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“A tie,” Kane stated, although that was obvious to everyone watching.
My turn. There was no chance I was losing this competition, especially when the stakes were so high. I wanted Grace as mine.
I adjusted my stance, raised my arm to point my gun at the edible targets, then glanced at Grace. She was biting her plump lower lip, realizing she just might be married tonight. Well, not just might.
I looked at the line of potatoes, fired one after the other, exploding six in a row.
I tossed the empty gun to Kane, then hooked my arm about Grace’s waist, pulled her into me. Brushing a curl back from her face, I said, “Charlie might be an expert military sharpshooter. But I’m the son of a Montana Territory sheriff.”
I kissed her then, fierce and possessive. This time, when my tongue flicked her lower lip, she opened for me. Kissed me back. Hot, wet, sweet and the little moan that escaped sealed her fate.
Grace was ours, fair and square. “Robert,” I called when I finally lifted my head. “Pull out your Bible.”
9
G RACE
“WAIT!” I shouted, panicking. I wasn’t ready to marry them at this moment.
Actually, I was, and that was the reason I’d called out. I shouldn’t be ready. I needed time to think. They’d been like a tornado. I’d heard about one that had struck east of Billings a few years back. Strong, swirling winds and total devastation. I felt like I’d been tossed about, at least my emotions anyway, all day long. It was like they were a fierce storm that had blown into my life and changed it. Turned my path, my entire way of life upside down in a matter of hours.
I needed time.
I needed—
“I need a dress!”
Charlie and Hank stared at me. So did Kane, Ian, Mason and the others.
“Of course, you do,” Emma said, approaching her husbands holding a little girl with the same dark hair as hers. Ellie. She was beautiful and a little shy, clinging to her mother. When she was close enough, she reached her little arms out for Ian, who took her and tossed her up in the air. Her squeals of laughter made me relax. A little.
“Every woman should wear a dress for her wedding.”
I was thankful for her intervention, for she was justifying my words.
“Fine. We shall return to the house and you can put one on,” Hank said, as if it were so easy.
“I don’t own a dress.”
“Borrow one,” Hank added, looking to the women of Bridgewater.
Ann and Laurel were too short. Emma was closer to my height, but her bust was much larger. Olivia was much curvier than I.
“She must have a dress of her own, Charlie. Something special to remember the day.”
“We’ll give her something to remember the day,” Hank replied and I felt my cheeks heat, knowing to what he was referring. He’d said they wouldn’t take my virginity until we were married.
“Two somethings,” Charlie clarified.
“It is too late today, but we can find a ready-made one at the mercantile,” she added.
“Love, let them resolve this themselves,” Kane told Emma, wrapping an arm about her waist from behind and kissing the top of her head.
Hank took my hand and led me away from the group. Charlie followed.
“You are scared,” he said.
My mouth fell open. “I… I believe I am, but not of you.” I fervently looked to him, then Charlie. “Not of either of you.”
