Ragnar - Lord of Jaegar

by Sasha Gold

  Chapter Thirteen

  Rebecca

  The man sitting at the dining table, sipping coffee, looks like one of Will’s hired hands. He’s got cowboy written all over him, from his dusty boots to his worn jeans. Only his shirt sets him apart. It’s crisply ironed broadcloth. He’s not a hired hand. Richard Trask is his lawyer and he’s got papers for me to look over and sign.

  I look at Will in surprise. He’s sitting at the head of the table. Ben’s pulled up a chair and works his way through a stack of pancakes. Will agreed to let him eat breakfast with us but he must be quiet while the lawyer talks. Ben’s pleased and, so far, has been quiet as a mouse.

  Will merely shrugs. “Tell her about the stipend.”

  Richard nods. “Since you’ve effectively resigned from your position at Atkinson and Wainwright, Will wanted you to have your own funds. Money you can spend, save, invest or give away however you like.”

  The conversation is surreal, beyond anything my mind can absorb. Will sees how overwhelmed I am and Ben must too, because he gives me a sweet smile before taking a big bite of pancakes. Will wraps his hand around mine.

  “Everything I have is for you and Ben,” Will says. “But I want you to have your own money to do what you want with. Whatever.”

  Before I can reply, he turns his attention back to Richard. “I want you to give Rebecca’s sizes to one of your assistants. She needs ranch clothes. Boots. Jeans.”

  “I could go shop for them.”

  The lawyer waves off my concerns. “I’ll send my secretary. Don’t worry. She has good taste. Will doesn’t want to be parted from his bride, just yet.”

  “Not ever,” Will says.

  His smile is tender but I see the flinty look in his eye. He doesn’t want me to go to Colter Canyon. I can see that it’s not just Colter Canyon. He doesn’t want me to go anywhere. Not in a possessive crazy way, but in a protective way. If he can keep me close, he can keep me safe. The notion sends a thread of alarm through my thoughts.

  “What if I wanted to do my own shopping?”

  Ben’s eyes widen and he stops chewing. His response adds to my worry. I love Will and don’t want to be parted from him, but what if I needed or wanted to go somewhere? I realize there are a few important things we haven’t discussed before I signed the marriage license.

  “I know you will want to do your own shopping. One day. I’m not going to lock you up in a tower.”

  “Well, if he does,” Rick says with a broad smile. “He’ll probably let you out for good behavior.”

  Ben chuckles and goes back to devouring his pancakes.

  My stomach is tight and I can barely manage the tea Margie set out for me.

  When the lawyer leaves, Will and Ben and I sit in silence for a while. Ben demolishes the pancakes and both Will and I watch him. I’d like to talk to him about his fear of me leaving the ranch, to reassure him. Will’s suffered so much loss, it might be difficult to even discuss it, much less get him to see things my way.

  Ben stuffs the last bite of pancakes in his mouth and drains his milk. “I like eating breakfast with you, Daddy. Can I do it again? Tomorrow?”

  He gazes at Will with large, round eyes. They’re filled with longing and when Will doesn’t answer right away, my heart pinches. Will studies Ben as if thinking it over.

  “We’ll see, Ben.”

  Ben shoulders sink. “What about dinner tonight?”

  I don’t wait for Will to answer. “Yes, you should eat dinner with us. I’d like that.”

  Ben regards me with surprise and then triumph. He slides from the chair, and wipes his mouth with the napkin. He sets the napkin on the plate along with the fork and knife and takes them to the kitchen.

  Will turns to give me a bemused look. “He’ll talk your ear off.”

  “He ate with us last night and was an angel.”

  “That won’t last. He never stops talking.”

  I wrap my hand around his. “That’s what four-year-old boys do.”

  “You’re not going to spoil him, are you? Undo all the hard work Mrs. Gustafson and I have done?”

  “I promise I won’t.”

  His gaze drops to my mouth and his lids grow hooded. A shimmer of awareness flares inside me. All the memories of last night and this morning rush back. My skin heats and burns with arousal and a hundred different emotions.

