Rustlers and Romance [Saddle Creek 1] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Read online

  “Sounds good.” He’d make sure the wedding happened soon or he’d have to take a lot of cold showers between now and then.

  Chase took her hands and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her tenderly. “I want to make you happy to get up every morning. I want to hold you in my arms all night long. And I want to make love to you, over and over.”

  Chapter 17

  Lauren awoke early, dressed, and again beat Chase to the coffeemaker. She sat at the table and watched the sun rise on a beautiful, clear, and dry day as she pondered her immediate future. She was getting married.

  One thing she’d learned about the handsome rancher was he didn’t rush into anything. He thought everything through and through. Sometimes he thought it to death, and she surmised he’d done that before proposing to her as well. She could only hope he’d had the right idea and she’d made the right decision.

  She’d have to get used to the sound of Lauren Montgomery instead of Lauren McCray. She rolled her tongue around the new name.

  At least I’ll have the same initials. Then again, maybe I won’t bother changing my name—at least not till we get past the first year.

  Instead of jumping out of bed as soon as he smelled the coffee aroma wafting into his room from the kitchen, Chase lay there thinking about his bride-to-be. He snorted. That was nothing new. She’d been the only thing on his mind lately.

  He breathed her scent everywhere he went, looked for her when she wasn’t by his side, and wanted to feel her lips on his body. He closed his eyes and could taste the very essence of her. He liked the idea of waking up with her beside him in his bed every morning, after having spent the night in his arms. He liked it when they made the coffee together. He liked the thought of sharing his life with her, and he wanted it to stretch far beyond her contractually obligated year. He wanted her to be his forever. She’d only asked for a year, but Chase already knew he wanted to be with her till death did they part.

  Still, he couldn’t believe he was about to do something he’d always sworn against. He, Chase Montgomery, was going to walk down an aisle—and not in a shotgun wedding, either.

  What’s wrong with me? What in God’s name has Lauren McCray done to change my mind after all these lonely years?

  And that’s exactly what they’d been, long and lonely days and nights, week after week, month after month, year after year. Maybe there really is such a thing as love at first sight, as soul mates.

  Maybe I’ve found mine in Lauren.

  His mother had always told him he’d know when he met the right woman, and Lauren appeared to be that and then some. She was as perfect a fit for him as that dress was for her.

  Joy coursed through him as he jumped out of bed, dressed, and rushed downstairs, utterly soaring. When he stepped into the kitchen, Lauren must have been caught up in her own thoughts. She squealed in surprise when he wrapped his strong arms around her for a bear hug, then picked up her coffee and took a sip.

  “Now that you’ve had a chance to sleep on it, are you still okay with being my wife?” He poured coffee into his favorite cup.

  “I’m actually beginning to like the idea. I’ve never had anyone in my life to share anything with, other than my parents, a couple of friends, and Lucy, your horse, and now I will, won’t I? I hope I’ll be able to share everything with you, and you can do the same with me.”

  “You know, I was thinking the same thing. I’ve been lonely out here in the country with only Amos and the ranch hands and horses to talk to. Sure, there are neighbors, and I’ve been on a few dates, but I’ve never met any gal whom I’ve wanted to really share my life with.” He looked at the clock on the wall above the sink and sighed.

  “What’s wrong?” Lauren asked as she stood and followed his eyes, looking at the time.

  “I need to get to work, or else I won’t be done in time to go to the celebration tonight.” He headed to the door and grabbed his hat off the wall. “Can’t afford to have you wastin’ that pretty dress, now can we?”

  “But what about breakfast?”

  “Sorry, but I ain’t got time just yet. I’ll go have a short talk with Amos to get some business out of the way, and then I’ll be back in an hour for something to eat.” He winked at her as he backed out the door. “And I know a pretty little neck and a couple of earlobes I can nibble on.”

