Cowboy Bargain (The Dalton Boys Book 2) (7 page)

“We’ll…be married by then?”

“Hopefully. Tomorrow we’ll head into Vixen and get a marriage license and talk to the preacher. Momma and Charlotte have already agreed to help with wedding preparations.”

Of all the arrogant things he’d done, asking his family for help with
her
wedding sent her into the stratosphere. She quivered with anger.

“It’s our wedding, Cash. Don’t I get to say who helps?”

Confusion drew his long brows together, making him even handsomer, damn him. “Of course. I just thought you could use some help. You’ll want something pretty to remember, won’t you?”

“Yes! I mean no! I don’t even want to get married. It isn’t necessary.”

He lowered his jaw, gazing at her from the shadow of his hat. Five heartbeats passed, and she realized he was as riled as she was. Sparks flew from his eyes, and a muscle in the crease of his jaw fluttered.

“It’s necessary, and I’ll tell you some reasons why.”

“Because you think I need help with a green card. Papa wants us to get married. And you need me to help you get your land.”

“All true. But I’ll tell you some reasons you don’t know.”

Her arms ached from holding her middle so tightly. “Like?”

“Like this attraction between us? It can’t be quenched until we’ve signed that marriage certificate.”

“You could…have me without getting married.”

He arched a brow. “That ain’t how I operate, darlin’.”

“You’ve never slept with women? Or have you married them all?”

“No, I’ve slept with
girls
. Not women. When I have you, I’m going to scream my wife’s name at the end.” With those blood-scorching words, he pushed past her and opened the door of the trailer.

Mind made fuzzy by his speech and old-fashioned ideas, she tried to process what she was seeing—a full apartment inside the horse trailer.

“We use it when we travel. A family in a trailer of this size is no fun, believe me. But there’s enough space for you.”

His unspoken words: “And soon for me.”

He went inside and switched on a light.

She gasped. “There’s electricity.”

“Of course. Did you think I’d leave my future wife in the dark? Although the idea has merit.”

Ignoring him and stepping up into the space, she looked around at the few cabinets with a sink and a coffeemaker. There was a sofa and TV with a pile of DVDs beside it. “Where’s the bed?”

“Oh, it’s a sofa bed. I’ll pull it out for you. Momma keeps the sheets clean. Sometimes one of us boys falls out with the family and we end up sleeping out here.”

“What do you argue about?”

He set about removing sofa cushions and clearing a bit of space to extend the mattress. “Normal brother stuff. You stole my favorite horse bit. You’d better mind your own business. I can’t sleep in the same room with a man who doesn’t change his socks.”

She giggled. “It must be nice to have brothers though. I always wished for a big family.”

“Yeah, it’s good, especially when we need each other. Like now, we’re all pitching in to help Hank and Charlotte get their house built. It’s hard finding the hours after putting in so much time on the ranch.”

“I’ll help wherever I can.”

He shot her a smile that blinded her. “Can you swing a hammer?”

“I’ve never tried.”

“You’ll probably have to when we build our own house, because I don’t want to be sleeping in this trailer with you for too long.”

She shivered. “Why’s that?”

He pointed at the wall. “The bunkhouse—and your father—are about ten paces that way.”

Taking his meaning that they’d get noisy together in the sofa bed, she felt a blush creep over her.

He chuckled and crowded close. “That small door in the back is a bathroom. Sleep tight, Maya.” He dropped a light kiss to the tip of her nose, leaving her hungry for a taste of his lips. Then he walked out of the trailer and closed the door behind him.

She stared at the wall, imagining his muscles rolling as he walked back to the house.

* * *

Cash inserted a finger between the high collar of his best Sunday shirt and sweaty neck. He never wore a tie, and it was choking him. Though he might be a tad nervous about seeing his bride for the first time since they’d gone to Vixen together.

Momma and Charlotte had hidden Maya from him while prepping the ranch for a shindig worthy of a wedding magazine. For the thirty or so guests they’d invited from town, it seemed like a helluva lot of work. But hopefully Maya would have a day to remember.

A mish-mash of benches and chairs had been dragged into the yard. Some were covered with country quilts, and big pots of wildflowers set at the end of each row. The guests were as quaint as the decorations. Most wore jeans and their best shirts, and several already had glasses of Momma’s best peach sweet tea. Later it would be spiked with something harder.

Cash’s brothers stood up beside him, and Charlotte was in attendance for Maya. She’d outfitted all the Dalton boys with denim shirts and berry red handkerchiefs knotted around their necks, while Cash wore a navy blue patterned tie.

He felt a little lost without his hat, but Charlotte had decreed that hats weren’t acceptable during the ceremony.

When old Mr. Guthrie started plucking the banjo strings to the wedding march, Cash’s spine stiffened. He squeezed his hands into fists and stared at the corner of the barn, waiting for his bride to appear.

She still hadn’t said yes, but today she damn well would.

As Manny’s broad shoulder appeared, Cash’s heart took off like a wild mustang. He was outfitted like the rest of them—denim shirt and hanky around the neck. But Cash hardly gave him notice because Maya was clinging to his arm.

His throat closed. Emotion thundered through him, and hell if he didn’t feel like bawling like a two-year-old. He swallowed the lump and held it together.

Then their gazes met.

Her eyes were wide and beautiful. Charlotte had dolled her up with enough makeup to emphasize her delicate features while keeping it natural. And the hollow, thin look was gone. Her skin glowed against the pale cream of a white knee-length dress.

And she was wearing brand new brown leather cowgirl boots.

He almost lost it completely.

Her lips twitched into an unsure smile. He gave her a nod, and she lit up.

The banjo wedding march couldn’t end fast enough. Manny led Maya up the center aisle, her boots swishing on the grasses. As she drew closer, he shifted from foot to foot, eager to kiss her and get on with it. He wanted her—alone.

