Cowboys and Highlanders (40 page)

“I see you’re opposed to marriage.” TJ’s eyebrow rose.

“I didn’t say that.” Allison wished she had kept her mouth shut. This wasn’t a topic she wanted to discuss. “I’m sure marriage is a fine institution. I’m not sure if I want to be institutionalized.” She got down from the stepstool with a tarnished silver bowl.

TJ laughed. “I see there’s more to you than I thought.”

“Not much more.” Any secrets she carried would stay hidden. Avoiding his probing glances, she took the coffee from the stove.

“Has Miss Allison been soured on love?”

After she topped off his coffee, he took a sip.

“How about you? It’s been more than a year. Are you going to look for love again?” She regretted the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. She sounded too eager for his reply. She told herself she wasn’t asking because of her own interests, only curious about TJ. Still a young man, TJ’s choice to be alone made Allison sorry for him. The expression on her face must have revealed her thoughts. The smile that had played across his features only a moment before changed into a pinched grimace.

“I’m staying faithful to my wife.”

“What about Sandy?”

TJ stood abruptly, scraping his chair along the floor. “Janelle and I have two children. I’m here and she’s in heaven. We’re still raising them together. Beyond that, it isn’t any of your business. Sandy is strictly professional. She attends to a man’s needs. And that has nothing to do with love.”

Sissy walked into the room rubbing her eyes. “Papa,” she said. “Are you hungry?”

“Yep, but Allison’s taken care of breakfast for us this morning. She’s made sweet bread.” He kissed her forehead before pulling out a chair for her. “I think it’s a good idea for Allison to make breakfast now that she’s staying with us.”

Allison tried to look busy, filling a bowl in the sink with water. She tossed more wood into the stove and filled a glass with milk for Sissy. “I hear Michael,” she said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” TJ thanked her with his eyes. She felt a jolt at the intimate exchange. It wasn’t smart for her to develop a personal attachment to TJ or his children. However, in one day, she knew she didn’t want to leave. Maybe she wouldn’t have to if TJ truly never wanted another wife. As long as Sandy did her job, she could keep hers. The thought comforted…and ripped at her heart.

* * * * *

The hours passed in a blur. Allison would finish one task to discover still more work to do. She had daily chores; laundry, dishes, and care of the children. Cleaning from room to room, her arms tired from lugging the heavy bucket around the house. By the end of the day, her back hunched from the strain. She was actually grateful TJ planned to bathe the kids. She didn’t have an ounce of strength left in her to lift the children into the tub.

TJ returned after supper. He ushered the children up the stairs for a bath while she stayed in the kitchen cleaning the dishes. She could hear Sissy laughing and TJ’s scolding. Allison couldn’t resist sneaking up the stairs to see about the commotion.

Tiptoeing down the hall, she stopped and listened at the door. Sissy chattered endlessly.

“Hold still,” TJ said to Michael. “You’ll get soap in your eyes. Sissy, would you stop making him splash.”

Allison peeked into the room. TJ leaned over the tub pouring water over Michael’s head to rinse the soap. TJ’s soaked shirt clung to his back, revealing every muscle. Dizziness clouded her mind. Her hands tightened into fists at her side.

Why couldn’t TJ have been an old rancher? She didn’t like the way her tongue anticipated the taste of his. Living at the Dusty Rose, she’d learned plenty. She’d never been with a man. Yet, she knew she wanted TJ.

Stepping out of view, she closed her eyes and listened to the gentle tone he used with the children. She pressed her thighs together wishing away the persistent ache between her legs.

“Your turn, Sis.” Water sloshed. Allison hurried back down the stairs to the kitchen.

Later that night, TJ sat before the fire reading a story. Sissy and Michael snuggled against him, one on each side.

“If you don’t have anything else for me to do, I thought I’d take a bath and go to bed.” Allison chewed her bottom lip. Those words brought forth carnal thoughts. TJ just smiled, nodded, and then went back to reading.

Allison hurried up the stairs and into the bathroom. She stood before the tub and let her dress slip from her shoulders, dropping to her feet in a crumpled pile. Steam rose from the hot water in the large claw footed tub. Perhaps Allison should have asked, but the temptation was too great. She took a small amount of perfumed oil she’d found while cleaning and poured it into the water.

She felt deliciously naughty as she sank into the water up to her neck. Her muscles turned to butter as the hot water worked like magic and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

A light tapping at the door brought her out of her reverie. “Yes?” She sat up in the darkened bathroom. Water sloshed onto the floor. Her skin wrinkled, and the water had grown cold. How long had she been in the bath? The sun had set and a chill drifted through the room.

“I was beginning to worry.” TJ’s voice echoed from the hallway. “It’s late and you’ve been in there a long time. Do you need help?”

