B00BWX9H30 EBOK (15 page)

Nathan’s arm tightened around her waist. “I take it that you love me then.” He said it so softly she would have missed it if he hadn’t said it directly into her ear.

“I…I,” she dropped her head to her chest. “I didn’t want you to know it,” she whispered back.

He kissed her cheek. “You can’t take it back now.”

She shook her head.

“I don’t know what you two are doing, but we need to figure out what to do about Daniel,” said John with a smile.

Ella looked up when he spoke and then felt herself blush at the knowing smile on John’s face.

“There’s not much we can do until he makes another attempt. I have a feeling his next try won’t be something so subtle,” said Nathan. “I’m going to go about business as usual. Let him know it didn’t work and try to force his hand.”

“Do you think that’s wise?” asked Ella.

“We don’t have much choice unless we want to live the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders, waiting for him to try again.” He looked over at John. “I’d like to borrow your carriage to take my girls home. I’ll have one of my men bring it back.”

“Of course. Keep it as long as you need it.”

Nathan nodded. “I want to get Ella home now. It’s been a trying day for her.”

“I’m fine.”

“You might as well stay for supper. Ella doesn’t want to cook after a day like today,” said Sarah.

“On the contrary, I think fixing supper is exactly what I need to get my mind off of it. But first we need to get Nathan to a doctor so he can get these tree limbs off his arm. He looks a little ridiculous.” She smiled at her poor husband.

They all laughed.

CHAPTER 9

Ella refused to sit inside the coach and rode on top, sitting to Nathan’s right.

“So,” he said slowly, “you said you love me.”

She fiddled with her gloves. “I didn’t.”

“Not exactly, but it’s true nonetheless.”

“You can’t be sure of that.”

He chuckled. “Defiant to the end. Well, I realized something today. Hit me like a ton of rock when I was scared I’d be too late to save you.”

“It was rock. The rock you hit your head on.”

“No. This was something different.”

“Oh and what’s that?”

He turned to her, his eyes dark blue in the fading light. “I realized you are the most important thing to me. I love you, Ella. I thought I would die trying to get to you and knew I would if I lost you.”

She ducked her head. “Because of the baby.”

He rested the reins on her knee and then gave it a squeeze. “Look at me. I love you, Ella.
You
. I have for quite a long time, maybe since you gave yourself so sweetly to me the first time. The baby is icing on the cake, but you, you are my first love.”

“Your first love? What about Hettie? Martha told me you loved her.”

The carriage rocked gently as they traveled along the road. The motion would have been soothing if not for the butterflies flying around in her stomach.

“I thought I did, but what I felt for her was nothing compared to my love for you. I never loved her. Not really. I wanted her and thought I loved her, but I know now I didn’t. It was just infatuation. Wanting something I couldn’t have. It probably would have ended the first time I bedded her.”

He tried to put the reins in his left hand, but it didn’t work, so he kept them in his right. “Damn.” He brought his left hand to her face. The fingers were swollen and she was sure it was painful for him to move it, but then he touched her. Feather light touches on her right cheek.

She stilled and closed her eyes. Then she leaned ever so gently into his fingers. “Oh, Nathan. I do love you, so much. I have since the second you treated my sores. You were so sweet. I couldn’t believe that a big, strong man like you could be so gentle.”

He kissed her. “I’m still angry about that infernal contraption.”

She laughed. “I know. I had to hide them so you wouldn’t burn them.”

“At least there’s no way you can wear it now,” he grumbled.

“I wouldn’t anyway. I’ve discovered I like the freedom I have without it.”

“Good.”

It was nearly dark now. He handed her the reins. “Here, hold these a minute while I light the lamp.” He took a match from his pants pocket and lit the lantern hanging on the pole to his left.

She handed him back the reins and placed her hand in his lap. He hardened under her finger tips. “Without the corset I have the freedom to get up here and ride with you. Or,” she fell to her knees at his feet. The fit was tight, but she managed. “To be able to love you with my mouth, now, on our way home.”

After undoing the buttons on his pants she released him into her waiting hand, caressed him and felt the small drop of moisture on the end of his rod.

He groaned.

Gratified, she smiled up at him and then ran her tongue over his throbbing member, all the while watching his face, gauging his reaction.

He stiffened, straightening his legs as much as the cramped space allowed and rose to meet her descending mouth.

“God, Ella. More.”

She quickly obliged, taking him as far as she could into her mouth. The space was too small for her to get a position that allowed her to take more than half of him.

Suddenly, he put his hand on her head. “As much as I would like to continue this, there’s a light coming our way. We’ve got to stop now. But,” he grinned at her and cocked one midnight brow, “I mean to continue when we get home.”

She got up, fastened his pants for him then sat back and straightened her own clothes. By the time the oncoming wagon reached them you’d never know they’d been doing anything other than driving home.

Nathan pulled the team to the side of the road and stopped, waiting for the on comer to pass. When they got abreast of them, the man pulled his buckboard to a stop.

“Hello there, Nathan. Ella. What are you doing out? Thought this was round up time.” It was their neighbor to the north, Caleb Black.

“Hello, Caleb. Came home early. Had a bit of an accident.” Nathan raised his arm with the tree branches still on it.

Caleb chuckled. “I can see that. Looks like you had a run in with a tree and the tree won. Got a broken arm I’d guess from those limbs attached to you.”

“Yes, I do. Hey, are you headed to town?”

“Sure am.”

“Could you stop by Doc Smith’s and ask him to come out to the ranch? I need him to check Ella as well as see to this arm.”

“Sure. I’ll go first thing. He still might make it out tonight if he’s at the office.”

“Thanks, Caleb. Have a good night.”

