Montana Sky

her back, she marched toward the stables. Or she began in a march and ended up with dragging feet. Every time she ventured toward stables or pasture, Adam found a way of whisking her home again. Never touching her, she thought. Or touching her so dispassionately it was more like doctor to patient than lover to lover.
    He stepped out of the stables as she approached, which made her think, not for the first time, that he had some sort of radar where she was concerned. He smiled, but she saw that his eyes remained sober, and searching.
    “Hi. I’d hoped you’d sleep longer.”
    “It’s after ten. I thought I’d work with a couple of the yearlings today, on the longe line.”
    “There’s plenty of time for that.” As usual, he guided her away from the stables, his hand barely touching her elbow. “Did you have breakfast?”
    “Yes, Adam, I had breakfast.”
    “Good.” He resisted picking her up and carrying her back to the house, tucking her away where she’d be safe and close. “Did you finish that new book I brought you? It’s a pretty morning, maybe you could sit on the porch and read. Get a little sun.”
    “I nearly finished it.” Had barely started it. It made her guilty, knowing he’d made a special trip into town to buy her books, magazines, the little candied almonds she was so fond of.
    And she hated the book, the magazines, the almonds. Even the flowers he was constantly bringing home to cheer her.
    “I’ll bring the radio out for you. And a blanket. It can get cool when you’re just sitting.” He was terrified she’d catch a chill, lie shivering in bed again with her hand limp in his. “I’ll make you some tea, then—”
    “Stop it!” The explosive shout stunned them both. In the time he stared at her, she realized she’d never really shouted at anyone before. It was a powerful and thrilling experience. “Stop it, Adam. I’m tired of this. I don’t want to sit, I don’t want to read. I don’t want you bringing me tea and flowers and candy and treating me like a piece of cracked glass.”
    “Lily, there’s no need to get upset. You’ll make yourself sick again, and you’re barely out of bed.”
    For the first time in her life she understood the wisdom of counting to ten before speaking. Another time, she decided, she might even try it.
    “I am out of bed. I would have been out of bed days before I was if you hadn’t been hovering around me. And I am sick. I’m sick of not being allowed to wash my own dishes or plant my own garden or run my own life. I’m sick to death of it.”
    “Let’s go inside.” He treated her as he would a fractious mare, with great patience and compassion. “You just need to rest. With the wedding only weeks away you’ve got a lot on your mind.”
    That tore it. She whirled on him. “I do not need to rest, and I do not need to be placated like a cranky child. And there isn’t going to be any wedding, not until I say differently.”
    She stalked off, leaving him stunned, speechless, and staggered.
    She rode on the temper, the unfamiliar and exciting kick of it all the way to the main house, up the stairs, and into the office, where Willa was arguing with Tess.
    “If you don’t like the way I’m setting things up, why the hell did you dump the job on me? I’ve got enough to do without fussing with this reception.”
    “I’m dealing with the flowers,” Tess shot back. “I’m dealing with the caterer—if you can call some bucktoothed jerk whose specialty is pigs in a blanket a caterer.” Shethrew up her hands, then fisted them on her hips. “All you have to do is arrange for tables and chairs for the alfresco buffet. And if I want striped umbrellas, then the least you can do is find me striped umbrellas.”
    Now Willa’s fists rode her hips as well, and she went nose to nose with Tess. “And where in God’s name am I supposed to come up with fifty blue-and-white-striped umbrellas—much less this canopy thing you’re so hot for. If you’d just . . . Lily, aren’t you supposed to be resting?”
    “No. No, I am not supposed to be resting.” She was surprised sparks didn’t fly from her fingertips as she marched to the desk and swept all the lists and folders and invoices onto the floor in an avalanche of paper. “You can toss every bit of paper that has to do with the wedding in the trash. Because there’s not going to be any wedding.”
    “Honey.” Tess broke out of her shock, slid an arm around Lily’s shoulder,