Then he touched her.
Ten.
From the moment Mallory had gazed into the mysterious, mesmerizing desire in Reed Fortune"s eyes, she"d known she wanted him to make love to her. No man had ever made her feel so feminine or protected or excited, and the touch of his hands created a longing in her so deep it terrified her. His fingers had performed magic wherever they"d touched, and her body still trembled. Now as he caressed her thigh and found the center of her longing, tears came to her eyes. She wanted him there, inside her, and she wanted to give him everything she was.
But when she reached for him, he said in a hoa.r.s.e murmur, "Wait a minute. I have to protect you."
The thought briefly pa.s.sed through her mind that she didn"t want to be protected from him, but before she could even open her eyes, he was back, rising above her, his heat becoming her heat, his desire hers.
"Trust me," he whispered right before he kissed her and took her arousal to an even higher pitch.
She wasn"t sure what he meant. Thoughts swirled away into sensations as his tongue danced with hers, as his fingers touched her so intimately that she arched up to meet his hand, wanting something and needing it, not even sure what it was. When she felt him against her, she instinctively raised her hips to take him. He eased in with excruciating slowness, kissing her all the while. Then in a sparkling flash, he thrust into her and she felt a searing pain. But before it could completely register, he was moving slowly, erotically, causing sensations that had her gripping his shoulders and rocking against him. She became almost frantic with a need so powerful she knew she"d never want to feel it with anyone else. She knew she could never feel it for anyone else.
She loved Reed Fortune, and as her body strove to tell him how much, waves of sensation overtook her...pleasure so ecstatic she cried his name and dug her nails into his back. While she held on to him, he sank into her deeper and deeper and deeper until his release made him shudder again and again. His breathing was ragged, and as he finally took a deep breath and rolled to her side, she opened her eyes and looked at him.
They gazed at each other for long moments, slowly coming back to earth. Reed stroked her hair and tenderly caressed her cheek.
She was still lost in what had happened, thinking about how wonderful it had been, when she saw a change come over him.
His eyes no longer smiled at her, but became shuttered. His jaw became set. After he moved away from her a few inches and dropped his hand to his side, he cleared his throat.
She had a sense of foreboding that he was going to say something practical, something she didn"t want to hear.
"Do you realize what we"ve done, Mallory? We"re going to have to get a divorce now instead of an annulment."
The haze of happiness that had overtaken her during their lovemaking quickly cleared as reality hit her broadside. Reed was making it quite clear that this marriage was temporary. How could she have forgotten even for a second that he would be going back to Australia, that he was still probably in love with the woman he"d left there? Just because she loved him didn"t mean he felt any more than desire for her.
Embarra.s.sed now, feeling foolish because she"d mistaken pa.s.sion for something else, she sat up and reached for the robe lying across the corner of the bed. Wrapping her pride around her as well as the robe, she responded, "We can always go to a tropical island somewhere and do it quickly." Her insides were still shaking, but she wouldn"t let him see it. Just as she wouldn"t let him see what he meant to her.
His eyes, filled with desire only a few minutes ago, now seemed remote. "That might be the most convenient. Once you"re safely in Dawson"s care." Sliding his legs over the side of the bed, he said, "I"m going to get a shower. Do you want to go out to dinner somewhere instead of cooking?"
What she wanted to do was to crawl into a corner and cry. She wasn"t the least bit hungry, and the idea of sitting across a table from Reed and making small talk seemed impossible. But nothing was impossible, and she had to convince him that nothing had happened here that she couldn"t forget, either. "Dinner sounds fine. Maybe a Tex-Mex place. I"m beginning to like the food here." She made her voice purposely cheerful.
"Tex-Mex, it is," he said gruffly, then went into the bathroom.
Mallory dropped her head into her hands as tears welled up and threatened to overflow. But she took a few deep breaths and blinked them away. From now on, she would hide her feelings from Reed. She just prayed that Dawson would finish his out-of-town business more quickly than he planned.