  Chapter 18

  Lauren spent extra time preparing for the night’s celebration. The color and fit of the dress gave her a much-needed boost of confidence. She tied the sides of her hair in a casual updo, a coral ribbon securing her brown locks. She put in her mother’s sparkling diamond stud earrings she’d given to her on her twenty-first birthday. She remembered her mother telling her to always wear them in good health and for a good time. For the first time in the last two years she could wear them without fear and to have a good time. She was once again safe with Chase. She picked up the sweater and daintily draped it over her arm.

  Gliding to the top of the staircase, she paused and looked down at Chase standing at the bottom of the stairs. His stare pinned her to the spot. A deep glow of satisfaction heated her cheeks. She smiled at him as she reached for the handrail. Her knees trembled as she started down the steps.

  She gripped the smooth and polished wooden banister, as though she needed it to stop her from running into his arms. She slowly made her way down to him. Their gazes locked on one another. Chase smiled, and his eyes sparkled when he walked a step or two closer to the last step and lifted his hand to her. She gently put her hand in his, and he pulled her to him and then kissed her cheek.

  At his touch, shivers ran down her spine, and her heart raced, thumping out of control.

  “You look stunning, Lauren—absolutely stunning.”

  “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.” Lauren’s gaze swept up one side of him and down the other. She admired the way his still-wet hair clung to his neck and his crisp, white shirt, unbuttoned at the throat, exposed chest hair and fit perfectly across his broad shoulders, revealing his hard back muscles.

  “The truck’s running and ready to go.” He took her hand and twirled her around. Her skirt flared out around her legs. “Let’s go dance the night away like we don’t have a care in the world.”

  She smiled. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather dance with under the stars. Let’s go.”

  He held out his elbow, and she linked her arm around it. They walked the short distance to the truck where he opened her door for her like a true gentleman. They headed off, dreaming of a lovely night of making memories together.

  Lauren smiled at all the lights adorning the town of Saddle Creek. It was lit up like a Christmas tree. Couples strolled up and down the boardwalk, coming and going to the dance. Some were decked out in jiggling silver spurs, big silver-and-gold belt buckles, and bolos, while others wore contemporary jeans and shirts.

  Country music echoed from the barn, and light spilled across the boardwalk, highlighting the people. They entered the barn and the aroma of fresh hay and food assailed her nostrils. In one corner, a live band played a country tune and her nerves thrummed along with the music. A table full of food and drink was set up across from the band. Pushing through the crowd, Lauren and Chase made their way to the food table to unload their contribution of food. They got a drink and loaded a plate of food and found a nearby table to sit and listen to the music.

  Chase greeted everyone, nodding his head or waving as they walked by. When the country band played their first slow song of the night, he put his silverware down on the table, then stood and held his hand out for Lauren.

  “Would you care to dance?”

  She gazed at his strong hand. The amber light made a thin film of sweat glisten on his palm. Was he nervous? Biting her lip at the flutter of butterflies in her stomach, she placed her hand in his. Her heart raced and the touch of his warm skin made her melt as he led her to the dance floor.

  They stood face-to-face, and he put his right arm around her waist and she p
ut her left hand on his right shoulder. Then they began to sway to the slow beat of the music.

  Lost in the hypnotic, dreamy moment, Lauren felt a hand on her back but paid it no mind, assuming it was Chase’s. When it happened again, she lifted her head from his shoulder, opened her eyes, and looked over her right shoulder.

  “My turn.” Edie slid her arm between Chase and Lauren, and nudged her aside.

  Determined not to create a scene in front of Chase’s friends, Lauren reluctantly let go of his hand and backed away. Chase shrugged his shoulders as if he didn’t know what else to do. He caught his former housekeeper’s arms as they crept up and around his neck, took her by the shoulders, and pushed her away from his body.

  Lauren walked to the drink table, feeling alone, missing the warmth of Chase’s arms holding her securely. She took a deep breath, overwhelmed with the heat and stuffiness in the crowded space. She needed a breath of fresh air. She glanced at the dance floor where Chase and Edie stood and talked. The sudden sick feeling in her stomach stunned her. She dodged past the people in her way and headed in the direction of the door.

