Wildest Hearts

her cheeks were still very pink. “Yes. Sex.”

    Oliver shrugged. “You obviously haven't had a lot of experience with monks.” He took her arm and started toward the door again. “What do you say we go eat dinner? I've worked up an appetite.”

6

    Ijust can't believe you're married to him, Annie.” Barry stabbed his fingers through his sandy hair and glumly eyed his cup of French-roasted coffee. “I can't believe I didn't know you and Rain were even seeing each other, let alone planning to get married. Dan never said a word.”

    “Oliver is a very private man. He wanted everything kept quiet.” Annie wondered where and when she had acquired this marvelous ability to tell a social lie. It was certainly a useful skill. Nevertheless, she felt a jolt of guilt. Barry had, after all, been her brother's right-hand man. He deserved better than this.

    She glanced covertly around to see if any of the handful of people at the nearby cafe tables could overhear her. There was no reason for alarm. The crowd was composed chiefly of tourists who had come to shop the galleries, bookstores, and craft shops of the Pioneer Square area. She didn't know any of them and they all seemed occupied with their own concerns.

    “Private? That's putting it mildly,” Barry complained. “Rain is a damned mystery. Ask anyone. They'll tell you he's strange.”

    Annie immediately felt compelled to defend Oliver. She wondered uneasily if the urge was a sign of budding wifely instinct. “He's not all that strange. He just likes his privacy. He didn't want a lot of speculation and gossip going around until we were ready to make an announcement. Then, after Daniel disappeared, he decided we had better move our wedding date forward in order to pacify the Lyncroft creditors and investors.”

    “Annie, I don't know what to say. This is all so damn sudden.”

    “Until Daniel disappeared, there was no real rush and Oliver does like to do things on his own schedule.”

    “You can say that again.” Barry's mouth tightened ominously. “People who get themselves tangled up in Oliver Rain's schedule usually end up chewed into little pieces.”

    Annie waved that aside with a breezy movement of her hand. “The man's reputation has been blown out of all proportion.” She frowned as a thought struck her. “It probably got that way because he doesn't feel any need to explain himself to others. His communication skills are a little weak.”

    “No shit.”

    “But he really is very nice and he's going to take good care of Daniel's company.”

    “Very nice?” Barry looked as if he were about to gag on his coffee. “That would be a joke if it weren't for the fact that the situation is so damned serious. Annie, Rain is as dangerous as they come. Don't you understand?”

    Annie smiled reassuringly. “He's not dangerous. Not to us, Barry. He's going to protect Lyncroft Unlimited. Look at it this way. We've got the gunslinger with the toughest reputation in this part of the West standing guard over Daniel's firm.”

    “How can you be so naive?” Barry slumped despondently in his chair. “I don't like it, Annie. I'm scared for both you and Lyncroft.”

    “If you're uneasy because of that old rumor about Walker Gresham, forget it. I know the whole story.”

    “You do?” he asked sharply.

    “Certainly. He told me everything. Gresham was running guns using one of Oliver's companies as a cover. Oliver and Daniel tracked him down and surprised him one night during a deal. There was some gunfire. Gresham was killed.”

    “That's Rain's story. Too bad Dan isn't here to back it up.”

    “How did you hear about it anyway?” Annie asked.

    Barry shrugged. “Somebody mentioned it when word got around that Rain was Lyncroft's largest investor. Everyone was wondering what he would do. I guess we found out, didn't we? He married you. Shit.”

    Annie drew herself up. “I resent that, Barry.

    “I'm sorry, but the man makes me nervous. Daniel's not here to protect you.”

    “I don't need to be protected from Oliver.”

    Barry's eyes narrowed. “Tell me something. What will you do if you find out that there really is a genuine reason to fear Rain?”

    Annie sipped her coffee. It was obvious Barry was very worried on her behalf. It was touching. She sought for a way to ease his concerns. “You know Daniel set Lyncroft up so that only family members can own shares.”

    “I know.” Barry's jaw tightened. “And you've just made