Ain't No Angel by Peggy L Henderson

had cut Gabe off when he was about to tell her that she wasn’t going to be married today.
    Why would a woman like her want to come all the way out here to Montana, to the middle of nowhere, and marry a complete stranger? She had no idea what she might be getting herself into. If she were plain-looking he might understand. What flaws did Miss Goodman have that made her a single lady?
    The loud female voice drifting from the church might be the answer to that question. He’d already detected a certain fire in her, like she wouldn’t back down easily if cornered. Was she just a hellion, someone who would give a man nothing but grief? He certainly wasn’t going to kowtow to any woman, pretty or not. Old man Peterson at the mercantile had his hands full with his domineering wife, and everyone in town knew that she wore the britches in the family.
    Tyler shuddered, thinking about the buxom woman. Thankfully, Miss Goodman looked nothing like her. She could run his household, but she wasn’t going to run him. The less he saw of her, the better off he’d be. He worked from sunup to sundown most days anyway, so he didn’t anticipate seeing much of his bride. No one had said this had to be a real marriage, only a legal one.
    The church door swung open, and Reverend Johnson emerged, a wide smile on his face. The old man looked his way, then beckoned to him. Tyler groaned.
    “Appears the wedding’s back on.” Gabe grinned from ear to ear, and slapped his back.

    Tyler clutched his hat in his hand, and headed toward the preacher. No matter what happened, at least he had his horses.

Chapter 5
     
     
    Laney stroked the horse’s soft muzzle. The bay sniffed at her hand, and his teammate nudged her arm. She smiled. She hadn’t been around horses in ages, it seemed.
    “All right, all right. I’ll give you a pat, too. No need to be jealous.”
    “You ready?”
    Laney peered around the horse’s wide body toward the buckboard to which the team was hitched. Tyler stood off to the side, studying her with those intense eyes of his. The guy really needed to lighten up. She had the feeling that he wasn’t always like this, that she was the reason for his scowly mood.  Not exactly the kind of look a man should wear on his wedding day.
    You’re not really happy about this situation, either. Yeah, but he was the one who had sent for her, had ordered himself a wife. Did she not measure up to his expectations?
    A sudden wave of insecurity washed over her. She had to perform her duties well here and make a good impression, or she wouldn’t get that job back home. Back home, in the future.
    Laney still couldn’t quite believe what the reverend had told her. This was something straight out of a science fiction movie. The old man had refused to tell her anything about himself; who he was or where he’d come from. Why had she been singled out for a second chance? Was he some kind of guardian angel? Laney didn’t want to contemplate her questions too much. She might not like the answers.
    “Ma’am?”
    Tyler touched her elbow, and her head shot up to look into those dark eyes of his. When had he walked over to her?
    “Um, yes, I’m ready.” Laney inched her way between him and the horse, and headed for the front of the wagon. She glanced up at the tall seat, then at her dress. In jeans, climbing up into the rig would be a piece of cake, but how was she going to get up there in this cumbersome dress? She could barely move in it as it was.
    Laney grabbed a handful of the fabric of her skirt, and reached up with her other hand to hold on to the edge of the wooden seat. She raised her right leg up to the top of the wagon wheel. Before she could shove off with her left foot, two hands bracketed her waist, and lifted her up. Laney gasped at the unexpected help, and a small squeak escaped her lips. An electric jolt hit her from the strong, secure touch of Tyler’s grip. She fumbled for a hold on the seat, scrambling to get her feet into