“No,” she said, embarrassed. “I fell asleep. Now it’s dark and I can’t see a thing.”

“I’ll get you a lantern.” His footsteps retreated.

Her hands fumbled along the floor looking for a towel.

“Allison, I’ve got a lantern. Do you want me to leave it in the hallway?”

Allison didn’t say anything. Her mind raced to find a solution to her dilemma. The distance between her and the light under the door was too far for her to navigate in the dark. TJ asked her again.

“I still can’t see.”

“Do you want me to open the door?”

“No!” she shrieked. “I’m still in the tub.”

TJ laughed. “You can’t stay in there until sunup. I’m going to open the door and bring you the lantern.”

She slumped deeper into the cold water. Her teeth began to chatter. “Promise not to look.”

The door slowly opened. Soft yellow light spilled into the room. Mirrors on the walls reflected the glow.

“Hurry,” she pleaded to him. “I’m humiliated enough.” Allison snapped her eyes closed, pulled her legs tight to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees.

TJ chuckled as he set the lantern on the counter. “I’ll see you downstairs.” The door softly closed.

Allison scrambled from the cold water, quickly dried and rushed to her room. She dressed in a warm, full-length flannel nightgown and pulled on heavy wool socks before making her way to the kitchen.

TJ stood from the table when she entered the room. “Coffee?” He didn’t wait for her reply. After pouring her a cup, he set it on the table.

Allison took a sip. “Thank you. I’m so embarrassed.” She hung her head and looked into the dark brew swirling in her cup.

“It’s not your fault. You’ve been working too hard. Sleep was bound to catch up with you.” TJ set a plate of cookies Allison had made on the table, and then sat across from her. “You surprise me by how quickly you adapt to your surroundings. The children have taken to you, and I guess I didn’t realize how I had neglected the house.”

“Important thing is that you haven’t neglected the children. They’re wonderful.”

“Thanks.” A light blush tinted his sun-bronzed flesh. “I was attempting to give you the compliment. I admit, I’m impressed with the way you’ve taken on the house chores.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking a cookie from the plate. She couldn’t have stopped the smile spreading across her face even if she’d wanted to. “I confess. I don’t have much domestic experience. It’s been the most rewarding work I’ve ever done.” She shrugged her shoulders. “That probably doesn’t say much considering my work history.”

TJ laughed as he leaned back in his chair. “I’m glad to hear you like my employment better than Sandy’s.” He scooted his chair back from the table and stretched his arms over his head. His muscles strained against the fabric of his shirt. The same shirt she’d seen pasted to his body as he bathed the children. “Get some sleep,” he said, standing. “And tomorrow take it easy. You don’t have to fix my life overnight, Miss Allison.” He stepped away from the table, gave her a wink, and left the room.

Chapter Six

Life on the ranch, Allison soon discovered, became easier once she settled into a routine. Laundry in the morning, baking in the evenings as not to get the kitchen unbearable hot, and the everyday chores around the house left few spare moments for her to wish for the niceties of Boston and city life.

Today Sissy promised to help her plant a vegetable garden. There was a large patch of soil not far from the house. Allison reasoned that must have been its purpose at one time.

“Get your shoes, Sissy. We’re going for a walk.” Allison put Michael’s shoes on and then helped him from the chair. “If we’re going to put in a garden we need to find someone who knows how to help us. I think I know just the person.”

“Papa knows how to plant a garden. He knows how to do everything,” she said proudly.

“I’m sure he does, but I think he has more important things to do.” She had a child by each hand as they walked out the door. “Go slow so Michael can keep up.”

The breeze from the south blew warm on their faces. The sun’s first rays were starting to reach over the evergreen covered mountains. Not a cloud in the sky detracted from the ice blue color overhead. Allison inhaled deeply. Even the air smelled clean.

Dust rose around her ankles as she crossed the distance to the shack. Halfway there she had to carry Michael. His little legs couldn’t keep up the pace. Sissy skipped along, stopping every time a rock worth kicking lay in her path.

They were at the door of the shack, and Allison had already begun to work up a sweat. She bent to put Michael down. When his feet touched the ground, he held his arms out to be picked up again. “Up, Mama.”

Allison froze. Her chest seemed to squeeze the air from her lungs as her hand covered her mouth. “What did you say?” She leaned in closer as if that would help her discern what he was saying.

Tears welled in his eyes.

“He wants you to carry him,” Sissy repeated.

“I understand that. I want him to repeat what he said. I want to make sure I understood correctly. Sissy, did you hear what he said?”

“Yep, he called you mama.”

She put her palm to her forehead. “Oh dear, that’s what I thought.” She leaned down to Michael and wrapped her arms around him. He clung to her neck as she lifted him. How do I make him understand?

