by Robin Deeter
Daniel put a hand on his shoulder. “Relax. This is your wedding day. Be happy.”
“I am,” Cy said. “But nervous, too.”
“That’s the way you’re supposed to be,” Daniel joked. “Leigh is a good woman. You two make a good match. I suspect that you’ll make a good match behind closed doors, too.”
Cy grinned. “I agree with that statement.”
Daniel chuckled. “Let me know.”
“Like heck I will. I don’t kiss and tell.”
While the cousins joked back and forth up front, Sly sat next to his parents, wanting to be anywhere but in that church, watching a wedding take place. How many times had he dreamt about marrying Catherine? How many times had he envisioned how beautiful she’d look on their special day? At least a thousand. He’d also longed to watch her grow heavy with their child and had imagined what their children would have looked like.
A wave of anger and grief washed through him and he closed his eyes against it. He felt a hand close around his and looked over to see his mother giving him an understanding look. Although he squeezed her hand back, he couldn’t muster up a smile for her. Instead, he gave her a little nod and took a deep breath.
He wanted to be there for Cy and Leigh’s sake, but it made the pain in his ravaged heart so much worse. Pulling his cloak of stoicism around him, Sly stared straight forward and prayed that the service would soon be over.
* * *
Daphne put the finishing touches on Leigh’s hair. “There. You look so beautiful.”
“Thanks,” Leigh said, her stomach knotting with anxiety. “I hope Cy thinks so.”
“He will.”
Leigh said, “I appreciate all of the help and support you’ve given me since I got here.”
Daphne smiled. “Well, you need all the help you need when it comes to my brother.”
Leigh said, “He’s a mystery, all right, but I don’t mind. I’ll bet you never thought he’d be gettin’ married this way, huh?”
Daphne sobered. “Actually, I never imagined Cy getting married at all. He never showed an inclination toward it, especially after what happened with Valerie and Pinkerton’s.”
“Yeah. He told me all about that,” Leigh said. “I want him to see that being married can be wonderful. I want things to be good between us and I promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to make him happy.”
Daphne smiled and cocked her head a little. “I have the feeling that you’re the right woman for the job. You won’t let him get away with anything.”
Leigh chuckled. “I am known to be bullheaded.”
Daphne said, “Good. You’ll need to be.”
She smiled and turned back to the mirror to check her appearance one last time and willed her stomach to settle down.
* * *
Daphne walked down the aisle of the sanctuary, looking lovely in her dark green satin dress. Although she knew he was present, Daphne concentrated on getting to the altar without tripping instead of looking for Brock. Rob had decreed that his whole staff would attend Cy’s wedding. If they wanted to go back to work after that, fine, but they were going to come to the ceremony or else.
Leigh followed her, her heart knocking against her ribs as her eyes found Cy’s. The tension in his face told her that he was just as nervous as her. The protective streak towards him rose up again and she forced a smile to her face. He looked suave in his tuxedo and she couldn’t ignore her reaction to him.
Cy smiled back at her, thinking her beautiful in the mint green satin dress that enhanced her extraordinary eyes. Her light brown hair was done in an intricate chignon that showed off her pretty neck and pearl earrings.
Pastor Clem, a crotchety middle-aged man, instructed Cy to take Leigh’s hands. He didn’t much like Cy or his family any more than other people did, but he did his pastoral duties nonetheless.
Leigh held Cy’s hands and gazed into his dark eyes as he said his vows. He was somber about it, yet there was a little twinkle in his eyes that told her that he was happy about marrying her. Then he slid her new wedding band on her finger and Leigh felt that anchor fall back into place, the one that gave her such a sense of belonging.
Putting on Cy’s ring, she looked at his hand and thought how different his hands were than Walt’s. Walt’s had been much paler than Cy’s light bronze skin and they’d been a little broader and his fingers had been a little shorter than Cy’s. It felt so strange to be sliding a wedding band on another man.
