True Blue Cowboy

by Debra Holt

  Chapter Twelve

  The sun was just setting when Chance parked the truck in front of the ranch house. Josie opened her door and slid out before he had an opportunity to come around and help her. The skirts of her dress were a bit heavy, and the coat she had draped around her shoulders earlier against the chill of the early November evening kept sliding off her shoulder. She was also concentrating on trying to not trip and fall off the blasted high heels.

  He caught up with her and with his hand under her elbow. Josie managed the steps to the front porch. Chance stepped forward and opened the front door. Instead of stepping back and allowing her to pass into the house, he turned and easily swung her up into his strong arms.

  Automatically, Josie’s arms encircled his neck to keep her balance. Her protestations didn’t stop him. He easily carried her across the threshold and only stopped when they reached the bottom of the staircase. He allowed her to slide down until her feet touched the floor, but his arms did not let go of her.

  “Was that really necessary?”

  “Of course it was. It would be bad luck to ignore tradition, and in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a very traditional kind of guy.”

  His smile was doing those crazy things to her stomach again. Or maybe it was the fact she only nibbled on the plate of food he tried to get her to eat at the reception. She had been too keyed up to attempt to keep anything down. She was realizing she should have eaten something.

  “Well, at least this day is over, and things can get back to normal. That begins with me getting out of this fancy dress and into my regular jeans. Then I’ll see what I can find for dinner.”

  Chance didn’t allow her to step away. His arms still held her in place. “I’ve got dinner covered. I had my housekeeper bring over some food, and it should be warming in the oven for us. And before you change, I just want to say something now that no one is around to interrupt.”

  Josie had no idea what was coming. Chance paused for a moment, as if choosing the right words really mattered. Was he already regretting what he had just done?

  He looked into her eyes, and Josie felt her breath catch in her chest. If she didn’t know better, she would think her heart had just turned a somersault in place. Her hands had fallen from his neck to be caught between them, her palms over the center of his chest. The quick thumping of his heart under them seemed to match hers. Of course it would, he had just carried her across the room. Don’t read anything into it.

  “I’ve always thought you were beautiful, but when you came down the stairs before the ceremony this afternoon, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone more perfect. I realize that this might not be the day you dreamed about as a girl, but I hope I was able to make it at least a day you can remember in a good way. I promised your mother I would do my best to always keep you safe and happy. I intend to do that no matter what. You have my solemn oath. You will want for nothing as long as I have breath in my body. Our marriage may not have begun in the usual manner with the usual courtship and all, but it’s done, and I promise to do my best to make it work. Just try to remember you aren’t alone, Josie.”

  A mixture of emotions was rising inside her. She was surprised and touched and suddenly emotional. So much so that tears threatened before she could stop them. The last thing she wanted was to feel vulnerable in front of Chance. She had never expected him to be quite so eloquent. She also knew that Chance Braxton never said anything he didn’t mean. And he kept his word, no matter what.

  But he had not mentioned anything about love. He had made a promise to her mother. He had made an agreement with Josie. Chance was simply keeping his word to both of them. Doing his duty as he saw it.

  “I hope those are tears of happiness I see in your eyes, little one.” He reached inside his jacket and withdrew a white handkerchief, offering it to her.

  Josie took it and dabbed at the corner of an eye. “It’s just been an emotional day and an emotional few weeks. I guess it’s just a bunch of things all finally hitting at once.”

  With a gentle movement, Chance brushed a few strands of hair away from the side of her face, his fingers touching her skin and sending immediate shivers across her nerve endings. If he noted the reaction, he didn’t comment on it. “I think there was a time or two today when you were really missing your mom. I felt helpless because I knew I couldn’t find any words to make it better for you. But I have a feeling that Mama Dianne and your dad were not far away from us today.”

  His words were her undoing, and it was as if a dam burst. Strong arms gathered her against the warmth of his chest and held her tightly as Josie finally felt the release of so many emotions coming forth. Even as she tried to control the soft sobs, she felt a wave of relief filtering through her body.

  “Let it out, Josie,” Chance whispered against the top of her head, one hand moving slowly up and down along her back, the other softly smoothing over her hair as it lay around her shoulders. “You’ve tried to keep things together for a long time…even before your mom’s death. Just let it all go. I’ve got you.”

  The sobs increased, just as another thought came to her. “Oh, Chance! Your suit. It’s wet, and I’m ruining it.” She tried to step back, but he wouldn’t allow it.

  “Nonsense. It’s just a piece of cloth, and it doesn’t matter.” He pulled her back against his chest and she went willingly.

  For several long minutes, they stood in that spot. Josie’s sniffles became less, and the tears slowly subsided. In their place was a quiet, relaxed feeling of being emotionally released. There was also another sensation filtering across her mind and through her body. It was a sensation she hadn’t felt in a very long time, at least not since the days when her family was still all together, and the world was right and made sense. It gave her pause to realize she found it again inside Chance’s embrace. Home. It would be so good just to stay inside his arms and lose herself in the wonder of it all. That thought frightened her, and she stiffened, managing to take a step back.

