To Love a Stranger by Connie Mason

Samson Willoughby. Play along and you can be on your way again before you know it. If you try to hurt her, you’ll answer to me. I promised Robert Fuller I’d take care of his daughter if anything should happen to him.”
    Pierce felt a hint of admiration for the crusty old man, but that didn’t make his situation any easier to swallow. Did Cully actually think he was a match for Pierce once he regained his full strength?As soon as he could ride, he was out of here, marriage or not.
    Zoey paid Reverend Tolly from the money she’d found in Pierce’s vest and watched the clergyman ride away on his mule, his long legs hanging nearly to the ground. It was a comical sight, but Zoey didn’t feel like laughing. Forcing Pierce to marry her didn’t sit well with her. Using his money to pay the reverend made her feel like a thief. Unfortunately she had no ready cash. She hoped Pierce would understand. She’d pay him back when her ranch was in working order and the cattle that remained were rounded up and sold. With any luck, Pierce could go on his merry way soon. Even if she couldn’t prove there was no mortgage on the Circle F, Willoughby could no longer force her into marriage.
    Would she have actually turned Pierce over to the law if he hadn’t complied? Zoey wasn’t sure and preferred not to speculate.
    “Your bridegroom ain’t feeling particularly friendly,” Cully complained as he came down the stairs to join Zoey.
    “I didn’t expect he would.”
    “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Miz Zoey. We still ain’t sure Delaney’s no woman beater. You better keep your distance. He’s getting stronger every day. I can’t be around to protect you every minute.”
    Zoey’s eyes grew misty with gratitude. “I can take care of myself, Cully. I know you feel you have to keep an eye on me, but it isn’t necessary. I did what I had to do. I’m not too happy with mydecision, but I don’t regret making it. As for Pierce, I don’t believe he’d hurt me. Things will work out.” A small sigh slipped past her lips. “I
have
to believe that. Now I’m going to try to placate my bridegroom.”
    Pierce had known she would return. He’d counted on it. If he had a wife, he might as well enjoy the benefits. Not that he could do much about it right now … but eventually, before he left …
    Zoey walked into the room and closed the door quietly behind her. Pierce’s smile sent her pulse racing. He was propped up in bed atop the covers, still fully dressed. She thought he looked handsome and virile … too damn virile.
    He patted the bed beside him. “Have you come to join me, wife?” His hot gaze ran the length of her; he felt his blood thickening and his groin harden. She had no idea how tempting she was to a man who hadn’t had a woman in a very long time. Or did she? Had she come to taunt him with her lush lips and ripe body? It was no more than he expected from her.
    “You know I haven’t. I came to see if you’re all right. Is there anything you need before I finish my chores?”
    He gave her his most charming smile. “Would you help me remove my shirt? My left arm isn’t working right.”
    “Of course,” she said crisply.
    Pierce waited until she bent over him to help him remove his arm from his sleeve before wrappinghis right arm around her waist and bringing her hard against him.
    Zoey squawked in surprise when his left hand, not nearly as weak as he’d intimated, tugged at the buttons on the front of her dress. “What are you doing?”
    “I want to see my wife. It’s perfectly legal.”
    “I thought we agreed that this is to be a marriage in name only.”
    He had the top three buttons of her bodice undone and moved on to the bottom three, noting with pleasure that the skin visible in the vee of her neckline was creamy white and smooth. “I never agreed to a damn thing, including this marriage. It was forced on me.” The bottom three buttons fell open and he shoved the material down her arms.