Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) (27 page)

Anne was surprised to hear Ruby returning so
much earlier than usual. Usually the young woman
didn't return until long after midnight.

"Ruby? Is everything all right?" she asked as she
knocked lightly at her bedroom door.

The knock at the door startled Crystal, but she
quickly answered it.

"Anne! Yes, everything is fine," Crystal told her.
"In fact, everything is wonderful!"

"I don't understand." Anne had never seen her so
happy before.

"Brent and I are getting married-now, tonight!"

"Oh, darling, I am so happy for you! Brent is a
wonderful man! You'll be so happy together."

"Yes, we will," she agreed.

"Can I help you? Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I'm just going to change my clothes. He's
waiting outside for me."

"Well, if you need anything, you just let me
know."

"I will."

Anne couldn't resist giving her a warm hug. "I'm
so glad you've found your happiness."

"Thank you."

Crystal closed the bedroom door and went back
to the armoire to look through her dresses. Her
choices weren't many. She still had her widow's
dress, and the thought of wearing it made her smile.
Though it was demure and it did have a veil, the
heavy black gown certainly wasn't appropriate for
this joyous occasion. Crystal took out a day gown
and set about changing.

When she'd finished dressing, Crystal went to
check her appearance in the mirror.

Her heart swelled with joyous emotion. Soon she would be married to the man she loved. Soon she
would be Mrs. Brent Hunter.

Crystal was ready to begin her new life. She would
no longer be alone in the world. She had Brent
now-Brent, who knew everything about her and
still loved her.

She left her room and descended the stairs. She
found Anne waiting for her in the parlor with
Brent.

"There was no point in letting your handsome
fiance wait for you outside," Anne told her when she
appeared in the doorway.

Brent looked up at her. She was wearing the
same dress she'd worn to church, but he knew he
wouldn't have thought her lovelier if she had been
wearing a bridal gown. To him, she was the most
beautiful woman in the world. He stood up to go
to her.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes." There was no hesitation. This was her
dream come true.

"Do you have a ring?" Anne asked, wanting to
make sure everything was perfect for them. She
thought their elopement was so romantic.

Brent hadn't thought about a ring. "No. I don't."

"It doesn't matter," Crystal said.

"Yes, it does. Wait just a minute." Anne went into
her own bedroom. She came back out a few
moments later with a simple gold band. "Here. See if
this will fit you."

Crystal slipped the ring easily on her finger. "It's
perfect."

"Then it s yours."

"Oh, no, I couldn't take it," Crystal said.

"Let me pay you for it," Brent offered.

"No. It's my wedding gift to you. It was left to me
by an aunt years ago. I want you to have it."

"You're sure?" Crystal looked up at her, amazed
by her generosity.

"Oh, yes. I'm sure." She smiled.

"Thanks, Anne," Brent said, eager to be on their
way.

"Oh! Wait! You can't go just yet. You need one
more thing." Anne hurried out of the room, but
returned quickly carrying a small bouquet of flowers
from her garden. She offered them to Crystal. "No
bride should be without her bouquet."

"Oh, Anne, you are so dear. Thank you." Crystal
was touched by her thoughtfulness as she gazed
down at the fragrant blossoms. She hugged the other
woman.

"It's the least I can do for you. God bless you
both. And Brent?"

Brent looked at her.

"You take good care of Ruby, you hear?"

"I will," he promised.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Anne," Crystal told her.
She gave Brent the ring for safekeeping, and they left
the house.

Anne watched them until they were out of sight, then closed the door and sighed romantically over
the happiness she knew they would find together. If
ever she had seen a couple in love, it was Brent and
Ruby. She wanted them to be happy forever.

"Will Reverend Crawford mind our coming to him
this late?" Crystal asked as they made their way
through town.

"I'll make it worth his while. You don't have to
worry," Brent reassured her.

She smiled brightly up at him as they hurried on.
Roused from a sound sleep, Reverend Crawford
looked suitably unkempt as he lit a lamp in the
front hall of the parsonage. He had thrown on
pants, a shirt, and shoes to be presentable, but he
wasn't fully awake yet as he unlocked and opened
the front door.

"What is it, Brent? Has there been trouble?" he
asked. He wondered why the pretty singer from the
saloon was standing at his door.

"No trouble, Reverend," Brent said. "We're just
in need of your professional services tonight, that's
all."

Reverend Crawford frowned for a moment in
confusion, then noticed the bouquet she was
carrying.

Brent spoke up, answering his unspoken question.
"Yes, we want to get married."

"Brent, this is wonderful. I thought I'd never see
the day."

"Neither did I, but Crystal changed my mind."

"Crystal?" He had heard her name was Ruby.

"Ruby's just my stage name," she explained quickly.

He smiled warmly at her. "Well, Crystal, you're
getting yourself a fine young man."

"I know," she responded with a smile.

"Come on in and close the door. I'll go get my
wife so she can be your witness."

The reverend went back into his private quarters,
leaving them alone for a moment, and Brent took
advantage of his absence by stealing a quick kiss.

"I love you," Brent told her again, wanting to
calm any fears or uncertainties she might be feeling.

Crystal only smiled back up at him. Her spirits
were soaring. For the first time in as long as she
could remember, she was happy-honestly and truly
happy. She was going to be Mrs. Brent Hunter.

Reverend Crawford returned with his wife, Mary,
who had been wakened from a sound sleep, but was
nonetheless thrilled to be witnessing Brent's
wedding. They all went into the small room the
reverend used as his office. After lighting the lamps
there, he got his Bible.

"Do you have a ring?" Reverend Crawford
asked.

"Yes."

"Now, let us begin," he intoned.

Brent and Crystal stood enraptured as they
pledged their love to each other before God.

