Teasing Annie: The Temptation Saga: Book Two (14 page)

“
A
re
you sure you want to do this?”

Annie clicked her suitcase shut and turned around to face Dusty. After three days of broth and TLC from her friend, Annie was as good as new except for a few bruises. Riggs hadn’t beaten her nearly as badly as she’d feared. It had seemed worse at the time because it had been so long. She bounced back quickly.

“I can’t stay, Dusty.”

“We need you here.”

“You’ll find another vet.”

“But not another Annie.”

Annie smiled and hugged her friend. “We’ll e-mail.”

“It’s not the same.” Dusty sat down on Annie’s bed and began to sort through a box of books. “He’s hurting.”

Annie sighed. “So am I.”

“But this is silly. Neither one of you needs to be hurting.”

“He hasn’t come by.”

“He thinks you hate him.”

“I don’t hate him.”
God no, I don’t hate him
.

“He loves you.”

“He told me.”

“Do you love him?”

“It doesn’t make a difference.”

“How can you say that? Of course it does!”

“No. It really doesn’t. He abandoned me when I needed him. He cast me aside and wouldn’t let me explain myself. What kind of love is that? What kind of trust is that? I won’t get back into that kind of marriage.”

Dusty chuckled.

“What is so funny?”

“You sound just like him. That’s why he wouldn’t let you explain in the first place. He was afraid of getting into another marriage like his first. Now you’re saying the same thing.”

Annie sat down on her bed, exasperated. There was truth in Dusty’s words. “He hasn’t tried to contact me.”

“Can you blame him?”

“No.”

“Come home with me. Have dinner with Zach and Sean and me. Maybe we can convince you to stay.”

“Dusty, if he hadn’t sent me away, maybe I wouldn’t have gone home and found Riggs waiting.”

“And maybe you would have.”

“Maybe I would have, but I would have fought back like I used to. I… I’m embarrassed to say I just let him beat me. I didn’t think there was anything to live for. The man I loved had just—”

“Ah-ha!”

“What?”

“You love him.”

“So what?”

“You will not walk away from love, Annie DeSimone. I won’t let you.”

“It’s not your decision.”

“You’re right.” Dusty rose from the bed. “But as your friend, I plan to use everything within my power to convince you to stay. To not give up on love. Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“Oh, just to the living room. I think I heard the doorbell.”

“What the hell are you talking about? There was no doorbell.”

“Didn’t you hear it?”

“Of course not.”

“Gee. I’m almost sure I did. You’d better check.”

“
You’d
better check. Your ears, that is.”

“Humor me. I know I heard it.”

“Fine. God.” Annie walked to the door and opened it. Sitting on the welcome mat, his tail thumping happily, was Jet. “What in the world?” Annie knelt down to pet him. Around his neck was an envelope tied to a string. “How long have you been sitting here, cutie?” Annie detached the envelope and opened it. Something fell out and clinked on the cement. Annie paid no attention and unfolded the note.

Annie’s eyes began to mist. Damn him, anyway. Sending his dog to do his dirty work. He knew she couldn’t resist Jet. She fell to her knees and hugged the wriggling dog. “I’ve missed you,” she said, burrowing her face into his soft head. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“What about me?”

A shadow crossed over her, and she looked up into Dallas’s dark eyes. They were filled with remorse. Sorrow. And love.

“Dallas…”

“Hear me out, okay?”

“We’ve been through this.”

“Please.”

“All right. You want to go inside?”

“Dusty’s there.”

“Yeah. The two of you planned this, didn’t you?”

“Guilty. But I want to talk to you privately, so we’ll stay here.” He sat down next to her on the stoop, picked up something shiny, and slipped it in his pocket. He took both of her hands in his large, beautiful ones. “If I could relive the last two weeks, I’d do so much differently, Annie.”

She nodded. “So would I.”

“Don’t be silly. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I told you about the pill.”

“And I should have let you explain. You should have been able to talk to me. Hell, you should be able to tell me anything. That’s how it should be between two people who love each other.”

“I never said—”

“I know you didn’t. But I love you. And that’s enough for now. You don’t have to love me. All I ask is that you give me the chance to convince you I’m worth loving.”

“You’re worth loving, Dallas.”

“I hope so. I can’t change what’s happened, but I can promise you I love you and I trust you. I know who you are. You’re bright, and warm, and caring, and wonderful. There’s not a deceptive bone in your body, and I think I knew that all the time. I won’t let my experiences with Chelsea color our relationship ever again. I swear it. I’ll do whatever you want to prove that. I’ll even go to counseling.”

Annie couldn’t help giggling. Dallas McCray in counseling? “You do love me, don’t you?”

“More than anything.”

“I can’t imagine you agreeing to counseling. You don’t seem the type.”

“If it’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

She sighed. “You don’t need counseling, Cowboy. You need a good stiff kick in the shorts.”

“I’ve gotten that. From Zach, Dusty, and Chad. Even from my ma.” He chuckled. “From Jet, too. And the biggest came from myself.”

Annie stared into his coffee-hued eyes. Could she forgive him? Oh, she wanted to. She wanted nothing more than to melt into his strong arms and live happily ever after.