  “Are you going to give me grief about wanting to keep you here, all to myself?”

  “Not right away.”

  “Do you want me to take you somewhere?’

  I lean forward. “Like a honeymoon?”

  “Like a honeymoon.”

  “Where would you take me?”

  “Camping.”

  “Like in a tent?”

  “In a cabin.”

  “That sounds very romantic.”

  He lifts a brow. “Really?”

  “As long as it’s not in a tent.”

  “It’s not a tent. It’s a three-bedroom cabin overlooking a lake. We have to ride for two hours to get there.”

  “We should take Ben.”

  He frowns. “Why do you want to take the boy on our honeymoon?”

  “Because camping’s not a honeymoon, and I know it would mean the world to him.”

  “All right,” he grumbles. “But only because you’re asking me.”

  My heart warms to see how he wants to please me. He’s a bossy man, but not all the time.

  “Margie told me about a microbrewery in Colter Canyon. Maybe we can go on a date sometime.”

  His expression darkens and my breath catches in my throat. I can see he doesn’t like to even joke about public outings. There are a few things I understand about this man, that I know in my heart. I don’t understand his aversion to leaving the ranch. Yes, he’s scarred. Yes, the scars are noticeable, but does he expect people to point and stare?

  “You like that sort of thing?” he asks, his eyes etched with pain. “Of course you do, don’t you? You’re just a young woman and here you are stuck with me, a guy who lives like a hermit.”

  I set my hand on his. “I love being here with you. I dreamed of coming here. I was only joking about going into town.”

  He’s quiet for the rest of the day. That night he pulls me into his arms and makes love to me with a gentle fervor. I’m enthralled. His completely.

  We don’t discuss outings at all for the next week and I set it aside, assuming we’ll talk about it once we’ve eased into a cadence. I want to show my loyalty to him and that when I’m with him, nothing else matters.

  On our six-week anniversary, he tells me to get dressed up for dinner. It’s a chance to wear some of the lovely things he’s bought me. Taking me to his truck, he talks about wanting to give me everything my heart desires, and then he blindfolds me. I can’t imagine why I need to be blindfolded, but he has his don’t-argue-look in his eyes.

  After we’ve driven about an hour, he stops the truck. He takes my hand and leads me, tucking me under his strong arm. I can tell we’re entering a building. His boots and my heels echo. We stop and he takes off my blindfold.

  “Oh. Will.” I look around. We’re standing in the middle of an old building, one that’s been renovated. Candles burn, casting flickering shadows across the cavernous room. Bouquets of roses with white blooms give off a heady scent. Huge beams span the ceiling. Tables and chairs line the wall, pushed out of the way, and a single table stands in the middle of the room, draped in white linen and set for two.

  “I thought I’d show you the Colter Canyon Microbrewery, Rebecca.”

  I set my hand on his arm and stare at him in shock. “It’s beautiful.”

  He smiles and nods at the two waiters standing by the bar before turning his attention back to me. “I’m glad you like the place, sweetheart. I bought it yesterday.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Will

  I bring Rebecca home from the restaurant, driving along the dark roads with a smile on my face. She’s talking about he
r friend Michelle coming to visit and I’m happy that she’s going to have company soon. I want her by my side all the time, and she’s happy to be with me every day, too, but I worry she’ll start to miss things. Like work and friends. I want to carry her off to my lair and hide her away from the world. She can have company in my dark lair, but I don’t want her to leave. Ever.

  I am a greedy bastard, especially when it comes to Rebecca.

  When we get to the top of the porch steps, I pull her into my arms and kiss her. It’s gentle. Mostly. But with a promise of what’s to come. I’m hungry for her. Rebecca’s not the shy girl she was when I first laid eyes on her. Anytime I kiss her, she melts in my arms, submitting to my kiss instantly.

  The house is dark except for a light coming from Ben’s room. I release Rebecca’s hand and jog down the hallway, a slow coil of panic twisting in my gut. Ben sits in his bed, a pinched, frightened look on his face. I hate that he’s scared, but am relieved that he’s okay.