Standing at the arrival gate at the San Antonio airport Sat.u.r.day afternoon, Reed stared at each pa.s.senger who came off the plane, wishing Mallory had come with him, wishing Mallory would talk to him in other than the polite voice she"d used since he"d taken her to bed on Monday. They"d been strangers since. That afternoon, in that bed with her, had been more than pleasurable. Afterward, his world had felt changed and he"d been unnerved. She"d given him a gift and he"d accepted it, and then he realized he shouldn"t have. San Antonio was a world away from Australia and he couldn"t easily stay here, either legally or practically. His family depended on him. So he"d let Mallory put up a protective wall between them and he hadn"t tried to break it down.
His gaze still on the gate, he saw his sister first, looking the way she always did-her thick, long blond hair in a braid, her blouse less than starched, her jeans worn and comfortable, and her gray eyes sparkling with their excitement for life. "Reed!" She came running toward him and threw her arms around him. "I missed you."
Laughing, he squeezed her hard, then leaned back. "Surprised by that, Matilda?" he teased.
"You bet." She glanced over her shoulder at Griff and Brody. "Maybe we can lock them up someplace while I"m here so I"ll have a little fun."
"Define fun."
"We can start with you introducing me to some real Texas cowboys," she said.
"Over my dead body," Griff announced, coming up beside his sister.
"Over two very alive bodies," Brody added with a smile, and hugged Reed. "You look good, mate. Texas must agree with you."
Griff stood a little apart, watching as he always did. But he commented, "Or else it"s his marriage."
Reed took a step away from Brody toward Griff, his quieter brother. "I"m glad you could come." He"d expected one of Griff"s secret missions to take him away somewhere and he would have missed this chance to experience Texas and more family.
Griff just gave him a half smile that said he was glad to be here, too.
"So, where is this new bride?" Brody asked, looking around.
Reed had known his family would ask, and he was prepared. "She"s working. Lily asked her to redecorate some rooms and they"re meeting with a drapery designer this afternoon. She"ll be at the ranch when we get there." At least he hoped she would, but maybe she"d try to avoid his family as well as him.
To change the subject, he asked them all, "How was Los Angeles?" They"d stopped there for a day to take a break from traveling so they wouldn"t be exhausted when they reached San Antonio.
"The next time I pa.s.s through there," Matilda answered him, "I"m going to Disneyland."
He laughed. Matilda always made him laugh. She might be a little wild sometimes, but he liked having her around, and he had missed her. As they headed toward the baggage claim, Reed said, "Before I forget, Ryan and Lily are having a c.o.c.ktail party tomorrow night in your honor. A lot of the family will be there and some of their neighbors."
"Uh-oh," Matilda said with a frown. "Does that mean I have to dress up?"
"It wouldn"t hurt," Brody responded with some amus.e.m.e.nt.
But as always, Griff came to his sister"s rescue. "Wear what you want, Matilda. I"m sure n.o.body will care."
As they drove to the Double Crown, Brody and Matilda did most of the talking, filling Reed in on everything that had happened at the Crown Peak since he"d been gone. He went over some of the observations he had made about the operation at the Double Crown, and the steps he"d like to take to modernize when he got home, if they could convince their father.
Brody and Matilda had just staunchly agreed to back him up when he pulled up in front of Ryan and Lily"s house, relieved to see Mallory"s sports car still parked there.
"I like that car," Matilda said with a gleam in her eye.
Reed just shook his head. "I"ll warn Mallory."
At the door, he introduced the three of them to Rosita, then they went into the great room where Ryan, Lily, and Mallory were chatting. Ryan and Lily stood and came forward, and greetings were exchanged all around. Then Mallory stepped into the circle and Reed put his arm around her. It was the first he"d touched her since- She seemed to freeze under his arm. But she was smiling as she shook Brody"s hand, then Griff"s and finally Matilda"s. He hoped his sister would watch her tongue. Sometimes she didn"t. But she just smiled at Mallory, and it seemed as if the two women were sizing each other up. Mallory, too, wore jeans, though her white peasant blouse looked as if she"d just ironed it.
As Rosita brought them all cool drinks, they chatted for a while. Mallory became involved in a conversation with Matilda and Brody about the horses they raised. She was sitting next to Reed on the sofa, but her skin never brushed his and she focused her attention on his family.
