The Outrider (Redbourne Series #5 - Will's Story) (34 page)
Read The Outrider (Redbourne Series #5 - Will's Story) Online
Authors: Kelli Ann Morgan
“Nooooo!” Henchley screamed as the wagon
disappeared over the edge of the ravine.
Will exhaled and lay back down against the grassy
terrain and closed his eyes, his arms still wrapped protectively around
Elizabeth’s body, hugging her close to him.
“Elizabeth? Are you all right?”
She didn’t move.
Panic gripped his heart.
What have I done?
He rolled over, so his body covered hers and he pushed
himself up enough to look down into her face.
“I’m alive, does that count?” she said quietly, a
soft smile dawning on her sumptuous mouth.
Her eyes opened, their blue shade complimented
perfectly by her flushed cheeks. She was the most beautiful woman Will had ever
seen. And he loved her.
“You had me scared there for a minute.”
She didn’t say anything at first, but then she
looked up into his eyes, searching them. “You came after me.”
“Of course, I did. I’m the outrider, remember?
It’s my job.”
“Thank you.”
Will laughed and placed his forehead against
hers.
“When I thought I’d lost you, I…”
Elizabeth bit her lip and it was his undoing. He
brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face and lowered his head to claim
her lips with his own.
She raised her hand to cradle his tender, swollen
jaw, her fingers grazing over the bruised flesh, then playing with the too-long
tufts of hair right behind his ear.
He groaned, pleasure mixing with pain.
He lifted his hand to cover hers, then his
fingers trailed the length of her arm. Warmth spread through his body like
sunshine. His heart beat faster, his chest swelled, and he drank it all in,
tasting, devouring the sweetness of her kiss.
He needed to pull away.
Now.
“Elizabeth,” he said, waiting for her to open her
eyes.
She looked up at him, then bit her lip again.
He groaned again, evoking a giggle from the woman
he was determined to marry.
“I love you,” he whispered with another soft kiss
against her lips. “I love you.”
She smiled, not taking her eyes from him. “If you
wanted to cuddle a little longer, Mr. Redbourne,” she said, her mouth widening
into a grin, “all you had to do was ask.”
He breathed a laugh and pushed himself off of her
to stand up. He reached out a hand to help her to her feet. She slipped her hand
into his and lifted her head to meet his eyes.
“I love you, too.”
Three
Weeks Later
Elizabeth had never been so nervous and excited
all at once. Today she would become Mrs. William Trey Redbourne. The thought
left butterflies fluttering about in her stomach and she smiled, realizing that
her life would rival any of the romance novels in her collection.
“Will is not going to be able to take his eyes
off of you,” Grace said as she adjusted the flowers in Elizabeth’s hair.
“I still can’t believe you’re here,” Elizabeth
said as she glanced up in the mirror at Grace’s reflection. “You have no idea
how much it means to me.”
“I still can’t believe that you are heading back
to England. A whole ocean away.”
“Five years isn’t that long.”
“You’re right. And just think of all the
adventures we will have to write each other about in the meantime.” Grace bent
down and rested her chin on Elizabeth’s shoulder and they both looked into the
mirror.
“Sisters.”
“Sisters.”
Knock. Knock.
Elizabeth glanced up at the photograph of her
family she’d stuck in the edge of the vanity and lamented briefly the fact that
none of them would be here with her on her wedding day.
The door opened and Mac’s face appeared in the
doorway. “It’s time, ladies. But first, Elizabeth, there is someone here who
would like to see you.”
She turned around and stood up. Mac moved aside
and a man stepped into the room with a large bouquet of flowers blocking his
face.
“You didn’t think I would miss my baby sister
getting married, now, did you?”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat.
“Jeremy!” she squealed as she ran into his open
arms. “But, how did you—?”
“Will’s brother, Levi, found me in Detroit. When
I heard what happened and that you are marrying Will Redbourne, of all people, I
immediately made arrangements with work and well, here I am.” He handed her the
flowers.
“Thank you, Jer. They are just lovely.”
Grace took them from her and set them down on the
vanity.
