Pioneer Passion (9 page)

Rusty shuddered to think he wasn’t attracted
to her, because of her innocence. But recalling his kiss, surely
she could get him to kiss her again. That notion brought a smile to
her lips as she buttoned up Guy’s shirt, stunned to see how she
filled it. Now that she was free from her bindings, she took a deep
breath, liking the feel of soft material against her skin. And the
thought that Guy’s body had lived within this fabric, maybe only
yesterday, hardened her nipples awaking forbidden desires so new to
her. Not wanting to prolong the fantasies that frightened her, she
busied herself by rolling up the shirt sleeves and pant legs. Her
damp belt drew in the wide pants to conform to her slim waist; the
rest she filled out very nicely and she felt all female for the
first time in her life. As she left the room, her stomach rumbled,
a reminder she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The delicious smell of
something cooking drew her toward the kitchen, the aroma teased her
curiosity. She entered, hoping she wasn’t intruding, but feeling
odd because she had been there before. Rusty saw the Negro woman
first and wondered if she should enter. She didn’t have to wonder
long, a head turned and a warm smile greeted her. The woman spoke,
first.

“Come, come chil’. Ah’s Mattie, and Ah’s here
t’ cook for yo’ all.” She beckoned her forward with a loving hand.
“C’mon, Mattie don’t bite.”

The woman laughed, sounding like a gurgling
brook. She was short, with large, heaving breasts and Rusty
wondered how it would feel to be hugged by this woman. Her smile
made the lines around her twinkling eyes fold into many
crisscrossed wrinkles. She liked her immediately. So taken back by
the newcomer, Rusty didn’t see Guy standing in the far corner
watching her until she heard him clearing his throat with a
grunt.

“Kid, this is our cook. She started today,”
he rasped.

Rusty jumped, mashing her lips together in
annoyance. “I’m happy to make your acquaintance?” she said and
returned the smile offered to her. She extended her hand to Mattie
in friendship, but firmly stating for Guy’s benefit, “And the name
is Rusty.” The servant took her hand smiling and she marveled at
the softness of the cook’s skin.

“Yo’ shore is a purty thing,” declared
Mattie.

Uncomfortable with four eyes scrutinizing
her, she changed the subject and complimented Guy on the beautiful
large kitchen. She glanced at the large richly polished cabinets,
noticing that one door was opened to reveal stacks of fine china;
the like of which she had never seen. A huge spindle-leg table of
oak now stood in the middle of the room. She ran her finger across
the rich wood and mentally counted eight lovely, carved chairs.

“What do you think of my home now that you’ve
had a better look?” Guy asked.

It was not what he said but the way he said
it made her wonder if he knew she was here before. Schooling her
facial expression to remain unaffected, Rusty admitted honestly,
“It’s very beautiful.

Next morning birds chirping alerted Rusty,
causing her to open her eyes with a start. Having forgotten about
her new surroundings she sat up confused. She scowled right after
she looked at her wrinkled clothes and wondered why she slept the
night in them. Then she recalled that she had time on her hands
yesterday after dinner and she began to browse around the house.
There was still a lot to be done. The parlor remained unfurnished
and so did some of the rooms upstairs. She was beginning to feel
tired so she retired to her own room with the intentions of lying
on her bed for a short while but fell into a deep sleep.

Shaking the cobwebs out of her foggy brain,
she remembered going out like a candle in the wind when her only
intention was to rest. Now, Rusty disrobed and poured water in the
basin to sponge off her body. She tried to smooth some of the
wrinkles out of the shirt but it proved useless. “Oh, well,” she
mumbled and put in on anyway. Yawning, she left the room but came
fully awake when the open door admitted the wonderful smell of
bacon and coffee.

Guy woke to a delicious aroma. He yawned
recalling last night’s dinner. He had eyed the pretty young woman
with great interest; she looked so fetching. And, her opinion about
his house for some reason meant more to him than he realized. The
change in his attitude towards Rusty surprised him. He heard her
offer to help Mattie with the dishes but the woman shooed her out
with a friendly nudge. He excused himself for chores he had to do,
still wasn’t too sure of the friendly girl who sat smiling across
from him. Although, the relaxed atmosphere took some of the sharp
edge from his frazzled nerves, his senses remained wary, expecting
her mood to change at any moment. To his relief, it didn’t.