Sissy supplied the answer. “You could be his mama if you wanted. He was only a baby when my mama died.” Sissy pulled opened the door and ran into the shack leaving Allison to follow.

Allison wasn’t surprised Sissy felt at home in the shack. She should after all the time she spent there while her father ran the ranch. It seemed everyone enjoyed playing a hand in raising the Bester children.

Cake, the cook, handed Sissy sweet things to eat. Michael had enough of being held and now wanted to be with his sister. “Would you like Cake to feed you, too?” She put Michael down. She smiled as he went to Cake. “You won’t spoil their lunch. They’ve already eaten.”

“Hello, Miss Allison.” Train approached, tipping his cowboy hat.

Allison smiled. Train had proved to be a good friend. He knew her awkward arrangement leading to employment at the ranch. So far, he’d kept the entire situation quiet. She was grateful for his discretion. The last thing she needed was for one of the men at the ranch to think she had interest in her previous business. In town, she knew most people thought she was a whore. Who could blame them? She worked in a brothel.

“I want to plant a garden. There’s a marked patch of ground behind the house. I assume Mrs. Bester planted one there previously. I don’t know much about gardening. I don’t even know where to start.”

Train bent and Sissy jumped onto his back. “Watch the hat,” he said. Sissy wrapped her legs around Train’s waist and her arm around his neck. Then she took his hat and put it on.

“Mama.” Michael pulled at Allison’s dress and lifted his arms.

Train and Allison stared at each other. The moment grew heavy. “I didn’t encourage this,” she finally said.

“If I were you, I think I’d do plenty to stop it.”

She nodded and they left the shack.

* * * * *

Train worked up a sweat in the garden. Michael played in the dirt while Sissy played house with her doll, bored with digging in the dirt.

“Something on your mind?” he asked before he took a drink of water from his canteen.

Allison smiled and took the outstretched canteen from him. “Lost in thought, I guess. I like it here.” She leaned against her shovel and scrutinized Train. “My family insisted a person be called by their full name. I feel a little silly calling you Train. Would you be uncomfortable if I call you by your given name?”

“I’d answer to any name you wanted. My mother saw fit to call me Joseph.”

“Thank you, Joseph. You’re the only person I’ve gotten to know here at the ranch besides TJ. He’s always busy and doesn’t much care for socializing. I hardly see him during the day and when he gets home, he spends time with the children. I leave them alone and stay in my room.” Her shoulders relaxed. “I probably sound like I’m whining.”

“Maybe you need to have a little fun, laugh, and forget you’re living on a ranch without much female company.”

“You’re most certainly right. One may not know it, but life in a brothel is quite fun. Perhaps not during working hours, but at other times.”

“Nothing against the ladies you used to associate with at the Dusty Rose, but that kind of working girl never held much appeal for me.” He avoided looking at Allison.

“It didn’t hold much appeal for me, either. I suppose that’s why I’m so grateful to TJ.” Allison continued to work the hard soil alongside Train. The scorching sun rose high above them. Wearing a long skirt, she was hot. Sweat dripped between her breasts. Hair clung to the nape of her neck.

“You worried?” Train asked while making rows for the seeds.

Allison stopped working and wiped sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her dress. “No, I think with your help I’ll get the garden done. Thank you again. I never dreamed it was going to be this hard. The ground is like rock.”

Train chuckled. “I was referring to your being in the house alone tonight. TJ asked me to keep an eye on the place while he’s gone to town. Usually I go with him, but this time I think he had some personal business to take care of.”

Allison’s heart skipped a beat.
Personal business
, she heard TJ use that phrase before. Never would she forget the day he saw Sandy, the day her life changed by coming to the ranch. Hot tears filled her eyes. She had to blink several times. “I see. He didn’t tell me he wouldn’t be home tonight.”

“TJ’s forgetful about checking in when he’s busy. It must have slipped his mind. Should make you happy to know he trusts you with the youngins.”

Allison still hadn’t resumed working the soil. “I am and no, I’m not nervous about being alone.” She stumbled over the words. Her now queasy stomach rolled. The impact of Train’s words echoed in her mind. She had no right to be upset that TJ went to the Dusty Rose, to Sandy. Yet, it hurt to hear. “TJ doesn’t owe me an explanation for his whereabouts, but the children would’ve wondered why he wasn’t home to put them to bed. I’m usually done with my responsibilities after supper.” She tilted her head and smiled at Train. “Since he won’t be home for supper, how would you like to join me and the children?”

He smiled and tipped his hat. “Don’t mind if I do.”

* * * * *

Allison’s head pounded as she prepared supper for Train. Although he was attractive, kind, and a gentleman, she couldn’t help noticing that the terribly worrisome butterflies she had every time TJ entered the room were absent.

“Need some help?” he asked with his hat in his hands.

