Married In Montana (At The Altar Book 1) (5 page)

"All right."  She knew he was right, even though she was in no hurry to learn.  "I guess you're going back to work tomorrow?" At his nod, she shrugged.  "Today it is then."

*****

That evening Savannah looked up the online drivers' education information for Montana.  Scott said he'd take her to get her learner's permit the following day.  Once she had that, she would be able to get her license quickly.  They'd put in several hours driving around the property, and she felt that she had a good understanding of how to do it.  Now all she really needed was some practice.

She spent a few minutes reading over the information provided before she wandered out of his office to find him.  He was sitting on the porch.  She joined him on the swing, immediately sitting close to him.

His arm went around her and he held her close.  He wanted to beg her to reconsider waiting a week, but he'd agreed to her nonsense, so he felt like it was half his fault anyway.  Constant sexual frustration was making him grumpy, though. 

"Tell me something I don't know about you," she said as she watched the sunset behind the mountains.

He smiled and thought about it.  "I played football in college."

"Really?  What position?"

"Quarterback," he responded.  "I thought for a short time I wanted to make a career of it, but I realized I didn't have enough desire.  I wanted to help my dad raise bison even more."  His hand stroked up and down her arm as they talked.  He figured the more he touched her, the faster she'd get used to his touch and be willing to allow more intimacies between them.  "Tell me something I don't know about you."

"I love drama and singing.  I was in all of our school plays, which is odd, because at heart, I'm an introvert.  For some reason, though, I like to be on stage."

"Really?  Do you sing well?"

She shrugged.  "Not well enough to be a professional, but well enough to play the lead in a school play in high school."

"What parts have you played?"

"I was Maria in
West Side Story,
Liesl in
Sound of Music
, and Marion in The
Music Man
.  I had some smaller parts too, but those are the ones most people would recognize."

"So you could just break into 'I Feel Pretty' at any moment with no provocation?"

"I could and probably will before too terribly long.  I spend a lot of time singing old show tunes.  It makes me happy."  She shrugged, wondering if he'd think less of her for admitting it.

"What's your favorite musical then?"

"
Wicked
," she responded without any hesitation.  "I saw it on Broadway at least once a year from the time I was fifteen.  I saved all my babysitting money and took my mom, because a friend told me I'd love it.  Then we did it every year for her birthday."

"Really?  I've never seen
Wicked
."

"If I'd known that yesterday, I would have forced you to miss the plane, just so we could see
Wicked
before leaving.  I'm sure we could find a play of it around somewhere, but you need to see it on Broadway."  For a moment, she got a far-away look, knowing she'd miss being able to see a Broadway show whenever she felt like it.

"I'm sure we'll visit occasionally.  We'll see
Wicked
."  He could tell she was going to miss her home, but there was no way he could leave the ranch.  "I thought we'd drive into Billings around lunch time tomorrow.  We'll get your learner's permit then."

"Just don't ask me to drive home.  I'd rather get some practice on the country roads first."

Scott kissed her softly.  "I won't.  But I might pull over once we get out of town and make you drive from there.  We need to get your license as soon as possible so you can interview for jobs."

"I know.  It just seems so strange to just be learning to drive at my age.  How many twenty-eight year old women will be there with their husbands who are teaching them to drive?"

"Does it really matter?  No one will notice you." 

"I hope not.  Wouldn't it be fun, if while I was getting my permit, a future student was getting his license?  That would be something they'd remember forever." She rolled her eyes, thinking about how truly awful that would be.

He grinned.  "Do you always make up strange scenarios in your head when you're planning to do new things?"

She nodded.  "Doesn't everyone?  I play the 'What's the worst thing that could happen?' game before I do anything.  It makes me feel better."

"That would make me feel worse, but whatever works for you!"  It was all he could do to keep from kissing her, but he didn't want to start that again until he knew he could finish it.  "So tell me about your most recent relationship."

Savannah shrugged.  "I don't think I've ever had what you could call a relationship.  I've been out with several different men once or twice, but never more than that."

"Really?"  He frowned.  He hadn't expected that.  Did that mean she was completely inexperienced sexually?

She turned fully to him on the swing.  "I can see the question in your eyes, so I'll answer it for you.  Yes, I'm a virgin.  I've done more with you on this swing than I've ever done with another man."

