Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins
Chapter 18
Later, after everyone had calmed down, Teresa and Madison stood alone in Olivia’s backyard, enjoying the night, the decision they’d made, and each other’s company. As he held her close against his heart, she still found it hard to believe he loved her. She looked up. “Do you really love me?”
“More than I do dividends.”
“That much? Well, I love you more than Cloud.”
“I’m honored.”
With her cheek against his heart once more, and relishing the feel of being close to him, she couldn’t imagine not having him in her life even if he was a city man. “So when do you want to have the ceremony?”
“Today, tomorrow. Yesterday.”
His words filled her heart. “How about tomorrow? I’m sure Sheriff Jefferson can marry us in his office.”
He shrugged. “The sooner I can have you with me all day and all night, the better.”
“Then tomorrow it’ll be. Let’s go in and tell everyone.”
Madison thought that an excellent idea. They still had issues to discuss, primarily where they were to live, but he was certain they’d figure it out.
When Teresa and Madison came back inside the brothers clapped.
Smiling, Teresa announced, “We’re getting married tomorrow. I’ll ask Sheriff Jefferson if he can marry us at his office. You’re all invited to join us.”
“No,” Molly said.
Teresa turned. “What do you mean, no?”
“No. This is a life-changing event. My son, and the daughter of my heart will only do this once, so I want it done with pomp and circumstance.”
Madison sensed the nice quiet ceremony he and Teresa had planned was about to unravel. “Mother…
“The groom shouldn’t see the bride until the wedding day, so Teresa, you and I should head back to the hotel so we can get you ready.”
Madison tried again. “Mother, Teresa and I—”
“Son, I know you and Teresa have things to discuss, but as the mother of the groom and quite possibly the grandmother of your child, you will simply have to put up with me. We will have this wedding tomorrow afternoon and it will be done correctly. You’ll both thank me later.”
Madison didn’t think so, and Teresa didn’t appear to be buying it either, but they loved her too much to put up a fight.
Neil asked Teresa, “You will be here tomorrow for the wedding, right? You’re not going to bolt and ride off in the middle of the night?”
“No, Neil.”
“Good. Then I won’t have to have Shafts and Harp camp outside your hotel to make sure.”
Teresa looked up at her groom-to-be with love in her eyes. “Not necessary. I’m really going to marry him.”
Madison grinned.
She looked over at her sister-in-law. “Livy, will you stand up with me at the ceremony?”
“I’d be honored.”
“Thanks.” Teresa held Madison’s eyes for a moment. She didn’t want to leave him tonight, but she didn’t want Molly to toss her in a bag and drag her away, so she leaned up, gave him a soft kiss, then said to Molly, “Okay, Mrs. Nance. I’m ready.”
Molly smiled. “We’ll see you all tomorrow. Olivia, will you make arrangements with the reverend?”
She nodded.
Molly’s next words were for the brothers: “Be well dressed, gentlemen, and don’t be late.”
After their departure, Neil looked over at Madison and said to him, “You’ll be good for her.”
His brothers voiced their agreement.
Madison appreciated their endorsements. He thought he would be too. A few minutes later he headed back to the hotel too.
Teresa and Molly entered their hotel suite and Teresa dropped down into a chair. What a day! By this time tomorrow she was going to be married—she, who once held the title of the Most Wanted Woman in the West, and to a city boy from Philadelphia, of all places. Dios!
Molly came over to her and said, “Do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me today?”
Teresa saw the tears in her mentor’s eyes. “You’ve been so good to me.”
They embraced, and both were teary. “I plan to make you the best daughter-in-law ever.”
“And I’ll be a stellar mother-in-law.”
Teresa had no doubts about that.
The quiet was suddenly broken by the sounds of pounding on the door across the hall and the deep rumble of male voices. Mrs. Nance looked toward the door.
Teresa said, “It’s probably just my brothers arriving to initiate Madison into the July brotherhood.”
Mrs. Nance looked concerned.
“Don’t worry. No matter how drunk they may get him, they’ll have him at the ceremony on time, even if they have to put him on Shafts’s back to do it.”
Mrs. Nance looked even more concerned after hearing that, but Teresa simply smiled and turned back to the window.
Across the hall, Madison heard the loud knocks, and when he opened the door there stood his grinning brothers-in-law. In their hands were bottles of whiskey and glasses. He said, “Since you’d probably just kick the door in if I refused you entrance, please come on in, gentlemen,” he said, gesturing.
Shafts grinned. “I’m liking him more and more.”
