by Elle James
After the first ten dresses, she gave up on any kind of modesty. Not that she’d had that luxury in the Army. Showering in an open shower with twenty other women at a time had broken her of shyness during the first week of Basic. But dressing in front of the beautiful actress reemphasized all her insecurities about having lost a leg.
None of the women made mention of the prosthetic or her stump of a leg. They acted as if nothing was different or unusual about Dallas, other than her auburn hair and green eyes.
Lori had salads delivered to the shop for lunch, and the hunt for the perfect dress and accessories continued into the early afternoon when Dallas slipped into a dress that had her reconsidering her stance on all things female.
The dress was a light peachy-pink, almost white, chiffon that moved and flowed with her body like a thin, beautiful cloud. It transformed the Ranger in her into an ethereal fairy princess she didn’t recognize. Her breath caught in her throat, and tears burned in her eyes.
“Oh, my,” the saleswoman whispered. “The others have to see this one.” She hurriedly pinned the back of the dress and opened the door.
Dallas stepped out of the dressing room and walked toward Lori and Sadie, her heart beating fast and her breaths coming in shallow gasps. The dress made her feel so incredibly feminine she wasn’t exactly sure who she was, but when she glanced in the three-way mirror, she decided she liked what she saw.
Sadie’s eyes widened, and she pressed a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Dallas.”
Lori’s mouth dropped open, and she shook her head. “Wow.”
The consultant beamed. “I think we’ve found your dress.”
“Yes,” Sadie said. She caught Dallas’s gaze in the mirror. “Do you like it?”
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful dress,” Dallas said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“You have to get this one,” Lori said. “It transforms you.”
“I don’t want to be different than who I am.” Or did she?
“You’re not so much different,” Sadie said. “You’re still the same you, only better.”
Dallas’s heart swelled at the feeling of acceptance she experienced with Lori and Sadie. “Do you think Viper will like it?”
“If he doesn’t, he’ll need his eyes examined.” Sadie clapped her hands. “The style’s absolutely perfect. Now, let’s find the veil and shoes to match.”
An hour later, they’d purchased the dress, matching shoes, veil and a pale blue garter to wear underneath the dress.
“That’s the something blue,” Sadie said. “I have a string of pearls you can borrow that were my great-grandmother’s. That will cover the old and borrowed. And, since the dress is new, you’re covered on all fronts.”
“Something old, something new,” Lori recited.
“Something borrowed and something blue,” Sadie finished and glanced at her watch. “The men should have collected the new guy at the airport and be back by now. Lori, could you check outside and see if the SUV has arrived?”
Lori nodded and hurried out the front door.
“How much was the dress?” Dallas asked. “I need to pay for it.”
Sadie shook her head. “Hannah’s father is footing this bill. Hank said he was extremely thankful Viper saved Hannah, Taz and Chuck from that limousine.”
Dallas frowned, guilt hanging like a pall over an otherwise fun day. The dresses in the bridal shop cost a small fortune. How could she spend so much, knowing the wedding was a fake? “I can’t let him do that.”
“Consider it his wedding gift to you and Viper.”
Lori came back into the shop. “The guys are outside waiting, and they’re hungry.”
“We’re ready,” Sadie said.
Dallas looked around. “Where’s the dress?”
“It needs a few alterations,” Sadie explained. “They’ll have it done by Friday and deliver it to the Bear Creek Ranch.”
The women left the shop and climbed into the SUV. A stranger sat in the very back.
“Ladies,” Hank said. “Meet Trevor Andersen, the newest member of the Brotherhood Protectors.”
Dallas turned to shake the man’s hand. “I’m Dallas Hayes.”
His hand was terribly scarred, and he was missing his trigger finger, but he shook hers with a strong grip. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“What branch of the military were you a part of?” she asked.
“Navy.”
“Trevor is a Navy SEAL. He served under my former commander on nine missions,” Hank said over his shoulder as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove several blocks to a steakhouse.
The food was excellent, and the company even better. The evening went so well, Dallas was beginning to feel as though their fake engagement and upcoming wedding were real. She and Viper were a couple planning to spend the rest of their lives together in wedded bliss.
They laughed, they touched, and they shared a joke or two like people who really liked and cared for one another.
By the time they left the steakhouse, the sun was setting, coloring the sky a stunning array of mauves, purple and brilliant red-orange.
“Look, I can sit in the back.” Lori crawled into the backseat before anyone could protest.
“I’m sure the happy couples would prefer to sit with each other than with me.” Trevor slipped in beside her.
Viper held the front passenger door for Sadie. “You should ride up front with Hank. I want to sit with Dallas.”
Nodding, Sadie smiled. “Thank you. I kind of like my forever protector.”
Viper held the door for Dallas.
She brushed against him as she climbed into the SUV. Butterflies fluttered against the inside of her belly and heat coiled at her center. After trying on the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen, Dallas was feeling strange. Seeing herself in a wedding dress most girls only dreamed of had stripped away the tough-gal façade, leaving her feeling somehow vulnerable.
