As they were preparing to leave some time later, Sofia offered an invitation. “You should both come to the church dance tomorrow evening. It would be a good opportunity for Lorna to meet more of the townsfolk and for them to meet her.”
Lorna looked at Darren in surprise when he smiled and readily agreed. “That sounds like a wonderful idea,” he said.
“Thank you for thinking of it.”
Lorna held her tongue, wondering what had prompted him to agree to bring her back into town again tomorrow night. There was something building between the two of them, but for him to escort her to a church dance would be akin to announcing his intent to court her – at least, it would be where she came from.
She continued to watch Darren covertly as he drove them away from the town and back toward the ranch. He caught her watching him a few times, but he said nothing. He simply gave her a warm smile and then went back to whistling softly.
Lorna had seen an entirely different side of Darren today and it only served to deepen the connection she felt developing between them. She turned to look at him as he pulled the wagon to a stop in the yard of the ranch. He jumped down and came around to help her climb down. He grabbed the wooden steps, placed them next to the wagon, and then offered her his hand to help her alight.
She took his hand, stepping carefully as she lifted one foot over the edge of the buckboard and placed it on the step. She pressed her weight down and started to lift her other foot up, when suddenly she felt herself tipping forward. Her foot had caught in her skirt and she wobbled, in danger of exiting the buckboard headfirst.
Darren was there to steady her before she could even complete her gasp of surprise and dismay.
“Easy there.” His hands moved to her waist and she found her hands going to his shoulders to help steady herself before she could think about her actions.
Once she got her foot untangled from her skirt, she took a calming breath before stepping out of the buckboard. Feeling the step beneath her foot, she looked up, finding herself trapped in Darren’s gaze. He was watching her carefully, with a strange light in his eyes that she found herself hesitant to interpret.
“Thank you,” she murmured, frozen in time there on top of the step. Darren tightened his hands at her waist, and she felt herself lean toward him. Before she could take a step down, she found herself being physically lifted up and placed on the ground before him. Their eyes were still on each other, only now she was looking up at him, with mere inches separating their bodies.
She felt her heart skip a beat when Darren’s head lowered and his lips softly covered her own. Lorna let her eyes close as she savored the unfamiliar sensation. Never before had she been kissed like this. It was exhilarating and confusing at the same time.
It was dark by now, their dinner in town having lasted until the sun had set behind the mountains. A full moon shone overhead, and Darren lifted his head a few seconds later.
Lorna opened her eyes, staring at him as she savored the tingling sensation his lips had left behind. Her hands were still on his shoulders, and she was shocked to find herself plastered against him. She was so close to him; she could almost discern the dark lines in his pupils.
She took in his features: the way his mouth turned up slightly as he gazed at her and the twinkle of delight in his eyes. He didn’t say anything; he simply looked at her with so much emotion in his eyes she found herself feeling as if she were drowning in them.
It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, not at all. In fact, she found her eyes straying to his lips, silently willing him to repeat the kiss so that she could be sure what she was feeling wasn’t just an anomaly.
Darren seemed to read her mind, and a moment later he lowered his head and kissed her once more. It was just a simple meeting of two sets of lips, but her body reacted like never before.
Her heart raced, her palms and fingers gripped the muscles at his shoulders as the feeling of floating away seemed to overcome her. She closed her eyes and allowed the sensations to roll over her. Tingles rushed down her spine and the butterflies in her stomach took flight.
It was only a few seconds, but it felt much longer before he lifted his head and then gently cupped her jaw for a moment. He winked at her and stepped back.
No words were spoken between them, for which Lorna was grateful. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to form coherent words. Her brain was still trying to process the fact that he’d kissed her.
He continued moving backward, one step at a time, and then turned and gestured for her to head on into the house. She gave him one last look and then did so, her heart full and a warmth burning inside her that she hoped would never end.
If this was what love felt like, she could now understand the poems and songs that had been written to praise it – she certainly felt like doing so. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
Chapter 21
The next morning Darren came down to breakfast and raised a brow at seeing his father sitting at the head of the table, looking much better than the day before. His eyes were clear and devoid of fever, he’d changed clothing and had even shaved at some point. He looked healthy and the sorrow seemed to have faded slightly.
“Mornin’, Pa,” he stated as he took a seat. He nodded at Aunt June as she placed a steaming cup of coffee before him. “Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome,” she said and continued to bustle around the table, bringing in dishes from the kitchen before finally stopping and taking a seat herself.
“Morning, Darren.” His pa looked at him closely and then smiled. “You seem to be in good spirits this morning.”
