Mail Order Bride - Westward Heartbeat: A Historical Cowboy Romance Novel (Montana Mail Order Brides Book 15)

by Linda Bridey

  Zoe reveled in the muscles that bunched beneath her palms as he pulled her harder against him. He was so warm and powerful and smooth. She craved him, needed him, and wanted him with a ferocity that was immeasurable.

  Raven knew if he didn’t stop right then, things were going to get out of hand. Calling on a last reserve of willpower, he broke the kiss and pulled her hands away from his heated body.

  He laughed, a deep, husky sound. “I knew you were going to sorely test my control.”

  “I don’t think I have any,” Zoe said breathlessly. “If you weren’t so damn gorgeous it would be easier to resist you.”

  It was the first time he’d heard her swear and it amused him. “Are you displeased with the way I look?”

  “No! Of course not. You’re so handsome and virile and I love kissing you and I can’t keep my hands off you and oh, Lord, I have to go inside or I’m going to throw myself at you,” Zoe said and got to her feet. She backed into a tree branch that caught on her hair. “Ow!” She tried to tug her hair from the branch, but it wouldn’t come loose.

  “What did you do?” Raven said as he felt behind her. Finding the problem, he brushed her hands aside. “Stand still.”

  “Why do you assume I did something? I don’t have to do anything to get stuck in things, fall over things, bump into things, knock things over; you name it, I do it.” She felt him shaking with laughter and ran her fingers back up under his shirt, only this time she caressed his chest.

  “Zoe, stop that. I can’t get you free if you do that. Zoe! Stop or I’ll leave you stuck in this tree all night,” he said in a stern voice.

  Zoe dropped her hands, but laughed. Raven succeeded in loosening her hair and stepped back.

  “You’re very bad,” he scolded her. “You torture me and now I have to go home to a cold bed.”

  “I could go with you,” she said arching a brow at him.

  “And have Auntie come looking for you? I don’t think so,” he protested.

  Zoe crossed her arms over her chest and said, “My bed will be as cold as yours, so don’t feel bad.”

  He grinned. “Good. Now go to bed, my wiȟópečA.”

  “Are you swearing at me?”

  “No! It means ‘beautiful woman’.”

  Zoe smiled. “Thank you. How do you say ‘goodnight’?”

  “Hanhepi waste.”

  She butchered the phrase, but Raven appreciated her efforts. He kissed her and sent her on her way. He raked a hand through his hair and grinned as he walked to where his horse was tied. Yes, he was going to have to talk to Owl very soon.

  *****

  Dean detested going to the reservation. He missed his Lakota family very much, and it was so hard not to see them whenever he wanted to. Seeing them behind fencing like cattle hurt him every time he came, and he had to work hard to resist the urge to stomp into Captain Morgan’s office and yell at the guy. It wouldn’t help anything to do that, but it might make him feel a little better.

  They went through the checkin area and a guard looked in their baskets.

  Dean glowered at him and said, “I swear if you mess up any of this stuff, I’ll mess up your face.”

  Raven barely kept from smiling as the guard snatched his hand away and waved them through. Dean muttered obscenities under his breath as he stomped along the path he knew led to the area Black Fox’s tribe had been given. As he walked, he remembered riding along the trails that led to the old camp and coming out into the huge clearing that had been filled with tipis, horses, and people.

  As they closed in on their tribe, Dean noticed another, unfamiliar Lakota man yelling and gesticulating angrily as he talked to Black Fox. The chief stood calmly with his arms folded across his chest. The only indication he gave of being annoyed was an arched eyebrow. Looking over the angry man’s head, Black Fox spotted his son and Dean and smiled. He waved at them and the other man turned to see to whom he waved.

  Dean kept walking towards him and as he drew close to Black Fox he looked at the other Lakota man and said, “Listen, pal, I don’t know if you speak English, but we’re here to visit so you better make yourself scarce or I’m gonna kick your ass from here to kingdom come.”

