Free His Dangerous Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 2) by Merry Farmer Page B

those heady, carnal feelings he’d had in her arms last night slammed back into him like riding a horse plumb into a wall.
    “Luke Chance,” she hollered, searching around. Luke jerked straight, and when she saw him, her eyes narrowed. She stomped toward him, demanding, “What the hell makes you think you can traipse out of here without me the day after marrying me?”
    Hot and cold rushed through Luke at once. Mason nearly dropped the saddle he’d hefted into his arms, and his eyes went wide. Across the corral, Cody and Travis, Billy and Lawson stopped what they were doing and gaped. Franklin turned his horse so he could see what was going on too.
    Luke gave Travis’s saddle strap one last tug, then quick-stepped over to his wife. “What are you doing here?” he whispered.
    “We just got married.” She didn’t bother to keep her voice down. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
    Luke ran a hand through his hair. He noticed Travis leaving what he was doing to march toward them, and Franklin nudging his horse to join them. Just what he needed, the men he was trying to prove something to witnessing him getting dressed down by his wife.
    “I’ve got a job to do, Eden,” Luke rushed on, trying to get things taken care of before anyone else got involved.
    “I understand that, sweetheart,” she said, far more gentle than he expected. “But I’ve got a job too—that of being your wife.”
    “Which means you stay at home and cook and clean and make things pretty, right?” His brow shot up in desperate pleading as both Travis and Franklin reached them.
    “Morning, gentlemen.” Eden greeted the two with a winning smile.
    “Mrs. Chance.” Franklin touched the brim of his hat. “At least, I assume you’re Mrs. Chance.”
    “I am, and proud of it,” Eden answered before Luke had a chance to explain.
    That last bit left him tingling with affection and at a complete loss of how to handle things. “Eden just came to see us off,” he fumbled.
    She didn’t contradict him, but neither did she agree. “I was actually hoping I might come along with you boys.”
    Luke flinched. “Come along with us? On the drive?”
    “Yep.” Eden nodded.
    Franklin and Travis exchanged uncertain looks. “You ever been on a cattle drive before, ma’am?” Travis asked.
    “Nope,” Eden answered.
    She shifted her Winchester to her other shoulder, sweeping one side of her jacket back and cocking her hips so that her revolver stood out. Lord have mercy, she was wearing a Colt Peacemaker. Two of them. Luke swallowed. Who had he married anyhow?
    “Mighty fine weapons you’ve got there, Mrs. Chance,” Travis went on. “I take it you’ve used them before.”
    “Yes, I have,” Eden answered with a smile.
    The air itself paused to hear what else she would say about it, but Eden remained mum.
    Franklin cleared his throat. “Mrs. Chance, do you really want to spend two or three weeks away from civilization, sleeping on the rough ground at night, eating out of a tin can, and dealing with a bunch of messy, smelly, ill-mannered…” He paused, glanced at his men, who had gathered to watch the scene, grinned, and finished with, “Cattle?”
    Eden clearly caught what he’s meant to say. Her grin matched Franklin’s as she said, “Yep.”
    “Why?” Travis asked, crossing his arms.
    Eden looked at him as though he were dense. “Because I just got married, and I want to be with my husband. What’s so unusual about that?”
    Her question was a dare. Travis and Franklin, and the rest of the ranch hands, squirmed and shifted, rubbing their necks and chins and whatever else they could to delay answering her. Luke only smiled, something warm and pulsing growing in his chest. He’d never met a woman like Eden before—never met anyone so fearless and bold…and possibly a little bit crazy. And she was his, wedded and bedded.
    “I’m not going anywhere unless Eden comes with me,” he blurted, surprised that he meant it so