Cy saw the slightly wistful expression on her face and felt sympathy for her. He knew she and Walt had been very much in love, and had Walt lived, they would still be happily married. He certainly would never wish a good man dead, but he couldn’t help being grateful that Leigh was here. He was just sorry that she’d had to go through so much pain.
As he looked down at the gold band that surrounded his ring finger, Cy felt something that he never thought he’d feel. Home. His gaze moved quickly up to Leigh’s and the feeling intensified. Home.
When Pastor Clem gave him permission to kiss Leigh, she was mesmerized by Cy’s happy smile. She smiled back before their lips touched, and then he treated to her to a brief yet heart-stopping kiss that left her a little off kilter.
As she looked at him in surprise, a knowing glint in his eyes said that he knew exactly what she was feeling. Then they turned to the small group assembled and were congratulated by everyone. It was a much smaller affair than her first wedding, but the more intimate nature of it suited Leigh just fine.
Rob had pressured Brock into taking pictures, and even though he did it under duress, Brock’s pride in his photography abilities wouldn’t let him do a lackluster job. Leigh cajoled Cy into smiling, and Brock felt a twinge of jealousy over the happy couple. Then he took pictures of the newlyweds with Daniel and Daphne, and his focus kept gravitating to Cy’s beautiful sister.
He jerked his thoughts away from her and finished up. As he was packing up his equipment, Hector appeared next to him.
“You’re one lucky, hombre,” he said.
Brock glanced sharply at him. “What do you mean?”
“There is a certain lovely senorita who can’t take her eyes off you,” Hector said. “If you let her get away because she’s Cy’s sister, then you’re an idiot. You better make up your mind, quick, because if you don’t go after her, I will. And when I set out to woo a lady, I always win her.”
Brock’s blue eyes zeroed in on Hector’s. “Daphne is watching me?”
“Si. I think it would be good if you went to Benny’s to celebrate. Then you would have an excuse to dance with her,” Hector said. “But that’s only if you’re a smart man.”
He left then, and Brock snapped his camera case shut. He looked at Daphne and saw that she had indeed been watching him. Then he caught Daniel looking at him with undisguised animosity, and the old anger rose inside. Without a word to anyone, Brock picked up his equipment and left.
Daphne gazed after him wistfully, wishing she didn’t feel so strongly for a man who wanted nothing to do with her. Stifling the urge to cry, she turned her attention back to her family, smiling even though her heart wasn’t in it. Cy had witnessed her preoccupation with the deputy, but he pushed it out of his mind, unwilling to let it dampen his and Leigh’s special day.
Chapter 14
Leigh liked the saloon and Benny on sight. The saloon was rowdy, but not overly so. Benny teased and flirted with her and any other female around, but time and again, Leigh noticed that his gaze strayed to Daphne. He wasn’t the only male who had eyes for her, either.
Leigh thought it was such a shame Daphne didn’t forget about Brock because it wouldn’t take her long to find a man who truly wanted her. She thought unrequited love must be so painful, and she was glad she’d never experienced it.
Several musicians provided music, and Cy and Leigh danced, both relieved to find out the other was a good dancer. It made Cy feel guilty that he hadn’t had more time to romance Leigh by taking her da
ncing.
But they were dancing now and having an incredible time together. There was plenty of drink and food and the good time lasted until early evening. When they left Benny’s, Cy put her hand in the crook of his arm and led her gallantly down the street, feeling very proud to have such a lovely lady on his arm—one who now had his ring on her finger.
As they checked into the hotel, Leigh’s apprehension over the wedding night grew, and she didn’t know if she could go through with it now that the moment was almost there. When Cy finished registering, he put an arm around Leigh’s shoulders, and found them tense.
He talked to her about the reception, and they laughed on the way up to their suite, which was on the third floor. Their bags had already been brought there by Daniel earlier that day. As they entered their room, Cy kept talking, trying to put Leigh at ease.
