by Jenna Brandt
“Are you okay?” Bradley asked, putting his gun away and pulling her around to face him.
She nodded. “They didn’t hurt me—at least not yet. Thank you for intervening.”
“You’re lucky I found you when I did. I came home for lunch. When I didn’t find you at the house, I had a suspicion you might have come into town on your own, even though I told you how dangerous this place is.”
“I wanted to help with the case,” she defended. “I was asking around town about the rustlers. When I didn’t find out anything, I decided to head back. That’s when those men cornered me.”
“You can’t do this again, Gwendolyn, do you hear me? I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he said, reaching out and placing his hand on the side of her face. “I couldn’t stand it. Promise me you won’t take a risk like that again.”
She licked her lips as she leaned into his frame. “I promise.”
“Good,” he said, leaning down until his lips brushed against hers. “That’s really good.”
Gwendolyn leaned up, letting him know she wanted him to claim her mouth with his own. The second time their lips touched, it wasn’t gentle, but a kiss that was filled with passion that sparked a blazing inferno around them. Her heartbeat sped up, pounding so fast she thought it might race right out of her chest. Bradley pulled her closer, their bodies intertwining until it was no longer clear where one of them began and the other ended. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting herself be consumed by the intoxicating effect of his kiss.
Reginald barked, interrupting the moment and drawing them both back to the present. Bradley pulled away and whispered, “I should get you back to the house.”
Gwendolyn wasn’t sure how it happened, but she was beginning to have romantic feelings for her husband.
Chapter 4
When Bradley returned to work that afternoon, he couldn’t keep himself from thinking about the kiss he had shared with Gwendolyn. He shouldn’t have let it happen. As tempting as it was, getting romantically involved with her complicated their partnership. When her year of probation was done, they’d both be moving on, which meant getting his heart involved was strictly out of the question. Even though he knew logically he shouldn’t want her, he couldn’t manage to push her luscious lips from his mind.
“Are you listening to me, Ben?” Rick Martinez asked as he handed him one of the ropes. “We have five more steers to round up, and then we can be done for the day.”
“Got it,” Bradley said, trying to focus on his job. He moved his horse along the trail, keeping an eye out for one of the missing cattle. About fifty yards up, he saw a brown steer grazing behind a hill. He lifted his lasso in the air, swung it around, and launched it at the animal. It landed around his neck, prompting Bradley to tighten the rope just enough to give him control over the steer. He guided it back over to the rest of the herd, then moved on to look for the next one.
An hour later, they found all the missing cattle. “Good work, men,” Rick said with approval. “The Lamberts are going to be glad we haven’t lost any cattle today. Since you all helped make that happen, first round of drinks is on me down at the Long Reach.”
The other men cheered at the announcement, slapping each other on the back and telling Martinez thank you.
“You ready to head over to the saloon with us, Ben? It’s going to be a fun night if Rick is buying drinks,” Willie, one of the other cowboys, said with excitement, as they headed back to the ranch.
“It’s a nice offer, but I need to be getting home. My wife will be waiting for me.” Even as he said the words, he was surprised to be saying them. It wasn’t like him to pass up a chance to infiltrate a group and find potential informants. Yet, even though he always put his job as a Pinkerton agent above everything else, he found himself prioritizing Gwendolyn first, now.
“Suit yourself,” Willie said with a shrug. “But newly wedded bliss only lasts so long. Soon enough, you’ll be begging to come to the saloon with us.”
Was that what this was? Was he just excited by something new? Would the novelty of Gwendolyn wear off after a few weeks? Somehow, he didn’t think that would be possible. He couldn’t see himself ever getting tired of her.
A half hour later, Bradley arrived back at the house. He made a straight path for the kitchen, figuring his wife would be there making dinner. He was right about her location, but not about what she was doing. Instead of cooking, she was sitting at the table, softly crying with her head in her hands. Reginald was beside her, rubbing against her leg in an effort to comfort her.
“What’s wrong?” Bradley inquired, rushing up and kneeling down in front of her.
“I burnt it,” she croaked out.
“You burnt what?” he asked, glancing around the room. That’s when he first noticed the gray clouds of smoke that filled the room and the sulfur smell of ash.
“Our dinner,” she said with a shake of her head. “It’s all ruined because I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to cooking.”
“It can’t be as bad as you’re making it out to be,” he said in an encouraging voice.
“Oh, really, go check for yourself,” she said, pointing to the pan on the counter.
Bradley stood up and walked over. He looked inside, expected to see chicken that was perhaps charred on the edges, but still edible. What he found instead was several black lumps that were completely unidentifiable.
“I can help you fix this,” he said, coming back over to her side.
“There’s no fixing that,” she countered, with a shake of her head.
“I guess what I mean is I can fix dinner. Why don’t I cook for us?”
“You worked all day out on the ranch. How is that fair?”
He shrugged. “I don’t mind. Why don’t you go wash your face and relax on the couch? I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
She pressed her lips together as she stood up and wiped her eyes on the edge of her apron. “All right, but if you need me, just ask.”
