*
*
*
*
Burke sighed. He didn’t like talking about that woman, but now he didn’t have a choice. “Let’s go downstairs and sit in front of the fire and I’ll tell you the grisly tale.”
Taking her hand, he led her downstairs to the comfortable couch in front of the massive stone fireplace. They sat side by side staring into the leaping yellow and orange flames.
He took a deep breath. It was difficult to talk about his ex. He didn’t want to dredge up all the painful memories, but Annie deserved to know. He didn’t want secrets between them. He continued to stare into the fire as he told his story.
“I met her at a stock show in Fort Worth. I was showing my prize bull and had won a big prize purse. I was elated and I wanted to celebrate so I went to the White Elephant Saloon for a few drinks with a couple friends of mine and there she was. Even now, I realize what a fool I was, allowing her beauty to sway me and she was a beauty! She latched on to me, batting her eyelashes at me, pressing her breasts against my arm at any opportunity. I felt honored that she picked me. We ended up in bed that night and wanting to impress her, I took her to a very expensive hotel. She assumed that I was a rich cattleman, especially since I won that prize purse. I never in my dreams imagined that I could land a girl like her. I was living all alone at the ranch and thought what the hell, why not get married? We got married the next day.”
Burke got up and put another log on the fire. He didn’t look at Annie. He didn’t want to see her disgust. He didn’t speak for a while and neither did she. Finally, he sat back down and continued.
“I didn’t know that she thought I was rich. My ranch was doing well, and I put any spare money back into the land hoping to be rich one day. I neglected the house and never bothered to update it. You could imagine what she thought as we drove up to it for the first time. That’s when I realized that she was a shrew. She accused me of tricking her into marriage and told me that she couldn’t believe that she had married ‘a struggling old cowboy with a patch of land.’ The woman I thought was beauty, kindness, and full of sunshine was really an ugly spoiled brat. I wasn’t poor by any means, but that wasn’t good enough for Alice and I ended up spending money, earmarked for the ranch, on her to make her happy, but it was never enough. It was a stupid thing to do financially. In these times with the price of beef uncertain and property taxes going up, I shouldn’t have dipped into my savings.
“Finally, I told her that the money tree had dried up. She was spitting mad and just like that she left. A couple weeks later, her lawyer insisted on half of all assets in a divorce settlement. I tried to fight her, but by then she had found herself a new sucker to pay her way. I had to give her half my land and I sold half my cattle. I’m lucky I still have a house to live in.”
Annie snuggled up against Burke, surprising him. He half expected her to go to her room and continue packing.
She put her arms around him, giving him a big hug. “I’m sorry you went through such an awful time.”
Burke put his arms around her drawing her closer. He didn’t know what good deed he’d done to deserve Annie, but he wasn’t about to question it. “I want this marriage to be a partnership. I want us to help each other to rebuild this ranch and to build a future for both our children and us.
I’m so sorry I made you cry earlier. It tore my heart out to know I was the cause of your misery.” He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face toward him. “Forgive me?”
She nodded as Burke swooped down to kiss her. He kissed her gently, coaxingly, nibbling at her bottom lip. She made small cries of delight. He licked the seam between her lips and she opened up for him. Soon she was matching her tongue to his. Annie put her arms around his neck pulling his mouth against hers even harder.
Eventually he broke off the kiss, and lifted her to put her on his lap, holding her close. “Good God, Annie if we don’t stop we’ll never have a proper wedding night.”
Closing her eyes, she laid her head on Burke’s shoulder and snuggled against him.
He could feel her finally relaxing in his arms, but her squirming was driving him to the brink of madness. Tomorrow was his wedding day and he prayed that he was making the right decision. It was a leap of faith, and lately his faith had really waned, but looking down at Annie as she slept, his heart lurched. He wanted to take this leap of faith. Maybe Ted was right and she was a keeper.
He really hoped so as he carried her up to her bed, put her under the covers, and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. She looked so peaceful, so lovely and he hoped that he never brought her misery again.
He could kick himself for bringing her any type of pain. That little gal had been through enough. He gazed at her bruises and her fat lip. It must have hurt when they kissed. Why didn’t she say anything? He wondered if her beating had been one of many. Brave, that’s what she was. His very own green-eyed warrior who threw caution to the wind and came to Texas to marry him.
She would have a good life here. They would have babies and the ranch would prosper. A scowl crossed his face. He couldn’t afford to dream. He did that once and look where it had gotten him. All he could really hope for was friendship. He’d give her children they both wanted them, but emotions couldn’t play into this arrangement. It would be more a business deal, a type of partn
ership. That’s how it had to be.
Chapter Four
Annie sat up in her bed. The sun streamed through her window bringing warmth and a good measure of happiness. This was her wedding day. She shot out of bed and hugged herself. She wanted to get up on her bed and jump up and down, something that she had never been allowed to do in the past, but she was afraid that Burke might hear her down in the kitchen.
Burke… she pressed her fingertips to her lips remembering their kisses from the night before. He had made her feel beautiful, even womanly and she wanted to open her window and shout her happiness to the world.
“It’s my big day Cat! I’m going to be a wife and I’m going to have a family. Maybe dreams do come true.”
Cat just stared at her.
Quickly, she dressed, wanting to spend her wedding day breakfast with Burke.
She wasn’t quite sure how she should greet him. Should she go right up to him and kiss him? He might not like that. Sometimes he could be so cold and aloof. She couldn’t wait to get married; she knew that things would be so different. They would labor side by side working the ranch and affection between them would be natural. Annie finally decided that a bright smile would be just the right greeting for her groom and she went downstairs.
