A Promise of Thunder

he just turn and walk away? So what if the man called him a coward? They both knew Grady was no coward and that was all that mattered. Darnell didn’t dare shoot Grady in cold blood; the sheriff of Guthrie was a scrupulous peacekeeper and Darnell would surely hang for murder.
    “So yer gonna be a papa, ain’t that touchin’,” Darnell sneered, obviously unmoved by Grady’swords. “Name the time and place, Renegade.”
    Grady thought a moment, then said, “Sundown, behind the saloon. I want to take my wife home first.”
    “Oh, God.” Storm clutched her stomach as the baby lurched inside her. Why did this have to happen now, when they had come so far to attain happiness?
    “Sundown,” Darnell agreed. “Don’t be late or I’ll come lookin’ fer ya.” He flashed Storm a leering grin, then walked away.
    Grady scrambled into the driver’s seat. “Are you all right, sweetheart?”
    “How could you?” Storm screamed, clearly distraught. “Does your word mean nothing? You promised! I hate you, Grady Stryker! I hate you for what you’re doing to me and Tim and your unborn baby.”
    Grady picked up the reins and set the horses into motion before replying to Storm’s angry outburst. “I don’t intend to break my promise.”
    “How can you say that when you’ve just agreed to meet a gunslinger behind the saloon? I never should have returned to Oklahoma with you. It would have been best for all concerned if I had just disappeared from your life. I don’t know if I can go through the terrible anguish of losing you.”
    “You’re not going to lose me, sweetheart.”
    “You’re not God, you don’t know that.”
    “As soon as we get home I’ll explain what I have in mind. You’re too distraught now to think coherently.”
    Storm lapsed into sullen silence, wondering how many times she would go through this same kind of torture if she stayed with Grady. When they reached the homestead she jumped down from the seat without waiting for Grady to assist her and stomped into the house. She was waiting for him when he returned a short time later after unhitching the team and carrying their supplies inside.
    “I’m ready to hear what you have to say now,” she challenged hotly.
    “Sit down, sweetheart,” he said, taking her by the hand and leading her to the couch. “There isn’t much time left before I have to return to town, but I’ll try to explain what I intend to do. I’m definitely not going to draw against Darnell.”
    “But you agreed to meet him.”
    “I had to say something. If I didn’t he probably would have forced the issue, and I would have had to kill him. I didn’t want you witnessing anything like that. Not in your condition, anyway.”
    “But—I don’t understand. Are you going to meet him and then refuse to draw against him? Or are you not going to show up at all?”
    “I’m going to meet him all right, but I’m not going to wear my guns,” Grady said quietly.
    Storm gasped aloud. “You’d do that for me?”
    “For us, and for our children.”
    “What if it makes no difference to him? What if he kills you anyway? Darnell doesn’t strikeme as a particularly fair man. He holds some kind of grudge against you.”
    “I’ll just have to take my chances and trust in God. I’m counting on Darnell leaving town and spreading the word once he realizes I mean what I said about no longer being interested in violence.”
    “He called you a coward,” Storm said softly. She knew Grady wasn’t the sort to take the insult lightly.
    “I’ve been called worse.”
    “I love you, Grady Stryker.” She slid easily into his arms and he hugged her close. His head lowered and he kissed her fiercely. When he lifted her onto his lap she snuggled happily against him.
    “I wish I had time to love you, sweetheart.”
    “We’ll have the rest of our lives,” Storm whispered against his lips. Her breath was warm and fragrant and so arousing Grady felt himself harden.
    “Wife of my heart,” he murmured thickly. “Did you know that’s what those Lakota symbols engraved on your wedding band stand for? They say, ‘Wife of My Heart.’ I knew even then how special you were.”
    Storm’s eyes grew round. “How could that be? You didn’t even like me very well when we met.”
    “I’ve always loved you, sweetheart.”
    He cupped the back of her neck and brought her close so he could kiss her again and again, her lips, her cheeks, her chin, beforeunbuttoning her dress and kissing