After locking their door, Cy looked out the window, down at the street, and then pulled the drapes. He saw Leigh watching him.
“Force of habit,” he said, smiling wryly. “Doing that was always one of the first things I did whenever I checked into a hotel room.”
Leigh nodded. “I can understand that. You always had to be aware of possible danger.”
“Yeah.” Cy took off his tie. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”
She smiled shyly. “You might’ve mentioned it.”
“Well, you do,” Cy said, approaching her.
He put an arm around her waist and brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek. Dipping his head, he gave her a slow kiss, taking his time over her sweet lips.
“Mmm. You are such a good kisser,” he murmured against her mouth.
Leigh’s eyes met his. “I’m glad you think so. You’re a great kisser, too.”
He pressed his lips lightly against hers. “So do you like kissing me, Mrs. Decker?”
“Yes, Mr. Decker, I do.” Leigh’s eyes widened. “My last name is Decker now. Leigh Decker.”
Cy nodded. “Yeah. I like the sound of that.”
To her surprise, so did Leigh. She didn’t feel guilty over it, either. “Me, too,” she said with a genuine smile. “Mrs. Cyrus Decker.”
He smiled back as he started undoing the pins that held her hair in place. “You have such pretty hair. It reminds me of honey.”
“Thank you,” Leigh said, shivering when he finger-combed her hair out.
He ran his thumb over her lower lip. “You have such soft lips and taste so good.” Pulling her closer, he inhaled her scent. “And you smell incredible.”
Leigh was relieved that he found her so desirable. She hoped that they pleased each other in bed. Walt had always been generous and attentive to her needs. Not all men were, according to a couple of her married friends back in Beckham.
Cy ran his hands down over her sides and back up again, getting her used to his touch now so that when he took her clothes off, it wouldn’t be such a shock to her. He claimed her mouth again, delving his tongue inside, seeking out the sweet recess beyond her teeth. When she touched his tongue, he groaned quietly and cupped the back of her head while he plundered even further.
Leigh rested her hands on his chest and then caressed him through his shirt before undoing the top button. Cy felt a slight flare of excitement, but he didn’t react except to keep kissing her. He wanted her to be completely comfortable and very excited.
His kisses created an ache in Leigh’s lower stomach, one that she hadn’t felt in a long time. She pushed his tuxedo jacket off his shoulders, and it dropped to the floor. Although Cy kept touching her and kissing her, he hadn’t attempted to remove any of her clothing yet. He didn’t want to interrupt what she was doing.
Her temperature rose, and Leigh wanted to see more of Cy. She undid the buttons of his shirt and spread it wide, revealing his broad chest that was only slightly lighter in color than his hands and face. She’d wondered if his Comanche heritage meant that his skin was that shade all over. Now she had her answer.
The shirt followed the suit jacket, and then Leigh caught the heated gleam in Cy’s dark eyes. That and the light bronze, hard male flesh in front of her whet her carnal appetite. Suddenly, she pulled him down to give him a blazing kiss, needing him intensely.
Cy let out a growl and started undoing the ties on her dress, his own excitement pressing urgently against her. Piece by piece, their garments came off. They kissed and touched in between, their ardor growing with every passing moment.
Every time Leigh became hesitant, Cy slowed things down and kissed her until she was ready to continue. When they were both naked, Cy let his gaze roam over Leigh, drinking in her long, toned legs and slim hips. Her breasts were so pretty. He lightly touched her before lowering his head to capture a nipple in his mouth.
Leigh sighed and then moaned softly when he sucked a little harder. Gently, he took her hand and encouraged her to touch him. Leigh tentatively ran her fingers over his hard manhood, then grew bolder when he groaned against her breast. He released her nipple and looked into her eyes.
“I want you, Leigh. I’ve wanted you since the day you got here. Let me make love to you,” Cy said.
Still fondling him, Leigh said, “I’ve wanted you, too, but I just couldn’t do that with you until now.”
