brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom

by Christenberry, Judy

  “But she has other patients,” Brett insisted, ignoring the question about him and Sylvia. “She’s not just taking care of Janie and Megan.”

  “Nope, but Doc says these things come in groups. There are a few women expecting right now, but Doc only delivered four babies the entire past year.”

  “Can’t she do other nursing?”

  “Sure. She helps out at Doc’s office or the hospital when they need someone.” Jake took another bite of his dessert, and Brett wanted to grab the spoon from his hand. What did food matter when they were talking about Anna leaving?

  “Aren’t you gonna eat your cobbler?” Red asked as if he could read Brett’s mind.

  Knowing that not eating would draw more questions he didn’t want to answer, Brett took his seat and began finishing off his dessert. Maybe if he drew it out long enough, Anna would come home and he could make sure she was all right. He didn’t like these late-night sorties of hers, even if she could take care of herself.

  Half an hour later, he could spin out the snack no longer. Red had already gone to bed, and Jake was becoming curious about Brett’s lingering. He couldn’t explain either reason to his brother.

  Sylvia wanted him in her bed, and he was trying to avoid her.

  Anna didn’t want him, and he was trying to persuade her.

  What’s wrong with that picture? he asked himself. The fact that he was engaged to Sylvia.

  He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about her. He thought he should wait until her visit was over before he talked to her about calling off the engagement. But if she kept pressing him to come to her bed, he might tell her earlier.

  After rinsing their dishes, he and Jake climbed the stairs together. Once upstairs, he stood in the center of his room, debating his options. Finally, feeling silly, he pulled the chair from the desk in the corner and placed it under the doorknob.

  He didn’t want to be surprised.

  Probably he should feel flattered by Sylvia’s determination to get in his bed. But he wasn’t. Rather, he was growing more and more curious about Sylvia’s behavior.

  Eventually dismissing such strange thoughts, he stripped to his briefs and pulled back the covers. It had been a long day. He should be tired. Instead, he still found a restlessness in him that refused to let him settle down.

  He leaned back against the pillows and picked up a murder mystery he’d started. He forced himself to read the words, but the story didn’t take hold of his imagination.

  The sound of someone in the hall had him bounding from the bed, forgetting why he’d put a chair under his doorknob. He swung the door open just as Sylvia raised her hand to knock.

  “Oh!” she gasped. Then she smiled. “I’m glad to see you’re so eager, lover.” She put her hands on his bare chest.

  “Sylvia!” he exclaimed in surprise. How could he have forgotten? he wondered. But he knew. A vision of Anna had filled his head.

  “Well, aren’t you going to let me in?” Sylvia whispered, tracing the hair on his chest, pressing her lower body against his.

  “Uh, I’m really too tired this evening, Sylvia.”

  Her eyebrows climbed even as her eyes filled with anger. “You didn’t seem tired when you opened the door.”

  “I, uh, I don’t—”

  A noise in the hallway drew both their glances. Brett felt relief surge through him as Anna appeared at the top of the stairs. His defenses were forgotten, and he tried to move toward Anna.

  Sylvia took full advantage and grabbed him around the neck, her lips covering his. He knew from Anna’s point of view, the kiss probably had the appearance of intimacy, even though he kept his hands braced on the door frame.

  “Thanks, lover. You were terrific,” Sylvia said in a stage whisper before she strolled down the hall, sending a triumphant look Anna’s way.

  With no thought to anything but erasing the appearance Sylvia had given of their relationship, Brett came out of the doorway toward Anna. “Anna, wait!” But she turned away.

  “Excuse me, Brett. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she muttered, still walking away from him.

  He got to her in time to grab her arm before she could reach her room. Pulling her around, he tried to explain. “Anna, it wasn’t what you think.”

  ANNA DREW A DEEP BREATH as Brett stopped her. What was wrong with the man? She’d tried to avert her gaze, but it was hard to keep from staring at him. His broad chest, flat stomach and muscular thighs would be impressive to any woman. Late at night, when she was tired, lonely and distressed, he was almost irresistible.