“You folks, too.”

Nathan turned back to the horses and flicked the reins on their butts. “Giddy up.”

Not long after that they turned down the drive to the ranch.

“I’m going to pay you back for tonight when we get home,” he said, promise in his eyes.

“Not right away you won’t. We have to wait up for the doctor, but when we go to bed I expect your undivided attention.”

They pulled to a stop in front of the courtyard. “You’ll have it. Now give your poor suffering husband a kiss.”

She took his face between her palms, careful of his hurts and kissed him gently. He would have none of it. He dropped the reins and pulled her close, his tongue delving deep. Tasting her, feasting on her. She shivered in response, returning each thrust, dueling, playing.

Someone cleared their throat.

They broke apart.

Seth stood in front of the team, holding them still. “Um, I’ll get these put away for you, boss.”

Nathan jumped down and came around to help Ella down.

Martha clattered out of the back. “Nice ride there, Nathan. Got in a little nap ’til we met Caleb on the road. Nice of him to send the doc out.” Martha winked at them.

Ella was mortified. Her gaze flew to Nathan. He grinned then barked with laughter.

* * *

The doctor arrived a couple of hours after they got home.

“Doctor Smith,” said Ella as she led the short, balding man back to the kitchen where Nathan waited. “It’s so good of you to come out and see us tonight. I’m sure Nathan is feeling the pain from his injuries now that the excitement has worn off.”

“Yes, well Caleb said Nathan looked a mess and that I was to check you over, too. What happened?” The doctor set his bag on the table and opened it. He had a second bag with him that he set beside the first. From the first bag he took out a stethoscope. He listened to Ella’s heart and lungs then listened for the baby’s heartbeat.

“Everything sounds good. Baby’s heartbeat is good and strong. Now tell me what happened here.”

“We had a couple of accidents today,” said Nathan. “I want you to check Martha, too. She was in the buggy with Ella when the axle broke.”

“I’m fine,” said Martha. “My hands are a little scraped that’s all. Nothing compared to Ella and he said she’s fine.”

“Scrapes? Let me see, young lady,” he said to Ella. “And you,” he pointed to Martha, “just wait right there, I’ll get you next. From the look of it, you’re both all right, but Nathan is going to take a while and he seems to be more concerned with you two than himself, so just sit right down.”

Doc Smith checked both Ella and Martha. “Sarah did a good job cleaning these cuts on your knees. I think both you and Martha are fine. It’s a lucky thing too. It sounds like it was a bad situation. I’ve seen accidents like that kill people. Now Nathan, let’s get a look at you and get that arm in a cast. Martha get in that second bag there and take out all the linen strips, then put two quarts of warm water into a basin and put the contents of the sack in the water. Mix it up good so there’s no lumps, then put the linen strips in to soak.”

Martha took the paper bag full of a white power and stirred it into the water.

“Ella, you might want to go wait for me in the bedroom,” said Nathan. “Martha can help Doc if he needs it.”

“No. I want to stay with you,” she insisted.

“What I really need is another man. Are all your men gone?”

“No. Honey,” he said to Ella, “why don’t you go see if Seth can come up here to help the doc.”

Ella kissed him on the cheek and left to find Seth.

Doc worked quickly to get Nathan’s arm unwrapped and Nathan out of his shirt while Ella was gone. Resetting the arm was not a pretty thing to watch, especially if you’re pregnant and it’s someone you love.

“Martha, I need one of Nathan’s socks. Cut the toe off and about an inch and a half below the top cut out a hole big enough for his thumb to go through.”

“This ain’t my first rodeo, Doc. Be right back,” she said as she left.

After Martha left Doc told Nathan, “This is probably going to hurt like hell. You got any whiskey around here?”

“There’s a bottle in the pantry. Top shelf.”

Doc got the whiskey and handed it to Nathan. “Take a couple big swigs.”

Nathan took three gulps and felt the burn all the way down with each one.

“Now. Your arm is misaligned, whether from the tree limbs or waiting so long to come to me, I don’t know. I’m going to have to align it properly. It’s going to amount to re-breaking it. I want you to bite down on this piece of rawhide. I’m going to do it now before the women come back. Hold on.”

Doc took his arm, pulled and pushed until the bones were in the right place. About that time Martha returned with the sock. He put it on Nathan’s arm then wrung out the first of the linen strips and wrapped it around the arm.

Ella came back with Seth in tow.

“Sorry, Seth. Looks like I won’t need you after all.”

“That’s okay, Doc. Glad I was here in case ya did.”

Doc continued wrapping until all the linen had been used and then took the last of the plaster and patted it on Nathan’s wrist.

“It’s going to take this about six hours to dry. Do you have anything to make a sling out of?”

“Sure. That shirt.” He pointed at his mangled shirt lying in a heap on the floor. “It’s already torn up.”

“Fine. Wear the sling for the next six weeks then come see me. Now I know you won’t wear it all the time, but do it as often as you can. If you notice swelling, your fingers turning blue, anything like that, you come to see me. We’ll redo the cast and give it some more room. Take some laudanum in water as you need it, most especially at night before bed.
Don’t use that arm.
Hear me?”

“How am I supposed to work?”

Ella got a fresh basin of water and set it on the table in front of the doctor with a washcloth and a towel.

Doc cleaned up in the water. Soon it was white with plaster, but the doc’s hands were clean. “I suggest you hire another man if you need to or divide your work up between the men you have. Confine yourself to paperwork. If you’re like most ranchers I know you’ve got plenty of it to keep you busy for a while.”

“We’ll make sure he takes it easy,” said Ella. She stood behind Nathan, her hand resting on his shoulder.