Finally, Lily suggested, "I know you"re probably tired from traveling and would like to rest a bit. Why don"t I show you to your rooms?"
"Oh, I don"t want to rest," Matilda said. "I want to see the horses."
"I"ll show you around," Mallory offered.
As Matilda looked at Reed, he just gave a shrug. "Go ahead. I know you keep going from morning till night, and it won"t be any different here."
When Mallory stood, he clasped her arm. She looked at him, and he couldn"t tell what she was thinking. "I"ll stay and spend some time with Griff and Brody. Lily"s invited us to dinner."
"I"ll meet you back here in a little while then."
He nodded, wishing he could establish a connection between them again...wishing for a lot more.
As Mallory walked to the barn with Matilda and told her what she"d been doing with the fillies and colts, she already liked Reed"s sister. She was honest and expressive and said pretty much what was on her mind. After she had introduced Matilda to Hank and taken her through the mares" barn, they headed to the training arena.
Stepping inside, Matilda slipped her hands into her jeans" pockets. "Reed hasn"t told us very much about meeting you and the wedding. We"re all trying to figure out why."
"It happened so...fast," Mallory said cautiously.
"That"s unlike Reed, too. He doesn"t make an important decision without thinking about it first. Usually for a long time."
"You"ll have to ask him," Mallory responded.
Matilda gave her a speculative look.
The arena was empty for the time being. There wasn"t much to see except for the building itself, but Matilda didn"t seem to be in any hurry to leave. She walked toward the holding stalls to look them over. "So...are there any cute, unmarried cowboys here you can introduce me to?"
Mallory had to think about it, then realized she couldn"t answer Matilda. "I don"t know."
Matilda smiled. "You must really be in love with my brother if you"re not noticing other men." Her gaze locked to Mallory"s and held it.
"I suppose so," Mallory said quietly, admitting the truth again to herself, yet knowing she"d have to get over Reed. This week had been torture, trying to avoid him at every turn, making small talk, acting as if nothing had happened. She didn"t know how much longer she could keep it up. At least with Reed"s family here, they"d both have a distraction.
Matilda didn"t ask any more personal questions as Mallory took her to the yearling pasture and through another barn, introducing her to Dusty Dawn and a few of the other horses. The whole time they chatted easily and then returned to the house. Dinner was enjoyable as they lingered over it, and conversation flowed. Griff had taken a seat next to Mallory, and she found him well-read and interesting to talk to. He drew her out about the trip to Europe she"d taken the summer after her freshman year at college, and she got the impression that he was well-traveled. It was almost eleven when she drove back to the cabin with Reed following her car in his truck. After they had gone inside, he asked, "What do you think of them?"
"They"re very nice."
"You and Griff seemed to be hitting it off."
"He"s a good listener."
"Yes, he is," Reed agreed. "But he listens well so he doesn"t have to talk about himself."
When Mallory thought about it, she realized that Griff hadn"t shared much personal information at all. "I forgot to tell you that Dawson called this morning. He"s coming home Wednesday but then flying out again on Friday. Though he says he"ll soon be back for good."
"I see. I suppose you"re happy about that."
"Very happy," she said, lifting her chin, glad Reed wouldn"t have to feel responsible for her for much longer.
They got ready for bed and didn"t say much to each other after that. When she turned off her bedside lamp, she felt a deep sadness inside her, knowing it wasn"t going to go away easily or anytime soon.
Observing the guests from her vantage point in the dining room at the hors d"oeuvre table the following evening, Mallory decided the c.o.c.ktail party was a rousing success. Looking much younger than her twenty-one years in bib overalls and a white T-shirt, Matilda had moved from person to person, getting to know them, involved in animated conversation each time. More than once, Mallory had seen Griff standing apart simply watching everyone else as if he preferred it that way. For the moment she had lost track of Brody and Reed, but it was just as well. She had decided to dress up tonight, really dress. Her strapless violet sheath was an original. The V-bodice was trimmed in black, as was the hem, and her patent leather high heels felt a little strange after she"d been wearing boots and sneakers for so long.
