Hitched (Tarnation, Texas Book 1), page 15
He blinked and looked at her in disbelief. “You’ll marry me?”
“You’re right. There will be hurdles but we’ll get through them. People marry for many reasons and I believe we can grow as a couple.”
He wrapped his arms around her and held her and she sunk deeper into his warmth. This feeling rushing through her only proved that she had made the right decision. He’d become such a foundation in her life. She loved him and wanted to shout it off the rooftops.
“Baxter, I’ve fallen for you. I love you. I don’t know how this is possible. I’ve always been skeptical about love at first sight, but now I know it exists. It’s amazing how you make me feel.”
“You’re amazing.” He cupped her cheeks between his palms, meeting her gaze and holding it. “You won’t regret this. I promise.”
They kissed and soon he had her pressed against the bed of the thick grass, his hands on her in a needful way. He zapped energy into her body, intoxicating her blood with desire. She reached for the hem of his shirt and dragged it from his torso, up and off his broad shoulders. He was magnificent. Smooth skin over iron-hard muscles. Six pack abs. Slender hips where the waist of his jeans landed. Following each masculine dip and curve, she was learning him with her palms.
Before she knew what was happening, her shirt was off, then her jeans, and she was helping him drag his jeans off too. Here in the grass, under the setting sun, they found themselves wrapped in something beyond their control.
CHAPTER 14
Pulling her clothes back on, she smiled widely.
What they shared was amazing.
Incredible.
Enveloped in feelings she’d never experienced with anyone, she watched Baxter dress. She’d never seen a man more beautiful.
She bit back a giggle. Love made her ridiculously joyful. She turned to grab her shoes.
He came up behind her, pulled her against his chest and nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Are you okay?” he whispered.
“Better than okay.”
“Will you come up to the house with me so I can show you something?”
She turned and looked up at him, seeing the concern in his eyes. “Hey, that’s not a look I expect to see after what we shared.” She cupped his cheek, the whiskers scraping her palm, reminding her of the whisker burns she had on her chest from his kisses. The thought made her stomach swirl with erotic desire.
He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “No worries, but I want to share everything with you.”
Her smile returned and tingles shot from her heart down to her toes. “Okay.” She stepped back and slipped on her flip flops. “I’ll try not to appear so doe-eyed when we get around your brothers. You think they will have a clue of what we just shared?” She felt a burning sensation in her cheeks.
“Sweetheart, you can be as doe-eyed as you please. I’m ready to tell Tarnation that you’re going to be my wife.”
Together they retraced their steps back to the house. She couldn’t stop smiling. Her life was in a metamorphism and she couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier.
While she waited on the porch, he ran inside to grab what he wanted to show her. She was admiring the view when she heard two male voices coming from the kitchen.
They both raised an octave, making it difficult for her not to listen.
“We’re one-fifth closer to making this a done deal. He’ll be married in weeks. Mark my words,” one of the men said.
Abriella narrowed her gaze. Was another brother getting married soon?
“From what I understand though, she’s in financial crisis. She’s the lucky one because when the six months is over, she’ll own a building, have some money in her pocket, and be divorced to move forward better off than before. Now how the hell do the rest of us convince women to marry us? I still can’t believe Buzz wanted us to get hitched to own our property.” There was an obvious edge to his tone.
“Certainly doesn’t leave room for love. Marriages of convenience is all we’ll have and then divorces of convenience—or inconvenience.”
Abriella couldn’t believe her ears.
Tears filled her eyes and her stomach twisted as she took several steps back, hitting the glass table with her thigh and knocking over a vase that crashed to the porch. She wanted to run but she couldn’t get her feet to work.
The screen door came open and two brothers stared at her in question. The tallest was the first to react. “Uh, hello…”
“Are you okay?” the one with a clean-cut face asked.
“I-I’m fine. Tell Baxter that something came up. I have to go.” She turned, broken glass crunching under her shoes as she hurried to her truck.
It all made sense.
Baxter had asked her to marry him because he needed a wife. She just happened to be the poor woman who fell for his fake charm and dazzling smile.
How could she have been so stupid? And yet, hadn’t she been marrying him for her own benefit?
She’d confessed her love.
And he’d remained quiet because he didn’t love her. She was a pawn in his scheme. The brothers knew too.
She started the engine and backed out, in a hurry to get away from the ranch. If she ever saw him again it would be too soon.
*
Baxter took out the will and stared down at it with uncertainty. He’d wanted to tell Abriella everything before they took things to the next level, but he’d been caught up in her. He wasn’t sure how she’d feel, but he had to tell her everything. Even if he didn’t have the stipulations of the will over his head, he’d still want her as his wife. He had no clue how he was so damn lucky to have found his love here in Tarnation, but somehow he knew Buzz wanted this to happen.
He would have never imagined crediting his father for anything positive, but he owed the man. Unbelievable, and yet amazing.
Baxter took the paperwork and headed downstairs, stepping out onto the porch. “Sorry it took so long.”