But still, Guy didn’t fare well that night.
As he lay in his room, thoughts hopped around like a jack-rabbits.
What was she up to with her sweet smiles? Was she finally willing
to accept her lot? Why did she have to look so sensual in his
breeches and shirt? Did she know how she stirred his blood with her
innocence? Was she aware of what she did to his senses when she had
kissed him back? And hellfire! Where did she learn to kiss like
that? And why in hell did he want to make love to her so badly?
Damn! He wondered how old she was. She appeared to be very young
and definitely very innocent!

Finally, before dawn he closed his eyes
deciding answers had to wait until this morning. Tired from lack of
sleep, he rose groggily and shaved. His mind wandered to Rusty and
he cursed her blaming her for the nick he gave his chin. “She’ll be
the death of me yet,” he grumbled and threw down the towel in a
huff. Someone’s attitude needed changing and it wasn’t his, he
grumbled inwardly. When he entered the kitchen, Rusty was sitting
with her back towards him. Her hair was a long plait, the color of
warmth, with a splash of fire, like burning embers. He wanted to
unbraid it and run his hands through the thick mane but feared
burning his fingers. His eyes traveled past her hair; again he was
amazed at how she filled out his clothes. Her cute little bottom
shifted slightly in the chair.

Was the inseam of his jeans suddenly feeling
a little tighter? Oh, for cripes’ sake!

“Good mornin’ ladies,” he drawled and forced
a smile. “Is that coffee I smell?” he asked. Now why did I stupidly
state the obvious? I need more than a cup of java.

“It shore is,” Mattie replied and he poured
himself a cup.

Rusty watched Guy with interest, noticing he
was uneasy and looked very tired. “Sleep well?” she queried, biting
her cheek so as not to laugh. She so wanted to chuckle but was
afraid to rile him again. She liked the easy way they were treating
one another and believed it was up to her to keep the truce.

The handsome cowboy sipped the hot brew
swallowing hard. “Oh, yeah… fine.” There was a chill in his words,
and Rusty heard it. What bit him on the ass, this morning? Then he
made the excuse, “Got a lot on my mind.” She was sure he saw the
curiosity in her eyes and avoided looking at her.

He then said to Mattie, “I’m skipping
breakfast.” He rose, gulped the coffee, set his mug down not too
gently and left. Rusty had to assume that he ran out before the
stern looking cook could object. But that didn’t stop the servant
and Mattie put her pudgy hands on her large round hips and clicked
her tongue.

“Land sakes, young man!” she hollered after
him, but Guy was out of hearing distance.

“Yo’ needs nourishment t’ keep up yo’
strength!”

She continued to scold, adding a snort for
effect and Rusty smiled at the woman’s mothering. But, she was not
going to pass up fresh eggs and bacon and biscuits. She ate with
the appetite of a lumberjack, all the while her mind’s eye
remembering Guy’s handsome face. Watching him earlier had given her
the chance to observe his dark, wavy hair, his deep blue eyes set
beneath fully curved brows, and his crooked smile that made him
look so impish. He was a fine figure of a man. Tall and broad
shouldered, with narrow waist and slim hips.

But damn arrogant!

After breakfast, Rusty spotted Guy over by
the new corral, talking to a hired hand. She wanted to speak with
him, hoping he’d give her some chores now that Mattie took over
many of her duties. Idle time and she were becoming good friends
and no way did she want to become lazy. While Guy gave instructions
to the hand, she stood at the far end of the fence not wanting to
disturb him while he tended to business. Rusty stared at the
beautiful horse prancing inside the corral, then saw Guy’s large
frame coming toward her as she glanced sideways at him. Her heart
seemed to have a mind of its own; it did flip-flops in her chest
when he neared.

Would he notice her labored breathing?

“She’s a beauty.”

Rusty didn’t miss the admiration in his
voice. She moistened her lips, then agreed, “Yes, she is,” her gaze
stayed fixed on the subject of their conversation. She enjoyed
their truce and hoped it would last.

“I’m going into town,” he stated simply. “I
want to pick up the prize bull I purchased last week. Also there’s
a herd of longhorns coming through town from the east. I want to
buy a few head.” He shifted his weight from one foot to another and
asked, “Would you like to come into town? Maybe purchase a dress
for yourself?”

