“You’re my wife. I’m sure this is allowed.”
Esther pulled away, starting down the trail. This crazy woman. Any time he tried to get close to her, she pulled away. He wanted to know why and yet didn’t want to push her. He saw how frightened she looked at times. Shaking his head, he grabbed the bags and set out after her. He smiled and replayed the moments before in his mind. Took some deep breaths to try to get his body under control.
They walked a while before she even looked in his direction. The sun shone through the trees, radiating off the water making an arch of color. The rough terrain made it hard for him to talk to her as they traveled upward. . He wanted to move up the mountain a little ways to get over the small cliff and make sure she was protected from anything ahead. He ran ahead somewhat in order to get to the area before she did.
He held his hand out for her and tried not to pull her in and kiss her. She woke desires in him and it frightened him somewhat at their strength. She smiled at him, placing her hand in his. He led her over the steep area. She didn’t pull away from him like at the beginning of the journey. He pressed a hand against the small of her back as she passed by him.
“Thank you. I’m not used to a man being so forward with me.”
If he’d not been right beside her, he wouldn’t have heard her as she whispered the words to him. Good. He hated the thought of another man saying these things or other things either. His. She was his and he didn’t want to let go. Unlike when they started. He was ready to throw her away and get on with his life back then. Now. Never.
“Good. A man shouldn’t unless he means it and is married to her. I meant every word.”
Esther glanced over her shoulder with a shocked expression. She looked at him through her lashes. This might be one of his favorite ways that she looked at him. Innocent and pure. As if she liked him and didn’t hate him. The thought of her hating him caused his heart to rip. He never wanted her to be upset with him. She nursed him back from the wounds he got from the bear.
The time together where he needed to rely on her to help was good for them both. He had never relied on anyone as he felt it made him look bad or helpless, and he was a man and could not look helpless. She didn’t make him feel this way. Made him feel loved and cared for. As if he was smart and strong, even when he took on the much stronger bear.
“Um…thank you.”
He chuckled. “No need to thank me. Just speaking the truth.
“Can I ask you a question?” She faced the trail once again.
“Yes.”
Nerves assaulted his stomach as he waited for her to speak. What would she ask him? She’d not asked many questions since they’d been together. The first few days she’d been upset with how they’d come on this trip. Didn’t share much or talk a lot about her past. Closed off. That’s how he’d describe her at times.
“What is the thing you say each night before coming into bed?”
He’d hoped she’d not noticed. No such luck. The one thing his Ma taught him. Prayer. He might be mad at God, but he still said a few prayers now and then. Habits formed with his parents and he was afraid to break such a sacred tradition. He hadn’t realized she’d heard him. Maybe she did prayed as well and this is why she picked up on his words.
“Prayer.”
They came into the camp with the others before she spoke. It wasn’t like either needed to say a word about what he did or did not do. For someone like him who had been in and out of the trouble with the law to be talking to God would be going against what holy people expected. He wanted to be good. He wanted to be the righteous person his parents had tried to raise him to be but a darker side of him sometimes took over.
“I didn’t take you for a religious man.”
Esther sat down her bag, turning to face him. It became hard to see her clearly as the sun was now setting. They were getting into camp later than they usually did. It drew attention from the others. He lowered his belongings, grabbing the tent to get ready and put it up. Even his wife thought he wasn’t into religion, so why couldn’t his goody brother understand. Pushing him to forgive and to turn away from his outlaw ways. No. He’d protect their tribe and land from the white men who tried to come in to do harm or take what wasn’t theirs.
Chief wouldn’t have anyone turn their backs on the tribe or hand over everything they built. He was a strong, tough man who didn’t back down from a fight. Of course, they had some white men they were friends with or did business with, but it was very small number of them. His Pa was one of them. He’d been a loner and lived in the woods before they’d taken him in and before he fell in love with their Ma.
“I’m not, but a few prayers can’t hurt.”
“They don’t help.”
“What makes you say that?” Those weren’t words he ever thought he’d hear coming from her lips.
“There wouldn’t be a pain if there was a God. I don’t see the point.”
Obadiah wiped the sweat from his forehead as he hammered the last stake into the ground. His brother would have a big problem with what she said. He’d try and reason with her and tell her why she must believe. He wouldn’t do this to her because at times he felt the same way. Tried to walk away himself…he couldn’t though; something kept pulling him back in.
“If that’s how you feel.”
Chapter Eight
So her husband was religious. She wanted to fall into a hole and never be found again. Keep quiet. “Can we not talk about this?” If there was a God he’d never have let her or her parents be the way they were or them to abandoned her. She shoved the thoughts away as she didn’t want to dwell on them anymore.
“It is.”
Obadiah let a deep chuckle roll out from his lips. Turning around so she didn’t see him roll his eyes at her as she grabbed a skillet to start on dinner. His watching gaze made her question every move she made and made preparing the meal difficult. He was busy getting the fire started. Her stomach turned upside with the talk of religion. Her best friend Ruth loved God with her whole heart, and still, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to the bad. It wasn’t as if her friend hadn’t tried to change her mind. She had. They steered clear of the words, that is all.