  Even in his underwear. Especially in his underwear.

  No boxer shorts for him. He was barely covered by white briefs. She didn’t care what anyone said; it wasn’t as if he were wearing a swimsuit.

  “Did you get any dinner?”

  His mundane question disrupted her heated thoughts, and she looked up at him wide-eyed. “What?”

  “Did you eat any dinner? Last time you came in late, you hadn’t eaten. You didn’t, did you?”

  She supposed he surmised his answer from her stare. Didn’t the man realize her mind was on anything but food? “I ate something.” She couldn’t remember what, but that didn’t matter.

  “Come back to the kitchen and let me fix you a snack,” he suggested, reaching out to clasp both her arms.

  “Brett, you’re in your underwear!” she finally burst out. She hadn’t been raised with boys. No matter how experienced she was, somehow standing in the hallway with Brett in his underwear seemed risky.

  He frowned, as if he didn’t get her point. Finally he shrugged those magnificent shoulders and said, “I’ll put on some jeans. But you need to eat properly.”

  With Sylvia’s cloying perfume clinging to him, his argument held little validity for Anna. She needed to get away from him before she did something stupid.

  “No, thank you. I just want to go to bed.”

  He tilted her chin up. “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head. If she started talking about the events of the evening, she might lose control.

  “Did something bad happen?” Concern filled his eyes, making him that much more difficult to resist. “Was it the baby?”

  “No, my car,” she said with a sigh.

  He blinked several times. “Your car?”

  Yes, her stupid car. She was terribly afraid it had given up the ghost. Not that she hadn’t gotten a lot of use out of it. But without a reliable vehicle, she couldn’t do her job. And where was she going to get the money to buy another?

  Discouragement filled her. She was just making a place for herself, feeling she’d maybe found a home. Now she might have to go back to Casper to work until she could save enough for a good car.

  “Sugar, I was afraid something tragic had happened,” Brett said, a relieved grin on his face.

  She couldn’t agree with him. “It is tragic!”

  “Is there something you’re not telling me?” he asked, bending toward her again.

  She pressed against the wall. “No, just my car.”

  “Cars can be fixed, sweetheart. Where is it? And how did you get home?” His last question grew more urgent, as if he’d just realized she’d been stranded.

  “Joe Eichorn was passing by and gave me a ride.”

  Brett sighed in relief. “Good. Joe’s a nice old man. You were lucky. Why didn’t you call me?”

  Anna stared up at him. “Why would I call you?”

  “To come get you. You’ve got a portable phone, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do, but I’m not your responsibility. Besides, Joe came along almost immediately after my car died.” Well, half an hour afterward. She’d been debating her options, considering walking back to the ranch, but she’d been at least ten miles away.

  “I’ll take you out there first thing in the morning and see what needs to be done about your car. We can go before breakfast. I’ll call our mechanic and see if he can meet us there.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “My hear
t’s in the right place, sugar, but I’m not much of a mechanic.”

  “Call a mechanic out on Sunday morning?” she demanded, ignoring his last statement. “Do you realize what he’ll charge? I can’t afford that!”

  “Hey, Mike owes me a few favors. He’ll come without charging you.”

  “No! No, I don’t take favors. I’ll manage just fine, thank you.”

  She figured he’d take offense at her standoffish attitude. And that would be good, because then he’d release her and she could remove herself from temptation. Instead, he gently pushed a sprig of hair from her face, letting his fingers trail down the side of her cheek.

  “And how will you manage, Miss Independent?” he asked, his voice as gentle as his fingers.

  “Don’t—don’t do that.”

  “Don’t do what?”

  “Be nice to me. Try to take care of me. I have to stand on my own two feet.”

  “Everyone needs a little help every once in a while. Why shouldn’t you?”

  His warm breath skittered along her skin, and his body heat surrounded her. Only the lingering scent of Sylvia’s perfume kept her from casting herself on his chest and letting his strong arms hold her.