“Me too,” Harper concurred.
Once they were all inside, Madison asked, “What can I do for you?”
Neil replied, “Thought we’d spend your last night of male freedom with you. It’ll help us get to know you better, and you can do the same.”
“Fine.”
“You play poker?”
“A bit.” He saw the brothers turn knowing eyes to each other, but Madison kept his features placid. “Did you bring a deck?”
Diego smiled, “Oh, yeah.”
“Then shall we?” Madison said, gesturing to the chairs and sofa. Harper pulled a long end table close, and as they circled around it, Madison knew they thought they were about to pluck a pigeon.
It took the July brothers a few hands before they realized Madison knew his way around cards the way they knew their way around train robbing. He’d played cautiously at first, lulling them to sleep while he assessed their individual games. However, once he realized they were good but not as good as the professional card sharp he once held title to, the Julys were in trouble.
As he won the fourth, fifth, and sixth hands, Neil threw in his cards. Eyeing Madison, he announced, “Boys, I think we got us a wolf in sheep’s clothing here.”
Shafts wasn’t happy either.
Harper asked suspiciously, “How do you make your living?”
“Banking.”
Diego, who had bet and lost the most money so far, asked, “And before that?”
Madison picked up the deck of cards and proceeded to give them the fanciest thirty-second card shuffling show they’d ever seen. When he set the deck down, he said with a smile, “Gambler.”
A few good-natured curses followed this confession, and Neil flat out laughed.
Shafts shook his head, then leaned over and held out his hand to Madison so they could shake. He said with amusement, “Welcome to the family, Madison.”
Madison shook the big Comanche’s hand. “Thanks.”
“I’ll be damned,” Harper said, studying Madison’s face and clothing. “And here we thought Teri was marrying a goody goody. You had us fooled, I have to admit.” He offered Madison his hand too.
So now the brothers started over with their soon-to-be brother-in-law. They spent the rest of the night playing cards, laughing, and telling stories.
Neil asked his siblings, “Remember the time we used Teri as target practice?”
Madison choked on his drink, and the grinning Harper slapped him hard on the back.
Harper added, “And the switching Tamar gave us when she found out.”
They all laughed.
“Then the next day, we cut off her plaits because we needed the hair to make whiskers.”
Madison couldn’t help it—he roared.
Diego, chuckling, said, “Teri hated us twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.”
Over the course of the evening, Madison learned all about his new brothers. Shafts lived in the mountains of New Mexico, and Harper owned a saloon in Montana. The most surprising piece of information was Diego’s Yukon gold mine.
Diego explained, “After me and Pa had that fight, I didn’t stop riding until I reached the Canadian border up near Washington. Ran up on some no goods beating this poor old man to death, so I intervened. Found out later he was a prospector, and when he asked me if I wanted to help him mine gold in the Yukon, I said sure, why not?”
“And you got rich,” Neil stated.
“As Midas. Of course I’m a lot poorer now thanks to our new card sharp brother over there, but if anybody needs some gold, just let me know.”
Four sets of hands shot up, and they all laughed.
It was dawn when the brothers finally left the suite. Lying in bed as daylight chased the shadows out of the bedroom, the slightly drunk Madison felt good. He’d never had siblings before, and now he had four. Four of the wildest and craziest men anybody would ever want to meet, but they’d made him feel like family, and that made him smile. He turned over to get more comfortable, and his thoughts settled on his soon-to-be bride. By nightfall he would be married to the most sensual, fiercest woman in the country. He just hoped she didn’t shoot any of her brothers during the ceremony. Laughing softly, he drifted off to sleep.
When it came time for Teresa to get dressed for her wedding, her first thought was to put on her leathers. The second thought was that both Olivia and Molly would probably keel over if she did, so she took down the midnight blue gown she’d worn to the Academy of Music. Because of the deep-cut bodice, binding her breasts wouldn’t work, so she struggled into the corset. Just like the day she went to jail, she refused to speculate on what the day and the future would hold. Instead, she decided to take each moment as it came.
“My goodness, Teresa!” Olivia gushed when she stepped out of the bedroom. “Look at you. You’re beautiful!”
“You think so?” she asked, smiling.
“Oh, yes, ma’am. Your brothers are going to faint.”
Molly added, “Yes they are.”
Because Teresa knew nothing about styling her hair, she’d pulled it back, twisted it into a chignon, and pinned it down, unaware that the simplicity added to her elegance.
