brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom (23 page)
Read brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom Online
Authors: judy christenberry
Pete nodded grimly. “I’m going to be there for Janie. It’s not fair to let her be alone.”
As he finished speaking, Doc came in the back door and hurried past them without a word. Pete watched him, his eyes large as he straightened in his chair. “Maybe I should—”
“They’ll call you, boy,” Hank assured him.
Pete had just subsided against the back of the chair when the door swung open and Anna appeared. Brett leapt up, but he wasn’t the one she wanted.
“Pete, it’s time,” she announced.
Without waiting for him to respond, she turned and ran out the door. Pete almost beat her to it.
A
NNA HAD MADE A DECISION
while she helped Doc deliver Janie’s twin boys. She had to leave. Obviously she couldn’t be trusted to resist Brett’s charms. Indeed, resisting them now would be almost impossible, now that she knew how powerful and wonderful those charms were.
She should never have lost control.
“Brilliant conclusion!” she muttered as, having reached her bedroom, she began pulling open drawers and dumping her clothes on the bed. She slid the suitcase out from under the bed, threw it open and placed the stacks of clothes haphazardly into it.
She wasn’t aware she was crying until a big, fat tear landed on her hand. She swiped her cheeks and kept on packing. The sooner she got away from the Randalls’, the sooner she’d be back in control.
Why had she been so stupid? She’d told herself all along that Brett wasn’t for her. She’d known he wouldn’t choose someone like her. Of course, that wouldn’t stop him from sleeping with her. Especially when she threw herself in his arms and encouraged him.
But when he kissed her, she forgot all her warnings.
And never would she forget the moments spent in his arms this morning. But he hadn’t spoken of the future, of love.
Her hand stole to her stomach as she realized they’d taken no precautions. The thought that she might even now hold Brett’s child inside her both thrilled her and brought a dose of despair. If that were true, she’d have to move away. She wouldn’t fall to Sylvia’s level, trying to trap Brett with a baby, even if it was his.
With a sob, she admitted she’d have to move away whether she was pregnant or not. She couldn’t remain in the area, watching Brett from a distance. Possibly running into him on the street. Watching him eventually marry and have his own children.
She sniffed and wiped her face again. Then she fastened the suitcase and hefted it off the bed onto the floor. She had to get away. She couldn’t think this close to Brett. The lack of sleep and emotional stress made a coherent thought impossible to find.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she straightened. Returning to Janie’s bedroom, she whispered a goodbye to Mrs. Dawson, checked on Janie and the babies one more time, then slipped from the room. Returning for her suitcase, she then started down the stairs.
She could hear voices from the kitchen and knew, as always, the family was gathered in their favorite room. Which was why she headed for the front door. She’d have to walk around the house to her car by the back porch, but no one would notice her departure. They were too busy celebrating the two newest Randalls.
She stowed away her suitcase and slid behind the wheel. As quietly as possible, she started the engine and eased down on the accelerator. In seconds she was leaving the Randall ranch behind.
And tears were rolling down her cheeks.
“D
ID
I
HEAR A CAR
?” Brett asked, thinking they were having company as word spread about the babies. Maybe B.J. was coming to see Janie.
Even as he casually rose to go to the window, his brain registered that the sound was getting fainter rather than louder. Curious, he leaned toward the window.
Just in time to catch the taillights of Anna’s car.
He whirled around to glare at Doc. “Where’s Anna going? She’s too tired to take another call.”
“Anna?” Doc asked, sitting up straight. “What call?”
Brett didn’t ask any more questions. He raced for the stairs. He slowed down to quietly open the door to Janie’s room, and Janie’s mother met him.
“Where’s Anna? Did she say where she was going?”
Lavinia stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “She said she was going back home,” she whispered. “I thought everyone knew.”
Panic filled Brett. Gone home? She was home! He’d been congratulating himself all day that Anna was now his, a part of his family, the center of his heart. Without a word, he left and ran to Anna’s room. The open drawers and empty closet told their tale.
With no logic or discernible thoughts, Brett ran back down the stairs, through the kitchen, ignoring the questions shouted at him, and out to his pickup. Fortunately he’d left the keys in it. Within seconds he was spinning out of the yard, chasing Anna.
She couldn’t leave him. She loved him. He knew she did. And if she didn’t, he’d teach her to love him. Because he couldn’t live without Anna.
Her little yellow car was pulling onto the highway when he first saw it. She wasn’t traveling very fast. Brett pressed down even more on the accelerator and began honking the horn.
He knew the moment she became aware of him because her car slowed, as if her foot had slipped from the accelerator. But instead of pulling over, as he’d hoped she would, she sped up.
Damn the woman! What did she think she was doing? He whipped onto the highway and charged after her. Though he’d had Mike tune her car to good condition, it didn’t have the power of his pickup. In a minute, he’d passed her. Then, after he’d gotten a little way ahead of her, he jammed on the brakes and slewed his truck across the two-lane highway, blocking Anna.
She had no choice but to stop.
He jumped out of the truck and reached her car door by the time she’d come to a halt.
“Where the hell are you going?” he demanded as he yanked open the door.
“Home,” she said, but she didn’t look at him.
He took her arm and pulled her from the car. “Look at me!”
Instead, she tried to turn away. He took her chin between his fingers and pulled her face around. The tears streaking down her pale cheeks almost broke his heart.
“Sugar, what are you doing to us?” he asked as he lifted her against him.
“Put me down. I have to g-go—”
“Where? Where do you think you can go so that I can’t find you?” He buried his face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her.