  Chance didn’t stop her.

  “Go on and change your clothes. I’ll see about our dinner.” He stepped away, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets.

  “I won’t be long.” Josie turned and climbed the stairs, gathering her long skirts up in order to not trip. Reaching the top, she walked into her darkened bedroom, let the coat slip from her shoulders and land on a chair in the corner before she reached out and switched on the bedside lamp. Her eyes blinked a time or two as her brain registered the change in her bedroom. At least she thought it was her bedroom. When she had left earlier that morning, her single bed had been in its usual place between the two windows. It was no longer there. There could only be one answer.

  Turning on her heel, she marched directly out of the room and stopped at the head of the stairs. It wasn’t a surprise to see that Chance stood in much the same place at the bottom of the staircase, his arms folded on top of the newel post and one foot resting on the bottom step. He looked as though he had not a concern in the world.

  “Where the hell is my bed?”

  Chance grinned up at her. “Yep, the Josie I know is back. I assume you refer to your previous bed. It was donated to the thrift store in town.”

  Josie opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, the words not coming out. At least, not the words that ran through her mind at the conclusion of his reply. When she did find her voice, the words were bit out through gritted teeth. “I did not ask for a new bed. I liked my old bed just fine.”

  “That might be the case, but it wasn’t feasible.”

  “Feasible?”

  “It wasn’t big enough for the both of us.” The words hung suspended in the quiet of the hall.

  “That’s my room.”

  “It is now our room.”

  “You aren’t serious,” she muttered before she thought better of it.

  The grin faded. His gaze honed in on hers.

  “Josie, I’m very serious. We’re married, and we will share a bed
room. What we do in that bedroom will be strictly up to you.” With that said, Chance turned and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

  Josie had two alternatives. Follow him and waste her breath arguing with him. Or return to her room…their room…and change her clothing. Once she was back to herself again, then she could join him downstairs and figure out how to deal with this new situation. The latter was the wisest course of action. Of course she wasn’t so naïve to think married couples did not share rooms and the same bed. She just hadn’t sat down and actually thought things through to their logical conclusion. But she was faced with the facts of it now.

  As she moved around the bedroom, her eyes kept falling on the wide expanse of bed with its swirls of browns and blues and creams on the plush bedding and pillows. The king-sized bed seemed to dwarf the room.

  Shedding the wedding finery, she packed it away in the large box it originally came from. Josie would deal with the rest of it on another day. It would need to be cleaned and stored in a different way. Someday, maybe she would have a daughter that she could pass it on to. It would be a link to the grandmother the child would never know. Just as quickly as that thought came, a more frightening one came along. Children. Heirs. The legacy Chance wanted and the reason he had agreed to help her out. She was going to get something from their bargain and so was he. If they stayed together after that year mark.

  It would be impossible to keep her feelings hidden from Chance if he didn’t keep to what he said downstairs…about letting her make the decision. She was fairly certain that most brides didn’t find themselves in such a quandary on their wedding night. No, their thoughts would be of a more intimate and exciting nature. They wouldn’t be dreading sharing a bed with their new husband. She opened the second closet door and slid the box onto the shelf. That’s when she became aware of something different about the contents.

  Not only had Chance managed to add a new bed to her room, but he had wasted no time in moving a fair amount of his clothing into the closet space. Slamming the closet door, Josie gathered her jeans and a soft red turtleneck sweater. She combed out her long hair and left it to fall around her shoulders. Adding a light pink lip gloss, she decided her makeup was fine the way it was. She reasoned there was no real excuse to dress up for dinner with Chance.

  There was no reason, yet, she reached for a pair of gold loops for her ears and a gold locket on a chain that she often wore due to its sentimental value. It was her mother’s, given to her by Josie on their last Mother’s Day together. With a final, quick glance over her shoulder at the newest addition to her room, she took in a deep breath and returned downstairs.

  Josie came to a halt just inside the archway leading to the formal, yet seldom-used dining room. The dark oak table was covered with a cream linen cloth and set with china and even crystal stemware. A bouquet of more pink and cream roses sat in the center of the table between two tall candles.

  Slowly, she became aware that Chance stood in the doorway across from her, leading to the kitchen. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something.

  “When did you manage all this?”

  He stepped forward to rest his hands on the back of the chair, pulling it out for her. He waited until she eased into the chair. “I didn’t. It’s called delegation.”

  Tossing a swath of hair over her shoulder, Josie withdrew the napkin from her plate and placed it on her lap, in order to do something with her hands and calm her racing nerves. “People always do what you say.”

  She noted the lift of the corner of his well-chiseled mouth as he settled into his own chair. “Most of them do. With the exception of one stubborn female.”

  “Get used to it. I’m my own person and I won’t be changing for anyone.”

  “I’m well aware of that and I don’t want to change you. I would like you to be more cautious perhaps. Also, I hope you’ll come to realize that you don’t have to do everything alone. We’re partners. My shoulders are broad and I’m here to share the load. It’s okay to relax once in a while.”

