The Marshal Takes A Bride (26 page)

“Just like you ‘handled’ the last one with this man.” They reached the office, and with a jerk Sarah pulled the key from her bag, stuck it in the lock and turned the doorknob. She walked through the darkened room, her back straight and her body rigid. In the darkness, he heard her strike a match against flint. A small sliver of flame showed in the gloom, and then the lantern filled the room with a soft glow.

She turned to face him, the light in her hand shimmering across her face. “Come into the next room and I’ll stitch up that cut and put iodine on your other cuts.”

He followed her down the hall to a small examining room.

“Sit on the stool.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, smiling, hoping to lighten the mood, hoping to talk her out of seeing ‘good guy’ Brad.

She took out a small needle and threaded it. Then she poured alcohol on a rag and held the pad to the cut above his eye.

He sucked in air when the cloth touched the wound. “Damn, Sarah, could you find anything that would hurt more?”

“Don’t think I didn’t try. Now shut up or the stitches could leave you with an ugly scar.”

“Does this mean you’re still mad at me?” he asked, noticing for the first time that her breasts were right at eye level. It was tempting to lean into her and put his lips on the bare skin above her dress.

“Why would I be mad? I’m out with one of the nicest men I’ve been around in a long time and suddenly there you are at my feet bleeding,” she said, her voice taut.

She stuck the needle in.

“Ouch!”

She pulled the thread and tied it off. She repeated the process, her touch, normally so gentle, quick and jerky as she rapidly stitched him up.

“Now close your eyes while I put iodine on this wound. This could hurt”

The stuff stung like fire.

“Damn, Sarah!”

“You’re all set,” she said, putting everything in a metal bowl. “But you might want to put a cold rag on that eye tonight. It’s kind of swollen and probably will get worse.”

He slipped his arms around her, unable to resist her nearness any longer. He wanted to feel her soft, tempting body up close against his. He laid his head on her chest.

Her body stiffened.

“Thanks,” he said, placing his lips on the swells of her breasts.

She gasped, her breath halting. “Don’t, Tucker.”

He moved his lips up the exposed skin of her chest, up the curve of her neck, around to the apex of her neck and shoulder. She shivered, her breathing coming a little more rapidly. Maybe she enjoyed the rancher’s company, but Tucker still could make her quiver with desire.

But they were friends, nothing more. Why couldn’t he be glad that she had found someone she enjoyed being with?

He pushed the question out of his mind, not wanting to think about his response to seeing her with Brad, not now while he held her in his arms. His lips continued their path up her neck to her ear, his hands molding her body to his. His tongue traced the outline of her ear, and she gasped, while his lips continued to the comer of her mouth. He leaned back and gazed into her eyes. Then his lips found hers.

He covered her mouth, greedily consuming her lips with a hunger that surprised him. God, he wanted her. She made him feel alive, made him feel strong and manly. He wanted to protect her, wanted to take care of her and Lucas, wanted his arms to be the ones she longed to hold her. Reluctantly, her arms wound their way around his back.

Sarah made him feel more a man than he had ever felt. Doubts about his decision to accept the federal marshal’s job crept into his mind.

Suddenly she shoved him away. “Stop it! Stop it now!”

She stepped out of his embrace and walked across the room, her breathing rapid as she drew in deep breaths. She crossed her arms over her chest and bowed her head, her hair felling to cover her face. For a moment it looked as if she was crying, but when she raised her head, he could see the anger that radiated from her gaze.

“Damn you, Tucker Burnett. You don’t know what you want. You kiss me, you have sex with me, but you can’t—you
won’t
commit to me. I’m tired of being yanked around by you. Here for your convenience.”

“But—”

“You don’t want me. Yet the moment I find a man that’s interesting, you come back around kissing me. You call yourself my friend, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either.”

“That’s not—”

“Oh, yeah, I know what you’re going to say. You set me up with men to take me to dinner. You set me up with the town’s confirmed bachelors. You set me up with men you knew would never be a threat to you.”

