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He groaned. “Okay.”
“You wrote letters to Simon, but you never tried to contact me directly. Your father died, and you didn't come home for the funeral. I would have told you then, if you had bothered to show up.”
“Okay.”
“Finally, you come back to the ranch, and what do you do? Kidnap me. Force me into a marriage neither of us wants. Was I supposed to tell you then?”
“Okay!” he shouted. “Enough. I get it. I'm a terrible person, and you're a saint.”
Had she hurt his feelings? Good.
His outburst had spooked Breaking Storm. She whispered to the horse while shooting Jared a dirty look. He had been away from the ranch for too long. Everyone raised around horses knew not to suddenly yell when near them.
Without bothering to apologize, he said, “Delta thinks we should give this marriage thing a try. See if we can make it work... for the baby’s sake.”
A rock formed in her stomach and another brick of guilt landed on the solid wall she had built within her gut. Once again, she wondered if she should blurt out the truth. Taking the brush back from him, she asked, “Have you contacted your lawyer yet? Do you still intend on giving me the ranch?”
“I haven’t called him yet, but that is exactly what I intend to do.”
“I'm still willing to pay you for the ranch,” she said. “I know we've already been over this, but I feel bad for taking your inheritance without giving you anything in return. Let me give you at least half the money I make from selling all future horses.”
He held both hands up, showing his palms. “Stop. I already told you I don't need the money. You aren't cheating me out of anything.”
The bottom fell out of her stomach, and she considered dropping the truth like a bomb. She wasn't pregnant with his brother's baby. That was the only reason he wanted to give her the ranch, so she was cheating him. She hated herself for the deception. But if she told him, she'd lose everything.
“Did you say Delta wants us to make this a real marriage?”
The question brought a scowl to his handsome face. “Yeah. Can you believe it?”
Actually, she could. Delta was an old-fashioned Southerner who just wanted the best for her honorary children.
Jared's eyes narrowed on her face. “Hey, don't get any ideas. I told her and I'm telling you, there is no way in hell I will ever live in Montana. Marriage would never work between the two of us.”
That brought up an interesting question. “Is that the only reason marriage wouldn't work between us? Is it just about location?” When he didn't immediately answer, she untethered the horse. “If I were living in Boston when we met, would you be interested in me?”
He hesitated.
She grabbed a fistful of black mane and swung a leg over the back of the horse. Her father used to gripe at her for riding without a saddle. He'd told her it was an unnecessary risk; she disagreed. It seemed extremely necessary at the moment. She couldn't afford to take the time to grab a saddle. That would give Jared too much time to think of an excuse that might appease her instead of just giving her the truth.
She rode Breaking Storm out to the pasture with Jared yelling her name behind them. Jerk!
Chapter Eleven
Beth intentionally worked later than usual, doing things she would have ordinarily saved for the next day. She skipped the evening meal so she wouldn't have to look at Jared's arrogant face across the table from her. She also didn't want to field questions from Delta about their impromptu wedding and what it meant. Hopefully, Jared would keep his word and sign over the ranch tomorrow. Then he could go back to Boston. Knowing him, he would return to work and forget about her the same day. She might not have to tell him she lied about the pregnancy.
Throwing herself into work kept her from dwelling on the fact she was Jared's wife. Even if it was in name only, the mere idea put her in panic mode. She didn't want to go back inside the house. She couldn't think with Jared's steely gray eyes on her. After a silent debate with herself, she decided to ride Breaking Storm again. He seemed to be feeling anxious. Animals could sense when their owners were struggling with dark emotions. Perhaps Breaking Storm was picking up on her anxiety.
She had turned him out in the pasture after their earlier ride. All the other horses were in their stalls, fed and ready for sleep. She went to the gate and whistled for him. Swift, like the fictional Pegasus, Breaking Storm sprinted to her. His stride didn't break, not once. He couldn't have been faster if he had the legendary wings of Pegasus.
She opened the gate and stroked a hand over the horse's mane before grabbing a bunch of black hair in her fist. Hoisting herself up, she threw a leg over Storm's bare back. They took off at top speed. She allowed him to run as fast as he wanted because it would be dark soon. He needed to get it out of his system.
Hopefully, Jared would be asleep by the time she went inside... or at least too tired to pick another fight.
Breaking Storm raced across the field, and the wind whipped her hair around her face. Strands slapped her cheeks with stinging force. She bent down low so that she almost became part of the horse. Crazy thoughts assaulted her from all directions. The main focus was on her ridiculous marriage to Jared.
An image of him came to her mind, and her mouth went dry. Jared Wilder was sexier than any other man on earth. She could admit that to herself, but she would never say it out loud. He was arrogant enough without knowing part of her still desired him.
∞∞∞
