To Love a Stranger (8 page)

Zoey was too rattled to come up with a proper retort as she left the room. Pierce was too damn handsome and too damn sure of himself for his own good, and for hers. If she hadn’t seen him at his weakest, she’d never suspect he’d sustained a life-threatening injury. He looked too strong, too virile. Had he been operating at his full potential, she’d have been in serious trouble. It surprised Zoey that Pierce wanted her sexually. How could he want a woman he didn’t trust? For her own peace of mind she preferred to think he was merely tormenting her for forcing a marriage between them. She could take everything he dished out as long as he stayed at the Circle F long enough to foil Willoughby’s plans for her.

Cully joined them for supper that night. Zoey had changed into a gingham dress, which suited her perfectly.

“You look quite fetching tonight,” Pierce complimented.

Almost anything looked fetching on Zoey, Pierce reflected, or nothing at all. For lack of something better to do, Pierce had spent long hours dreaming about slowly undressing Zoey, arousing her to passion’s peak, and then thrusting himself inside her. If he concentrated hard enough, he could feel himself fill her. Her entrance would be small and tight and he’d have to take his time, arousing her first with slow, drugging kisses and tender caresses. His groin grew heavy and he stifled a groan. Damn, if he didn’t have her soon, he’d burst.

When Pierce continued to stare at Zoey, Cully asked, “Is something wrong, Delaney?”

Pierce tore his gaze away. “Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?”

“Miz Zoey said Willoughby left in a huff today. Reckon he’ll be back?”

It took a moment for Pierce to address Cully’s question, distracted as he was. “He’ll be back, all right. Tell me, Cully, what are our chances of hiring extra hands for the Circle F?”

“Three weeks ago I’d say not a chance in hell.” He gave Zoey a sheepish look. “Sorry, Miz Zoey, but that’s the God’s truth.” He returned his gaze to Pierce. “When you and Zoey got hitched, the odds changed. Having a man in charge will make a heap of difference.”

“I can run this ranch as well as any man,” Zoey retorted. “Pa made sure of that.”

“I reckon you can, Miz Zoey, but that ain’t the way of things and you know it. Men don’t want to
take orders from a woman. And they’re afraid of Willoughby.”

“Hmmm,” Pierce said thoughtfully. “I thought I’d ride into town tomorrow and have a look around. I want to mail a letter to my brothers and let them know I’m all right.”

“Is that wise?” Zoey questioned. He certainly looked fit enough to ride. In fact, he looked fit enough to … God! What was she thinking?

“What do you mean by that?” Pierce asked with deceptive calm. “Are you afraid I’ll keep on riding once I leave the ranch? Nothing or no one can keep me cooped up here now that I’m well enough to sit a horse. Are you worried about my health, wife?”

Zoey bit her lip in consternation. What would happen if Pierce simply rode away? “I don’t know you well enough to know what you’ll do. You owe me for saving your life, but I don’t suppose that means anything to you.”

He gave her a look of controlled fury. “Should it, after the way you railroaded me into marriage?”

“I’d hoped … Never mind, Cully will ride into town with you. Or better yet, he can go alone and mail your letter.”

“Don’t worry,
wife
, I’m not going anywhere … yet.” He gave her a scorching look that set her heart to pounding. “You and I have unfinished business to attend to before I leave. Cully will remain here with you. I don’t like leaving you alone on the ranch.”

Zoey found it difficult to breathe. What was the matter with her? The inherent promise of Pierce’s words made her feel hot and cold at the same time.
“Unfinished business” was a polite way of saying he still expected a wedding night, and before he left, he intended to have it. How long could she hold him off? Long enough to serve her purpose, she hoped. She was convinced that once Pierce relieved her of her virginity, he’d leave the ranch and never look back.

“Very well, go to town. But be forewarned that if you fail to return by suppertime, I’ll send the vigilantes after you. You won’t get far.”

“Trusting soul, aren’t you?” Pierce said sarcastically.

“I can’t afford to be trusting.”

“I said I’d return and I will. Cully can …” Pierce turned to Cully, surprised that the cagey ranch hand had slipped out while he and Zoey were arguing.

Pierce rose abruptly. “I reckon I’ll hit the sack. If it’s all right with you, I’ll ride one of the spare horses into town. By the way, can you afford to pay top wages to potential ranch hands?”

