Chapter Sixteen

"Last chance to back out, Mr. Atkinson," Elizabeth warned as she pulled on the simple, light blue cotton, short sleeved dress that Carol Anne had laid out for her. Nerves were dancing around in her stomach and disbelief filled her mind. This was happening so fast and so sudden that she couldn't help but think that at any moment Brody was going to point at her, laugh about her foolishness at thinking he'd really want to marry her and then walk away.

Brody finished buttoning the black vest over his white shirt and looked down at the bottoms of the pants, that were pooling around his ankles because Charlie was so much taller than he was, "I can honestly say I've never had this problem before." he said pointing down at his feet, hidden beneath the folds of fabric.

Brody was nervous as hell and nervousness was not something he knew how to deal with. Why in the hell did this amazing woman want to marry him? He had nothing to offer her and he had not lived the last nine years as a good man. Surely she would change her mind and laugh in his face for thinking she'd ever settle down with the likes of him.

He spared a quick glance in her direction and saw that she looked just as nervous as he felt as she chewed on her lips and smoothed her hands over the blue dress. The dress was tight up top and hugged her breasts before the simple fabric flared slightly at the waist and fell to her ankles. Elizabeth was beautiful. She began to braid her hair and Brody saw her hands were shaking. He kicked himself for being an idiot. They were getting ready to get married and yet he still hadn't told her just what she meant to him. He hadn't told her why he loved her.

Brody had worked so hard for the last nine years to never show his emotions that he had forgotten how to open himself back up.. Until now. He squared his shoulders and crossed the room in two long strides. Brody was a proud man but the doubt and fear in her eyes as she had been lost in her thoughts had him losing all pride and just wanting to assure her.

He grabbed her shaking hands, pulling them away from her hair, which he wanted her to leave down, and then looked deeply into her emerald eyes.

"Brody, I..."

"Hush," he said gruffly as he massaged her tiny hands with his calloused thumbs. "I used to be a real open man, Elizabeth. I loved to laugh and have a good time. My older sisters used to get mad enough at me to spit because I always knew how to push their buttons and I loved to do it. I was loyal to a fault and lived for those I loved. The Yankees took that away from me. I hadn't really laughed in nine years. I hadn't had a good time in nine years. I had turned my heart off and I lived in a kind of fog that blinded me to any goodness left in the world.

"Then I met you. You're a pain in the ass. An arrogant, bossy, beautiful, amazing, proud, hardworking woman and you woke me up. From the day in the barn when you pulled your gun at me and I held your body against mine, I knew there was something about you that was special. Then I got to know you, I watched you work, I heard your sadness when talking about your father, I worked side by side with you and I saw deeper into your heart and I realized that if anybody could make me happy again, it was you. But it was against the rules and I didn't want to cause trouble between you and your father so I pushed you away.

"Then you told me you were marrying Grant and damned if I didn't feel so jealous I would have shot the man in the head just to show you that you were not going to be marrying him. Do you want to know when I knew I had to marry you? When I knew that you were made for me? When I woke up in that wagon after we'd been taken and my first thought wasn't about me. It was about you. I saw you lying there and I thought you were dead and the entire world stopped spinning for a full second. I love you, Elizabeth. I'll live for you and I'll die for you. I still say you deserve better but I can promise you that I'll do anything and everything to make sure you have anything you ever want or need. You gave this back to me." He took her hand and laid her palm against his chest and a tear rolled down her cheek as she felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her hand, "You are my life," Brody finished.

Elizabeth couldn't find words to reply as another tear slipped down her cheek and she saw that his eyes were bright with emotion as well. She'd never expected such a long, romantic, love filled speech from him. This man was a constant surprise and she knew she was seeing the real him. The him he had been before the Yankees had taken his family. He was warm, caring, fun loving, stubborn, and sometimes hard. He liked to laugh and joke and he loved pushing her buttons. Life with him would never be boring or dull. It would be an adventure.

"I love you too, Brody. I love you will all my heart. Nothing in this world means more to me than you." she replied softly and he crushed her lips with his.

This kiss was different than any they had shared before. She could feel him pouring more of himself into it. It was full of love, passion and the promise of forever. She kept one hand against his heart and buried the other in his hair, pulling him closer.

A knock on the door finally tore them apart.

"You two about ready?" George's voice came from the other side. Brody cleared his throat and Elizabeth was nearly certain she saw a tear in his eye, but then thought maybe she'd imagined it when he blinked and it was gone, "Yeah. Just give us five more minutes," he replied.

"Yep." George's footsteps faded away.

"I want nothing more than to walk out there and become your husband right here and now but I want to make sure this is what you want to do. We can wait and do it later. Your pa....."