  “Damn it, Brett! Go back to your room and leave me alone.”

  His eyebrows soared. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Well, help Sylvia, not me. You’re engaged to her!” Using the last of her strength, Anna pushed away from Brett and tried to go to her room.

  Brett, however, still held her in his arms.

  Until another door opened.

  “Am I interrupting something?” Jake asked.

  Chapter Nine

  Brett worked on catching Anna’s eye as she sat in the church pew three people down from him. He’d tried to maneuver a seat beside her, but he suspected her determination was the reason he hadn’t been successful. Chad and Megan sat between them.

  She was upset.

  And the cause wasn’t the car.

  She’d been embarrassed when Jake had caught them in the hallway in a near-embrace, with him in his underwear. He’d explained to Jake, or at least tried to explain. But that was after Anna had scurried to her room and closed the door.

  He’d gone back to Jake’s room and had a long talk with his oldest brother. It seemed to him Jake had been relieved when he’d explained his change of feelings about Sylvia.

  Unfortunately, though, Jake said he should wait until Sylvia’s visit was at an end to tell her he wanted to break his engagement. As a gentleman, he should give her the opportunity to announce their parting, even putting the blame on him if she chose.

  Heck, Brett didn’t care if she blamed the entire state of Wyoming as long as he didn’t have to marry her.

  He still wasn’t sure how he’d screwed up so royally. Certainly his attitude toward marriage had changed since two of his brothers had successfully navigated those shark-infested waters. Janie and Megan were wonderful women.

  But Sylvia? She wasn’t cut out for life on a ranch. Why hadn’t he realized it?

  And then there was Anna. She was perfect. But there were five days to go before he could even show he was interested.

  Interested? What an understatement. Jake had cautioned against moving too fast. After all, he’d only been with Sylvia about three weeks, though he’d known her for much longer.

  Anna, on the other hand, was new to the area. He’d known nothing about her until the night she threw him on his back on the kitchen floor. But since then, he’d learned quite a lot about her. She was alone in the world, strong, courageous, independent.

  She was also softhearted, loving, smart. And she made him feel comfortable…and uncomfortable at the same time. He loved being around her, trying to care for her, but he also wanted so much more.

  Her blue-eyed gaze came up and accidentally met his. She quickly looked away.

  He hadn’t awakened her this morning to go find her car. Instead, he’d called Mike and met him alongside the road where she’d abandoned the little yellow station wagon. Fortunately she’d left her keys in her jacket pocket, hanging in the mud room.

  After looking at the engine, Mike had shaken his head and uttered a few dire predictions about his ability to repair it. Brett’s first inclination was to go out and buy her a new car, a better one that wouldn’t break down. But he knew she’d never accept it. So he’d asked Mike to do his best.

  So far, she hadn’t let him get close enough to tell her what he’d done.

  When the pastor dismissed his congregation, Brett realized he hadn’t heard a word the entire sermon. It wasn’t the first time, but he felt vaguely guilty.

  He hurried after Anna as she slipped from the church and sought out Doc Jacoby. She was quietly talking to the doctor, her face serious, when he reached her side.

  “So I don’t know how I’ll be able to make my calls,” she said, her chin down.

  Brett slipped his arm around her and interrupted their private talk. “Mike’s working on the car today, Anna. And until it’s ready, you can use my pickup. Hi, Doc.”

  “See? The problem is solved,” Doc said, grinning at Brett. “Good boy, Brett. I’m glad to see someone is taking care of Anna. By the way, where’s your fiancée? I thought we’d see her here today.”

  Anna was staring at him, her mouth gaping open, but he ignored her response. “Sylvia didn’t want to get up early. I’m not sure country life agrees with her.” That was enough of a hint for people to begin to wonder if the engagement would last without him coming right out and telling them.

  “Better think carefully, young man. You don’t want to get trapped like Jake did.”

  “No, I certainly don’t.” He stared down into Anna’s angry blue eyes and smiled.

