Wedding at Cardwell Ranch

by B. J Daniels

  She had thought so, but now she didn’t know what to believe. “How did you come up with the idea of me going to see Katrina?” she challenged.

  Belinda drove in silence, the canyon highway a dark ribbon along the edge of the river. “I told you. I’d seen Katrina a few times. But the idea for you to go see her so you could try to reach Nick and get closure? That was your sister Megan’s idea.”

  * * *

  JACKSON FOUND HIMSELF walking the floor of his cabin until he couldn’t take it anymore. Finally, he heard the sound of a vehicle, saw the headlights coming up the road and hurried down to the barn where Allie had left her van.

  He waited in the shadows as both women got out of Belinda’s car, neither speaking as they parted ways.

  “Are you all right?” Jackson asked Allie as he stepped from the shadows. She jumped, surprised, and he mentally kicked himself for scaring her. “I’m sorry. I’ve been pacing the floor. I was so worried about you.”

  Her features softened. “I’m okay.” She looked drained.

  “If you don’t want to talk about it tonight...”

  Allie gave him a wane smile. “Natalie is staying with your family and I’m not going to be able to sleep, anyway.”

  “Do you mind coming up to my cabin?”

  She shook her head and let him lead her up the mountainside through the pines. It was only a little after ten, but most everyone had turned in for the night so there was little light or sound on the ranch. Under the thick pine boughs, it was cool and dark and smelled of summer.

  Jackson realized he was going to miss that smell when he returned to Texas. He didn’t want to think about what else he might miss.

  Once inside the cabin, they took a seat on the couch, turning to face each other. It was warm in the cabin away from the chill of the Montana summer night. Without prompting, Allie began to relate what had happened slowly as if she was exhausted. He didn’t doubt she was.

  He hated putting her through this. She told him about the ride to the psychic’s and Belinda’s apparent hesitancy to let her go through with it. Then she told him about Katrina and the small remote house.

  “It all felt silly and like a waste of time, until I heard Nick’s voice.”

  He looked at her and felt his heart drop. Hearing her husband’s voice had clearly upset her. It surprised him that whoever was behind this had gone that far.

  “You’re sure it was Nick’s voice.”

  She nodded. “It sounded as if it was far away and yet close.”

  “Could it have been a recording?”

  “Possibly. His words were halting as if hard for him to speak and he...groaned.” She shuddered. “It was an awful sound, unearthly.”

  “I’m so sorry. After you left, I regretted telling you to go.” He sighed. “I was afraid it would just upset you and accomplish nothing.”

  “It gets worse. Nick...accused me of...killing him.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous. I thought a grizzly killed him.”

  She shrugged. “The psychic believed it. You should have seen her face.”

  “Allie, the woman was in on it. This was just another ploy. You knew that going in.”

  “But I didn’t know I would hear his voice. I didn’t know he would ask me why I’d killed him. I didn’t...” The tears came in a rush, dissolving the rest of whatever she was going to say.

  Jackson pulled her to him. She buried her face into his chest. “None of this is real, Allie. Are you listening to me? None of it. They just want you to believe it is.”

  After a few moments, the sobs stopped. He handed her a tissue from the box by the couch and she got up and moved to the window. His cabin view was the rock cliff across the valley and a ribbon of Gallatin River below it.

  As he got up, he moved to stand behind her. He could see starlight on that stretch of visible river. It shone like silver.

  “If Nick is alive and I believe he is, then he has tried to do everything he can to make you think you’re losing your mind. It hasn’t worked. This isn’t going to work, either. You’re stronger than that.”

  “Am I?” she asked with a laugh. “I am when I’m with you, but...”

  He turned her to face him. “You just needed someone to believe in you. I believe in you, Allie.”

  She looked up at him, her green eyes full of hope and trust and—

  His gaze went to her mouth. Lowering his head, he kissed her.

  * * *

  A LOW MOAN escaped her lips. As he drew her closer, Allie closed her eyes, relishing in the feel of her body against his. It had been so long since a man had kissed her let alone held her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d made love. Nick had seemed to lose interest in her toward the end, which had been more than fine with her.

  She banished all thoughts of Nick as she lost herself in Jackson’s kiss. Her arms looped around his neck. She could feel her heart pounding next to his. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples hard and aching as he deepened the kiss. A bolt of desire like none she’d ever known shot through her veins as he broke off the kiss to plant a trail of kisses down the column of her neck to the top of her breasts.

  At her cry of arousal, Jackson pulled back to look into her eyes. “I’ve told myself all the reasons we shouldn’t do this, but I want to make love to you.”

  “Yes,” she said breathlessly, throwing caution to the wind. She wanted him, wanted to feel his bare skin against her own, to taste his mouth on hers again, to look up at him as he lowered himself onto her. She ached for his gentle touch, needed desperately to know the tenderness of lovemaking she’d never experienced with Nick but sensed in Jackson.