Zoey thought of her empty coffers and frowned. She couldn’t afford to pay
any
wages, let alone top wages. “The only ready cash I have is that which I removed from your vest.”

“Nothing else?”

“Not until I sell my beeves to the army. That’s assuming we can flush more of our scattered stock from the mountains to sell. Can’t do it without ranch hands, and can’t get ranch hands without money to pay them.”

“You’ll have your ranch hands,” Pierce promised with grim determination.

No matter how he might feel about this forced
marriage, he couldn’t up and leave Zoey without solving at least some of her problems. He was alive because of her. He had money in the bank, the Delaney ranch was on solid ground, and he had two brothers to rely upon. Zoey had no one except … her husband.

Damn, what a tangle.

Accused of seducing and beating Cora Lee, railroaded into marriage by Zoey, and pursued by vigilantes who really didn’t care what he had done as long as they could hang a Delaney. And as if that weren’t enough, Cora Lee named him the father of the bastard she carried.

Pierce mounted the stairs slowly, tired but satisfied with his recovery thus far. As he prepared for sleep, he wondered what Zoey would do if he burst into her bedroom to claim his bride. The thought brought a smile to his lips. She’d probably scream like an outraged virgin. He wondered how long it would take before she welcomed him, nay, invited him into her bed.

Zoey’s thoughts were poles apart from Pierce’s. She really didn’t know if Pierce would return from town tomorrow. There was a good chance he would simply ride away and keep riding. His failure to return would mean that she’d lose her land, but at least Willoughby could no longer force her into marriage.

Zoey finished the dishes and dragged herself up the stairs to bed, weary to the bone. Rounding up stray livestock from the hills was hard work. Nearly impossible for two people to accomplish. Eight to ten men would be the least she could make
do with to run the ranch efficiently. A dozen would be better.

Who was she kidding? Zoey chided herself. If Pierce managed to hire two or three men, she’d count herself lucky. It was certainly more than she had now.

Zoey’s steps faltered when she neared Pierce’s room. Was he sleeping? she wondered. His first day out of bed had been quite eventful. Forcing her mind to release the strangely arousing image of Pierce reclining in bed, Zoey continued on to her room. She undressed, washed, and donned a prim white nightgown that enveloped her like a shroud. Then she sat at her dressing table, unwinding her braid and brushing out her hair. Her thoughts wandered as she stared dreamily into the mirror.

Suddenly her thoughts scattered when the door to her room opened and Pierce stepped inside. She leaped to her feet, her eyes wide with uncertainty.

“What do you want? Don’t you believe in knocking?”

“I did knock, but you didn’t hear me. I saw a light coming from beneath your door and knew you weren’t sleeping yet.”

She stared at him. He was wearing trousers and nothing else. His feet were bare and so was his chest. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Pierce sent her a mocking grin. “I’m your husband. Who has more right than I?”

“You’re my husband in name only,” Zoey countered. “What do you want?”

He gaze traveled the length of her. “You look like a nun, wrapped in that white shroud.”

“What does it matter to you what I wear to bed?
State your business and leave. I’m tired.”

He raised a dark brow. “I’ll buy something in town more appropriate for a bride.”

“Don’t bother. What’s your purpose in this visit? I know it wasn’t merely to taunt me about my choice of nightwear.”

“You’re right, my love. You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?” he asked. When he received no answer, he continued. “I changed my mind about riding to town alone. I think you should accompany me.”

“For what reason?”

“Being seen together will help to convince Willoughby and the townspeople that you have a husband now to see to the running of the ranch.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “Why do you care? You can’t wait to leave.”

“True, but you did save my life despite the high payment you demanded in return. I do concede, however, that I owe you something for your trouble. I’ve developed an intense dislike for Samson Willoughby. Therefore I’ve decided to stay long enough to put an end to his meddling.”

“How magnanimous of you,” Zoey said cynically.

“Don’t get me wrong, my love. We both know our marriage is a farce. When the time comes, I’ll be able to leave with no regrets and no looking back.”

“That’s more than I have a right to expect,” Zoey allowed. “I used you, and I’m not proud of it.” She turned away from him. “Good night, Pierce.”