  Doc gave them both a speculative look and then excused himself, giving Anna a chance to unleash her anger before she exploded. She pushed his arm from her shoulders.

  “How dare you! I told you I’d take care of my business. I didn’t want your mechanic coming out to look at my car!”

  “Why not? He’s the only decent mechanic from miles around. I can vouch for his work. So what’s the problem?” He continued to smile at her, but what he really wanted to do was haul her into his arms and kiss away her frown.

  She momentarily closed her eyes and then glared at him again. Through clenched teeth, she said, “No problem. Where’s his shop?”

  “Here in Rawhide. We can run you by now if you want, but we won’t have much time. We’re having a picnic, remember?”

  “Since you’re so generous in lending me your pickup, maybe you could catch a ride with Jake, so I won’t hold you up. I may need to stay at the garage and talk with Mike for a while.”

  There was a determined look in her blue eyes that made Brett want to chuckle. She wasn’t very big, but she was a fierce competitor. And they were competing.

  “Nope. Jake and I are already riding together. Besides, if you’re talking to Mike, he can’t be working. And there’s the picnic, remember?” he reminded her.

  “I probably shouldn’t go on the picnic.”

  “If you don’t go, Pete won’t let Janie, and you said she needed the break.” He knew Anna’s weaknesses. The welfare of her patients was important. She might deny herself the pleasure of the picnic, but she’d never do that to Janie.

  “You’re right,” she muttered, and turned away from him.

  He caught her arm. “Where are you going?”

  “I rode here with Pete and Janie. I need to find them.”

  “You can ride with me and Jake. We’ve got room for you.” In fact, he was looking forward to having her beside him and, if he was lucky, pressed against him on turns.

  Her cheeks flamed, and she looked away. “No, thank you.”

  “Hey, you’re not embarrassed about Jake finding us in the hall, are you?”

  “You were in your underwear,” she whispered ferociously, leaning toward him so no one could hear.

  “But you weren’t,” h
e teased, a grin on his lips. Her flushed cheeks only highlighted her freckles, making him want to kiss each one of them.

  “No, but Jake—”

  “Didn’t think anything about it.” Not strictly true, but his warnings had been for Brett, not Anna.

  “You two ready to go?” Jake called across the churchyard.

  Anna turned and hurried over, her gaze lowered. “I came with Pete and Janie, Jake, but thanks for the offer.”

  “I sent them on ahead to get ready for our picnic. We’ve got plenty of room for you, Anna.” He swung open the truck door.

  Anna glared one last time over her shoulder at Brett and then climbed in.

  He got in beside her and sprawled out so he took up as much room as possible. His left knee pressed against her slender legs as she primly sat between him and Jake. With a deceptively casual shrug, he ran his arm along the back of the seat and grinned at her again when she stared at him.

  Jake got behind the wheel and started the drive back to the ranch.

  “Jake, about last night…” she began, and then broke off, as if unsure what to say.

  “Don’t worry about it, Anna,” Jake drawled. “I’ve already explained to my little brother that it’s impolite to run around undressed when we have company. He won’t do it again.”

  “I don’t see what the big deal is,” Brett protested. “After all, if I were working for Calvin Klein, I’d be paid a lot of money. You two act as if I’ve committed some big crime.”

  “You would do that?” Anna asked, looking at him without anger for the first time that day. He wasn’t sure her expression was an improvement, however.

  “You don’t think I look good enough?” he huffed.

  To his delight, she blushed again and looked away. “I didn’t mean—Of course, you—Brett Randall, you’re teasing me!”

  “Maybe just a little, sugar,” he said softly, and wished his big brother were anywhere but in the truck with them.

  “Behave, Brett,” Jake muttered. “Do you think Sylvia will be ready when we get back to the ranch?”

  Brett knew his brother had inserted his fiancée’s name as a reminder. He didn’t like thinking about Sylvia, but it was probably for the best. He couldn’t wait to be freed from the promise he’d given. “Probably not.”