  He swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door closed before he carefully lowered her to the bed. She looked into his dark eyes as he lay down next to her. He touched her face with his fingertips, then slipped his hand around to the nape of her neck and drew her to him.

  His kiss was slow and sensual. She could feel him fighting his own need as if determined to take it slow as he undid one button of her blouse, then another. She wanted to scream, unable to stand the barrier of their clothing between them. Grabbing his shirt, she pulled each side apart. The snaps sung as the Western shirt fell open exposing his tanned skin and the hard muscles under it.

  She pressed her hands to his warm flesh as he undid the last button on her blouse. She heard his intake of breath an instant before she felt his fingertips skim across the tops of her breasts. Pushing her onto her back, he dropped his mouth to the hard points of her nipples, sucking gently through the thin, sheer fabric of her bra.

  She arched against his mouth, felt him suck harder as his hand moved to the buttons of her jeans. With agonizing deliberate movements, he slowly undid the buttons of her jeans and slipped his hand beneath her panties. She cried out and fumbled at the zipper of his jeans.

  “Please,” she begged. “I need you.”

  “Not yet.” His voice broke with the sound of his own need. “Not yet.”

  His hand dipped deeper into her panties. She arched against it, feeling the wet slickness of his fingers. He’d barely touched her when she felt the release.

  “Oh, Allie,” he said as if he, too, hadn’t made love for a very long time. He shifted to the side to pull off her jeans and panties. She heard him shed the rest of his own clothing and then he was back, his body melding with hers in a rhythm as old as life itself.

  * * *

  THEY MADE LOVE twice more before the dawn. Jackson dozed off at some point, but woke to find Allie sleeping in his arms.

  She looked more peaceful than she had since he’d met her. Like him, he suspected she hadn’t made love with anyone for a very long time—much longer than her husband had allegedly been dead.

  He cursed Nick Taylor. How could the fool no
t want this woman? How could the man mistreat someone so wonderful, not to mention ignore a child like Natalie? When he found the bastard...

  When is it that you plan to find him?

  The thought stopped him cold. There were only two more days until the wedding. He and Ford had tickets to fly out the following day.

  He couldn’t leave Allie now when she needed him the most. But how could he stay? He had Ford to think about. His son would be starting kindergarten next month. Jackson wasn’t ready. He’d received a list from the school of the supplies his son would need, but he hadn’t seen any reason to get them yet, thinking there was plenty of time. Same with the boy’s new clothes.

  He thought of his small ranch in Texas. Most of the land was leased, but he still had a house down there in the summer heat. He couldn’t stay away indefinitely. What if he couldn’t find Nick Taylor before Ford’s school started?

  His thoughts whirling, he looked down at Allie curled up next him and felt a pull so strong that it made him ache. What was he going to do?

  Whatever it was, he couldn’t think straight lying next to this beautiful, naked woman. As he tried to pull free, she rolled away some, but didn’t wake.

  Slipping out of bed, he quickly dressed and stepped outside. The fresh Montana morning air helped a little. Earlier he’d heard voices down by the main house. He hoped to catch his brothers as he headed down the mountain. He needed desperately to talk to one of them, even though he had had a bad feeling what they were going to say to him. He’d been saying the same thing to himself since waking up next to Allie this morning.

  * * *

  ALLIE WOKE TO an empty bed. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. As last night came back to her with Jackson, she hugged herself. The lovemaking had been...amazing. This was what she’d been missing out on with Nick. Jackson had been so tender and yet so...passionate.

  She lay back listening, thinking he must be in the bathroom or maybe the small kitchen. After a few minutes, she sat up. The cabin was too quiet. Surely Jackson hadn’t left.

  Slipping her feet over the side of the bed, she tiptoed out of the bedroom. The bathroom was empty. So was the living room and kitchen. Moving to the front window, she glanced out on the porch. No Jackson.

  For a moment, she stood staring out at the view, trying to understand what this meant. Had he finally come to his senses? That was definitely one explanation.

  Had he realized they had no future? That was another.

  Hurrying into the bathroom, she showered, and, forced to put on the clothes she’d worn the night before, dressed. Fortunately, she’d been wearing jeans, a tank top and a blouse. She tucked the blouse into her large shoulder bag, pulled her wet hair up into a ponytail and looked at herself in the mirror.

  Her cheeks were flushed from the lovemaking and the hot shower. Her skin still tingled at even the thought of Jackson’s touch. She swallowed. Hadn’t she warned herself last night of all the reasons they shouldn’t make love?

  At a knock on the cabin door, she jumped. Her heart leaped to her throat as she saw a dark, large shadow move on the porch beyond the curtains. Jackson wouldn’t knock. Maybe it was one of his brothers.

  She held her breath, hoping he would go away. She didn’t want to be caught here, even though she knew his brothers wouldn’t tell anyone.

  Another knock.

  “Jackson?” Drew Taylor’s voice made her cringe. She put her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out in surprise. “I need to check something in your cabin.” She heard him try the door and felt her heart drop. What if Jackson had left the door open?

