The Cowboy’s Targeted Bride

by Carla Cassidy

  “Now, tell me about Caleb’s father.”

  She sat up straighter. “There really isn’t much to tell. His name was...is Cody Lee, and when I first met him he was working as a ranch hand for Abe Breckenridge.” Abe was an older, well-respected rancher in the area.

  “We had a whirlwind romance, and within months I was using an inheritance from my mother to buy this place with the understanding that Cody was going to marry me and work side by side with me to make this place a real success.”

  She looked down at her hands in her lap. “I was a complete fool. I trusted him and all the promises he made to me. I put him on my bank account and truly believed he loved me. But when I told him I was pregnant with his baby, he emptied my bank account and disappeared. I never saw or heard from him again.” She gazed up at Jerod. “And that’s my story.” She shifted positions, moving close enough to him that he caught a whiff of a pleasant lilac scent wafting from her.

  “It must have been rough, raising Caleb all alone and trying to keep this ranch up and running at the same time,” he observed.

  “It was difficult, and somehow I managed to screw up both things. The ranch is failing and Caleb is having temper fits I don’t even understand. You know because we’ve talked about his temper before.” For a moment she looked totally vulnerable and miserable.

  He reached out and covered one of her hands with his. “Lily, I’m going to get this place running well, and maybe eventually Caleb will confide in us what is bothering him.”

  She turned her hand over and squeezed his. “That would be wonderful.” She released a deep sigh and then pulled her hand from his.

  “It’s getting late. Maybe it’s time for us to call it a night.” The minute the words left his mouth, he felt a new tension radiating from her. And he had a feeling he knew exactly what had caused it. Was she really afraid he would insist on having sex with her tonight? They were still strangers to each other.

  “Lily, I’m not expecting anything from you until we’re both much more comfortable with each other, and you get to determine when that time might be. I would never force anything on you. Even though we’ll be sharing a bed, I promise you I’ll try to stay on my own side.”

  Her relief appeared immediate. She instantly shot him a smile that not only curved her lips but also sparkled in her eyes. Once again he was struck by her loveliness. Why had he never noticed before?

  “Thank you, Jerod. That means a lot to me, although I can’t promise you that I’m not a bed hog. I’ve been sleeping alone for a lot of years, and I have no idea if I roll here and there or not.”

  He laughed. “I’ll let you know in the morning if you hogged the bed.” He stood and held out his hand to her. She took his hand, and he pulled her up off the sofa. He then grabbed his duffel and followed her down the hallway to the master bedroom.

  It was a pleasant room with an adjoining bath. The walls were painted a soft beige and the bedspread was beige with stripes the color of ripe peaches. “You know, if you want to change the colors or styles of any of the rooms, it’s definitely something we can discuss,” she said.

  “So far I find your decorating style quite nice,” he replied. “Why don’t you use the restroom first to change or whatever, and I’ll use it after you’re done.”

  As she went into the bathroom, Jerod sat on the edge of the bed and looked around. There were plenty of framed photos of Caleb at various ages on one wall. A television set was on one side of the dresser, and the other side held bottles of lotions and perfumes and an earring holder.

  Both nightstands held dainty lamps, but one additionally held several candles, and the other had a clock radio and a book. He assumed that was the side of the bed she normally slept on, because the lamp was lit and the book held a paper bookmark.

  Although he would have preferred to sleep on that side because it was the closest to the doorway in case of an intruder, he wasn’t going to force any changes on her. The fact that he was going to be in her bed tonight was change enough.

  The bathroom door opened, and she stepped out clad in a knee-length navy blue nightshirt with a gold half-moon on the chest and the words Sleep Tight beneath it. Her face was void of makeup, and her hair appeared soft and silky. She looked utterly charming.

  “Your turn,” she said as she scurried to the bed. She pulled the spread down and slid beneath the peach-colored sheet as if the hot flames of hell were just behind her.

  “Be right back,” he replied. He carried his duffel bag into the small room, and the first thing he did was brush his teeth, and then he added his toothbrush to the ceramic holder next to hers. He then placed his shaving kit and hairbrush on the back of the toilet and kicked his duffel beneath the freestanding sink to be put away in the morning.

  Eventually he needed to get all his clothes and personal items from the Holiday Ranch and move it all in here. But he hadn’t wanted to do it before the wedding actually took place.

  He changed into a clean white T-shirt and returned to the bedroom. She had the sheet pulled up and tight around her neck, as if she still didn’t trust that he just wanted to sleep. He sat on the edge on his side of the bed and pulled off his boots and socks, and then shucked his jeans, leaving him clad in his T-shirt and a pair of black boxers.

  He slid beneath the sheets and then turned to look at her. “You okay?” he asked softly.

  She offered him a small smile. “I’m fine, just really tired. Getting married is hard work,” she said with a small laugh.

  Despite her words, he felt the tension radiating from her once again. He knew her tension came from the fact that she didn’t trust him yet. And why should she? Despite their legal union, she still didn’t really know him. It was going to take time. Eventually he hoped she would come to realize what kind of man he was and he would earn her complete trust.

