The Texas Ranger's Bride (Lone Star Lawmen 1)

“The keys.”

She rummaged in her beaded bag and handed them to him. After he helped her into the passenger side, he ran a hand over her thigh and leg before shutting the door. His touch, so unexpected and convulsive, had set her on fire.

On their way out he paid the fee and they took off for the RV park with her directing him. “How soon do we need to leave for the arena?”

She checked her watch. “An hour.”

“No matter how high I go over the speed limit, that won’t leave us time for a wedding night until after your win tonight.”

What?

He shot her a glance. “You couldn’t be as disappointed as I am, but I need a whole night to make love to my wife for the first time. Since I’m counting on you clocking the lowest time in

your event, I’m going to have to be patient a little longer. While you get ready, I’ll hitch the trailer to the truck and do any odd jobs you need doing.”

Kellie loved him so terribly, her heart hurt.

Cy spoke the truth. Their wedding night wouldn’t be perfect if she couldn’t hold him all night long. But they’d wanted to be married today. Even though a price had to be paid, nothing in life had made her this happy.

When they drove up to her trailer, Cody was outside it checking one of the tires. When he turned and saw the two of them in their wedding finery, a huge smile broke out on his face.

“Well, what do you know? You got hitched and beat me and my fiancée to the punch.” He walked over to give her a hug and shake Cy’s hand.

Cy wrapped his arm around Kellie. “We didn’t want to wait any longer. Would you mind taking a couple of pictures of us with my cell phone? We need to record this day for posterity. One day we hope to have children who will deserve to see the way their gorgeous mother looked the day we got married.”

“And their father,” she added with tears in her eyes. They hadn’t talked about children. There were still so many things they didn’t know about each other. Every revelation made her love him more.

He fixed the phone so all Cody had to do was keep pressing the button.

Trust Cody, who behaved like a photographer at a photo shoot. He had them pose this way and that, and of course lined up a few shots of them kissing.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s what we want,” Cody teased them until she was red in the face.

“No one knows we got married except you, Cody,” she informed him. “Where’s Jenny?”

“Out shopping. I’ll pick her up on the way to the arena.”

“You can tell her, of course. Cy and I will be having a big church wedding after Finals. This wedding was just for us.”

“You two have been through hell. I’m happy for you.” He handed Cy the phone. “I’m just going to put a little more air in this tire.”

Cy reached for her hand and they walked to her trailer. “It’s the painted blue key,” she said as he looked at the key chain. He unlocked the door and they went inside. For a few minutes the world was shut out.

She heard the sigh that came out of him. He turned to her and removed the gardenias from her jacket. “I wouldn’t want to smash these.” He put them on a chair, then took off his suit jacket and tie. “How long will it take you to change into your riding clothes?” He’d started undoing the top buttons of his shirt.

“Five minutes.”

“Do it now while I hitch up the trailer. That will give us ten minutes to say hello to each other as man and wife before we have to get out of here.”

The romantic side to Cy sent ripples of delight through her nervous system. He was excitingly methodical. As soon as he left the trailer, she rushed to change clothes. Tonight she’d wear a new Western shirt with fringe and a new pair of jeans. She had to remember to remove the pearls and put in her gold cowboy-boot earrings.

Once she’d hung up her wedding suit and put on her Western outfit, she pulled on her cowboy boots. Then she put on her cowboy hat so she wouldn’t forget it.

“Leave the hat off for a few minutes.”

Her heart leaped when she realized Cy had already come back inside.

The burning in his eyes made her legs tremble. “Come here to me, darling. I need to hold you for a few minutes so I can believe that you’re really mine.”