Naughty Angel: Brian's Bride (The McKenzie Series #2)

by Lynn Coppersmith

  Exhausted as she was, she moaned and caressed the back of his hand on her breast. He chuckled softly and gently kissed her temple. His smile was one of complete satisfaction. He had finally found his perfect woman, and he had absolutely no intention of ever letting her go.

  *****

  The next morning, Brian left Sarah sleeping soundly from exhaustion. He made his way to the kitchen to find that, once again, Liam had risen first. His younger brother frowned at him when he entered the room.

  “Good morning,” Brian said cheerfully, fetching a cup of coffee and sitting opposite his brother.

  “I suspect it is a good morning for you,” Liam said reproachfully.“But is it a good morning for Sarah, do you think?”

  Brian raised a brow as he eyed his brother over the rim of his cup.“What are you talking about?” he asked.

  Liam leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin thoughtfully.“The strangest thing happened last night. I was sound asleep when I heard Sarah scream. I thought she had a nightmare or something, and I knocked on her door to make sure she was alright, only she wasn’t there.” Seeing Brian flush, Liam pierced him with a disapproving frown.“Then, I heard Sarah moaning, and I knew she was with you. You’ve seduced her, haven’t you?”

  “Stay out of this, Liam. It’s not your business.”

  Liam ignored Brian’s black scowl and continued.“It became my business when you seduced a sweet, vulnerable girl like Sarah while she is a guest in our home. I can’t believe you would take advantage of a girl who doesn’t even remember her past.”

  “It wasn’t like that,” Brian gritted out.“I didn’t take advantage of her. In fact, I tried to send her away, but she insisted on joining me in my bed. I couldn’t help myself.”

  “Hmmm, I’ll bet,” Liam said snidely.“You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “Well I’m not, little brother.” Brian rose and paced to the window, looking out at the pink sunrise.“I love her,” he said quietly, “and as soon as I’m able to, I’m going to marry her.”

  Liam was both surprised and pleased by his brother’s statement, but he still had his doubts.“How do you know she’s not already married?”

  “Because,” Brian turned to glare at him, “not that it’s any of your business, but she was a virgin when I took her last night. There’s no way she’s married.”

  “Oh,” Liam said. His expression slowly changed from one of anger to surprise and then to relief. Finally, he grinned at Brian.“That’s good. I was worried that you had seduced some other man’s wife. So when’s the wedding?”

  “Just as soon as I can find out more about Sarah’s past. It would be awfully awkward trying to get married when I don’t even know her last name, don’t you think?”

  Liam raised a thoughtful brow and nodded.“I hadn’t really thought about it, but yes it would. So what are you planning to do?”

  “Well, you were right before. It wouldn’t do Sarah’s reputation any good if people knew she was living here with two men. I’ll discreetly ask around about any newcomers while I’m in town today. Maybe someone will have mentioned Sarah and that they are searching for her.” He pinned Liam with a warning glare.“In the meantime, don’t let Sarah know that you heard us last night. She would be mortified.”

  Liam grinned.“Alright, but could you two keep it down tonight? It makes it kind of hard for me to sleep, knowing that everyone is getting some except me.”

  *****

  Later that day, Brian drove the wagon into town, and parked in front of the general store. He went inside, nodding to the owner, Mr. Thompson. He hung his hat on a peg near the door and went to warm his hands in front of the wood stove.

  Mr. Thompson gave him a wide smile.“Good day to you, Mr. McKenzie. I heard your brother and his wife went on a honeymoon, up to Oregon City.”

  “That’s right,” Brian said, returning his smile.“They should be back in a few days.”

  Hearing their voices, Mrs. Thompson appeared from the back of the store. She exchanged smiling greetings with Brian. She was just the woman Brian wanted to see. Mrs. Thompson was always up to date on the local gossip. She was the kind of woman that others felt comfortable confiding in … trustworthy, dependable and warm hearted. If anyone would have heard something about Sarah, it would be her.

  “The whole town is abuzz with talk about how your brother married a newcomer,” she exclaimed.“There are so many local young ladies would have loved to become his bride. They are none too pleased that a stranger snatched him right out from under their noses, let me tell you.”