When Viper slipped onto the seat beside her, her heart beat faster and her breathing became labored. The control she prided herself on escaped her entirely when the former Delta Force operative took her hand.
With her tongue tied, her heartbeat erratic and her core melting, Dallas was an utter mess. Thankfully, she was saved from saying anything by the sudden chirp of her cellphone. She’d almost forgotten she had it with her. Using it as a reason to pull her hand free of Viper’s, she dug into her purse, hoping to stop the annoyingly persistent ringing.
The number wasn’t one she was familiar with, but she answered anyway. “Hello.”
“Dallas, this is Daisy.”
“Oh, hello, Daisy,” she said. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, of course. I called to see how dress shopping was.”
“We found one. It’ll be altered and delivered the day before the wedding.”
“Great,” Daisy said. “I also wanted to let you know what I’ve been working on.” She paused long enough to take a breath and then launched into her description. “I called Tim Fuller. He’s supposed to deliver the chairs and tables this evening. I scheduled the Justice of the Peace to perform the ceremony on Saturday. Wallie Strange will install a temporary wooden dance floor in the barn, the day before the wedding, and I double-checked with Melissa Fuller about the catering. I’ve also lined up Lisa Benton to help with the decorations on Saturday. She’s really good at them and has helped me on my other weddings. So, she knows what to do.”
Sadie turned in her seat. “Tell Daisy, we all can help with the decorations.”
Daisy laughed. “I heard her. Good, it might take all of us to get it done on time for the wedding Saturday afternoon,” Daisy said. “Oh, and I can’t remember if we discussed alcohol.”
“We didn’t,” Dallas said.
“Would you prefer an open bar, or will you want to supply the alcohol yourself?”
Viper leaned close to Dallas’s hand holding the cellphone to her ear. “We’ll supply the alcohol,” he said into
the device. He took that moment to drop a kiss on Dallas’s temple.
“I’ll have one of my guys pick up a keg and a couple cases of beer,” Hank said.
“Not all people drink beer, sweetheart,” Sadie reminded him.
Hank chuckled. “I’ll have them include several bottles of wine in the order.”
“And whiskey,” Sadie added.
“Since when do you drink whiskey?” Hank shot his wife a glance.
“I don’t,” Sadie said. “But I know several of your guys do. And I’m almost certain some of the folks from Brighter Days might like something harder than beer and wine.”
“Maybe we should consider the open bar,” Viper said.
“I think we can cover this,” Hank said.
“Isn’t it a little early for the tables and chairs to be delivered?” Dallas asked. “The wedding is still a few days away.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Sadie chuckled. “To set up for a wedding can take days.”
“And we don’t have that much time,” Hank reminded them. He captured Dallas’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
Dallas ended the call and settled back in her seat.
Viper reached for her hand again and squeezed it gently. “It’ll all work out.”
“I certainly hope so. Seems like a lot of work to go through for one day,” she commented.
“One very special day,” Sadie agreed.
Dallas nodded. Oh, the event would be special, all right. If the wedding day saboteur struck again, the situation would be even more unsettling than it already was.
Dallas stared at the back of Hank’s seat. If the wedding went as planned and nothing happened…then what? They couldn’t do it again to lure out the troublemaker. They’d have to wait until one of the other Brotherhood Protectors scheduled his own wedding, or someone else in the community, and then pray they’d invite them to the wedding so they could keep an eye out for the Grinch, wreaking havoc on young newlyweds.
The drive was smooth, but for the curving roads weaving in and out of the foothills at the base of the Crazy Mountains. The steady rumble of tires against pavement made Dallas sleepy. She closed her eyes only for a moment, the day’s activities and strain of pretending dragging her eyelids downward.
Just as she closed her eyes, Dallas pitched forward against the shoulder restraint. She woke instantly and leaned toward the gap between the front seats to see what was going on.
The back tires skidded, but not enough to slow the momentum of the big vehicle.
“What is that?” Sadie cried.
“I don’t know, but we’re going to hit it. Brace yourself!” Hank swerved, but the front tire hit whatever was in the road, flipping it up to slam into the grill and block the view of the road ahead.
Viper gripped Dallas’s arm.
Her seatbelt tightened, jerking her back against the seat.
The SUV bumped over the edge of the road and down into a ditch.
Dallas jerked from side to side with each huge bump. She couldn’t see much through the side windows and her brief glimpses out the front were a nightmare of bouncing headlights.
The vehicle slowed, and Hank regained control, pulling out of the ditch and back onto the road, bringing the big SUV to a halt.
For a moment, everyone sat still, breathing hard.
Then Hank, Dallas and Viper yanked open their doors and leaped out onto the pavement.
“What the hell was that?” Viper strode back down the highway to what was left of the object that could well have killed them all.
The moon shone bright enough to illuminate something long, white and rectangular.
“Looks like a folding table,” Dallas said.
“It is,” Hank agreed. “The question is, what the hell is it doing in the middle of the road?”
“Isn’t this the kind of table they used at Taz and Hannah’s wedding?” Sadie joined them, carrying a flashlight. She shined the beam on the table and focused on the writing on the underside.
