Harmony stepped into the Denver Plains Hotel, knowing she attracted quite a few stares. She took off her hat, and let her dark curls spill over her shoulders. A few men in the room gasped, and she walked toward the desk.

“I’d like a room, please.”

“Of course,” the clerk said uncertainly. “Your name?”

“MacAllister. Mrs. Ben MacAllister.”

The clerk’s demeanor changed, and Harmony bit back a smile. Watching a woman walk into a hotel, dressed in pants and a shirt, probably threw him for a loop. But now that she was ‘married’, things were just fine with him. She didn’t want to give him her name, or her pen name. Now that she knew Ben was tracking her down, giving those names would make it too easy on him.

But he would never think to ask for Mrs. MacAllister. She placed her saddlebags on the desk, and then put down her one suitcase. It had been a long hard ride from Mac’s Crossing, but she was happy she was here now. She still planned to stay in Denver for at least a year. The hotel would be necessary while she hunted for a house.

She pushed open the saddlebag. “How much?”

“A dollar a day, or six dollars a week,” the clerk said.

“I’ll take the week,” she replied. “How much for a bath?”

“Five cents. You need to make arrangements with the girl in the basement.”

“Thank you. And food?”

“The restaurant opens at noon. Before that, we can bring coffee and food to your room for breakfast, for an extra twenty-five cents a day.”

“That sounds good. Put me down for the whole week for food, and baths.” She took out enough money to cover what she’d ordered, loving the look on the man’s face.

“Will your husband be joining you?”

“No. He’s a lawman, and he’s busy right now.” The spark of interest in the man’s eyes increased. “I’m taking a holiday on my own. It was his idea.”

“That was nice of him,” the man replied as he flipped the register for her to sign. “Where are you from?”

“Mac’s Crossing.” Harmony had decided it was best to stick close to the truth; there was less chance of slipping up that way. After she’d signed in as Mrs. Ben MacAllister, she leveled a look at the clerk. “My husband and I are considering taking a house in town, with the idea to move here. Do you know of someone I might talk to about available housing?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. My brother owns several houses. I’ll send for him directly, if you like.” His eyes were wide with satisfaction now, and Harmony figured that if she rented a place from the man’s brother, the brother would probably give the clerk a finder’s fee.

“How about later this afternoon? Say around two?”

“That would be perfect, Mrs. MacAllister. Thank you very much.”

“No, thank you, Mr.?”

“Willis, ma’am. Jacob Willis.”

“Thank you, Mr. Willis.”

The clerk snapped his fingers and a young boy took Harmony’s bag, and a key from the clerk. He headed toward the stairs and Harmony followed him. First a bath, then a nap, and then a meeting with Mr. Willis’ brother. She hoped he had a house that would be ready by the end of the week.

The fake Mrs. Ben MacAllister would set up housekeeping in Denver. And the real Ben MacAllister would never find her, she was sure of that.

At four that afternoon, Ben trudged into his tenth stable of the day. He’d decided the easiest way to find Harmony was to search for her horse. She’d have to stable the paint somewhere. So far, though, he’d come up empty handed.

He’d had to take some time when he got into Denver to cable his deputy, Tom, and let him know he would be out of touch for a few days, possibly as much as a week. Ben was pretty sure he’d find her here, but it was better to be on the safe side, and give himself some extra days.

When he spotted Harmony’s horse in the third stall, he smiled to himself. A stable hand hurried toward him, and Ben flashed him his silver star.

“Yes, sir?” The boy looked a little nervous.

“The woman who owns that horse, where is she?”

“Is she a criminal? I should have known, a woman wearing pants. Can you believe it?”

Ben bit back a smile. “Where is she?”

“In the Denver Plains Hotel. I suggested it when she asked for lodgings. Is she a criminal?”

“No, she’s a runaway.”

“I’ll be. She your wife?”

“Not yet,” Ben said. “But she will be.”

The stable owner laughed. “Feisty, huh? That’ll be fun. I’ll board your horse for free, Sheriff.”

