Dad's E-Mail Order Bride (21 page)

“His bank account isn’t what I came to put a dent in. You’ve heard the lies he’s told about Courtney. Would you quit now if he’d spread that filth about Hanya?”

“Then you only have to hit somewhere between Gil’s time and the guy in second place,” Yanoo said. “You don’t have to win this event.”

Yanoo ran the leather strap around the thirty-five-foot pole that had been set up in the middle of the town square and fastened the clip to Graham’s belt. Graham took a minute to roll his shoulders and relieve the tension at the base of his neck. He grabbed both sides of the strap, sliding it up and down to make sure it was loose enough to slide up the pole and tight enough to bear his weight.

Gil had already scaled the pole and stopped the timer at the top at nineteen seconds. Twenty-two seconds had been the time for the guy in second place. Both men were younger. But youth wasn’t everything. Determination was.

Graham signaled he was ready.

The gun fired.

Graham took off up the pole.

Mark finally straightened, holding up a finger, still unable to talk. “Graham…” He took in another big gulp of air.

“Mark!” Courtney begged. “Tell me.”

“Graham didn’t win the pole climb,” he finally managed to say. “But he came in second. He and Gil are squaring off now for the wrestling match.”

Courtney whirled around to face Rachel. “You stay here. I can’t take this anymore.”

Courtney ran past Mark and out the door.

Rachel ran out the door right behind her.

Broadway loped off after both of them.

“Wait, there’s Yanoo,” Rachel said, pulling Courtney to a stop and pointing in the opposite direction.

Courtney took the lead, tugging Rachel with her as they made their way toward the tallest man in the crowd. When they finally reached where Yanoo was standing, he stepped aside ushering them and Broadway in front of him, where Tiki and Hanya were already standing.

“
Unfreakingbelievable,
” Rachel said as she slid in beside Tiki.

Broadway whined.

And Courtney gasped.

Graham and Gil were stripped down to the waist, circling each other. Gil’s lip was bleeding. Graham had a gash above his right eye.

Gil lowered his head and charged. Graham took the head butt straight to the stomach. Courtney turned her back, unable to watch.

“Pin him, Dad!” Rachel yelled out. “Pin his sorry ass to the ground.”

“Rachel Elizabeth Morrison!” Courtney exclaimed.

But Rachel was too busy watching her father, who now had Gil on the ground, Gil’s head in a headlock and both of Gil’s shoulders only inches from the ground.

Graham loosened his grip.

Gil flipped over and pinned Graham to the ground.

Courtney couldn’t stomach watching Gil gloat over keeping his title. She started walking away with the rest of the crowd that was already breaking up.

“Courtney, wait.”

Courtney stopped walking at the sound of her name.

The crowd stopped walking when they saw who said it.

Courtney turned to see Gil heading toward her.

“I owe you an apology,” Gil said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You wouldn’t sleep with me, and it pissed me off. And when Graham told me to leave you alone, that pissed me off. I said things about you that weren’t true. I’m sorry for doing that.”

“Thank you.” But her mind was busy with the realization that Graham let Gil win.

He’d let Gil keep his title in exchange for an apology. And that was the difference between guys like Graham and guys like Gil.

Graham was a real man.

Gil never would be.

Courtney looked across the square. Rachel had her arms around Graham’s neck, giving him a big hug. She started to walk over to join them, then saw Graham was leaving. He didn’t even look in her direction. He just headed off through the crowd.

Courtney sighed and walked the other way. She had just reached the store when Rachel ran up, Tiki and Broadway right behind her. “Am I still sentenced to more boss abuse, or can I go home with Tiki now?”

Courtney knew Rachel already had plans to spend the night with Tiki. “What did your dad say?”

“Dad said it was up to you. He’s going home to take a shower. He said he was done for the day.”

Done for the day.

“Your sentence is over,” Courtney said. “Have a good time.”

Rachel and Tiki headed off.

Courtney looked down at Broadway. “I guess it’s going to be just you and me for the night, buddy.”

He’d done the right thing letting Gil keep his title.

And no one had to know. Graham knew. That was all that mattered.

Walking into his bathroom, Graham stripped before he leaned close to the bathroom mirror, inspecting the gash. But when he stepped back from the mirror, he looked at his reflection for a long time.

