Duncan's Bride Read online

  “Christine, this is Reese Duncan. Reese, my best friend, Christine Rizzotto.”

  Reese gave Christine a half smile and touched his fingers to the brim of his hat. “I’m pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

  She was still ogling him, but she managed a weak, “And you, Mr. Duncan.”

  He picked up two of Madelyn’s suitcases, nodded to Christine, and carried them out. Christine’s breath escaped her with a whoosh. “That man is…is potent,” she half gasped. “Now I understand.”

  Madelyn knew how she felt, and fingered the string of pearls around her neck. The nervousness was coming back.

  Robert’s pale eyes were cool when he was introduced to Reese, which bothered Reese not at all. They were polite to each other. Madelyn hadn’t hoped for anything more. Their personalities were both too strong to allow for easy companionship.

  It wasn’t until everyone had checked out that she realized what he had said and turned to him in bewilderment. “You said you’d put the suitcases in the car. You don’t have a car.”

  “I do now. You’ll need something to drive when I have the truck out on the range. It isn’t new, but it’s dependable.”

  She was overwhelmed, and her throat tightened. It was a white Ford station wagon, a useful vehicle on a working ranch. She’d had a car while she’d been in college in Virginia, but that had been years ago, and she hadn’t had any need for one in the city. With money so tight for Reese, this was a big gesture for him to make. If she had thought about it she would have bought her own car, but she hadn’t.

  The judge was waiting for them in his chambers. Madelyn opened her purse and got out the ring she’d bought for Reese, slipping it on her finger and closing her hand into a fist to keep it on. The judge saw her do it, and smiled. Christine took her purse from her, and after clearing his throat twice, the judge began.

  Her hands were cold. Reese held her left one, folding his hard, warm fingers over hers to share his body heat with her, and when he felt her shaking he put his arm around her waist. He repeated the vows, his dark-textured voice steady. She learned that Gideon was his first name, something she hadn’t known before and hadn’t gotten around to asking. When it was her turn, she was surprised to hear her own vows repeated just as evenly. He slipped a plain gold band on her finger, and the judge smoothly continued, having seen Madelyn take out Reese’s ring. Reese started with surprise when the judge did the ring ceremony again, and Madelyn slid a gold band over his knuckle. It was a plain band, like hers, but he hadn’t expected a ring. He hadn’t worn one before. The wedding band looked odd on his hand, a thin ring of gold signaling that he was now a married man.

  Then he kissed her. It was just a light touch of the lips, lingering only a moment, because he didn’t want to start kissing her now. He was under control, and he wanted it to stay that way. It was done. They were married.

  Madelyn was quiet as they drove Robert and Christine back to the airport. Their flight was already being called, so they didn’t have time to do more than hug her fiercely. Reese shook Robert’s hand, and a very male look passed between the two men. Madelyn blinked back tears as both Christine and Robert turned back to wave just before they disappeared from view.

  They were alone. Reese kept his arm clamped around her waist as they walked back to the car. “You look like you’re about to collapse,” he growled.

  She felt light-headed. “I may. I’ve never been married before. It’s a nerve-racking business.”

  He put her in the car. “Have you had anything to eat today?”

  She shook her head.

  He was cursing when he slid under the steering wheel. “No wonder you’re so shaky. We’ll stop and get something.”

  “Not just yet, please. We can stop closer to home. I’m still too nervous right now to eat anything.”

  In the end, they wound up driving straight to the ranch. Reese carried her suitcases up to his bedroom. “There’s a big walk-in closet,” he said, opening the door to show her the enormous closet, as big as a small room. “But don’t start unpacking now. You need to eat first.”

  She gestured to her clothes. “I’ll have to change before I start cooking.”

  “I’ll do the cooking,” he said sharply.

  There wasn’t much cooking to it, just soup and sandwiches. Madelyn forced herself to eat half a sandwich and a bowl of soup. It all seemed so unreal. She was married. This was her home now.

  Reese went upstairs and changed into his work clothes. Wedding day or no, the chores had to be done. Madelyn cleaned up the kitchen, then went upstairs and began hanging up her new clothes. His bedroom was much larger than the one she had slept in before, with a big private bath that included both bathtub and shower. The bed was king-size. She thought of lying in that bed with him and felt herself get dizzy. It was already late afternoon.

  She was in the kitchen again, dressed more appropriately this time in jeans and a short-sleeved sweater, when he came in tired and dirty. “Are you hungry again?” she asked. “I can do something fast while you’re showering.”

  “Just more sandwiches tonight,” he said. “I’m not much interested in food right now.” He was unbuttoning his shirt as he went up the stairs.

  She made the sandwiches and sat at the table with him, drinking a glass of milk while he ate. She had never thought about how much a hard-working man needed to eat, but she could see she would have to cook twice the amount she had imagined.

  “I have some paperwork to do,” he said when he’d finished and carried his plate to the sink. “It won’t take me long.”

  She understood. After she’d washed the few dishes, she went upstairs and took a bath. She had just left the bathroom, her skin flushed from the damp heat, when he entered the bedroom.

  She stopped, biting her lip at the searing look he gave her from her tumbled hair down to her bare toes, as if he could see through her white cotton gown. He sat down on the bed and took off his boots, then stood and tugged his shirt free. His eyes never left her as he unbuttoned the shirt and took it off.

  His chest was tanned and muscled and covered with curly black hair. The smooth skin of his shoulders gleamed as he unbuckled his belt and began unfastening his jeans.

  Madelyn drew a deep breath and lifted her head. “There’s something you need to know.”

  He paused, his eyes narrowing. She was standing ramrod straight, her pale hair swirling around her shoulders and down her back. That loose, sleeveless gown wasn’t anything like the sheer silk confection April had worn, but Madelyn didn’t need silk to be seductive. The shadow of her nipples pressing against the white cotton was seduction enough. What could she have to tell him that was keeping her strung as tight as fence wire?

  He said softly, “Don’t tell me you’ve decided to wait another couple of nights, because I’m not going for it. Why are you so nervous?”

  She gestured at the bed. “I’ve never done this before.”

  He couldn’t have heard right. Stunned, he released his zipper. “You’ve never had sex before?”

  “No, and to be honest, I’m not really looking forward to it. I want you and I want to be intimate with you, but I don’t expect to enjoy the first time.” Her gaze was very direct.

  An odd kind of anger shook him. “Damn it, Maddie, if you’re a virgin why didn’t you say so, instead of having that damn physical?”

  She looked like a haughty queen. “For one thing, we weren’t married before. Until you became my husband this morning it wasn’t any of your business. For another, you wouldn’t have believed me. You believe me now because there’s no reason for me to lie when you’ll find out the truth for yourself in a few minutes.” She spoke with cool dignity, her head high.

  “We were planning to get married.”

  “And it could have been called off.”

  Reese stared silently at her. Part of him was stunned and elated. No other man had ever had her; she was completely his. He was selfish enough, male enough, primitive enough, to be glad t