by Elle James
“You know anything about horses?” Percy asked.
“A little. I grew up on a ranch near Malta.”
Dallas studied Viper more closely. Yes, she could see the cowboy in him…the quiet strength, loyalty and good manners. He knew how to wear a pair of jeans and she bet he could ride a horse. Her heart skipped several beats.
Percy nodded. “Good. I have some that need their hooves cleaned.”
“You’re on,” Viper said.
Dallas waited until they were out of Percy’s hearing before she leaned close to Viper. “Do you really know how to work with horses?”
He cast a sideways glance down at her and winked. “We have a lot to learn about each other if we’re pulling off this charade.”
Dallas swallowed hard at the way his glance made her insides scramble. No man had the right to look that sexy. Especially if he was her partner.
* * *
“Are we heading for the courthouse?” Dallas asked.
“We are. After we shower and change.”
She frowned and planted her hands on her hips. “Are you telling me I smell?”
“If you mean by smell, that you have the lovely aroma of horse manure, then yes.” He grinned. “You’re in luck. I just happen to like the earthy smell of horse manure. But I do know for a fact, others might not appreciate it the way I do. Especially on the woman I’m taking to the courthouse to sign up for a marriage license.” He steered her toward his truck. “But first, I have something for you.”
“For me?” Dallas stumbled a little.
Viper cupped her elbow until she righted herself. “The item’s not from me,” he said. “It’s from Sadie, Hank’s wife.”
The way Dallas’s brow furrowed made Viper want to kiss away the lines. The sudden thought shook him to the core. He hadn’t wanted to kiss any woman since the day his wife died.
“What would Sadie be sending me?” Dallas asked.
Viper opened the back door and unhooked the garment bag from the hanger. “Check it out. I’ve seen it, and it’s going to look great on you.”
“She sent me clothing?” Dallas unzipped the bag and her eyes widened. “A dress?”
“That’s right. At least now we won’t have to shop for one before we go to the courthouse.”
“I don’t know…” Dallas stared at the dress. “I told you, I’ve never worn a dress.”
“It can’t be too complicated.” Viper stared at the emerald green dress inside the garment bag.
“But don’t you have to wear high heels with dresses?” She looked up. “I don’t even own a pair of high heels.”
“How about sandals? Surely, you own a pair.”
“If you recall, I only have one foot.” Dallas grimaced. “The best I can do is a flip-flop.” She shoved the bag back at Viper. “I can’t do it. I’m not a girly-girl. And no one wants to see a woman with an artificial leg in a dress.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself.” Viper took the bag and felt something hard at the bottom. “What’s this?” He pulled a pair of low-heeled pumps from the bottom of the bag and laughed. “Sadie thought of everything.”
“But she can’t possible wear the same size shoe as I do.” Dallas held up her hands.
“You tell me.” He handed her one.
The sinking of Dallas’s shoulders almost made Viper laugh. “Are they your size?”
“How did she know?” Dallas sighed. “I’ve haven’t worn a pair of heels since this.” She patted her injured leg, then gave a shrug. “I guess I can give them a try.”
“Think of the outfit as an undercover disguise,” Viper encouraged. “Take one for the team.”
With a glare, Dallas snatched the garment bag and the other shoe from Viper. “If I look stupid in this, I don’t want to hear one chuckle or rude comment.”
Viper choked back his laughter and held up his hands in surrender. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“Damn right, you better not.”
“You could whip my ass, for one.” He did grin then. “And my mother taught me to be polite to the ladies.”
“Your mother was a smart woman.” Dallas turned toward the house. “I’ll be out in less than fifteen minutes.”
“Take your time. I’ll just put my bags in one of the empty rooms.” He gave her a head start before grabbing his duffel bag and following her into the house. Hank had cleared it with Hannah for Viper to use one of the spare bedrooms while he stayed at the ranch.
Once Hannah and Taz received clearance from the ER doctor, they’d continued on with their honeymoon. They’d be gone for a week and return just in time for the fake wedding.
He set his bag on the floor and pulled out his cellphone. So much for reception. Not a single bar. Viper left the room in search of a landline to make a call to the hospital where Chuck had been taken.
He happened to leave the bedroom at the same time as Dallas left hers—the one beside the room he’d chosen.
She stood for a moment, one foot bare, the emerald dress draped over her arm. A frown pulled her eyebrows low. “Do you want the first crack at the shower?”
He shook his head. “No, I need to make a call.”
She nodded and continued across the hallway to a bathroom before hurriedly closing the door between them.
Viper got the distinct impression she wasn’t happy he’d chosen a bedroom so close to hers. The thought made him smile. For some reason, he liked getting under her skin. And he was definitely succeeding. A lot had to do with the fact she was completely out of her element.
Viper knew more about being a regular female than Dallas. His mother had seen to it that her boys respected and treated women the way she expected to be treated.
Dallas had been raised by her father. Not that he’d done a bad job. He’d raised an independent woman. But he hadn’t filled her in on the more feminine intricacies of being a modern woman.