“I—I can’t stay, Brett. I’m not what you need. Megan and Janie pushed you into—into thinking you might like me. You haven’t had time—”
He slid her down his body until her lips were even with his. His mouth covered hers, swallowing the words that were spilling out. Later there would be time for explanations, arguments. Now he had to persuade her that she wasn’t going anywhere.
And he was persuading as hard as he could.
She pulled away, her fingers slipping between their lips. “Brett, you’re—you’re not listening to me.”
“Because you’re talkin’ nonsense, sugar. No one persuaded me to ‘like’ you! Damn it, I love you!” He dipped his head and trailed kisses down her neck. He heaved a sigh of relief when her arms went around his neck and she buried her head on his shoulder.
“That’s it, sugar. That’s it. We’re together. Forever and ever,” he crooned, as if he were comforting a baby. Indeed, her body trembled against him, and he felt her sobs. “Don’t you love me, Anna? Even a little? You tried to save me from a bull. I thought that meant you cared about me.”
“Of course I do!” she almost screamed, rearing back from his embrace. “I love you, you idiot!”
“Then why were you leaving?”
“Because I’m not right for you, just like Sylvia. I know we—we strike sparks off each other, but you need someone appropriate, someone important—”
“Strike sparks?” Brett shouted. “Damn it, we’re a nuclear warhead! I’ve never felt anything like I felt this morning, in this little bitty car.”
“We shouldn’t have—I lost control,” she confessed, collapsing against him again.
“I think that’s my line, Anna darlin’.”
“No, it was my fault. I threw myself at you. But it’s okay. I don’t expect anything—”
“Well, I do! If you don’t promise to marry me right away, I’m going to tell everyone you seduced me and then abandoned me. And after I paid five hundred dollars for your company, too.”
Her head popped up again. “Brett, don’t be silly. Men don’t—What? Paid? You didn’t know it was my box.”
“Yes, I did. I bribed the mayor. I need you, Anna O’Brien. No one else will do. You’re perfect for me.”
“Oh, Brett…” Anna whispered, her gaze roving his face as if searching for the truth.
“Anna, my love, I can’t live without you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Let me show you how sure I am.”
“D
AMN IT
,
SUGAR
, some day soon you’re going to have to give me time to get you to a bed before you attack me like that,” Brett complained as his heart returned to its normal speed. His smile of contentment stretched from ear to ear before he leaned down to kiss her again.
Anna loved him. All was right with the world.
She lay beneath him, her arms linked around his neck. “Me?” she complained with a grin. “You’re the one—”
A horn honking interrupted their soft teasing.
“Oh, mercy, I’m blocking the road,” Brett exclaimed, and began grabbing his clothes. Anna tried to help him even as she was pulling her sweatshirt over her head. “Hurry, Brett. Oh, this is so embarrassing.”
They heard a car door close and realized someone was coming to investigate. Brett zipped up his jeans and stepped out of the car to shrug on his shirt. Barefoot, he hurried to his truck, while Anna pulled the door closed behind him.
“Brett Randall, what are you doing blocking the—?” His first-grade teacher, Mrs. Renniker, asked as she peered at him through her glasses. She stopped her question when she saw Anna in the car behind him. Then she stared at his bare feet.
When her gaze traveled back up to his face, Brett knew it was beet red. He expected her to blister him with some sharp words.
Instead, she smiled. “I guess I’ll be getting an invitation to another Randall wedding soon.” She looked at Anna again. “Very soon.”
Brett turned back to look at Anna, too, his heart in his eyes. Then he beamed at Mrs. Renniker. “Yes, ma’am,” he agreed. “There’ll be another Randall wedding any day now.”
The hastily planned wedding was wonderful. Doc Jacoby gave the blushing bride away, and Brett thought she’d never looked more beautiful. Her red curls were subdued beneath the white veil, but he knew the fire in her was as strong as ever. And would be in their children, too.
The entire community once more came to the Randall ranch to enjoy another reception. There was a lot of talk about Jake’s plan, and the success he’d had.
Janie and Pete showed off their new sons from the top of the stairs. Janie wasn’t about to let anyone get closer and expose her babies to any germs. She took them back to their nursery, where their grandmother was waiting.
Megan and Chad were teased about their baby’s arrival. And Brett and Anna beamed at everyone. Several women grew teary eyed just watching Brett hover over Anna, not letting her out of his sight for a minute.
Jake raised a glass of champagne to toast the new couple. “Here’s to the latest Randall lady. My brothers have all been fortunate in their brides. May they all be happy and, of course, have lots of babies.”
His audience chuckled.
“What about you, Jake?” someone shouted. “Aren’t you gonna do your share to carry on the name?”
Several suggestions were shouted out for Jake to follow, but he shook his head, grinning.
“Not me, Miller. My job is to be the best damn uncle in the world. My brothers are taking care of the marriage duties.”
Everyone drank to his toast, and conversations continued.
Janie, Megan and Anna all stared at Jake, then looked at each other. First Janie, then Megan and Anna, raised their glasses and had a private toast.
Brett, catching sight of their action, slipped an arm around his wife. “What was that all about?”
Anna turned in his arms, loving his touch, the feeling of never being alone again, of belonging to Brett Randall. She reached up and kissed him softly. “Nothing, sweetheart. Just girl stuff.”
She winked at her new sisters-in-law before allowing her husband to carry her over the threshold of her new life.
eISBN 978-14592-6738-1
COWBOY GROOM
Copyright © 1997 by Judy Christenberry.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher Trademarks indicated with ® are registered In the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and In other countries.
Printed in U.S.A.
Table of Contents