World's Most Eligible Texan (19 page)

“Get married twice?” she said, laughing and feeling giddy.

“Yes, darlin',” he drawled. “I'm not letting you get out of my sight until you're Mrs. Aaron Black.”

“Mrs. Aaron Black,” she repeated, unable to believe it and touching his cheek, feeling the rough stubble.

“I didn't shave. I had to wring where you were out of your friend.”

“She promised me she wouldn't tell you, and Jessica has never gone back on a promise.”

His eyes twinkled. “I did a little sweet-talking and she saw things my way.”

“Aaron, you're impossible.”

“C'mon. We're wasting time here.”

She couldn't stop touching him any more than he could keep his hands from her while they found a justice of the peace and were married with two neighbors as witnesses. By nine o'clock they were in the bridal suite of a hotel in Fort Worth, a room with a balcony and a view of the lights of the city sprawled below, but she had eyes only for Aaron as she stepped into his arms.

“I'm not dressed for a wedding.”

“It doesn't matter. You'll be undressed in minutes,” he whispered as he pulled her into his arms to kiss her hungrily. “I want you with me the rest of my life, darlin',” he said, showering kisses on her throat as he twisted free the buttons of her blue shirt and pushed it away from her shoulders.

Suddenly she leaned away from him. “Aaron! I forgot! I have a job and an apartment I leased for the next six months. I have to be at work Monday morning.”

“No, you don't.”

“I signed a contract for the apartment, and I have a verbal contract for the job.”

“Darlin', my big brother is ever so good at untangling things like contracts and commitments. We'll turn the problem of your new job and apartment over to him and he'll get you out of the deals and he'll find someone else to teach in your place.” Aaron unfastened her bra and cupped her breast. “Don't give it another thought,” he said in a husky voice.

She closed her eyes and moaned, the worries already vanished as she tugged at his belt. “You and these big Texas belt buckles.”

“It's easy. A flick of the wrist,” he whispered unfastening his belt and bending down to stroke her nipple with his tongue.

“Oh, Aaron, I love you, love you.”

He framed her face with his hands, looking into her eyes. “I love you, Mellie, with all my being. Mrs. Aaron Black, my wife, my love.” He wrapped his arms around her to kiss her, and she melted into his embrace, sliding his shirt off his shoulders and running her hands across his bare back.

He picked her up to carry her to bed and she clung to him, happiness filling her and a sense of everything being right once again in her world.

P
amela hurried across the foyer of the church.

Looking handsome in his black tux, Matt Walker stood waiting. His expression was solemn and preoccupied, but as he took her arm, he smiled down at her. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you. Matt, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your standing in for the father I never had. The minute this service is over, you go on back to the hospital. You don't have to come out to the ranch for the reception.”

“I'm going to take you up on that, Pam. Dusty Winthrop, one of my best hands, is standing watch for me.”

“Miss Miles, Mr. Walker.” The wedding coordinator peered at them over her glasses. “It's time.” She hurried around to straighten out the train of Pamela's wedding dress.

As they began to move toward the center aisle, Pamela looked up at Matt. “You're the most handsome man any bride ever had escort her down an aisle.”

Matt grinned. “Aaron can't stop grinning and he can't carry on a coherent conversation, so we need to get this over with.”

As she smiled, her gaze ran over the crowd that stood and turned to face them. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Aaron had paid for everything and heaven knows what it had cost him to pull this all together within days. Jessica was her maid of honor, and after she'd met Rebecca, Aaron's sister, Pamela had asked Rebecca to be a bridesmaid. Aaron had been right. All his family were friendly and welcoming and she knew she was going to be good friends with Rebecca who had accompanied her to the church today. When they'd arrived, the two had been alone for a few minutes.

Rebecca had hung up the wedding dress, helping Pamela with her things in the dressing room. “My brother looks like he's going to explode with happiness.” She turned to face Pamela. “I'm so glad you're marrying him and you'll be my sister-in-law. I didn't know my brother had such great taste, finding someone like you.”

“Thanks, Rebecca. I'm so in love with him and now I'm falling in love with his family. I only had my mother and there were always problems.”

“That's over. Forget it,” Rebecca said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Rebecca, we haven't told anyone—well, I've told Jessica, but no one else—we're going to have a baby. I'm pregnant.”

Rebecca's mouth opened and her eyes widened and then she flew across the room to hug Pamela who let out her breath. Now she knew everything would be all right with his sister.

“I'm thrilled. Oh, have a girl. We need more girls in this family. I'm so happy for both of you. And I'll keep your secret. Don't worry,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

The door opened and Jessica entered and the conversation changed, but Pamela felt as if another weight had lifted off her heart.

As she walked down the aisle, she looked at Aaron and joy warmed her heart. Her Aaron, the love of her life. He looked breathtakingly handsome in his black tux, but then she looked
into his green eyes and forgot the wedding, the crowd, everything except the man waiting to marry her for the second time.

