Page 76 of Colorado Bride

“That is all in the past.As I told Ben when we married, I believe, what’s past is past.You are a part of this family now,” said Emily.

“I’ll do my best to make you proud of me,” he said to Emily, then looked at Ben.“Both of you.”

“I have no doubt.Now how will we stop Melissa?”asked Ben.

Emily paced the kitchen.Suddenly she stopped and her eyes widened.

“We have to send Rory back to Melissa.By now, she’s heard that I’m not dead and that Rory is here at the J Bar L.That kind of news travels fast because it’s the juiciest kind of gossip.”

“No one will believe that.Heck my hired hands are more loyal than that.”

“And if she knows I didn’t do it the first time why would she see me again?”

“You can convince her.Tell her that you were interrupted by Ben and couldn’t carry out the plan, but now you’re in the perfect position to do the deed.”

Ben shook his head.

“No.Absolutely not.I won’t risk your life, or Rory’s.When Melissa finds out that Rory is just leading her on, she might take things into her own hands—”

Emily walked over to Ben and stood in front of him.“Exactly.Then we have her.You and Sheriff Wayburn step in.”

Ben put his hands on her shoulders.

“I don’t know.What if something goes wrong?I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

She cocked her head and smiled.

“That’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me, but nothing will go wrong.Rory will be there to protect me and I’ll have my Colt in my pocket, as well.”

She reached up and cupped his jaw.

He leaned into her hand.

“When do we do this?”

“We wait until she summons Rory.That could be a day, a week or month.”

“I think it will be sooner rather than later,” said Rory.

“Why do you say that?”asked Emily.

“Because I believe shehasto marry and do so quickly or she wouldn’t have invited me to her bed.Forgive my blunt language, Emily.”

“She what!?”exclaimed Ben.

Ben was clearly upset and Emily wasn’t exactly sure she was happy about that reaction from her husband.Is he upset that she slept with someone other than him or that she was trying to cuckold him?

Rory walked over to Ben and put a hand on his shoulder.“Ben, I’d say you were saved when she decided to stand you up at the altar.I doubt very seriously she was a virgin then and she sure as heck ain’t one now.You might have been raising someone else’s child.”

Emily put her hands on her hips.

“What I’d like to know is why it matters whether she was or wasn’t.You didn’t marry her and you’re not going to.You’re my husband and I intend to keep you.”

Ben grinned and pulled Emily into his arms.

“Going to keep me, huh?”

“Yes.Even if you don’t love me, you’ll love our children.”