Bridled and Branded (11 page)

Waving the evidence around, Lynlee said, “In case you forgot, you held me against my will, Scott. And I was very traumatized,” she added dramatically.

“She’s gotcha,” Rhett told them, nudging Blaine.

Why hadn’t he thought to contact security for surveillance? Come to think of it, why hadn’t they pressed charges? This wasn’t the good old boys club down here, and when women were involved, especially a McCain woman—and Lynlee was stamped as McCain’s now—all bets were off.

“I don’t know how much of this scheme you’ve developed with your significant other—spouse is hardly the right word—but if you pursue anything financial, anything more than what the courts will willingly allow for as fair, I will go to the police and press charges. In fact, piss me off just once, and I’m there. You should worry about what I might tell. I won’t leave anything out.”

Scott sneered. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?”

“I’m also a smart one. I believe your wife wanted to run her game on anyone willing to screw her. I’m betting here, but I believe the odds are in my favor. I’m willing to wager a lot of money on the fact that Rhett and Blaine weren’t the only men in her bed.”

Scott started to say something, and Lynlee held up her hand. “Plus, I don’t think she lucked up and fell into my fiancée’s bed one night and woke up pregnant the next morning.

“See, if she had done that, Mr. Sanders, then she would’ve accomplished something no other woman has been able to do. For you see, she would have pulled the only fertile seed from a well-covered stalk.”

* * * *

Sarah Beth shot Lynlee a go-to-hell look and she returned one of her own prior to exiting the show grounds. Lynlee wasn’t about to let a woman she didn’t know run some kind of twisted game on the man she loved.

When Blaine pulled up to a stop sign, Lynlee waved farewell to one of her grooms. Two of her employees from the farm were elated she trusted them enough to haul her prized mare and several ponies back to Tennessee.

Watching them turn left when Blaine took a hard right, Lynlee wondered what her life might be like in South Carolina. Sure, Blaine mentioned moving to Tennessee, but maybe it was time for a change.

Naturally, she worried how his family would respond to her, especially since so many people had told her throughout her life how much she resembled her mother. Would her presence day in and day out make for a difficult situation for Casey McCain, and what about Blaine’s mother, Victoria? Would she welcome Lynlee into the family with open arms?

“What do you think your parents will say about our engagement?” “They adore you,” Blaine assured her.

“How do you know?” she asked, turning sideways in the truck and resting her palms on a bended knee.

“Believe me when I tell you, our marriage doesn’t come as news to them.”

“It came as a surprise to me.”

“I spoke to Mother last night. She wants to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. I hope you’ll let her. I have to admit, I suggested a quick trip to the altar because I was afraid you’d change your mind.”

 
“That’s never going to happen,” she told him. “But what if you go home and decide I’m not who you thought? What if after a week of seeing me morning, noon, and night, you decide the long-distance thing worked better for us?”

“What if I decide I love you more with each passing day?”

“Blaine,” she sang. “You’re such a romantic sometimes.”

“Lynlee, I’m crazy about you. Every single time I left a show in the past, a piece of my heart stayed behind with you. I can’t do that anymore. I won’t do that anymore.”

He gripped the steering wheel a little harder. “I’m only sorry I didn’t wait for you. I never thought I’d say that, but now with everything that’s happened, I want you to know if I could change the past, I would. To have waited for you would’ve been the honorable thing to do.”

“Blaine, don’t,” she said quietly. “No one could’ve known this kind of incident would’ve happened out of a one-night stand.”

“One-night stands often lead to a lot of dirty little exposed secrets no one wants to hear about, let alone face. Unplanned pregnancies, diseases, lunatics stalking the innocent, you name it, and anything could happen.”

“Anything can happen walking down the street, Blaine. A random person can make an untrue accusation, and suddenly, the whole world believes you’re unworthy, lacking honor or something. Believe me, this isn’t the first obstacle we have to cross, and it won’t be the last.”

“Have I told you in the last five minutes how much I love you?”