  Brian laughed and nodded.“I can imagine. I’m sure they’ll settle down and turn their attentions elsewhere, now that Aidan is no longer available.”

  Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson laughed, and they exchanged a knowing glance. When Mrs. Thompson faced him again, she gave him a broad grin.

  “Of course they’ll turn their attentions elsewhere. They’ll concentrate on you and your younger brother. The two of you will be even more hotly pursued than you were before. If you’re not careful, you’ll be the next one snared by the parson’s noose.”

  “Heaven help us,” Brian said with a grin.

  He knew that he wouldn’t mind that at all, now that he had Sarah. He would be more than happy to tie the knot with her. In fact, he was downright impatient to do so.

  Mrs. Thompson was giving him a motherly frown.“You know, now that I think about it, you really do need to find yourself a good woman and settle down. Don’t you think it’s about time?”

  “That’s not a bad idea, Mrs. Thompson.” Brian gave her a playful wink.“The problem is that I’ve looked over all the local ladies, and I don’t think any of them would want a rascal like me.”

  “Rascal indeed! You’re a rogue and a heartbreaker, Brian McKenzie.” Mrs. Thompson’s tone was stern, but she was shaking her head and giving him a smile.“You need some nice young lady to take you in hand and make you behave yourself.”

  “Watch yourself,” Mr. Thompson warned with a grin. “She’ll have you hitched in no time, if you aren’t careful.”

  Brian merely chuckled.“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea. You wouldn’t happen to know whether there are any other young ladies who are new to the area would you? If I could find one as pretty and sweet as Naomi, I might not mind getting married.”

  Her eyes lit up with pleased surprise.“Well, heavens above! Don’t tell me that you’re looking for a young lady to marry too! I never thought I’d see the day. You know, you really should pick one of the eligible ladies in town, you handsome devil. There are quite a few pretty ones to choose from. Are you sure you can’t find one?”

  Brian shrugged one shoulder. He kept his expression and his voice teasing.“No, I’ve already considered all those ladies. I’m holding out for a sweet little blonde with big brown eyes. You know, about this tall,” Brian said, indicating where Sarah’s head reached just under his chin, “with a face like an angel and a figure to tempt the saints. You’d let me know if a lady like that showed up around here wouldn’t you?” He gave Mrs. Thompson another playful wink.

  She laughed, flustered by his charm even though she was old enough to be his mother.“Why Mr. McKenzie,” she scolded, “you’re pulling my leg. Anyway, you know we don’t get many new folks at this time of year. I haven’t heard of anybody new moving into the area for quite some time, other than your sister-in-law, of course.”

  “Oh well,” Brian sighed.“A man can dream.” He caught Mr. Thompson’s eye and they shared a laugh.“What I really came in for is some fabric and other sewing notions. My new sister-in-law gave me a list of things she needs,” he lied, handing Mrs. Thompson the list that Sarah had given him.“She asked for some fabric to make curtains. Something light and cheerful.”

  Mrs. Thompson helped him choose three pretty patterns of fabric, thread, needles, scissors, and the other assorted items on the list. He paid for the goods, said his farewells and stowed the items in the wagon before heading to the sheriff�
��s office.

  Sheriff Wilson was sitting with his feet propped on his desk, looking at a wanted poster when Brian walked in.

  “Hello, Sheriff Wilson,” he said cheerfully.

  “Howdy Mr. McKenzie. Haven’t seen you around lately.”

  The sheriff gave him a gap-toothed grin. Sheriff Wilson was well liked by the townspeople because of his lively sense of humor and talent for storytelling. He often had people howling with laughter when he told them about breaking up saloon fights or intervening in the occasional dispute between neighbors. Folks would often stop by his office just to chat.

  “I’ve been pretty busy,” Brian said, taking a seat in front of his desk.“Thought I would stop and say hello, since I haven’t seen you for so long. Anything new going on?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes,” the sheriff said, waving the wanted poster. “Just had this dropped off from the sheriff in the next county. Seems some maid murdered her rich boss, and there’s a reward for information leading to her arrest. I wouldn’t mind collecting $1000 dollars. Haven’t seen her around, have you?” He slid the paper across the desk to Brian.

