"And just what will you and I be doing?" she asked.

"Whatever we want."

"What do you want? Why are you willing to do this?"

He answered without hesitating. "I feel responsible. I'm the one who got you drunk. I'm the one who suggested we get married. Obviously you didn't have all your wits about you or you'd remember it. I'm not in the habit of throwing women to the wolves. That's what I'd be doing if I let you stay alone somewhere else. Ryan has twenty-four hour patrol guards on the ranch because of security concerns in the past, and the cabin has reliable locks. You would be safe there."

Just thinking about staying in a cabin with Reed- "The cabin has a bedroom, and it has a living room. You can take the bedroom, and I'll sleep on the fold-out sofa in the living room. You already know your virtue is safe with me if you want to keep it."

"I have to keep it. I mean... If we want to get this marriage annulled, nothing can happen."

"Nothing has to happen," Reed told her gruffly. "When Dawson gets back, you can decide what you're going to do next."

"You're not going to tell anybody the truth?"

"We got married, Mallory. That is the truth." His jaw became set.

As if she were reliving it, she remembered Winston's grip on her arm. She remembered his arms locking her against him, and him practically carrying her to his car. Unless she learned self-defense in a very short amount of time, all that could easily happen again. In contrast to the panicked feeling she experienced whenever she thought about Winston, she could also remember the safe feeling waking up snuggled against Reed.

The devil or the deep blue sea, she thought wryly. She guessed she'd take the plunge into the deep blue sea. "All right. We'll pretend we're married until Dawson gets back. But I'm not your responsibility, Reed. I want you to know that. I don't want to be anybody's responsibility but my own anymore."

He studied her for a prolonged moment and then picked up the phone again.

When they landed, everyone at the Double Crown would know that they were married.

Winston Bentley IV was an intelligent man who knew he'd been stalled for the moment. He'd made himself rich by always staying one step ahead of his opponent. This situation was no different. He boarded a flight to San Francisco. Once settled in first cla.s.s, he phoned the man who always got him the information he needed, when he needed it.

"I want everything you can get me on Reed Fortune," he snapped. "He's from Australia, connected to the Fortunes in Texas. I want to know why he's here, how long he's going to be here, and exactly where he's staying. Give me everything he's done in the past six months. No, make it a year. I expect to hear something from you by the time I land."

Not comfortable with compet.i.tion in any form, Winston usually decimated it. Reed Fortune was no different than rival developers who got in his way or property owners who wouldn't sell. The right information, money, as well as selective arm-twisting worked wonders.

After landing in San Francisco, Winston hailed a taxi and headed toward George Pennington Smythe's address. When his cell phone rang, he took it out of his pocket and listened carefully. In a few minutes he had the information he needed. Tucking the phone back into his suitcoat, a small smile crossed his lips. This wasn't going to be too difficult. Mallory Prescott was used to luxury. The Fortunes might have money, but Reed Fortune seldom acted as if he did. Apparently, he worked hard training horses and running a ranch with his family. But the important tidbit his source had discovered was an engagement announcement that had appeared in a Sydney newspaper. It had claimed that while Reed Fortune and Stephanie Milton hadn't yet set a date, they were planning to marry sometime in the new year.

Winston deduced that nothing fit. Mallory Prescott was not used to ranch life. She also wasn't an impulsive woman. She wouldn't decide to marry a man in a day's time. Winston knew everyone she'd seen and met because he'd had her investigated and had kept close tabs on her since they'd become engaged. She hadn't known Reed Fortune before yesterday. He was sure of it.

When Winston rang the doorbell of George Pennington Smythe's mansion, a maid let him inside. A few minutes later George met him in the parlor. "Have you found Mallory?"

Winston smiled rea.s.suringly. "I certainly did. Where's Gloria? She needs to hear this."

"She's on the phone, still canceling arrangements and trying to explain to everyone why the wedding didn't take place. I'm so embarra.s.sed about this, Winston. Mallory is usually so reliable, so steady."