  When she stepped out into the moonlight, she smelled stale cigarette smoke among the sweet scents of the blooming flowers. The churning in her stomach increased with the memory of Clint and his passion for smoking. She turned as a flash of light to her right caught her eye. Her heart jumped in her throat. Before she could scream, a stinky hand covered her mouth and dragged her down the walkway between the barn and the next building.

  As soon as her assailant removed his hand, she screamed as loud as she could. But the music from the band and all the excited chatter of the townspeople drowned out her cry. She kicked and struggled to turn around to see her attacker’s face, but she didn’t have to use her eyes. With one deep breath in of a familiar scent, she knew.

  “Edie, what are you doing? I’ve told you there isn’t anything between us. I’m flattered and all—I really am—but you’ve got to stop this. I’m just…not yours.”

  “Oh, I get it. We need to move on, see other people, and build our lives separate from each other. I understand that. But that don’t mean we can’t have a nice dance together like civilized folk, does it? I mean, you and Grandaddy have been neighbors for years, and I’ve done all that work around your place. Heck, I even fed your new girlfriend a time or two before you kicked me out,” she reminded him coldly. “Least you could do is give a girl a dance.” She put both her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. “A girl’s got urges and feelings, too, you know,” she hissed in his ear.

  He resisted the scent of her too-strong perfume, as he craved for more space between them. “You’re not going to win me over, no matter how hard you try, Edie. You’re not going to guilt me into anything either. You’d best be looking for your Mr. Right elsewhere, ‘cause I’m not him. And as far as feelings and urges, you’re going to have to find someone else to placate you. You’re not getting it from me.”

  “Oh we’ll see about that.” She stomped on his toes with her boot heel, shoved him away, and left the dance floor.

  Chase sighed anxiously, grateful Edie had finally left but concerned about Lauren. Edie’s cloying perfume clung to his clothes and burned his nostrils. He needed to get some fresh air. He glanced around the barn. Where could Lauren be?

  Chapter 19

  Chase was glad the altercation with Edie was over. He’d danced stiffly, unyielding to her blatant advances, and had simply gone through the motions to avoid causing a scene. He’d lost sight of Lauren while dealing with Edie and it unnerved him. He wanted to keep an eye on her to make sure she was safe, especially since there was something threatening in Edie’s tone that gave him an uneasy feeling.

  He made his way from the dance floor to their table, but Lauren wasn’t there. He looked toward the food and drink area but didn’t see her standing in line for a refill. The air in the room suffocated him. Had Lauren felt the same pressure and gone outside?

  “Excuse me. Excuse me,” he said as he darted around the people in his way to the nearest exit. He bumped into Edie and when she turned and their eyes met, he didn’t like the anger that lurked there.

  Once outdoors, Chase scanned the area for Lauren. A group of cowboys leaned against the building, one leg hitched up on the wall. Laughter floated from across the street, but when he peered at the women, none of them were his fiancée. He trotted past line dancers stomping on the boardwalk to the music coming from inside the barn. He turned the corner and heard some muffled feminine squeals, and looked down the alley. In the shadows, a man was attempting to kiss a woman. Chase dismissed it as nothing but a couple trying to share a moment, but as he looked closer, a coral-colored shimmer reflected in the moonlight. When he heard a slap, he ran to the woman’s side.

  Lauren’s body shook with fear. She squirmed to get out of Clint’s hold. Her heart raced and she took uneven gulps of air. She kicked him, but her soft sandals didn’t faze him. She tried to scratch his face, but he caught her hands in his. He held her by the wrists, against the outside of the building, with her arms above her head. The bricks dug in to her skin as she twisted and turned to break loose, but his hold was too strong.

  When he drew one of his fists back, she cringed and turned her face away, but she didn’t manage to duck in time. His meaty fist slammed into the right side of her face, near her temple. Her vision blurred, her knees wobbled, and the last thing she saw before she fell to the ground was Clint’s ugly, smiling face.