He ran his fingers through his hair.  He wasn't upset by her answer exactly, but he really hadn't expected it.  He'd only been with a couple of women, but a couple was very different than none.  "I didn't expect that," he told her, not sure what else to say.

"Does it bother you?"

He shook his head.  "No, it doesn't bother me.  I mean, I like the idea of being the first, but it makes it a bit more nerve-wracking than it would have been otherwise.  You know?"

"It really worries you?"

"It makes me worry I'll do something that will make you hate sex, or worse, be afraid of it.  It puts some pressure on me."

She hadn't thought of it that way.  "Well, I just always believed I should wait 'til I married.  I guess now that I'm married, I could head to a bar and find someone to take care of it for me."  Her eyes were filled with laughter, letting him know she wasn't serious at all. 

He pulled her close to him, kissing her hard.  "You changed my mind.  I like the idea of being the only man you ever make love with."

"Good, because that's what I want.  One man in my bed every night for the rest of my life."

"I'll be happy to be that man."  He kissed her again, more sweetly this time, his hands roaming over her back.  "Wanna start that tonight?"

She laughed softly.  "I should have known you had an angle..."

"I always have an angle."  He rained kisses over her face, moving down to nip her ear.  "Let me show you all my angles."

She shook her head.  "Not yet.  I'm sorry."  She hated turning him down, but he was still a man she'd only known for two days.  How could she crawl into bed with him?

He sighed, resting his cheek atop her head.  "I understand."  Mostly.

Chapter Four

True to his word, once they were out of Billings the following day, Scott pulled over to the side of the road so Savannah could drive. 

"What if I kill us?" she asked.

"Don't," he answered as he jogged around the truck.  "You don't want to die a virgin, do you?"

She giggled.  After his strong reaction to her virginity the night before, she was surprised he would make jokes about it today.  "Maybe we should spend some time in the backseat before I drive?"

He groaned.  "If I could fold my body up enough to do what I wanted to do to you in the backseat, I'd have you there by now."  At six foot four, he was not going to be participating in sexual yoga in the backseat of a vehicle anytime soon. 

She leaned over to kiss him before she restarted the truck, carefully going through the whole checklist of things he'd talked to her about the day before.  She put the truck into drive and took off with a jerk. 

"Pick up your speed a little," he instructed.  "If you drive forty-five on a highway, some idiot is likely to rear end you without looking."

She pressed her foot onto the accelerator and watched the speedometer as it picked up to sixty-five.  "Is that better?"

He nodded.  "Just watch the road now."

Savannah did her best to keep her eyes on the road as she turned whenever he told her to turn.  She was surprised by how comfortable she felt behind the wheel after only a few hours the day before.  And she liked
speed
.  The faster she drove the more powerful she felt.

Scott watched her as she drove, admiring her beauty.  He found it hard to believe she was his wife.  She seemed to have it together, well mostly anyway. 

When she pulled into the driveway, her eyes were lit up and she had a smile on her face.  She parked the car and turned to him.  "That was fun!  I like to drive fast!"

He laughed.  "Just not too fast!  We don't need speeding tickets."

"I'll try, but no promises."  She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid across the seat to him, pulling his head down for a quick, sweet kiss.  "Thank you for being so patient with me."

He growled low in his throat and took over the kiss, his tongue plunging into her mouth.  He knew she was talking about driving, but he wasn't feeling particularly patient in other ways.  How would she react if he dragged her up to his bed?

Savannah clung to his shoulders, returning his kiss.  At that moment, she could think of no reason to keep making him wait.  Just the fact that they'd spent two nights under the same roof without him trying to push her into sex made her feel like she could trust him implicitly.  "Let's go upstairs," she whispered against his lips, her face flame red.

He pulled back looking deep into her eyes.  "Are you sure?"  He didn't want her to do anything she didn't want to do, but there was nothing in the world he wanted more at that moment.

She nodded, her tongue flicking out to lick her bottom lip.

He kissed her quickly again before turning to wrench his door open.  He needed to get her upstairs before she changed her mind!

He hurried around the truck, opening her door, and grabbing her hand.  He made it almost to the front door when he heard a male voice call, "Hey, boss!"

