Chapter 21

21

Maisy released her hold on the sofa and took a step toward the door. Tanner had hired Grady Worth? To bring her into town? "Is Tanner okay?"

"He's just fine." Grady tossed her a smile. "He wants to talk to you and thought it would be easier on your shoulder if you rode in one of my carriages."

Her stomach clenched. What did Tanner want to talk about? Before she could voice the question, Clementine sniffed at Grady as though she'd had all she could stand of talking to him. Then she turned and smiled brightly at Maisy—so brightly that the contrast from a moment ago was disarming and told Maisy all she needed to know: Clementine and Grady were attracted to each other but were also enemies.

Maisy guessed it was an interesting story, and she wanted to hear more about it, but at the moment, her nerves were pulling even tighter, tangling her insides.

What if Tanner was at the lawyer's office having divorce or annulment papers drawn up? She wouldn't blame him if he was.

But even as the doubts reared up and threatened to make her knees buckle, she tried to cling to Clementine's assurances from the barn. Tanner was one of the most dependable men she'd ever met. Tanner could've stopped the wedding and wouldn't have married her if he'd been planning to walk away.

All the ride into Breckenridge, cushioned among blankets, she kept reminding herself of one thing in particular that Clementine had told her: not all men were like her pa. She suspected that would be a truth she'd have to continue to teach herself.

But the reality was, she loved Tanner more than life, and she was willing to do the hard work to try to trust him. In fact, she loved him more than her safety, security, and stability, and she'd go anywhere and do anything in order to be with him. If that made her like her ma and Nelly, then so be it. Maybe loving unconditionally like them wasn't wrong, especially if it was with the right man.

Once they reached town, Grady directed the team onto a pleasant-looking side street with a few businesses but mostly newer homes. The carriage rolled down the gravelly street until Grady halted in front of a spacious home that was two stories tall with steep, gabled roofs, a turret rising from one side of the roof, intricately carved woodwork decorating the windows and gables, a large wraparound porch, and a wrought-iron fence surrounding the yard.

Perhaps they were picking up Tanner here. It was possible he was visiting with a friend or an associate over business matters.

She watched the front door of the house, waiting for him to make an appearance, but Grady swung open the carriage door and poked his head inside. "Ready?"

She hesitated, glancing at the imposing home. "Where's Tanner? I thought he wanted to talk to me."

"He's inside, waiting for you."

A strange tremor shook Maisy. She didn't want to assume the worst, but it was hard not to wonder what Tanner was thinking today. Especially since she'd shut him out of her life recently.

Grady helped her down and then walked with her up the front path to the porch, holding on to her elbow to steady her.

Maisy wanted to tell him she could make her way just fine without his help, but she bit back the words, knowing he was just trying to be a gentleman. At the door, she lifted her hand to knock, but before she could, the door opened, and Tanner was standing there wearing dark trousers and a matching vest and suit coat over a starched white shirt. His face was shaved, giving her a perfect view of his angular jaw and cheeks—and the cuts her pa had given him, which were red but thankfully not bad. He wasn't wearing a hat, and his hair was cut to his collar and combed back in smooth waves.

She drew in a sharp breath at how handsome he looked in his Sunday best. He cleaned up better than she ever could've imagined, and she liked this version of him almost as much as the rugged, mountain-man version.

How was it that in the few years she'd known him, she'd never seen him attired in a suit? In the mountains and on the ranch, he had no need for anything but work clothes. But of course he had a suit for church, weddings, and funerals. And he'd probably worn it a lot when he'd gone to New York City with Ryder.

But why today?

"I hope this isn't a lawyer's office, Tanner Oakley." She tried to glare at him, but she was still too overcome by how handsome he looked to get enough power behind the glare.

It was a good thing he'd never come up into the mountains looking like this. If he had, she wouldn't have been able to hold off kissing him for as long as she had.

A slow grin worked its way up his mouth, curling that perfect upper lip of his.

She couldn't look there. Wouldn't. Or she'd embarrass herself by throwing herself into his arms and dragging his mouth down to hers and kissing him right there in front of the whole house.

"No, this isn't a lawyer's office," he said with a nod of thanks to Grady before closing the front door. Tanner's suit coat stretched tight around his biceps and his shoulders and outlined his muscles and broad back. Suddenly, all she could think about was skimming her hands up and down those biceps and over his back.

She jerked her attention away from him. She. Could. Not. Touch. Him. At least, not yet. They had too much to talk about before she could let herself get carried away.

She glanced around the spacious front hallway with its light ivy-print wallpaper, the matching ivy-print rugs, and the framed pictures of what appeared to be dried flowers that had probably been picked locally.

Off to one side was a spacious front parlor, and she caught sight of a large desk in one corner. Off to the other side of the hallway was a dining room with an elegant table and chairs.

