Chapter 3

“Well, hello there, Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.”

A zing of awareness shot up Mary Wilmington’s spine as she recognized Ray Stratton’s voice. Turning around, she looked up into his gray eyes, which were as gorgeous as the rest of him. She should know since she was one of his best customers.

“Hello, Mr. Stratton.”

He smiled at her formal greeting but understood since they stood in one of the aisles of Silver’s Mercantile.

“How are you?” he asked in a low voice. “I haven’t seen you in a while. You didn’t show up the last couple of weeks.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “I heard that you were under the weather.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Under the weather? I’m fit as a fiddle.”

Mary glanced at his lower half. “So, everything cleared up ... down there?”

His eyebrows shot up as her meaning got through to him. “There’s never been anything wrong down there. Ever. Performance or otherwise. Who told you that?”

Mary turned a deeper shade of pink. “Miss Branson said she’d heard it from Victoria Lambert.”

Fury took hold of Ray, but he hid it. “Well, both of those nice ladies are misinformed. I’m raring to go and clean as a whistle, so come see me this afternoon. You know where to find me.”

Hunger lit Mary’s eyes. “One o’clock?”

He gave her a lazy smile as he ran his gaze over her. “One o’clock it is. Rest up until then.”

Ray winked at her and walked away, his anger growing hotter with every step.

Mayor Carly Branson jumped when her office door banged open. Ray Stratton closed it in her secretary’s face and turned the lock.

“I never figured you for the kind of woman who spreads baseless rumors.”

Carly’s heart beat erratically as he strode over to stand in front of her desk.

“Please leave, Mr. Stratton. I have no wish to speak to you.”

Her cold attitude turned his anger to rage. “Well, I want to talk to you. How dare you interfere in my business? Meddle with my livelihood?”

A small smile crossed her face. “So, you aren’t as untouchable as you told me you were.”

He brought his fist down hard on her desk, startling her. “I knew it! I haven’t had hardly any customers for two weeks! Do you know how much money I’ve lost?”

She sat back in her chair. “That’s a shame.”

He leaned over the desk, and she pressed herself back further into the chair. She was surprised to see him tear up suddenly.

“Has it ever occurred to you that someone else depends on my income? That the money I earn supports someone else? Because of you, this person’s life may be ruined.”

A tear fell from his eye onto her desk blotter before he regained control.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen, Carly. You’re gonna reimburse me the two thousand dollars that I would’ve made these past two weeks or else.”

Carly’s eyes widened. “You’re blackmailing me? You have nothing on me.”

He shocked her by undoing his gray, washmaker pants and pulling his black shirt from them.

“Mr. Stratton! Stop that!” she ground out through clenched teeth.

His gaze turned sarcastic yet seductive. “You have one of your minions bring that money to me by the end of the day or everyone is gonna get the impression that you’re one of my best customers. Now, I can put myself back together before I open that door or as I’m going through it. It all depends on your answer. What’s it going to be, Miss Branson?”

As Carly looked him over, she couldn’t deny that he was the most alluring, handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on, but he was also the vilest. Her anger showed in her tense expression. He had the upper hand now and she knew it.

Ray let his pants slip lower on his hips. Carly’s nostrils flared with both revulsion and desire. How was it possible to feel both things at once?

When she held her silence, Ray lifted a brow, slipped a finger under the waistband of his underwear, and pulled them down a little.

“I can keep going. There’s not a shy bone in my body, Carly. But, if you want a show, it’ll cost you more than the two thousand. I get paid for what I do.”

As her beautiful blue eyes roamed over him, Ray felt a stirring of true desire.

“Have you ever had angry sex, Carly? It can be very stimulating. I’d love to show you.”

Carly now understood why some of her peers were captivated by Ray. The part of his waist he’d revealed to her was made of well-defined muscles. A thin line of dark hair ran down it, disappearing into his underwear. God help her, but she wanted to see where it went. She tried to cling to her outrage over his licentious behavior, but it wasn’t easy when he pushed his pants down even further.

She said, “I’ll have the money to you by this evening.”

Carly wanted to slap Ray’s triumphant smile off his face as he tucked his shirt back into his pants and fastened them. He smoothed down his shirt, making sure that he looked presentable again.

“Nice doing business with you, Mayor Branson.”

He unlocked the door, shot her a grin that would’ve done a shark proud, and left.

Carly took a deep breath as her secretary, Janice, came rushing into the office. Brushing off Janice’s concern, she informed her that she was going to the bank. It was better for her to do this herself.

