AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This had all been a damn waste of time and money. The schoolteacher, Dale Quillan, had taken a good hard look at the isolation of the ranch and politely told him she wasn’t interested. Miss Johnson, on the other hand, had been willing to take on the job, but he couldn’t bring himself to make the offer. That was the sourest woman he’d ever met, humorless and disapproving of almost everything she saw. He’d imagined her as the family-oriented type, since she had sacrificed her life to care for her invalid mother, but now he figured she had been more of a cross than a blessing to the poor woman. She had informed him tartly that she would be willing to perform her duties by him once they were sanctified by marriage, but she hoped he didn’t plan on a lot of foolish shenanigans because she didn’t believe in such. Reese had told her just as sharply that he believed she could rest easy on that score.
Three applicants. One he wouldn’t have, one wouldn’t have him, and the other was all wrong for the job.
Madelyn. Long, beautiful legs. Silky blond hair and deep gray eyes. A soft mouth and a taste like honey. What would ranch life do to someone that elegant and unprepared?
But he’d spent two weeks turning his bed into a shambles every night because his frustrated body wouldn’t let him sleep, and when he did manage to sleep he dreamed about her and woke up in even worse shape than when he’d dozed off. His loins ached, his temper was frayed, and
he was smoking twice as much as normal. Damn her for being more than he wanted, or could afford.
She had clung to him and kissed him with such a fiery response that he hadn’t been able to sleep at all that night, but she’d walked away from him without a backward glance. If she’d turned around just once, if she’d shown the least reluctance to go, he might have weakened and asked her to stay, but she hadn’t. She’d even wished him good luck in finding a wife. It didn’t sound as if his rejection had wounded her too badly.
He could have kept her. It drove him half-wild to know that she would have stayed if he’d asked her, that they could have been married by now. She would be lying under him every night, and the bed might get torn up, but it wouldn’t be out of frustration.
No. She was too much like April. If he ever let her get her claws into him, she would rip him to shreds even worse than April had done, because even in the beginning he’d never been as hot to have April as he was to have Madelyn. She was used to city life, and though she’d appeared to like Montana and the ranch, the real test was living through a winter here. She’d never make it.
He ground out the cigarette and lit another, feeling the smoke burn his throat and lungs.
Fury and frustration boiled over. He got out of the truck and strode to a pay phone. A call to Information got her number. This was probably another waste of time; at this time of day she’d be at work, but he was driven by an urgency he bitterly resented and was still unable to resist.
He punched in her number, and an operator came on the line to tell him how much money to deposit. He dug in his pocket for change, swearing under his breath when he saw he didn’t have enough.
“Sir, please deposit the correct amount.”
“Just a minute.” He got out his wallet and flipped through the papers until he found his telephone credit card and read off the account number to the operator. He hadn’t used the card in seven years, so he hoped it was still good.
Evidently it was, because the operator said, “Thank you,” and he heard the electronic beeps as the call went through.
It rang three times; then there was a click as the receiver was picked up and that warm, faintly raspy voice said, “Hello.”
“Madelyn.”
There was a pause; then she said, “Yes. Reese?”
“Yes.” He stopped as a truck roared by, waiting until he could hear again. “You’ve been out here and seen what it’s like. Are you willing to marry me?”
The pause this time was longer, and his fist tightened on the receiver until he thought the plastic might crack under the pressure. Finally she said, “The other two didn’t work out?”
“No. What’s your answer?”
“Yes,” she said calmly.
He closed his eyes as the almost unbearable tension eased. God, he might be making a mistake as bad as the one he’d made with April, but he had to have her. “You’ll have to sign a prenuptial agreement giving up all rights to the property I own prior to marriage and waiving any right to alimony or a lump sum settlement in case of divorce.”
“All right. That’s a mutual agreement, isn’t it? What’s yours remains yours and what’s mine remains mine?”
Irritation lashed at him. “Of course.”
“Fine, then.”
“I want a certification from a doctor that you’re in good health.”
“All right. I require a certification from your doctor, as well.”
The irritation threatened to become rage, but he held it in control. She had as much right to be reassured about his health as he did to be reassured about hers. Sexually transmitted diseases didn’t stop at the Montana border, and AIDS wasn’t the only concern people should have.
“I want the wedding within two weeks. When can you get out here?”
“How long is the waiting period?”