“But—”

“Damn you, Tucker. You don’t want me because you’re afraid of commitment, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either,” she said, her voice rising in volume. “You use the term ‘friend’ loosely. Friends don’t kiss or have sex. I’m tired of your games. Get out. Get out now! ”

“Sarah, wait.”

She was shaking, she was so angry. “Just go, Tucker.”

“You haven’t given me a chance to explain.”

“That’s because I don’t want to hear your explanations. I’m tired of being a pawn in your games. Get out.”

Tucker picked up his hat from the table. “I should walk you home. It’s not safe.”

“Go. At this point I dare anyone to bother me.”

He moved slowly, reluctant to leave. He had never seen her so angry or so upset. He regretted his kiss had caused her pain. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Sarah, honestly.”

“Please, just go.”

He stepped to the door of the room, his boots sounding loud in the shadows of the clinic. “I’ll come by and check on you tomorrow. I do care about you, Sarah.”

As he walked out of the room and through the halls of the clinic, he listened intently for the sounds of sobbing or the breaking of glass. This time he would refuse to leave if he heard any of those noises. But it was eerily quiet as he shut the door.

Had he done all those things she said? Had he really used her for his convenience and then, when another man found her attractive, come back around kissing her?

He swallowed. Maybe.

And he
had
set her up with the town’s bachelors, knowing instinctively that the matches would never work.

Did he really not want anyone else to have her? They had always been friends, and he wanted her to find someone here in town and stay on as the doctor, didn’t he?

Why did he feel so guilty? Why did he feel as though her accusations were somewhat true?

The cool spring air bit at him as Tucker glanced around at the shadows of the darkened night. The sounds of revelry came from several blocks over as the saloons cranked out the noise. He couldn’t just let her walk alone, but he also knew that she would never accept his company.

He melted into the shadows behind the clinic and waited for Sarah to leave. Once he saw her, he followed her all the way back to the hotel, making sure she made it home safely, always staying hidden so she would never know he followed her.

***

The next morning found Tucker sitting in his office, his eye swollen, his pride bruised and his ego completely deflated. Over and over his mind had replayed her comments regarding his behavior, wondering if her accusations were true.

And he couldn’t help but remember seeing her happy last night, her hand intimately tucked into the crook of Brad’s elbow.

Damn! They had looked happy. They looked like they belonged together. And Brad had been smiling as if he was the luckiest man in town.

The door to Tucker’s office opened and in stepped his mother. His stomach sank. He didn’t think he could take her manipulating ways today. He wasn’t in the mood to hear a speech on the benefits of being married.

“Hello, son,” she said cheerfully, pulling the door closed behind her. She turned to face him and gasped. “Good Lord, what happened to you?”

No, his swollen face wasn’t a pretty sight, just a painful reminder of one swing too many from the gunfighter the night before.

“I’m fine, Mother.”

“I heard that Lansky character was here in town. Was he the one who did this to you?” she asked.

“Yes, but there’s nothing to worry about”

His mother threw up her arms. “You sit there and tell me not to worry, while your face is bruised and swollen.”

“Thanks, Mother,” he said, choosing to ignore her remarks, suddenly remembering that his sister-in-law was very pregnant and due soon. “Is everything okay with Rose? I don’t need to get Sarah, do I?”

“Not that I know of,” Eugenia said, as she paused and stared at him. “Aren’t you going to ask me to be seated?”

“Sorry, please, sit down. Would you like something to drink?”

“Thank you, but no,” she said, smiling at him graciously, pleased now that she had reminded him of his manners.

He watched as his mother took a seat and spread her skirts, settling in. It looked as though she was hunkering in, preparing for battle, which left him feeling slightly uneasy.

All it would take was one tiny opening and his mother would be on him like an ant on a stinkbug. She would circle the wagons and gather recruitments, and soon Tucker would find himself facing a preacher.

“Did Sarah put those stitches in above your eye?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said curtly, remembering her none-too-gentle ministrations.

“You know, Tucker, since the fiasco with Beth and Tanner, I’ve really tried to do better. Since the veil incident, I’ve kept my word and not bothered you recently concerning Sarah. I’ve tried to accept your decision not to marry.”