Viper found himself relishing the task of educating Dallas on those finer points. Not that he didn’t like who she was. He did. Maybe a bit too much. Based on her training, she could hold her own in any situation that required shooting a gun or taking down an adversary with nothing but a knife or her bare hands.
The sound of water rushing from a showerhead came through the door of the bathroom.
His imagination got the better of him as images of Dallas, stripped naked and standing beneath the spray, came to him in a rush. His blood rushed through his veins, angling south to his groin.
She’d be slim, athletic, with finely tapered muscles.
The fact she had a prosthetic leg did nothing to dampen the heat of desire coursing through him. If anything, the strength and determination to come back from such an injury only made his new partner more attractive.
Viper drew in a long, deep breath and let it out slowly in an attempt to ease his racing pulse. Then he continued down the hallway. In the front foyer, he found a small table with a phone resting in a charger. He plucked the phone out of the base and called the number he’d saved on his cellphone from his visit to the hospital earlier that morning.
After a couple transfers, he was finally connected to Chuck Johnson’s room.
“Johnson,” Chuck barked into the phone.
“Hey, Chuck, Viper here.”
“Hey, dude, thanks for getting me out of that car.”
“No worries.”
“You think you can get me out of this damned hospital?” He snorted. “You’d think I was injured in that wreck. I keep telling them I’m fine and ready to go home.”
“You had a concussion. They want to make sure you don’t have any bleeding on the brain.”
“My head’s fine but for the splitting headache. I can’t stand hospitals.”
Viper laughed. “I read you. I’m sure they’ll let you out as soon as they’re satisfied you won’t keel over dead on them.”
“I hear you got your first assignment.” Chuck changed subjects. “Hank wouldn’t give me any details, but I’m glad you’re working.”
“Thanks. I’ll fill you in when I can,” Viper promised. “In the meantime, don’t give the nurses hell.”
“Ha! They’re giving it to me.” The man was definitely more coherent than he’d been earlier that morning.
Viper rocked back on his heels, a smile curling his lips, glad Chuck was pulling through just fine. “I’m sure you deserve it.”
Chuck sighed. “Can’t believe I screwed up on my only task for Taz and Hannah’s wedding.”
“Something had to be wrong with the brakes on that limo. You can’t beat yourself up.”
“I should have checked it more carefully.”
“They were working fine when you left the ranch.”
“I should have done something. They almost died on their wedding day.”
“You almost died,” Viper reminded him. “The sheriff’s department had the vehicle recovered and taken to the state crime lab. If the brakes were tampered with, they’ll discover it pretty quickly.”
“That’s what Hank said.”
“What you need to do is get back on your feet and back to work,” Viper said.
“Yeah, sitting around is making me nuts. The only thing that made my day better was a visit from Daphne and Maya. That little girl has me wrapped around her little finger, and she knows it.”
“I’m glad they were able to visit. I’ll talk to you soon. Take care.”
“You, too. These assignments aren’t all about babysitting rich chicks. They can be harder than you think.”
“I’ll bear that in mind,” Viper said, biting back another grin. “Out here.”
“Out here,” Chuck repeated.
He headed down the hall to the bedroom where he grabbed clean clothes and waited for the bathroom to be free.
The sound of the door across the hall opening made Viper’s pulse kick up a notch. He waited a few moments before exiting his room, giving Dallas time to cross the hall into her bedroom.
Then he entered the bathroom and closed the door, glad he didn’t see Dallas freshly washed and shiny clean. Already, he was too turned on by her slim body and sassy attitude. The fact the bathroom was steamy and smelled of a floral-scented shampoo and Dallas didn’t help.
After turning the faucet to cool, he stripped down, stepped beneath the showerhead and let the water chill his body and his desire. By the time he showered, shaved and dressed, he was back in control and ready to face anything. Finally ready, he opened the door.
Dallas stood in her open doorway in the emerald-green dress, her auburn hair dried and curling around her chin in a soft wave. She chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes wide and worried. “Do I look stupid?”
Holy hell. She looked amazing. Viper’s body immediately forgot the chill of the shower and sprang to attention. “Oh, sweetheart, you don’t look stupid.” Despite the fact she could kick his ass, he crossed the hall and took her hands in his.
She stiffened, her eyes growing wider. “Are you sure?”
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered and bent to brush his lips across hers.
Dallas pulled her hand from his and touched her fingers to her lips. “Why did you do that?”
For a moment, Viper didn’t know what she was talking about. But his confusion ebbed fast when he realized what he’d done. Quick to cover his transgression, he said, “We need to act like we’re in love. You’ll have to get used to public displays of affection.”
Her brow wrinkled. “We’re not in public now.”
“Count this gesture as practice.” And then he swept his lips across hers again, unable to resist.
This time, she leaned into him, her free hand resting on his chest, her fingers curling into his shirt.
When she didn’t draw away, Viper circled her back with his arm and drew her closer until her hips pressed against his and his cock nudged her belly.
Sweet heaven, she felt good against him, reminding him of how very long he’d gone without a woman. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue.
She opened on a gasp.
Viper slipped past her teeth and caressed her tongue in a long, slow, glide that left him breathless, but wanting so much more.