Her heart ached to see Ruth again. They still had a way to go on this expedition and she longed to be back in the town to make sure her friend was okay. Was her husband as hard headed as hers with a temper besides? She hoped not, as Ruth wouldn’t be able to handle the man well.
“I’ll make sure to stand to the side when you meet my brother.”
Esther slapped the knife down to cut the head off the fish he’d caught for them on their way back. She placed the pieces into the frying pan after cleaning the fish and skinning them. In the other pot, she started some potatoes frying. She got busy making biscuits to throw on the less hot fire later. Lana gave her some flour yesterday and she’d not used all of it yet. They’d been pooling their resources together, so no one in the camp went without. Not like they would with just Obadiah. He preferred to go off before coming back at night to hunt or fish.
“Why?”
“He’s more religious. Gets on my nerves with it at times. I pray at night, but he’s all into living like the Good Book says.”
Esther smiled. Maybe she didn’t need to worry so much about Ruth. A man she prayed for to come into her life she’d say. “Ruth will be happy.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, she’s big into the Good Book, too.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear that. Now maybe he’ll get off my case.”
She laughed, knowing how he felt. Esther let out a shaky breath and relaxed a little more
It didn’t matter to her one way or another if he prayed or not. She wanted to make it out of this alive and if it “helped” like he thought then that was fine with her. Lenna didn’t seem to be into religion, so maybe she went with the tribes' way of thinking. Perhaps it had to do with the brothers having had a white pa.
She made a note to ask her friend
about the ways of the Indians. If she was going to be married into this tribe, she needed to know more so as to not do the wrong thing. After finding the picture and his kind words today, this was a way to show she was starting to care more.
Obadiah handed her a plate, brushing his fingers against hers. Her cheeks heated. This time she didn’t cast her eyes down, afraid she wasn’t pretty enough for him. He’d put those thoughts to rest this afternoon. He brushed his knuckles down her cheek before he served the the supper. The caring way he helped her with the cooking warmed her heart more than any food could ever fill her stomach.
“Is it frowned upon to marry outside the tribe?”
He shrugged his shoulders, swallowing the bite he’d taken. Watching him in the moonlight over fire had her heart racing. It cast a little edge about him. Not that he needed any more edges. His black hair was tied back. Her fingers ached to run her hands through it to see if it was as silky as it looked. It had brushed against her skin a couple of times, but she’d been too afraid to touch it. His gaze was hooded as he stared at her. The inner corner of his mouth turned up.
“Yes and no. The older members don’t like it but some of the younger have already married out.”
“What about you?”
The bold words coming from her startled her. He brought this out in her. Made her want to be braver and not mince words around him. One step. Two. Three. He stood in front of her casting her in a shadow. The slow way he lowered his gaze down her body and back up to her face had her squirming. She worried characteristically at her bottom lip.
“I don’t follow rules. Ever.”
Obadiah pulled her into his arms. She didn’t resist. He was hard to put up any kind of fight with. She lived for when he touched her. He looked at her like no other girl mattered in the world since he’d met her. Made her feel like no other girls before compared to her. The hazy heat he caused inside her made it hard to think. She could only feel his strong arms around her. His breath on her skin. His hands splayed on her hips, cupping her toward him. Her hands pressed against his chest.
She waited to see if he’d kiss her. He took his sweet time with a smirk on his lips. He knew he got to her. Rats.
Big fat raindrops fell on them as he leaned in to kiss her. She jumped in his arms. A squeal coming from her lips turned into laughter. She swore she heard him growl as he pushed her away. He quickly put the fire out as she scrambled to get the food put back into the bag.
“Go inside. We both don’t need to get soaked.”
“I’m fine.”
“Woman. Listen to me for once.”
She sighed as loud as she could over the others in camp talking. He laughed, looking at her in a sideways glance, shaking his head at her. Esther made her way to the tent. Her clothes were plastered against her body. Drenched. She dressed as fast as she could before came in and got into the bedroll. She shivered as she tried to get warm with the covers they had to use.
***
Obadiah snuffed out the fire, gathered the rest of the items, and then headed into the tent. He wanted to curse at the rain. She’d been close, so close in his arms. Kissing her lips was all he thought of. He tossed the towel aside, rolling his eyes as he remembered when she laughed at him. The sweet sound made him almost lose his mind. He wanted to bottle up her innocence and keep her safe for the rest of their lives. She might be tough, but she still had moments when she was not. Adorable.
What had him wanting to put his life down for her? Other girls didn’t compare to her.
She scared him. Scared to give his heart away. How to get so attached to another person and then they are taken away. He’d seen what it did to his Pa. A shell of a man once so vibrant and alive, still in love with his wife. It tore at him when he thought of Pa. Soon he’d take care of the man who did this to his family. Make it right by the tribe as well. Mother Earth would look on them with goodness for sure. The man must pay for taking her away.