“No, that’s fine. I’ll pay. How much?”

“Fifty cents a day. Your intended paid for the whole week.”

“Then that’s what I’ll do, too. But put him well away from hers, so that if she comes in, she doesn’t see him. I want her to be surprised when I go to the hotel, and I don’t want her to risk seeing Blue.”

They laughed together while Ben handed him coins for the week. Then, he headed out toward the hotel. The façade was brick, with a large porch that featured lots of rocking chairs. He nodded at the older folks sitting outside, enjoying the late afternoon sun.

The man behind the desk jumped to attention when he flashed his star.

“I’m Sheriff Ben MacAllister from Mac’s Crossing.”

“Yes, sir, your wife’s out right now. She left just a little bit ago.”

Ben stared at the man. “My wife?”

“Yes, sir. Pretty, dark haired lady? She registered this morning, but said you were busy on law work.”

Ben coughed to cover his smile. “I finished quicker than I thought I would. What room did she get us?”

“204. Here’s the key, sir.”

Ben took the proffered key, wondering at the audacity of Harmony registering as his wife. Of course he never would have thought to ask for Mrs. Ben MacAllister, so actually, it was a stroke of genius. He clutched the key tighter and smiled at the clerk.

“Do me a favor? When my wife comes in, don’t tell her I’m here. I’d like it be a surprise.”

“I’m sure she’ll be very surprised, sir.”

“You have no idea.”

Harmony felt as if her feet were dragging. Mr. Willis’ brother, Michael, had taken her around town and shown her three different houses that he had for leasing purposes. She’d liked one, but the rent was almost a hundred dollars a month. She needed to put pen to paper and see if that was feasible, or if she should take the smaller house, which was only fifty dollars a month. Neither of them would be ready for more than two weeks, though. That was a problem.

She thought taking the smaller one might be better. At least until she’d sold a few more books. Now that she didn’t have to work at hiding what she was doing, she could get more done, and make a little more money. And, until it was ready, she could stay at the hotel.

The desk clerk smiled at her as she headed toward the stairs. And then he winked. Harmony almost stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him. She wondered what he was up to, and then decided that he was just happy to see her in a dress, and not in the pants she’d been wearing that morning.

The dress was a wonderful thing, since her bottom was sore from Ben’s spanking, and from riding Miss Priss all the way here. She’d been so bold as to leave her bloomers off today, loving the feel of the cool air as it moved inside her skirts. If the men she’d been with that afternoon had known, they’d probably be more than a little shocked.

Once on the second floor, she took her key out of her purse and unlocked the door, stepping inside quickly and locking it behind her, placing the key back in her reticule. She put the purse on the dresser, and then wheeled around when Ben’s voice sounded behind her.

“Have a good day, Mrs. MacAllister?” He sat propped on the bed, his feet crossed at the ankles, his hands behind his head.

“Ben.”

“Yes?” The humor in his voice made her stomach roil. He might sound like this was funny to him, but she knew he wasn’t thinking it.

She grabbed her purse, fumbling to try and get the key out as she ran for the door. He grabbed her before she made it, pulling the purse from her hands and throwing it on the floor. He lifted her off her feet and dropped her on the bed so that she was face down.

When he climbed onto her, and started to pull on her skirts, she knew she was about to be spanked again.

“No! No!”

“Hush. You’ve got this coming.” She heard the surprise in his sigh when he lifted her skirts. “Do you ever wear bloomers?”

“Stop it! Someone will come and investigate, they’ll turn you in!”

“What for? A man has a right to spank his wife.” His hand came down on her behind, slapping hard against her sore bottom.

“Ben, please, I’m begging you. Don’t!” He didn’t listen to her, though. The spanking continued, the swats coming harder and harder.

He alternated his hand, slapping hard on the fleshy part of her bottom. To take her mind off the pain, she started to count the slaps. He’d given her twenty-two on each cheek when he let up.

“How dare you run from me.” His voice was steely, his anger evident.

