On the eve of his first marriage, he hadn’t known the meaning of the word nervous.
This was different. He wanted Catherine to trust him. Otherwise the plan he’d devised would never come to fruition.
Up to now he was used to making unilateral decisions without looking back when certain situations demanded it. But he realized he couldn’t do that with her. She’d come too far, fought too hard for her in dependence to imagine she’d follow blindly where he led.
He’d made a big mistake telling her she’d have to give her boss notice. She’d tossed it right back in his face.
When she’d found the fantastic soft cream crepe dress and shoes she’d liked, and had reached for her credit card, they’d clashed because he’d told her he’d pay for them. Up had come her softly rounded chin in a mutinous gesture she probably hadn’t been aware of. But he’d noticed it, like he noticed everything about her, and backed down.
Small things could grow into big ones. He would have to learn to choose his battles more care fully. They were going to be parents, with their own ideas of how things should work. Theirs needed to be a partnership of equals. If she felt he didn’t respect her opinions, she’d keep her emotional distance. He refused to let that happen.
They weren’t even married yet, and already he knew he wanted her in all the old ways he’d thought had disappeared when he’d buried Jenny. He couldn’t wait to explore what was coming.
He heard a sound and turned in its direction. Catherine had left her room and was walking toward him. Her eyes looked like two dazzling sapphires.
“What do you think?” She smiled. “Too much? Too little?”
He cleared his throat. “You look like a bride. But I think you don’t need me to tell you your taste is impeccable.”
“Thank you, Cole. You make a very striking groom. I’m going to be the envy of every female when we leave this room.”
There was nothing coy or artificial about Catherine. She didn’t have theatrics in her. If he took this moment to reveal the depth of his intimate thoughts where she was concerned, she’d run a thousand miles.
He’d seen her wear her silvery blond hair several ways. Tonight she’d caught it back in a loose chignon. A few strands tipped by the sun had escaped and framed her oval face, bringing out the mold of her high cheekbones.
The simple elegance of the knee-length dress with its draped neck and long flowing sleeves brought out the singing curves of her sylph-like figure.
He’d given her a corsage of creamy roses whose petals blended with her flawless complexion. She’d already fastened it to her shoulder without his help. Another signal to let him know she needed her space.
After reaching for the digital camera he’d purchased that afternoon, he crossed the room to the glass elevator of their suite.
“It’s time, Catherine.”
As she moved toward him on those long elegant legs, he snapped half a dozen pictures. He planned to have one framed for his den at the house. The rest would go in an album Bonnie would come to treasure.
“Your turn,” she said, taking the camera from him. “I wish I’d had this while you were playing with Bonnie.” She took several shots of him.
His lips twitched. “We’ll have a lifetime to immortalize our selves.”
A worried expression crossed over her face as she handed the camera back to him. “I hope so.”
“Believe it.” He grasped her hand to draw her in the elevator, aware of a latent fire building inside him.
“After the ceremony we’ll bring my attorney back here to do the pa per work. That way he can file it with the court first thing in the morning and get a date for a hearing with the judge right away.”
“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Farraday. May your life together be one of joy and happiness.”
The judge who had married them spoke with an eloquence that had added the right amount of reverence and dignity to their wedding ceremony. Both he and his wife were very gracious and conveyed a sincere cordiality.
Catherine muttered her thank-you, but after the thorough kiss Cole had just given her, her palms ached and her legs had grown weak.
She’d known how important it was they give a convincing performance of being in love. It was shocking how easily she’d entered into her part of it, and she only had herself to blame if she was still trembling.
Cole’s attorney Jim Darger, an attractive man in his fifties, who knew their secret and was totally loyal to Cole, had taken several pictures of them. She feared he might have caught that kiss which had lasted far too long for two people who hadn’t been in each other’s arms yet, let alone shared intimacy.
The moment she’d felt Cole’s sensual mouth coaxing hers apart, a quickening in her body had driven her to respond without conscious thought. The urge to meld with him wasn’t something she’d had control over. It had simply happened.
She must have shocked him, because he’d clasped her tighter against his rock-hard physique-whether to hold himself up or her, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that the full contact of arms, legs and mouths had charged every atom, whipping up a storm of desire in her she’d never experienced in her life.
The sound of someone’s cell phone ringing had insinuated itself into the very private party Catherine had been having with her new husband. The reminder that they weren’t alone had caused her to pull away from him, her face instantly burning.
Three people had just witnessed something Catherine couldn’t explain. You didn’t kiss a man like you were starving for him unless-unless the physical attraction was explosive. Even then she should have been able to slow down her response.
Once good nights were said, Cole’s arm hugged her waist as they walked out to the limo with Jim. During the ride back to the hotel the two men talked ranch business while Catherine studied the new diamond ring circling her finger.
He’d given her a two carat solitaire, a stone whose facets caught the light. It was exquisite. The slim gold band next to it reminded her she had some shopping to do. Before tomorrow evening she intended to present him with his own wedding ring. Maybe one with a garnet.
From what she’d learned, the Ruby Mountains were named for the red garnets found by some of the early explorers. A ring would let all those women know he was taken.
She groaned when she realized how possessive she’d become already. The possibility that their marriage could be annulled in the near future was anathema to her.
Before long they arrived back at the hotel. Within the hour they’d eaten a delicious Italian meal sent up from one of the restaurants. After a waiter had cleared everything away, Jim handed them the forms to fill out. There were so many questions to answer. The background questions took forever.
“What are our chances?” she asked him anxiously.
