brides for brothers 03 - cowboy groom (18 page)

The mayor picked up the first box, and the bidding began. When Janie’s and Megan’s boxes were shown off, their husbands made short work of the bidding. Several others had clearly discovered the name of the lady beforehand also.

Anna happened to be looking at the Randall men and noticed the look of chagrin on Red’s face when Mildred’s box was sold to a neighboring rancher. Minutes boxes later, B.J.’s box was sold to a cowboy two ranches away from the Randalls’. The next box, held high by the mayor after he peeled off the name, drew several bids, including Jake’s. Everyone chuckled when Jake won the bid and discovered his dinner mate was Janie’s mother, Lavinia Dawson. Her husband, Hank, shouted a warning to Jake about trying to steal his bride and received applause for his teasing.

Brett still hadn’t bid. Anna had surreptitiously watched him, wishing things were different. Wishing he really wanted to bid on her box. Wishing she were one of the Randalls, going home this evening with Brett.

With a sigh, she drew her gaze from Brett and turned back to the bidding. One of the older women discovered a distinguished-looking rancher, a bachelor, had purchased her box, and she smiled with pleasure.

Anna’s eyebrows rose as she smiled, too. It was never too late, she supposed, to discover that special person. At least, she hoped it wasn’t.

She was afraid she’d already found him, but he was too important for her. Which meant that she’d be lonely for a long time. She couldn’t imagine ever having any interest in another man, even when Brett married.

The mayor picked up one of the red-bowed boxes. “Now, this box seems special.” He paused and stared intently at the audience. “What am I bid?”

“Five hundred dollars.”

Everyone gasped. The hundred-dollar bids of the Randall brothers had been the highest bids all evening. Anna stared at the bidder, the one Randall who had remained silent until now. He must know whose box the mayor had.

She steeled herself to hear the name of some beautiful young woman, the daughter of a neighboring rancher. The mayor asked for other bids and received laughs in return. With a beaming smile, he lifted the card in the air.

“A fair price, Brett. You have just purchased dinner with Miss Anna O’Brien.”

Chapter Fourteen

“I’m sorry, Brett.”

He stared down at Anna’s sweet face, barely taking in her words. She held the big white box between them, ensuring a certain distance, but he reached out to stroke back a difficult curl that insisted on falling across her brow.

“Mmm?”

“I said I’m sorry.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“You spent five hundred dollars. You must’ve had a certain—I mean, you must’ve thought you knew whose box it was. Too bad you got the wrong box.”

“The wrong box?” he repeated, frowning. He had known whose box he had. Once he’d seen all the red bows, he’d hurriedly offered the mayor a deal that would net the church five hundred dollars. Money well spent, as far as Brett was concerned.

“Do you want to invite whoever it was to eat with us?”

He studied the determined look on her face. What the hell was going on? He’d planned on a quiet dinner for two, under one of the nearby trees. But she was acting as if she didn’t want to be alone with him.

Pete’s words about crowding Anna while she was at the ranch haunted him. A look over his shoulder showed his entire family staring at them.

“Nah. Why don’t we just join the family?”

“But, Brett, you paid five hundred dollars.”

She made it sound like a fortune. To her, it probably was. To him, it was a small price to pay to share some time with Anna.

“It’s for a good cause,” he mumbled, and led her over to the large picnic table Jake had commandeered. “Room for us?”

“Sure.” Jake moved down the bench.

One good thing about a big family, Brett discovered, was that there wasn’t much room for latecomers, which meant he and Anna were close together. “Scoot over just a little, sugar. I’m about to fall off the bench.” He wrapped an arm around her small waist and pressed up against her.

“Need some more space?” Jake asked, looking at him over Anna’s head, a sly grin on his face.

“Nah, I think we’ve got enough room. Right, Anna?” He smiled down at her bright red cheeks and pulled her more tightly against him. The feel of her long legs, even through his jeans, made him think of endless nights, her legs wrapped around him, hours of incredible pleasure and mornings of no regrets.

“I—I could sit on the other side of the table. I think there’s more room over there.”

“Now, that wouldn’t be fair. I paid for your company,” Brett reminded her.