He looked up to find Arc and Adam standing with their hands shoved deep into their front pockets. Both stared back at him with troubled expressions. “Abriella wanted us to tell you that something came up and she had to leave.”
“She had to leave?” Without saying goodbye?” This didn’t make sense. He realized he was wrinkling the paper in his fist.
“I think she might have heard something that would piss her off,” Adam admitted.
Arc sighed. “We were in the kitchen talking about marriage and the stipulations in the will. We didn’t know she was here and could hear us.”
Baxter’s stomach dropped into his boots. “What the hell?”
“Didn’t you tell her why you wanted to marry her?”
Looking at Adam, he wanted to punch the man. “I was going to.” He shook the papers. The afterglow of making love dulled. “What did you say?”
“I can’t really remember,” Adam said.
“It wasn’t good,” Arc added.
“How much damage control do I need to do?” Baxter rubbed his forehead.
“I’m not sure you have a big enough broom to clean up this mess. She looked pretty pissed when she left.”
Baxter stepped off the porch, but the only proof left that Abriella was at the ranch was the dust cloud on the dirt drive.
At that moment he realized he was fucked.
They were all fucked.
CHAPTER 15
“The cookies looked delicious.”
“Thanks, Lanie,” Abriella sat on the bench, staring at the judges from afar as they were making their rounds, sampling the entries to the contest. “I’m glad you came with me.”
“You got this, honey. If those judges have any clue what’s what, they’ll choose your cookies as their winner.”
“I’m glad you have confidence in me, but I’m not feeling it.” Truth was, since she left Grinning Spurs after hearing the Colt brother’s conversation, she’d been in a daze. She’d opened herself up to Baxter. Planned to spend her life with him only to be dropped onto her ass by the truth.
Hell, what had she been thinking anyway? Did she really think finding true love in a few weeks could happen?
“You’re being too hard on yourself.”
“I’m living in reality.”
“Have you spoken with him?”
“Who?” She didn’t want to say his name.
“Bax—”
“Please don’t say it. It’ll make my ears bleed.”
Lanie sighed. “You know better than to eavesdrop on conversations. What you heard could have been taken out of context.”
“Whose side are you on?” Abriella huffed.
“Your side, sweetie. Always.” Lanie patted her hand.
“Anyway, I don’t know how what I heard could have been taken out of context. I was an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot. You fell for him, honey. Getting hurt is always a risk, but don’t let this detour you from finding love. You deserve the world.”
Shoulders slumping, Abriella rubbed her forehead. “I’ve learned my lesson. I’m staying focused on my responsibilities.” Her phone buzzed from her apron pocket and she took it out and read the screen. It was the nursing home. They were wanting the answer whether she planned to keep her mother in residence there. How could she get the words out to let them know she’d be making other arrangements? What choice did she have? “I have to get this, Lanie.”
Taking her phone to a quiet spot close to a tree,, she clicked the talk button. “Hi…this is Abriella. Yes…I know. I wanted to speak to you about—wait…what? It’s paid? In full? I don’t understand…no, I didn’t know.”
Hanging up, she made her way numbly back to sit on the bench.
“What’s wrong, honey? Are you going to be sick?” Lanie’s eyes were wide and her mouth twisted. “Can I get you something? A drink of water perhaps?”
“That was the administrator from mom’s nursing home. She wanted to let me know that they had received a check.”
“Check? I thought you said you couldn’t pay?”
“I didn’t. A benefactor paid everything. Not only for this year, but next year too.” She could barely wrap her head around the information.
“Who would do such a nice thing? That’s amazing, Abriella.”
“No, it’s not!”
“What do you mean?”
“Baxter did this! I can’t accept this. I’m not his charity case.” She stood, fuming.
“Where are you going?”
Lanie followed her down the sidewalk toward the parking lot. “I’m going to tell him that he can take his money and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine!”
“Sweetie, think about this long and hard. You need the money. Your mom can stay in the nursing home.”
“And be in debt to him? No. Hell no! I’d rather eat beans and rice for a year than owe him a penny.”
Lanie’s lips turned into a frown. “It’ll be worse than that, Abriella. Maybe you should see this as what it is.”
“And what exactly is this? His way of smearing it in my face that I’m a poor needy case and he feels sorry for me?”
“No, that he cares for you.”
Abriella laughed until she cried. “Do you hear yourself? He doesn’t care, Lanie. He needs a wife so that he will get Buzz’s money. It makes sense. I was a pawn in his game.” Why did she have to cry? Why did her heart feel like it was broken? He didn’t deserve her love.
“Could we have all the contestants come to the stage for an announcement, please,” someone said over the loudspeaker.
“Heaven help me. I better win this so I can pay that cowboy back every single penny!”
*
“You can’t do this!”
Baxter looked up from the spoon of mashed potatoes to meet the fiery gaze of Abriella. “I can’t serve Agnus her potatoes?” He dropped them onto her tray and the woman gave him a kind smile.
“Hi, Abriella. I wondered where you were,” Agnus said.
“Sorry. I was at the baking contest.”
