Lorraine Heath (22 page)

He forcibly cleared his throat and Jake turned to him.

“Having trouble with the supplies?”

“No, sir. You just forgot to introduce me earlier.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Jake made the introductions.

Frank removed his hat, tilting his head towards Arlene. “Ma’am. That’s a right pretty name you got. Goes with your face.”

Arlene blushed and lowered her eyes.

Jake nudged Frank. “Finish up with the supplies.”

Frank donned his hat, running his finger slowly along the brim. “Glad to have you folks here with us. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you get settled.”

He ambled back to the wagon, rarely taking his eyes off Arlene as he hauled in the last of the supplies. She was a pretty thing. Ruth Reading was going to get a taste of jealousy before Frank was finished.

After making a final notation in the ledger, Rebecca set the pencil down and closed the book. Her eyes tenderly lit upon her husband and son as they lay before the hearth. Jacob was intently studying the large hand with wiggling fingers that was moving towards him. His smile broadened and his feet began kicking vigorously as the fingers moved closer until they landed on his tummy and tickled him. His father’s smile was just as broad as he moved down to replace his wandering fingers with his lips. He blew air against his son’s soft stomach, and Jacob gave his first burst of laughter. Jake’s head snapped around to find Rebecca.

“Did you hear that?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, chuckling as she moved to join them on the floor. “You sure are good with him.”

“He’s so good-natured. He’s a real joy to have around.”

Rebecca moved in closer to Jake, slipping under his arm and batting her eyelashes at him.

“Tell me, Jake, does my name go with my face?”

Jake blew out a gust of air. “Where the hell did that boy pick up that kind of talk?”

She laughed. “I don’t know. I hope that girl doesn’t get hurt.”

“I don’t think Frank would hurt her.” “Not intentionally maybe. But he’s so fixated on Ruth it worries me sometimes.”

Jake kissed the top of her head.

“I noticed you sent three extra men out tonight. That leaves five empty bunks in the bunkhouse,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “If I were to take a look inside, I wouldn’t find four O’Hennessy sons and one father filling those bunks, would I?”

“You would. Hell, Reb, the women have been sleeping in the wagon and the men on the ground since they got off the boat. It won’t hurt for us to have extra men out at night.”

“Just as long as I don’t find you giving up your bed.”

“Never,” he said as his wiggling fingers moved towards her, bringing tickles and laughter to his wife.

The sun filtered into the room and Rebecca squinted her eyes before turning her head to look up into Jake’s smiling face.

“What are you grinning about, Jake Burnett?”

Reaching over, he dropped a hand down on her bottom. “Get up and get dressed to ride.” He slid out of bed. “Wear pants.”

She arched a brow. “And what, pray tell, am I to do with our son?”

“We’ll take him with us if we have to. Just get ready.”

She had just buttoned her shirt when she heard the door open and Jake announce they had company. She slipped on her boots and came around the quilt, greeted by two smiles.

“Good morning to ya,” Maura said.

“Good morning. What can we do for you?”

Maura looked questioningly up at Jake, whose smile broadened.

“She’s come to look after the house and Jacob. She’s going to help out every morning for a few hours.”

Rebecca put her hands on her hips, shaking her head. “And just what am I supposed—” She shrieked and threw herself into Jake’s arms. “It wasn’t the blacksmith you wanted!” She laughed.

“Shh, woman, there’s a man’s pride at stake,” Jake whispered. He plopped her hat on her head before taking her hand in his and leading her out to the horses. She mounted Shadow. With a challenge set in her eyes, she laughed and galloped away with Jake in hot pursuit.

The wind blew in her face, the smell of cattle assaulted her nostrils, the sun warmed her, and she rode as though it were the last time she would ever be allowed to do so. She had missed riding, the feel of a horse beneath her. She pulled her horse up short at the crest of the small hill where Jake had hung the swing. He pulled up beside her. She smiled, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath.

“Thank you, Jake.”

Reaching over, he ran his fingers down her cheek. “You weren’t meant to mind a house, Reb.” His gaze swept the far-reaching horizons. “This is where you belong. Out in the open where you can run free.”

