When they finished their meal, Lars uncovered a piece of chocolate cake. Cutting it in two, he put half on her plate and began eating the rest.
Marnie couldn’t subdue a pleasurable moan as she savored the rich flavor and moist texture.
Fork halfway to his mouth, Lars sat spellbound by the look on her face as much as the mellow sound of her voice.
“That may be the best thing I’ve ever experienced,” she said, taking another bite. “How does Mrs. Rawlings get her cake so moist?”
Suddenly, he realized Marnie was looking at him, expecting some sort of response. “I don’t know, but everything she makes is really good. Aundy’s a good cook, too. I’ve eaten out at the ranch a few times.”
“I bet you haven’t eaten much at Ilsa’s house.” Marnie’s eyes twinkled merrily as she ate her last bite of cake. “Ilsa doesn’t even pretend to enjoy cooking.”
“Tony isn’t a bad cook, although I think he prefers that knowledge remain hidden.”
“What about you?” Marnie asked, studying Lars as she set down her empty plate and leaned back with the flat of her hands bracing her arms behind her. “Can you cook?”
“A little. I had to learn to make some basic stuff because I can be out on the trail for extended periods of time when I’m working. It’s either cook or starve,” Lars said, wiping his mouth on a napkin then turning so he rested on his side, propped up on one elbow. “Do you cook?”
“I used to, a lifetime ago.”
The joy Marnie had found in the day dissipated and she appeared lost in her memories. To chase away whatever ghosts haunted her, he told her about finding Sadie and Noah.
“I hope you don’t mind, but that’s where I wanted to go today. Just to check up on them and make sure they’re fine. If their father is back, we won’t go to the door, but if it looks like they’re still alone, I want to have a look at Noah’s hand and give them the food I brought along.”
Marnie had noticed the box of food supplies still in the buggy and wondered what Lars planned to do with it. She felt honored he wanted her to go along with him on the drive out to see the two children. “Are you sure it’s a good idea for them to meet me?”
“Why not?” Lars asked, plucking a blade of grass and sticking it between his teeth.
“Sugar, don’t play dumb. You know what I do for a living.”
“Yeah. But those kids don’t and no one else would just by looking at you.” Lars let his hot blue gaze meld to hers then smirked. “By the way, that dress is sure pretty on you.”
Her cheeks heated from his praise and she ducked her head down to study the front of her pink skirt. Ilsa ordered the fabric and helped her cut out the pattern. Marnie used the sewing machine Miss Clementine kept for any of the girls that wanted to sew and made the dress.
Applying the stitching skills she’d learned from her mother and Ilsa, she added tiny flowers all along the bodice and skirt of the gown. It made her feel feminine and pretty, like a real lady, when she wore it, especially with the smart little hat.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
She kept her gaze averted, fearful if she looked into Lars’ bright blue eyes, she’d become lost in the heated pools, and never want to come out. It was pure stupidity on her part to own feelings for a decent man, especially one who was a U.S. Marshal.
Before she could rein in her thoughts or emotions, Lars reached over and gently tipped her chin up with his finger.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Nothing of your concern.” Marnie sat up and stacked the dirty plates together. She got to her knees and started to rise to go rinse them off in the creek, but her skirt twisted around her legs and she lost her balance.
The hand she stretched out to catch herself landed squarely on Lars’ solid chest. She could feel the strength of his muscles beneath her hand as well as the wild thumping of his heart. It kept perfect rhythm with her own pounding pulse.
Glancing up, his face was so close to hers, she could see freckles scattered across his nose, a tiny mole on his right cheek, and his stubble starting to grow back in although she was certain he’d shaved that morning. His scent made her lightheaded and she felt her breath catch in her throat as he began to lower his head to hers.
Fear warred with longing, creating a confusing explosion of emotion inside her head and heart.
Abruptly jerking back, she scrambled to her feet, grabbed the dishes, and hurried to the creek. She bent down on the bank, rinsed off the plates and cutlery, and returned to the blanket. Lars had the food packed up and placed the dishes in the basket then carried it to the buggy. Marnie hastily folded the quilt and handed it to him. He placed the blanket over the basket then walked her around to get in the buggy.