He closed his eyes for a minute as he prayed the voice was a figment of his imagination, but he heard the call again.  He turned, almost snarling.  "What?"

His foreman, Jerry, took a step back.  "Sorry to bother you, but it looks like part of the herd got out of the north fence.  We're about to ride out after them."

Scott took a couple of deep breaths, forcing his raging hormones under control.  "I'll get my horse."

"Already saddled for you."  Jerry nodded his head at the fence to indicate the horse tied there.

Scott turned to Savannah.  "Wait right here.  Don't move!"

She laughed.  "Go take care of your bison.  I'll be home when you get here."  She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. 

Scott wanted to scream, but he half-ran toward his horse.  If the bison were on the move, he was needed.  Half the men would stay behind and fix the fence, while the other half rode after the missing bison.  He just hoped sitting on a saddle in his present condition wouldn't keep him from being able to father children in the future.

Savannah wandered into the house, frustrated but not nearly as bad as what she'd seen in his eyes.  She went into the kitchen and pulled out the crock pot, fixing some Swiss steak for supper.  It was strange to use bison meat for everything she cooked, but she agreed with him that the flavor was better.

She had no idea when he'd be home, so she decided she'd just make some instant rice to go with the steak, and she could microwave some broccoli when he got in.  She headed to his office to do some research on the teacher certification process in Montana.

*****

It was after five before they got the bison rounded up and back into the pasture.  Scott was ready to scream.  He was hungry, but he wasn't sure if he was more in need of food or his wife.

He found her in his office, engrossed in whatever she was reading on the computer.  He watched her for a minute, wanting to grab her and drag her upstairs with him, but he couldn't eat or make love smelling like he did.  A shower had to be the first order of business. 

"I'm going to shower," he finally said.  "How long before dinner is ready?"

Savannah looked up, a smile touching her lips.  "About fifteen minutes.  Get your shower, and by the time you're ready to eat, the food will be waiting." 

She bookmarked the page she'd found and hurried into the kitchen to finish supper. 

Scott was no less cranky when he sat down for his evening meal.  She poured him a glass of iced tea and herself a glass of water.  He fixed his plate without a word.

"Did you guys find the missing bison?" she asked, wondering if he was angry with her for some reason.  He seemed more than a little testy.

He nodded as he took his first bite of the steak, savoring the flavor before washing it down with a big gulp of tea.  "Yeah.  They're all back in the pasture and the fence is fixed."  He ran his hand along the back of his neck.  "You get much done?"

She nodded.  "I did some research on getting certified to teach in Montana, and I searched for jobs.  How far away is Beltman?"

He shrugged.  "Twenty minute drive or so."

"They're looking for a high school English teacher.  There's an online application, so I'm going to fill it out."

"Fine."  He took another bite of his meat. "It's not too far."

"Are you upset with me?" she asked, wondering why his answers were so short.

He shook his head.  "No, I'm just frustrated in general.  Frustrated that the stupid buffalo got out, and even more frustrated that just as I was about to make love to my bride, I had to run off."  He sighed.  "It's not you.  I promise." 

She reached across the table and took his hand in hers.  "There's always tonight."  She could relieve at least some of his frustration.

He looked into her eyes.  "I wasn't sure if that was a heat of the moment offer or not."

"Not.  I rarely do anything in the heat of the moment."  She smiled.  "I moved all my things into your room while you were out finding your bison, too.  Did I mention I did that?"

"Now I'm feeling a bit more optimistic about the future!" He grinned.

She laughed.  "Well, I'm a little nervous about the immediate future, but I'm sure I can handle it." 

He brought the hand he still held to his lips.  "You'll like it.  If not the first time, you'll like it the second."

They finished their meal, and she did the dishes quickly before joining him on the back porch.  She curled up beside him on the swing as she'd done the other nights since her arrival. 

His arm went around her automatically.  He found that since he knew it was going to happen that night, he wasn't in the huge hurry he was earlier.  He'd take it slowly, and they'd both enjoy it more.

"What did you find out about getting certified to teach in Montana?" he asked.