He dismounted. Slipping his hand around hers, entwining their fingers, he escorted her along the hill to a spot where the bluebonnets grew thick and abundant. He lay her down among them, his mouth descending on hers with a deliberate purpose, his tongue sweeping her welcoming warmth. He worked his fingers down beneath the waistband of her pants until he found the haven he sought, gently caressing as her hips pressed up against him. She unbuttoned his shirt, gliding her hands along his flesh.

Pulling himself free of her hold, he pushed himself to his knees and reached down to release the buttons on her pants. She lifted her hips, while he pushed the pants down her thighs, past her knees, then unbuttoned his own pants, entering her as his lips returned to hers. His thrusts were hard, deep, her fervor equaling his until their passion built beyond its limits.

Lying among the cool grasses and flowers, Rebecca opened her eyes. She laughed, earning a darkened scowl from Jake.

“You didn’t even bother to take off your hat,” she chided.

“I didn’t bother to take anything off,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

“Your arms are trembling.” She pulled against them. “Lay on me.”

“I’m too heavy for you,” he said as he rolled over and adjusted her clothes to make her presentable before doing the same for himself. Lying on his back, he brought her to his side.

“You are the politest man I know, Jake Burnett.” “Had politeness beat into me.” “I suspected as much.”

He opened his eyes, searching hers. His hand cupped her chin. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It was a long time ago.”

“Which means it was when you were a boy. When I think—”

He pulled her face closer to his. “Don’t think. Don’t think about it.” He brought her lips down to his, kissing
her tenderly, smiling to himself as he yanked her hat off and tossed it aside.

“Morning!”

Jake looked down at the towheaded boy, his smile filling his face. The sun had almost passed the horizon, filling the sky with pinks and lavenders, and the promise of a beautiful day.

“You’re up early,” Jake said.

“Cowboys get up early,” Sean explained, his face taking on a seriousness that belied his youth. “You riding out?”

“Yep. Gotta check on my herd.”

The boy looked down at the ground, burying his toes in the dirt, shot a look up at Jake as though about to ask a question, thought better of it, and went back to covering his feet with dust.

“Want to come with me?”

The boy bobbed his head up and down so fast that his hair was up when his head was down. “Go ask your mother.”

Sean tore off towards the wagon, coming back wearing a bright smile. Jake leaned down from his horse, and brought the boy up with one arm.

“Where’s your shoes?” he asked.

“They got too small.”

“You don’t think your feet got too big?”

“That, too,” Sean said as he leaned forward in anticipation.

Jake placed his hat on top of the boy’s head.

“A real cowboy wears a hat,” he said as he put his arm protectively around the child and sent the horse into a slow gait.

Rebecca’s nose twitched as it touched something soft, and a familiar fragrance surrounded her. Opening her eyes, she smiled, reaching out to touch the bluebonnets resting beside her pillow. She wondered when Jake had gone to gather them. Looking out the window, she saw him riding out, his arms protectively circling a small rider. Rolling
back over, she buried her face in the bluebonnets. She had come to care deeply for Jake, at moments wondering if perhaps she did love him. But what she felt for him was so different from what she had felt for Brett.

Brett had filled her dreams, surrounded her with excitement. Across a room, she could feel his gaze touch her, warm her. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to banish all thoughts of Brett from her mind. He was like a ghost, haunting her mind, flitting in and out, always there, not always visible. She wanted to give her heart to Jake without reservations, but Brett somehow managed to keep a hold on a piece of it. She wondered what it would take to free herself of Brett so that she could truly love Jake.

She got up and dressed and moments later Maura knocked on the door.

Rebecca smiled her greeting. “Jacob should sleep for a while. I don’t think he’ll give you any trouble while I’m gone.”

Maura’s eyes widened “You’re wearing a gun! You dinna wear one yesterday.”

Rebecca glanced down at her attire, her pants, her cotton shirt, and her Colt hanging low on her hip.

“Yesterday I knew I’d be by Jake’s side. Today, I’ll be out working, riding the range, looking for strays. I have to be able to protect myself.”

“You mean Jake wants me in the house so you can go be a cowboy?”

Rebecca laughed. “Something like that.”