Mallory's mother Gloria came rushing in before Winston could comment. "Oh, Winston. Did you find her? Is she all right? That note with her engagement ring didn't tell me anything except that she was going away to think. I don't know why she has to think when she's about to marry you."

Winston studied Gloria Pennington Smythe. Blond, brown eyes, ivory complexion, she was very attractive for a woman her age, which had to be around forty-five. But she looked thirty-five if a day. He'd had affairs with women ten years older than himself before, and they'd been quite satisfactory. He might have made a move on Gloria if he hadn't met Mallory and realized as an investment banker with good contacts, George could be a valuable in-law to have. They'd already pulled off a few successful deals together, legitimate by-the-book deals. George didn't know his future son-in-law operated any other way.

Winston had set his sights on Mallory and had been quite successful about it until she'd run away. "I found her, Gloria, but there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?" George asked.

"I think the stress of working and of planning the wedding have made her unbalanced. I think she's afraid she'll disappoint me in some way. Instead of asking me for more time, she's done something foolish."

"What has she done?" Gloria asked, looking as if she were near tears.

"She married a stranger last night."

"You aren't serious!" both her parents said at once.

"I'm very serious. And not just any stranger. His name is Reed Fortune, nephew of Ryan Fortune of Texas."

"The family that's always in the news?" Gloria asked.

"That's the one."

"What are we going to do?" George wanted to know. "I suppose I could drive down there and get her...."

Winston shook his head. "I think that would be a mistake right now. We don't want to do anything that might make her act even more foolishly and do something like bolt back to Australia with this man."

"Australia!" Gloria gasped.

"Apparently he's from the Australian branch of the Fortune family." Winston paused for a moment. "I don't think she wanted to marry him. She did it to get out of marrying me. Soon enough she'll discover it was a mistake. You've raised your daughter well, Gloria, with certain advantages. She'll miss those."

"But the Fortunes are rich," George exclaimed.

"The Fortunes might be, but Reed Fortune is another matter. Right now he's living in a cabin on the property of the Double Crown. Can you imagine Mallory cooped up in two or three rooms with a man she doesn't really know?"

He smiled, thinking about it. "We just have to give her a little bit of time to come to her senses, and I think with a little persuasion that will happen. Gloria, I think she'll need an understanding ear. In a couple of hours she'll be there and wonder what she's gotten herself into. If you give her a call, you can tell her how much we all care about her. It will set her thinking in the right direction."

Gloria smiled at Winston. "Mallory doesn't know how lucky she is to have you, how fortunate she is to have a man who understands her."

Winston understood Mallory, all right. He understood that he wanted her for his wife, and she would become his wife no matter what he had to do. But before he pulled out all the stops, he'd give her a little time to let her realize how foolish she'd been and how much better off she would be with him.

All it would take was time. He had plenty of that, unlike Reed Fortune who would be going back to Australia eventually.

Soon, if Winston had anything to say about it.

Three.

When Reed brought the jet in for a landing on the Double Crown's airstrip, the touchdown was smooth and faultless. He and Mallory disembarked from the aircraft and descended the steps. Hot Texas air swept against Mallory's face, and she shed her sweater. As she draped it over her arm, a tall, solidly built man wearing a white Stetson approached them from the metal hangar. He looked to be in his fifties, with dark brown hair, dark eyes and deeply tanned skin.

He approached Reed and Mallory with a smile and extended his hand to Reed. "Congratulations, boy. Zane told us the good news. A little unexpected, especially since you just-"

Reed took hold of the older man's hand and hooked his arm around Mallory's shoulders. "Let me introduce you to my wife. Mallory, this is my uncle, Ryan Fortune. Ryan, this is Dawson's sister. Small world, isn't it?"

"Zane mentioned that. Fate just happened to bring you two to the Golden Spur at the same time. Just like it brought me and Lily back together again." Ryan looked down at Mallory. "My wife's out shopping or she'd be here to welcome you herself. Do you want to come up to the house or would you rather get settled in?"