When she reached his side, some words were exchanged between the preacher and Manny. Then Maya’s hand was placed into Cash’s. She handed off a strangled bouquet to Charlotte, who tried to keep the wildflowers from flopping over. Then the rodeo was on.

Vows and promises. Cash meant every one, though all he really understood was the gleam in Maya’s eyes. Her quietly spoken, “I do,” shook the walls of his heart. Until that moment, he’d only been annoyed with her resistance. He hadn’t realized how much he needed her to want him.

Momma sniffed loudly.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. Ladies and gents, Mr. and Mrs. Cash Dalton,” the preacher announced.

She tipped her head up to meet his gaze, and Cash didn’t wait for the preacher to give the go-ahead. He swooped in and kissed his bride.

After two days without even a peek at her, he was desperate. He bent her over his arm, claiming her squeak of surprise as he drove his tongue into her mouth and leaving no one with questions about whether or not their short engagement was a hoax to get a green card.

She kissed him back, hands in his hair, tasting of ginger. Had she nicked a cookie from the jar before the ceremony? Maybe to settle her stomach. He kissed her harder, stealing her breath and wanting so much more.

When he tore his mouth away, it was to the cheers of the audience. He righted her on her boots, and they turned to face the crowd. Momma was wiping a happy tear, and Pa beaming. Manny looked ready to dance a jig.

Later they would. Mr. Guthrie had brought some friends.

Cash and Maya moved to accept congratulations. He bore the hugs and claps on the back, gritting his teeth because his body knew it was time to make Maya his in all ways. This union might have begun with a bargain, but in the end, he’d have passion.

As the final well-wisher released Maya from her embrace, Cash couldn’t wait another minute. He scooped her off her feet to hollers from the crowd.

He stared into her dark eyes. “I’m going to kiss you, Mrs. Dalton.”

Her lips curved up the way it did before she said something snarky. “You can’t even ask?”

“I’ve done plenty of asking, darlin’. You finally said yes. In front of your pa, my family and thirty-odd friends. Now open those pretty lips for me.”

She sucked in a gasp, and he buried his tongue in her sweet, hot mouth. Visions of kissing her this way while driving into her sweet, hot body made his jeans tight. The banjos and guitars serenaded their kiss.

Cash took what he wanted. She slid her tongue against his—a promise of later.

A growl rose in his throat. Before he ripped off her creamy wedding dress, he tore away. She blinked at him, eyes glassy. Lips plump and delicious, wet from his kisses.

Amused that he’d affected her, he twitched his head toward the makeshift dance floor his brothers had created from old pallets and sheets of wood for Hank’s house.

They stepped into the center, and Cash took her into his arms. She pressed against him, more agreeable than ever. Yep, just like cattle. Give them a treat and they’d follow you anywhere. For Maya, it was a wedding.

“You ladies brought everything together for a beautiful party,” he said, looking into her eyes smudged lightly with eye shadow. Her lashes looked a mile long.

“It was fun working with your mother, and Charlotte is a wonder. I loved all her suggestions.”

“Looks like you ruined your bouquet.”

She giggled. “I was a little nervous, especially when Papa trapped me around the barn and told me I didn’t need to marry you if I didn’t want it.”

That bastard.
This was his idea in the first place. Cash bit his tongue.

Maya continued, “He said we could head off the ranch and find work together, and he’d take care of me while I waited for my paperwork.”

“But you didn’t run.”

She shook her head, sending waves of hair over his fingertips. He was pleased she’d worn it loose and free, and the pearl pin catching an artful curl above her ear invited him to nuzzle.

“Why didn’t you run, Maya?”

She met his gaze. “Maybe it’s a little of that desire you make me feel.”

Need spiked in his core. He tightened his grip on her and spun, dragging her hips into his with the rotation. She pressed her cheek to his chest, warming a spot other than his boxer shorts.

He put his lips to her ear. “We’re going to explore that desire tonight. Over and over and over again.”

A shiver snaked through her body.

“Can I cut in?” Manny stood to the side, grinning.

Cash pressed his lips to her ear. “Don’t get too cozy outside of my arms.”

She shot him a blazing look that made his knees feel weak as he took Momma into his embrace. He whirled her, and she tossed her head back, laughing.

“Seems you’re happy about the union, Momma.”

“Yes, I am. She’s a wonderful girl, and I’m proud to call her daughter-in-law.” They both looked at Maya and Manny, who were talking and laughing.

“We never did discuss how I came to ask her to marry me.”

“Your father and I know. Manny came and told us everything after you left to pick her up at the airport. He was afraid he’d pushed you into a decision you didn’t want to make. We assured him our son wouldn’t do anything he didn’t want to.”

“That’s true.” He watched Maya’s beautiful face, animated in conversation. Glowing. She wouldn’t look so happy if she hadn’t wanted to marry him too, would she?

Momma gave him a squeeze. “Your relationship might not be traditional in the way it began, but anyone can see you two have something special.”

Taken aback, he looked into his mother’s face. “Really?”

She chuckled. “Yes, Cash. And she speaks highly of you.”

“She…talked about me? During the wedding preparations?”

“Yes, and quite a bit when Charlotte cut off her own wedding dress and altered it into something new for Maya.”

Cash stared at the dress. What had Charlotte even worn to her wedding? He couldn’t remember the details, but now that Momma mentioned it, he saw a few familiar details.

“Maya wanted to wear boots to show you she’s a Texan at heart, so Charlotte chopped the gown to show them off.”

He marveled at his new wife’s thought process. Her sharp tongue and independent streak had cracked to reveal her desire to please him. His heart melted.

“Oh, here’s your brother. I’ll take a spin with him.”