Jese handed Nova a glass. "To us," he said, with a smile.

She lifted the warm milk to her lips. He'd used her coffee machine, but swapped the coffee for strong whiskey... the frothy sweet milk infused with whiskey.

She'd noticed that he'd been impressed with all of her inventions, if slightly suspicious.

Nova lowered her eyes. Since they'd been alone in the house together she'd become increasingly nervous.

A yawn from her lap. The small ball of fur rolled over, showing her it's pink stomach, begging for a rub. A submissive gesture. Peeking up at her husband now, Nova wondered if he was expecting the same from her. Submission.

He wouldn't get that. While her financial problems may be fixed and the chances of being heaved out onto the roadside were now eliminated, she was in more danger now than she had been before. Because now she was alone in her house - their house - with a man she barely knew. It felt almost as if she'd invited a starved bear into the lounge and was now pitifully hoping that he wouldn't attack her. The overwhelming feeling of her own vulnerability came crashing down upon her, and with that vulnerability came the realisation that her life would never be the same again.

She had no idea who he was... and no idea what his criminal record held.

She took a large sip of the drink in her hands, hoping that the alcohol might lend her some Dutch courage. Or at least help her to reclaim the normalcy of the relationship that she'd had with Jese up until that point. Normalcy? She'd only known him for a few days.

Warm cream passed across her tongue, alcohol soothed her muscles and turned her to jelly. Or maybe it wasn't the drink that was working to weaken her limbs, she thought, but those black eyes watching her so intently.

"I can't believe you are mine," he said. His eyes boring into hers over his raised glass.

The shock made her hand clamp around her glass firmly. Mine? The territorial expression in his eyes as he gazed at her, wasn't what she'd expected from him. She didn't know how to react... to throw out an angry reprimand might only excite him. She'd heard stories of women being beaten to death on their wedding night. "I have prepared the books to look through... when you are ready."

"Books?"

"I expect you will want to discuss the land. And view the accounts."

"I haven't the faintest interest in that right now." He placed his glass down carefully. "There is something far more intriguing that I have in sight."

Instead of filling her with delight, as he might have been hoping, Nova felt further fear and helplessness. He'd made her believe that she had no sexual obligations to him. But now, under his intense gaze, she knew that this moment, this tension was all leading to one thing. What was she supposed to do? It was the last thing she wanted, to give herself to a man whose bedpost must look like it had been riddled with bullets from a shotgun. So full of conquests that there was no more room to fit a single mark more.

If Jese chose to consummate their union, the law stated that a wife couldn't accuse her husband of rape.

She was attracted to him. Extreme mistrust fought bravely against a strong and undeniable attraction. Emotions so diverse that they left her wondering if the tummy ache was from nerves or repulsion.

Nova tipped her head back abruptly, taking a large sip in a desperate attempt to calm her fears - even if it were only momentarily. As the milk hit her stomach she waited, desperately, for a numb tranquility to descend.

"Nova Calhoun," Jese said her name aloud. "You are a very beautiful woman Mrs. Calhoun."

She noticed her knuckles had turned white where her fingers clutched the glass. Weren't people supposed to become quite relaxed from drinking these strange tasting spirits? She wondered, staring at her refreshment suspiciously. Yet in her case she was growing more and more restless. Quantity, she decided grimly. Tipping her head back.

Jese took the empty glass from her. Placing it to one side he caught hold of her hand, raising her fingers to his lips, lightly kissing them all. Her heart slammed against her ribs. Nova tried to snatch her hand away before her fingers could burst into flames, but Jese held her firmly. "You are the perfect woman for me."

Why did that not sound like a compliment? She managed to twitch her hands away, clumsily, before he could see how neglected they were from working on the farm.

Jese moved closer. "Come here." He captured her chin and tugged it gently towards his face. His mouth came down on hers - gently at first - touching her lips so lightly that she became breathless.

His soft touch teased her sensitive skin. "Nova-"

"Yes?" Her heart constricted, whether it was from pleasure or pain she still couldn't decide.

"I need to tell you something."

His soft cologne teased her nostrils and sent her thoughts spiralling out of control. "Soon," she whispered. Whether it was the alcohol or the proximity she couldn't tell. Her mouth sought his and their kisses grew hungrier and deeper, until she felt a warm sensation spread through her body.

His tongue toyed softly with hers. Breathless, Nova pushed a firm hand against his masculine chest. Drawing back she dragged in a ragged breath. Seeing his face watching her, completely void of the distant expression she'd come to know, caused her knees to weaken. She'd momentarily forgotten the face that belonged to the lips. Jese Calhoun had her heart fluttering about her chest like a canary in a cage. She couldn't be so crazy to allow that to continue, could she? "Nova, I need to tell you now."