As Matt placed her hand in Aaron's, she looked up at him and couldn't wait to be alone with him again.

His brother officiated, and his other brother, Jeb, was best man. As she looked at Jacob Black, she could see little resemblance in the two brothers. The Reverend Jacob Black was stocky, blue-eyed and only their brown hair was similar. Aaron and his brother, Jeb, looked far more alike with their height, green eyes, brown hair and lean builds.

With Aaron, she repeated wedding vows, and Aaron slipped a gold band onto her finger. After a blessing and prayer, Reverend Black declared them husband and wife.

Aaron raised her veil and leaned down to kiss her. She placed her hand on his shoulder and kissed him briefly. He raised his head. “Race you up the aisle.”

She laughed as he turned, stretched out his legs and gave Matt a high-five when he passed him. She tried to keep up with Aaron's long stride.

“You weren't joking.”

“I want you alone in bed with me, darlin'. We're not staying long at the ranch, and my family knows that. Our guests can party until tomorrow, but I have other plans for you. We'll have our own party, darlin'.”

“Your sister and brothers—”

“I had my visit with them during the past few days.”

They raced to a limo and the driver pulled away, speeding out of Royal to the Black ranch and from the moment they settled in the back seat, Aaron closed them off from the view of the driver and pulled her into his arms to kiss her.

An hour later on the lawn behind the ranch house, Pamela stood talking to Jessica who moved away to get a piece of cake. Within moments Rebecca sauntered up. “I've told Aaron goodbye and will tell you goodbye now. My flight leaves this evening.”

“I'm so glad you were here,” Pamela said, meaning it wholeheartedly.

“You'll see more of me. I'm thinking of coming home and opening a practice here.”

“For selfish reasons, I'm glad, but we'll be in Spain.”

“He'll come home eventually. You can't keep Aaron away from Texas.”

Pamela looked across the lawn as a breeze tugged at her hair. She saw her handsome husband standing with a cluster of his Texas Cattleman's Club friends and wondered if they were talking horses, football or the missing diamond. For a time, she would be glad to leave the danger and problems behind, but she knew they were having a short honeymoon because Aaron wanted to get back to Royal to help his friends. When he turned his head, his gaze met hers and she felt as if he had reached out and touched her.

Aaron turned back to his friends, looking at Dakota, Ben, Justin and Greg Hunt who had joined them as well as the fellow Cattleman members Forrest Cunningham and Hank Langley. Greg, Forrest and Hank were interested in the problems the other club members were facing.

“Matt went back to the hospital to watch Lady Helena,”

“That red diamond has to be here in Royal,” Dakota said.

“Pamela and I won't be gone long and then I'll be back in Royal. Dakota, you and Matt both have my pager number and my cell phone number if you need to reach me.”

“Yeah, I'm sure you'll answer your cell phone on your honeymoon.”

Aaron grinned and looked across the lawn at Pamela who took his breath every time he glanced at her. In a white satin and lace wedding dress, she looked regal and beautiful, but he wanted her alone and naked in his arms.

He heard his friends discussing the burned scrap of paper found at the landing site, speculating on the little they could read, but he barely listened.

“The coroner agreed to see me Monday,” Dakota said, “and Sheriff Escobar has agreed. Maybe we can learn a little more about Riley Monroe's death. Ben, are you still watching Jamie?”

“Yes, I am. Not a difficult task, and I am going to say goodbye now because I do not want her out of my sight.” He looked at Aaron and offered his hand. “May all happiness come to you and your beautiful bride,” he said.

“Thanks, Ben,” Aaron said, shaking his hand and watching his friend stride away, the long robe swishing around his legs. Aaron moved impatiently. “Excuse me, my friends, I'm getting my bride and getting the hell out of here.”

They laughed and gave him congratulations and best wishes as he walked away. He told his brothers goodbye and then found Pamela, slipping his arm through hers. “I need to see you,” he said, smiling at the group of friends clustered around her before he whisked her away.

“C'mon. I have a car waiting and we're going.”

They rushed through the house and to the long, four-car garage. Aaron held open the door to a two-door black sports car that she had never ridden in before, and in minutes they were roaring away from the house, stirring up a plume of dust on the lane that led to the highway.

As he drove, Aaron tugged off his tie and then thrust out his hand. “Get the links out of my cuffs?”

“I think you should keep both hands on the wheel and pay attention to your driving. Do you know how fast you're going?”

“Do you know how badly I want to be alone with you and not have to concentrate on anything except you?”

She smiled as she tugged free his gold cuff link. She held his wrist and raised it to trail kisses across his knuckles.

“Maybe we'll just pull off in the bushes and I'll have my way with you right here,” he said in a husky, threatening voice, and she laughed.