“I didn’t run from you,” she said softly. ‘I ran from my father.”

“No, you ran from me. I was in the house with you. This spanking is from me, not your father.” His hand came down again and again and she groaned and cried out for him to stop, but he ignored her.

When he finally slowed down, she sniffled then turned her gaze to him. “Please don’t spank me anymore. Please.”

“Don’t you think you deserve it?” To emphasize his point, he slapped her bottom a few more times.

“No. I don’t.”

“Yes, you do. But I’ll stop, for now.” He stood and moved away from the bed.

Harmony put her hand on her behind. It felt as if it were on fire.

“You need to change into the prettiest dress you have,” Ben said. “Win and Vanessa should be here by now.”

“Why are they coming?” She sat up, wincing at the feeling in her bum.

“To stand up for us when we get married. I’ve already talked to a preacher, and settled it for seven tonight. We can stay the week for our honeymoon.”

Harmony stared at him, her eyes widening. “What? You’re serious, aren’t you? We’re getting married, tonight?”

“Yes, we are.” He turned to her and smiled. “I trust there are no objections on your part.”

She shook her head slowly. “None. Oh Ben, why didn’t you tell me last night? I never would have run away again.”

“You also said you’d never get married. But now that I’ve been in a hotel room with you, I think we have no choice.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I meant I’d never marry one of those men my father picked. And I don’t want you to marry me because you feel obligated.”

“I’m marrying you because I like you, Harmony. In time, I think we’ll learn to love each other. Don’t you think?”

She nodded, afraid to tell him that she already felt like she was in love with him, and had been for the past four years. She stood, letting her skirts fall around her legs.

“Don’t you think you should ask me, though?”

He turned to her. It looked as if he might dissolve into laughter. “Harmony Watkins, will you marry me?”

“Yes. Just don’t spank me anymore.”

“I can’t promise you that. But I will promise not to interfere in your writing. In fact, I may make you read them to me. Deal?”

“I’d like that.”

“All right then, get dressed. We’ve got a wedding to get to.”

“I guessed pretty good, don’t you think?”

Harmony beamed up at Ben as he studied the gold band on her hand. “You did. Did you buy this today?”

“Yup, this afternoon. I wanted to have it on hand, because once I saw you, I didn’t want to take my eyes off you. Too many chances you’d run again.”

She blushed, then looked at Win and Vanessa, who sat across from them in the fanciest restaurant Harmony had ever been inside. She took several deep breaths, then took a sip from her champagne, another first for her.

“We’re so happy to have you in the family,” Vanessa said. “It’s about time Ben took a wife.”

“Thank you, Mrs. MacAllister,” Harmony said, realizing that she, too, was now Mrs. MacAllister.

“It’s Vanessa. Now, we need to talk about a house, and furniture and all that type of stuff.”

“If it’s one thing my wife’s good at, it’s spending money,” Win said with a laugh. “I hope she doesn’t rub off on your wife, Ben.”

Harmony laughed as Vanessa playfully slapped her husband’s shoulder. She wondered if she and Ben would ever be like that, so obviously in love and laughing and touching each other. The only touching they’d done, besides the spankings, was the sweet, soft kiss he’d given her when the preacher had said they could kiss.

His lips had been soft against hers, and she remembered thinking when it was over how she’d wanted him to do it again. That memory brought about thoughts of tonight. He would expect to stay with her, to make love with her. The idea made her stomach clench, and she took another sip from her champagne.

Today wasn’t the first time she’d ever kissed a man, but it would be the first time she’d ever allowed one to touch her. She wanted the men to leave so she could ask Vanessa what she should do; what she should expect.

She turned a nervous glance on Ben, who smiled at her and patted her hand as if he knew what she was thinking. The soft touch reassured her that things would be fine, that he had everything handled.

Watching him, she couldn’t believe he was her husband; that she’d actually said ‘I do’ when she was supposed to, and hadn’t run away again.

“My parents,” she said softly. “They’ll be upset they didn’t get to come.”