“I’m sorry.”

Wheels put a forearm over his eyes and released a long breath. His time with Wendy hadn’t gone well. He’d had only mild sensation and hadn’t been able to perform.

Wendy, a pretty redhead, ran a hand over his chest. “It’s all right, honey. This usually happens when something’s on your mind, so out with it.”

She was a great listener and she genuinely cared about Wheels.

He covered her hand with his. “It’s Nora. She’s mad at me and I don’t know why.”

“Brock’s sister?”

“Yeah. She came to see me today. She brought me cookies and we were having a nice time. Then she got mad, took the cookie I was in the middle of eating and the other ones and left.”

Wendy chuckled. “What did you do to piss her off? Tell me exactly what happened.”

Wheels went through Nora’s visit, telling Wendy every detail he could remember.

“That’s everything,” he concluded.

Wendy broke into laughter.

“What’s so funny? I don’t like her being mad at me, especially when I don’t know what I did wrong.”

“You’re just like any other man. You have to be hit over the head before you see what’s right in front of you,” Wendy said.

Wheels frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it,” Wendy said. “Nora got upset when you said something bad about yourself. She cares about you, Wheels. She’s sweet on you.”

Wheels let out a short laugh. “Nora? Sweet on me? You gotta be crazy.”

Wendy said, “No, I’m not. She said that any woman would be lucky to have you. Nora is the lucky woman. She got mad because in a way, you were making fun of her. You didn’t know it, but that’s what happened.”

Wheels thought back over Nora’s visit, trying to see it through Wendy’s eyes. Nora had worn a strange expression when she’d come into his bedroom and then she hadn’t moved out of his chair. It suddenly dawned on him that she’d been preoccupied with looking at him without his shirt. How had he missed the desire in her eyes?

The answer was easy: it had been a long time since a woman had looked at him like that. Certainly not after he’d been paralyzed five years ago. Wendy was the only woman he’d been with since then. All the single women he knew treated him like a brother. He was just a friend, so he’d never had a clue that Nora might harbor romantic feelings for him.

On one hand it made him feel good to know that there was a woman out there who found him attractive. On the other hand, it terrified him. Nora was his best friends’ sister, which could make things complicated if a relationship with her didn’t work out. He’d hate to lose any of them if it didn’t.

And what if it did work out and marriage entered the picture? Because of his sexual inconsistency, conceiving children might be difficult, not to mention the emotional toll that sort of situation could take.

Wheels was almost certain that Nora had no experience with men. That meant that she’d have to be taught how to make things happen for him and that would be extremely embarrassing. In his situation, the woman had to do most of the work in bed. The idea of teaching that to a virgin wasn’t appealing.

He yanked his thoughts back, disconcerted that they’d run that far ahead. “What am I supposed to do?”

Wendy traced a lazy circle on his chest. “What do you want to do? Are you attracted to her?

Wheels forced himself to view Nora as a woman. He pictured Nora’s deep blue eyes, curly, platinum blonde hair, and petite, lush figure. She’d been shy around him at first, but they’d developed a great rapport once she’d warmed up to him.

Nora was funny, sweet, and smart. He enjoyed her company, and she was a great cook, too. She was a wonderful young woman and he’d wondered why no one was courting her. However, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to get involved with someone who was only twenty years old. Of course, he wasn’t yet twenty-six, so it wasn’t as if he was an old man.

He fought back a groan. “Nora is a beautiful woman, and she has a lot of good qualities. I’ve never had this happen before. I mean, before my accident I saw a couple of women, but there’s been no one since then, outside of you.”

Wendy said, “Yeah, but seeing me doesn’t count as a relationship. I’m not interested in one, either, so don’t get any ideas about that.”

He smiled. “I gave up trying after the second time you refused to go to dinner with me.”

“You know that it’s nothing personal. You’re a good, handsome man. I’m not surprised that Nora’s attracted to you.”

“Well, I’m surprised and now I don’t know what to do.”

Wendy propped herself up on an elbow and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m going to go and leave you to your thoughts. Unless you want to try again?”

Her suggestive smile made him laugh. “No. Thanks, anyway. I don’t think I’m in the right mood now.”

She got out of bed and Wheels watched her dress. When she finished, she came over to him, running her fingertips over his jaw.

“Call me when you want me.”

I wanted you tonight. Wheels forced a smile. “I always do.”

She kissed him again and exited the house, leaving Wheels alone with his confusion and disappointment.