“Mother, nothing has changed. I’m not getting married,” he blurted out.

She flipped her wrist at her son. “I completely understand, son, but I saw that Brad Riley fellow coming out of the clinic early this morning, and well . . . Sarah looked happy. And the two of them,” she laughed. “They looked downright cozy together.”

“So?” he said, a flash of irritation creeping into his voice.

“Well, I know that the two of you are such good friends, and you know Brad is
very
good husband material.” She smiled at her son. “He’d be an excellent catch for Sarah and that precious little boy of hers.”

“So you rushed right over here to tell me?” he asked. “Don’t you think I already knew?”

Damn it! Did she think that he wanted to hear about Sarah and Brad? The rancher and the doctor were friends, nothing more! Just like Sarah and he were friends. Weren’t they?

Yet why did he feel as though something that belonged to him was slipping away? And though he didn’t understand why he felt so much frustration and anger at the mention of Brad, the man just irritated him. Sarah deserved better than a rancher who owned a sizable chunk of land and could take good care of her. Didn’t she?

“Well, I didn’t know if you knew about the two of them, but I guess if you saw Sarah last night, she must have told you all about her and Brad.” His mother leaned closer. “Has she told her grandfather yet?”

“How the hell would I know?” he asked irritably.

“Well, you just said you knew about the two of them,” she said innocently. “Are you feeling all right, son? I guess that’s a silly question with your face all swollen like it is.”

“Hell no, I’m not feeling all right. My head is throbbing, my eye hurts and you’re asking me all sorts of questions I don’t know.”

Eugenia leaned back in her chair. “Sorry. I just thought that maybe you would know if they had mentioned setting a date yet.”

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Mother. She had dinner with the man once. That’s all.”

“This morning when I saw her, she had a bouquet of flowers in her hand, and he was standing outside on the porch of the clinic. It looked like they had breakfast together.”

Tucker took a calming breath and released it slowly. The image of Sarah naked in his arms, her head thrown back in passion, came to mind, sending a pleasant ache through his body. Had he ever given her flowers?

Brad’s face swam before his eyes, and he saw red. If Brad had snuck back to spend the night with Sarah, there would be hell to pay.

But he had no right to object. And Sarah’s grandfather would have been at the hotel. Sarah could make her own decisions, and after Tucker’s behavior last night, their friendship could be in peril.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” he told his mother, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

“Why? They could have had breakfast together in the hotel dining room this morning. He could have met her downstairs and then walked her over to the clinic,” his mother said.

He sent Eugenia a look that even a blind man would have known meant go away and leave me alone. But no, his mother didn’t take a hint.

“Besides, Brad Riley is a very nice man compared to some of those other men you introduced her to. Did you set her up with Brad?” she asked innocently.

“No, they met at the auction,” he said, almost gritting his teeth.

“Oh, that’s right. He got into that bidding war over Sarah’s basket with you.” She laughed. “Now it’s all coming back.”

Sarah’s words regarding setting her up with some of the worst bachelors in town came back to haunt him. His insides clenched at the memory. Had he really set Sarah up with men that he knew would never work out? Was that why he disliked Brad so much, because he knew the man would be good for Sarah. And if they were only friends, why was he objecting to the cowboy so much?

“Well, dear. I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to keep you. But I was just so excited to talk with someone about Sarah, and I knew you would know more than anyone.”

His mother stood, smoothed her long skirts and picked up her parasol. “I better get along, dear. Rose is sitting at home miserable, and I don’t want to be gone too long.

He frowned and nodded, frustration keeping him silent as he watched his mother walking toward the door.

Opening the door, she turned and faced him. “When you see Sarah, give her my best.”

With a click she shut the door behind her and like a whirlwind departed his office, her destructive winds leaving behind a battered Tucker. God, how had his father lived with the woman for nearly thirty years?

He placed his face gingerly in his hands, and then leaned his elbows on his desk. But more important, what if Sarah did marry Brad Riley? What if she fell in love with him, too?