She leaned toward him, almost pushing his heart rate into the danger zone. “Yes,” she whispered, “but I’m not the one you wanted.”

“Ah, sugar, you’ll do.” His lips drifted ever closer to hers. She turned her head away, reaching for something on the table, but her breast brushed against his arm.

Instead of being affected, as far as Brett could tell, Anna turned to the picnic box. How could she remain so cool when he was on fire?

“Red made all the food,” she explained brightly, “so I think you’re guaranteed a good meal. What piece of chicken do you want?”

When she turned those big blue eyes in his direction again, Brett couldn’t think about chicken. He sat still, hoping to remain in control, wishing he didn’t have to.

“Brett, tell the lady what chicken you want.” A grin lit up Jake’s face.

Brett wanted to punch him in the nose, a disturbing thought, since he’d always idolized his big brother. But he was daring to taunt Brett when he knew what was on his brother’s mind.

“The drumstick,” he muttered, his voice hoarse.

She put the drumstick on a paper plate, added potato salad and baked beans and handed it to him.

How was he going to concentrate on eating with her pressed up against him, touching him, her scent enveloping him? Many meals like this, and he’d be skin and bones.

“Eat, boy,” Red ordered from across the table. “There’s gonna be dancin’ in a little while. You’ll need your strength.”

“Dancing?” He looked down at Anna. “You like dancing?”

“I haven’t done a lot of dancing. I’m probably not very good. But I don’t think you have to dance with the owner of the box you bought. You can ask anyone.”

“Uh-huh. But you’ll dance with me?”

“Well, of course, but—”

“Good.” He picked up his piece of chicken and attacked it with fervor. He wanted to finish his meal and get to the dancing. A good excuse to hold Anna against him. Lordy, lordy, it was going to be sheer pleasure. And torture.

A
FTER DINNER
, the ladies retired to freshen up before the dancing began. Anna needed the break. Her role of disinterested lady was wearing thin. She’d been avoiding Brett since that explosive kiss when he’d returned from the city. Tonight she could avoid him no longer.

For self-preservation, she’d played the innocent who didn’t notice him touching her.
Didn’t notice?
She would’ve laughed hysterically if it weren’t causing her so much pain.

And now she had to spend the evening dancing with him.

The man was so—so handsome and sexy. And good. He could have his pick of half the women here. And probably would, she reminded herself, hardening her heart again. She mustn’t let those traitorous thoughts in her head. Especially the knowledge that Brett would be a wonderful lover.

But that’s all he would be. And it wouldn’t be enough for her. She sighed, struggling to bring some order to her windblown curls. She pulled out her lipstick and tried to color her lips, but her hand was shaking. In disgust, she recapped the tube and put it back in her purse and went outside.

The sun was setting, the summer dusk falling, and Anna looked at the sky, seeing first one star then another light up the darkening blue. Nearby, the organizers had strung colored lights around a platform, and several fiddlers and a guitar player were warming up on one end. A perfect scene for romance.

After one dance with Brett, maybe she’d find Mildred, sit and talk with her. And then catch a ride back with Megan and Chad. She didn’t think they’d stay very late. That way, maybe Brett would start looking for someone else to take to his bed.

She sighed again. Life offered hard choices. Resisting Brett Randall had to be the hardest.

“I hope that sigh means you missed me,” Brett whispered, his arms coming around her.

She jumped in surprise and managed to put a few inches between them. “Actually I was thinking about how pretty the sunset is. And—and how tired I am. Maybe I should go on home now. If you want to go find someone who—”

Brett gave her a piercing stare and ignored her stumbling words. “Come on. You promised me a dance.” He took her hand and started off for the dance floor.

All she could do was try to keep up. What was wrong with the man? Couldn’t he take a hint? He was only going to cause them both a lot of pain.

Just as they reached the dance floor, the musicians began their first song, a slow, dreamy waltz. Brett turned around and wrapped both arms around her, scarcely giving her room to breathe.

“Brett, you’re holding me too tight.”

“Only because you’re not doing it right.”

“I told you I wasn’t a very good dancer,” she said stiffly.

“You dance just fine, sugar. All you gotta do is relax. Put your arms around my neck.”