And that’s when Graham realized the man staring back at him wasn’t the same man he’d been five years ago. He also wasn’t too weak to admit what he really wanted.

He wanted Courtney.

He’d wanted her from the first time he saw her.

He’d want her until he took his last breath.

She’d been a fool to ever think it would.

Courtney checked her watch and her spirits sank even lower. It was eight o’clock, one hour past the time she usually closed the store. Yet she’d been stupid enough to remain sitting here waiting to hear the bell ring above the door, and to see Graham come walking into the store. Well, the bell wasn’t ringing. And she was tired of waiting.

Two weeks and counting. Her time was running out fast.

And no one seemed to notice but her.

Her quickly approaching departure date reminded Courtney that she still hadn’t talked to Graham on Rachel’s behalf about Peg and Hal’s anniversary party. Rachel even had all of the details already worked out. She would go to Seattle with Courtney, and she could return with Peg and Hal.

Courtney would make it a point to talk to Graham tomorrow. Even if it meant going to the lodge to do it.

Courtney walked to the front door, flipped the sign on the door to Closed then locked the front door. That’s when Broadway whined.

“Ten minutes,” Courtney told him as she let him out. “No longer. That’s how long I’ll need to run my bath.”

Courtney closed the door and headed for the spiral staircase, flipping off the downstairs lights as she went. She’d take a long, hot bubble bath, maybe drink a little wine, then she’d get a good night’s sleep.

She deserved it after the day she’d had.

But a lot had changed since then.

He loved her. He loved Courtney, mind, body and soul. And tonight he planned to tell her that.

Graham patted his shirt pocket, making sure the small black velvet box with his grandmother Morrison’s pearl and diamond ring was still there. Then Graham took a deep breath and started up the steps with the same determination that had gotten him through the Woodsman contest. Broadway met him on the top landing.

“Wish me luck, boy.”

Graham had his hand poised and ready to knock when the door suddenly opened and Courtney gasped.

“You scared me,” she said, clutching the front of her silky robe together as Broadway trotted inside.

They stared at each other.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Graham said. “And if you tell me it’s too late, I don’t blame you. But I’m begging you not to do that. I love you, Courtney. I love you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And I love you for staying when I told you to go home. I guess the question is, do you love me?”

“Completely,” Courtney said.

Graham dropped down on one knee right there in the doorway, pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it for Courtney to see. “Then say you’ll marry me. Marry me at the gazebo and let me prove what you’re looking for is here.”

Graham slipped the ring on her finger. “This is a family heirloom handed down to my grandmother. But if you want your own ring, I’ll understand.”

“No,” Courtney said. “It’s beautiful.”

Graham stood and kissed her. And Courtney knew her long wait for Graham to change his mind had been well worth it. She took him by the hand and did what she’d fantasized about doing every time she looked at him. She led him up the spiral staircase to the loft overhead.

They barely made it past the top step before Graham had her in his arms. He pushed the robe off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. And Courtney couldn’t get his clothes off fast enough.

They made love right where they were. On the floor. Teasing each other, tasting each other and touching each other everywhere at once.

Graham had her legs over his shoulders, pounding into her, as eager for his own release as she was for hers. And when they both finally cried out with pleasure, they did it all over again.

Courtney would never get enough of Graham.

Not in a night.

Not in a year.

Not in a lifetime.

She would never get enough of Graham.

Graham let his hands slide from her breasts down to her hips, trying to slow her pace, but it only increased her urgency. She was moving faster and faster, driving him so crazy Graham said those words out loud.

He felt her body stiffen as she arched her back.

Next, her whole body shuddered.

She leaned forward and kissed the cut on his forehead softly, then his neck, taking tiny little nibbles with her teeth that made him moan. She was still sitting astride him, still rocking back and forth against him, still making him grow harder with every movement she made.

Her lips moved to his ear.

Slowly, she sucked his earlobe into her mouth.

Graham gripped her hips tighter, holding her still now, thrusting deeper and deeper inside her as he sought his own release. She pulled back, holding on to his forearms, matching him thrust for thrust as he cried out her name.

Again, they climaxed together.

She leaned forward and whispered, “More.”

And Graham knew he would die a happy man.