No amount of icy cold water would chill Viper’s desire. He went to bed as hard as he’d been when he’d stepped into the shower and lay there all night, wishing he could go to Dallas and find out why she’d been so hot and pliant in his arms one moment and then shut down the next.

Granted, being caught making out by the ranch foreman had to have put a damper on her libido. But the interruption had done nothing to chill his.

He’d finally fallen asleep only to wake with the first rooster’s crow. He’d even beaten Cookie to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. He’d need the infusion of caffeine to make it through the day.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Dallas entered the kitchen, fully dressed and ready for chores. When she spotted Viper standing by the coffee she came to a complete stop, her eyes wide and her cheeks turning a bright red.

Viper couldn’t leave it the way they’d parted the night before. They were partners, so they needed to be able to talk. “Dallas, about last night—”

She held up a hand. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come on to you like that. You don’t owe me anything, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to kiss me.”

He closed the distance between them and gathered her into his arms. “Are you kidding? I wondered if I had come on too strong and scared you away.” His arms tightened around her. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”

She stiffened. “I’m not afraid of you, Vince Van Cleave. I just didn’t want to continue something that couldn’t go any further.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we need to leave our connection at a kiss. I want nothing more.” She looked away, leading him to believe she wasn’t sharing the whole truth.

He clasped her chin in his hand and tilted her face upward, forcing her to look him. “Tell me you didn’t feel anything when I kissed you and I’ll leave you alone.”

She closed her eyes. “I didn’t.”

His chest tightened. “Look at me and say those words.”

She opened her eyes, her jaw tightening beneath his fingertips. “Why kid myself? I’m not good at this kind of thing. I’m not the right woman for you.”

“Tell me you didn’t feel anything and I’ll leave you alone,” he repeated, his tone softer. Her answer meant more to him than he wanted to admit to himself.

“You’re pretty arrogant, aren’t you?” she countered.

He lowered his mouth to hover over hers. “Shall I remind you?”

She opened her mouth, and when she did, Viper swooped in and claimed her lips, slipping his tongue past her teeth to caress hers. God, she tasted so good, and her body fit perfectly against his.

The clump of footsteps pierced his haze of lust. He stepped away, muttering, “Too damned many people live in this house.”

Cookie entered the kitchen, chuckling. “Save it for the wedding night. I have breakfast to rustle up.”

“And I have chores to do.” Dallas ducked and hurried for the door.

Percy blocked her exit. “Not today, you don’t. I understand Sadie McClain is taking you shopping for your wedding dress. You concentrate on that. We’ll cover your chores.” He tilted his head toward Lori standing behind him. “And I hear Lori’s going with you. She’s excused, as well. Now, don’t you have to go put on some makeup or something?”

“I could use some help moving feed bags from the storage area to the bins this morning.” Gavin Blackstock stepped up behind Percy. “Viper, you up for that?”

“I can do that,” Dallas protested.

“I know you can, but today’s a big day for you. From what Lori’s been telling me, wedding dress shopping is a big deal.” Gavin winked. “I won’t have you chipping a nail or something before you go.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about my nails, and I can haul feed just like any one of your men.”

Viper chuckled. “Dallas.”

“What?” she answered, her voice curt.

Viper grinned. “I think they’re yanking your chain.”

Dallas glared at Gavin and Percy. “You are?”

Percy crossed his arms over his chest. “Would I do that?”

Gavin raised his eyebrows. “Me?”

Dallas glared a moment longer and then relaxed. “You had me going for a moment. But since you’re both a couple of jerks, I’ll take you up on the day off from chores. I think I’ll go paint my nails.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and marched out of the kitchen.

Viper laughed, admiring the way her hips swayed as she left.

“You’ll have your hands full with that one,” Gavin said.

Percy nodded. “Yeah, but she’ll be one to work alongside you. She won’t need to be pampered and babied.”

“No,” Gavin agreed. “But you better treat her right.”

“Uh-huh,” Percy said.

“Or she’ll kick my ass,” Viper finished. “I know. She’s one in a million, and I’m lucky she picked me.”

If only.

Viper could learn to love a woman like Dallas. He enjoyed showing her what being appreciated by a man who knew her worth was like.

Gavin jerked his head toward the door. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I could use some help moving sacks of feed.”

“Lead the way.” Viper followed Gavin and Percy out to the barn.

“I’ll have breakfast ready in twenty minutes,” Cookie called out as they crossed the threshold. “Don’t go too far.”

Viper helped Gavin move twenty bags of grain and sweet feed from one side of the barn to the other. They finished with a couple minutes to spare before Cookie yelled out the door that breakfast was on the table.