Her heart turned cartwheels. She was certain of it. “Yes, but you can tell me again, if you have one more left in you.”

He winked. “I have a lifetime of I love yous, Lynlee Lewis.”

“Good. I want to hear each and every one of them.”

They drove along in silence, and at one point, she almost fell asleep. Lost in between a few fantasies and restless dreams, she turned her head and looked into his beautiful eyes. “Blaine,” she cooed, “I’m actually glad you didn’t wait on me.”

“Really? Why’s that?”

“Think of how much fun you’ll have teaching me everything you know.”

Chapter Fifteen

The short ride home turned into a fourteen-hour road trip. Blaine couldn’t keep his hands off her so they’d stopped at two different hotels between Asheville and Anderson. Lynlee couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do than Blaine McCain. Blaine apparently shared the same sentiments for her.

They finally arrived at the McCain ranch around midnight and Lynlee vaguely remembered Blaine carrying her to bed. At eight o’clock the next morning, Blaine set a hot cup of coffee on the bedside table, kissed her softly on the lips and told her he’d see her downstairs.

After a quick shower, Lynlee met Blaine in the foyer. Hand-in-hand, they walked into the dining room where they were immediately joined by Carlisle, one of Blaine’s brothers. Carlisle was a corporate attorney by day and one wild cowboy by night. Lynlee had known him for as long as she’d known Blaine.

 
“Good morning, beautiful,” Carlisle teased Blaine, giving his brother a hearty pat on the back. “You, too, Lynlee.” Carlisle planted a kiss on her cheek. “I hear we’re going to be family.”

“It looks that way,” she said, smiling up at Blaine.

Carlisle whistled. “Lynlee honey, you just keep getting prettier. Blaine, you might as well prepare to share. I’m calling shotgun with this one.”

Blaine snarled. “I don’t need a side-kick in the passenger’s seat this time, big brother.”

Lynlee couldn’t help but giggle. Carlisle was a huge flirt and his advances drove Blaine a little crazy.

 
“What’s on the wedding agenda for the day, sweetie?” Carlisle asked while scooping up a hearty helping of scrambled eggs. “Or have you decided to trade in your gelding for the chance to ride a prized stallion?”

“Can you tone down the flirtations now that Lynlee is my fiancée?” Blaine grabbed a piece of bacon from one of the serving platters and broke the crisp piece in half.

“I don’t think so, little brother. Flirting with Lynlee will be the best part of waking up.”

“Great,” Blaine grumbled, filling his plate with pancakes and sausage links. Lynlee opted for fruits and yogurt, trying her best to avoid the tempting slices of French toast and fruit-filled Danish selections.

 
“Don’t worry, Blaine. Rhett and I had more than we could handle last night. Besides, I’m not ready to take a bullet.”

“Bite the bullet,” Blaine corrected him.

“Whatever,” Carlisle said. “From what I understand, you’re doing both.”

Blaine narrowed his gaze. “I’ve had about enough of you this morning.”

“That’s what she said,” he teased, pointing upstairs. “Lucky for me, Rhett took a little vixen off my hands this morning.”

“Rhett’s still here?” Lynlee asked, hoping she didn’t sound excited about the fact.
 

“He lives here, in case Blaine forgot to mention that.” Carlisle leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. He studied her with an arched brow. “Left an impression on you, did he?”

“That’s enough!” Blaine shouted, slapping his hand beside his plate. “Lynlee, can you excuse us for a few minutes?”

Lynlee rose from the table, and Carlisle bit out, “Sit down, hon. My brother lost his manners when he lost the one sperm required to impregnate a woman.”

“Lynlee, give us three minutes.”

Carlisle pushed away from the table. “If you want to talk to me, you’ll follow me to the car. I have a meeting at ten.” Slipping a kiss on Lynlee’s cheek, Carlisle said, “I’m looking forward to more pleasant mornings in the future, sister-in-law.”

“Me, too,” Lynlee grumbled, staring at her plate.