“This fine looking fellow here adds a nice flair to the view around here.” Agnus wagged her thin brows, then went to sit with a group of her friends at the table.
“You need to leave!” she lowered her voice.
“I haven’t finished with the potatoes.” He smiled, but his chest tightened. He hadn’t seen her in so long and here she was standing inches before him. She was a sight for sore eyes. He’d missed her, wanted to speak to her, but she’d ignored his every attempt. She’d even steered clear of the Bluebonnet.
“This is my space. My town. Why don’t you just leave?” She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin at a stubborn tilt.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Like hell you won’t. Here!”
He watched her reach into her back pocket. She handed him a folded piece of paper. He opened it and read the check written for the same amount he paid the nursing home. “You won the contest, didn’t you?”
“I did and thank goodness. This is exactly what you paid.”
“Congratulations, but no thank you.” He put down the spoon and ripped up the check, tossing the scrap pieces of paper into the trash can. “I won’t accept your money.”
“What the hell are you doing? You can’t do that. I refuse to take your charity,” she snapped.
Her eyes dazzled and her cheeks were flushed. “Don’t think of it as charity, sweetheart. As far as I see it this is what Buzz overcharged you and your mother for the last twenty years. Your mom deserves this. Now stop being stubborn and take it.”
“And have you believing you’re a hero? I’d rather swim in shark infested waters.”
“Is there a problem here?” Harry asked from across the room.
“Not a problem. Just a huge ego.”
Baxter laughed. “I’m glad you can admit that your ego is out of control.”
“Not me! You. How dare you!”
“Okay. How about we take this outside?” Harry smiled uncomfortably. “We wouldn’t want to upset our guests.”
“It’s okay, Harry.” Baxter chuckled. “She just needed to get this off her chest.”
“How do you know what I need to get off my chest? You’ve done nothing but lie since you walked into Tarnation.”
“Lie? Wrong, Bluebonnet. I never once lied. I didn’t tell you every aspect of why I was here because, well, it’s quite a friggin’ mess what my father left behind. But when I asked you to marry me, I meant it. You know it’s the truth, but you’ll use anything as an excuse not to give your heart away.”
“Marriage?” Harry muttered.
A few visitors were now listening.
“Yes, Harry. I asked her to marry me and I’m just waiting until she finally says yes.”
Her laughter echoed off the walls. “You really are full of yourself! I’m not desperate enough to marry someone like you.”
“You don’t mean what you’re saying. You’re hurt.”
“Like hell I don’t.”
“Don’t marry me, Abriella.” Baxter held her gaze.
“Wh-what?” She blinked.
“I’m telling you to not marry me. Once the next five and a half months are up and I’m still here for you, then you’ll see the truth. I don’t care about the money. My ranch. Or anything but proving to you that I’m crazy about you. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no one else on this planet that can make me as pissed as you do, and I like that. Life will be pretty awesome.”
“Are you insane?”
“Maybe. But then so are you because you love me too.” Giving her head a shake, she turned, but he caught her, turning her back around. “Admit it, sweetheart. Tell me that you love me.”
“No. I don’t.”
“Your eyes, they tell me something different.”
“I don’t love you and never will.” Her voice trembled.
His heart dropped, but he didn’t want to believe her. Practically tearing off his apron, he marched through the kitchen and out the back door. It was raining, but he paid it no attention as he stomped toward his truck. He was at the driver’s door when he felt warm fingers grip his arm. He lifted his chin to look down at her as her bottom lip quivered. Tears mingled with drops of rain on her cheeks.
“Where are you going?”
“Does it matter?” It hurt for him to speak.
“No. Maybe. Yes, I guess it does. I don’t want to be indebted to you.” Her voice was so soft that he could have imagined her words.
“You’re not indebted to me, Bluebonnet. I’m doing what’s right. Paying for your mom’s medical bills and care was the right thing to do. And offering DJ a loan to pay for college was also the right thing.”
She blinked rapidly. “You what?”
“You heard right. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do this. This has nothing to do with whether or not you marry me. I was a big damn fool because I should have told you everything from the beginning, and I do mean everything. I love you. I want you in my life. Not for the moment, but for as long as breath fills these lungs. However, if you don’t feel the same, I’ll walk away because in the end, what’s important is your happiness. Point blank.”
“How could you do this to me, Baxter?”
He shrugged. “It’s a mystery.”
“It won’t work.”
He swallowed against the ache in his throat and opened the driver’s door, ready to walk away for good. Then he heard, “It won’t work if I don’t have you in my life.” He turned back to look at her.
“What did you say?” He needed to make sure he heard right.
“What I know is that I love you. Heaven help me, I do. I even want to marry you because the way I see it, I’m fit for no one else. I’d rather argue with you every day for the rest of my life than have peace with someone else.”
He smiled, feeling his heart blossom. “Well then, that’s good because I have something.” He reached across the seat and grabbed the velvet box from the console. He knelt on one knee in a puddle and opened the lid. “Marry me, Abriella. Make me the happiest man to walk this earth. Promise to be with me each day for the rest of your life.”
And she said yes.