Her lips pouted. “I don’t want a dress!” she
retorted curtly. Still refusing to look at him, she made a rude
noise, “And anyway, I’ve never found one that fit me right. There’s
no occasion for me to even look.” She made the challenge loud and
clear and the cowboy laughed softly but didn’t press the
matter.

“Well, maybe you’d like to come along. You’ve
been here on the farm, err… ranch so long, a little trip into town
might do you good.”

Rusty’s smile widened and she looked into his
blue eyes happy to see his smile. She wanted nothing to spoil this
moment. He kneaded his chin with his right hand, for a moment and
she wondered what he was thinking. Rusty hoped that he wasn’t going
to insist that she buy a dress again.

“I have an idea to sweeten the pot. I’d like
you to go to the Dreyfus General Store and ask to see the catalog.
I’d like you to order any furniture you want in the parlor. I think
the parlor should be decorated by a woman, don’t you?”

He produced a big grin when her mouth opened
into a big O. Rusty was momentarily speechless for the first time
in her life. “Me-e-?” she croaked.

“Yes, you.”

He touched her nose with his finger and
without thinking, she threw her arms around him and hugged tightly,
realizing too late what she had done. His arms closed around her
waist like a vise, making her heart jump wildly; she was certain he
could feel it. Mortified by her actions, she wriggled free.

“Sorry,” she managed to get the word out, but
almost strangled on it. Heat rose to her checks and she backed
slowly away, absentmindedly fingering the braid that lay heavy over
her left shoulder. He stood there with a baffled look on his face,
making her feel even more flustered.

Guy felt he should say something to ease her
discomfort, but he was so taken back by her actions, no words came
out. After the feel of her against him, he was disappointed when
she had squirmed free. Then he shook himself. He didn’t want her to
feel uneasy for an honest display of gratification, especially when
he liked it, so he extended his hand and ordered, “Come here.”

She didn’t move so he went to her and placed
both hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay. I’d like us to be friends
and I want you to feel easy in my presence.”

Now if he could only heed his own words and
stifle his own emotions.

“Now, as I was saying, I want you to order
anything you like. The empty rooms upstairs can also use furniture.
So, how about it?” he asked. Guy didn’t have to ask twice seeing
the happiness in her face. It took all his strength not to pull the
beautiful girl into his arms, forgetting his own lecture only a
moment before. Again, he wanted to suggest that she buy herself a
dress but didn’t know why he wanted to see her in one; it seemed
important for some reason. Should he ask if she’d change her mind?
His head warned his heart, would you stick your hand in a bee hive
and not get stung? Not likely. So don’t ask. For once he listened
to his smart-self. This kid, with her womanly body was driving him
crazy. He dropped his hands, still tingling from the feel of her,
and gave the elated girl a friendly pat on her arm.

Go on, keep telling yourself that friendship
is all you want, you dumb fool. He kept his self-loathing from his
voice and forced himself to say, “Now run along and get ready.” As
an afterthought, he declared, “And if you’re not pleased with your
furniture, you can pick out something else. I want you to feel at
home.” In his thoughts he said, it would lessen the guilt I feel
for taking so much from you.

Rusty nodded. “The bedroom is fine,” she
called over her shoulder.

Guy shrugged. “Be ready in ten minutes!” He
had to chuckle seeing her run as if her butt was on fire!

Rusty thought about what he had said to her
before. Was friendship all she could feel for Guy? Strange things
always happened when he was near. But never having the opportunity
to be in any man’s company, besides her pa and brother, she wasn’t
sure why her emotions confused her when he was close. Until she
could understand what was going on and how he felt about her, she’d
have to keep her emotions in check. Shucks, that’s easier said than
done, she warned her-self, especially when the affection in his
touch had aroused her again. It had taken great control to keep
from throwing herself into his arms once more. She had looked at
him and wondered what he thought of her. A kid, you ninny! Doesn’t
he keep reminding you of that?

Later in the General Store Rusty was busy
with her selections, picking out this and that giving the owner her
order. “I want that couch,” Rusty pointed to a forest green settee
then flipped pages in the catalog. She ordered two floral blue
green arm chairs and a carved coffee table with two matching end
tables. She fell in love with a pair of blue crystal oil lamps and
a deep blue velvet footstool. Rusty was jubilant as she continued
to order, but pondered awhile over the furniture that would be
placed in the room upstairs.