“I am, and seeing you down here for breakfast only makes the day better.” Darren looked around the table. Finding Lorna at the opposite side, he gave her a warm smile.
“Morning,” he directed toward her.
She blushed and glanced at him briefly before turning her head away shyly, causing Darren’s smile to grow. He focused his attention on eating, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to himself or Lorna. Inwardly, he was rejoicing that last night had obviously affected her as much as it had him.
Talk revolved around the day’s duties. There were animals to check and water holes to monitor, fences to ride and other daily chores that came with operating a large ranch. It was November, and while the weather had cooled off a bit, it was still fairly warm in the afternoons. One by one the ranch hands finished their meals and left to complete the morning’s chores.
“June, breakfast was delicious as always,” Brian stated a few minutes later. “If you’ll all excuse me, I’m going to head back upstairs. I’m feeling much better, but still a might unsteady.”
“Brian, let me help you,” Lorna stated, standing up and preparing to come to his aid.
Darren watched his pa, ready to offer his own assistance if it was needed. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t incur his pa’s anger by assuming he was weak and needed help.
He hid a smile when his pa waved a finger in Lorna’s direction, telling her, “Sit back down and finish your breakfast, gal. I’m just feeling my age this morning, and the thought of a quiet respite while I digest my breakfast sounds appealing. June can see that I get up the stairs right enough.”
Lorna sank back down into her seat and June smiled as she came to Brian’s side. “Let’s get you upstairs and I’ll see if I can find my newest dime novel. You can read for a bit—”
“I’m not reading no dime novel,” his pa exclaimed with a shake of his head. “You bring me the Good Book, and the Lord and I will spend some time together. Dime novel? I’ll be six feet under before I read one of those things.”
Darren and Lorna chuckled along with June as the older duo left the dining room. He finally looked to see Lorna was beginning to gather up the dirty dishes. He stood up and began doing the same on the other end of the table.
“Are you working in town today? I’ve got some time to drive you in,” he stated, wanting to break the silence between them.
“Sorry. Just put them there, and I’ll wash them.”
“I can help,” he murmured as he put the dishes in the pan and reached for a rag to dry his hands. “About the dance tonight…”
“I’m really looking forward to the dance at the church tonight,” she rushed to tell him. She glanced at him and then looked away just as quickly. “That is, if you still want to go?”
“Of course, I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to attend. I kind of answered for both of us without giving you the option to back out.”
“Oh, no! I really am looking forward to it.”
“Good. So am I.” Darren grabbed another stack of dishes, but Lorna took them from him and nodded toward the back door.
“I’ve got these. Go do your chores.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind helping,” he assured her.
Lorna smiled at him and laughed softly. “I can see that, but I don’t have anything else to do right now. Go.”
Darren gave her a searching look and then smiled. “Thanks. See you later.”
He headed for the back door, sensing her eyes following him until the door closed and he was out of sight. He let his long legs carry him toward the stable; his first chore was to check on the horses and make sure nothing had occurred throughout the night.
While he did his morning rounds of the horses, his thoughts were consumed with Lorna and the kisses they had shared the night before.
That woman is really special! The more time I spend with her, the more I admire her. I’m not sure what these feelings are she elicits. I’ve never been in a serious courtship before. Is this affection? Is it more? Is it love?
Love? I’ve never been in love, so I’m not sure what it feels like. I know I want to be with her. All of the time. The thought of her spending time with anyone else makes me angry. I don’t even like the thought of her talking to another man. I’ve never felt like this about a woman before. No one except for Lorna. I’m sure that means something, but what exactly?
I want to protect her and make her smile. I want to court her. Officially. I want everyone to know that I’m staking my claim on her affections and that they need to stay away.
Darren paused at the door to one of the stalls, startled by the revelation he’d just had. He’d finally found someone he might wish to spend the rest of his life with, someone he could build a family with, grow old with. The idea was one he’d long ago given up on.
“I never thought I would ever feel this way.” He stroked a hand down the neck of the horse who’d come over to listen to him. “Mark and I talked about the future, but with my Indian heritage, I never really thought I would find a woman who would be able to look beyond that. At least, not a white woman.”
He chuckled and then told the horse, “The Paiute tribe thinks I should take a wife from the tribe. They say it would honor my mother and help me reconnect to their ways, but I’ve never really felt like I had a connection to them. Any of them. We are friends and I am glad for that, but I’ve never been able to see myself living as they do.”
Darren gave his thoughts a small break as he filled feed bags and checked on the mare a few stalls down that would be foaling sometime soon. “Hey, girl. How are you doing this morning?”
