The Colton Bride

by Carla Cassidy

  She didn’t fool herself that what they were doing had anything to do with love. It was lust, pure and simple, and that was fine with her. She’d be satisfied with his lust to sate her own.

  His lips moved from hers, kissing and nipping down the side of her throat, finding each and every spot that sent a shiver of delight up and down her spine.

  It didn’t take long for him to become impeded and frustrated by her nightgown. She sat up and pulled it over her head, leaving her naked except for a tiny pair of panties.

  Now it wasn’t his hands on her breasts, but rather his mouth, first nipping and licking one nipple and then moving to the other. She tangled her hands in his thick hair, shuddering with the pleasure that swirled in her stomach, fluttered down her thighs and pooled in the very center of her.

  His mouth moved down the middle of her stomach, trailing kisses until he reached her lower stomach. He kissed her once there and stroked a hand across it as if to caress the tiny life she carried.

  The gesture brought unexpected tears to blur her vision, but then his fingers moved downward, making her gasp as he pulled her panties off and found the spot where all her pleasure was located.

  He moved his fingers slowly at first and a massive storm began to rise inside her. She arched her back against his hand, wanting...needing the storm to sweep over her, she wanted to ride the waves that would take her out to sea.

  All rational thought left her as she gave in to the mindlessness of pure sensation, of wanton sexual pleasure. His fingers moved faster against her and then the storm was upon her, washing over her. She gasped for air and cried out his name.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said as she remained boneless. When the power of her climax slowly ebbed away, she reached down and encircled her hand around his hard length, surprised to discover that his boxers were gone.

  He hissed his pleasure as she languidly moved her hand up and down on him. She stroked him and her head filled with the scent of hay and the memory of all the nights that they had made love in the stables.

  On hot summer nights his body had been slick and fevered against hers and on cold wintry nights they had cuddled beneath an old blanket, his body warming her like a heater.

  She consciously forced the memories of that simple time out of her mind, not wanting to think about yesterday or tomorrow. She just wanted to be here now with him. As she moved her hand against his velvety skin a little faster he grabbed hold of her wrist to stop her, his eyes glittering like a wild animal.

  “Not yet,” he said, letting her know he was precariously close to the edge. “I want slow. I want to savor every moment of this night...of you.”

  It was as if he knew what she did, that this night might never be repeated again, that this was potentially a moment of temporary insanity shared between them and dawn would return them both back to sanity.

  With slow caresses and long, soulful kisses, Gray took complete control and Cath allowed him to, reveling in the simple joy of being the center of his attention.

  As much as she wanted this to last all night long, she wanted...needed him to take her completely, to possess her entirely.

  Impatiently, she took hold of his hardness once again. “Take me, Gray. Please don’t make me wait any longer.”

  She didn’t have to ask him twice. He rolled over and poised between her thighs, the bulk of his weight on his elbows on either side of her. He gazed at her, as if peering into the very depths of her and then eased into her smoothly, filling her up, body, heart and soul.

  “Cath.” He groaned her name against her hair and began to shift his hips. He stroked in and out of her in slow sweet movements, creating mindless pleasure that swept through her.

  As he stroked more rapidly she looked up at him, loving the play of the nearby lamp on his rigid, rugged features, the corded muscles in his neck and the single focus of his gaze on her.

  She saw his imminent release in the glowing depths of his eyes and it shoved her over the edge into a climax that sucked the air out of her body. At the same time he reached his own climax and the world stopped.

  He hovered above her for endless seconds, their gazes connected as their bodies joined. He finally stirred, rolling next to her on his back as his ragged breathing mingled with her own. “We always were great together,” he said. He propped himself up on one elbow, the lazy smile of a satisfied man curving his lips as one hand toyed with the ends of her hair.

  “I lusted after you as a teenage girl and I guess I never quite outgrew it,” she replied. This feeling she had for him had to be lust, a powerful emotion that she refused to identify as anything close to love.

  “There’s nothing wrong with a healthy dose of lust,” he said. He tapped the end of her nose with his index finger and then moved out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

  Cath remained on her back, staring up at the ceiling, her body still warmed by what she had just shared with Gray. Although she had told herself she’d have no regrets if they made love again, she’d been wrong.

  Already the regrets were whispering through her, telling her that this night had been a major mistake, that she’d been stupid to change the rules of their marriage of protection.

  Maybe she’d hoped that by making love to him tonight she would banish the magic of those old memories and would realize that what they’d shared years ago hadn’t been that special after all.

  But if that had been her subconscious plan it had backfired big-time. Making love with Gray tonight had only confirmed to her that there was magic between them, at least on a physical level. That hadn’t been enough to keep him by her side years ago and she knew the only reason he was here with her now was because somebody wanted to kidnap her and he’d proclaimed himself her personal bodyguard.

  She couldn’t forget that he’d disappeared from her life once before without even a goodbye. She’d be a fool to believe that their marriage was anything but a brief contract with a dose of lust thrown in as a complication.

  It was predawn when Gray awakened and quietly slid from the bed. He padded into the bathroom, took a quick shower and then dressed in his worn jeans and flannel shirt.

