Free To Love a Stranger by Connie Mason

her. Her entrance would be small and tight and he’d have to take his time, arousing her first with slow, drugging kisses and tender caresses. His groin grew heavy and he stifled a groan. Damn, if he didn’t have her soon, he’d burst.
    When Pierce continued to stare at Zoey, Cully asked, “Is something wrong, Delaney?”
    Pierce tore his gaze away. “Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?”
    “Miz Zoey said Willoughby left in a huff today. Reckon he’ll be back?”
    It took a moment for Pierce to address Cully’s question, distracted as he was. “He’ll be back, all right. Tell me, Cully, what are our chances of hiring extra hands for the Circle F?”
    “Three weeks ago I’d say not a chance in hell.” He gave Zoey a sheepish look. “Sorry, Miz Zoey, but that’s the God’s truth.” He returned his gaze to Pierce. “When you and Zoey got hitched, the odds changed. Having a man in charge will make a heap of difference.”
    “I can run this ranch as well as any man,” Zoey retorted. “Pa made sure of that.”
    “I reckon you can, Miz Zoey, but that ain’t the way of things and you know it. Men don’t want totake orders from a woman. And they’re afraid of Willoughby.”
    “Hmmm,” Pierce said thoughtfully. “I thought I’d ride into town tomorrow and have a look around. I want to mail a letter to my brothers and let them know I’m all right.”
    “Is that wise?” Zoey questioned. He certainly looked fit enough to ride. In fact, he looked fit enough to … God! What was she thinking?
    “What do you mean by that?” Pierce asked with deceptive calm. “Are you afraid I’ll keep on riding once I leave the ranch? Nothing or no one can keep me cooped up here now that I’m well enough to sit a horse. Are you worried about my health, wife?”
    Zoey bit her lip in consternation. What would happen if Pierce simply rode away? “I don’t know you well enough to know what you’ll do. You owe me for saving your life, but I don’t suppose that means anything to you.”
    He gave her a look of controlled fury. “Should it, after the way you railroaded me into marriage?”
    “I’d hoped … Never mind, Cully will ride into town with you. Or better yet, he can go alone and mail your letter.”
    “Don’t worry,
wife
, I’m not going anywhere … yet.” He gave her a scorching look that set her heart to pounding. “You and I have unfinished business to attend to before I leave. Cully will remain here with you. I don’t like leaving you alone on the ranch.”
    Zoey found it difficult to breathe. What was the matter with her? The inherent promise of Pierce’s words made her feel hot and cold at the same time.“Unfinished business” was a polite way of saying he still expected a wedding night, and before he left, he intended to have it. How long could she hold him off? Long enough to serve her purpose, she hoped. She was convinced that once Pierce relieved her of her virginity, he’d leave the ranch and never look back.
    “Very well, go to town. But be forewarned that if you fail to return by suppertime, I’ll send the vigilantes after you. You won’t get far.”
    “Trusting soul, aren’t you?” Pierce said sarcastically.
    “I can’t afford to be trusting.”
    “I said I’d return and I will. Cully can …” Pierce turned to Cully, surprised that the cagey ranch hand had slipped out while he and Zoey were arguing.
    Pierce rose abruptly. “I reckon I’ll hit the sack. If it’s all right with you, I’ll ride one of the spare horses into town. By the way, can you afford to pay top wages to potential ranch hands?”
    Zoey thought of her empty coffers and frowned. She couldn’t afford to pay
any
wages, let alone top wages. “The only ready cash I have is that which I removed from your vest.”
    “Nothing else?”
    “Not until I sell my beeves to the army. That’s assuming we can flush more of our scattered stock from the mountains to sell. Can’t do it without ranch hands, and can’t