Instead of helping her in, he stood holding her hand in his, gazing down at her face as he searched for something.
Uncertain what he was looking for and terrified of what he might find, she dipped her head. A gasp of air escaped her when he picked her up and set her down in the buggy. Waggling his eyebrow at her with a cocky smile, he climbed in beside her.
The remainder of the trip to the Webster cabin, Lars told her funny stories from his past adventures, keeping her laughing and her mind occupied from thoughts of what almost happened at the creek.
A short while later, he drove the buggy off the road toward a stand of trees and stopped. He asked Marnie to wait while he went to see if Mr. Webster was back.
He was gone only a short while when he returned.
“The children appear to be home alone,” he said, sliding back in the buggy. He drove close to the cabin, pulled the horse to a stop, and set the brake as Noah ran outside followed by Sadie.
“Mr. Lars! You came back!” Noah said, launching himself at his hero. Lars picked up the boy and tossed him in the air, easily catching him.
Noah wrapped his scrawny arms around Lars’ neck and gave him a tight hug before noticing Marnie still sitting in the buggy.
“Is that pretty lady your wife?” Noah asked, grinning at Marnie.
“No, but she is a good friend. You can call her Marnie,” Lars said, walking over to help Marnie out of the buggy while still holding onto Noah.
“How do you do, Mr. Webster,” Marnie said, tipping her head politely to the child.
“I’m great. Want to see the rabbit I caught? Sadie said we have to eat him for supper, but I want to keep him as a pet.” Noah wiggled for Lars to set him down and grabbed Marnie’s hand as soon as his feet touched the ground, tugging her toward the barn.
Lars focused his attention on the little girl who glared at him warily. “Hello, Sadie. How have you been?”
“Just fine and before you start askin’ a bunch of questions, Pa ain’t been back yet, but I know he’ll come home anytime.”
“I’m sure he will,” Lars said, picking up the box of foodstuffs and carrying it into the house.
As he set it on the table, Sadie glowered at him.
“You ain’t got no need to bring us food, mister. We can take care of ourselves.” The little girl crossed her arms stubbornly in front of her chest and lifted her chin.
Lars stepped over and grabbed that chin, looking into her thin, determined face. “I know you can, but there’s no need to go hungry. Now you won’t have to eat Noah’s rabbit, at least not tonight.”
“Didn’t want to eat that ol’ scrawny thing no how. He looks like a skeleton covered with fur.” Sadie dug through the box of supplies. When she came across a packet of lemon drops, she gave Lars a huge smile. “We ain’t had candy for so long I ‘bout forgot what it tastes like.”
“Now you can remember.” Lars swallowed hard when Sadie turned and flung her arms around him.
“Thanks, Mr. Lars. I’m kinda glad you come back to check on us.”
Lars placed one big hand against her back and the other on her head, rubbing gently over her tightly confined braid. “I’m glad I came to check on you, too. You want to go outside and meet Miss Marnie?�
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“Sure. She’s awful pretty. You think you might want to marry up with her?” Sadie asked, leading the way outside.
“What I want doesn’t exactly matter.”
“Seems to me she looks like she could tolerate you and you seem plumb dopey over her. Why wouldn’t you want to marry her?”
“It’s complicated.”
Sadie rolled her eyes and ran out to where Noah showed Marnie the rabbit he’d caught in an old cage he’d found in the barn loft.
Attentively, Marnie listened to all the fine points Noah listed about his rabbit. When she glanced up, she gave Lars such a bemused expression, full of warmth and love, he felt the impact of it like a blow to the chest. To ease the sudden ache, he rubbed the region around his heart and wondered what the woman was doing to him. He’d never felt like this before.
Most of his life, he’d held an appreciation for women in general. Over the years he’d escorted several to various functions and even briefly considered courting a few. However, no female had ever left his thoughts in such a tangled mess as the one laughing at something two bedraggled youngsters said.