  Cath slept peacefully and didn’t stir as he left the bathroom. He went into the sitting room, eased down on the chaise and turned on the nearby lamp. He tried not to look in her direction. With the bedroom door open and from his vantage point he could see her in the shadows of the room. Hours could be lost just watching her sleep, especially after last night. Making love to Cath was a habit he could get used to if he allowed himself, but he wouldn’t. Last night had been an anomaly and they’d both be fools to repeat it.

  He tore his gaze from Cath’s direction and instead focused on the folder in front of him. It contained the notes Cath had made concerning what they’d found out from her friend Jewel about Dylan’s mother’s marriage certificate and his birth certificate. Not only had Jewel discerned that the birth certificate was bogus, she’d also clicked her way into the information that there had been no boys born on the date listed as Dylan’s birth date and time at the Cody Memorial Hospital.

  Sometime today Gray had to tell this information to Dylan, and he dreaded when that moment came, for he knew he’d be shattering not just Dylan’s memories of his mother, but also Dylan’s own identity.

  Gray not only had the notes Cath had taken from Jewel, but also some of the notes that Mia and Jagger had left behind when they’d done a little investigation of their own into the kidnapping of Cole Colton. He read over their notes, but found himself distracted again and again by Cath as the dawn crept into the window to paint her sleeping figure in shades of pale gold.

  Although Dirk Sinclair came from her same social circle, he wasn’t good enough to wipe her feet. Gray wasn’t sorry that the man had the impression that Cath had been two-timing him. Hopefully by the time the baby arrived Dirk and all the rest of the world would just assume it was Gray’s.

  He found himself embracing the thought. When the danger to
Cath passed and they divorced, the baby would still need a father figure in his or her life.

  He was surprised to realize he wouldn’t mind being that man, although he recognized that Cath might have a problem with it.

  Besides, even with a baby in tow, he knew it wouldn’t take long for appropriate suitors to come calling on her. Aside from her money, she was beautiful and kind, smart and funny. She’d move on and so would he.

  He got up and moved to the window and stared out where the ranch hands were just beginning to start their daily chores. It felt odd not to be out there with them and it was equally odd that he didn’t miss it at all.

  All personal feelings aside, he liked the idea that he was keeping Cath safe. He even liked the idea of further investigating Cole Colton’s kidnapping from so many years ago and the more recent mystery of Faye Frick and Dylan.

  His father had always told him he was born to be a wrangler and for years Gray had believed that was who he was supposed to be. Gray had never thought about being anything else until now.

  He returned to the chaise and tried to stay focused on reading and rereading the notes they’d taken, attempting to put together a puzzle despite its missing pieces.

  The sun had marched above the horizon and still Cath slept. Gray leaned back against the chaise and allowed his mind free rein.

  He thought about the night before and the charity event and he couldn’t help but think about Dirk Sinclair. He hadn’t liked the idea of Cath dating him at all, but it hadn’t been his place to offer his opinion to her.

  Dirk Sinclair came from wealth, but he’d done nothing with his life to build any kind of future for himself. Rumor had it that his parents had tired of financing Dirk’s playboy ways and had been pressuring him to settle down with a good woman and a job in the family business.

  Obviously Dirk had declined the position in the family business and had decided to go heiress-hunting instead. Gray frowned and once again cast his gaze toward the sleeping pregnant woman.

  She’d told Gray that Dirk had broken up with her when he’d discovered that she wouldn’t get her inheritance for another four years. Was it possible he’d come up with another idea for making money off Cath? Was it conceivable that Dirk had been the kidnapper, attempting to get a ransom payday from the woman he’d been dating?

  He made a mental note to himself to have a visit with Chief Peters and let him know that Gray wanted Dirk’s alibis checked for the nights of the two kidnapping attempts.

  His thoughts scattered once again as he continued to look at Cath. He had no idea what to expect from her this morning. Would she be happy that they’d made love or would regrets shine in the depths of her blue eyes?

  He wouldn’t allow himself to feel guilty about what had happened. She had been the aggressor, not he. He’d given her an opportunity to change her mind, to think about what she was doing as she’d unfastened his buttons, but she hadn’t hesitated.

  He suddenly realized her eyes were open and she was gazing at him. “Good morning,” he said.

  She shoved strands of shiny hair from the side of her face and rose up on one elbow as she huddled beneath the sheet to hide her nakedness. “What time is it?”

  “Almost eight and I don’t know about you, but I could use a cup of coffee and some breakfast.” He watched her closely, trying to discern her mood.

  “If you’d grab my robe and bring it to me I’ll get dressed so we can get downstairs and get some breakfast and coffee.”

  Gray relaxed a bit, bringing her the robe. She pulled it around her and then quickly disappeared into the bathroom. It took her only minutes to dress in a pair of black slacks, a black-and-gray lightweight sweater and reappear ready to go to the dining room.

  As they walked down the hallway toward the dining room, it was obvious that she had no intention of mentioning what had happened between them the night before.

  “I hope the charity took in lots of money last night,” she said. “The room certainly was set up beautifully.” He didn’t reply and she continued talking about the decorations and the people they’d seen.