"Do you, Crystal, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or
worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health,
forsaking all others, till death do you part?" Reverend
Crawford asked.

"I do," she answered clearly.

"And you, Brent-do you take this woman to be
your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for
better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and
in health, forsaking all others, till death do you
part?"

"I do," Brent vowed.

"The ring..."

Brent slipped the band on Crystal's finger.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. What God
has joined together, let no man put asunder," he
said, concluding the ceremony. "You may kiss your
bride."

Brent did just that, as the reverend and his wife
looked on.

"Thank you, Reverend Crawford," Brent told him
when he and Crystal moved apart.

"It's our pleasure, Brent. Congratulations, Mr.
and Mrs. Hunter," he said.

Mrs. Hunter... For a moment, thoughts of
his mother came to Brent. He remembered
her love and her kindness, her warmth and her
devotion to family. It saddened him that she
would never know Crystal, but he knew
she would have loved her, just as he did.

Crystal noticed a subtle change in his expression.
"Is something wrong?"

He looked down at her. "No. Everything is fine."

Brent gave the reverend a generous stipend for
performing the ceremony. After bidding the
reverend and his wife good night, he and Crystal left
the parsonage.

They moved off down the street, not speaking,
simply enjoying the wonder of what had just
passed.

"Look," Crystal said, pointing up to the sky.

There high above them in the star-studded night
sky was a silver half moon.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She sighed.

"Yes, it is, but it's not as beautiful as you."

There on the dark, deserted street, Brent took his
wife in his arms and kissed her.

"I love you, Mrs. Hunter."

They hurried on, eager to return to the hotel
room, eager to be alone. When they reached the
room, he unlocked the door and scooped her up in
his arms.

"I have to carry my bride over the doorstep."

Brent carried her inside and laid her gently on the
bed. He went back to close and lock the door.

As Brent returned to Crystal's side, neither gave
any thought to all that had passed earlier in the
evening. There was only the pure beauty of their
love. They were man and wife.

Crystal welcomed him to her with open arms. She had never known a man like Brent before-a
man who was strong, yet kind; powerful, yet gentle;
fierce, yet loving. Brent was her dream. He was her
love.

They came together in a heated rush of desire.
With eager kisses and caresses, they sought to
arouse each other, to pleasure each other. They
took little time stripping away their clothes.
They wanted only to be one. When at last Brent
moved over Crystal and made her
his in all ways, their bliss was complete. The
rapture of their rhythm quickly took them
to heights of passion, and they crested together as
ecstasy swept over them. They clung together,
awed by the power of what had passed between
them.

"Now that we're married," Crystal began in a
whisper as she pressed a soft kiss to Brent's throat,
"does that mean we can stay right here forever?" She
felt a shiver go through him at the touch of her lips
and smiled. It pleased her to know she could arouse
him so easily.

"That sounds good to me," Brent said in a growl,
rising up to claim her lips in a hungry kiss.

The kiss was all it took to ignite the fire of their
passion again. His hands traced paths of excitement
over her silken flesh, exploring her soft, lush curves.
Crystal responded to his touch with abandon. She
willingly gave herself over to his ministrations,
glorying in his possession. Again they came together, uniting their bodies and spirits. They were one
being, one love, and would be-forever.

The night passed far too quickly as they loved
endlessly, celebrating the beauty of their union.
Sleep finally claimed them just before dawn. They
fell into an exhausted slumber, wrapped in each
other's arms.

Brent awoke first, but didn't stir. He lay quietly,
watching Crystal sleep beside him. His gaze caressed
her perfect features and then dropped lower to the
sweet line of her throat and the soft curve of her
shoulder. She had pulled the sheet up over her, so
the rest was left to his imagination.

As if sensing his gaze upon her, Crystal stirred in
her sleep, and the cover fell partially away, leaving
one slender leg uncovered. Brent remembered just
how it had felt to have her legs wrapped around his
waist as they'd made love.

The sudden heat that filled him was
overwhelming, and he willingly surrendered to its
power.

Crystal came awake slowly, rapturously, as Brent
pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"Good morning," he said huskily.

"Yes, it is," she agreed, and then she went on to
show him just how wonderful a morning it really
was.

Brent had never known loving anyone could be
so beautiful. Crystal was everything he'd ever
dreamed of in a woman-and more. As they lay together in the aftermath of their passion, he faced
their future and knew that although it wouldn't be
easy, somehow, some way, he would protect her
and keep her safe.

It was late morning when they finally, reluctantly
decided to forsake the privacy and comfort of the
hotel room and return to the real world. Brent went
to get the buckboard, while Crystal returned to the
boardinghouse to pack her things.

Anne welcomed her with a warm hug. She was
delighted to hear that everything had turned out
perfectly for them. When Brent arrived with the
buckboard, Anne offered them a late breakfast, and
they gratefully accepted. Over breakfast Crystal
confided in Anne about her real name and explained
how she'd used Ruby as a stage name. They settled
up on what Crystal owed for the room and left a
note with Anne for Ken Gilbert at the Lone Star,
telling him of his singer's marriage and explaining
that she wouldn't be returning to work. Anne
promised to see it delivered to Ken at home that very
day. After thanking Anne again for her kindness,
they rode out of town for the Half-Moon, ready to
begin their new life together.

As they drove past the saloon, Crystal knew she
wouldn't miss working there. She wanted only to be
with Brent and to spend the rest of her life loving
him.

Even as Crystal rejoiced in her marriage, though,
she realized her future still wasn't certain. Brent had not deserted her when he'd learned the truth about
her past, but the danger was still there. He had told
her that they would face it together. Crystal could
only hope that Brent's strength would see her
through.