The Texas Rancher's Marriage. Cathy Gillen Thacker

a card.

      It featured an eight-by-ten glossy photograph, not the kind that any groom should be receiving on his wedding day. As his “wife” looked over his shoulder, she seemed to agree.

      * * *

      “WOW,” MERRI MURMURED in shock.

      Half a dozen young women were gathered in what looked to be a field hospital. All were clad in desert fatigues, boots and T-shirts. All were holding signs.

      “What does it say?” Jessalyn demanded.

      “Yeah, Mommy, read it,” Jeffrey chimed in.

      “Well, it says ‘We love you, Chase. Miss you already! Can’t believe you actually left us! Holidays are meant to be shared! Texas equals home and home is where the heart is.’ And last but not least…” Merri read the sign held up by a particularly beautiful brunette. “‘We hate that you left us, but…see you soon!’”

      She turned to Chase. “Got quite a cast of admirers there,” she drawled.

      He grinned good-naturedly. “They like to tease me, that’s for sure.”

      As long as teasing was all they were doing, Merri thought irritably.

      “Where should I put them?” the volunteer asked. “Your office…?”

      “Sure you don’t want to take them home with us?” Merri asked tartly.

      “Actually,” Chase said, keeping the photo, and giving back the floral arrangement, “why don’t you set this in the lobby? That way, everyone can enjoy it.”

      “Good idea.” Smiling, the volunteer walked out, vase in hand.

      Kate Marten-McCabe came in with a young nursing student at her side. Head of the hospital grief counseling services for the last thirty years, Kate was beautiful, kind and direct to a fault. “Chase, Merri, good to see you.” She knelt by the twins with a charismatic smile. “I need to talk to the bride and groom. And it’s grown-up talk.” Kate made a face. The kids giggled and wrinkled their noses back at her. “How would you two like to go down to the playroom in pediatrics for a few minutes? We have a lot of fun toys, and Sally here—” Kate pointed to the nursing student

      “—would love to show them to you.”

      When Jessalyn and Jeffrey nodded, Kate looked at the newlyweds. “Is this okay with you?”

      Aware that whatever this entailed was definitely not for children’s ears, they assented. After the kids took off with Sally, Chase and Merri followed Kate into her office.

      The grief counselor sat down behind her desk. “Luke Carrigan, the chief of staff, asked me to speak with you. There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll be blunt. He heard about the marriage and he’s concerned.”

      Chase frowned, clearly taken aback. “Because…?”

      Compassion lit Kate’s kind eyes. “You’ve just returned from a very stressful situation. And he wants to make sure you’re not suffering from any kind of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

      Chase blinked, a little stunned by the assertion. He reached over and took Merri’s hand, letting her know he was more than capable of handling this concern on their behalf. “I was never wounded. Or captured.”

      With a cajoling smile, Kate continued, “But you dealt with people who were.... And there are family deaths you never really had a chance to deal with, all of which could combine to make you do things that you wouldn’t normally.”

      “I didn’t marry Merri out of any reaction to that,” Chase said, confident as ever.

      The grief counselor relaxed. “I’m glad to hear it.”

      And yet, Merri thought, Kate obviously continued to sense something was up.

      Eager to end this line of questioning, Merri slid her hand into Chase’s and sent him a warning glance. “I think she’s concerned because no one knew you and I were thinking along these lines, Chase.”

      Kate nodded soberly, picking up where Merri left off. “You have to admit it’s a shock to the community at large.”

      Aggravation twisted the corners of his lips. “It’s also no one else’s business,” he stated in a flat, implacable tone.

      Suddenly feeling as if she were dealing with a bull in a china shop, Merri continued to play peacemaker. She stood, dragging Chase along with her. “I—we—understand where you and Dr. Carrigan are coming from, Kate, and believe me, we appreciate your concern.”

      Merri flashed a reassuring smile, while Chase played along, wrapping an arm about her waist. “But there’s really no need to worry.” Drawing strength from his warmth, she took another bolstering breath. “Chase and I know we did the right thing in getting married. Not just for the two of us and our future, but for the twins.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “The kids need a daddy. And Chase and I are going to see that they get the complete family they deserve.”

      * * *

      CHASE’S EXPRESSION WAS maddeningly inscrutable as they left the hospital counseling center. “You didn’t have to defend us,” he stated.

      Merri flushed self-consciously. “Uh, yeah, I did.”

      “How come?” he asked.

      Aware this was a conversation that should not be overheard, she ducked into a small alcove in the painted, cement-block corridor. Defiantly, she lifted her chin. “Laramie County is a small, close-knit community, remember?”

      He folded his arms across his chest and shot her a laser-sharp look.

      With her back against the cool hospital wall, she ignored the sexual heat radiating from him, and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Everyone watches out for everyone else here.”

      He shrugged and leaned in closer yet, dropping his voice, too. “So?” he prodded in a sexy murmur.

      Merri drank in the crisp, masculine fragrance emanating from him. “So people are understandably concerned and confused…given how fast this has all come about.” She drew a breath, reassuring herself that despite the impact of their post-nuptial kiss, they were in no real danger of hooking up in the near future. Both of them were much too sensible. “You don’t agree?”

      He braced his hands on his hips, his expression becoming even more guarded. “I think they should mind their own business. We’re adults, after all.”

      She forced herself to glance away. “Who, you have to admit, are now acting very mysteriously.”

      He bent down, caging her with his arms and lowered his face until their mouths were an inch apart. He lifted a strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. Came even nearer, so their bodies were touching and she could feel the heat emanating from his. “So what you’re saying is we’ve got some convincing to do if people are going to believe this marriage is for real,” he proposed silkily.

      Out of the corner of her eye, Merri saw people lingering at the far end of the corridor, near the elevators.

      “No.” She swallowed as he cupped her face in his hands. “That’s not what I said at all.”

      “Too bad,” Chase murmured, the amorous glint in his eyes letting her know he planned to make their union as realistic and convincing as possible, for all the doubting Thomases in the vicinity. After all, he knew as well as she did that word of the incident would quickly spread, through the hospital grapevine, then the community at large.

      His lips touched hers in a sweet, chaste kiss. “Because it’s what I say,” he vowed, planting a hotly possessive kiss on her mouth.

      Merri knew it was all for show. As his lips moved slowly and sensually over hers, she swore that she wasn’t going to kiss him back, but instead would let him do all the work.

      It was a good plan. A very safe,