Free Shades of Ménage : A Dystopian Romance Ménage & Post Catastrophic Romance Ménage Boxed Set Series - Ultimate Four-Book Collection by Jan Springer Page A

already told you that you can’t marry her—”
    “ Shut up!” Luke’s eyes blazed fiercely but he kept his gaze fixed upon her. “I came here to marry her and I’m going to do it the old-fashioned way. Legal or not.”
    Callie’s heart thumped a mile a minute as she digested what Luke had just said.
    Marry her? Was he seriously demented? Delirious? Yes, he must be delirious.
    “ Preacher man!” Luke snapped and waved the pistol in warning. “You marry Callie and me. Now!”
    “ Luke… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said.
    “ Callie, just stay there in the candlelight. Man, you look so beautiful.”
    Her? Beautiful?
    She hadn’t run a comb through her short auburn tangles all day. Her shirt was covered in flour from making bread and she didn’t even have any makeup on.
    She resisted the urge to primp her hair into a more orderly fashion.
    Oh, heavens! Why did she even care what she looked like? She had no future with this man. All their dreams were gone. All because of the one mistake she’d made.
    Despite that fact, she couldn’t stop herself from blushing at his comment.
    He said she was beautiful.
    The gun in his right hand lifted and Luke pointed it at the preacher’s head.
    In response, the preacher squealed in fright. “Good heavens! Please, Mr. Outlaw, don’t shoot me.”
    “ Luke, you’re delirious,” Callie tried to keep her voice soft and steady. Inside, she trembled. If he was delirious, Luke just might be sick enough to shoot the man. “Put the guns down, please.”
    He shot another round into the ceiling, the echo piercing through the air like a missile.
    Damn him!
    “ The gun doesn’t go anywhere, sweetheart. Not until we’re married. I’ve been dreaming of this day for more than five years…since you disappeared.”
    “ I…I…I can’t m-marry you two, Mr. Outlaw,” the preacher stammered with anxiety. “It…it’s against the law for a single man to marry a woman. The old ways are gone. She must be properly claimed…by at least four men…perhaps your brothers would be interested in joining you in the festivities?”
    “ She’s mine,” Luke snarled. His white teeth gleamed sinisterly in the candlelight. “Marry us, or so help me, I’ll kill you right where you stand.”
    “ Yes, sir.” The preacher promptly produced a bible from the folds of his black suit.
    Callie’s head whirled.
    “ This is ridiculous,” she muttered as Luke’s gaze continued to graze over her breasts sending a wonderful awareness coursing through her.
    Her nipples hardened even, little rosebuds that were dying to burst free. Aching to pop into Luke’s moist mouth.
    “ Luke, put the gun down. I’ve had enough of this.” She tried to sound stern, but there was a sensual edge to her voice that she found irritating.
    “ Uh-oh, the groom-to-be is in trouble.” Hiccup. “Not a good thing for the wedding night.”
    He chuckled and winked at her.
    Oh, dear.
    The preacher’s quickly spoken words broke into the foray.
    “ Callie Callahan, do you take Luke Outlaw to be your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health? For richer? For poorer? Will you honor and cherish him for as long as you both shall live?”
    “ She does. Now continue,” Luke mumbled.
    She had the sudden urge to grab a nearby frying pan and smack it over his head. How dare he assume she still wanted to marry him!
    “ This has gone far enough—” she protested.
    He lifted the gun cutting her into silence. She stiffened as he kissed the open barrel to his lips.
    “ Shh, the preacher is marrying us.”
    “ It isn’t legal,” Callie stated defiantly.
    “ Yes, it is,” the preacher hissed back. “The government is still in the process of revoking our licenses. Mine is still valid.”
    Oh, no!
    “ Do you Luke Outlaw take Callie to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness? In health? For richer? For poorer? To honor and cherish for as long as you both live?”
    “ Damn straight I do.”
    Callie’s