Franklin, Vasquez and Young hurried out of the bunk house, wearing clean T-shirts and blue jeans, their faces freshly washed. Percy had mentioned something about going into Bozeman for the day to purchase fencing supplies, and the guys were game to ride along.

Breakfast was noisy as usual, consumed quickly, and the dishes were washed in record time. Dallas disappeared into her room immediately after the last plate was stacked in the cabinet.

Viper wanted to go after her and finish the kiss that had been interrupted earlier, but he needed a shower before Hank and Sadie arrived.

He was just stepping out of the bathroom, clean, shaved and dressed when Percy called out, “The Pattersons are here!”

Dallas emerged from her bedroom, wearing Sadie’s green dress, her hair combed neatly, mascara enhancing her thick lashes and lipstick coloring her lips. She looked like a model stepping out on the runway.

Viper swallowed hard to free his vocal cords. “Wow. You look amazing.”

“You’ve seen me in this dress before,” she said.

“Yeah, but something’s different.” Yes, he’d seen the dress, but that had been before he’d kissed her and felt her skin beneath his fingertips. That act had changed everything.

Heat flooded Dallas’s cheeks. “Must be the lipstick. Is it too much?”

“No, but it makes me want to kiss you.”

Her pulse quickened.

“Dallas?” Lori called out from the front door. “Are you ready?”

“I guess that kiss will have to wait,” Viper said.

Dallas nodded and then hurried out of the house.

Lori met her on the porch wearing cream slacks and a powder-blue top. She’d pulled back her blond hair and secured it in a loose messy-bun.

Sadie and Hank stood beside the SUV. Sadie wore a peach dress that fit her top to perfection and flared out in soft chiffon around her hips and legs. She looked like the movie star she was, her hair hanging down around her shoulders in soft, golden waves.

Dallas couldn’t begin to compete with someone that stunning, and she had no intention of trying. Her only hope was not to trip in the heels.

“Since your wedding planner had to work, it’s up to us to find your wedding gown,” Sadie said.

“Between the three of us, we should be able to find a dress.” Dallas forced a determined grin to her face. “Let’s do this.”

The women climbed into the back of the SUV, giving the men the front.

Sadie brought brides magazines with her and talked about styles and materials all the way into Bozeman.

By the time the men dropped them at the bridal shop, Dallas felt as if she knew a little more about wedding dresses and wouldn’t be completely ignorant or overwhelmed.

Still, she’d rather have been on the M240 machinegun range, shooting holes in old refrigerators. Trying on wedding dresses seemed so foreign to a girl raised by her father who shared hunting, fishing and riding four-wheelers. The closest thing to a dress she’d owned had been the black skirt she’d been issued as part of her formal Army Service Uniform when she’d graduated Basic Combat Training.

Until Sadie had given her the green dress, she hadn’t seen a need to purchase a dress, or wear one.

Walking into the bridal shop was like walking into an alternate universe. One in which Dallas Hayes was an honest-to-goodness female kind of female. Not a graduate of the all-male club of Army Rangers. She left the selection choices to the dress consultants, Sadie and Lori.

After the first ten dresses, she gave up on any kind of modesty. Not that she’d had that luxury in the Army. Showering in an open shower with twenty other women at a time had broken her of shyness during the first week of Basic. But dressing in front of the beautiful actress reemphasized all her insecurities about having lost a leg.

None of the women made mention of the prosthetic or her stump of a leg. They acted as if nothing was different or unusual about Dallas, other than her auburn hair and green eyes.

Lori had salads delivered to the shop for lunch, and the hunt for the perfect dress and accessories continued into the early afternoon when Dallas slipped into a dress that had her reconsidering her stance on all things female.

The dress was a light peachy-pink, almost white, chiffon that moved and flowed with her body like a thin, beautiful cloud. It transformed the Ranger in her into an ethereal fairy princess she didn’t recognize. Her breath caught in her throat, and tears burned in her eyes.

“Oh, my,” the saleswoman whispered. “The others have to see this one.” She hurriedly pinned the back of the dress and opened the door.

Dallas stepped out of the dressing room and walked toward Lori and Sadie, her heart beating fast and her breaths coming in shallow gasps. The dress made her feel so incredibly feminine she wasn’t exactly sure who she was, but when she glanced in the three-way mirror, she decided she liked what she saw.

Sadie’s eyes widened, and she pressed a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Dallas.”

Lori’s mouth dropped open, and she shook her head. “Wow.”

The consultant beamed. “I think we’ve found your dress.”

“Yes,” Sadie said. She caught Dallas’s gaze in the mirror. “Do you like it?”

