by Caroline Lee
She exhaled, and felt the tenseness leave too. “Alright.” And then, because she saw his slight smile, “And what about you? Why are you moping around down here?”
“I’m not mopin’!” His scowl seemed familiar, and she’d only known the man a day.
“Oh really?” She let a teasing lilt into her voice. “You’re sitting here in a dark room staring at the wall. That seems lonely to me.”
He snorted. “When Cameron’s out on the range, it is lonely.”
And then, Tess understood what he’d been through in the last week. Left here at the ranch, knowing his son would be gone for a few days, only to have that turn into a week. She had been consumed with worry when Cam was a few hours’ late; Ian had to deal with a few days. No wonder he’d been angry when they returned. He’d been worried for his son.
And so her voice was softer when she assured him, “Not anymore.” At his glance, she clarified. “Now you have Jacob and me to keep you company.”
He grunted, and pushed himself to his feet. “I guess so.” He turned towards the door, but his path took him by her chair. He placed one hand on her shoulder, briefly, and the gesture warmed her. “Ye’re a good wife, Tessa MacLeod.”
She couldn’t say anything to that. He thought she was good? It was the first positive thing she’d heard him say, much less the first positive thing he’d said about her. Her tongue-tie last until he had almost shuffled out the door, and then she spoke up.
“Da!” He turned, shock on his face. What had possessed her to call him that, the way Cam did? Tess didn’t know, and couldn’t have been able to explain the comfort his certainty, his trust in his son, had given her. Whether or not he’d be anything but a grumpy old man to her, he’d earned her respect in that parlor. Her father had always been “Baba”, and there was no reason she couldn’t also have a “Da” in her life.
“I can make breakfast tomorrow, if you’d like?” He nodded, and then shrugged, as if he couldn’t decide how to respond to her offer of friendship. “You’ll have to tell me what to make, and for how many, but I’ll make it.”
He looked at her for a long moment, and then nodded once more, before closing the door behind him. Tess sat there in the uncomfortable chair until the lamp started to sputter, and thought about her new life. Thought about the challenge of keeping so many men fed. Thought about her new father-in-law, who might not be the gruff curmudgeon he appeared. And she thought about her husband, alone out on the range, who would be returning to her tomorrow.
God willing.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cam would have liked to make it home last night, but by the time darkness started closing in, he was still working on a stretch of fence in the south-west corner of his original spread. This morning it had taken him six hours just to ride back from there, not to mention all the cowboying he had to do along the way. Several years ago he’d seen the direction cattle ranching was headed, and started putting up fences along certain areas. The era of the open range was coming to an end, and fencing in his herd meant that he could employ less men to mind the cattle. And over the last year he’d drastically culled his herd, in order to pay off Sebastian and own the land free and clear. It had been lucky, since last winter was a harsh one, with a couple of blizzards that would have culled his beef anyhow. The only problem with fences was that they limited other ranchers, and kept them off his property. Men who’d been used to letting their steers roam free for decades now had to contend with barbed wire across their path, and they’d often cut it down in retaliation. That’s why Cam hadn’t put up fences between any of his neighbors and his water source; Horse Creek was a mighty tempting reason to cut down his fences. For now, everyone had the same access to it.
Downed fences could be a real problem. This one hadn’t looked cut, but he couldn’t be sure. Maybe an anxious steer just rubbed too hard in the wrong place. Whatever the reason, by the time he and his three hands had gotten it fixed, it was too late to head home. Of course, he was up bright and early this morning, pushing for the ranch, and they ribbed him mercilessly about his eagerness. He just smiled, knowing they were right. His reason for getting home was a tiny bundle of strength named Tess.
He couldn’t help his smile as they rode towards the ranch. It was an impressive house; Cam had always admired the spread Stanley Selkirk had built out here. It was the reason he’d courted the man’s daughter so ardently. Oh, Cam had convinced himself that he loved her, and maybe he had, in a way. But as Da had said, he loved the idea of her—the fine wife in the fine house—more than her herself. She was a beautiful porcelain-doll of a woman, and would never have fit into his life. In the end, she married Cam’s new business partner Sebastian Carderock, and Cam had gotten what he’d wanted all along: the Double-S. It was a simple matter to combine the ranches and the men, but mixing the herds had taken a while. It was simpler to just sell off as much of the cattle as possible, and mingle the rest.
Yeah, it was a piece of land a man could be proud of. But now Cam had two more reasons to be proud of it. He had a wife and step-son waiting for him, and suddenly he couldn’t wait to see them both. Last night had been hard, knowing he could have been home making love to her, but had instead climbed on a horse and ridden away. So Cam was determined to make tonight special.
Sanderson trotted up beside him when Cam slowed by the house. The taciturn man grabbed Cam’s reins. “I’ll see to your horse.”
“Thanks.” Cam swung down.
“Go see your family.” Sanderson walked both animals towards the stable.
Family. Cam’s smile grew. Coming home after a day on the range, knowing Tess and Jacob and Da were waiting for him… for the first time in a long while, he felt complete.