  “Hey, what’s the matter, buddy?”

  I scoop him up in my arms and he wraps his arms around my neck.

  “You never leave,” he whispers. “I woke up and looked for you and Becca. You were gone.”

  His voice shakes. I stroke his head and soothe him for a few moments. Rebecca stands in the doorway, silently waiting to see if I need anything. I motion for her to turn off the light and then to go on. If Ben notices she’s come to his room he’ll want a story, and then hot chocolate and a parade of requests that Rebecca is too tenderhearted to turn down.

  “Why didn’t you wake up Mrs. G?” I ask.

  “I did. She said you’d be back and I should go to sleep.”

  “Becca and I went out for dinner.”

  He grumbles. “You should have taken me.”

  I close my eyes and smile at the longing in his voice. “You’re right. I’ll take you there tomorrow for dinner.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure.”

  With that happy thought dancing in his head, Ben yawns and murmurs a few sleepy words about chocolate cake. I’ll need to call and make sure they have it on the menu. It helps that I have a working phone now, just like the rest of the civilized world, Rebecca likes to tell me.

  After Ben sinks into a restful sleep. I return to my bedroom to find Rebecca sleeping in the bed. A shaft of light from the bathroom falls across the bed and in the dim light I can make out her soft form. I keep my attention on her while I undress.

  I’d rejected the idea of taking Rebecca to the restaurant in Colter Canyon until the solution came to me to just buy the damn place. I’d called Harvey Atkinson and told him he could take care of that transaction for me since he’d fucked up by sending me two bride candidates. He’d practically fallen all over himself making that happen, along with setting up the nonprofit for my mustangs.

  I have no idea what the place cost me, but the price was worth seeing Rebecca’s smile when we sat down. After dinner, she’d told me how romantic the evening was and how hot I looked in a coat and tie. Can’t put a price on making my woman happy.

  Settling beside her in the bed, I draw a deep breath, reveling in her scent. She doesn’t wear perfume even though I’ve offered to buy her anything she wants. I’m glad. I prefer her scent to any French fragrance.

  She turns in my arms and sighs softly. “I’m so tired.”

  “You better rest. I’m taking you and Ben riding in the morning.”

  “Nice.”

  I’d love to press her back to the bed and take her, but won’t. She was already sleepy when we drove home. I stroke her flank and when my hand brushes the side of her breast, she flinches. Usually, when I touch her, she arches beneath my touch.

  In the last six weeks, I’ve studied her every response and learned what she likes. She’s never flinched when I’ve touched her breast. My heart beats hard against my ribs. What if…

  My mind rejects the possibility of Rebecca being pregnant. I can only take in so much happiness at one time before self-preservation kicks in and shuts down the idea of something I want so much. Sinking back onto the bed, I close my eyes and try to push the thought away.

  The harder I try not to think about Rebecca carrying our baby, the more I imagine her with a round, gorgeous body. My blood heats in my veins with a sudden and savage surge of lust. I fist my hands and shudder with the primitive pleasure.

  Tomorrow, I’ll sweet talk Margie into going to town to buy a pregnancy test. She and Mrs. Gustafson will probably be doing cartwheels. Sometime later, I drift off to sleep, probably with a contented smile on my face.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Rebecca

  For some reason, I’m not allowed to go riding this morning, even though Will promised last night. He won’t tell me why. We’re eating breakfast out on the porch because it’s an especially beautiful summer morning. A morning I’d like to spend practicing my new riding skills.

  I’d hoped Ben would show a little solidarity and beg for me to come along, but he’s too excited about a hundred ideas spinning in his mind. Along with chattering about the ride, and a new puppy one of the ranch hands bought, he’s making plans for his birthday at the end of the summer.

  I’m sure Will has big plans for him, but they’ll all be things that will happen here on the ranch. It’s not like he’s taking Ben to Disney. The idea almost makes me smile. My grandfather took me when I was ten and I loved it, but even though that was a long time ago, I remember the crowds like it was yesterday. Will would hate any theme park. He’d probably offer to buy one so he could visit without spending time with people.