“Don’t worry,” Ben said. “I wired them we were getting married, and that things were fine. If you like, we can have another ceremony at home, where your parents and the rest of my family can come.”

“I’d like that, Sheriff. Thank you very much.”

“Don’t you think you should call me Ben?”

“I’ll try,” she replied with a grin. “But, I’m still in shock.”

“You called me Ben earlier.”

“Well, I was in shock then, too.”

They all laughed and when he squeezed her hand, she sighed softly.

“It’s time for us to go,” Win said. “We’re staying at a friend’s house, and will shop some tomorrow, and then head out tomorrow afternoon. You two come back quick, so we don’t have to field all the questions, you hear?”

“We’ll think about it,” Ben replied, to which Win shot him a dirty look. Win insisted on paying the bill, and they all hugged and said their goodbyes. When Harmony and Ben started to walk to the hotel, he took her hand.

“Ben?”

“Yes?”

“If we’re going to get ‘married’ again, don’t you think we should wait to um, you know?”

His laugh was soft as he opened the door for her. In the lobby of the hotel, they nodded to the clerk and Harmony wondered if the man worked all day long.

Ben led her up the stairs, opened the door to their room and closed it behind them. When he’d dropped the key on the dresser, he cupped her face and kissed her gently.

“No, we’re not waiting.”

“But, the clerk thinks we’re already married. What will he think when, um…”

“You mean the blood?”

“Yes.”

“They’ll just think it’s that time of the month for you, don’t worry. I want to consummate our marriage tonight so you can’t run from me tomorrow.”

Harmony blushed, her face growing red as he stroked her arms. He kissed her again, his tongue pressing against her lips until they parted, then darting inside her mouth. The sensation was fantastic, making her head spin and her toes tingle.

When he was done, he turned her gently, and started to undo the buttons on her dress.

“Ben.”

“Shush, it’s all right. I’m your husband, remember?”

“Yes, but…”

“I’ll be gentle, I promise.” His voice was soft at her ears, his fingers gentle as he undid her buttons. “Besides, I’ve already seen your backside, remember?”

Nervous laughter bubbled out of her mouth. She’d never in a thousand years dreamed that she’d be married today. Especially married to Ben MacAllister. Her husband was the Sheriff of Mac’s Crossing. She would have to move into town; move into his house. Only then did she remember that he didn’t live in a regular house, but in the boarding house in town.

She wanted to ask him where they would live, but she was too distracted by the feel of his hands against her back. When the dress was totally unfastened, he pushed it off her shoulders and it landed in a puddle at her feet. Her corset soon followed and she shivered.

“Do you bring along old petticoats?”

“Yes,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around her suddenly cold body.

“We’ll bunch them under you. They’ll be soft, and they’ll catch your virgin blood. That way no one will know my ‘wife’ was a virgin.”

She laughed and turned to him. “Okay.”

“Then, I’ll buy you new ones tomorrow.”

“I have money,” she said, her voice low. “I can buy them.”

“No, I’ll buy them.” He kissed her again, his lips more demanding this time. Then, he kissed the tip of her nose. “Go and get them, then come to me at the bed.”

When she’d done as he asked, he folded the petticoats together to make a small blanket. Then he guided her so that her hips rested on the blanket. He lay down next to her and stroked her arms.

“Relax.”

“I’m so nervous. I never thought this would happen.”

“I know, you said you’d never get married.” He stroked her breasts gently. He’d not taken off her shift, so she didn’t feel quite so exposed.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I meant with you. I knew I’d have to marry some day, but I never thought it would be to you.” He continued to caress her, then kissed her gently before lowering his mouth to her breast, sucking the hard little nub into his mouth. Harmony arched her back, pushing herself further into his mouth. She wound her fingers into his hair as he suckled her, loving the feeling of his tongue and teeth on her private parts.

When he moved his mouth to her other breast she stroked his back. He hadn’t yet taken off any clothes, but it still felt intimate and sweet to touch him like this. When he broke away and groaned, standing up quickly she wondered if she’d done something wrong. But when he started to strip out of his clothes, she knew that she hadn’t.

