stared at her for long moments and again, it seemed as if all the intensity he was capable of was focused on her. Those moments were almost unbearable, but she tolerated them. He was weighing her by her words, measuring what he could see in her to make up his mind. It felt as if he were examining every atom and circuit in her brain.
It was rare to meet someone who mistrusted her almost as deeply as she mistrusted others. Strangely, it made her feel less guarded, less threatened to know that someone as powerful as Wes Lansing thought she might have the potential to injure him somehow. At last, he spoke.
“If we marry, your loyalty belongs to me.”
His demand didn’t really surprise her, but she felt a prickle of anger. “What about your loyalty, Lansing? Will it belong to me?”
The firm line of his mouth went stern. He must not have expected that. And he didn’t appear happy about it, either. He wasn’t accustomed to giving an inch to anyone, and it probably rankled to contemplate the notion.
“Because if we marry,” she went on, “I think that entitles both of us to equal expectations. If you expect loyalty from me, I expect just as much from you. The fact that the marriage is secret makes no difference.”
He gave her a narrow look that hinted he was reassessing her in some way. He confirmed the impression with his next words.
“You’re a surprise.” His dark gaze released hers to move slowly down the length of her. The bold stroke sent a warm shiver through her. His gaze returned to hers and she struggled to appear unaffected. “I’m not sure yet if I like it.”
Hallie had no reply to that so she kept silent, enduring the tension between them while she fought to withstand it.
“I do like the hat,” he said finally. “If you’ll marry me, I’d like to see you wear it.”
His low words sent a poignant ache through her. However small a remark it was, whether he’d meant it to be or not, it was somehow a validation of the pains she’d taken to look like a bride.
“If you’re sure.” Her voice had choked to a whisper and she cringed inwardly. She hated that she’d revealed that much.
Wes slipped a finger into the vest pocket of his black suit and stepped toward her. Her breath caught as he reached for her left hand and lifted it between them.
She was so surprised that she almost stepped back, but just that quickly, he lightly singled out her ring finger and slid on a diamond ring. A whirl of sensation spiraled through her. His big fingers tightened gently on her hand as she stared down at it in disbelief.
The diamond sparkled and the gold band it was mounted on caught the suite lights. It fit perfectly.
A huge swell of emotion surged up and left her shaken. She hadn’t thought about rings. Theirs wasn’t a true marriage where rings were called for to signify unending love and eternal commitment.
“I can’t wear this,” she whispered. She couldn’t wear the beautiful engagement ring, she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t take her eyes from it. And she couldn’t keep her heart from breaking over the gesture. “Please…take it off.”
“It’s tradition.”
“This isn’t a real marriage. It’s enough of a sacrilege to marry for—for the reasons we are,” she got out hastily.
His fingers tightened gently, prompting her to look up at him. “Does it bother you to marry to get a piece of land?”
She couldn’t bear the new sharpness in his dark eyes and her gaze fled his as she gave a small nod. She pulled her hand from his and immediately took hold of the ring to take it off. “Of course it bothers me.”
He caught her hands before she could remove the ring.
“It’ll be public knowledge when he dies and it comes out that you fulfilled the Will’s requirements.”
Hallie looked up at him urgently. “But he can’t find out before he…” Suddenly she couldn’t say the word.
Wes’s dark brows lowered in disapproval. “I’m not much for secrets. He knows he threw down the gauntlet with that Will. If he lives, how long do you think you can keep your marriage from him? How good an actress will you have to be to quiet his suspicions?” He paused and his voice lowered. “How many lies are you capable of telling to keep him from changing the Will?”
Hallie managed to pull her hands from the steely warmth of his. The tingly heat they generated had added a distressing dimension to his disturbing words.
“Then going through with the marriage is futile.”
“We knew that was the risk. We decided to marry because it’s worth taking a chance.” His stern mouth gentled and one corner turned up in a half smile. “And we came to take our chance in a city known for high-stakes gambling and quick marriages.”
Hallie looked away. Everything had seemed so simple hours ago. She’d been so hurt, so angry and torn up over the cruelty of Hank’s will that she hadn’t completely considered the full consequences of this rash act.
“If Hank lingers and it comes out,” he went on, “there are certain marriage traditions I want people to know we observed. Rings are one.”
“Everyone will know it wasn’t a traditional marriage,” she said quietly. “And it will be annulled right away.”
She’d have enough to live down over the annulment. She didn’t want to give anyone the impression that she’d had any sort of hope for a real future with Wes.
She shook her head. “The ring is too symbolic.” Again she started to take off the beautiful ring, but his hands again caught hers.
“Then don’t wear it at home,” he said sternly. “But you’ll wear it here. And the wedding band that goes with it.”
Hallie looked up at him, about to protest, but he cut her off.
“It’s getting late. If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to get it done. I made plans for ten o’clock, and it’s nine-thirty now.”
Her throat spasmed closed in alarm. They’d delayed long enough. The longer the delay, the more reservations she had about going through with it. In the end, it was the craving to inherit Four C’s that made her force away her growing misgivings and give a small, stiff nod.
“All right.”
As if those strangled words were the pistol shot that started a race, her heart burst into a panicked rhythm. Wes stood nearby while she got the hat and pinned it on with fingers that seemed abnormally clumsy. Then he whisked her out of the suite so quickly that he made her head spin.
Did Wes realize he was torturing her?
Hallie had trouble meeting the minister’s eyes. She was excruciatingly aware that Wes had not taken her to one of the many wedding chapels in Las Vegas; he’d taken her to a real church, with an ordained minister.
The church was large and a sacred atmosphere permeated every inch of it, including the small prayer chapel they were standing