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful dress,” Dallas said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“You have to get this one,” Lori said. “It transforms you.”

“I don’t want to be different than who I am.” Or did she?

“You’re not so much different,” Sadie said. “You’re still the same you, only better.”

Dallas’s heart swelled at the feeling of acceptance she experienced with Lori and Sadie. “Do you think Viper will like it?”

“If he doesn’t, he’ll need his eyes examined.” Sadie clapped her hands. “The style’s absolutely perfect. Now, let’s find the veil and shoes to match.”

An hour later, they’d purchased the dress, matching shoes, veil and a pale blue garter to wear underneath the dress.

“That’s the something blue,” Sadie said. “I have a string of pearls you can borrow that were my great-grandmother’s. That will cover the old and borrowed. And, since the dress is new, you’re covered on all fronts.”

“Something old, something new,” Lori recited.

“Something borrowed and something blue,” Sadie finished and glanced at her watch. “The men should have collected the new guy at the airport and be back by now. Lori, could you check outside and see if the SUV has arrived?”

Lori nodded and hurried out the front door.

“How much was the dress?” Dallas asked. “I need to pay for it.”

Sadie shook her head. “Hannah’s father is footing this bill. Hank said he was extremely thankful Viper saved Hannah, Taz and Chuck from that limousine.”

Dallas frowned, guilt hanging like a pall over an otherwise fun day. The dresses in the bridal shop cost a small fortune. How could she spend so much, knowing the wedding was a fake? “I can’t let him do that.”

“Consider it his wedding gift to you and Viper.”

Lori came back into the shop. “The guys are outside waiting, and they’re hungry.”

“We’re ready,” Sadie said.

Dallas looked around. “Where’s the dress?”

“It needs a few alterations,” Sadie explained. “They’ll have it done by Friday and deliver it to the Bear Creek Ranch.”

The women left the shop and climbed into the SUV. A stranger sat in the very back.

“Ladies,” Hank said. “Meet Trevor Andersen, the newest member of the Brotherhood Protectors.”

Dallas turned to shake the man’s hand. “I’m Dallas Hayes.”

His hand was terribly scarred, and he was missing his trigger finger, but he shook hers with a strong grip. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“What branch of the military were you a part of?” she asked.

“Navy.”

“Trevor is a Navy SEAL. He served under my former commander on nine missions,” Hank said over his shoulder as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove several blocks to a steakhouse.

The food was excellent, and the company even better. The evening went so well, Dallas was beginning to feel as though their fake engagement and upcoming wedding were real. She and Viper were a couple planning to spend the rest of their lives together in wedded bliss.

They laughed, they touched, and they shared a joke or two like people who really liked and cared for one another.

By the time they left the steakhouse, the sun was setting, coloring the sky a stunning array of mauves, purple and brilliant red-orange.

“Look, I can sit in the back.” Lori crawled into the backseat before anyone could protest.

“I’m sure the happy couples would prefer to sit with each other than with me.” Trevor slipped in beside her.

Viper held the front passenger door for Sadie. “You should ride up front with Hank. I want to sit with Dallas.”

Nodding, Sadie smiled. “Thank you. I kind of like my forever protector.”

Viper held the door for Dallas.

She brushed against him as she climbed into the SUV. Butterflies fluttered against the inside of her belly and heat coiled at her center. After trying on the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen, Dallas was feeling strange. Seeing herself in a wedding dress most girls only dreamed of had stripped away the tough-gal façade, leaving her feeling somehow vulnerable.

When Viper slipped onto the seat beside her, her heart beat faster and her breathing became labored. The control she prided herself on escaped her entirely when the former Delta Force operative took her hand.

With her tongue tied, her heartbeat erratic and her core melting, Dallas was an utter mess. Thankfully, she was saved from saying anything by the sudden chirp of her cellphone. She’d almost forgotten she had it with her. Using it as a reason to pull her hand free of Viper’s, she dug into her purse, hoping to stop the annoyingly persistent ringing.

The number wasn’t one she was familiar with, but she answered anyway. “Hello.”

“Dallas, this is Daisy.”

“Oh, hello, Daisy,” she said. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, of course. I called to see how dress shopping was.”

“We found one. It’ll be altered and delivered the day before the wedding.”

“Great,” Daisy said. “I also wanted to let you know what I’ve been working on.” She paused long enough to take a breath and then launched into her description. “I called Tim Fuller. He’s supposed to deliver the chairs and tables this evening. I scheduled the Justice of the Peace to perform the ceremony on Saturday. Wallie Strange will install a temporary wooden dance floor in the barn, the day before the wedding, and I double-checked with Melissa Fuller about the catering. I’ve also lined up Lisa Benton to help with the decorations on Saturday. She’s really good at them and has helped me on my other weddings. So, she knows what to do.”