She took the children’s hands in hers and walked with them to the house. The enticing look she tossed him over her shoulder propelled his feet forward of their own volition. If he didn’t maintain control of his emotions, she’d put a ring through his nose and lead him around town like a prize bull.
Inside the house, Marnie picked up Noah and set him on the edge of the sink while Sadie got some clean bandages. Lars dug in the box from the grocery store and pulled out a tin of salve and a bar of carbolic soap, handing them both to Marnie.
“Let’s see about this wound on your hand, Noah,” Marnie said, unwrapping the bandage Sadie had tied around it that morning. Carefully removing the fabric, Marnie held Noah’s hand flat against her own and studied the cut. Although it was deep and looked sore, it wasn’t infected and appeared to be healing.
She turned to Sadie and gave her a warm, motherly smile. “You’re doing a fine job taking care of your brother. This looks as good as Doc could take care of it.”
“You think so?” Sadie asked, stepping close to Marnie.
The woman put her arm around the child and kissed the top of her head. Lars thought Sadie might actually begin to float, she was so puffed up with pleasure from Marnie’s praise.
Marnie removed the wrapper from the soap then asked Sadie to pump some water in the sink while she washed Noah’s hand. He grimaced at the treatment, but didn’t cry, earning a wink from Marnie. “You’re a brave boy, Noah.”
“I know. I’m gonna be brave like Lars.” He smiled at his hero.
“You’re already braver than me,” Lars said, making the boy break into a broad grin.
“When you doctor his hand, rub some salve on it like this,” Marnie said, showing Sadie what to do, then wrapping Noah’s palm with a clean bandage. “There you go, young man.”
“Thanks, Marnie!” Noah gave her a hug before jumping off the counter and hurrying over to the table to look over the supplies Lars brought. Sadie showed him the lemon drops and they each took one before offering to share with Lars and Marnie.
“No, you two go right ahead.” Marnie closed Sadie’s fingers around the packet of sweets.
“Don’t you like lemon drops?” Noah asked, sucking on his candy.
“I’m partial to chocolate.” Marnie gave Lars a jaunty grin.
“That’s true. I think she loves chocolate more than anything.” Lars tweaked Noah’s freckled nose, making him giggle.
“Anything?” Sadie asked, trying to decide what she loved more than sweets. Definitely her brother, even though he could be a pest most of the time.
“Anything.” Lars repeated, earning a glare from Marnie.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Marnie said, helping Sadie put away the groceries.
“Even more than Lars?” Noah asked, handing Marnie a can of beans to put on a shelf.
Taken aback by the question, Marnie couldn’t formulate a response and instead chose to change the subject, asking Sadie about their cow and the chickens.
The adults sat down at the table with the children and visited with them for almost an hour. Noah climbed up on Lars’ lap and settled in. It didn’t take long before his lashes rested against his cheeks and his breath came out in soft little puffs, letting everyone know he’d gone to sleep.
“We better get on the road,” Lars said, picking up Noah and carrying him to a narrow cot Sadie indicated in the other room. Marnie followed and tucked a light blanket around the boy, then placed her hand comfortingly on Sadie’s shoulder.
Quietly leaving Noah to rest, the three of them walked outside and Sadie swirled her toe in the dirt, not looking up at the adults as they turned to say goodbye.
“Guess we’ll see you around sometime,” Sadie said, still not looking up.
Marnie pulled the girl into a hug and kissed the top of her head again. Sadie wrapped her arms around her and held tight before taking a step back and swiping at her eyes.
“Dad-gum wind gets dust in my eyes,” Sadie grumbled, as Lars ran his hand over her head and patted her back.
“If you need something, you let me know. Take care of yourself and your brother, honey.” Lars helped Marnie settle into the buggy then waved at Sadie as he guided the horse back down the road.
“Do you think their father is ever coming back?”