Allison dropped the spoon she held.

Train wasn’t wearing his customary jeans and loose fitting shirt. Instead, he was dressed in form-fitting, black trousers and a white button-down cowboy shirt. Still slightly damp from a recent bath, his hair combed in a wave away from his face.

His gaze took a long stroll up her body, and when their eyes met, she liked the way his sparkled with appreciation. The light summer skirt she wore fluttered about her legs and her blouse fit loose.

“Good evening, Joseph. Supper is ready.” She nodded toward the table. “Please, sit down.”

Sissy and Michael already sat in their chairs.

Train pulled out a chair and was about to sit when Sissy spoke. “That’s my papa’s chair. You can sit over there.” She pointed to the chair across from Allison’s usual place.

Train obliged without complaint. “I can’t remember the last time I had the pleasure of dining with two lovely, young ladies.”

Sissy giggled and Allison set the last of the meal on the table. “I should have been forthright about my cooking skills. I’m getting better. I made my specialty, cornbread and beef stew.”

“It smells delicious.”

Allison smiled and relaxed. “I hope you like it.”

Train thrilled knowing Allison tried to impress him with supper. Guess he’d hidden his feelings better than he thought he had. Seemed like he’d never get the chance to be with her. Food, planting a garden, hell she could ask him to do anything and he would. But since coming to the ranch, she mostly shut herself up in the house. He assumed she was trying to impress TJ. And he wasn’t the only one noticing. In fact, TJ seemed to be the only person ignoring her efforts. The men in the shack noticed. Cake noticed.
He
noticed.

“Looks good.”

“Let’s hope it tastes as good.” She smiled and joined them at the table.

As supper progressed, Michael made a mess. He had food in his hair, down his front and enjoyed dropping potatoes from the stew onto the floor with a plop. Sissy chattered with barely a break.

Train didn’t mind the craziness and countless questions. He liked Allison. Seeing her with the children, fixing supper, and smiling just for him stirred unfamiliar yearnings. She made him think of settling down, of what it would be like to have a family of his own. This would be nice to come home to every night.

“The best cornbread I’ve had,” he said, helping himself to another piece. He smeared fresh churned butter over the top.

“Cake has been helping.”

“That’s good. But you’ve got a lot to do in the house. Let Cake take some of the load. Butter, bread, reckon just about anything you’d need in the kitchen he’s got plenty.”

“I feel like I need to prove my worth to TJ.”

She already had. Train knew TJ. He held to the past, living on the bitterness of regret because Janelle died. In his twisted head, TJ didn’t think he could praise Allison without betraying his memories.

“You have.” He tilted his head indicating Michael. Beef stew dripped from his chin, corn bread smashed in his fists, and his eyes drooped. “He’s almost asleep. I’ll take him to bed.”

Allison used a cloth to wipe his chin and hands. Then she kissed his cheek. “Night, Tiger.”

Train lifted the child. Michael buried his face in Train’s neck.

Train carried Michael to his room, but his thoughts remained with Allison. She’d make a good wife and mother. She had patience with the children, doting on them. She’d give the same attention to her husband. The thought brought a smile to his lips.

“I made coffee,” she said when he returned. “Thanks for helping me with the children tonight. TJ tries to be home before they get too tired. It gives me a rest. I guess I’ve grown used to the routine, because tonight I’m worn out.” Reaching behind, she kneaded the back of her neck.

Train led her to a kitchen chair and sat her down. “I’ll get the coffee.” After he set a cup in front of her, he moved to stand behind her chair. Hesitantly at first, he worked the tired muscles of her neck. She let her head fall forward.

Streams of perspiration trickled down his back, but not because of the heat in the kitchen. In fact, Allison’s creamy skin felt cool to the touch. His hands stilled as he focused on the pulse beating beneath her ear. Her scent drifted to his nose. His heart pounded. Sexual desire pumped through his veins straight into his groin. A tickle of apprehension crawled up his spine. Allison once worked in a brothel. She was still a lady. He had no business thinking of her as anything else.

Wondering why he stopped, Allison turned and looked into his face. Her breath caught in her throat. His intense stare shifted from her eyes to her mouth. “Thank you.”

He reached up and gently touched a tendril of her hair. “I knew your hair would be soft.”

Heat rushed into her cheeks. “I think it’s been a long day for both of us. Perhaps the sun has made you a little intoxicated,” she said with a lighthearted laugh.

“Foolish might be a better word. Don’t know what I was thinking, but I apologize.”

Allison rested a hand on his arm. “You have been a perfect gentleman. I’ve enjoyed your company.”

Train sat next to her and sipped his coffee. “Would you like to go for a walk tomorrow evening?”

Allison smiled and inclined her head. “Do you think TJ will be back by then?”

Train nodded.