  The Lakota man didn’t speak English, but he could see from Dean’s stern expression and hear from the harsh tone of Dean’s voice that he meant business. It didn’t hurt that Raven stood behind Dean with much the same sort of look on his face. The man gave them wary glances and moved quickly away.

  Dean turned to see Black Fox grin and laughed. “I guess I told him, huh? I hope I didn’t get you in trouble, though.”

  “Do not worry about it. He is an idiot. No trouble will come from it,” the chief said.

  Raven sat down the basket he carried and embraced his father. “You look well, my son,” Black Fox said in Lakota.

  “I am. So do you,” Raven said as he stood back and looked over his father.

  “Well enough,” Black Fox said. He looked at Dean and said, “You, on the other hand, are even uglier than I remembered.”

  Dean laughed and grasped arms with Black Fox. “You’re not too pretty, either, Black Dog.”

  The chief laughed upon hearing the nickname Sammi Taylor, the sheriff’s wife had given him several years ago. “What is in there?” He pointed to the baskets.

  “Nothing you want. Just some cookies and pies—“

  Black Fox snatched the one Dean held from his fingers and lifted the wicker lid to peer inside. He reached in, found a snicker doodle, and pulled it out. He stuffed whole thing in his mouth and closed his eyes as he chewed. Raven and Dean laughed at him, but Black Fox didn’t care. His sweet tooth had been screaming at him the past couple of days and the cookie tasted heavenly to him.

  His love of desserts and sweet snacks was widely known among his tribe and both Lakota and white families. His white family tried to keep him supplied as best they could, but it was hard since they couldn’t get there on a regular basis. Rick Westlake, who had been appointed Indian Agent for their area, had his wife Gina make treats for their tribe, too. He was let in to see them once a day, but he didn’t come on the weekends so that other people could visit.

  “Who made these?” Black Fox asked. “They are delicious.”

  “Auntie and Zoe,” Raven said being careful to keep the pleasure just saying Zoe’s name gave him from his face.

  Black Fox knew his son well, however, and heard the slight inflection on the latter name. He didn’t comment on it, though.

  “Who is Zoe?” he asked.

  Dean said, “She’s a woman who came to Dawson to marry Tucker’s brother.”

  Raven’s nostrils flared a little at his statement. “She and Will are no longer seeing each other, uncle.”

  Dean’s surprise showed clearly on his face. “They’re not? What the heck happened? Did they have a fight?”

  Raven shook his head. “She said that they were not attracted to each other.”

  The chief watched Raven closely and saw the slight tension in his stance. Raven was not as good at hiding things as others. His white family might not notice these things, but among the Lakota, Raven was often unable to keep his true feelings to himself.

  “Well, that’s too bad. What’s she gonna do now? I really like her, too. She’s clumsy as hell, but a sweet girl.”

  She’s going to marry me, that is what she is going to do, Raven wanted to say. “I’m sure she will find someone to marry,” he said instead.

  Black Fox grunted and it was a knowing sound. Dean took it as a sign of agreement, but Raven knew that his father was onto him.

  “Come. Your mother is over at Squirrel’s tipi,” Black Fox said.

  Father and son walked side by side and Black Fox signed, “You and I will discuss this woman after a little while.”

  Raven frowned and sent back, “Fine, but only in private.”

  Black Fox gave him a curt nod.

  They heard a happy cry from up ahead and Raven’s younger sister, Winona cam
e running to him. Raven scooped her up easily and hugged her tightly.

  “How are you, little sister?” he asked.

  “I am well. Did you grow?” she asked.

  He set her down again and responded, “Since last week? I doubt it. I think I’m done growing.”

  She laughed and hugged Dean. He kissed her and said, “Every time I see you, you’re more beautiful than before. I’ll bet all the young braves are chasing after you.”

  Winona blushed and said, “Not all of them.”

  Black Fox grunted. “Enough of them.”

  Dean laughed. “Spoken like a true father. I went through the same thing with Sadie and I have the feeling that Katie is going to be a nightmare to deal with once boys come sniffing around.”

  Black Fox smiled. “Yes, raising daughters can be hard and yours is very headstrong.”