Nora swept the front porch, swishing the broom back and forth with more force than necessary. The early March wind blew chilly and strong, but it did little to cool her self-directed anger. A couple of days had passed since she’d stormed out of Wheels’ house, and she was still mentally kicking her rear over the way she’d acted.

Then she laughed as she remembered Wheels’ shocked expression when she’d snatched the cookie he’d been eating right out of his hand. She had to admit that had been funny. Then she sobered. He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me.

A sharp pang of sadness ran through her at the thought of not seeing Wheels anymore. That would be impossible, though, since he was such close friends with her brothers.

She finished sweeping, leaned the broom against the house, and went inside. The telephone in the kitchen rang. No one else was around so she answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Nora.”

She felt a little faint upon hearing Wheels’ voice.

“Oh. Wheels. Hi.”

“How are you? Have you stolen cookies from anyone else besides me?”

His southern accent sent tingles through her and the smile in his voice made her laugh.

“No. You’re the only one I stole any from. I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Well, you owe me. I’ll forgive you if you come to dinner tonight.”

Surprise stole her voice.

“I’d take you out, but I can’t leave the house for a month. At least Judge Fairbanks let me stay at home instead of making Brock lock me up. Wanna have dinner with a jailbird?”

Nora cleared her throat. “Dinner?”

“Yeah. You know, the last meal of the day.”

“I, um, how do you mean that?”

“I’m asking you to dinner as a man who’s interested in you.”

Nora’s knees weakened, and she wished that she had a chair to sit on. Her hands shook a little as she contemplated her answer.

“Nora?”

She heard a thread of anxiety in his voice and knowing that he was nervous about asking her made her feel brave and sympathetic. “I would love to come to dinner.”

“You would?”

She laughed. “Yes. Very much.”

His surprise at her acceptance was as great as hers over his invitation, which she found very sweet.

“Great! Around seven?”

“I’ll be there,” she assured him.

“No! Ollie, get out of here. You can’t have the telephone! For crying out loud! Nora, he wants to talk to you,” Wheels said.

She giggled. “Hello, Ollie. Are you being a naughty monkey?”

Loud breathing and grunts sounded in her ear before Wheels came back on the line.

“Thanks, Nora. I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you then.”

Nora replaced the handset on the cradle and stood still for a few moments, absorbing the fact that Wheels had just asked her to dinner. It had really happened. She hadn’t dreamt it. Then she rushed upstairs to her room to pick out her dress.

Amelia came out of the sewing room. “What on Earth are you running around so for?”

Nora’s smile could have lit up the whole house. “Ma, Wheels asked me to dinner. He wants to see me.”

Amelia rolled her eyes. “Oh, is that all? Why are you so excited about it? You eat with him all the time.”

Nora shook her head. “No, Ma. He wants to see me romantically.”

Amelia stood still, taking in Nora’s flushed face and shining eyes. A woman didn’t look like that when she talked about a man unless she had feelings for him. Concern for her daughter warred with her affection for Wheels.

“I’m going to his house for dinner. He’s cooking.”

Amelia said, “Nora, I didn’t know you felt like that about Wheels.”

“Like what?”

“As more than just a friend.”

Nora said, “I didn’t let on to anyone. He’s so funny, handsome, and kind. I don’t understand why some other woman hasn’t latched onto him before now, but I’m not complaining.”

“Nora, Wheels is all those things, but he’s also in a wheelchair.”

Nora frowned. “I know that. What does that have to do with anything? You love Wheels, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course, I do. It’s just that—”

Nora’s jaw jutted out stubbornly. “Ma, I’m going to see Wheels and that’s final. I don’t care who likes it or who doesn’t.”

Amelia watched her daughter go down the hall to her room, her heart torn between happiness for Nora and a mother’s worry.

Aaron knocked on the door of Nora’s room.

“Come in.”

She stood in front of her full-length mirror, putting on earrings. The powder blue muslin dress complimented her complexion and brought out her eyes. Aaron’s feelings about Nora seeing Wheels on a romantic basis were mixed.

Wheels was completely trustworthy, but Aaron’s natural protectiveness of his little sister also made him a little leery of her getting involved with his best friend. He knew that Wheels saw one of Sandy’s girls, something that even Brock didn’t know.

Obviously, Wheels was capable of physical intimacy, but he knew that Wheels would treat Nora with respect. It would be nice if Nora and Wheels were a good match. If they got married, at least he’d like his brother-in-law.

