The Lawman's Rebel Bride. Amanda Renee

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      “So you’re going to treat me like a criminal?”

      “Are you serious? Where are we right now? It’s either this or you walk.”

      “You’re such a charmer.” She scowled as she climbed inside. “I already miss the man I married.”

      “Speaking of that.” Harlan slid behind the wheel. “I would like to be elected sheriff one day and that means my wife can’t run around getting arrested. As long as we’re husband and wife, I implore you to stay out of trouble. I mean it, Belle. Not just for my sake. It’s for my daughter’s, too. Whatever you do now reflects on her. This isn’t the little secret wedding you and I thought it would be. Everyone knows and I can’t allow anything negative to affect Ivy. Do we have an understanding?”

      “Yes. I’ll be more careful next time.”

      “Oh, okay. I can see you paid close attention to that conversation.” He steered the SUV onto Belle’s street.

      “Please don’t be mad. I did the right thing.”

      “I’m not mad. You frustrate the hell out of me. Always have. It’s like you’re permanently under my skin. I made a commitment to you and I’ll honor it. My daughter even asked if you’d be moving in with us.” Belle’s gaze met his in the mirror. “Not because she’s scared of you. She was hoping you’d be her mom. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

      “I’m sorry Molly turned out to be such a jerk. I never expected that of her.” Her voice softened. “I never expected a lot of the things she did. And I don’t wish abandonment on anyone. Child or adult.”

      Message received loud and clear. First Belle’s mom had abandoned her, and then he had, too. If any man ever treated Ivy that way, Harlen would probably be behind bars and Belle would be the one bailing him out.

      Harlan parked beside her truck, shut the engine and opened the back door for her to exit.

      “How did my truck get here?” Belle asked as they walked past her red Chevy.

      “I had it towed here instead of the impound lot. Consider it and the piglet a wedding present.”

      “Honey, you shouldn’t have.” She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He wasn’t sure if she meant to be sarcastic or sincere, but he wasn’t about to turn her away.

      Belle glanced at her front door. “What’s that?”

      Harlan recognized the fluorescent orange notice without even having to read it. “You’ve been served your walking papers.”

      “They can’t evict me. I pay rent.” Belle ignored the paper and unlocked the door.

      Harlan reached above her head and tore it off. “This is from the board of health.”

      “Whatever. Stand back when I open the door. Sometimes Olive gets a little aggressive when I come home.”

      Harlan followed her in. “It says you’re harboring livestock?” Before he had a chance to look up, a tiny goat hurled into him, almost taking out his shin in the process.

      “I warned you.” Belle stepped over a baby gate and flicked on the kitchen light.

      Now he understood the livestock. “Belle, please tell me you didn’t steal these animals.”

      “First, I’m not a thief.” She set a spoon and a bowl on the counter next to a large container of instant milk replacer before disappearing into the other room and returning with a towel. “I’m a rescuer. When people call me, I go. And second, I’m fostering these guys until I can find a home for them. It was one thing when I lived at my grandmother’s house. We had room in that big yard of hers. I don’t have that luxury anymore.”

      He had to give her this much—between the small kiddie pool of hay the goat happily lay in, the tiny black lamb standing on his hind legs in a playpen, a duck waddling around the entryway and now a piglet, the rest of the apartment was relatively clean.

      “I need you to take her while I mix the formula.”

      Harlan joined Belle in the kitchen. She lifted her shirt up so he could take the piglet tucked between her breasts. He froze, not knowing how to handle the animal without touching her.

      “Hey, don’t judge. It was the safest and warmest place I could hold her.”

      “It’s not that.”

      “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Harlan. They’re just boobs. I have a bra on.”

      He lifted the piglet into his arms and Belle immediately wrapped the towel around the little girl. She mixed the formula before withdrawing an oral syringe from the drawer. She tore open the package and pulled the plunger until it filled halfway with the off-white liquid.

      “Here you go, sweetie.” The piglet hesitated at first, then readily took the mixture. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Belle repeated under her breath. “I don’t know what I’ll do with you.” She nuzzled the little critter, then looked around the room. “Or any of you, but I’m glad you’re safe.”

      “Oh, Belle.” Harlan looked to the ceiling and prayed for strength. “You know exactly what you’re going to do. You and your menagerie are coming back to the ranch with me.”

      * * *

      AFTER A SHOWER and a change of clothes, Belle and Harlan packed up what they could from her apartment, crated the animals and drove to his ranch. She always thought you had at least thirty days to vacate once you received an eviction notice. Turned out it was only three days in certain cases—livestock being one of them. She pulled in behind him, still trying to wrap her brain around the day. This morning she was single and independent. Tonight, she was married and relying on her worst enemy to put a roof over her head. Maybe worst was a little harsh. He had earned significant brownie points during the past twenty-four hours. That still didn’t mean she forgave him for what he’d done. She doubted that would ever be possible.

      Harlan leaned in her passenger window. “Are you coming?”

      “In a minute.” Belle glanced up at the white farmhouse. It should have been her house. They had picked it out together and Harlan’s uncle Jax had fronted them the down payment until they could afford to pay it back. She loved the house. Had envisioned exactly how she would decorate it. Only she never had the chance to spend a single night in it. Molly had had that honor.

      She needed to get it together. The ranch was a much better place for her wards. The previous owner had rebuilt the stables, along with the apartment above it. At least there had been an apartment eight years ago.

      “Come on, let’s get them settled, and then we’ll get you situated in the house.”

      “I don’t think so, Harlan.” Belle looked up at the main house again. “Where’s your daughter?”

      “She’s staying with Dylan and my uncle Jax at the Silver Bells Ranch. I’ll pick her up tomorrow.”

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