Almost complete. He still ached to hold his wife, and he intended to remedy that as soon as possible. He did his best to dust off his pants and sleeves, and stomp the dirt from his boots, knowing how hard it was to keep the fancy parlor carpets cleaned. When he pushed open the front door, he heard her laughter coming from the back of the house. Like a moth to flame, he was drawn towards the kitchen and the sound of her gaiety.
Crossing his arms and leaning one hip against the doorframe, he watched his father trying to teach his wife how to batter beef chunks. She had two small hand prints on her cheeks, and Jacob was sitting between them—on the counter!—covered in the flour. He was having a grand time, and his antics were making his mother giggle.
Even Ian was smiling when he turned to see his son in the doorway, but he just nodded. “About time ye got home.”
“Cam!” He liked the way she whirled to face him, and how her dark eyes lit up. He smiled in response, and was surprised when she threw herself at him. Not caring about the mess, he just wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. Their kiss was exactly the kind he’d always imagined, when he thought about his wife greeting him after a hard day’s work.
She was breathless when she pulled away, but he liked that she didn’t blush. She just stared into his eyes and said “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” It sounded inane, but her eyes sparkled in response.
“She moped.”
Cam lowered Tess until he could see his father. “She did?”
“She worried about ye.”
“Did she?”
“She is standing right here.” Tess sounded piqued they were talking about her.
He looked down at her. “Did you worry about me?”
She patted his chest. “That’s what wives do.”
He grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her palm, and was rewarded with a pinking of her cheeks. But he really liked the way she met his eyes and smiled. Belatedly, he realized that she was wearing her blouse and riding skirt again, and that she didn’t own any other clothing. His brows drew in as he kicked himself for not buying her extra clothes at Fort Laramie, whatever the cost. Only a heel would bring his new wife home without an extra set of clothes. Jacob too, for that matter, was still wearing the same rip
ped trousers. Cam wondered if Serena or her aunts had left any clothing here in the house that he hadn’t noticed, but that wouldn’t help Jacob. He’d have to go to Cheyenne to buy her some material, and hope that she could sew. But that was stupid; her trunk with their things should be in Cheyenne by now, and finding it—if it hadn’t been sold off yet—would mean finding those cowboys she was traveling with and giving them a piece of his mind. The thought lightened Cam’s mood again, and he resolved to plan a visit to the city in the next few days.
“What has you frowning, and then smiling?”
“Just thinking.” He placed another kiss on her palm, and then rubbed small circles with his thumb. He liked the way she sighed and rested her weight against him. “I’m sorry I didn’t get home last night.”
“It’s okay. Your father told me you were fine, and I had no choice but to believe him.”
Cam glanced at his father in surprise, but the old man was listening to Jacob chatter on about something. When it got to be too much, Ian lifted the boy to the floor, pushed him towards Cam, and said “Go say hello to yer father.”
Your father. Cam’s heart tightened at the words, but Jacob didn’t seem to notice their significance. He ran, stumpy elbows pumping, towards Cam’s knees and skidded to a stop. He threw his arms up and bellowed “Up!” and Cam had no choice but to swoop him up, laughing.
Holding the boy, with his arm around his new wife, Cam MacLeod felt a contentment he’d never before experienced seep through him. He was finally home.
He felt her gaze, and turned to meet her eyes. There was only one thing missing, and that was the knowledge that she belonged only to him. Slowly he lowered his lips to hers, and felt her smile. He was going to make love to his wife, and knew it would be worth the wait.
Tess woke on top of her husband, again. It was becoming a habit, and she discovered that she really didn’t mind. For someone so big, so hard, he was surprisingly comfortable. Sometime during the night she’d apparently rolled out of his arms and onto his chest. Of course, he was still holding her, one arm heavy against the small of her back. It made her feel protected and cherished. She smiled against his skin, and felt him shift.
That’s when she remembered that she was nude. Oh my. It wasn’t in her nature to be embarrassed by something so natural; she was always practical. But she couldn’t seem to help the warmth that spread through her as she remembered why she was nude. Why her husband was nude as well.
Last night had been… well, wonderful. Amazing. Nothing in her life—not her mother’s vague explanations when she’d been thirteen, nor Tess’s brief marriage to Joshua—had prepared her for what she felt in Cam’s arms. He’d been gentle, and demanding, and had taken her to Heaven twice. Of course, one of the reasons she’d married him was the way his touch made her feel, but she hadn’t expected intimacy to be so… so deliciously overwhelming. As someone who was always in control of herself, it had been wonderfully freeing to let her thoughts and reactions go, to just allow herself to revel in the experience of his touch.
His hand moved to cup her backside. She lifted her chin to see two green eyes full of amusement. “Good morning, wife.”
She was his wife now, truly. A little surprised, Tess realized that she was pleased. She was no longer solely in control of her life. She no longer had to stand alone. She could lean on her husband; she could rely on him to help her through the rough times, and know that he wanted what was best for her too.
So Tess’s smile was big and genuine and caused Cam to blink. “Good morning, Cam.” She ran one palm over his chest, and liked the way he twitched when she brushed a nipple, so she did it again. He caught her hand then, and brought her fingers to his lips.
“You keep doing that, and you’re not going to get any breakfast.”