“Probably. There’s no word that he’s dead. It’s most likely a matter of time before he needs somewhere to hole up and hide. I’m guessing he’s been gone for a while and will be home sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I hate leaving those kids alone.” Lars glanced at Marnie. She was quite taken with the two children and seemed unsettled by the realization they were left to their own devices.
Marnie placed her hand on his arm, giving him a teary-eyed look. “Thank you for taking me to meet them, Lars. I truly appreciate it. Will you let me know the next time you go to visit them?”
“Absolutely.”
The ride back to town passed quickly. Much sooner than he would have liked, Lars was helping Marnie out of the buggy and walking her around to the back door of the brothel. He followed her up the stairs and stood on the landing, holding her hand in his.
“Thank you for a wonderful day,” he said, not wanting to leave. He couldn’t keep his gaze from drifting to her pink lips, especially that upper lip that seemed to rest in a natural, enticing pout. Wondering if she’d taste as dark, sweet, and rich as he imagined, he needed to leave before he gave in to his urge to find out.
“Thank you for asking me, Lars. It’s one of the best days I’ve ever had.” Marnie wanted him to hold her to that strong chest and kiss her like she’d dreamed of him doing. Instead, she gave his cheek a quick peck and hurried in the door.
Lars rushed down the steps, disconcerted by how easily he’d become infatuated with one of Pendleton’s most popular soiled doves.
Chapter Eight
In the midst of fastening on a bright red corset, Marnie heard something ping off her window. Ignoring it, she finished with the corset and started to pull on a stocking when she heard the noise again. Annoyed, she dropped the stocking, marched over to the window, and looked down at the street.
Lars hovered below her window, lobbing pebbles up at her room.
“Aren’t you too old and respectable to do such a juvenile thing?” she asked with a laugh as she pushed open her window and poked her head outside.
“Probably, but I couldn’t find your little errand boy and Gertie isn’t answering the kitchen door. May I speak with you for a minute?” Lars felt like a green, gangly boy as he stood beneath Marnie’s window trying to get her attention.
“Come on up, but be quiet about it,” Marnie warned then closed the window.
Hastily slipping on her stockings, Marnie settled the garters in place then glanced up at a tap on her door. Before she could put on a wrapper, Lars opened the door and stared at her, unblinking.
“You could give a girl a moment to get dressed before you barge right in.” Marnie shoved her arms into a lacy dressing gown and tied the belt around her waist.
When Lars continued to stare at her, she grabbed his hand and tugged him into the room, closing the door behind him. He acted like he’d never seen a half-dressed woman before and she knew in his line of work that wasn’t true.
She pushed him down into her overstuffed chair, relieved when he seemed to regain his senses. He held a paper-wrapped parcel her direction.
“What’s this?” she asked, accepting the package, although she was hesitant to open it. This wasn’t the first time he’d brought her a gift. A few days ago, he arrived with a box of chocolates he’d ordered from somewhere in Texas. They literally melted on her tongue and were one of the most delicious things she’d ever tasted.
A quick glance at Lars’ mouth caused her to conclude chocolate might not be the most delicious thing she’d ever taste, should the opportunity arise to savor the frustrating man’s kiss.
It was pointless and hopeless to allow any affection to build between them, but a thrill of excitement shot through her every time Lars went out of his way to see her. In addition to taking her to meet the two Webster children, he’d driven her out to Nash’s Folly one morning before she had to work. She enjoyed seeing the lambs and newborn calves at the ranch, as well as spending time with Aundy.
She wondered what brought Lars to her door today and glanced down at the package in her hand. “Another gift? Is it more chocolate? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re trying to fatten me up.”
“No chance of that.” Lars struggled to drag his thoughts away from exactly how tempting Marnie appeared when he opened the door to her room. He knew better than to just walk in on a woman and realized he wouldn’t have done that to one of his sisters because they were ladies.
Irritated with himself for his lack of respect, even if Marnie didn’t seem upset, he pointed to the parcel in her hand. “Mr. Johnson was putting out a new display in his store when I was in there earlier today. That made me think of you.”
Marnie (Pendleton Petticoats Book 4) Page 8