  Brian whistled when he heard the amount of the reward.“Wow, her boss must have been really rich,” he said.

  He picked up the poster and felt like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs. Staring back at him from the paper was a remarkable likeness of Sarah. He scanned the words as he struggled for breath.

  WANTED for MURDER

  $1000 Reward

  will be paid for information

  leading to the arrest

  and conviction of SARAH MARTIN.

  Sheriff Wilson nodded his agreement.“Yep. Seems she was newly hired by the Henderson family. They’re old money, you know. Just moved out from New York about a year ago. She’d only been working there a few months when she stabbed Mr. Henderson to death and ran off. The man’s widow is anxious to see the woman hanged.”

  “Any idea why she might have done something like that?” Brian asked, trying to keep his voice casual.

  “Nope,” the sheriff said with a sigh. He took the poster back from Brian and pinned it to a bulletin board.“Seems like a shame, too. She’s an awful pretty young thing.” The sheriff gave him a grin.“But enough about that. Tell me about this new sister-in-law of yours.”

  Brian stayed and chatted for a few more minutes before saying his goodbyes. He retrieved his wagon and headed home, anxious to be away from the town. His mind was spinning with questions. He didn’t believe for a second that Sarah was capable of murder. There had to be another explanation, but unless she could remember what had happened, he was purely speculating.

  Brian had only known Sarah for a few days, but he would bet his life that she was not a murderer. It wasn’t possible that she could be so sweet, generous, selfless, and thoughtful and also be a cold-hearted killer. He refused to accept it.

  He thought about what she had told him of the visions she had seen. It was possible that Mr. Henderson had been trying to rape her. Maybe she had stabbed him to defend herself. Now, it was up to Brian to defend her. The best thing he could do was make sure no one knew she was living at his home and pray that she regained her memory before it was too late.

  *****

  He arrived home, and Sarah came running from the house to greet him. Her cheeks were flushed with color, and she gave him a brilliant smile of welcome.

  “Brian,” she cried, “I’m so glad you’re back.”

  “Me too,” he laughingly replied. He cast a quick glance around, glad that Liam was nowhere in sight, as she threw herself into his arms and kissed him soundly on the mouth.“Now that’s a welcome I could get used to,” he teased her.“Give me another kiss like that, angel.”

  He kissed her long and thoroughly, kneading her bottom as she leaned into him. She moaned into his mouth, flattening her breasts against his chest as she clasped him to her. He released her mouth and waited for her eyes to flutter open. His erection was throbbing in his breeches, and he pressed it against her belly, letting her know that she had aroused his full attention.

  “Later, my angel,” he promised, with a wicked grin.“Tonight, you’ll pay for making me want you so badly in the middle of the morning.”

  “Why wait?” she asked, toying with the hair at his nape while she gave him a flirtatious grin.“I’m perfectly willing to take care of your needs right now.”

  Brian groaned, loving the feel of her in his arms.“Naughty girl. You know I have work to do. And so do you. I brought you the fabric you asked for.”

  He retrieved the fabric and other things and carried them into the cabin. Sarah was as excited as a kid at Christmas when she peeled back the paper and saw the materials he had chosen.

  “Oh Brian, these are lovely,” she exclaimed.“There’s more than enough here. I’ll even have enough to make a tablecloth, I’m sure of it.”

  He watched for a few minutes as she sorted through the supplies. She kept up a steady stream of excited chatter, unaware of the worry in his eyes. He was careful to disguise it when she met his eye.

  “Did you find out anything about me when you were in town?”

  “No,” he lied.“We’ll have to wait for a while and hope your memory comes back on its own.”

  “Oh,” she said with a disappointed sigh. She scanned his face. Something about his expression made her think he wasn’t being totally honest with her.

  “I’d better go help Liam,” Brian said. He gave her a quick kiss and turned to leave.“We’ll see you at lunch.”