“Riggs might come after me again.”

“He won’t. He’s going to prison for a long time.”

“For parole violation? And for beating me up? That’s not likely to lead to a life sentence.”

“But murder will.”

“What?” Annie’s body tensed. “What do you mean, murder?”

“I hired a private investigator. An old school chum of Chad’s. The fella can track anything. It seems Riggs killed a convenience store clerk in Tiny Creek, Kansas.”

“They’re sure it’s Riggs?”

“He’s on videotape.”

“Wow.” Annie leaned back against her front door. “Wow.”

“So he will go to prison for a long time.”

“He could escape.”

“Not likely. But if he did, I’d protect you. With my life if I had to.”

“I don’t want you in danger.”

“I’m not. The only danger to me is a broken heart, Doc.” He let go of her hands and pulled her into a hug. “God, I love you so damn much it hurts.”

The ice around Annie’s heart began to melt. She started to speak, but Dallas touched two fingers to her lips.

“There’s something I need to say. And to be honest, I’m afraid to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I want to be completely honest with you. I want you to trust me, and I want you to understand that I trust you.”

“Okay. That’s what you wanted to tell me?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Larry, he’s the PI, found something else.”

“Uh-huh?”

“I suppose you know Riggs didn’t have the resources to find you on his own.”

“I hadn’t thought about it. Although he did want money from me. But then, he always wanted money.”

“He had help finding you. The trail leads back to—”

“Oh God.” Annie took a deep breath. “Chelsea.”

“Yeah. And Jon Parker.” Dallas reached toward Annie’s face and twirled a stray curl around his fingers. “This is my fault, Annie. Not yours. I know you blame me.”

“What Chelsea does is not your fault, Dallas.”

“If I hadn’t married her in the first place—”

“Then we wouldn’t have met,” Annie said.

“What?”

“Everything you do, every person who crosses your path, contributes to where you are today. Who you are today.” She reached toward him, her hand shaking, and caressed his lightly stubbled cheek. “And who you are today is the man I love.”

He pulled away from her, his gaze meeting hers. As Annie looked into his eyes, she swore she saw straight into his soul.

“Say that again,” he said. “Please.” His chin trembled, and his emotion swirled into Annie as if it were her own.

“I love you, Dallas McCray. I have since that first night when you stayed with me and comforted me. I knew then there would never be anyone else.”

“Oh, Annie. Baby.” He pulled her into his body and took her mouth in a frantic meeting of lips and tongues. Annie’s heart burst with the joy of his kiss. Of his love.

“Say you’ll stay with me.” Dallas nipped her earlobe and whispered against her skin. “Please. Say you’ll stay.”

“I’ll stay, Cowboy.” She pushed away slightly. “But you’d better never hurt me again.”

“God. Never. I swear it. I never—”

“Make the same mistake twice,” they finished in unison.

“Well, I don’t,” he said. He nibbled on her neck, his hands roaming over her breasts. “I want to take you to bed. Now.”

Annie’s pulse raced. “Here? On my stoop?”

“I could.” He pressed her hand onto his arousal, which was very apparent through his jeans. “I don’t even have to work up to it. I’m hard whenever I’m near you. Hell, I’m hard whenever I’m thinking of you, which is all the time. It’s made me crazy.”

“You’ll have to wait a little while, Cowboy.”

“Not long, I hope.”

“No.” She smiled into his eyes. “Not long.”

“Oh”—Dallas scrounged in his pocket—“I almost forgot. I know it’s soon and all, but since you’re staying, and since you love me”—he winked—“I’d like to give you this.”

In his hand was the most beautiful ring Annie had ever seen. Amethyst baguettes surrounded a large emerald cut diamond set in yellow gold.

“I never realized this before, but those purple stones match your eyes perfectly,” Dallas said. “White gold or platinum would be better with your skin tone. We’ll have it reset.”

“Reset?”

“Yeah. I want it to be perfect for you.”

“It is perfect, Dallas.”

“It doesn’t have to be an engagement ring. I know it’s early. You can wear it on your right hand, and maybe someday, soon I hope, you’ll want to wear it on your left.”

“Dallas, I—”

“It was my grandmother’s. My ma gave it to me when I turned twenty-one. I never gave it to Chelsea. It didn’t feel right. But it feels exactly right to give it to you, Annie.”

“Oh, Cowboy.” Annie closed her eyes and two tears squeezed out and trickled down her cheeks.

“It’s okay, Doc.”

“Yes. It’s very okay, and don’t you dare have this ring reset, Dallas McCray. It’s perfect as it is.”

“All right. If that’s what you want.”

“It’s what I want.” She sniffed. “Well, aren’t you going to put it on me?”

He smiled and took her right hand, but she pulled it away. “Wrong hand, Cowboy.”

His eyes widened, the darkness sparkling. “You mean?”

“Yeah. Let’s make it an engagement ring. If that’s what you want.”

“Oh, baby.” He kissed her lips hard. “I’m going to be a gentleman and do this right. Stand up.”

Annie rose and Dallas knelt before her, taking her left hand in his. “Annalisa DeSimone, I love you with all my heart. Will you be my wife?”