She expected to see the residents of the home stepping out of one of the rooms or at least coming down the wide carpeted stairway from the second floor. But the house was so quiet that she could hear Grady's carriage rumbling away.

"Where is everyone?" she whispered.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Everyone?"

"You know, the folks who live here."

His smile faded. "What would you say if I told you that we're the folks who live here?"

She smacked him in the arm. "I'd say hush up!"

His expression turned tentative, and he grew quiet.

Her racing heart stuttered and then came to a stop. "What? You can't be serious." Her gaze swept over the lavish home once more, this time taking in the richness of it as well as the beauty. When she turned her attention back upon him, he was watching her face as though trying to gauge her reaction.

"Tanner?" Her voice trembled. What was he doing? "Don't fool around with me like this."

He reached for her hand, the one with her wedding band, and he touched it. "I'm not fooling around. This is me being completely serious, if you haven't noticed the suit and tie and everything."

Oh, she had noticed. That was for sure. But at the moment, she was too overcome by his announcement. "Why?" It was the only word she could think of, the only word that would come out.

He seemed to swallow hard, then fiddled with her wedding ring again. "I bought the house for you—for us."

"You bought it?" Her mind began to reel, dizzyingly, crazily.

"It's a pretty house in town," he said with a gentle smile, "with two stories and painted shutters. It doesn't have a swing on the front porch yet, but it does have a fenced-in backyard where you can put bird feeders and have the space to take care of baby animals."

Lord Almighty, have mercy. What kind of man would remember exactly what she'd said and then give it to her? Only Tanner Oakley. That's who. And she loved him for it, even if she couldn't accept his gift.

"The assayer used to live here," he continued. "He got arrested earlier in the year. After his wife moved, the house has been sitting empty with all the furnishings, so I asked around and offered to buy it."

"I don't understand. You love the wilderness—"

"No. I love you ." The words came out impassioned and ended with a plea. He reached for her other hand now so that he was holding both. "I'm sorry I didn't say it that night in the cabin. Because I loved you then, and I was just too much of a coward to say it."

He loved her. The words sank in and shattered any resistance that was left—which hadn't been much. "I'm sorry I was a coward yesterday—"

"You don't have anything to be sorry for."

"That's not true. I'm stubborn and pushy and rash and—"

"And I love you." He spoke the words again, this time firmly. "You're all that matters. Not the wilderness or the mountains or the trapping."

"But that's where you're happy."

"As long as I have you and we're together, I'll be happy."

She shook her head. "No, I won't take you away from it. I can't—"

"You know I've been restless there and trying to sort out what's next. And even though I don't exactly know what I'll do, this is a start."

"A start?"

"I thought maybe over the winter I'd write a book—this time one I can send to a publisher, maybe the one Ryder is using for his history book."

Was she dreaming? Was this really happening to her? Tanner had just told her he loved her. That she was all that mattered. And he'd proven it to her by giving her what she'd dreamed about—a normal house and a normal life.

She couldn't keep from wavering, weak from her wound and now overwhelmed by everything.

His brow furrowed, and he scooped her up so that he was holding her against his chest. She knew she needed to protest, but she couldn't think straight.

"What's wrong, darlin'?"

"I can't let you give up everything for me, Tanner."

"But I want to—"

"Let's live in your cabin in the wilderness for part of the year and then stay here in our house in town for the other part."

He was watching her face, and she prayed he'd see the earnestness there.

"I love the wilderness too," she continued. "And I'll probably eventually miss it. So why not split our time?"

His eyes turned tender. "Thank you for offering. I appreciate it. But we don't have to figure it out today."

"Okay." She cupped his cheek. "Just promise that whatever we do or wherever we go, we'll always stay together."

"That is definitely one promise I'll be able to keep." He grinned. "I'll never let you out of my sight again."

His words were the assurance she'd needed and brought a rush of warmth to her heart. She couldn't keep from smiling in return. And she also couldn't keep from staring at his kissable upper lip. Had they talked enough now that she could allow herself to get carried away?

Too bad if they hadn't. She was gonna kiss him anyway.

She slid her hand to the back of his neck and dragged him down. At the same time, she lifted up and captured his lips with hers. They were warm and soft and slick. Oh, he felt so good. So, so good. She just wanted to kiss him and never do anything else ever again.

She could feel him still grinning against her even as he pressed into her.

"What?" she asked, pulling back.

His dark eyes swept over her face, the heat in them lighting her on fire. "I love when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Kiss me in that bossy way of yours."

"Good." She gave him a quick but hard kiss. "You'll need to get used to it, because I intend to do it often."

He chuckled and in the next instant meshed his mouth with hers with a powerful surge that left no doubt he was just as bossy when it came to kissing and that he would demand as much as she did.

She may have wrangled the wandering rancher, but he'd wrangled her heart too.