m too late for what I had in mind. I had intended to bring the preacher back with me to perform our marriage ceremony, but the good reverend is out of town.”
“You’re too late. I’m already married.”
“So you say. I refuse to believe it until I speak personally with Reverend Tolly. He’s expected back in a few days. I’ll bide my time till then, but if you’re lying to me …” His implied threat hung in the air like pungent autumn smoke.
“Would you care to see our license?” Pierceasked. “It won’t take a minute to get it.”
“I don’t want to see your damn license,” Willoughby spat, obviously rattled by this surprising turn of events. “You’ll be hearing from me.” Fuming in impotent rage, he mounted, dug his spurs into his horse’s flanks, and rode off.
“Good riddance,” Pierce said unevenly. He was beginning to give in to his exhaustion.
“Are you all right?” Zoey could feel his arm around her trembling.
“More than all right It felt good to tell that bastard where to go. But I fear we haven’t heard the last from him. Without proof showing otherwise, the mortgage he holds must be taken seriously. Come on, let’s go inside. I find myself in need of a chair.”
“You’ve overdone it!” Zoey charged. “I warned you about pushing yourself. You need more time to recuperate.” Placing her arm around his waist, she helped him inside to the nearest chair. “I’ll call Cully. He can help you up to bed.”
“No, I’ll be fine in a minute.” Pierce didn’t want help. He’d never regain his full strength if Zoey insisted on coddling him. “I’m not going back to bed. Unless,” he added, giving her a scorching look, “you’d like to join me,
wife
.”
Zoey stepped away from him as if burned. “Is that all you can think of?”
“You owe me a wedding night. You’ve managed to avoid me but my day will come.”
“There will be no wedding night,” Zoey said evenly.
“We’ll see, won’t we?”
“I’ve got to clean up and start supper.” She started to leave.
“Zoey.”
She paused but did not turn around to face him. “What?”
“I’m well acquainted with women’s wiles and machinations. And I always get my way.”
As she strode off, Pierce closed his eyes and rested his head against the backrest of the chair as his strength slowly returned. Another day or two and he’d be ready to mount a horse. It rankled to sit around the house like an invalid all day. This inactivity was killing him. Maybe he’d ride into town tomorrow and mail a letter to his brothers. They must be worried sick about him.
Zoey was too rattled to come up with a proper retort as she left the room. Pierce was too damn handsome and too damn sure of himself for his own good, and for hers. If she hadn’t seen him at his weakest, she’d never suspect he’d sustained a life-threatening injury. He looked too strong, too virile. Had he been operating at his full potential, she’d have been in serious trouble. It surprised Zoey that Pierce wanted her sexually. How could he want a woman he didn’t trust? For her own peace of mind she preferred to think he was merely tormenting her for forcing a marriage between them. She could take everything he dished out as long as he stayed at the Circle F long enough to foil Willoughby’s plans for her.
Cully joined them for supper that night. Zoey had changed into a gingham dress, which suited her perfectly.
“You look quite fetching tonight,” Pierce complimented.
Almost anything looked fetching on Zoey, Pierce reflected, or nothing at all. For lack of something better to do, Pierce had spent long hours dreaming about slowly undressing Zoey, arousing her to passion’s peak, and then thrusting himself inside her. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel himself fill
“It was none of your business,” Zoey declared. “Why are you here?”
“I thought we could discuss … arrangements, but I see I’m too late for what I had in mind. I had intended to bring the preacher back with me to perform our marriage ceremony, but the good reverend is out of town.”
“You’re too late. I’m already married.”
“So you say. I refuse to believe it until I speak personally with Reverend Tolly. He’s expected back in a few days. I’ll bide my time till then, but if you’re lying to me …” His implied threat hung in the air like pungent autumn smoke.
“Would you care to see our license?” Pierceasked. “It won’t take a minute to get it.”
“I don’t want to see your damn license,” Willoughby spat, obviously rattled by this surprising turn of events. “You’ll be hearing from me.” Fuming in impotent rage, he mounted, dug his spurs into his horse’s flanks, and rode off.
“Good riddance,” Pierce said unevenly. He was beginning to give in to his exhaustion.
“Are you all right?” Zoey could feel his arm around her trembling.
“More than all right It felt good to tell that bastard where to go. But I fear we haven’t heard the last from him. Without proof showing otherwise, the mortgage he holds must be taken seriously. Come on, let’s go inside. I find myself in need of a chair.”
“You’ve overdone it!” Zoey charged. “I warned you about pushing yourself. You need more time to recuperate.” Placing her arm around his waist, she helped him inside to the nearest chair. “I’ll call Cully. He can help you up to bed.”
“No, I’ll be fine in a minute.” Pierce didn’t want help. He’d never regain his full strength if Zoey insisted on coddling him. “I’m not going back to bed. Unless,” he added, giving her a scorching look, “you’d like to join me,
wife
.”
Zoey stepped away from him as if burned. “Is that all you can think of?”
“You owe me a wedding night. You’ve managed to avoid me but my day will come.”
“There will be no wedding night,” Zoey said evenly.
“We’ll see, won’t we?”
“I’ve got to clean up and start supper.” She started to leave.
“Zoey.”
She paused but did not turn around to face him. “What?”
“I’m well acquainted with women’s wiles and machinations. And I always get my way.”
As she strode off, Pierce closed his eyes and rested his head against the backrest of the chair as his strength slowly returned. Another day or two and he’d be ready to mount a horse. It rankled to sit around the house like an invalid all day. This inactivity was killing him. Maybe he’d ride into town tomorrow and mail a letter to his brothers. They must be worried sick about him.
Zoey was too rattled to come up with a proper retort as she left the room. Pierce was too damn handsome and too damn sure of himself for his own good, and for hers. If she hadn’t seen him at his weakest, she’d never suspect he’d sustained a life-threatening injury. He looked too strong, too virile. Had he been operating at his full potential, she’d have been in serious trouble. It surprised Zoey that Pierce wanted her sexually. How could he want a woman he didn’t trust? For her own peace of mind she preferred to think he was merely tormenting her for forcing a marriage between them. She could take everything he dished out as long as he stayed at the Circle F long enough to foil Willoughby’s plans for her.
Cully joined them for supper that night. Zoey had changed into a gingham dress, which suited her perfectly.
“You look quite fetching tonight,” Pierce complimented.
Almost anything looked fetching on Zoey, Pierce reflected, or nothing at all. For lack of something better to do, Pierce had spent long hours dreaming about slowly undressing Zoey, arousing her to passion’s peak, and then thrusting himself inside her. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel himself fill
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