She had to admit she did feel pretty good all spiffed up. The dress had a lot of nice memories tied to it from the night at the Academy and she guessed that was why she felt more comfortable in it than she’d anticipated. “So, where’s the wedding going to be?”
“Downstairs in one of Sophie’s salons,” Olivia responded. “She’s providing food and drinks.”
Teresa would have to remember to thank the hotelier for her many kindnesses. “So, are we ready?”
“Almost. Neil’s going to give you away, and as soon as he arrives, we’ll head down.”
Neil showed up fifteen minutes later decked out in a new blue suit. He gave Olivia a kiss at the door, and then, upon seeing his sister, stopped in mid-step and said, “Dios! Who are you and what did you do with little Teri?”
Hand on her hip, she shot him a smiling look, then turned around slowly so he could get the full effect.
“You look like gold, Teri.”
“Thanks, Neil. You clean up pretty well yourself.”
His voice turned serious. “Learned a lot about Madison last night. He’s a good man, Terecita. We are proud to add his line to ours.”
She nodded. “He is a good man.” She looked over at Mrs. Nance. “His mama’s pretty special too.”
Molly smiled around the tears standing in her eyes.
Olivia handed her a handkerchief. “Stop that, Molly, before you have us both bawling,” she fussed with amusement. “Save it for the ceremony.”
The laughing Molly wiped her eyes, then Neil escorted the ladies out.
An uncharacteristically nervous Madison consulted his watch for seemingly the fiftieth time while waiting in Sophie’s salon. The ceremony was supposed to start at two, and it was now five minutes till. Would his lovely bride show up, or were she and Cloud on their way to the border? Two Shafts kept reassuring him that everything was on schedule and that Neil was even now bringing Molly and Teresa downstairs, but Madison knew he wouldn’t relax until he saw Teresa with his own eyes. The Reverend Whitfield had arrived a few short while ago and was standing off to the side, talking quietly with Sophie and his wife Sybil. Unlike Madison, they didn’t seem worried, nor did any of the others in attendance. It appeared as if half the residents in the Valley had shown up. How they’d gotten wind of the nuptials was a mystery, but Madison didn’t have time to delve into the answer, he was much more concerned with the arrival of his bride.
When Neil walked over to ask Madison and then Reverend Whitfield if they were ready, they all answered, and Neil went out again. Sophie cued the piano player, who was also the church’s organist, and as the woman began to play a soft hymn, Neil entered solemnly, with Molly on one arm and his wife Olivia on the other. Madison could see the tears in his mother’s eyes, and her happiness moved him. Neil escorted them to their seats then went back out of the room.
He came back with Teresa, and Madison’s emotions stuck in his throat seeing how beautiful she looked. He remembered the gown, the one she wore to the Academy of Music, and how lovely she’d looked when she slipped out of it so he could make love to her. She met his eyes, and her soft confident smile made him beam inside.
Neil was walking her slowly to the front of the room. Madison was standing up with the remaining Julys who were all spiffed up for the occasion. Madison heard Diego gush quietly, “Dios! She looks like a woman.”
Harper drawled, “She is a woman, nitwit. Now hush up before you embarrass her.”
Neil and Teresa halted just a few steps away from the kindly face of the reverend, who raised his voice and asked, “Who gives this woman?”
The July men and Olivia shouted, “We do!”
The thundering voices set off titters in the crowd of uninvited guests. Neil walked Teresa to Madison’s side, and while the two locked gazes on each other, he quietly withdrew and took a seat next to Olivia and Molly in the front row of chairs.
Teresa and Madison turned to the reverend as he began the words, and when Madison gently took her hand, Teresa threaded her fingers with his.
When he awakened that morning, Madison had a sore head because of last night’s drinking, but one look at Teresa cleared his mind, and the world was now crystal clear.
Whitfield went on with the reading, then raised his voice again and asked, “Is there any reason why these two should not be united in holy matrimony? Speak now or forever hold your peace!”
Diego whispered out of the side of his mouth, “I’m shooting anybody that stands up.”
The reverend coughed to hide his laughter. When no one responded to the question, he cleared his throat again and carried on.
The ceremony took less than ten minutes. Getting dressed had taken longer, Teresa noted to herself.
The reverend closed his Bible, smiled at the couple and said, “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride, Mr. Nance.”
Madison looked down into Teresa’s smiling face, slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her while her brothers cheered loud enough to be heard in Philadelphia. When he turned her loose, Teresa was so dizzy she had to blink a few times to restore her equilibrium and to remember where she was. She said beneath the cheering and applause, “Now that was a good one.”