With a feeling of a nonswimmer diving into the ocean, Anna did as he ordered, relaxing against his strong body, laying her head against his chest, just over his heart. Its steady beat was all she heard. Closing her eyes, she gave herself to the one and only dance she would probably ever have with Brett Randall.

B
RETT’S ARMS WERE WRAPPED
around Anna’s slim body, his hands resting on her small waist. He breathed in her scent, pure elixir as far as he was concerned. They should bottle it.

Every movement incited his body more. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, her arms around his neck. He could feel her fingers move in his hair. He was in heaven and hell at the same time.

A sudden chuckle ran through him. When
their
daughter got to dancing age, he was going to lock her up. No damn cowboy was going to hold her like this. ’Cause Brett would know exactly what he was thinking.

Anna raised her head from his shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

He wanted to kiss her—hell, he always wanted to kiss her—but she was skittish tonight and he didn’t want to take any chances. He gathered her close again. “No, sugar, nothing’s wrong. Everything’s perfect.”

And it would be, if he and Anna were going home together. Of course, technically they were. But they wouldn’t be in the same bed, the way he wanted them to be. They wouldn’t be wrapped in each other’s embrace. They wouldn’t be husband and wife.

That’s what he wanted. He was beginning to think that’s what he’d wanted all along. From the moment he saw her. Or maybe he should say
felt
her in the dark of the kitchen. If Sylvia hadn’t been around to complicate things, he would’ve gladly gone down for the count by the end of the first week.

Which was only a couple of days ago, he realized with another chuckle. But life before Anna didn’t really seem to have existed. At least not with any importance.

When the music ended, Brett didn’t hear it. He was too wrapped up in Anna. Only when a neighbor jostled him did he open his eyes.

Anna, seemingly in the same state, abruptly stepped back from him. “Oh! I didn’t realize— Where’s Mildred? I’ll keep her company and—”

But Brett had no intention of letting Anna escape. He took her hand and put it back on his shoulder. “Don’t go anywhere. They’re going to play another song any minute now.”

“I’m sure there are lots of other people you want to dance with, so I’ll just—”

“No, you won’t.”

“No need to worry about me. I’ll find someone to talk to.”

“The only thing I’d worry about is the stampede when these woman-hungry cowboys realize you’re free. I’d probably get trampled. You have to stay to protect me.”

Anna’s cheeks reddened, and she refused to look at him. “You’re being ridiculous, Brett.”

“Hey, can I have the next dance?” a cowboy asked, tapping Brett on the shoulder. He was a handsome young man, with an eager expression on his face.

Brett frowned at him. “Nope. Anna’s my partner tonight. I bought her box.”

“You’re supposed to share for the dancing,” the cowboy protested. “The mayor said so.”

“Later,” Brett said as the music started up. He pulled Anna close to him again, feeling a sense of lightness that filled him all the way to his toes. Anna had to feel it, too, didn’t she?

“Brett,” she whispered, the warmth of her breath tickling his chin.

“Yeah, sugar?” He leaned closer to nuzzle her forehead, enjoying the feel of her curls against his face.

“The music is faster. This isn’t a waltz.”

He surveyed the dancers over her head, a grin on his face. She was right, of course. The other dancers were spinning around the floor, moving in quick time, barely touching. He tucked her even closer against him. “Sorry, this is the only way I know how to dance.”

She pulled away from him. “I don’t think I believe you.”

He had moved them to the side of the dance floor toward the darker end. When he stared into those blue eyes of hers, he couldn’t remember his warning to himself to convince her he was a good person before making a move. All he could think about was Anna, and how perfect they were together. He followed his natural instincts and kissed her.

Her soft lips, full and warm, were heaven, and his body responded with a speed that exceeded the music. The sweetness of her filled him, and he craved more. Stroking her back, he fought the urge to lift her in his arms and carry her into the darkness.

“Hey, Brett, good thing you got rid of your fiancee!” someone called out.

The words barely registered with Brett, but Anna jerked away from him, her cheeks red again.

“Damn!” Brett muttered. Without Anna to shield him, everyone would see how aroused he was. And Anna wasn’t hanging around. She hurriedly left the dance floor, leaving him standing there, still wanting her.