Page 24 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

“Always,” she said, not looking at him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Mr. And Mrs. Jace Shepard.”

A cheer went through the room.

“They’re going to share some cake, throw a bouquet, and then split. Please stay and have some cake or pie on us.” Mom pointed to him, shifting the focus of the room from her to them.

Jace held his fork and the plate between them. He scooped off the corner then faced Meredith. The corners of her eyes were crinkled, hinting at a squint, a look he’d seen before in Pop’s expression when he fought off pain.

Jace shoved the cake in her mouth, catching some of it at the corner and forcing it to smear slightly on her cheek.

Meredith startled, her eyes widening, and stepped back. She blinked several times before her attention was fully on him. He winked and smiled, hoping she’d recognize he hadn’t meant to do that.

The crowd was quiet. She adjusted the fork he’d given her earlier so she could scoop up some cake then stepped closer. When a wicked gleam came into her eyes, excitement flared through him. Getting to know her naughty and nice sides was going to be his pleasure. As her hand with the fork moved toward his mouth, he knew he was about to take the lump sum to the kisser, but then something in her shifted.

It was astonishing to watch the visibly obvious as the uncertainty crossed her face and shuttered her expression. She fed him as gently and sweetly as possible, making sure not a morsel went anywhere but in his mouth.

Jace was disappointed. Not because he thought his actions made him look like an ass, his new bride with cake on her face, but because he knew this wasn’t what she wanted to do and had suppressed her initial desires and reaction.

Was this wounded filly an abused one? Anger coursed through Jace at the mere thought. He wanted, no he needed, to let Meredith know she was safe with him, with his family.

He slid the plate on the table and took the fork from her hand. Addressing the crowd but looking at her, he said. “Thanks for coming you all. Its time I take my bride outta here.” He lunged at her, catching her off guard, and flipped her over his shoulder, fireman style. Meredith squealed.

“Throw the bouquet,” someone yelled. He felt Meredith rise up and assumed she tossed the flowers because many of the women in the room cried out in excitement.

He headed straight for the door, snatching up Meredith’s coat as he walked out. He marched down the street toward his truck, the anger fueling his steps.

“All right. We’re out of sight. You can put me down,” she said between breaths as she bounced along his shoulder.

Jace said nothing but walked the three blocks in silence.

“Jace?”

He reached his truck and flipped her over, setting her against it, tossing her coat into the truck bed. “Listen to me, Meredith. I don’t know what’s happened to you in the past, but you’re safe here. Nothing is going to happen to you here. I promise.”

Meredith shoved him in the chest, pushing him away. “Really? Because it feels real safe to me when you’re all up in my face.”

11

She tried. She really did try. She wanted to get to know the town folks, but the mingling and light chatter did her in. Like a person with post-traumatic stress, she had felt the headache come on and had emotionally retreated in an effort to ward it off.

Clearly, Jace was angry with her. He might say she was safe, but with his hands on his hips and the way he leaned toward her, the message didn’t jive with the words.

Being bossed around was getting tiresome.

So she’d told him so. Before she had thought about what she was doing, the words had tumbled out with the same force she had used to shove him back.

Jace stepped away, his arms going slack from his hips. He ducked his head, giving it a slight shake. “You’re right.”

She barely heard the words, too afraid of what was to come next. Her father had raged at her the times she stood up to him, so much she’d stopped until that last night when he’d shoved her.

“I begyour pardon?”

Jace looked up and met her gaze. “I said you’re right. I won’t deny that I’m angry, but I can see why you might think I was angry with you. I’m not, and I’m sorry for getting in your face.” He gave a gruff, bitter-sounding laugh. “This married thing is hard.”

“I beg your pardon?” She was stuck on the apology, having not expected it.

Confusion crossed Jace’s face. “What?”

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