His back turned to her. He didn’t need to see her face to know she was looking at him. The heat infusing his body let him know all he needed to know. He let the shirt drop from his body before he turned around and stalked to the bedroll, climbing inside. His pants somehow weren’t wet. Esther tried scooting to the far side as if not to touch him. There was the innocence he loved so much.
Thunder shook the ground, making the tent rattle as the wind whipped around them. Her scream pierced the night air. She rolled over so fast he didn’t have time to react as she clung to his chest. Esther’s body shook violently against him, taking him by surprise. The month they’d been out here together she’d never backed down from anything, not even the bear when he knew she had been scared out of her mind.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. “It’s just thunder.”
“I-I know.”
“What’s wrong?” His brows furrowed together trying to figure out what had her so scared.
Her voice muffled against his chest. Did she say she was scared? He tried to make out what she’d said with no success. He rubbed a hand up and down her back trying his best to soothe her.
“Scared of storms.”
“Why?”
She shook her head. White women sure were odd at times. He didn’t understand why she was afraid of thunder. The rain didn’t both her, so this had him scratching his head to figure out. He relaxed with her in his arms, continuing to rub her back. The grip she had on his chest lessened as the moments passed. Thunder cracked in the background. When it did resound, she jumped again.
“Always have been.”
He hugged her close. She’d grown up without a ma or pa, someone to tell her it was okay when it stormed. The reassurance a child needed in times when scary sounds happened. He closed his eyes, listening to the rumble and the rain hitting the tent. It always calmed him. His heart broke for the little girl she’d been. If she needed him to hold her forever until she felt safe, he would.
“You’re safe.”
Those words snapped her out of the daze she’d been in and she shot up with a horrified look on her face. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“I shouldn’t have jumped in your arms like I did.”
He shrugged. “Do I look offended?”
“No, but.”
“But what?”
Her hair fanned around her face and bosom. It was breathtaking. He smoothed his hands through the locks. Soft. If he wasn’t careful, she might pull him under her spell. He didn’t miss the sharp breath she took when he touched her or the way her eyes heated with each touch of his hand.
“It’s not proper.”
If she said this word one more time, he might kiss her until she got it out of her vocabulary. She still thought they were strangers. No. Far from it. She’d nursed him back, touched his chest, and been at his side. He knew when she became worried or the way she pulled her bottom lip in when she wanted to say something but was afraid to. The way her chest rose when he glanced at her. Her cheeks burned red.
“Why is that?” Obadiah rose on his elbow, tilting her head closer to his. He grazed his thumb over her bottom lip, her mouth parting from the motion.
“W-we’re.”
“Married.”
She nodded. He wasn’t holding back anymore. They’d danced around their status for a month now. He cared for her more than anyone else ever. Love, maybe. He didn’t know for sure, but he sure didn’t want to lose her or have her think he didn’t find her attractive. Something cracked between them today when she found the drawing he’d done of her.
He kissed her lips with all he had in him. Thankful she opened to him. Her hands pressed against his chest. His hands in her hair. The sweet taste of cherries on her lips. Every time they kissed that is what he tasted. She’d ruin the fruit for the rest of his life because each time he ate one he’d remember kissing her.
Esther moaned leaning into his chest more. He kissed his way down her neck. The small gasps coming from her made him smile against her neck. �
��I can’t get enough of your taste.”
“Obadiah,” his name coming out breathy.
Pulling back to look at her. Her lips were swollen from his kiss, head thrown back with her eyes closed. Bliss. The peaceful look on her face. Her mind not thinking for once and he’d give anything to keep her this way. Let their bodies talk.
“Yes.”
“I-I’ve never.”
He smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I know. I’ll be gentle.
“You make me feel safe for the first time.”
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her on the lips again. He’d do everything in his power to always make her feel safe with him. To never be unworthy of her love or to upset her. He laid her under him ready to seal their marriage and his devotion to her for life.
Chapter Nine
Esther didn’t want to move from the warmth of her husband’s arms. The sun started to sink in the sky, casting a beautiful pink and purple. She moved from his arms, their fingers lingering until the last moment. A smile on her face. Bliss. Is this what love felt like? If it was, she didn’t want it to end. This short time together that she wouldn’t take back for anything.
“Hurry back,” Obadiah called after her. His heated eyes on her. He’d not made a move to start the fire yet. The others in camp worked on their fires.
“I’ll try.” They’d fallen into a rhythm when they made camp at night. He’d start working on the fire as she went to find the smaller limbs. He kept the bigger logs in a bag transporting them to each place they went.
It wouldn’t be much longer and the expedition would be over. Esther was more than ready to get back to town and see where they’d live. See Ruth. She hoped she had been treated well and that her friend got along with her husband. Last night her husband told her about his brother acquiring a baby out of the blue. Ruth always wanted to be a Ma, so she’d enjoy every moment of her new life.
A Bride For Obadiah Page 6