Annie’s smile quickly dissipated. Once again, Burke was not there to have breakfast with her. Trying to be optimistic, she reasoned that he was probably just out in the barn tending to the animals. The animals wouldn’t stop needing tending just because it was their wedding. A special breakfast was just what he needed when he came in. Annie found a Belgium waffle maker in the cupboard the other day and today she planned to make use of it.
She made coffee and mixed the waffle batter, humming all the while, excited to see Burke. He had come to mean so much to her so quickly, and she was both pleased and a bit frightened. She hoped that he was really what he seemed, a man of integrity, gentleness, and honesty. The waffle maker finally heated and she began making waffles.
She began to get impatient as she used the last of the batter. Looking at the plate piled high with golden brown waffles, she felt pleased with her accomplishment. Surely, this was enough breakfast for any man, but where was he? She even put out Cat’s food while she waited.
Finally, she walked out to the barn to find him. She put on her best smile and entered, but to her dismay, he wasn’t there. Annie’s heart began to beat harder. Did he leave? He could have at least told her that the wedding had been canceled. If he thought she was going to just leave, he was crazy. They had a deal.
Burke rounded the corner and nearly knocked her over. He quickly held on to her waist to keep her from falling. He smiled at her but she didn’t smile back. “What’s wrong?”
“You tell me.”
“Annie I don’t have time for games. Just tell me what’s got you so riled.”
“Riled?” Annie stepped away from him, put her hands on her hips, and shook her head. “Riled?”
“Well isn’t that what they call it when a woman is all mad about nothing? Wait I take it back. What did I do?”
She couldn’t figure him out. “Now you ask what you did? What happened to riled?”
“I’ve been married before and I know that look. We really don’t have time for this.”
Taking a deep breath, she studied his face. He really did look as though he had no idea why she was upset. Slowly she let out her breath and gave him a weak smile. “When I couldn’t find you, I thought you decided to call off the wedding.”
“Never gave it a thought. You can’t just jump to conclusions.”
“I can’t get all
riled up
?
”
“They don’t say that in New York?”
“Not to a woman and expecting to live.”
Burke laughed deep and loud. “You sure are something.”
Grabbing Burke’s hand, she pulled him back toward the house and into the kitchen. “We have waffles to eat.”
Burke dutifully sat at the kitchen table and ate more than his share of the waffles. He watched her intently during the meal, eventually satisfied that she was all right. “Oh hell!” He looked at his watch. “We’re getting married in a few hours.”
Annie’s eyes grew wide, “I have to get ready and the kitchen is a mess and...”
Burke took control. He stood and grabbed her hand. He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “Up into the shower with you, I’ll tidy the kitchen.”
Annie nodded and started up the stairs.
“Don’t use all the hot water; I still have to shower too!” Burke called out to her.
*
*
*
*
Annie felt grateful that Burke was considerate enough to have the wedding at the ranch. She still had bruises on her face and had no desire to go to town. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She loved her dress. It was a strapless white silk creation with a lace overlay. The lace was in the pattern of roses and Annie just loved it. It was the most daring dress she’d ever worn. When she bought it in New York, she hadn’t anticipated the bruises on her arms, but she pretended now that they weren’t there. She left her curly auburn hair loose, falling down her back, except for the right side, which she swept up with a pearl encrusted comb. She put on her pearl necklace and earrings that were the only legacy she had from her mother. She didn’t spare a moment of thought for the woman who never seemed to want her. The array of emotion caught her off guard. She felt buoyant, nervous, lucky, and even more nervous. Leaving her own room, she hoped for the last time, she joined her groom downstairs.
Annie’s eyes misted as she took in the sight before her. A lot had been done in the last few hours. The family room had been totally transformed. There were red roses everywhere; someone had erected an arch in front of the grand fireplace, draped in red roses. Looking down, she saw the white runner that would lead her to her future husband. A woman she assumed to be Ted’s wife, Sherry handed her a bouquet of yellow roses. Annie smiled her thanks.
She couldn’t help but notice that they were the same flowers that she had fallen in love with, both at the old cabin and at this very house. The whole room smelled like roses, heavenly roses. It definitely made her feel like this was all a long-awaited homecoming.
Annie looked straight ahead and caught Burke’s gaze. She read the approval in his eyes and she knew that he didn’t find her lacking. Drawing her courage from him, she proceeded down the aisle. Her smile grew shaky as she took his hand, and she felt like her heart would burst. Burke looked so handsome in his black suit and she could tell that it was expensive and tailor-made. He looked striking. and she felt proud to be standing next to him. She became so lost in him that she barely made the right responses to the judge. She smiled when Burke took out not one but two rings for them to exchange. Annie hadn’t given it much thought, but it delighted her that he intended to wear a wedding ring.
Judge Mathers finally pronounced them Man and Wife and told Burke that he could kiss the bride.
*
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*
*
Kiss her? Burke wanted to eat her. God she looked so beautiful. Her dress molded to all her delec
table curves, driving him crazy
. He looked into her misted eyes and winked at her as he moved his lips closer to hers. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a searing kiss of possession. They became so lost in each other at that moment that they almost forgot about their guests. Burke heard someone clear his or her throat and reluctantly released Annie.
Joyously, Annie greeted and hugged their guests. It already looked as though she and Sherry would be fast friends, and the Judge was so rollie pollie that he could barely hug her. Ted came and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. Burke felt lucky to have her at his side. He was proud of how nice and friendly she acted toward all his friends.