The sight of his manhood jutting out between his thighs made her eyes go wide.

“Oh my.” She knew she sounded nervous, but she couldn’t help it. She was old enough to know what happened between a man and a woman, and was nervous about it, since this was her first time.

“Hush now, it’ll be fine. I promise.”

He lay down next to her, stroking her arm. His manhood touched her thigh and she stroked his arm.

“Are we sure we shouldn’t wait?”

“I’m sure,” he said, his hands stroking her breasts, and moving down her stomach, bunching the shift up in his hands. “Would you feel better if we left this on?”

His gentle words took away every last bit of indecision she had. She was his wife, and she was curious. She needed to swallow her nerves and be a woman.

“No, it’s all right. I’m nervous, true, but I’m also very curious.” She sat up and lifted her shift off her body. For the first time in her life she was naked in front of someone, and though it made her tense, it also excited her like nothing ever had before. She lay back down and looked up at him.

He was propped on his elbow, his gaze raking down her body.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said softly. “I have noticed it before, but I was so intent on staying single, that I never really noticed it. Do you know what I’m saying?” The seductive tone of his voice made her giggle.

“I was wearing clothing then. You’re just excited because I’m naked.”

“Yeah, you could be right.” He leaned over and kissed her, his hands stroking her body. “Touch me, Harmony. Touch me.”

She did as he asked, her hands stroking his chest and shoulders, his back and arms. When she came close to his thighs and manhood, she moved back up, fascinated by what she saw, but nervous to make actual contact.

When he took her hand, and guided it down, she fought him for just a few minutes. Then she stopped fighting him, and relaxed into his touch. When they reached his hardness, she moaned softly. He hissed in a breath when her fingers traced the length of him.

“Yeah, that feels so nice.” She could hear the control in his voice.

“It does. Maybe I should touch some more.” She wrapped her hand around him and squeezed gently, heat spreading over her. She could feel wetness between her legs, and she knew she was ready for him. And, she could tell by the way he throbbed in her hands, that he was more than ready for her.

He positioned himself on top of her, using his knees to gently nudge her thighs apart. She welcomed him eagerly, and when he placed the tip of his penis at her opening, she lifted her hips in invitation.

It felt as natural as breathing. The pain of his entry was eased with a sweet kiss, his lips possessive against her own. Their gazes locked while he gently thrust, and Harmony moaned in a mixture of pleasure and the pain of something new in her body. When his movements increased, she clutched him tighter, loving the feel of him. He stared down at her as he thrust, his eyes tender yet full of desire. When the thrusts became harder, and then stopped, she could feel the warmth of his seed inside her.

He leaned over and kissed her again, then stroked her shoulder. “Did I hurt you?”

“Not really. If I’d known it was going to be this wonderful, I would have done something to get arrested, then forced us to be together.”

His laugh was deep, and she wiggled under him. “I liked it.”

“I’m glad, because I did, too. We want to be careful, though, and not get you with child too early. I’d like some time for just us, first.”

She nodded in response. “How do we do that?”

“You let me worry about it,” he said. When he rolled to his side, he took her with him, wrapping her tightly against his chest.

“Goodnight, Mrs. MacAllister.”

“Goodnight, Mr. MacAllister.” She laid her head against his chest and slept, not worried for the first time in ages what was going to happen to her in the future.

Ben stretched, his muscles just a little sore. Then he remembered the quick ride to Denver, his hunt for Harmony, and their fast marriage last evening. He put his hands out toward the side of the bed where she’d slept the night before, and encountered nothing but bedding.

“Harmony?” He sat up, and looked around. The room was empty except for him. He got up and dressed quickly, walking down the hallway to the bathroom, which was also empty.

Then he came back in their room and called her name again. Her clothing was still here, but there was no telling where she was. They were going to have to have a talk about her just leaving. Independence was one thing, but scaring your new husband half to death because of your past history was another thing altogether.