door.'
'And stomped across the yard.'
A tiny grin touched her mouth. 'I almost turned around to look, but you were being so considerate that I didn't want to spoil it.'
'I appreciate your restraint,' he said, with a touch of wry humor. 'Your horse hasn't shown up yet?'
She frowned, tossing her apple core into the meadow. 'He didn't answer my whistle. But if we're exploring the south pasture we're bound to come across him. Ready to go?' She vaulted off the fence, wanting to get Hunter's inspection tour over and done with. Perhaps if they made an early start they'd avoid Bull Jones.
'No. I'm not ready.' He caught her arm, tugging her to a standstill. 'Not quite yet.'
'Why?' she asked in apprehension. 'Is there something wrong?'
'You might say that.' His hold lightened, though he didn't release her. 'You were gone again this morning.'
She bridled at the hint of censure in his voice. She'd agreed to sleep with him without too much argument; surely he didn't intend to choose which hours that would encompass. If so, he'd soon learn differently. 'Is that a problem?'
'Yes. I don't like it. Tomorrow you start the day in my arms.'
She eased from his grip and a took a quick step back, something in his expression filling her with a discomfiting awareness. 'What difference does it make if I'm there or not?' she asked.
Her question seemed to amuse him. 'If you wake me tomorrow, you'll learn the difference.'
She didn't doubt it for a minute. But that didn't mean she'd go along. 'I'll consider it,' she conceded. 'But I like having mornings to myself.'
'You'll have other times to yourself,' he informed her. 'I want time alone with you. All marriages need privacy... intimacy.'
Understanding dawned and she fought to breathe normally. So the moment of truth had finally arrived. If she read his request correctly, tomorrow morning she'd fulfill her duties as his wife and make their marriage a
real, fully functioning union—no matter how much she wanted to resist. No matter how much that final act alarmed her. That was what she'd committed herself to when they'd exchanged their vows, and that was what she'd soon have to face. If only the thought didn't fill her with dread—dread that she'd couldn't keep a small part of herself safe from his possession; dread that when he took her body he'd take her heart as well.
'All right,' she said at last. 'Mornings can be our time.'
He inclined his head. 'We'll discuss the afternoons and evenings later.'
'Hunter '
'Time to get to work.' He cut her off, amusement gleaming in his dark eyes. 'Are there any more of those muffins we had yesterday?'
'Plenty,' she admitted grudgingly. 'Inez left us well-stocked. I'll go get them.'
'And a Thermos of coffee, if you would. I'll saddle the horses.'
Fifteen minutes later they rode out, heading south along the fence-line. Hunter's buckskin seemed particularly agitated, fighting the bit and shying at the least little movement. Not that he had any trouble controlling the animal, but Leah could tell that their battle of wills wasn't the norm. As though in response, her mare fidgeted as well.
'Is it something in the air?' she asked uneasily. 'Lady-finger never acts up like this.'
'Something has them spooked,' he agreed. 'Have your men noticed any sign of cougar recently?'
'None.' She felt a sudden stabbing concern for Dreamseeker. 'It wasn't that hard a winter. There's no reason for one to come this close when the pickings are so easy further out.' But she knew her protests were more to convince herself than to convince him.
'Don't panic. I didn't say it was a cougar. I just thought we should consider the possibility.' He regarded her intently. 'I want you to stay alert, you got me? In the meantime, we have fence-line to inspect. So, let's get to it.'
They didn't converse much after that. Leah kept an eye open for anything out of the ordinary. And, though the animals remained skittish, she couldn't determine what caused their strange behavior.
A
'And stomped across the yard.'
A tiny grin touched her mouth. 'I almost turned around to look, but you were being so considerate that I didn't want to spoil it.'
'I appreciate your restraint,' he said, with a touch of wry humor. 'Your horse hasn't shown up yet?'
She frowned, tossing her apple core into the meadow. 'He didn't answer my whistle. But if we're exploring the south pasture we're bound to come across him. Ready to go?' She vaulted off the fence, wanting to get Hunter's inspection tour over and done with. Perhaps if they made an early start they'd avoid Bull Jones.
'No. I'm not ready.' He caught her arm, tugging her to a standstill. 'Not quite yet.'
'Why?' she asked in apprehension. 'Is there something wrong?'
'You might say that.' His hold lightened, though he didn't release her. 'You were gone again this morning.'
She bridled at the hint of censure in his voice. She'd agreed to sleep with him without too much argument; surely he didn't intend to choose which hours that would encompass. If so, he'd soon learn differently. 'Is that a problem?'
'Yes. I don't like it. Tomorrow you start the day in my arms.'
She eased from his grip and a took a quick step back, something in his expression filling her with a discomfiting awareness. 'What difference does it make if I'm there or not?' she asked.
Her question seemed to amuse him. 'If you wake me tomorrow, you'll learn the difference.'
She didn't doubt it for a minute. But that didn't mean she'd go along. 'I'll consider it,' she conceded. 'But I like having mornings to myself.'
'You'll have other times to yourself,' he informed her. 'I want time alone with you. All marriages need privacy... intimacy.'
Understanding dawned and she fought to breathe normally. So the moment of truth had finally arrived. If she read his request correctly, tomorrow morning she'd fulfill her duties as his wife and make their marriage a
real, fully functioning union—no matter how much she wanted to resist. No matter how much that final act alarmed her. That was what she'd committed herself to when they'd exchanged their vows, and that was what she'd soon have to face. If only the thought didn't fill her with dread—dread that she'd couldn't keep a small part of herself safe from his possession; dread that when he took her body he'd take her heart as well.
'All right,' she said at last. 'Mornings can be our time.'
He inclined his head. 'We'll discuss the afternoons and evenings later.'
'Hunter '
'Time to get to work.' He cut her off, amusement gleaming in his dark eyes. 'Are there any more of those muffins we had yesterday?'
'Plenty,' she admitted grudgingly. 'Inez left us well-stocked. I'll go get them.'
'And a Thermos of coffee, if you would. I'll saddle the horses.'
Fifteen minutes later they rode out, heading south along the fence-line. Hunter's buckskin seemed particularly agitated, fighting the bit and shying at the least little movement. Not that he had any trouble controlling the animal, but Leah could tell that their battle of wills wasn't the norm. As though in response, her mare fidgeted as well.
'Is it something in the air?' she asked uneasily. 'Lady-finger never acts up like this.'
'Something has them spooked,' he agreed. 'Have your men noticed any sign of cougar recently?'
'None.' She felt a sudden stabbing concern for Dreamseeker. 'It wasn't that hard a winter. There's no reason for one to come this close when the pickings are so easy further out.' But she knew her protests were more to convince herself than to convince him.
'Don't panic. I didn't say it was a cougar. I just thought we should consider the possibility.' He regarded her intently. 'I want you to stay alert, you got me? In the meantime, we have fence-line to inspect. So, let's get to it.'
They didn't converse much after that. Leah kept an eye open for anything out of the ordinary. And, though the animals remained skittish, she couldn't determine what caused their strange behavior.
A
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