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, before pushing her out of the kitchen.
He picked out the ingredients he would need to make spiced pork chops and fried potatoes. He spent the next hour getting everything ready for dinner, including setting the table.
“Why don’t you come in here, Gwendolyn?” he called out.
She came back into the kitchen and looked at the table, which was already set with dishes. A pan filled with impeccably cooked pork and potatoes was in the middle, along with sweet tea in the glasses by both plates.
“How did you do all this so expertly?” she asked in awe.
“It was a necessity for the job, since I was often on my own in remote places. If I hadn’t learned to cook, I would have starved several times over.” He pulled out the chair and gestured for her to sit down, then pushed it in behind her. He moved around to take a seat across from her.
She said a quick prayer over the food before she took her first bite. Her eyes widened with surprise. “Bradley, this isn’t just well made, it’s delicious.” She leaned down and handed a piece of the meat to her dog. “You have to try this, Reginald. Father made the best pork chops I’ve ever tasted.”
“Thank you,” he said with a grin, basking in the praise she was giving him.
“You have to teach me how to cook,” she stated empathetically, reaching out to touch his hand. “Tell me you will.”
He nodded, enjoying the feel of her hand on his. “Sure, how about we start tomorrow morning with breakfast?”
“I’d like that,” she said, giving him a grateful smile.
As they finished their meal and talked about their day, Bradley realized that coming home to Gwendolyn, and spending the evening with her, was becoming his favorite part of the day.
The first week had passed, and they had fallen into a normal routine. Gwendolyn and Bradley would get up and make breakfast together before he took off for work. She would take care of the household chores while he was gone, and then
start dinner before he returned. They spent their evenings talking about their day and discussing anything he might have heard about the rustlers. Another ranch had been targeted, and over a dozen head of cattle had been taken. The Lambert workers were worried they would be next, since they had the most cattle around now. Even though the Lamberts had hired on extra cowboys in an effort to keep from being vulnerable, everyone was on pins and needles waiting for the attack they feared was coming.
He also told her about his old cases and what he did to solve them. He would give her scenarios and ask her how she would handle each one, giving her either constructive criticism, or commendations when she answered right. As time passed, she learned more and more of what it took to be an excellent Pinkerton agent. He even took her out shooting a few times, showing her how to handle a gun if the need should ever arise.
Even though Gwendolyn didn’t mind playing the role of the wife taking care of the home, she was restless being confined to the house. With it being Sunday, Bradley finally had a day off, which meant he could take her into town.
She entered the living room where he was still sleeping. She moved over and bent down beside him. She gently shook him on the shoulder, saying, “I was thinking since it’s Sunday, we should go into town for church service.”
Bradley rolled over and looked at her through groggy eyes. “This is my one day to sleep in.”
“I know that, and you’ve gotten to sleep longer than normal. I just think it would be good for us to go, not to mention we could ask around after service and see if anyone has new information about the last cattle heist.”
Bradley let out a long sigh as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the couch. “I suppose you’re right. It would be smart to do that. There’ll be people at church who we don’t have regular access to.”
Gwendolyn knew he was right, but she wondered if that was the only reason he was willing to go with her. For her, church had always been a refuge—a time where she could refocus her attention on her relationship with God each week. She’d always left feeling refreshed, and she hoped that she would feel the same at the church in Rockwood Springs.
“I’m going to let Reginald out for a few minutes before we leave for town,” Gwendolyn explained as she stood up.
“I’ll go put on some clean clothes,” Bradley said, standing up and stretching. He brushed past her, his bare chest grazing her arm as his earthy scent tickled her nose. The combination caused a stirring in the pit of her stomach. The memory of the kiss they shared a couple of days ago came flooding back. Neither of them had made a move to repeat the action, but it didn’t keep the image of the impulsive mistake from popping back into her mind every time they were alone.
Their eyes locked for a moment; the look of desire clear in his eyes. She knew he could see the same reflected back. For a moment, she wondered if he might kiss her again. If he did, she would let him. She liked the way his lips felt on her own, and how their bodies fit together perfectly. Before it could happen, though, Reginald barked and Bradley moved passed her. The moment was gone, and Gwendolyn was left disappointed from the missed opportunity.
She took Reginald outside, inspected the area for snakes, then let him use the patch of dirt by the side of the house to do his business. Once he was finished, they came back inside. Gwendolyn realized she needed her shawl and hat and made her way into the bedroom.
Bradley was standing by the dresser, halfway done buttoning up his shirt. She could still see his bare chest poking out from the top, and she swallowed twice, trying to force down the lump that had formed in her throat.
“I need my shawl and hat,” she explained, moving over to the dresser to pick up the cream hat she intended to wear with her lavender dress. The back of her hand skimmed across his chest, the contact igniting the inferno that had been lying dormant just below the surface for the past few days.
Bradley reached out and yanked her towards him. His mouth came down hard on hers, the desire abundantly clear as he deepened the kiss. She didn’t resist; instead, she let herself return the passion with the same fervor. By the time he ended it, they were both breathing raggedly.