Mallory was all too aware of Reed's arm around her, its weight and its heat. He was hard and strong. She just had to remember she was doing this only until Dawson returned. "I'd love to, Mr. Fortune, but-"

"Please call me Ryan. We don't stand on formality here. I understand if you need to rest before meeting the rest of the family," Ryan said with a smile. Then he clapped Reed on the shoulder. "Something's missing here, boy."

Mallory had no idea what Ryan Fortune was referring to and she looked up at Reed, but he seemed just as perplexed as she was.

"You two aren't wearing wedding rings."

Looking chagrined, Reed responded, "We're going to take care of that in the next few hours. We did everything so suddenly, the rings got lost in the shuffle."

With a knowing look, Ryan laughed. "I'd imagine so. Some short honeymoon you had."

Mallory could feel herself blushing and knew it wasn't the Texas heat.

"C'mon." Ryan motioned toward his Cherokee. "Hank will load up your luggage in the back and I'll give you a ride to your cabin. I had Rosita stock the refrigerator and cupboards for you. I hope that's all right."

Reed guided Mallory toward the Jeep. "You didn't have to do that, sir."

"My pleasure. Just consider it a preliminary wedding present. Mallory, you can do anything you want to the cabin. Make it feel like home. I guess it will be the only one you'll have until the two of you go back to Australia."

Australia.

Yes, she knew Reed had come from Australia, but she had no idea when he was going back. It didn't matter. As soon as Dawson returned, she could make some real plans and this episode with Reed would be just a memory.

Mallory and Reed rode in the back as Ryan gave Mallory a brief tour of his estate. When he pointed to the ranch house he shared with Lily, Mallory saw that it was huge. It was an adobe structure with sand-colored walls surrounded by a sandstone wall. He told Mallory the arched entryway and wrought-iron gate led into an inner courtyard. As the generations of families grew, they had added another wing. The house was about half a mile from the barn and outbuildings.

They pa.s.sed another ranch-style house, a miniature of the larger one. Ryan explained his son Dallas and wife Maggie lived there. As they rode past fences and gently rolling land, Ryan also pointed out where his sister-in-law Mary Ellen and her husband Sam lived. They were away on vacation but would be home for the Double Crown's summer barbecue next weekend. After another mile or so, they pa.s.sed Ruben and Rosita Perez's ranch-style home, and he explained that Rosita was his housekeeper. Her husband Ruben helped with the horses, or grounds, or wherever he was needed. Their son Cruz now had his own cabin and horse-breeding business at a ranch near his parents' home.

When Mallory thought about a cabin, she thought of logs and rough-hewn beams and plank flooring. But here a cabin took on a different description. They pulled up in front of an adobe with a red-tiled slanted roof. A curving stone walkway led to the door, which had a wooden screen on the outside. The lawn area was small, and a variety of shrubs and blooming plants created an engaging effect. She recognized crepe myrtle, daylilies and a rosebush climbing an arbor along the side of the adobe.

"This is charming," she said.

Both men got out of the car. Ryan helped Reed with the luggage but at the door, tipped his hat to Mallory. "I'll leave you two alone for now, but if you want company, come on up to the house."

Reed unlocked the door and let Mallory precede him over the threshold. Inside, she did find plank hardwood flooring, but the walls were plaster and a fan revolved in the living room's high ceiling. Considering the 90-degree temperature outside, the inside of the adobe was fairly comfortable as a breeze blew in the high, transom-like windows. There was a kitchen to the right, just large enough for the oven, refrigerator, sink and a few cabinets. To the left, Mallory noticed an archway and could see the corner of a bed covered by a tan spread. The fold-out sofa Reed had mentioned was forest green and looked new, as did the pine coffee table, end tables and small dining table flanked by two straight-backed chairs. Only the high-backed wooden rocker by the small fireplace looked as if it might have seen generations of use. A beautiful lamp with a bronze, bucking bronc base sat near the sofa.

Reed hung his hat on a rack by the door. "Lily had ordered new furniture for the place before I arrived. She told me she'd send a decorator in to spruce it up a little, but I said it wasn't necessary."