  “I agree that getting married is exhausting,” he replied. “So, shall we say good night?”

  “Ready for lights out?” she asked.

  “Ready.”

  She reached out and turned off the lamp next to her bed, plunging the room into semidarkness with only the moonlight drifting in through the window. “Good night, Jerod.”

  “Good night, Lily. I hope you have sweet dreams.”

  “I hope you do, too,” she replied.

  What he was really hoping was that they had talked enough and relaxed together enough that she wasn’t thinking so much about the doll that had been left hanging on the porch. But he was still thinking about it, and it worried him more than a little bit. What had the person who had left it intended? Was it just a one-shot thing to express some displeasure in them getting married, or was it the beginning of something more insidious and dangerous?

  Only time would tell if eventually Lily would learn to trust him. And only time would tell if his new bride was in some kind of danger. With these thoughts in mind, it took him a very long time to finally fall asleep.

  * * *

  Lily awakened to find herself spooned against Jerod’s warm body, his arm thrown around her middle. She had to admit to herself that even though it was completely unexpected and a bit shocking, it was also just a little bit more than wonderful. She wasn’t in a hurry to move at the moment.

  Despite being exhausted the night before, it had taken her a very long time to fall asleep. She’d clung to the edge of the bed and hadn’t really relaxed until she heard the deep, even breathing that indicated Jerod had finally gone to sleep.

  Her wedding day had been everything she wanted it to be, except for the part where she really didn’t know her groom. Still, the ceremony had been so beautiful, and Jerod had been so kind to her. She’d appreciated their talk when they’d gotten home, showing her a glimpse of where he had come from.

  It would have been a perfect day if not for that doll. Even now, thinking about it shot a cold shiver up her spine despite the warmth of Jero
d’s body next to hers.

  It had been such a gruesome thing for somebody to leave, and what had been the point? To frighten her? It had certainly succeeded in that. Was it somebody in her life who had left it, or had Jerod lied about his past relationships? Was there a woman in town who was unhappy that he’d gotten married? A woman he was keeping a secret from her?

  These new, troubling thoughts finally moved her out of his arms. Thankfully he didn’t awaken. She got up and went into the bathroom where she changed into the same jogging pants and T-shirt she’d had on briefly the night before.

  Minutes later she sneaked out of the bedroom and padded down the hallway to the kitchen. She put the coffee on and then walked over to the fridge and opened it. She wondered what her new husband might like for breakfast. Surely he wouldn’t turn his nose up at bacon and eggs.

  She’d just pulled the bacon out of the refrigerator when he came into the room. “Good morning,” he greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”

  “I did, what about you?”

  “I slept great.” He looked so attractive with his hair slightly mussed and clad only in his white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. “I can’t believe you made it out of bed without waking me. The smell of the coffee finally woke me.”

  “I’m glad I didn’t disturb you. Help yourself to the coffee. Cups are in the cabinet to the right of the sink. I wasn’t sure what you might like for breakfast. I’m making bacon and eggs—is that okay?” she finished, realizing she was in danger of her nerves making her talk too fast and too much.

  “That sounds good. I’m not real hard to please when it comes to food.” He walked over to the cabinet and pulled down two coffee cups. “Can I pour you a cup?” he asked.

  “Oh...yes...thank you.”

  He set the two cups of coffee on the table. “Now, what can I do to help with breakfast?”

  “Nothing. Just sit and enjoy your coffee,” she replied. It was strange enough to have him in her kitchen. She didn’t want him underfoot as she went about her morning routine. It was going to take a while to get used to the fact that she was now living with a man...a man who was now her husband.

  “What time do you expect Caleb to be home today?” he asked.

  “Krista said she’d have him home sometime this afternoon. She definitely isn’t an early riser on the weekends.” She flipped the bacon over and turned to face him. “I told Rod to be available later today to sit down with the two of us to go over everything ranch related.”

  “I’m looking forward to doing that,” he replied. “In fact, I was wondering if maybe after breakfast we could mount up and ride the pastures so you could give me an idea of the property. Do you have a couple of horses?”

  “I’ve got my horse, Daisy, and two others. I love to ride. It’s definitely one of my guilty pleasures.”

  “Me, too. I spoke to Cassie about bringing my horse from over there to here. I’m going to make arrangements to do that sometime this coming week.”

  “There’s room in the barn for a couple more horses, and in the meantime you’re welcome to ride one of mine,” she replied and then turned back to the skillet and began to remove the crispy bacon strips.

  Minutes later they sat at the table, and while they ate, they small-talked about the weather, the ranch and the ceremony from the day before. She’d always found Jerod rather stern and unapproachable. But she couldn’t have been more wrong about him.

  He seemed open and easygoing, but she couldn’t help but be wary. This man facing her from across the table might be putting on an act and hiding his true nature. Cody had also been open and easygoing until the day he’d emptied her back account, told her how boring she was and completely disappeared from her life.

  She knew how crazy the kids at the community center were about Jerod, and seeing him so open and friendly now let her see the charm she hadn’t realized he possessed.

  “Do you get to ride a lot?” he asked.