“We can’t keep letting this happen. It complicates everything,” he whispered against her mouth, but even as he tried to deny it, his arms moved around her waist and pulled her closer.
“Agreed,” she whispered back. “If we don’t stop, it’s going to become a habit.” Her hands wrapped into the folds of his shirt, clinging to him even though she was trying to fight against her own feelings.
“We are husband and wife, though,” he justified with an inviting smile. “Is it really that bad if we spend our free time kissing?”
“Kissing leads to more,” she pointed out.
“Is that really that bad?” he teased, kissing first her forehead, then her cheek, before trailing kisses down and along her neck.
Warning bells started to sound in Gwendolyn’s head. If she didn’t stop this right now, she would end up letting her husband take her to bed. That was something she couldn’t let happen. Once her probation ended, so would their marriage. She couldn’t let herself fall in love, if she knew that by the end of their time together, he would be walking away from her.
Gwendolyn pulled back, stepping out of his arms. She avoided making eye contact, knowing that if she did, she might not find the will to leave the room. As quickly as possible, she grabbed her hat and shawl and retreated from Bradley’s tempting presence.
A few minutes later, he entered the living room. Neither of them discussed what had just happened. Instead, they exited the house and made their way into town. The walk was filled with awkward silence. Gwendolyn wanted to remedy the mess they made, but she knew there wasn’t a way. Anything she said would only make it worse. All things considered, silence was the best option.
They arrived at the small, white wooden building just as the courtyard was filling up with townspeople. A thin, middle-aged man with dark hair came through the doors and gestured for everyone to enter. Gwendolyn assumed he was the pastor since he greeted each person as they made their way inside.
“You ready for this? It’s the first time we’ve appeared in public as a newly wedded couple.”
She nodded. “I won’t make a mistake; I give you my word.”
He reached out and took her hand, placing it in the crook of his arm. She knew the gesture was for show, but it didn’t keep the butterflies from returning, due to their close proximity. She wasn’t sure how he did it, but her husband had a way of getting her to react to him like no other man ever had. She pushed the thought away as they approached the steps that led into the church.
“Good morning, new friends. I’m so glad you chose to join us this morning. I’m Pastor Gable, and this is my wife, Cindy. Welcome to Rockwood Springs Church,” he greeted as he offered his hand.
“Thank you,” Bradley said, taking the pastor’s hand and shaking it. “I’m Ben Hampton and this is my wife, Gail.”
“Nice to meet you both,” he said, giving them a friendly grin.
“You should come to the women’s luncheon I’m hosting next Saturday,” Cindy offered. “It would be a great opportunity for you to make some friends here in town.”
“I’d like that,” Gwendolyn confirmed, realizing for the first time how much she missed attending social events back in Boston. “It feels like a lifetime ago that I had any time to spend with friends.”
“Despite the bad reputation our town has, there’s a strong group of good and loyal townsfolk here. You seem like the sort we’d like to include in that number,” Cindy said with a warm smile. “I’ll give you the details after service.”
They moved through the doors and took seats in a pew towards the back of the church. A few minutes later, the last of the congregation filed into the one-room building. Pastor Gable took to the front of the church, asking everyone to stand with their hymnals. They sang several songs, the harmony of the voices and joy from the sound washing over Gwendolyn. Once w
orship was finished, Pastor Gable began his sermon. He talked about God’s love and how it’s freely given to everyone, and, how in turn, people should love others even when it’s difficult. It was a good message, and by the end of the service, Gwendolyn felt invigorated for the following week.
Before Gwendolyn even had a chance to find Cindy, a bubbly brown-haired woman came rushing up to her. “You must be the wife of the new hired hand at my family’s ranch. It’s not often that one of our ranch hands shows up with a wife of his own, especially one that’s rumored to be from some fancy city and family back East. I wanted to come over to the house and introduce myself, but my Pa said I should give you some time to settle in.” The girl reached out and took Gwendolyn’s hand in her own. “I’m Judy Lambert, it’s nice to officially meet you. This is my best friend, Rebecca Caldwell. She said you came by her family’s livery, but she was in Woody that day.”
Gwendolyn tried to make sense of all the prattling from the young woman. Though she was friendly, she was a lot to take in all at once. “Pleased to meet you both,” Gwendolyn said in return. “I’m Gail Hampton and this is my husband, Ben.”
“Are you planning to stay in Rockwood Springs long?” Rebecca asked, looking from Gwendolyn to Bradley.
“It depends on how things go,” Bradley stated, being careful not to give much away about their plans. “At least for the time being, we’re staying put.”
“Well, we’re glad you came to church. Everyone who is anyone comes to church around here—at least the ones that are God-fearing. We have a few rotten apples that don’t seem to understand that they live in Texas and coming to church should be like breathing. You don’t think about it; you just do it.”
“I think a little personal reflection isn’t the worst thing,” Bradley countered. “If you never question what you believe, you’ll fall for whatever’s being preached around you. I have a strong faith, but that’s because I spent a lot of time looking at myself and my relationship with God. When I decided to commit fully, it was because I knew my life was better with Him in it than without.”