When he finally straightened, he realized he could possibly be in way over his head with Dallas.
Chapter 6
Dallas pulled away and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. “We should go,” she said, her voice barely a whisper, hating that she sounded so breathless.
Some Ranger I am. I can’t even control my respiration after one little kiss. One soul-defining, toe-curling, blood-boiling kiss.
“Right.” Viper glanced down at the shoes Sadie had loaned Dallas. “Will you be okay walking in those?”
She nodded. Even if she wasn’t, she wouldn’t tell him. They made her feel more feminine than anything she had in her limited wardrobe. For the first time in her life, she wanted to feel like a woman. Though she hated to admit it, Viper was the reason.
That kiss. Sweet heaven. She’d never been kissed like that before. Sure, she’d been kissed and groped back in high school, but she’d never understood what the big deal was all about.
Now, she knew.
Every nerve in her body and all her blood in every vein and artery was on fire. All because of a kiss. She could only begin to imagine what making love to Viper would be like. Her cheeks heated, along with the center of her being.
Making love with Viper…
Dallas had to remind herself their kissing, and anything else, was for show. Nothing about their relationship was real, except their partnership as Brotherhood Protectors on a mission to catch a wedding saboteur.
The phone in the front entryway rang, saving Dallas from having to come up with anything else to say. She jumped and hurried to grab the call.
“Brighter Days Ranch,” she answered as she’d heard Hannah and Cookie respond each time the ranch received a call.
“Dallas?” a female voice said.
“That’s me,” Dallas said Surprised the call was for her. She never received calls at the ranch.
“This is Sadie McClain Patterson.”
“Oh, hello, Sadie. Thank you for the dress and shoes.”
“You’re welcome. Did they fit?” Sadie asked.
“Perfectly,” Dallas assured her. The material lay as soft as butter against her skin and the shoe didn’t pinch her foot. She’d been relieved the foot attachment of her prosthetic fit the shoe without too much coaxing. She stared down at the shiny, black pumps, admiring how pretty the shoes were. She’d never had any so nice.
“I called to let you know I set up an appointment for you and Vince with the wedding planner, Daisy Chadwick. She’s actually at her waitress job at the diner in Eagle Rock today. However, she can take a few minutes to speak with you when you come by.”
“Thank you.” Dallas glanced toward Viper, her breath catching at how handsome he was in his white dress shirt and black slacks. “We were on our way to apply for the marriage license at the courthouse.”
“Sounds good. I wish you two all the happiness in the world. That’s coming from someone who has found her forever love.” She laughed. “Call me a romantic, but I want everyone to be as happy as I am with Hank.”
Dallas swallowed hard on the sudden lump in her throat. “Thank you, Sadie,” she choked out. “We’ll get with Daisy.”
“Oh, and the day after tomorrow, Daisy and I want to take you to Bozeman to shop for a wedding dress. Are you up for that? We don’t have much time if the gown has to be altered before the wedding.”
Inwardly, Dallas groaned. Shopping wasn’t something she enjoyed, but, for the sake of the operation, she’d suck it up. “Oh. Yes. I suppose I’m up for dress shopping.”
“Good. Hank’s taking Vince to try on tuxedoes that day, as well. We can meet for lunch afterward.”
“That arrangement would be very nice.” Dallas thanked Sadie and hung up. Her gaze met Viper’s. “I didn’t realize planning a wedding would be so intense.”
Viper laughed. “Most brides take months to plan one, and some take more than a year.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Dallas had never been around women planning a wedding, and she didn’t watch much television to pick up on the rituals associated with planning such an event.
He shook his head. “Emily took six months to plan ours. I wanted to go down to the courthouse and get it done in a day, but she wanted the flowers, the church, cake, and her entire extended family there.” He shrugged. “I just had to show up in a tux.”
Dallas gave him a sad smile, her heart hurting for him. “You must have loved her very much.”
The smile Viper had a few minutes earlier faded. “I did.”
Dallas touched his arm. “I’m sorry you lost her.”
“Me, too.” He squared his shoulders and offered her his arm. “Shall we go apply for a marriage license?”
With a nod, Dallas slid her hand into his bent elbow, liking the way it felt to be escorted through the door, down the steps and across the uneven ground to Viper’s truck. She was glad for the support, given she wasn’t familiar with walking in even a low-heeled pair of shoes. And climbing up into the truck took some finagling without getting the skirt of her dress caught in the door.
Sheesh, she had a reason for wearing only jeans and T-shirts. She didn’t have to worry about all those details. Nor did she have to brace herself for the strange looks people gave her when they saw her prosthetic in place of the leg she’d lost.
Most people never considered she was a war veteran and were surprised when she told them she’d lost it in battle.
Whatever. She was proud of her service and wished she was still on active duty, fighting for right and freedom. At least with the Brotherhood Protectors, she could continue to fight for justice and protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.
Viper climbed into the driver’s seat and set the truck into motion, heading into Eagle Rock. “Let’s nail down our story while we can,” he said. “I’m sure the wedding planner will have questions about us, and we’ll want to answer without stumbling.”
“Good idea.”