Her smile was impish as she wiggled against him. “I’m not the least bit hungry for breakfast.”
That surprised a laugh out of him, and since she was on his chest, she felt it throughout. “I never figured I’d be lucky enough to marry a woman like you.”
“Like me?”
She felt his other arm come around to knead her rear end, and she didn’t bother to suppress the shiver. “Beautiful, but strong too.” He squeezed. “And lusty. I like that.”
She laughed then, and it felt good. “’Lusty’? Lord, you do know how to sweet-talk a woman!”
“I don’t have to sweet-talk you,” He murmured as one strong hand stroked up her back and pressed her head down towards his, “I’m already married to you.”
She smiled against his lips, and brushed her free hand against his nipple again. She liked the way he arched under her touch, so she dropped her hand lower, brushing against his taut stomach. Lower…
As last night, she marveled at his size. Cam was big all over, and when she’d first seen him nude, she wondered if they’d ever fit. They did, though, and it had been perfect.
This time was no different.
After, she was sprawled on top of him, legs twined through his, her ear pressed against his chest. She could hear his heart pounding and his heavy breathing, and thought that she might fall asleep again.
“Cam?”
He grunted, and she just smiled against his skin, not sure if she had the words to thank him anyway. For a while, she’d been able to forget herself, forget her past, and just be loved by this man.
But the interlude wasn’t to last, and her past had a way of making itself known. “Mama? Mama!” Jacob was pounding on the door, and Tess sat upright and grabbed the sheet before remembering that the boy couldn’t turn the door handles yet. Oh God, what if he’d come in?
Cam groaned, and she poked him. “I’m sorry. He has terrible timing.”
How could his smile be so arousing, when he looked half-asleep? “If he’d showed up ten minutes ago, I would have called that terrible timing.”
She had to agree with him, but Jacob was still pounding on the door. She slipped out of bed and wrapped the sheet around herself, thinking to crack the door to assure her son that she was fine, when she heard another voice.
“Come here, Jake. Leave yer Mama and Da alone.” She could hear her son’s whimper. “They’re just gettin’ ready for the day. Do ye like flapjacks?” Tess could imagine the toothy smile in response to that. Ian knew the way to the boy’s heart. “Come on, we’ll make flapjacks for breakfast.”
She listened to them climb down the stairs, and then sighed and turned to see Cam grinning at her.
“What?”
“Seems we’ve got a champion in Da.”
“He’s not as grumpy as he seems.”
He crossed to her, and enveloped her in a hug. She was too busy holding the sheet up to wonder why. “I know that, but you’re the first person in a long while to notice.”
They hurried through their ablutions, and Tess marveled at how comfortable she felt with this man. Not just in his presence, but the way she dressed in front of him. She hadn’t even let Joshua see her without a nightgown. But then, Cam had seen her at her worst, had seen her after carrying her son through the Wyoming nothingness for three days. Cam had seen her then, had seen her since then, and still wanted her.
She didn’t understand it, but she marveled nonetheless.
The idea of putting the same blouse on again caused her nose to wrinkle, but it was the only one she had, and there’d been no opportunity for laundry. She didn’t even know how they handled washing on the Open Skye; another thing to ask. She was about to pull it over her head when Cam handed her one of his shirts. She took it quizzically, and when he motioned it over her head, she burst out laughing. Laughing twice in one morning was a record for her, and felt wonderful.
“I can’t wear this! It’d be a dress on me!”
“Then I’ll find you some rope to belt it, and you can roll up the sleeves. It’ll be big, but not too bad.” It’d be huge on her, but it was better than wearing the same darned blouse again, so she started to pull it on. Her head was tangled when she heard him
say, “If you can wait another two days, I figured I’d take you into town on Saturday. You could do a little shopping, church on Sunday morning, and back here by dinner.”
She pulled the fabric down and stared at him. “Can we afford that?”
He smiled. “We can, Mrs. MacLeod. I can’t let my wife wear my clothes forever.”
His shirt smelled nice. Like him, and the outdoors. It was cozy, but he had to help her roll up the sleeves. Smiling at his chuckle, she admitted he was right. “I guess I do need some new clothes. And Jacob definitely will. If you can spare the time to take us to the city, we’d be grateful.”
His kiss was sweet and lingering, and it took all of Tess’s will not to lean into it and collapse into his arms again. After, he gave her a quick peck on her eyebrow. “Day after tomorrow, then. I’m looking forward to showing you off to my friends.”
Later, she wished he hadn’t added that last part. She didn’t know what friends he meant, but the idea of meeting new people, people who’d known him for longer than she had, was unnerving. She would always be a half-breed upstart who’d struggled to thrive. She’d had a son and no husband, and that always made people look askance. What would his friends think of her? What would they think of his decision to marry her?
There was nothing she could do about it now, though. Straightening her back, she opened the door and went to meet her new life as Cam’s wife.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cam couldn’t believe that he’d been lucky enough to marry someone like Tess. Hell, just the fact that he’d had the sense to ask her so soon after meeting her meant that he wasn’t quite as hopeless as he’d always thought when it came to women. He must have seen something in her, something to tell him that she’d be perfect for him. They were a good match.