  Chase’s anger boiled. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his heart pounded in his ears. He couldn’t get there fast enough to keep Clint from smashing his fist into Lauren’s beautiful face. His fury toward the man who had dared to put his hands on her again turned red hot.

  “You ready to pick on someone your own size now, asshole?” Chase came up swinging and threw the first punch. Clint hit the ground not far from Lauren, but pulled himself up and swung at the rancher. Chase ducked and landed a solid blow on his opponent’s right side of his face. Lauren had told him that Clint had broken her jaw once before and it had to be wired shut for months. He hoped he’d broken the bastard’s jaw. He hoped his mouth would have to be wired shut for months, too.

  Chase waited while Clint rolled to his hands and knees and staggered to his feet, then he let him have it with a left jab. Cartilage crunched, and blood spurted from Clint’s nose as he fell, bruised and broken, to the dirt. Chase looked down at the son of a bitch. Rage still pumped through his veins, but concern for Lauren kept him from killing the man.

  He rushed to Lauren’s side as she moved her head and started to come around. “Oh, baby, it’s okay. I’m here. Don’t worry. He’s not gonna lay another finger on you. Ever. I’m having him arrested.”

  “He…but he hit me again. It hurts so bad. I–I’ll never get away from him, will I? I knew he’d find me.” Her lips trembled as she spoke.

  “Don’t worry about that now. Everything is going to be okay.”

  He looked to the end of the alley when he heard a voice he recognized. “Hey, Jack, get the sheriff over here quick. This scumbag needs to be locked up ’fore I kill him.” His friend disappeared and Chase turned back to Lauren.

  “Can you stand?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  He helped her to her knees.

  “Wait, my head is spinning.” She touched the puffy place where her ex-boyfriend had punched her. “I bet this shiner’s gonna be a doozy, huh?”

  “Don’t worry about that either. We’ll get you all fixed up. You ready now? C’mon.” He pulled her up and held her shivering body pressed to his. He rubbed her back and arms to warm her and feel for broken bones.

  “What’s going on down here, Chase?” Mitch thundered toward them with Jack and a small crowd following. “Jack says you need me for somethin’?” Mitch looked at Lauren, blood running down her cheek and her right eye almost swollen shut. “Oh my God! Who did this to you?

  Chase pointed to where Cl
int lay, moaning and slowly coming around.

  The sheriff and a couple of deputies surrounded her attacker. They jerked Clint to his feet. He howled when they pulled his arms behind his back and tightened the handcuffs around his wrists.

  Chase held Lauren close. “He can’t get to you now or ever again, baby,” he said as the two deputies, each with an arm looped through Clint’s, hauled him away. Mitch dispersed the gawking people with a shooing motion of his hands.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. My buddy, the computer geek, called me just before we left the ranch this evening. Sorry I didn’t tell you, but in the excitement of the dance, I forgot all about it. Anyway, he cracked the code and got into Clint’s computer files.”

  “What did he find?”

  “It appears your ex-boyfriend has been running a little illegal gambling business on the side, and making a lot of illegal money. We’ll know more about it once the investigation is complete and all the dust settles, but for now, it should be enough to put him away for quite a few years.”

  Her eyes flooded with tears as she reached her arms around him and hugged his neck.

  “Thank you so much for saving me from him. I think he would have killed me this time. Thank you for passing his computer to your friend, too. I hope Clint gets what he deserves. I feel so much better and safer when I’m with you.”

  “And I want to keep it that way. Now let’s get to Doc’s so he can check out that cut on your cheekbone. It looks like you might need a couple stitches.”

  With his arm around her waist, he led her slowly out of the alley and down the street. Chase stopped to open the gate of a picket fence. “I thought we were going to the doctor’s? Even with my swollen eye, I can see this is a house.”

  Chase chuckled at the query in her voice. “The medical office is on the first floor. Doc Stevens lives above.” He rang the doorbell and then rapped on the door with his knuckles.