  Brian left before she could question him further. He joined Liam and filled him in on what he had found out about Sarah. When he had finished his tale, Liam blew out a long whistle.

  “What does Sarah say about it?”

  “She doesn’t know,” Brian said, “and I don’t want her to find out.”

  “Why not? Maybe it would stir some memories,” Liam suggested.

  “Or maybe it would scare the daylights out of her. For now, I’m not going to tell her. Hopefully, she will begin to remember on her own. Promise you’ll keep this just between us.”

  “You know I will, Brian. I just hope you’re right. It seems to me like you’re getting deeper and deeper into trouble with Sarah Martin. If anyone discovers she’s here, you could be in trouble too.”

  “Well, it’s too late to do anything about it,” Brian said quietly.“I love her, and no matter what it costs me, I have to protect her.”

  Chapter Six

  After Brian left to work on the cabin, Sarah cleaned the kitchen table carefully and chose one of the bolts of fabric Brian had bought. She smoothed the sturdy cotton on the table top, running her hand over the soft material. She was pleased with the pattern, a cheerful yellow with small blue flowers. She measured what she would need, cutting out enough material to make several panels of curtains and strips to make matching tie cloths to hold the panels back.

  When she had everything prepared, she settled into a comfortable chair and began to sew. Sarah hummed a cheerful tune as she worked, smiling as memories of her night with Brian flitted through her mind. She was a bit stunned by the depth of emotion she already felt for him. He had claimed more than just her body. He had claimed her heart as well. She loved him. It was as simple as that. And yet, she knew that it wasn’t simple at all.

  She frowned thoughtfully, wondering once again about her past. Brian had said he would marry her, and she was anxious to become his wife. But, until she knew who she was and where she had come from, she couldn’t pursue a future with Brian.

  She knew he was equally impatient. He had made it clear that he wanted her. She blushed with pleasure, thinking of how clearly he had let her know that he wanted her. She had to find some way to regain her memory, but she was totally at a loss about how to accomplish that goal.

  She sighed, pushing those thoughts from her mind and concentrating on her sewing. She made steady progress, smiling as she applied neat stitches to the fabric. Her fingers were nimble and
efficient, and soon, she had completed several panels.

  After a couple of hours, her eyelids began to droop. She was tired from her night time activities, and she yawned, stretching her arms overhead to ease her aching shoulders. Perhaps a few moments of rest would be good.

  She laid her head against the back of the chair and squirmed a bit to get comfortable. Within moments, she was asleep. She sighed as she began to dream.

  She saw herself sitting beside a woman on a sofa. Sarah looked younger, with her hair pleated into a girlish braid. She looked about fourteen. The woman beside her looked like a slightly older version of herself. She had the same golden hair, only hers had a few streaks of grey. Her large brown eyes were identical to Sarah’s, except for the tiny laugh lines near the edges. They sat together in a cozy parlor, and the older woman was showing Sarah how to sew.

  “That’s good, Sarah. You are coming right along,” the older woman said.“Soon, you will be able to sew better than me.”

  Sarah laughed with pleasure.“Oh Mama, no one sews as well as you.”

  “I’ve simply had more practice, my dear. You’ll see.”

  They heard a door open, and they both looked up with expectant smiles as a man entered. He was the man from the photo, only once again, she noticed that he looked older than he had in the picture. He smiled at Sarah before bending to kiss her mother.

  “Hello, my beauties. Did you have a nice day?”

  “Yes, Papa. I’m making a new dress. Mama bought the fabric for me today. See.” Sarah held up the dress she was making, excited to show him what she had done so far.

  “That’s lovely, Sarah.” He gave her a wink and grinned.“Now, be a good daughter and give me a few minutes alone with your mother. I want to greet my wife properly before supper.”

  Sarah giggled and rolled her eyes, but she obediently rose from the sofa and kissed him on the cheek before heading to the stairs. As she climbed to her room, she could hear her mother’s soft giggles of delight and her father’s playful growls, and Sarah smiled to herself. After nearly twenty years together, the pair still seemed like newlyweds. She sighed contentedly.