Elizabeth put her hand over his mouth to silence him and traced her finger across the scar on his cheek, "My pa has been controlling my life for too long. This is what I want, Brody. I want you and me together forever. I don't want that ranch. I want you and I to make our own home, our own life."

"I'd do anything for you," Brody replied and she could hear such sincerity and honesty in his voice that it took her breath away.

"Then let's go out there and you can become my husband."

He smiled, "Yes ma'am."

***

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride," George declared with a happy smile.

Brody laid his rough hands over Elizabeth's soft, flushed cheeks and pressed his lips tenderly to hers.

"You two are gonna have a lifetime of happiness!" Carol Anne exclaimed as Charlie wrapped his arm tight around her tiny waist. "I just know you are! You're both smiling so big, it's a miracle your cheeks ain't cracking apart!"

Brody lowered his head somberly, "I'm just smiling to keep from cryin' cuz I just realized I'm gonna be waking up beside that face every day. Forever. And ever. And ever."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and glared at him, "You poor thing."

He grabbed her and crushed her against him in a tight hug. How could he possibly believe that he wasn't dreaming right now? Life had been nothing but dirt, dust, blood and loneliness for nine years and now suddenly everything was better because this beautiful woman loved him... His wife. They still had some bumps to get over. The truth about the ranch and who had wanted them dead and the anger that her father would no doubt have at finding out that Brody had married his daughter without permission. But Brody wasn't worried about any of that. They would face this storm and every other storm in life together and together they would get through anything.

"Now you two will probably be wanting some privacy for the night," George walked toward the table, "There is a nice bed out in the loft of the barn that we keep out there for when the animals need round the clock care. You two can use it and then in the morning we'll get ya all set up with a horse and supplies and let you get on home."

"Thank you all so much! I don't know how we'll ever thank you enough," Elizabeth replied.

George waved his hand dismissively and gripped his weathered black bible, "No thanks is necessary," he assured her. "Now go on and get some rest."

Brody didn't need to be told again. He grabbed Elizabeth's hand and led her from the house. She squealed with surprise when he picked her up into his arms and carried her through the darkness and into the barn where there were already several lanterns lit for light.

"What are you doing?" she demanded with laughter.

"I always hear folks talk of carrying your new wife through the door or some such nonsense like that. I figured I'd give it a try." he replied with a grin.

Elizabeth kissed his cheek, "Well put me down because you can't carry me up the ladder to the loft."

Brody raised a brow and shook his head, "Cowgirl, don't never tell me that I can't do something because once you do, I'll either do whatever it is or die trying." Without warning, he tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of feed, keeping one arm wrapped around her and his hand firmly secured on her backside and using his other arm to help pull them both up the ladder while Elizabeth laughing with every breath she took.

Her laughter stopped instantly once he sat her down on her feet beside the small feather tick bed in the loft and she saw the hungry light that had suddenly appeared in his green eyes.

"Never thought I'd get married," he said gruffly as smoothed her hair from her face, "I'm gonna be the best husband I can be to you."

"And I'll be the best wife I can be. Just don't expect too many home cooked meals and a spotless house."

"Don't be expecting poetry, chocolates and flowers from me either and we oughta get along just fine," he replied.

Elizabeth laid her hand on his cheek and felt the hardness of his muscular jaw beneath the stubble that was already beginning to cover his face again, "I only want you to promise me one thing," she whispered softly.

"What's that?" he asked as his big hand ran down her side and rested on her hip.

"Forever."

He smiled, "That, Mrs. Atkinson, is a guarantee."

Elizabeth trembled when his firm, warm lips pressed against the hollow of her throat and his hand came to her breast. His calloused fingers teased her nipple through the thin fabric of the dress and she felt her knees buckle. Only his strong arm, wrapping tight around her waist, held her upright.

Brody felt his blood pounding through his veins and he moved his lips back to hers and kissed her with ever ounce of love and passion he possessed. He slipped the dress from her shoulders and then pressed his lips against every inch of her strong shoulders. No other woman had ever, or would ever, excite him the way Elizabeth did. Everything about her, even her flaws, were perfect to him.

He pushed the dress down further and lowered his head to her small, high breasts as she buried her hands in his hair. Her hungry moans filled the dusty air as his lips and tongue teased and stroked her breasts, causing pleasure to course through her and her toes to curl in her boots. Brody pushed the dress the rest of the way down and his lips moved to her flat stomach, her curved hips and then she called out his name with shock when she felt him press a kiss to her most sensitive flesh.

Only when she was whimpering for him to make love to her did he move his mouth back to hers. He quickly undid his vest and shirt and slid out of them before pulling off his boots and pants.

He laid her down on the bed and as he slid himself inside of her and called out her name, he knew that never again would he have to feel the loneliness that had plagued him for so long. Elizabeth was a gift from God himself and Brody would do anything he had to do to keep her forever.