  Dean put a hand to his forehead. “How many times did she sneak in here with Rick this week? No, on second thought, don’t tell me. It’ll just give me indigestion.”

  “Three.”

  Dean groaned. “I told you not to tell me.”

  Raven left them to run on ahead to see his mother. He saw her standing talking to some other women. “Mother!” he called out. Ever since his uncle and aunt had been killed, he had dispensed with recognizing the avoidance relationship that was supposed to be followed between them. His love for her was too great not to speak directly to her anymore and he didn’t care about what other people thought. Black Fox wasn’t thrilled about this, but Wind Spirit had told him to mind his own business.

  Wind Spirit heard her son and turned around in time to be swept up in his arms and spun around. Squirrel looked on and laughed. A couple of the other women smiled, but some of them frowned in disapproval and shook their heads. Raven put his mother down and scowled at those who frowned.

  “If you do not like the way I speak with my mother, leave. I do not have to put up with your sour attitudes. Go on!” he said with an angry shooing motion.

  They took in his dark expression and moved away quickly. He turned back to Wind Spirit and smiled. “How are you?”

  “I am fine. How is my handsome son?”

  He nodded. “I am well. We brought cookies and pie.”

  Wind Spirit rolled her eyes. “Enough with the sweets. All the children from other tribes keep coming by for them.”

  Raven laughed and then hugged Squirrel and kissed her forehead. “You look well, aunt.”

  She sighed. “I am.”

  Raven drew back and looked at her. “I do not think that is true.”

  “I will never adjust to being here, Raven. I am trying, but it is … depressing,” Squirrel said.

  His heart broke anew for his aunt because he knew how much she was struggling. How he wished there was something he could do for her, something that would cheer her up. The only thing that could do that was freedom to live her life as she used to. The same was true for all of them.

  There were times when Raven felt so guilty about not being on the reservation with them. He and Black Fox had argued about it several times and each time Black Fox refused to give in. After the last fight they’d had over it, Black Fox had forbidden Raven from mentioning it anymore.

  “Come have some pie,” Raven said. “It will take your mind off things for a little while. Uncle Dean came to see everyone.”

  Squirrel broke away from him and said, “I cannot see him right now. It reminds me too much. I am sorry.” She walked quickly away from them and Wind Spirit shook her head.

  “Do not be angry with her, Raven. I am worried for her. She is not the only one like that. There were two suicides this week.”

  Raven looked sharply at his mother. “Two more?”

  “Yes. They are mainly older people who cannot get used to things and pine very hard for our old way of life. All of us do, but some are not strong enough to keep living like this,” Wind Spirit said.

  Rage at the army coursed through Raven and his fists clenched at his sides. Wind Spirit saw and took one of his hands and uncurled it. “No, my son. Do not become bitter.”

  “It is hard not to, Mother,” he said.

  Wind Spirit looked up at him and said, “You must find a way to be happy, Raven.”

  He thought of Zoe and smiled. “I know.”

  She searched her son’s face and saw the way his eyes shone. There was only one thing that could make a man look like that. “What is her name?”

  He laughed and looked up the path where his father and Dean stood talking with some men who had come over. Black Fox was introducing them. Raven said, “Her name is Zoe.”

  “Zoe. That is a pretty name. Does your father know?” she asked.

  “He suspects. I can never hide anything from you two. It is very annoying.”

  Wind Spirit laughed. “So tell me about this woman who has captured my son’s heart.”

  Raven quickly told her about Zoe, his face shining with happiness the whole time. Wind Spirit laughed when he told her how clumsy Zoe was.

  “If you should marry and have children, I hope they do not inherit it from her,” she said.

  “She skates on the ice, Mother, and is as graceful as an eagle is in the sky. I wish you could see it,” Raven said.

  “I would love to. When the time is right, you must bring her to meet us.”

  “I will.” Raven looked at his mother a little shyly. “I want to marry her, Mother. Very badly.”

  “Have you asked her?”