  Her monologue had the flavor of somebody afraid that a topic might arise and she was determined to guide the conversation where she wanted it to go. That was fine with him. His head was jumbled with enough unsettling issues that he didn’t mind if they didn’t speak of what had happened between them last night.

  Most of the family was at the table when they entered the dining room. Gray sat next to Cath and prepared himself for the usual tense unpleasantness of a family gathering.

  The first person Cath spoke to was Levi. “Any change in Daddy?” she asked, a question that was common from Cath to Levi.

  Levi shook his head. “He’s stable but remains in the coma.”

  Gray felt Cath’s pain radiating from her. “At least he’s stable,” he said to her softly.

  She nodded. “I just want him to wake up.”

  “You and me both,” Darla said from across the table.

  “Mother is worried about what provisions Jethro has made for us upon his death,” Trip said, ignoring Darla’s pointed glare at him. “She’s afraid if the old man dies we’ll be out on the street and she won’t be able to afford her designer shoes and Botox treatments.”

  “Trip, that’s enough,” Darla said sharply.

  Tawny sat between her mother and brother, a small smile curving her lips as if she were pleased that it was her brother at the receiving end of Darla’s aggravation for a change.

  “Why don’t we talk about something more pleasant,” Gabby suggested.

  “Like those creepy kids that you work with?” Tawny replied.

  “They aren’t creepy,” Gabby replied coolly.

  “I guess it’s impossible to have a pleasant meal here unless you’re eating alone,” Amanda said dryly.

  This pronouncement was followed by the usual tense silence that accompanied so many meals. “It’s a wonder you don’t have morning sickness after eating with your family,” Gray said as they left the dining room.

  Cath smiled at him. “Thank goodness I haven’t had a touch of it yet.” She patted the small pooch of her tummy. “The bean is being nice to me.”

  “Speaking of the bean,” Gray said as they reached her suite. He waited until she sat in her chair and then he took a place on the chaise. “I was thinking this morning while you were asleep that if you decide to remain single after our time together is over, the bean won’t have any kind of a father figure in his or her life.”

  She looked at him wordlessly and he drew a deep breath and continued, “I just wanted you to know that as far as the world is concerned I’m the bean’s father and if you want me to remain a part of his or her life after we split up, I’m more than willing to do that.”

  Her eyes filled with tears that quickly tracked down her cheeks. Gray was appalled. “I mean, if you don’t want me to, then I won’t,” he quickly exclaimed.

  She shook her head and swiped at the tears. “These aren’t sad tears,” she said as the tears finally halted. “I don’t know what to say. That’s the most generous offer you could have ever made to me and to the bean.”

  She turned her head to gaze out the window for several moments, and then looked back at him. “I think the best thing we can do right now is just take it all one day at a time.”

  Gray nodded agreeably, but inside he was stunned to realize how much he’d wanted her to offer him an official place in the baby’s life.

  Chapter 15

  Cath sat in the passenger seat of Gray’s truck as they drove the fifteen miles to the town of Dead to speak with Chief Peters.

  When Gray had mentioned to her that he wanted Dirk Sinclair checked out, she’d been stunned at the very idea. As she’d thought about it longer, she’d remembered the anger that had twisted Dirk’s features when he’d realized she had no inheritance but rather lived on an allowance and wouldn’t see any real money for another four years. Without any other suspects lining up she wasn
’t going to protest Gray and the officials taking a close look at Dirk.

  They’d worked together to take care of her morning chores at the petting barn, then had greeted Dylan and made arrangements for him to meet them in Cath’s suite around three that afternoon.

  “You must be dreading talking to Dylan,” she said, breaking the silence that had settled between them since they’d gotten into his truck.

  He’d been unusually quiet since he’d offered to be there for her baby when this was all over and she’d not jumped at the offer. She hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings, but she didn’t want to bind him to her in any way when this was all over. There was no certainty that he would even remain at the Dead River Ranch after they divorced.

  “I can’t tell you how much I’m dreading it,” he replied. “Our information virtually steals his identity from him, leaving so many more questions for him to have to figure out.” He checked the rearview mirror. “I’m thinking about asking Peters if I can get a copy of the original file from Cole’s kidnapping and all the murders that have taken place over the past couple of months at the ranch.”

  “Why would you want to do that?” she asked curiously.

  “I’ve realized over the past week that I like trying to solve puzzles.” He glanced in the rearview mirror again and frowned. “And right now I’d like to know who has been following us since we left the ranch.”

  Cath turned back to see a black pickup truck behind them. As Gray sped up, the truck paced them. When he slowed down to allow it to pass, the truck behind them slowed, as well. “I don’t recognize the truck,” she said, anxiety starting a breathless twist in her stomach. “But half the workers on the ranch and in the area drive black pickup trucks.”

  “True, but I don’t like this one,” Gray replied. He kept one hand on the steering wheel and with the other pulled his gun out of his waistband. “I don’t like them behind us at all.”

  Cath had almost forgotten about the threat to her and now her head exploded with visions of Allison Murray dead on her floor, with the horror of a man’s hand smashed hard against her mouth as he tried to drag her away from safety.