Pierce reached for her. “Not so fast. Don’t I rate a good-night kiss for the anguish you’ve put me
through? How much does this ranch mean to you?”

“My land means everything to me! It’s all I have in this world,” Zoey declared hotly. “I’d do anything to keep Willoughby from claiming it.”

“Anything?” Pierce asked softly.

The breath left her lungs. “Almost anything.”

Pierce’s eyes glowed like emeralds as he grasped her shoulders and pulled her against him. “You know what I want.”

Zoey felt his heat through the soft linen of her nightgown. Her heart pounded as she dragged in a painful breath. Why did Pierce have to be so blasted attractive? she wondered with the one rational bit of her brain that still functioned.

Her hands came up between them to rest on his chest. Her original intention was to push herself free, but when her palms flattened on his smooth, heated flesh, she could no longer think. With his blunt words and positively scorching gaze, a sizzling heat welled up from somewhere deep inside her.

Pierce ground himself against her, letting her feel the weight of him, the shape, length, and hardness of him. Showing her how much his body wanted her.

Zoey felt the daunting strength of Pierce’s hard body, and her mouth fell open in wordless protest. She didn’t want this. Succumbing to his desires frightened her in so many ways. It wasn’t just the intimacy she feared, it went far deeper than that. Letting Pierce love her would have devastating consequences. She knew intuitively that once Pierce rode out of her life, she’d no longer be the
same woman. She couldn’t allow herself to feel anything for this man.

“Let me go, Pierce.”

His answer was to place nipping little kisses along the side of her neck, and to tease her earlobe with his mouth and his tongue, taunting her with what he wanted to do to her.

“Are you a virgin?” he asked, startling her.

“What makes you think I’m not?”

The breath slammed from him. “I’ll be careful with you,” he promised. “I’ve never had a virgin. I wasn’t even the first with my wife.”

Then his mouth settled over hers, hard yet gentle, but oh so determined. Zoey fought the urge to give in to his unspoken demands, but something inside her resisted. This wasn’t a real marriage, it was never meant to be. Then her thoughts scattered as his kiss deepened and his hands found her breasts. Her mouth opened against the pressure of his probing tongue and he thrust inside, savoring her sweet essence.

Realizing she was flirting with fire, Zoey broke off the kiss and pulled away. “No, I won’t let you do that to me!”

Struggling to quell his nearly painful arousal, Pierce took several deep breaths before speaking. His words were clipped and edged with steel. “I’ve never forced a woman in my life. Before I leave, you’ll beg me to bed you. Good night, my love. I wish you the joy of your cold bed.”

Z
oey was waiting for Pierce in the kitchen when he came down to breakfast the next morning. Her greeting was less than enthusiastic. Pierce pretended not to notice, assuming she was still piqued over last night.

“Cully is saddling the horses,” she said. “We can leave for town as soon as you’ve eaten. I’ve made a list of supplies I need. Mr. Schultz, the grocer, is very good about giving credit. Have you written your letter?”

“I wrote it last night after I left your room.” He gave her an evocative glance. “For some reason, I couldn’t sleep.” Half the night had passed before his arousal allowed him to seek his bed.

Zoey’s heart skipped a beat. Pierce wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep last night. The way his hands had burned her flesh aroused her still. She had tossed and turned far into the night, recalling everything she found attractive and exciting about Pierce … every tiny detail. When sleep finally claimed her she dreamed she was lying in Pierce’s arms, experiencing all those things he had
promised, even though she had to guess about most of them.

Zoey placed a plate of ham and eggs before Pierce, grateful that he couldn’t read her thoughts. “I’ll wait outside. Come out when you’re ready.”

“Have you eaten?”

“I ate with Cully.”

He eyed her critically. “You’re not going to town dressed like that, are you?” He didn’t mind seeing her in those tight britches, but he didn’t want anyone else staring at her curvy bottom. “You’re a wife now. Dress like one.”

“I beg your pardon?” Her voice shook with anger. “I’ll dress any way I please. You have no right to dictate to me.”

Pierce’s eyebrows shot upward. “Am I or am I not your husband?”

“You are,” she admitted grudgingly.

“Then I suggest you do as I say. I won’t have men looking at you with lust in their eyes. You belong to me. No man has a right to see what’s mine alone to view.”