The horse tossed her head and whinnied. Darren chuckled. “That good, huh? Glad to hear it.”
He moved onto the next stall and allowed his thoughts to move back to Lorna and his future. Their future.
So many questions that need answered. Lorna was my brother’s intended. If Mark had lived, she’d be his wife right now.
He looked up as a dark brown head butted his shoulder. “Do you have any answers? Is it even right for me to have these feelings and thoughts about her? Would I have felt this way about her if Mark were still here? Mark’s not even been dead a month yet. Am I being disloyal to him by feeling and thinking this way?”
The horse tossed his head and then went to his newly filled feed bag and started to eat. “Thanks for the help.”
He continued down the stalls, filling feed bags and letting his thoughts ruminate in his brain.
I’ve not even considered how Lorna might feel. It was hard to miss her reaction to the Paiute tribesmen. She was terrified. Would she ever be able to handle the fact I am half Indian? She obviously has some preconceived ideas about Indians, and they aren’t good ones.
Her past dealings with Indians have convinced her they are all savages, and yet she saw something entirely different with the Paiute tribe. Was it enough? I don’t think I could bear for her to judge me the same way. I couldn’t bear for her to be afraid of me.
He filled another feed bag and then rubbed the back of his neck. “I tell you all, my head hurts just thinking about everything. Maybe I should follow Aunt June’s advice and just enjoy where I’m at today and stop trying to figure out tomorrow. It always seems to work for her. Pa’s always telling me I tend to overthink things. Guess I need to work on that.”
Darren finished the last horse’s stall and then strolled toward the back door of the barn, leaning one arm over his head as he surveyed the land he was privileged to call home. He’d woken up this morning feeling happy and hopeful. Those feelings still existed, and he made a decision right then to put his worries aside and get back to that place of peace and joy.
Worries about tomorrow would always be there, but that didn’t mean they had to consume today. He felt happy and was more relaxed now than he’d been since Mark was killed. He wasn’t ready to let those feelings go so easily.
“Darren?”
He turned upon hearing his name and watched Ethan stride toward him. “Ethan.”
“I thought I’d find you in here.” Ethan walked up and stood beside him, looking out over the land they both loved. “How you holding up? We haven’t really had a chance to talk since the funeral, not with Brian feeling unwell and everything.”
Darren nodded and let out a deep sigh. “It hasn’t been easy. There are times where I feel like I’m just going through the motions. The stalls get cleaned and the horses get fed. But each day seems to be a bit better. Pa looked good this morning.”
“He did, and you looked happy this morning when you came to breakfast,” Ethan told him with a wink. “That wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain someone, namely Lorna, being on the ranch, would it?”
Darren looked at his friend, his brows rising in surprise. He nodded, surprised that Ethan had gone straight for the heart of the matter. He was normally not so direct.
“Thought so.” Ethan slapped him on the shoulder. “You deserve to be happy. You know Mark would have wanted that for you.”
“I guess.”
“You know so,” Ethan replied with conviction. “Mark always wanted the best for those around him. He was even willing to sacrifice his love for the ranch to become the new sheriff in town, if that was what was required to keep the outlaws in check. Lorna seems like a very special young woman, and it’s plain to see that she’s the reason everyone is smiling around here again. In fact, some of the hands were just commenting—”
Darren eyed his friend and lowered his voice. “You can tell the ranch hands that Lorna is off limits. Completely.”
Ethan nodded, then asked, “So, you’re saying she’s already spoken for?”
Darren said nothing. A moment later Ethan stretched. “Guess I’ll just take your silence as a yes.” He chuckled and then turned, heading for the front entrance of the barn.
“Where are you off to?” Darren called after him.
“A portion of fence in the east pasture needs to be repaired.” Ethan turned and looked at him before continuing, “I’ll be back this afternoon. Have a good day.” Ethan tipped the brim of his hat in Darren’s direction and then sna
gged a roll of bailing wire off of the peg by the door. He left the barn, whistling, and Darren turned back around to resume his contemplation of the ranch.
Ethan was happy, almost a hundred percent of the time. His friend was also correct – Darren did deserve to be happy, just as much as anyone else did. If Lorna was the key to that happiness, then Darren had no choice. He had to go after her affections. Darren was going to officially court Lorna, because she made him happy. No need to make it more complicated than that.
Once he made his intentions clear, everyone else would back off. That brought a smile to his face. Darren had no interest in vying for her attention amidst a bevy of suitors. No, best to take a stand right now.
A Bride to Heal His Broken Heart Page 14