FULLER PARTY RENTALS
“Seems we need to pay Mr. Fuller a visit.”
“That table could have caused a major accident,” Viper said.
“Do you get the feeling that weddings in this area of Montana are jinxed?” Sadie whispered.
Not only were they jinxed, but someone was making an effort to ruin the party for the happy couple and all those invited to be a part of the ceremony.
The second attempt at ending the wedding before it began had nearly succeeded.
The trouble was, they couldn’t have predicted anything like running over a table in the middle of a curving mountain road.
How could the culprit set up the latest attack, knowing the table would affect them and not others? Or could the table have fallen off a truck by accident?
Dallas was afraid to ask.
What next?
Chapter 12
Viper’s heartbeat had barely returned to normal by the time he and Hank moved the folding table out of the road. A few miles farther, they drove past the entrance to Bear Creek Ranch where all the tables were supposed to have been delivered.
Everyone agreed waiting until morning to pursue the problem of the rogue table wouldn’t make much of a difference.
Hank passed the turnoff for White Oak Ranch and drove on to Brighter Days where he pulled up to the ranch house.
Viper helped Dallas out of the SUV and then moved out of the way to allow Trevor to alight and assist Lori.
After a round of female hugging, Sadie climbed back into the front of the vehicle and Trevor slipped into the middle seat.
“I’ll touch bases with you in the morning,” Sadie told Dallas.
Dallas nodded. “Thank you for all your help today.”
“It was my pleasure. I remember shopping for my dress. I would have loved having someone with me to help me decide.”
Hank hooked his arm around Sadie’s waist and hugged her close. “You would have looked just as beautiful in a burlap sack.”
Viper admired how open Hank and Sadie were about their love, actions that didn’t make either of them weak or silly. It had the opposite effect, showing the strength they shared as a cohesive team.
As the SUV pulled away, Viper, Dallas and Lori turned toward the ranch house.
“I’m headed for my bed,” Lori said with a wave. “Thank you for sharing your day with me.”
“Are you kidding? I should be thanking you.” Dallas hugged Lori. “You really were a big help. Three heads were definitely better than one. I owe you. When you’re ready to go wedding dress shopping, I’d be happy to go along.”
Lori snorted. “Like that will ever happen.” She tipped her head to the side. “But then again…you and Viper give me hope.” She gave a mock salute. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She winked and sauntered into the house.
Darkness cloaked the countryside in shadows, but the stars overhead shined down on the Crazy Mountains.
“I guess I’d better hit the sack,” Dallas said. “We need to talk with Tim Fuller tomorrow.”
“Dallas…” Viper reached for her arm.
She stepped away, out of his range. “I’m glad you’re my partner.”
Viper frowned. He could feel her pulling away, and he didn’t like it. “But?”
“But, don’t you see? That’s all we can be.”
“Why can’t it be more?”
“You deserve someone who isn’t a mess as I am.”
He wanted to reach out to her, but she was too far away. “What if I like the kind of mess you are?”
She shook her head. “I’m not even comfortable in my own skin. How can I let someone else in on that kind of crazy?”
Viper moved toward her, determined to close the distance growing between them. “I’ll take my chances.”
Dallas took another step away from Viper, her ankles bumping into the bottom step leading up to the porch. “You don’t want to start something with me. I promise,” she whispered.
He stopped
in front of her and touched a finger to her chin, lifting her face to stare up in his. “You don’t realize what you’ve done to me, Dallas Hayes.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I’m not sorry.” He bent to touch his lips to her forehead. “I’m glad I met you. I’m even happier you’re my partner for this assignment. Because I get to spend more time with you.” He touched his lips to the hollow below her earlobe.
Dallas’s moan set off fireworks across Viper’s nerves.
“I can’t be what you need,” Dallas said, her voice a breathy whisper.
“Oh, but you are.” He lowered his head and claimed her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss.
When her knees buckled, he held her up with an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss.
All evening, he’d watched her, especially the expressions chasing one after the other across her face. He liked when she laughed, when she smiled and when her forehead creased in a stubborn wrinkle.
He kissed her, hoping to erase her doubts, to show her that what was happening between them was good and right.
When he raised his head, he smiled down at her. “Now, go get some sleep before I change my mind and keep you up the rest of the night.” He stepped back, forcing his arms to fall to his sides. He’d rather throw her over his shoulder, march her into his bedroom and take her in a storm of passion. But he suspected she wasn’t ready, and he didn’t want to rush her and possibly scare the dauntless Ranger. Yes, she could hold her own in combat, but she wasn’t as sure of herself in the relationships arena.
He turned her around and gave her a little push up the stairs onto the porch. “Go to bed, Dallas. We can solve the problems of the world in the morning.”
He mustered all possible control to turn and walk away. But he managed. She needed time. And he needed a cold shower.
* * *
Dallas lay awake until the early hours of the morning, wondering if she’d done the right thing by backing away from Viper. Logic dictated she keep their relationship professional. But nothing at all was professional about Viper’s kiss, or her response.