But it was the look in Reed"s eyes when he"d first seen her in the dress that had pleased her. He hadn"t said anything, but the nerve in his jaw had twitched and he hadn"t taken his eyes off of her for most of the night. She hadn"t worn it to provoke him. She just needed to feel good about herself. It was the same reason she"d curled her hair and applied makeup. Maybe she just considered this her coming-out party.
A short while ago Lily had introduced her to two ranchers" wives and praised her talents as a decorator. One of them had said, "If you"re going to be staying in the area, I"d certainly hire you."
The remark had given Mallory hope that she could succeed here.
Seeing that one of the cheese platters was almost empty, she picked it up to take it to the kitchen to refill. She"d seen Rosita pa.s.s through the dining room earlier on her way to the courtyard where more snack trays were located. But as Mallory entered the kitchen, she saw and heard Brody and Reed.
"I know it was fast," Reed was saying.
"Are you sure you didn"t marry Mallory on the rebound?" Brody asked.
She stopped immediately, aware that she had interrupted a private discussion. But they knew she"d overheard and there was no getting around it.
"Will you give us a few minutes alone, Brody?" Reed asked his brother.
"This might take more than a few minutes," Brody responded as he glanced at Mallory apologetically and left the kitchen.
Mallory set the cheese dish on the counter and faced Reed. "Is that what Griff and Matilda think, too?"
"Anybody who sees you in that dress tonight should realize marrying you had nothing to do with being on the rebound."
He was talking about desire again, a man wanting a woman for purely physical reasons. She had hoped they"d gotten further than that. Yet hadn"t the first time they"d made love proved her feelings were involved but his weren"t? The hurt and sadness she"d felt this past week turned to anger. "You don"t have to get married to have s.e.x, Reed. I think it"s about time you admit your motives for marrying me. You wanted revenge. You wanted to prove to your fiancee that you didn"t need her. But in doing that you used me and you used me again when we...had s.e.x."
His eyes were stormy blue and his voice vehemently deep. "Did you use me? Because there were two of us in that bed having an awfully good time."
A good time. A fling. An affair. Those were obviously what he wanted, and she didn"t. There wasn"t anything else to say.
His words still echoed as she tore her gaze from his and quickly went back into the dining room.
As Mallory pa.s.sed through the great room, weaving in and out of the guests, she knew she had to be alone for a few minutes to compose herself. She headed for the powder room down one of the halls. But when she reached it, Matilda was there beside her. "Are you okay?"
She took a deep breath. "I"m fine."
"Brody told me he said something he shouldn"t have, at least not with you within hearing distance. Did it cause a problem with you and Reed?"
She had a feeling Matilda wasn"t going to let this go, and she might as well warn Reed"s sister that this marriage wasn"t going to be a marriage for very long.
"Reed and I have more than one problem."
With an appraising look, Matilda studied her. "And you don"t want to talk about it."
"It"s not that I don"t want to, but there are reasons I shouldn"t." Not that she believed Winston actually had any spies here, but their marriage had to appear real. Matilda was too honest to pretend it was if Mallory told her differently.
"Fair enough. But if you do need to talk, I can listen. I love Reed dearly, but, more than anybody, I know how frustrating he and the others can be."
Mallory had to smile at that. She"d always wanted a big brother, and she"d had Dawson on a limited basis. But she didn"t know how she"d feel if she had three or more males trying to protect her and daily tell her what to do. "I"ll remember that," she told Matilda, wishing they actually could be sisters-in-law, wishing she could truly be part of Reed"s family. But most of all, wishing Reed felt love in addition to desire.
On Monday afternoon, the salad that Mallory had made for lunch sat on the desk beside her as she estimated start-up costs for her shop. She"d realized she"d let her plans come to a standstill because of Winston and Clint Lockhart and Reed, so this morning she had done some real planning, budgeting, and written up a resume.
She was about to take a bite of her salad when she heard the mail carrier"s truck. He"d driven off by the time she"d walked outside to the mailbox at the end of the path. She recognized one envelope immediately. It had her stepfather"s return address. She"d called her mother last week to rea.s.sure her she was fine. Yet she knew her mother didn"t believe her.