  “Not as much as I’d like to. It’s hard to get in time when Caleb is here because I don’t want to leave him alone in the house, so I usually ride if he’s at a friend’s house.”

  “So, this morning is a perfect chance for you to get out and enjoy a ride,” he replied with a smile.

  When breakfast was over, he helped her with the dishes, and then she went back into the bedroom to change into a pair of jeans for riding. Everything still felt surreal today. It was still hard to believe that she had a husband, a man who planned on living with her and sharing her space for the rest of her life.

  It was just after eight when they headed to the barn where the horses were stabled. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright overhead and the air held a crisp, refreshing chill.

  She was surprised to see that beneath Jerod’s jacket he wore a holster with a gun. “Expecting trouble?” she asked, her thoughts immediately evoking a mental picture of the mutilated doll.

  “Nah, but I never go out on the ranch without a gun to shoot overly aggressive creatures like coyotes or snakes.”

  They entered the barn. “This is Daisy,” she said as they came to the first stall, which held a black mare with a white marking that looked remarkably like a flower. “Then there is Sugar and Brownie.”

  “They both look like good horseflesh, but Brownie is bigger than Sugar, so I think she’ll be my mount for today, if that’s okay with you,” he said.

  “That’s fine. I’ll warn you, she’s a bit spirited.”

  He flashed her a quick smile. “That’s okay, I like my women a little bit spirited.”

  If that was the case, then he’d definitely married the wrong woman. What spirit she’d once possessed had been stolen away from her by a lying, cheating man. What was left had been beaten out of her by life’s disappointments and her own failures. But she wasn’t going to think about that anymore. She’d always been a survivor, not a quitter.

  Once they were on horseback and he followed her down to the pastures, she felt herself begin to relax. She’d always loved to ride. On the back of a horse was the one place she could almost forget that she’d never had a man who loved her for herself. She could forget that she had a son who was acting out and that she was working a job that wasn’t really what she wanted to do with her life.

  Jerod looked great in the saddle. With his black cowboy hat on his head, he oozed confidence. His back was straight, his hips rolled easily with the gait of the horse and he held the reins like a pro. They went at a slow pace for a while, and she pointed out various outbuildings, ponds and different elements of the landscape.

  “The herd is in the next pasture over,” she explained. “We move them back and forth between the two pastures.”

  “How big is the herd?” he asked.

  “Not big enough,” she replied. She didn’t want to talk about business right now. “Let’s really ride,” she said to him and then set Daisy off to run.

  The brisk breeze blew through her hair as a sweet exhilaration filled her. Laughter bubbled to her lips as she heard Brownie’s hooves coming up behind her. She urged Daisy to run faster and threw a glance back at Jerod.

  He was laughing as he gained on her. When he reached her side, she slowed Daisy and finally stopped beneath a large maple tree sporting big red autumn leaves. She got off her horse, and he dismounted as well, laughter still riding his lips.

  For just a moment as they stood facing each other she felt an unexpected closeness to him even though she knew it was crazy. It had just been a horse ride.

  “You’re a hell of a rider,” he said, admiration in his tone. “You’re lucky I didn’t have my own horse here or I would have been beneath this tree ten minutes ahead of you.”

  “Ha! I sense a rematch coming up in the near future, but I have to warn you Daisy was only teasing. She’s got a lot more speed in her.” Lily sank down in the sweet-smelling grass.

  “I’ll still
ride rings around her with my horse, Storm,” he replied. “How about a little wager?” He sat down next to her.

  “What kind of a wager?” she asked.

  “If I win, then I win a kiss,” he replied.

  Her heart fluttered at the thought of him kissing her. She’d only barely tasted his lips ever so briefly at the end of the wedding ceremony the day before. Now she wondered what a real, deep kiss would be like with him. “And what about if I win?” she asked.

  He grinned. “Then you win a kiss.”

  Heat leaped into her cheeks. “Okay, deal,” she said.

  “You’ve got some good land here,” he said as his gaze went around the area.

  “I know,” she agreed. “I like to ride to this very spot and sit and relax. I love the smell of the pasture and listening to the sound of the cows.”

  “Sounds to me like you’re a rancher,” he replied with another one of his easy smiles.

  “Let’s remount and I’ll show you the herd.”

  For the next half an hour, they rode among her herd. Thankfully he seemed pleased by what he saw...healthy cattle who grazed peacefully on the last of the summer green grass.

  As they headed back to the barn, they talked about winter feed, and she told him about her last-ditch effort to save her ranch by heading to auction next weekend.

  “Let’s postpone that,” he replied when she was finished.

  “I’ll be glad to as long as my mortgage is paid up and the bank is off my back,” she said.

  “We’re going to take care of that first thing tomorrow morning,” he assured her.

  There was a part of her that was angry that a man had to rush in to “save” her. The fact that the man was now her husband didn’t make it any easier to swallow. She’d always been a strong, independent woman, and this felt so weak and so incredibly desperate. And yet she would do anything to save this ranch for her son.

  When they returned to the house, she called Rod to come inside to speak to them. While they waited for the ranch hand, Lily made a fresh pot of coffee and then got the ranch books for the past five years for Jerod to look at.