Sadie turned in her seat. “Tell Daisy, we all can help with the decorations.”

Daisy laughed. “I heard her. Good, it might take all of us to get it done on time for the wedding Saturday afternoon,” Daisy said. “Oh, and I can’t remember if we discussed alcohol.”

“We didn’t,” Dallas said.

“Would you prefer an open bar, or will you want to supply the alcohol yourself?”

Viper leaned close to Dallas’s hand holding the cellphone to her ear. “We’ll supply the alcohol,” he said into the device. He took that moment to drop a kiss on Dallas’s temple.

“I’ll have one of my guys pick up a keg and a couple cases of beer,” Hank said.

“Not all people drink beer, sweetheart,” Sadie reminded him.

Hank chuckled. “I’ll have them include several bottles of wine in the order.”

“And whiskey,” Sadie added.

“Since when do you drink whiskey?” Hank shot his wife a glance.

“I don’t,” Sadie said. “But I know several of your guys do. And I’m almost certain some of the folks from Brighter Days might like something harder than beer and wine.”

“Maybe we should consider the open bar,” Viper said.

“I think we can cover this,” Hank said.

“Isn’t it a little early for the tables and chairs to be delivered?” Dallas asked. “The wedding is still a few days away.”

“Oh, sweetie.” Sadie chuckled. “To set up for a wedding can take days.”

“And we don’t have that much time,” Hank reminded them. He captured Dallas’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

Dallas ended the call and settled back in her seat.

Viper reached for her hand again and squeezed it gently. “It’ll all work out.”

“I certainly hope so. Seems like a lot of work to go through for one day,” she commented.

“One very special day,” Sadie agreed.

Dallas nodded. Oh, the event would be special, all right. If the wedding day saboteur struck again, the situation would be even more unsettling than it already was.

Dallas stared at the back of Hank’s seat. If the wedding went as planned and nothing happened…then what? They couldn’t do it again to lure out the troublemaker. They’d have to wait until one of the other Brotherhood Protectors scheduled his own wedding, or someone else in the community, and then pray they’d invite them to the wedding so they could keep an eye out for the Grinch, wreaking havoc on young newlyweds.

The drive was smooth, but for the curving roads weaving in and out of the foothills at the base of the Crazy Mountains. The steady rumble of tires against pavement made Dallas sleepy. She closed her eyes only for a moment, the day’s activities and strain of pretending dragging her eyelids downward.

Just as she closed her eyes, Dallas pitched forward against the shoulder restraint. She woke instantly and leaned toward the gap between the front seats to see what was going on.

The back tires skidded, but not enough to slow the momentum of the big vehicle.

“What is that?” Sadie cried.

“I don’t know, but we’re going to hit it. Brace yourself!” Hank swerved, but the front tire hit whatever was in the road, flipping it up to slam into the grill and block the view of the road ahead.

Viper gripped Dallas’s arm.

Her seatbelt tightened, jerking her back against the seat.

The SUV bumped over the edge of the road and down into a ditch.

Dallas jerked from side to side with each huge bump. She couldn’t see much through the side windows and her brief glimpses out the front were a nightmare of bouncing headlights.

The vehicle slowed, and Hank regained control, pulling out of the ditch and back onto the road, bringing the big SUV to a halt.

For a moment, everyone sat still, breathing hard.

Then Hank, Dallas and Viper yanked open their doors and leaped out onto the pavement.

“What the hell was that?” Viper strode back down the highway to what was left of the object that could well have killed them all.

The moon shone bright enough to illuminate something long, white and rectangular.

“Looks like a folding table,” Dallas said.

“It is,” Hank agreed. “The question is, what the hell is it doing in the middle of the road?”

“Isn’t this the kind of table they used at Taz and Hannah’s wedding?” Sadie joined them, carrying a flashlight. She shined the beam on the table and focused on the writing on the underside.

FULLER PARTY RENTALS

“Seems we need to pay Mr. Fuller a visit.”

“That table could have caused a major accident,” Viper said.

“Do you get the feeling that weddings in this area of Montana are jinxed?” Sadie whispered.

Not only were they jinxed, but someone was making an effort to ruin the party for the happy couple and all those invited to be a part of the ceremony.

The second attempt at ending the wedding before it began had nearly succeeded.

The trouble was, they couldn’t have predicted anything like running over a table in the middle of a curving mountain road.

How could the culprit set up the latest attack, knowing the table would affect them and not others? Or could the table have fallen off a truck by accident?

Dallas was afraid to ask.

What next?