  “Not yet. I need to figure some things out first, such as where we might live. Since she is white, I don’t know how she would like living full-time in a tipi and I am not sure I can live in a house. We must discuss these things first,” Raven said. A smiled spread over his face again. “She did like staying in Uncle Dean’s tipi, though.”

  Wind Spirit laughed as Black Fox and Dean reached them and the subject was dropped. The remainder of the visit was spent teasing each other and Dean and Raven relating to them what had been happening in their family’s life that week. Before they left, Black Fox cornered Raven alone, merely telling Dean that they needed privacy.

  Raven and he had much the same conversation as he and Wind Spirit had, but with a slightly different response.

  “Be careful, son. Make sure she is willing to compromise on a living arrangement,” Black Fox said.

  “I know. We have already talked about it somewhat, but we will have to talk more seriously about it now,” Raven said.

  “What about her father? Have you asked his permission to court her?”

  “Her father abandoned her and her mother to run off with some other woman. Her mother divorced her father,” Raven said. “There is no need to worry about him.”

  “And she has no one else acting as father for her?”

  “No. There is no one.”

  Black Fox grunted. “What kind of man abandons his family? I can see divorcing, but to not have anything to do with your children is unthinkable to me.”

  “I agree.”

  “When will you bring her?” Black Fox asked.

  “I am not sure. Reckless and Brook are to come next week and I hate to ask them to miss their turn,” Raven said.

  Black Fox smiled. “Talk to Rick. Perhaps he can get permission for one more person to come with you.” There was nothing more that Black Fox loved than annoying the military, especially Carter Douglas, the sergeant responsible for the attack on their camp that had led to their tribe’s apprehension. He knew firsthand how angry it made Douglas every time Morgan gave permission to Rick about something.

  Raven smiled back. “I will.”

  “Go, son. Be happy and thank your woman for the desserts,” Black Fox said, smiling at his son. It did his heart good to know that Raven was finding some joy in his life. He deserved it after everything that had happened.

  Though they spoke in Lakota, Dean recognized the words “your” and “woman” and wondered what Black Fox meant. He decided to ask Raven about it on the way home. As
they went back through the check point, Dean gave the guard a dirty look again and the man backed away slightly. When they were a safe distance away, Dean and Raven laughed about it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  While Raven and Dean were at the reservation, Zoe was at Reckless and Brook’s tipi, which stood down the road from the Samuels ranch where Jack and Sparrow’s house had been. The house had been given to Jack by Marcus and Claire when they had moved into town. The home had been destroyed by the same wildfire that had burned the old Lakota camp.

  Reckless didn’t like where they were situated because it was too close to their last camp where so many of his loved ones, including his parents, had been killed. There were times when he heard their voices calling to him plainly. As soon as they could, he was planning on moving them somewhere else. Seth kept telling him to move up to the ranch, but Reckless hadn’t wanted to impose. He was starting to rethink that decision, however. There were nights when the voices woke him. He needed to get away from them.

  Brook was giving Zoe a cooking lesson. Zoe had come out to their tipi with a sack full of foods that Abby Bradbury, wife of the store owner in town, had told her the Lakota liked to eat. Brook had been happy to meet her and eagerly agreed to teach her. She taught her how to make stew since it was a simple dish and an easy first lesson.

  Reckless sat close by, amused by Zoe’s enthusiasm and how she bungled pronunciations of the Lakota words she was trying to learn. Reckless’ earlier misgivings about her and Raven having a relationship had dissolved when he heard that she and Will were no longer involved. It was obvious to him that Zoe cared for his cousin a great deal if she was trying to learn to cook Lakota food and learn their language.

  Zoe was glad that Brook and Reckless were so accepting of her and all of them laughed as she tried to fish the cooking stones from the fire and one rolled across the tipi when she dropped it.

  “I don’t know if I’m coordinated enough for this. I’m very clumsy except for when I’m ice skating,” Zoe told them.

  Reckless said, “Yes. I saw you at the bar the other night. I don’t think you would make a good waitress. Too many glasses to break.”

  Zoe stuck her tongue out at him and splashed him with a little water she was putting into the cooking skin.