  I brush a lock of hair from Ben’s forehead as he digs into his waffles.

  There’s shouting from the barn and Will is on his feet instantly. He moves to the porch steps and mutters a few curse words and then I see what the commotion is all about. Several horses are loose. They gallop past the barn and toward the back fields, leaving a plume of dust in their wake.

  “Keep an eye on Ben,” Will says over his shoulder. “Mrs. G is in town.”

  “Want me to catch that horse, Daddy?” Ben calls.

  “Not today, Ben. You stay put.”

  Ben frowns but keeps on eating. He swings his legs under his chair as he divides his attention between his waffles and the barnyard. More yells erupt as the cowboys try to corner the animals. It becomes clear that the loose horses are wild mustangs. Ben’s especially fascinated by these untamed horses.

  Craning his neck, he knocks over his glass of milk.

  His eyes widen. “Sorry, Becca!”

  “I’ll get a rag and clean that up. Don’t you worry.”

  I get up but I’m hit with a wave of dizziness and grab the table to steady myself. Maybe it’s a good idea that I’m not getting on the back of a horse today. This is the second time I’ve gotten light-headed. After a moment, it passes and I go to the kitchen for a rag.

  When I get back to the porch, Ben is gone. A horse gallops down the driveway and I see Ben standing directly in his path. He holds up his hands as if that will stop the wild animal. I can’t speak or yell because my words are lodged in my throat. I’m moving as fast as I can. Three more horses race around the corner of the barn.

  I tear down the steps and reach Ben just before the first horse races past. I scoop him up in my arms. I run out of the horse’s way, but I’m not fast enough. The next horse crashes into me. Ben falls from my hold. I’m on the ground, under the horse’s hooves. A searing pain shoots up my calf. And they’re gone.

  “Ben,” I scream. Dust billows around me, making me cough.

  He emerges from a cloud of grit. To my relief, he’s uninjured.

  “Becca, your leg.” He stares in dismay.

  My calf is bleeding but I hardly notice. I’m too terrified that Ben almost got trampled.

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  He nods. “Don’t tell Daddy that I couldn’t stop the horse.”

  Something wet and warm heats the back of my head. Now that I know Ben
is okay, I’m aware that my leg throbs and my head too. Dark spots swim across my field of vision. In the distance, I hear the men shouting to close a gate. They’ve corralled the horses.

  “Can you stand?” Ben crouches beside me.

  “Not yet. I feel a little woozy.”

  All I want is Will to help me inside but he must think we’re still on the porch eating breakfast. It’s my fault that we’re not. I could send Ben to find him but I’m afraid that there might be a loose horse somewhere. It would be just like him to try to catch one of the horses so he could impress Will.

  Ben strokes my head. “Poor Mommy.”

  My breath catches in my throat and I manage a weak smile. No one has ever called me that before and the word, so simple and yet so powerful, takes me by surprise. I could fuss at him for leaving the porch, but I can never find it in me to correct him, or chide him. His gentle tone melts my heart a little more.

  Pain lashes my body. I close my eyes and grit my teeth. “Don’t leave me, Ben.”

  The sound of footsteps draws me from my muddled thoughts. I manage to open my eyes when all I want to do is keep them closed and lie down somewhere.

  Will comes to my side. “What happened?”

  His face is pale, tight with fury and fear.

  “I got run down by one of your horsies. S’okay. Jus’ a lil bump.”

  A stream of curse words tear from his mouth. Weird. He doesn’t usually swear around Ben. Everything’s spinning and it doesn’t help much when Will picks me up. I grip his shirt, like that’s going to help me hang on. Will’s shouting at everyone, but not Ben, thankfully, because I think I hear him crying.

  One minute I’m in Will’s truck and the next minute, I’m in a huge building. It looks like a warehouse. My thoughts aren’t adding up, because Will’s talking about a hospital but all I see are planes and Will hates planes. His family, Ben’s family, died in a plane. He jokes that I’m not allowed on a plane. Only with Will, I know he’s only half-joking.

  “Did you buy me a doctor, Will?”