Aaron's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series)
Page 13
Eva leaned a little closer to him and, on seeing that, Aaron lifted up his hand and placed it under Eva's chin, drawing her mouth to his. When he kissed Eva this time there was no hesitation, only certainty and commitment. As his lips persuaded her own of his affection Eva felt that this was how it felt to be truly kissed by someone whose heart was filled with tenderness, fondness and even that most sacred of things.
Love.
When he drew his head away from her she saw the sheer unalloyed happiness in his eyes.
"You have just made me the happiest man in Montana," he said quietly.
"I'm glad," Eva said quietly.
And in so many ways, after such a hard and fearful time, it made Eva's heart sing to know that, at last, she'd gotten the answer she'd been waiting for, ever since she had first met Aaron Stewart all those years ago.
EPILOGUE
One month later
"I now pronounce you, man and wife," the minister announced with a broad grin.
Eva looked across at Aaron and saw an equally large smile stretching across his face. Behind them the seats of the Great Falls church were filled with ranchers from both the Gillespie and Stewart spreads. Mrs. Bell and Mrs. Lang were in the front seats. Each of them had a handkerchief in their hands and both were busy wiping tears of joy from their eyes. On another bench sat Zack and Joshua with his wife, Laura. All three were smiling broadly at the sight of Aaron standing proudly next to his new wife.
Eva felt a slight stab of regret. She would have loved to have had her mother and father at this joyous event. It would simply have made things complete. Even more perfect. But, she was happy that the church was full and everyone had smiles on their faces.
Aaron leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Eva's lips which drew a roar of delight from the crowd behind them. When their lips parted, and he leaned back Eva saw the look of sheer satisfaction on Aaron's face she had seen so many times in recent days.
The last few weeks had been hectic. There had been so much to do to get ready for the wedding. Eva had made an emotional visit to the Gillespie ranch to assess the damage done by the fire. She'd been relieved to see that the ranch house wasn't as badly burned as she'd anticipated. Aaron assured her that repairs wouldn't take too long. The last thing Eva wanted was to abandon a place which harbored so many beautiful memories. That ranch house represented her childhood, her maturing, her growing into womanhood. Eventually, after much discussion, they'd decided that the joining of the two ranches made a whole lot of sense. Aaron was enthusiastic about building a new ranch house on a piece of land he'd had his eye on for a long time. It would be bigger and better than either of the ones that stood at the moment. But, there would be plenty of time to talk about those plans later.
Now, though, she was standing by the side of her handsome, elegantly attired new husband, and Eva couldn't recall a time in her life when she'd ever felt so happy.
Aaron extended an arm to Eva. "May I, Mrs. Stewart?" he asked her, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Eva smiled and hooked her arm into his. "Of course, Mr. Stewart," she answered playfully.
They both turned and walked side by side down the aisle. Eva savored the admiring looks of everyone in the church. The doors opened and they stepped outside. The sun was bright and the autumnal air was clear and cool.
The buggy they had used to drive into town was waiting for them in front of the church. It was tastefully decorated with flowers and ribbons, something Aaron had insisted, despite Eva's protests that it would draw too much attention. And that was exactly what had happened. When they'd arrived in town for the wedding ceremony, the townsfolk of Great Falls had literally stopped in their tracks to watch the soon-to-be newlyweds ride up the main street. I didn't look like it was going to be much easier leaving, if the number of folk who were looking in their direction was any indication.
Aaron helped Eva up onto the buggy and ran around to his side. He jumped up onto the seat and grabbed the rails. Eva had never seen Aaron in such a hurry before. He guessed he wanted her all to himself, now that they were man and wife.
The guests filed out of the church. Zack came running up to the buggy and handed Aaron his hat.
"You forgot this," Zack said to Aaron.
Aaron smiled and took the hat from his friend. "Weddings do that to a man," Aaron explained. He glanced at Eva. "They make him forget everything else except the beautiful woman by his side."
Eva rolled her eyes. "Don't go embarrassing me, Aaron Stewart," she said with a wave of her hand.
"It's going to be while before I go forgetting my hat at a wedding," Zack said with a smile.
Aaron's brows narrowed. "Really. That's what you think, Zack."
Zack looked around at Joshua and Laura. "Seems like marriage is in the air in Montana these days," Zack observed.
"It'll be your turn next," Aaron declared.
Zack shook his head. "Oh, no. Not me."
Aaron took the reins of the buggy in both hands and prepared to encourage the horses to move off.
"I think you'll be married by Christmas," Aaron said. "What do you think, Eva?"
Eva scrunched her nose and pretended to scrutinize Zack. "Well, he's certainly a handsome enough fellow. I'll give him that." Eva smiled and turned to Aaron. "I think you're right. He'll have a wife by Christmas."
Zack's face went pale and he waved a hand at the teasing couple on the buggy. "You get going. Before I lose my cool," he said.
Aaron and Eva waved at the guests. The reins were flicked and the buggy moved away, the cheers and applause fading swiftly behind Aaron and Eva.
They were soon out of town and on the main trail that led back to the ranches. For a while they didn't speak to each other, simply savoring the delight of being alone. Now that they were married Sitting on the buggy with her new husband driving her home, Eva thought about what was awaiting them back up in ranch country.