“Behind a mesquite in a bed of cactus? I don't think so, Aaron. You put both hands on the wheel and drive.”

On the Black private jet he held her on his lap and kissed her until she pushed against him. “I'm going to change out of this wedding dress.”

“Let me help.”

“No! I'll be right back.” She slid off his lap and he stood and retrieved a bag for her, handing it to her while his gaze devoured her.

With excitement bubbling in her, she hurried to change to a simple black sheath that buttoned down the back. The moment she returned, Aaron pulled her back onto his lap and kissed her, his hands sliding over her until she caught his wrists.

“You wait to go any farther until we're alone!”

“Monty is flying the plane. He's not paying any attention to us.”

“I don't care. Behave, Aaron.” She gazed into his eyes that held such scalding desire that her pulse raced.

“I need to talk to you,” Aaron said while his fingers played in her hair. “I finally got my boss in D.C.”

“And?” she asked, unable to tell from Aaron's expression whether he was going to relate good news or bad.

“I told them we wanted our baby to be born in Texas.”

“You did!” she exclaimed, surprised because she had expected to move back to Spain right away.

“I want our baby born in Texas. Not anywhere else. So we're here until the baby comes. Then, they've offered me a position as an ambassador to a tiny, obscure country in Europe, San Raimundo.”

“Aaron, no matter how small the country, that's an incredible promotion for you, isn't it?”

“Yes, it is,” he replied solemnly. “What about it? Do you want me to take it or not?”

She was astounded he was asking. He seemed so forceful, so determined in everything he did and she knew this was an undreamed of promotion. “Oh, Aaron, of course, you'll take it.” Tears welled up and she kissed him, feeling his arms tighten around her.

When she pushed away to look at him, she had her emotions under control. “Congratulations on your promotion. That's fantastic.”

“Thanks. There's more. I thought you'd agree, so I told
them I'd take the ambassadorship, but I will retire in six or seven years because our baby needs to go to school here.”

“You went to school in England. They have marvelous schools.”

“You don't want to come home to Texas?”

“Of course I do!” she said, suspecting that in six or seven years, she would want to be living in Texas.

“We'll come home and settle on the ranch if that's all right.”

“You have this all mapped out, don't you?” she asked, realizing he had her life planned.

“Sort of. What about ranch life? You're a town gal. Think you can take the ranch?”

“Of course I can. You'll be there and I'll love it.”

“Good.” He gazed out the window of the jet at the deep blue sky. “Someday I may go into politics and we'll be back in Washington, but we'll worry about that when the time comes.”

“In all your planning, you better schedule in a little brother or sister for this baby, Aaron.”

His gaze swung back to her, and he stroked her cheek. “I haven't ever asked you—how many children do you want?”

“I would like five. That's adding to overpopulation, but they'll be brilliant like their father and a real asset to the world. And you can afford five, Aaron.”

“That I can. Five sounds grand to me.” His expression became more solemn. “The Texas Cattleman's Club guys want my help, too. That's another reason not to rush back to Spain right away. We need to find that missing diamond because until we do, I think there is a lot of danger in Royal. Now, my lovely bride, it's been far too long since we kissed.”

It was an hour before Aaron locked the hotel door and turned to her. Her heart thudded with eager anticipation and she ran into his arms, winding her arms around his neck and pulling his head down to kiss him. He had already shed his tux coat and now studs flew and his shirt was gone. Locks of brown hair fell over his forehead and his green eyes held fires
that scalded her. “Turn around and let me get you out of that dress,” he said.

When she turned, she felt his hands lock in the neckline of her dress as he trailed his tongue across her nape and started wild tingles coursing in her.

“Aaron, no!” she said, whirling out of his grasp. “You unfasten the buttons. I'm keeping this dress, too, for memories of today.”

“I can get it sewed up.”

“No! Promise me—”

“We're wasting time. Turn around. I'll unbutton—what, three hundred buttons—damnation!”

She laughed softly and turned her back to him. “Don't be absurd! More like twenty buttons, but you started this, so you finish it carefully.”

“Sure, darlin',” he said, kissing her nape and trailing kisses lower over her back as he unfastened her dress. He tossed it on the bed and picked her up to sit down on the bed and hold her in his lap. She wore a white satin-and-lace teddy while he had on his black tux pants. As she ran her hand across his chest, his arms tightened around her.

“My love,” he whispered before he kissed her. “Mrs. Aaron Black.”

“Being married is wonderful, and I'll never get tired of being called Mrs. Black. I love you, Aaron, with my whole heart.”

“I love you with all my heart and soul.” He lowered his head to kiss her. She clung to him and returned his kisses, her heart thudding with joy. Mrs. Aaron Black. How wonderful life was! Happiness filled her along with joy for her tall, lean husband. She knew he truly did love her. “Oh, Aaron! You're my life, my family, my all.”