"It's not going to be a problem.  Under the Montana Teacher Reciprocity program, I can get a standard teaching certificate just by proving I have a bachelor's degree and an out-of-state teaching certificate.  Should be extremely easy.  I called the number on the website I found to set the ball in motion."

"Will you keep teaching after we have children?"

"I don't know.  I don't know anything about our financial situation or whether I'll need to.  I probably want to stay home with the children if it's at all possible."

"It's possible."  He didn't want to go into a lot of financial details just then, but bison was in high demand with few enough ranchers that it wouldn't be a problem.  "Do you want children right away?  Or do you want to wait a while?"

She shrugged.  "I thought I'd want to wait a while, but I've heard a couple of stories lately about women not being able to have children.  I think I want to start trying right away." She didn't think she could bear it if she had trouble conceiving, and she was already twenty-eight.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.  "That sounds good to me."  If he hadn't been sure about their marriage lasting, he'd want to wait, but neither of them were the type to run off just because something wasn't perfect. 

She stood up.  "I need to call my mother really quick.  I haven't talked to her today, and she's still certain you're going to end up murdering me in my sleep."

He sighed.  "Did you tell her we haven't...?"

"Absolutely not.  That's no one's business but ours."  She stroked his shoulder as she passed him on her way into the house.  "I'm going to take a quick bath and get ready for bed.  Mornings come too early."

She didn't like getting up at five in the morning.  Even though she was still on East Coast time which made it more like seven, it still felt too early to her.  She rushed into the house and up the stairs.  She wanted to bathe and shave before she got into bed with Scott for the first time.  She hoped he would appreciate her efforts.

She chose a white spaghetti strap satin nightgown to wear and took it into the bathroom with her, not knowing how quickly he'd follow her, but knowing he wouldn't have a great deal of patience.  He'd already waited a lot longer than she should have asked.

She hurried as she shaved her legs and washed her hair.  Once she was out of the tub, she blow dried her hair so it would hang in soft waves over her shoulders.  She pulled the nightgown over her head, looking in the mirror and blushing.  Her nipples showed clearly through the fabric.  No man had seen her in anything so revealing.  "He's my husband," she reminded herself, trying not to feel so nervous.

When she opened the door to the connecting bedroom, he was lying on his side on the bed his head propped up on one fist, watching for her.  He'd obviously removed his clothes because his arms and chest were bare above the covers.  She was thankful that he'd covered his bottom half, because she wasn't certain she wouldn't have run away. 

She wanted to run for the bed and dive under the covers so he wouldn't see her, but instead she calmly walked to the bed, and climbed under the quilt. 

He smiled, his hand reaching under her hair and pulling her to him.  Their mouths met, his lips toying with hers.  His hand moved over her shoulders, bare to his touch.  "You're so soft," he said against her lips. 

Her hands went to his chest, and she ran her fingers over the hard sinewy muscles.  "You're not."

He laughed.  "I sure hope not.  My men would laugh me off the ranch."

"We wouldn't want that."  She hoped he would keep her laughing throughout the experience.  She felt like an awkward teenager on her first date.

His hand stroked down to cup her breast, his thumb toying with her nipple through the satin fabric of her nightgown.  "I'm glad you decided not to wait anymore."

She bit her lip, looking into his eyes.  "I think I am.  I'm not sure yet.  I do know that if I'd kept waiting, I'd have just gotten more and more nervous, though."

He smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead.  "There's no need to be nervous.  Just lay back and enjoy.  Tell me if I do anything you don't like."

She smiled ruefully.  "I think if you're touching me, I like it."

"Good.  I'll never stop touching you then."

His hand roamed over her, touching her everywhere.  She felt as if everywhere he touched she could feel her skin burning through her nightgown.  "After so many years of stopping men from touching me, it feels strange to allow someone to touch me like this."

"Just keep telling yourself that I'm your husband, and I'm supposed to touch you this way."  His hand stroked around her back and over the curve of her bottom, causing her to gasp with surprise.  "You're allowed to touch me as well, you know."  He winked at her, making her blush even more.

"I might.  Eventually."  She liked touching him, but she wasn't sure which areas he was okay with her touching, so she thought she should stick to his chest. 

He pulled her closer until she was flat up against his body, her breasts squashed against his chest.  "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to do," he whispered.