“You look beautiful.”

Nora smiled shyly. “Thank you.”

He leaned against the doorjamb. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“If it’s none of my business, just say so, but how long have you felt this way about Wheels?”

Nora sat down carefully on her bed so she didn’t wrinkle her dress. “I’m not sure. It sort of snuck up on me, but it was around Christmastime when I thought of him as more than just a friend.”

Aaron said, “He never said anything to me about his feelings changing toward you, but maybe he was just afraid that I wouldn’t approve.”

“I hope you do approve.”

Aaron nodded. “Yeah, I do. It doesn’t bother you that he’s paralyzed?”

Nora had been expecting this question.

“No. I don’t think of him like that. He’s a wonderful, handsome man who has a medical condition the same way some other people do.”

Aaron had always hoped that his buddy would fine a woman who felt like that. He’d just never thought she would be his sister.

“I think that’s great. I’m sure you’ll have a nice time.”

“Me, too. Speaking of which, I should go so I’m not late.”

Aaron preceded her down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, he said, “Hear ye, hear ye! I present to you Lady Nora Guthrie!”

Nora laughed at his playacting and his British accent. It was something that he and Brock did quite often, and they were quite convincing. Their parents sat in the parlor and rose from their chairs when the siblings came in the room.

Amelia blinked back tears at the picture Nora made. Her little girl was all grown up and very lovely. Her husband, Doug, felt the same way. This was only the second time Nora had been asked to dinner by a man.

The first time had been a disaster because the young man had carried on a one-sided conversation about himself. Nora hadn’t been able to get a word in edgewise and had refused to see him again.

Doug and Amelia hugged her.

“Do you want me to walk with you to Wheels’ house?” Doug asked.

“No, thank you, Pa. I’ll be fine. It’s not far.”

“All right.”

Nora left then, eager to see the man she’d become crazy about.

Wheels’ nerves were stretched as taut as a violin string. He hadn’t been on a date since before his accident and even though Nora was a woman he knew and liked very much, he was still anxious. He had shaven and dressed in a nice gray suit. As the time for Nora to arrive drew closer, his stomach knotted even more.

To distract himself a little, he checked on dinner. Not many people realized that he could cook more than just simple fare. Vern had modified Wheels’ stove, shortening its legs so that it stood at the right height for him to be able to cook safely.

He’d just tended the food when a knock came on his door. Rolling over, he opened it and immediately felt unexpected desire shoot through him. Nora looked stunning in her gown, her blonde hair cascading around her shoulders.

“Hello. Come on in.”

“Hello.” Nora stepped over the threshold and sniffed the air with appreciation. “Something smells delicious.”

Wheels closed the door. “May I take your cloak, madam?”

Smiling at his gentlemanly behavior, she took it off and handed it to him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He hung it on a low hook by his coats. “You look gorgeous, Nora.”

His compliment made her blush. “And you look very handsome.”

“Thanks. Come on in.”

Ollie had been napping, but upon hearing Nora, he came out to greet her. He blinked sleepily as he hopped up on a chair near her.

“Hello, Ollie.” She picked him up, cradling him. “You’re so tired. Poor guy.”

“The kids were over this afternoon and kept him busy.”

A lot of women were afraid of Ollie, but not Nora. Wheels remembered the first time she’d met Ollie. It had been shortly after his family had moved to Chance City four years ago. She’d only been sixteen and so sweet. She’d taken to Ollie right away and vice versa.

It suddenly occurred to Wheels that the reason he’d never seen Nora as a woman was because in his mind’s eye he still saw the shy teenager she’d been. His mind hadn’t yet registered that she’d grown up. Looking at her as she held Ollie, Wheels saw a beautiful woman with an hourglass figure and the face of an angel. How had he missed that before now? He wasn’t missing it anymore, though.

Nora said, “No wonder he’s tuckered out. They’re a lively bunch.”

“They’re something, all right.” He rolled over to the stove. “I made roasted chicken, parsley potatoes, and string beans.”

“I didn’t know you were such a talented chef.”

He lifted out a roasting pan from the oven and sat it on top of the stove.

“After I had healed well from my accident and I started learning how to do things for myself, I insisted that Mama teach me how to cook. It was hard because of the height of counters and the stove, but I got around that by putting a couple of pillows on my chair to raise me up higher. It worked well enough that I could start learning harder dishes that took longer.”

She put Ollie down on a chair. “That’s why I got so angry with you.”

“Because I can cook?”