damning the consequences.
Sweet, kind, patient Ben Jacobs would never have been that high-handed. Unfortunately, he didn’t make her heart race or create that interesting flutter low in her belly, or spark incredible heat between her legs. Again, she put a halt to her errant and lascivious thoughts. What had she gotten herself into by choosing Weston Carr?
The old adage about making one’s bed and having to lie in it came to mind as she stomped toward the wagon to do exactly that.
Chapter Seven
Sleep was out of the question. Despite the layers of blankets she spread atop the thick pad that served as a mattress, she tossed and turned about. She told herself it was the heat, though inside, she knew she was fooling herself. It was worry over what lay ahead when Weston came to her bed. His intention had been clear. Would he really take her here on the ground, in the open, so late at night? Although vows had been spoken, she knew little about the man she’d wed. She supposed she’d have to tell him she was still untouched. Heaven’s sake, the embarrassment of that conversation. Would he be careful with her, this being her first time lying with a man? Or fiery in his passion as with his earlier kiss?
She worried herself into a dither, having to fix the covers multiple times until the strain and excitement of the day finally took hold and exhaustion overcame her.
A noise near the wagon woke her and she sat up with a start. With a thump she was on her back again in an instant, having cracked her head on something hard. Blinking away the flashes of white light the blow had caused, she looked up at the wooden planks and cross ties that made up the underside of the wagon. She’d forgotten she was underneath, not inside as she’d been these past two months or so. Another noise nearby caught her attention. With one hand rubbing the sore spot on the top of her head, she lay back, rolling to her side to peer out into the darkness. Was it her new husband coming in from watch, or someone else who shouldn’t be lurking around?
A shadow appeared by her feet as a large man squatted then crawled toward her. Large-framed like Weston, but it was too dark to be sure. She scrambled back.
“My husband will return any moment, best you be on your way,” she said, trying to be bold, although her voice shook with fear.
“It’s me, Mina.” A hand came up and his Stetson came off. In the dim light of the quarter moon she could barely make out his features, but his husky voice was instantly recognizable and she heaved a relieved sigh. “Didn’t mean to frighten you, darlin’. I thought you’d be asleep by now.”
“I’ve been restless. I’m not used to sleeping outdoors.” And nervous about his return; she wisely kept that to herself.
He crawled forward and settled onto the crude bed alongside her. As he eased back on the pillow, blowing out his breath in a long, drawn-out exhale spoke of his tiredness. “Everything’s quiet. Try to rest.”
He said nothing more, nor did he make a move of any sort to touch her. Mina lay back thinking she got a reprieve, but when the sound of his steady breathing came to her, a sure sign that he slept, she frowned. The speech he’d made about being a husband in truth seeming meaningless now. At the time, he’d been so resolute, but if his words were true and he wanted her for a wife, why hadn’t he touched her?
For a long while, she lay there wondering what it was about her that her husbands didn’t want to take their marital rights. She’d been told that she was pretty, despite her unfashionable red hair. She’d also been told that she was sharp-tongued and willful. Lord knows Elliott had found her so. Conversely, Weston often seemed amused by her, teasing her as if enjoying sparring with her, except the few times she had pushed him too far.
Confused and feeling unwanted, she rolled to her side with her back to him. Not wanting him to hear, she pressed her face into her
Sweet, kind, patient Ben Jacobs would never have been that high-handed. Unfortunately, he didn’t make her heart race or create that interesting flutter low in her belly, or spark incredible heat between her legs. Again, she put a halt to her errant and lascivious thoughts. What had she gotten herself into by choosing Weston Carr?
The old adage about making one’s bed and having to lie in it came to mind as she stomped toward the wagon to do exactly that.
Chapter Seven
Sleep was out of the question. Despite the layers of blankets she spread atop the thick pad that served as a mattress, she tossed and turned about. She told herself it was the heat, though inside, she knew she was fooling herself. It was worry over what lay ahead when Weston came to her bed. His intention had been clear. Would he really take her here on the ground, in the open, so late at night? Although vows had been spoken, she knew little about the man she’d wed. She supposed she’d have to tell him she was still untouched. Heaven’s sake, the embarrassment of that conversation. Would he be careful with her, this being her first time lying with a man? Or fiery in his passion as with his earlier kiss?
She worried herself into a dither, having to fix the covers multiple times until the strain and excitement of the day finally took hold and exhaustion overcame her.
A noise near the wagon woke her and she sat up with a start. With a thump she was on her back again in an instant, having cracked her head on something hard. Blinking away the flashes of white light the blow had caused, she looked up at the wooden planks and cross ties that made up the underside of the wagon. She’d forgotten she was underneath, not inside as she’d been these past two months or so. Another noise nearby caught her attention. With one hand rubbing the sore spot on the top of her head, she lay back, rolling to her side to peer out into the darkness. Was it her new husband coming in from watch, or someone else who shouldn’t be lurking around?
A shadow appeared by her feet as a large man squatted then crawled toward her. Large-framed like Weston, but it was too dark to be sure. She scrambled back.
“My husband will return any moment, best you be on your way,” she said, trying to be bold, although her voice shook with fear.
“It’s me, Mina.” A hand came up and his Stetson came off. In the dim light of the quarter moon she could barely make out his features, but his husky voice was instantly recognizable and she heaved a relieved sigh. “Didn’t mean to frighten you, darlin’. I thought you’d be asleep by now.”
“I’ve been restless. I’m not used to sleeping outdoors.” And nervous about his return; she wisely kept that to herself.
He crawled forward and settled onto the crude bed alongside her. As he eased back on the pillow, blowing out his breath in a long, drawn-out exhale spoke of his tiredness. “Everything’s quiet. Try to rest.”
He said nothing more, nor did he make a move of any sort to touch her. Mina lay back thinking she got a reprieve, but when the sound of his steady breathing came to her, a sure sign that he slept, she frowned. The speech he’d made about being a husband in truth seeming meaningless now. At the time, he’d been so resolute, but if his words were true and he wanted her for a wife, why hadn’t he touched her?
For a long while, she lay there wondering what it was about her that her husbands didn’t want to take their marital rights. She’d been told that she was pretty, despite her unfashionable red hair. She’d also been told that she was sharp-tongued and willful. Lord knows Elliott had found her so. Conversely, Weston often seemed amused by her, teasing her as if enjoying sparring with her, except the few times she had pushed him too far.
Confused and feeling unwanted, she rolled to her side with her back to him. Not wanting him to hear, she pressed her face into her
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