“There is so much to say,” Jeremy told her.
“There will be plenty of time to talk
after
the ceremony,” Mac said with a playfully raised brow.
“Of course.” Jeremy reached down and collected
her hands in his. He squeezed and leaned forward to place a kiss on her cheek.
“Congratulations, Lizzy.”
Elizabeth’s heart swelled and she looked upward.
Thank you.
“Ready?”
“Why am I so nervous?” She shook her hands in
front of her and took a deep breath.
“I think all brides are nervous on their wedding
day. But are you happy?” her brother asked.
“More than I would have ever imagined.” Elizabeth
smiled and turned to Mac. “Ready!” she confirmed with a confident nod.
As she descended the restaurant steps, tears came
to her eyes as she gazed upon so many of those whom she’d grown to love over
the last couple of months. This was the family she wanted. Good, honest,
hard-working people who cared about each other, who protected each other.
Albert sat in the front row on a chair next to
Leah, who tapped him on the shoulder and pointed up at the staircase. He spun
around and his face lit up, a huge grin spreading across his face, and he waved
enthusiastically with both hands. Elizabeth giggled and winked at the boy as
she raised her skirt off her ankles and took another step down.
When her eyes met Will’s, he took her breath
away, standing there in a dark grey three-piece suit with a blue brocade vest
and black cravat. He was beautiful. And he was hers.
Mac nodded at Will.
“I know how much you would have liked to have
your mother here,” he whispered, reaching into his pocket, “so, I thought you
might appreciate having something that would bring her close to your heart
today.” He held up the ruby necklace that she’d sold in Denver.
She sucked in a breath and scooped up the pendant
in her hand. She looked up at him.
“How did you get this?”
He motioned for her to turn around, then fastened
it around her neck. “I knew it was special to you, so I bought it the same day
you sold it.”
She hadn’t thought it was possible, but…
“I love you, Will Redbourne,” she whispered.
“Prove it,” he said with a grin and a raised brow.
“If you wanted to marry me,” she said with a
smile of her own, “all you had to do was ask.”
“Will you marry me, Elizabeth Archer?”
“Yep.”
They turned to face Mac and he performed a
beautiful ceremony.
“Well,” the preacher said, looking at Will after
their vows had been made, “what are you waiting for? Kiss your bride.”
Will’s smile extended across his face, his dimple
more pronounced than she had ever seen it. He slipped his hands across her
cheeks and rested them along her jawline, a thumb caressing her lips for only a
moment, before pulling her into his much-anticipated kiss.
“I love you, Mrs. Elizabeth Redbourne. Forever.”
And she felt it. The tingle of truth. All the way
down to her toes.
“I know.”
THE END
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KELLI ANN MORGAN
To read more about the
Redbourne family and their cousins, check out the rest of the Redbourne Series
and the Deardon Mini-Series. (Click on the title to order from Amazon.)
Redbourne Series Book One
Cole’s Story
Redbourne Series Book Two
Rafe’s Story
Redbourne Series Book Three
Ethan’s Story
Redbourne Series Book Four
Levi’s Story
Deardon Mini-Series Book
One
Deardon Mini-Series Book Two
Deardon Mini-Series Book Three
Silver Springs Series
Book One
(Currently Available in
the Anthology
Curl Up With a Cowboy)
Available from Inspire
Books
KELLI
ANN MORGAN is a bestselling author whose western historical romance books have been
downloaded over a quarter of a million times and maintain a better than
four-star rating.
Kelli
Ann lives in beautiful Northern Utah with her wonderfully creative and witty
husband, her fun and imaginative teenage son, and two very playful cats. Before
she started writing historical western romance, she worked as a photographer,
jewelry designer, motivational speaker, corporate trainer and many other
things, but has found fulfillment in living her dream of writing romance and
designing book covers for herself and other authors.
She’s
passionate about creating stories with handsome, chivalrous men, and intelligent,
strong women in a world where there is always a happily-ever-after.
Her novels are highly romantic and on the sensual side of
PG—without all the graphic love scenes.
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