A new life. A new beginning. For both of them. It felt good. Right.
Eva leaned in close to Aaron. She gazed up at him and saw his eyes shift down to glance at her.
"Are you happy, Eva?" Aaron asked.
Eva sighed and snuggled in closer to him. "Of course I'm happy Aaron. How couldn't I be?"
"I'm glad," he said simply.
Eva loved how it felt to lean against him, feel the warmth of his body, smell the scent of him, sense the strength in his chest, hear the beating of his heart. Then she thought about the night to come and butterflies started to tumble in her stomach. They hadn't spoken about that. There had been no time, nor any need. They both knew that the evening to come would hold it's own promises, and there was nothing she could say to him that would change the anticipation she felt about that.
They came to a fork in the trail. One way took them to the Gillespie spread. The other trail would take them to the Stewart ranch. Their ranch. For now.
Aaron pulled the buggy to a halt at the junction. Eva sat upright. Aaron turned and took Eva in his arms and she knew he wanted to kiss her, but he held the impulse in check. Just for a moment.
"Eva. I love you," Aaron said softly, his voice sounding so sweet and true, here in the Montana wilderness.
Eva's heart raced, and when he leaned in she was more than happy to let Aaron claim her lips, taking possession of her, for a moment that seemed to last forever.
When their lips parted she saw the earnest passion and love burning in her new husband's eyes. She could not hold back the words that had to be spoken.
"Aaron. I love you," Eva said. Aaron smiled and kissed Eva again. The thundering in Eva's heart seemed like it would never cease.
Aaron took the reins again and looked at Eva, love filling his gaze.
"Which way?" he asked her.
Eva looked at the fork in the trail, turned to Aaron and said one word.
"Home."
With that, Aaron flicked the reins and the horses started up the trail to the Stewart ranch, and a future bright with promise and love.
> THE END
Zack's Montana Bride, the next in the Montana Ranchers and Brides series, will be available in November 2014
Thank you!
Thank you for reading Aaron's Montana Bride. I hope you enjoyed it.
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The Montana Ranchers and Brides series
Montana ranchers and their search for brides in the 1880's
An Amazon Bestselling series in Historical Romance
Nathan's Montana Bride
Devlin's Montana Bride
Trent's Montana Bride
Joshua's Montana Bride
Aaron's Montana Bride
Zack's Montana Bride (coming in November)
The Brides of Sweetheart Falls
Three sisters and their struggles finding husbands and new lives in 1870's Wyoming
An Amazon Bestselling series in Historical Romance
Book 1 Mail Order Vows (Cassie's story)
Book 2 Mail Order Beau (Martha's story)
Book 3 Mail Order Blessing (Rachel's story)
Mail Order Vows (Cassie's story)
Brides of Sweetheart Falls series: Book One. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ending.
Wyoming 1878
On the verge of giving up on a future in the growing Wyoming town of Sweetheart Falls, and heading back to an uncertain life back East, recently widowed mail order bride Cassie Miller is given a final chance at happiness.
Soon Cassie finds out she has no choice but to marry handsome ex lawman Ethan Macleod. However, can she make a new life while trying to come to terms with the loss of her beloved husband Joshua?
Can she really trust Ethan, the man the entire town agrees would make a perfect husband? How come he already knows so much about Cassie?
And just how far will he go to prove to her that he is worthy of being her new husband?
Book 2 Mail Order Beau (Martha's story)
Brides of Sweetheart Falls series: Book Two. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ever after.
Wyoming 1878
Martha's story.
After waiting months for the Sweetheart Falls Matrimonial Society to find a husband for herself and her sister, Cassie Macleod's sister, Martha is beginning to wonder if she and Rachel will ever get married. Meanwhile, there's a baby on the way at the Macleod farmstead, and Martha and Rachel need to move out so that their sister and her wonderful husband, Ethan can start their new life as a family, without relatives getting in the way.
However, when town matchmaker Hettie finally provides a selection of suitable husbands, only one of them holds any promise.
Who is the mysterious ranch owner who wants to wed one of the unmarried sisters? Why is he going to such lengths to keep his identity secret? And just what will Martha have to do to secure a future for herself and Rachel?
Book 3 Mail Order Blessing (Rachel's story)
Mail Order Blessing. A sweet, full length, complete mail order bride romance novel with a happy ever after.
Wyoming 1878
Rachel's story.
Sweetheart Falls' town matchmaker Hettie Longfellow has finally found a husband for young, eager to marry, Rachel. Or so Rachel thinks. But there's one obstacle. Aaron Caldigate doesn't want to settle down in town. Then there's the problem of Aaron's past and how it stands in the way of Rachel's chances of married bliss.
Aaron Caldigate is a man who keeps his word. He's returning to Sweetheart Falls because he promised he'd come back after completing his training as a lawyer. But he's not planning on staying, especially since his mother has taken it upon herself to find him a bride!
However he hasn't counted on a very determined and beautiful young bride-to-be who is going to do everything she can to persuade him that Sweetheart Falls is the only place to settle down, and that she is the only woman for him.
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Aaron's Montana Bride © 2014 Maya Stirling