  She noted how Chance looked even sexier as he sat there with the candlelight playing off the planes and shadows of his face. Gone was the jacket and tie, but he still looked far more dressed for a fancy meal than she was. Josie wished she had perhaps taken a bit more care and chosen a pair of slacks instead of her serviceable jeans. Maybe a pair of flats instead of the leather boots.

  Chance moved his hand to pick up his water glass and take a sip. The light caught the bright gold of the band on his hand. She remembered her surprise when she saw the pair of wedding rings he handed to the officiant prior to the start of the ceremony.

  “I wasn’t aware you wanted to wear a ring. Sorry I didn’t think to get you one.”

  “That’s okay. Things haven’t exactly gone by the usual etiquette book on this wedding. Perhaps we should have a toast right now.” He lifted his wine glass and waited for her to do the same. “To us and to a future that’s ours to make.” His eyes rested on hers as he took a sip of the burgundy wine.

  “The future,” she echoed barely above a whisper before she took her sip and brought her gaze away from his.

  The meal was delicious. Stuffed chicken breasts and a rich sauce, steamed vegetables and homemade rolls were a far cry from the usual dinner fare in the ranch’s kitchen. Josie was only sorry she couldn’t enjoy the food more. Nerves were rolling around in her stomach too much at the moment. It had a lot to do with the nearness of the man beside her and uncertainty of what was still to come.

  “This meal was certainly one of your better delegations.”

  “It was indeed. Juanita is responsible for the meal and for coming over and preparing the rooms and food.”

  Josie found a smile curving her mouth at the mention of the woman’s name. The housekeeper and her husband had worked for the Braxton family for as long as Josie could remember. “I have fond memories of her. I remember sneaking into the kitchen at your ranch, and she would feed me beans and freshly made tortillas. I would come home, stuffed, and my mom would worry I was coming down with something when I was too full to eat the supper she had cooked. It took a while, but she finally figured it out.”

  Chance laced his fingers together over his plate and responded with a smile of his own. “There are a lot of good memories that we share.”

  “Yes, I suppose we do.”

  “After our mother died, I don’t know what would have become of Devlin and me if Mama Dianne hadn’t stepped in now and then, smoothed out a bit of the sharp edges on us.”

  “I’m sure your father did the best he could.”

  “He did what he knew best…running cattle and making money.” Chance didn’t say more.

  Josie had vague memories of the tall, quiet man always with a ramrod stiff back and a stern look on his face. She had wondered a time or two if the man ever smiled at all. Josie supposed neither son had felt much warmth from the man, particularly after their mother had died suddenly of a brain aneurism (replace with “aneurysm”) while standing in her kitchen one morning, fixing the boys their breakfast. Dev had been eight and Chance was eleven. Overnight, Chance had to step in and try to raise his brother and handle his ever-increasing ranch duties at the same time. His father had expected and demanded no less.

  “I want you to know that I asked Chadwick at the bank to set up an account for you, besides the main ranch account. You can use it for whatever you need or want.”

  Josie immediately bristled, her eyes flashing to his. “Why would you do that? I don’t need charity. The Monroe Ranch may not be the almighty Braxton Ranch, but we can take care of ourselves. As long as the ranch has what it needs to get it back on its feet, that’s more than enough.”

  “It’s not charity, Josie. It’s what married people do. They share things. This ranch is yours to run. As my wife, you’ll share in what’s mine, too.”

  “I don’t need anything.”

  “Or anyone?”

  “I run a ranch,” she responded, attempti
ng to ignore the stirring within her at his last question. “I better be able to handle things on my own.”

  “There’s another pair of hands now, and there’s a shoulder to lean on when you need it. You used to need it a lot.”

  “I grew up.”

  “Josie, it’s not a sign of weakness to need someone. We all need someone.”

  She gave him a long look. “Even you? I’ve never seen you need anyone.”

  His eyes darkened, and he moved them from hers to rest on the last bit of liquid in his glass. “Maybe that’s because you’ve never looked.” Returning his glass to the table, he pushed his chair back and stood. Whatever his eyes held was shielded when he looked in her direction next.

  “It’s late. Sunup comes early. You know, we could still fly down to San Antonio or over to Dallas for a couple of days if you want. Most brides want some type of honeymoon.”

  Josie stood up at that point. “I’m not most brides. Besides, that stuff is for real couples.”

  A muscle twitched along his jawline. “We’re as real as it gets, honey. Why don’t you go on up? I’ll clear and be up in a few minutes.”

  “Look, I can help…”

  He stopped her. “No, you look. I know you didn’t want me here. You didn’t want this marriage. But it’s done. The sooner you find a way to deal with it, the better. And it starts with you getting used to the fact that we will be sharing a bed and a bedroom.” Chance moved to stand within easy reach of her, yet he didn’t touch her. He didn’t have to. His blue gaze eased over her in heated flickers.

  “I said that I don’t intend to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I think you know what I want. However, I won’t push you. You’ll have to make the decision on your own.”