Her head spun to think of her power over him. That her lips against his... her warm body.. It could distract him so easily. "Tell me," she whispered. Her hand traveling down his flat stomach, her eyes focused on his face, her hand came to a stop while one finger continued to stroke the length between his belly button and groin. "I'm listening."

His answer a husky groan, as he lowered his head again, this time her hand was tangled in his hair, dragging him forward eagerly. Her body screamed for his touch. To be closer to him. To feel his cool bare skin against hers.

Jese's hands slipped under her wedding dress. He tugged the flimsy material up over her thighs. His masculine hands scorching trails against her skin. Nova could feel the sensations from his touch spreading to far more intimate areas. Her groin ached with longing.

"Dammit, Nova," he groaned against her ear. "This is important."

They had all their lives to talk, right now all she wanted was to find out where this kiss was going to lead them. She bit the base of his throat. Her tongue circled patterns up along his neck.

Standing suddenly, Jese pulled her forcefully to her feet and led her upstairs towards the master bedroom.

When Nova had shown Jese his room earlier, she'd strained to look anywhere but at the solid bed in the centre of the spacious room. To even gaze in its direction would be to allow herself to ask questions. Covered in a gauzy mosquito net, it called them to dive in, to abandon their pride and mistrust and enjoy married life. Her husband hadn't shared in her discomfort, he instead remarked on the view of the countryside from the large windows. Green grass stretched out to where the snowy mountains began. He seemed immune to the presence of that bed, and what it represented. Jese had strolled about the room to admire the floor to ceiling painting on one wall which her mother had painted, before she had become sick, of three wild horses drinking from a spring, unaware of the coyote watching them from the bushes.

Nova had been eager to leave then, but now she was just as eager to arrive.

"Look at you," Jese breathed as he undid the buttons of her corset. "You are absolutely divine." His fingers had turned to thumbs and he struggled desperately to unhook her dress. Impatiently, she knocked his hands aside and opened the dress so quickly that she was afraid she'd ripped it. As it dropped to her feet she felt a surge of shame. She hadn't thought that anyone would be seeing her homemade petticoat, which she'd sewn from plain white feed sacks. If she had of she would have at least tried to cover the company name and address which Jese could easily decipher. "Why are you so embarrassed?" He asked in confusion.

"It isn't usual matrimonial wear."

"Any hot blooded male would lose his head to see you now." Jese caught her face in his hands, and stared deeply into her eyes, she could see his pupils had dilated and his usual distance was replaced with hunger and demand. "You must be able to see how you affect me." Lowering his head he kissed her once more. Swinging her around they knocked into a bedside table sending Jese's personal items falling - unheeded - to the floor.

Unaffected by the chaos, Jese took her body firmly within his embrace, letting his hands roam freely across her body until finally he found a way inside the petticoat and it fell to the floor. She stood within his arms - completely naked. Nova could feel his rough hands running across her soft skin. Those hands - chapped with hard work - caused goose bumps across her skin and her nipples to pucker in excitement.

He gently pushed her back onto the bed, and as he leaned forward over her his eyes roved across her body. Nova was scorched by his ruthless scrutiny. A rasping noise escaped his throat and his head lowered in the direction of her heaving bosom.

But before his mouth could make contact the room was shaken by the sound of gunshot, followed by horse hooves galloping past the homestead.

Suddenly alert, Jese's hands fell away from her instantly, and he pushed himself up to head toward the door. "Stay down. I'll go and check who that is."

His removal from the room brought Nova back down to earth. Without his body against hers, causing the blood to rush through her head at an alarming rate, Nova felt extremely self-conscious. Her naked body suddenly had an overwhelming need to be covered. She pulled at the fur which covered the bed, draping it over her body just so. But after another long moment without Jese coming back, Nova jumped quickly to her feet to check her reflection in the looking glass. She couldn't have him coming back to find her looking an absolute fright. That might be a bucket of cold water on his ardour.

She patted her hair down and pinched her cheeks, so that the blush would stain her soft skin. As Nova leaned closer, her foot moved forward and brushed against a piece of paper on the ground. Looking down she found the paperwork that they'd dislodged - automatically dropping to her knees she began arranging each of his files tidily. Until she found one folded neatly addressed: My Dearest Love,

With a small smile she bent forward to flick open the letter. What a sweet way he had chosen to start their marriage... with those three words - chosen so simply - she was able to feel a slight amount of hope for their union. Nova fixed her gaze on the masculine writing.

My dearly beloved,

Today I married another woman.