“And there’ll be more where that came from, soon as I get you back upstairs and out of that dress.”
“Do you think Sophie has any marmalade?” she asked him provocatively.
“We can always ask.”
As they turned to greet the well wishers now lined up to shake their hands, they shared one last look and knew that no matter what lay ahead, they would work it out. Together.
But before Madison could get Teresa alone and out of her dress, they had the rest of the day to get through. Sophie set out a fabulous meal for the family. Molly, who’d cried through the entire wedding, had finally recovered, and to Madison’s amusement offered up the first toast.
“To Madison and Teresa. May their union be happy and may I have many grandchildren!”
The brothers cheered.
Teresa grinned, but when she saw a distressed-looking Olivia get up from the table and hastily leave the room, a heartbroken Teresa met her brother’s eyes. Neil hurried out after his wife. Luckily Molly and everyone else were too involved with the ongoing toasts to witness the incident, because Teresa knew how mortified the kindhearted Molly would be to learn that her toast for grandchildren had inadvertently triggered Olivia’s despair over not being able to bear a child. Teresa made a silent promise to speak to Livy later.
The night’s benefit dance at the town hall also became the wedding reception. They danced, played parlor games, and, thanks to Diego, raised quite a good sum of money for the Henry Adams school. Olivia and Neil came in about an hour after the dancing began. Olivia looked to have recovered, but Teresa could still see the remnants of sadness in her eyes. After waltzing with Handy from the livery, Teresa told Madison, who was taking his mother out onto the dance floor, that she was going to talk with Olivia for a moment, then went looking for her.
Of course, the mayor was busy. She was cutting cake and giving directions to the ladies restocking the punch table. Teresa wondered if the woman ever slept. “Let’s go get some fresh air,” she said to her. “I’m roasting.”
Olivia shook her head. “Not right now. I need to—”
“You need to take a break. Now. Come on.”
Olivia sighed but put down the cake knife, wiped her hands on her apron, and followed Teresa outside. The chirp of the crickets were like background music against the quiet night, and the soft breeze felt good after the heat inside the hall. “Lovely night,” Teresa said.
“Yes it is.”
“I’m sorry Molly’s toast hurt your feelings. She doesn’t know.”
“I know she doesn’t. I’m not holding anything against her. I’m just so frayed and frazzled.” She went silent for a moment, then confessed, “I’m carrying again, Teresa, and I’m scared to death I’m going to lose this baby too.” Teresa turned to her in the dark and saw her hands nervously worrying the front of her apron. “I want this baby so much.”
Teresa pulled her into her arms and held her while she cried. As if suddenly realizing what she was doing, Olivia backed away and said, “Lord, I’m a mess. Crying all over your gown.”
“I don’t care about the gown, but I do you. Have you told Neily yet?”
“No. I don’t want to get his hopes up.” She added, “He’s been so kind through all of this. Falling in love with him was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Teresa’s memories of her talk with Neil rose. “He says the same thing about you.”
Teresa sensed Olivia’s smile.
“Your brother, for all his outlaw past and ways, is a good man. I’m proud to be his wife.”
“Does the doc have some kind of special medicine you can take to hold onto the baby this time?”
“Delbert said resting up more might make a difference, but I have a town to run. There are meetings in Topeka I have to attend, landowner disputes to settle, town council members to wrangle with. Who’ll take care of all of that?”
Teresa turned and stared. “Are you telling me that all you have to do to maybe keep this baby is to rest?”
“Well, yes, but—”
“But, my butt. Olivia July, you are the only sister I have in this world—well, Harper is supposed to be married, but nobody’s ever seen her so we’re not sure she really exists—but what I’m saying is this: If the doc tells you to lie down, that’s what I expect you to do. You’re supposed to be the smart one in the family. Appoint a deputy mayor or something. There’s got to be somebody in town who can run the place without anything blowing up.”
When Olivia didn’t respond, Teresa said, “And I’ll bet the real reason you haven’t told Neil is because you don’t want him to know what the doc wants you to do.”
More silence.
Teresa smiled. “If you weren’t carrying my niece, I’d box your ears.”
“Niece?”
“Yes, niece. If those dumb brothers of mine think they’re going to have nephews first, they are wrong.”
“Do tell.”
“Tell. If I’m carrying, I’m having your niece and you’re having mine.”
Olivia began to laugh. “Teresa, to achieve that, I will lie down until Christmas.”