“I understand,” Cy said. “But now it’s ok for us to enjoy each other.”
She smiled. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”
“Me, neither.”
The whole time they’d been talking, he’d been backing her over to the bed. Lying down with her, Cy set about pleasuring her in many ways. Leigh thrilled to each kiss and when his fingers found her core, she welcomed his touch, letting him give her the bliss she craved.
Cy had never been so moved by a partner’s pleasure before and Leigh was a thing of beauty as she clung to him, shuddering as bliss gripped her. Finally, he couldn’t hold his own passion back and slowly, he joined their bodies together.
As they moved as one, their desire burned hot, a living flame between them. It reached a fever pitch, gripping them with a shocking intensity that left them breathless. As their heated bodies cooled, Cy pulled Leigh close, kissing her softly.
They didn’t speak, merely looked into each other’s eyes and kissed for a while, enjoying their new-found closeness. Their lives and hearts were forever changed, and they both looked forward to a better and brighter future together.
* * *
A couple of months later, Cy found himself wondering why he hadn’t gotten married sooner. Spending the nights in Leigh’s eager arms and the days when he could be home more with her gave him a new perspective on marriage, and he finally understood why people wanted to enter into matrimony.
All of his life, he’d thought that it would limit him, tie him down, and make him weaker. Instead, he felt freer, limitless, and stronger. He thanked God for sending him Leigh, knowing that if it had been any other woman who’d answered his ad, he wouldn’t be nearly so happy.
She was a smart woman, and she’d been right about him needing someone to always be in his corner. His physical hunger for her was voracious, and they’d made love almost every night. Leigh seemed to crave him as much as he did her, which was a relief. But, more than that, she was a great sounding board, helping him work through the daily mysteries he encountered.
Maybe she didn’t have any answers, but she listened and gave him the mental release he needed. Even when he went on for a half hour about something, she listened attentively and didn’t get annoyed.
One night after they’d made love, Leigh snuggled up to him with a sigh of contentment.
“Cy, I want to talk to you about something,” she said.
Caressing her arm, he asked, “What’s that?”
“Well, with the improved grazing, the steers are fattening up nice and I think we’ll get a good price for them in October,” she said.
“That’s great. I noticed that they weren’t as skinny,” he said.
“Right. Which means that we’ll
have some more money. But I don’t want you to quit your job. You’re too good at it, and the city needs someone like you to help make it safer,” she said. “Besides, the money you earn is helping us buy better stock and we’ll be able to save over the winter for the improvements we need to make in the spring.”
Cy’s silence spoke volumes. So did his sigh.
Leigh smiled against his chest. “You’re thinking about Brock, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” he said, drawing out the word.
Leigh chuckled. “You know what you should do?”
His frown deepened, but he didn’t say anything.
Leigh had learned to read Cy well and she felt the question just in the subtle shift of his body. “You should just have it out with him. Just go in there and whack him one to get it started. Then you can knock the crap out of each other and get it out of your systems.”
Cy let out a loud laugh. “There’s nothing I’d like more than to knock the crap out of him, but I don’t think Rob would like that very much.”
“Rob should just stay out of it. I don’t normally condone fighting, but in this case, it might actually help. Just don’t kill him. I don’t want to have to come visit you in jail,” Leigh said.
Cy groaned and threw an arm over his eyes. “You really think that I should keep working?”
“I think I just said that.”
Cy saw the wisdom in what she’d said and the fact was, aside from Brock, he loved his job. He was still able to investigate crimes, but he didn’t have to travel all over the country to do it. Plus, the good money he earned was making a difference to their ranch. If that income stopped coming in, it would take much longer to build things up.
“You’re right. I’ll keep working. I’ll figure something out about Brock,” Cy said. “Maybe I will plant my fist in his face.”
Leigh laughed. “If that happens, you’ll have to tell me all about it.”
“Don’t worry, I will. Now shut up and go to sleep. I’m a working man and I need my rest.”