Tears of joy flowed as Annie knelt down to face Dallas. “I love you too. Yes, I would be honored to be your wife.”

Dallas slipped the ring onto Annie’s finger. “A perfect fit.” He smiled. “I knew it would be.”

“Me too,” Annie said. “A perfect fit.”

Jet panted and wiggled around them. “How long did you make this poor dog sit out here on my stoop?”

“Long enough for Dusty to get you out the door.”

“Tyrant.” She clasped her hand to her mouth. “Oh my God. When I opened your note, something fell out. Was it…?”

“Yeah, it was the ring.”

“You put an antique diamond ring around a dog’s neck?”

“I’m no dummy. I know you can’t resist Jet.”

“You’re no dummy?” Annie laughed. “I can see we’re going to have to have a little talk about priceless objects and their care.”

“I don’t put much stock in things, Doc, although this ring does mean a lot to me, since it was my grandma’s.”

“I’ll take excellent care of it,” Annie said. “I promise never to put it around a dog’s neck. In fact, I promise never to take it off.”

“Then it will be exactly where it belongs.” Dallas stood and pulled Annie to her feet. “And now I’m going to make love to you, my beautiful wife-to-be. I can’t wait any longer. So go get rid of Dusty.”

“I can’t just kick her out.”

“I can.”

“Dallas!”

Annie stood helplessly on her stoop for less than a minute before Dusty came rushing out.

Annie opened her mouth to speak, but Dusty shushed her. “Don’t say a word. I understand completely.” She pulled Annie into a hug. “I’m so happy for both of you. Bye.”

When Annie entered the bedroom, Dallas was already lying on the bed. Naked. Her breath caught. She would never tire of the beautiful, magnificent sight of him. She undressed slowly and provocatively, purposefully tormenting him.

“You’re killing me, Doc.”

“I know. I love this power I have over you.”

“Get your pretty self over here. Now.”

“Ah. Exerting husbandly authority already, are we?”

When she had finally disrobed completely, he pulled her onto the bed. “I’m going to love you until dawn,” he whispered.

Annie climbed on top of him and impaled herself, easing down slowly, the sweet stroke of him completing her. “Only until dawn, huh?” Her words were a breathless rasp. “I’m going to love you forever, Cowboy.”

A
Month Later

“She had the eye of every single man around.” Chad clapped Dallas on the back and kissed the cheek of his new sister-in-law. “You’re lucky you saw her first, big brother.”

“I know,” Dallas said, squeezing his wife’s hand. “Believe me, I know.”

The small wedding held at Laurie McCray’s sprawling ranch house had turned into a lavish reception, complete with a champagne fountain and buffet dinner with a giant baron of McCray roast beef. Annie’s parents had flown out and Sylvia and Laurie had become fast friends.

“Come dance with me, Chad.”

Annie turned to see Caitlyn Bay, looking exquisite in a clingy dress of pink silk. Chad’s eyes widened. Clearly he took notice of his pretty young neighbor.

“I’m not much of a dancer, Catie,” he said.

“What a crock,” Catie said. “You’ve danced with every woman here, including my mother and my sister. I want my turn.”

“I don’t think it would be appropriate.”

Annie pulled Chad close and whispered, “Dance with her. It would mean a lot to her.”

“She’s just a kid, Annie.”

“Dance with her anyway. It’s my wedding. Do it for me.”

“Christ. All right.” He turned back to Catie and took her arm. “Let’s cut the rug, little bit.”

Annie winced at the term
little bit
. “Lord, he’s going to break her heart,” she said to Dallas.

“Break her heart? She’s a kid, Doc.”

“She’s seventeen, Cowboy. That’s darn close to eighteen.”

“Still a kid.”

“Not according to your great State of Colorado. Or the United States, for that matter.”

“And Chad’s twenty-eight.”

“So? Next year he’ll be twenty-nine, and she’ll be eighteen. Legal and all. She’s in love with him, Dallas. Look at the stars in her eyes.”

“Chad has more than enough women in love with him as it is. More than even
he
can handle, and they’re all over twenty-one. Catie’s just a friend of the family.”

“You are blind as a bat. She’s in love.”

“If it’s anything, it’s just a crush.”

“Husband, you are so naive.”

His lazy grin started her heart racing. “I like it when you say that.”

“That you’re naive?”

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Nah. When you call me
husband
.”

“Ah. In that case, husband, husband, husband. My gorgeous, rugged, incredible husband. Would you do something for me?”

“Anything. I’m at your command.”

“Oh, I like that.”

“I figured you would. What’s your wish, baby? I’ll do anything for you.”

“Would you take me to bed?”

“Annie, honey?”

“What?”

“Let me make this perfectly clear.” He picked her up and headed toward the house. “The answer to that question will always be a resounding yes.”

“Geez, Cowboy, not in front of all these people.” She struggled, giggling, but didn’t put much fight into it. “I meant later. At home.”

“Don’t want to wait.”

“What’s your mother going to think?”

“Don’t care.”

“What’s
my
mother going to think?”

“Still don’t care.”

“In that case”—she smiled into his warm brown eyes, dark with desire—“hurry.”