Wedding Night With the Ranger by Lauri Robinson Page A

length of him.
    With an endurance she never knew she possessed, she held the excitement dancing in her body until Colt, letting out a deep groan and flipped her onto her back.
    In one swift, absolutely brilliant thrust, he entered her. The feverish, continuous rhythm of their bodies joining, working as one, consumed her body and soul.
    Their earlier actions had been enjoyable, satisfying, but nothing in comparison to the heights she found in this time-warping merger. It was as if they became one with the universe. They journeyed upward, united together, and dancing to the gripping melody filling her soul until, with a shattering blast, she exploded into a million pieces. His body stiffened, and with a rumble of satisfaction, he filled her with a colossal rush of completion. She clung to him, accepting the beautiful, precious gift.
    It was some time before she returned to earth and opened her eyes. Lying arm in arm, on top of twisted, tousled sheets, entirely sated, utterly fulfilled, and more content than she ever imagined, Annalee kissed Colt’s chest.
    He pressed his temple to hers. “I love you, Annalee Severson.”
    “Hmm,” she whispered, “I love you, Colt Severson.”
    He moved enough to run his lips over one of her eyebrows. “Thank you for saying yes. For marrying me.”
    She tilted her head, brushed her lips to the bottom of his chin. “Thank you for asking.”
    He chuckled. “I am sorry, you know.”
    “For what?” she asked, somewhat confused.
    “For not courting you three years ago. For not taking you away from Mitchell sooner. For—”
    She cut him off, kissing his lips with all the passion and love bubbling out of her.
    No longer afraid of telling him everything, she admitted, “I’m the one who is sorry. My father stole your cattle, remember.”
    He chuckled. “No, he didn’t.”
    “Yes, he did.” She met his gaze. “He and Arnie Smith, Sam Waterson, and Skip Siver.”
    He propped himself on one arm, looked down at her. “How do you know that?”
    “You told me this morning. Said you wouldn’t press charges on any of them if I married you. Arnie is my uncle—”
    “Your uncle?” he interrupted.
    “Yes, my mother’s brother. She died when I was little, but Arnie has always been a part of our family. And Sam and Skip, well, they are about as close to uncles as they come. I’ve known them my whole life.” She frowned, all of a sudden remembering something.
    He touched the tip of her nose. “Why the frown?”
    She kissed his chin, hoping to soften what she was about to tell him. “The three of them were at our—my father’s house, a week ago. Reverend Mitchell had been over the night before. He, uh, had come to ask—” she took a deep breath before continuing “—to tell my father that I needed to marry him. My father refused his offer. Said he’d rather I married a cattle rustler than a liver-bellied preacher.”
    A smile formed on Colt’s face. “He called Mitchell a liver-bellied preacher?”
    She nodded.
    “I’ve always liked your father,” he said, kissing the end of her nose.
    “He’s always liked you too,” she said, kissing the tip of his chin. “Ever since that night, the four of them have been scheming. I knew they were up to something, but to be honest, I didn’t try to interfere. I figured whatever they came up with would get rid of Reverend Mitchell. I just hoped they wouldn’t get themselves hurt.” She met his gaze, answered honestly., “I had no idea their scheming included you.”
    He didn’t answer, just looked at her deeply.
    The slightest touch of fear entered her mind. She swallowed. “I am sorry about that. I hope you can forgive them—someday.”
    He grinned. That heart-stopping, wonderful grin that would forever make her heart careen around her chest.
    “What?” she asked, a touch nervous.
    “I already do—forgive them. It was the opening I needed. When your father said you’d most likely marry Mitchell if he went to jail, I—” He