"Did someone live here before you?" Mallory asked.

"Clint Lockhart lived here for years when he worked on the Double Crown until he was sent to prison. It's hard to believe during all that time he hated the Fortunes. Especially since Ryan was his brother-in-law. Both of his sisters married Fortune men."

"Why did he hate them so much?" Mallory asked, stepping deeper into the room, automatically thinking about what she could do to the place to liven it up.

"He believed Ryan's father, Kingston Fortune, stole his father's land. Ryan says the truth was, Clint's father would have gone bankrupt if Kingston hadn't bought him out. Anyway, after Clint went to prison, Ryan had all the old furniture taken out."

The room wasn't very big and with Reed only about two feet away, she realized that if they weren't careful, they would be b.u.mping into each other. Remembering how perfectly their bodies had fit together while they'd danced, she walked toward the small bedroom, trying to put that detail out of her mind.

Next to a closet there was a small dresser and a washstand with a mirror. Reed brought her suitcase and cosmetics case into the room and set them on the double bed.

"Are you sure about me taking the bedroom?" she asked.

His eyes seemed to turn a crystalline blue as his gaze held hers. "I'm sure. I'll only bother you when I have to get in and out of the drawers or the closet. Or to shower," he said, nodding to the small bathroom.

Its door was half closed and, unbidden, she pictured Reed in the shower...naked- Swallowing hard, she laid her purse on the coffee table and draped her sweater over the arm of the rocker.

When the phone rang, Reed crossed to the kitchen in three long strides and took the receiver from the wall. Arching his brow, he held it out to Mallory. "It's your mother. Bentley's a fast worker."

Apparently Winston had gone straight home to San Francisco and to her parents. "Mother?"

"Mallory, darling. Are you all right?"

"Mother, I'm fine. I don't know what Winston told you, but he tried to kidnap me."

"Oh, darling. He was right. Working and getting ready for the wedding have just been too much for you."

"Mother, he tried to force me into his car-"

"Honey, Winston can be forceful at times, I know. He only wants what's best for you, just as your stepfather and I do. I can't believe you married some stranger. George says we can get it annulled, and I'm sure we can. If you just come home, we'll straighten this all out."

"Mother, he not only tried to kidnap me. I heard him talking to someone on the phone before I left. You and George don't understand how he does business. He's dangerous."

"Now, Mallory. Winston's business isn't any of your concern...or mine. I'm sure you misunderstood whatever you heard. And you're overreacting. If you would just come home..."

Mallory now realized Winston had shown all of them only what he'd wanted them to see for the past six months. Even now he'd convinced her parents that he wanted what was best for her, and he had them completely buffaloed. "I'm not coming home."

"But you must. What will you do there? You can't stay with that man. Someone you don't even know."

Apparently she hadn't known Winston, yet she'd planned to marry him! Instead of getting into an argument with her mother about her quick marriage, she ventured into territory that had never been safe. "Dawson is here, Mother."

There was silence on the other end of the line. "You know how I feel about him and his mother," Gloria finally responded.

"Yes, I know. But that's not fair to me and Dawson. Maybe we'll really get to know each other now that I'm here."

After another pause Gloria Pennington Smythe asked, "Isn't there anything I can say that will put you on a plane back home to us?"

"No, Mother. I'm sorry, but I can't come home."

"You just need a little time to see the foolishness of this. Your life is here. Your future is here." When Mallory didn't react, Gloria sighed. "All right, darling. In a few days I'll call again to see how you are. Promise me you'll call me if you need me."

That was the whole problem. She didn't want to need anyone. "I'll check in every once in a while to let you know I'm perfectly fine." She loved her mother and she didn't want her to worry. It was just so frustrating sometimes talking to her.

"This man...Winston says he's a Fortune."

"Mother, please try not to worry."

"Darling, I've worried since the day you were born. Specifically about something like this. A man taking advantage of who you are, what you'll have someday. Your inheritance will make you a wealthy woman."