Page 46 of The Copper Heir (The Gilded West #1)

Epilogue

E mmy couldn’t look away from the band of gold encircling the finger on Hunter’s left hand.

On her husband’s left hand. It was a perfect match for her own slightly smaller one.

Even the thought made her breath catch. They had exchanged vows mere hours ago and her mind still hadn’t caught up to the fact that this magnificent man was hers.

She stared at that hand, fingers clasped with hers, and couldn’t resist reaching out to caress the strength there. He looked down at her and gave her that half smile she adored before bringing her hand to his lips.

“It’s right in here.” His eyes twinkled with mischief as he led her into the stables and let her go to pull the door closed behind them.

Music from the wedding celebration still going on in the house followed them outside, but it was softer here.

A large group of people had spilled out onto the lawn to enjoy the warm summer night.

One of them laughed, but it barely reached them in their cocoon.

It was the first time since they’d taken their vows that they’d had a moment alone.

For some reason she felt nervous—possibly because he’d enforced a two-week period of celibacy on them before the wedding—and fidgeted with the lace of the short train she’d draped over her arm.

The anxiousness made her babble. “Aren’t you excited about Castillo’s upcoming marriage?” The announcement had taken her by surprise because he’d only met the bride days before when they had both arrived at the ranch for the wedding. “I suspect they’ll be very happy.”

The lantern caught, the blaze lighting Hunter’s face as he hung it back on its post. He shook his head. “It’s an arrangement. A marriage of convenience. You know that.”

She grinned. “An arrangement? The way he looks at her takes my breath away. I think there’s more there than we know.”

“Do you?” He smiled and lifted a brow, intrigued.

He was so handsome in his formal wear that she’d had trouble keeping her hands to herself all night.

But she’d tried to maintain some propriety.

She knew there was talk about how improper it was that she had lived at the Jameson Ranch before the wedding.

Though Hunter hadn’t cared in the least, she had wanted to prove to his father’s friends that she wasn’t some loose woman using Hunter for his money.

She thought it had worked, either that or no one from town really cared while imbibing the champagne, escargots, and all the other exotic and wildly expensive food his father had brought in for the reception.

Hunter had concocted some story about how their families were distant acquaintances and that he’d lost his heart the moment he saw her. She’d laughed at that part when he’d told her the story while wearing that devilish grin on his face. But he’d maintained that it was true.

She finally believed him. She’d spent countless hours over the past months replaying the night they’d met and the day that followed.

There had been something drawing them together even then.

Something inexplicable had happened and he had felt it as much as she had.

It was why he’d followed her to Helena, and it was why he’d asked her to marry him.

The past months had been like some enchanted fairy tale, but she finally believed that it was real.

“I do. Mark my words. They’ll be deliriously happy.”

“Like us.” Hunter walked the few feet separating them, arms going around her waist to hold her close. His eyes were positively glowing with the love he felt for her.

“I don’t need another wedding present from you, so I hope that’s not why you brought me out here.” She’d been telling him this for weeks, when he’d first starting hinting at a surprise. Touching the sapphire necklace he’d given her that morning, she said, “This is more than enough.”

“That’s not a wedding present.”

“What is it then?” Her hands moved up the strong length of his arms, settling on his broad shoulders. The train slipped down between them, but she couldn’t help touching him.

“That’s because it was pretty and made me think of you. It matches your eyes.”

Of course. He was so generous with her and the children. It didn’t surprise her at all that he’d buy something so expensive for such a frivolous reason as that. “I only need you. You’re enough for me.”

Moving a hand up her body to cup her cheek, he said, “And that’s exactly why I want to give you everything.”

She laughed at that, her nerves flitting away at his touch.

“You already have. I have everything I could possibly want.” It was true.

A new wardrobe that she was sure rivaled the best-dressed woman in town, any book she could ever want to read, and he’d even opened an account for her with fifty thousand dollars at the bank.

Though she never planned to touch it—or step foot near his banker, Mr. Westlake, since he was one of the men at the brothel that night—it had been a nice gesture.

Hunter had even hired tutors for the children.

It amazed her how good he was with them and how concerned he was with their happiness.

Even Tanner Jameson had surprised her. An older, near duplicate of Hunter, he was more carefree than she’d anticipated for a man of his wealth and influence.

If there had been any hesitation on his part to accept her as his son’s choice, she hadn’t seen a glimmer of it.

He’d welcomed the news of their engagement with open arms and had more fun than she had planning the ceremony, even insisting on a gown that cost more than she’d even known gowns could cost. She had talked him down to something simpler, something the modiste said would work well with her small frame.

Something she actually liked, all the while knowing that what she wore didn’t matter.

She’d have married Hunter in the coarse, brown dress she’d been wearing the first time he’d kissed her as long as it meant he was hers.

“No.” Shaking his head, he kissed her gently. “There’s one more thing you need.” Then he took her hand and led her past the stalls lining each side.

Hurrying to save the length of lace from the stable floor, she followed him.

As he turned the corner at the end to the large stall in back, her breath caught, already suspecting what he planned.

Using his free hand, he unlatched the door to show the mare and foal she knew lived inside.

The mother snickered a soft greeting while the foal, who had been born soon after Emmy had arrived, slept at her feet in the straw, their golden coats just barely catching the light from the lantern left behind.

“The foal is yours. We’ll raise her, train her, and when she’s older you’ll ride her.” His arm tucked around her waist drawing her to his side. “I think if we do this together, it’ll help you conquer your fear.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she turned her face into his shoulder. “This is too much.”

He turned and brought his hands up to her face to tilt it back. “What’s wrong? What do you mean?”

The concern in his eyes brought an ache to her throat so that she had to swallow several times before she could talk. “You’ve run out of tangible things to give me so you’ve moved on to the intangibles. Love, security, hope, now this. What’s next?”

“Everything. Emmy, this is only a small part of what you’ve given me. You realize that, right?” He searched her face for the answer and must not have seen certainty, because he continued. “I love you. You’ve given me a life I never realized was possible.”

“I love you, too. Come on.” Grabbing his hand, she pulled him from the stall, pausing only long enough for him to latch the door.

“Where are we going?” But his tone was light again, he knew exactly what she wanted.

“The public wedding celebration is over as far as I’m concerned. You’ve kept me waiting for two weeks—”

“I just wanted to make you miss me.” He pulled her up short and dragged her close for a searing kiss.

Smiling, she slipped out of his grip and ran to the stable door, pausing to grab a length of rope looped on a hook. “Time to consummate your marriage, Mr. Jameson.”

“What’s the rope for?” He grinned as he stalked her. “I can assure you, you won’t need it to drag me to bed.” He grabbed her hips before she could dart away and pulled her flush against his body.

“You tied me up once, it’s only fair that I get to return the favor.”

He growled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door.

They ran all the way back to the house. No one approached them and they were able to slip upstairs without the ribbing she had feared.

Once in the safety of his bedroom, their bedroom now, he kissed her with all the pent-up fears and longings of the past months.

He was hers now, just as she was his. The way it was meant to be. The way it always would be.

Keep reading for an excerpt from The Bastard Heir the next book in The Gilded West series by Harper St. George…