Once they disappeared down the front hall, Lynlee stared outside. In a matter of seconds, she watched two brothers exchange heated words. Blaine followed Carlisle to his black Jeep Cherokee. Carlisle opened his door. Blaine slammed it shut.

Often called the redheaded stepchild of the milkman, everyone picked on Carlisle, and generally, when they did, they found a good fight. At one point, Carlisle stood mere inches from Blaine’s face, wagging his finger right in front of Blaine’s nose. Blaine stormed off and then came right back to stand in front of Carlisle which apparently started another round of bickering.

She’d love to know what they were bitching about.

“They do this all the time,” Rhett said, grabbing an apple from the breakfast buffet and tossing the fruit toward her. “Here, an apple a day keeps the villains away.”

“How many villains do you know on this ranch?”

“Plenty come and go,” he said. “Or so I’m told.”

“Are you one?”

“Depends on who you ask,” he replied, waving at two blondes making their way to the front door.

“I guess someone had a good time last night.”

“A blast,” Rhett admitted. “Carrie and Sherry. Carrie goes both ways. Sherry doesn’t, which is a shame. I enjoy watching a little ‘girl action’ every now and again.”

“You’re sick, and I don’t want to know.”

“You’re soaking wet. I smell your arousal. Gets you going watching Carlisle and Blaine have words, doesn’t it?”

“God, you’re crude,” she said, standing. She made her way to the teacart, poured a glass of orange juice, and sipped thoughtfully. “If you smell anything at all, it’s that cheap perfume one of those broads wore. I could choke on you from here.”

He snickered. “Now that sounds like a delicious offer. On your knees. I won’t make you ask twice.”

“Hold your breath and wait for that, okay Rhett?”

Rhett shrugged, draping his arm over the back of the chair. “Want me to ask him for you, or do you want to do it?”

“About?” she asked, leading.

“You want me. Blaine won’t care to share. All you have to do is ask.”

“Get over yourself. After you’ve had God knows who in your bed last night, I want anything but you.”

“Keep telling yourself that, darlin’. Keep telling yourself all those beautiful lies.”

She actually meant it, she mused, watching the two busty broads making their way to the tiny BMW sports car parked next to Carlisle’s Jeep. “Something about this whole situation isn’t right, Rhett.”

“What’s that, doll?” he asked, shoving a piece of buttered toast between his lips.

“This thing with Scott and Sarah Beth Sanders. I can’t put my finger on it, but when I do, I’ll be the first to tell you.”

“Kid could belong to anyone, you know. She’s a nymphomaniac. I’ve never seen a woman go at cock like that one.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Lynlee walked out and almost made it to the foyer when Rhett called out, “He’ll never make you happy, Lynlee. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, it’s that he won’t be able to resist other temptations.”

“He makes me happy.”

“But not forever,” Rhett stated flatly. “His father couldn’t make your mother happy, and Blaine can’t be the man you want him to be, Lynlee. Trust me. All you’re going to do is cause one another unnecessary pain.”

She wheeled around and said, “Are you friends with Blaine?”

“Of course I am.”

“Then why don’t you want him to marry me? He says he loves me. Doesn’t that mean something?”

Rhett studied her a long time and finally said, “I could give you any number of reasons why you and Blaine won’t work.”

“Why not start with the one that weighs the heaviest on your mind?”

Rhett shook his head, and when Blaine walked in, he said, “I don’t believe in talking behind your back.”

“I hope not,” Blaine said.

“Why don’t you tell her yourself? You and I both know you won’t make any woman a good husband. If you love Lynlee, at least give her the truth.” Rhett’s eyes darted back and forth from Blaine to Lynlee. When they finally settled on Lynlee again, he said, “When you want him home, he’ll be out at the bars. When you want him in bed with you, he may be in bed with me and the latest flavor of the month. When you need him to hold you, he won’t be there, and when you grow old alone, bitter because he didn’t make all of your dreams come true, you’ll look at me and say, ‘why didn’t you tell me.’ I’m telling you now. He won’t make you happy.”