“And it’s what you want to do?”

“Yes, it is. And Jake knew it more than I did.”

Picking her hat up off the table, she called, “I’ll be back before lunch.”

Smiling, Jake watched as his wife drew even with him. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Jake! I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy!”

Slipping a hand to the nape of her neck, he said softly, “It’s what I promised you when I married you.” Looking deeply into her eyes, he added, “I love you, Reb,” just before his mouth covered hers.

She felt an ache, unable to say the words she was certain he longed to hear.

Pulling back, she said, “I saw you riding off with Sean this morning.”

He removed his hands from her. “Yeah, I gave him a quick tour. Boy’s got no shoes. And his parents are too proud to let me buy him a pair. A boy shouldn’t be running around out here without shoes.”

She rubbed his cheek. “We’ll think of something.”

He grinned. “I had Frank run off some of the cattle. They headed south. Go round them up.”

Tilting her head back, she laughed. “You did no such thing.”

“No, but I thought about it.”

She left his side, and he watched as she chased after an errant calf. Her body barely moved as her knees hugged the horse. She leaned down, riding close to the stallion, her long braid laying still against her back. She cut in front of the calf, her horse pivoting on his hind legs. The calf tried to move around them, but with the barest shift in her weight, Rebecca directed the horse to block the calf’s progress. When she’d skillfully turned it back towards the herd, Rebecca lifted an arm to wave at Jake, her smile visible even from this distance. He felt a familiar tightening in his loins. How many times had he watched her ride across the Lazy A, experienced the same stirrings, and ridden away so she’d never know what his true feelings were? He didn’t have to ride away today. He could watch her graceful movements to his heart’s content.

After her morning working with Jake, Rebecca was eager to see the baby. She found him in the O’Hennessys’ wagon, Maura jiggling him on her lap.

“Hope you dinna mind me bringing the lad over here for a while.”

“Not at all,” Rebecca said as she dismounted. “He needs to be outside.”

Brian tipped his hat, trying to keep the disapproval off his face. The woman was not dressed the way a woman
was supposed to dress. He wondered why Jake had married her. Had to be her beauty.

As the adults talked, Sean spotted the large rock, glistening in the sun. Glistening like gold. What if it was gold? He’d be rich and he’d share it with his family. He left the wagon and walked towards it, studying it as he went. He reached down to pick it up, halting when he heard Jacob’s rattle. His breath stopped when he heard the scream, followed closely by the sound of an explosion. Something in front of him went flying. Then his mother was sobbing, pulling him close to her, taking him away from the gold, suffocating him in the process.

Brian looked at the gun being held firmly in Rebecca’s hand, not certain he had witnessed what he thought he had witnessed. One second the woman was standing relaxed, talking, and the next the gun was in her hand and she was aiming it at his son. Had he been younger, or not so heavyset, perhaps he could have stopped her. He thanked God that he had been neither.

Rebecca walked over and picked up what remained of the rattlesnake, then brought it to Sean.

Shaking its tail, she asked, “Do you hear that, Sean?”

His eyes widened. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Never move if you hear that sound.” She laid the battered snake down, cut off the tail, and handed it to the boy. “These are rattlers. You keep them as a reminder.”

Standing up, she faced Brian and Maura. “I know you’re proud people and don’t want charity, but Saturday when Jake goes into town for supplies, your children will be in the wagon with him and they’ll come back wearing boots. We have no saints here to drive the snakes away.”

Picking up her son, she headed back to the house.

Maura lightly touched her husband’s arm. “What do you think, Bri?”

“I’m a-thinkin’ Jake dinna marry her for her beauty.”

Frank approached the wagon where the two women were putting away the last of the dishes.

“Evening,” he said as he removed his hat, wondering at
his nervousness. He’d never felt this jumpy in his stomach when he’d approached Ruth.

Both women stopped working, Maura studying him intently and Arlene looking up at him through her lashes, trying to decide if it would be appropriate to smile at him.

“I was wondering, Miss Arlene, if you’d be interested in taking a walk with me.”

Arlene looked to her mother for her approval and was disappointed to see she wasn’t going to receive it.