“Good, then let’s make a deal.” Teresa stuck out her hand. “Girls.”
Olivia grasped it and they shook. “Girls.”
Olivia embraced Teresa and they held each other for a long moment. When they separated, Olivia said, “I’m so glad you’re my sister. You always give me good advice.”
“Good. Now it’s your turn to give me some.”
“My advice is to love him as much as he loves you. I know how independent you’ve always been, but you and Madison are as evenly yoked as Neil and I. Stop trying to pull ahead all the time.”
Teresa sighed. “I am trying.”
“I know you are, and the bumps in the road will smooth out, they truly will.”
“I’m holding you to that, and to the promise that you’re going to follow the doc’s advice. I won’t say anything to Neil because it’s not my place.”
“I promise.”
They both held their own thoughts as the breeze came up and the night songs of the insects echoed over the plains. Teresa finally asked, “Are you ready to go back inside?”
“Yes, and then I’m going to take off this apron and dance with my Neil.” Her voice turned serious and sincere. “Thank you, Teresa.”
“No problem.”
When she returned to the hall, Teresa found Madison dancing with Sophie. He winked at her when they waltzed by, and she grinned.
After the dance, he came over and said, “How about we head back to the hotel.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
They spent a few moments making the rounds to say their good-byes. Molly gave them both a hug. She planned to stay and help with the clean up, and the July brothers promised to make sure she got back to the hotel safely. With that taken care of, the newly wedded Mr. and Mrs. Madison Nance made their exit.
Once they were in the buggy, they sat in the silence for a few moments, then he turned to her and said, “I love you very much, Teresa. Thank you for marrying me.”
“Do you, really?”
“Yeah. For some time now.”
She sat back against the seat and felt her world go bright again. Looking his way, she said, “I love you too. For some time now.”
“I asked the chef about the marmalade.”
She laughed. “And what did he say?”
“It’s in my room even as we speak.”
“Then we need to get moving.”
“Yes, ma’am, but first, this…
He leaned over, kissed her soundly and thoroughly, then set the buggy in motion.
At the door to his room, they shared another long kiss, then Madison hoisted her into his arms and carried her inside. There was just enough light in the suite to allow them to follow the shadows to the bedroom. He set her down gently on her feet in the front room, and their wedding night, complete with marmalade, commenced.
Madison gazed down at the beautiful woman in his arms. She’d been his bane but was now his love. “I want to look at you for a moment, just to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
She smiled up. “This may turn out to be a nightmare, you know.”
He slowly traced her lips. “Never.”
Placing her head against his heart, she savored the feel of his arms wrapping her tight.
“Teresa, I promise to love you, to be faithful, to provide for you. I’d promise to protect you, too, but you already have that in hand.” His humor-filled eyes met hers.
“Yeah, I do, don’t I?” She then turned serious. “I’d never harm our baby. All that talk about herbs and such was just that—talk and me being scared.”
“Of what?”
“Babies.”
“Why?”
“Can you imagine me as a mother?”
He nodded. “I can. You’d do a good job, too, but then again, if we do have children, Mother’s never going to let us see them anyway so…his voice trailed off.
She grinned. “You do have a point.”
He eased her against him again. “Thanks for straightening that out for me, though.”
Glad to have that off her chest, because she knew her boast of harming their child had worried him as much as it had her, she replied, “You’re welcome.”
Savoring the feel of her silk-gowned warmth and again glad she was his, Madison kissed the top of her head. “You have on entirely too many clothes, Mrs. Nance.”
“I think so, too. Would you do the honors?”
His brown eyes were now lit with desire. Leaning down, he kissed her. “Eventually….”
In the aftermath of the humid kisses and the languid disrobing that followed, she was left pulsating and crooning while standing in the center of the silent, low-lit room. Aroused by the passion playing over her face, he teased marmalade over the straining dark points of her breasts, then brazenly licked and sucked her clean. He anointed the caps of her bare shoulders, the hollow of her throat, and the nook of her navel, working his way down her shuddering ebony body while enjoying her like a sweet sticky treat. When it became time for her to widen her stance so he could feast there, too, her legs shook, her body on the edge of shattering. “Madison,” she breathed.
“Are you close?” he asked, already knowing the answer and loving the rictus of passion showing on her face.
“Oh my, yes.”
Smiling, he parted her gently, then leaned in.
She growled her delight. He was magical, wicked, and so overwhelming, it didn’t take long for his erotic ministrations to send her over the edge. Shuddering and convulsing, she was still in the eddy of the orgasm when he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.