  She was already backing up, frantically trying to decide where she could hide, when she heard Drew try the knob. Locked.

  He swore, thumped around on the porch for a moment then retreated down the steps.

  Allie finally had to let out the breath she’d been holding. If Drew had caught her here... What would he have done? Tell Nick. But what would a man who had faked his death do to stop his plan from working? She thought of Jackson and felt her heart drop. She’d put Jackson’s life in danger, as well.

  She waited until she was sure Drew had gone before she cautiously moved to the door, opened it and peered out. She could see nothing but pines as she slipped out and hurried across the mountainside, planning to slip into the barn as if she’d come to work early.

  With luck, no one would be the wiser.

  Allie didn’t see Drew. But he saw her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dana was sitting on the porch as Jackson approached the house. She motioned for him to join her.

  “Where is everyone?” he asked, taking the rocker next to her.

  “Early morning ride. Hud took everyone including the kids. Quiet, isn’t it?” She glanced over at him. “How are you this morning?”

  “Fine.” He would have said great, but he had a bad feeling where Dana was headed with the conversation.

  “I’m worried about Allie,” she said, looking past him to the mountainside.

  He glanced back toward the cabins in time to see Allie hurrying toward the barn from the direction of his cabin.

  “Is she all right?”

  In truth, he didn’t know how she was. He regretted leaving before she’d awakened, but he’d needed to get out of there. “I—”

  “She’s been through so much. I would hate to see her get hurt. Wouldn’t you?”

  He felt as if she’d slapped him. He closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to look at her. “I told myself not to get involved, but...”

  “So now you are involved?” Dana frowned. “She’s in trouble, isn’t she?”

  Jackson nodded. “I have to help her.” Even if it meant staying in Montana longer, he couldn’t abandon her. Isn’t that what had scared the hell out of him when he’d awakened this morning? He was in deep, how deep, he didn’t want to admit. “She’s going through some things right now but she’s working so hard on the wedding, it will be fine.”

  Dana studied him openly. “You care about her.”

  “I’m not going to hurt her.”

  “I hope not.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder as she rose and went inside the house.

  Jackson sat looking after his cousin, mentally kicking himself. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “I was going to ask you the same thing.” Laramie came walking up.

  As he climbed the porch, Jackson said, “I thought you went riding with the others.”

  “I’ve been working,” his brother said as he took a seat next to him. He shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Jackson.” He sighed and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Allie’s mother spent the last seven years of her life in a mental institution. Paranoid schizophrenia.”

  * * *

  AS ALLIE SLIPPED into the barn, she was surprised to see Belinda setting up her gear for a shoot. She’d half expected Belinda to be gone after their argument last night. In fact, Allie had almost called several photographers she knew to see if they could possibly fill in at the last minute.

  “So you’re still here,” she said as she approached Belinda.

  “Where did you think I would be?”

  “I wasn’t sure. I thought you might have quit.”

  Belinda shook her head. “You really do have so little faith in me. I’m amazed. I’m the one who has stuck by you all these years. I’m sorry about...everything. But I’m here to do a job I love. Surely you understand that.”

  Allie did and said as much. “If I’ve underestimated you—”

  Her friend laughed. “Or overestimated me given that you think I’m capable of some diabolical plot to destroy you. And what? Steal your cabin on the river? Steal Nick’s insurance money?” Her eyes widened. “Or was it steal Natalie?” Belinda looked aghast. “Oh, Alli
e, no wonder you’re so upset. I get it now.”

  She felt tears rush her eyes as Belinda pulled her into a stiff, awkward hug.

  “No matter what you believe, I’m still your friend,” Belinda said as she broke the embrace and left the barn, passing Megan who looked bewildered as she came in.

  Allie waited until she and Megan were alone before she spoke to her stepsister about what Belinda had told her. She didn’t want to believe Megan had anything to do with the psychic or what had happened last night. Either Belinda was lying or there had to be another explanation.

  “I need to ask you something.”

  “You sound so serious,” Megan said. “What is it?”

  “Was it your idea for me to see the psychic?”

  Megan frowned. “I guess I was the one who suggested it. When Belinda told me about some of the things you’d been going through, I thought— Allie, why are you so upset?”

  Allie had turned away, unable to look at her sister. Now she turned back, just as unable to hide her disappointment. “Why would you do that?”

  “I just told you. I thought it would help.”

  “Trying to reach Nick on...the other side?” she demanded. “You can’t be serious.”

  “A girl I knew at college lost her mother before the two of them could work some things out. She went to a psychic and was able to put some of the issues to rest. I thought...” Her gaze locked with her sister’s. “I wanted to help you. I couldn’t bear the things Belinda was telling me. It sounded as if you’d been going through hell. If I was wrong, I’m sorry.”

  Allie studied her for a moment. “You would never betray me, would you, Megan?”

  “What a strange question to ask me.”

  “This past year since you came into my life and Natalie’s... It’s meant so much to both of us. Tell me you wouldn’t betray that trust.”