The Cowboy's Orphan Bride

by Lauri Robinson

  “Where—”

  “Stay right there,” she said, stopping him from getting up. Grinning at his frown, she walked to the foot of the bed and grasped one of his boots. “I think this is accomplished more easily without clothes.”

  “Bri—”

  “Uh-uh,” she said while pulling his boot off. “You knew what was going to happen as much as I did. Don’t try to say you didn’t.” Tugging the other boot off and tossing it to land near the first, she added, “And don’t tell me you don’t want it to.”

  He sat up. “I can’t deny that. Neither knowing nor wanting.”

  “Good.” She started unbuttoning her blouse. “Me either.” When he started to move, she waggled a finger at him. “Stay put.”

  “Why?”

  Withholding the excitement zipping around inside her was almost impossible, but she tried to keep a straight face. “You’ll see.”

  The smile on his face made something in her very core leap with anticipation. She drew a deep breath to contain it, and waited as he propped the pillows and leaned back against them.

  “I’m watching.”

  Anticipation leaped again deep in her belly as she undid another button. “Then keep watching.”

  “I am.”

  She laughed, but then as she unbuttoned the last button and was about to pull the blouse out of the waistband of her skirt, she realized she still had her shoes on. Holding up a finger, she said, “Hold that thought.”

  “What thought?”

  “You know.” She plunked down on the nearest chair to remove her shoes. Excitement had her fingers fumbling and she managed to twist the laces in a tight knot on the second shoe. “Hold on,” she said.

  “I’m not going anywhere, but do you need help?”

  The laughter in his voice had her cursing her shoes. Her first morning at the Crystal Palace when she’d heard the doves discussing things, she’d made mental notes to try a few someday. Especially upon hearing how much it excited men. And now it was happening.

  Her fingers paused as the laces let loose. This was what she’d always wanted, but after tomorrow, she may never see Garth again. Once he sold his cattle, he’d head back to Texas, so tonight might be her only opportunity to truly love him.

  “Bridgette?”

  “There,” she said, kicking off the shoe. When it came to all or nothing, she’d take all even if it only meant one night.

  She stood again, and quickly removed her blouse. Tossing it on the table, she took a deep breath to get her rhythm back, and then started unbuttoning the waistband of her skirt.

  Slowly, she pushed her skirt down, over her hips, and watching him as it fell into a pile around her feet, she pinched her lips together at the appreciation on his face. When their eyes met, he lifted a brow, and she had to squeeze her thighs together against the bubble of delight that burst inside her. No matter what happened tomorrow, this was the right choice for her today.

  Turning around, she almost tripped before remembering to kick aside her skirt. She wasn’t very good at this, but hoped he wouldn’t notice. As she untied her camisole, she wondered which to remove first, the top or bottom of her underclothes. Determining it really didn’t matter, she untied her drawers and as they fell to the floor, she pulled the camisole over her head. She let it drop and remembered to step out of the drawers before looking over her shoulder to smile at him. “Are you ready?”

  He shrugged and pointed. “You forgot your socks.”

  “Damn,” she muttered.

  “What did you say?”

  Bending over to pull off one sock and then the other, she said, “Nothing.” Straightening, she caught her own reflection in the mirror and remembered when she caught Garth preening in the mirror. The glow of the setting sun was also in the looking glass, and in the far corner, she could see him staring at her. His eyes were full of rainbows. They always had been when he’d looked at her just so. Happiness burst inside her and she turned about, holding both arms out to her sides.

  “What do you think?” she asked while completing a slow pivot.

  He was standing before her when she made the full circle. Gently, he cupped her cheeks as his gaze trailed a long appraisal from her head to her toes. “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

  “I hoped you’d say that,” she whispered, just barely because merely breathing was growing impossible.

  He kissed her, thoroughly, leisurely, before he swung her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. “Where did you learn that?” he asked.

  She lightly nipped on one ear as he lowered her onto the mattress, slowly this time so the spring didn’t squeak or the headboard clang. “I’ve stayed with many families over the years and learned something from every one of them.”

  He’d stood and was unbuttoning his shirt, which drew her full attention. “I don’t believe a family taught you that.”

  “It wasn’t a family, per say.” She climbed onto her knees and pushed the shirt off his shoulders and down his back. “But a place I stayed nonetheless.”

  “I wonder if there’s anything left for me to teach you,” he said, unbuckling his belt.

  Running her hands over the hills and valleys of his firm chest, she said, “You’ve always taught me the best lessons.”

  He had, and did so once again as soon as he was as naked as her. With slow, tender kisses that practically made her delirious, he pointed out every place he could kiss her, caress her, stroke her. She followed his lead, exploring his body as thoroughly as he did hers, and when they finally came together, flesh to flesh, the joy of becoming one overshadowed the snap of pain that had surprised her.

  “It’s over,” he whispered in her ear.

  On that, she knew he was wrong. “No, it’s just begun,” she whispered. “We’ve only just begun.”

  She was right, and he told her so, many, many times throughout the night, before, during and after they’d both reached unexplainable heights. Once hadn’t been enough, not for either of them. Loving Garth with her body was as amazing as loving him with her heart. He’d not only shown her the pleasures, driven her to a point when she’d thought she couldn’t take any more, where it had become almost too much, he’d taken her further, into a world full of rainbows that created a kaleidoscope around them.

  The brilliance of those magical rainbows still danced inside her when she awoke snuggled in the crook of Garth’s arm. Refusing to open her eyes, Bridgette concluded she’d never been so content, so at home. She could happily stay right here forever. They could request food when needed. Mrs. Franklin would—Bridgette’s eyes flew open, and the sunshine filling the room had her jumping off the bed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Garth’s fingertips brushed her back as she hurried toward the foot of the bed, searching for her clothes.

  “Where—” He sat up, looking around. “What’s wrong?”

  Stepping into her drawers, she said, “I have to get to church.” How could she have forgotten? It was obvious why she’d forgotten. Garth, and loving him had filled her mind, but that was also exactly why she shouldn’t have forgotten. As she was pulling her camisole over her head, he gripped her waist and spun her about.

  “Church?”

  “Yes.” She couldn’t look him in the eye; if she did, she’d be back in bed beside him and that couldn’t happen. “Do you see my socks?” she asked while scanning the floor, looking everywhere but at him.

  He caught her face with both hands, giving her no choice but to look at him. Her heart skipped several beats. Maybe last night had been the biggest mistake in her life. If possible, she loved him more than ever.

  “Because of what happened last night?” he asked. “To me, we are married. We—”

  “No, not because of last night.” Stretching on her toes, she kissed him
quickly. “We’ve been married for years. Since the orphanage.” Glancing around for her clothes, she said, “I promised the ladies from the recipe exchange I’d be at church this morning.” That was the truth.

  “You did? Why are you getting so friendly with women you just met?”

  “What’s wrong with that? Hosford is only a short ride away. It’ll be nice to have friends so close.” That much was true, although she doubted she’d ever see any of them again. After today she’d no longer have to pretend to be his wife.

  He let her loose and she quickly grabbed her socks.

  “I guess so,” he said quietly.

  Sitting on the chair to pull them on, guilt rolled across her stomach. “All the ladies attend church, and I couldn’t not accept their invitation. It would have been rude. Especially for the wife of a prominent cattleman.”

  Gathering his clothes, he started getting dressed too. “About that—”

  Suddenly scared, she insisted, “You don’t have to attend with me.”

  His brows furrowed as he looked at her.

  “Well, you could—I just figured you wouldn’t want to. Said it would just be me.” She was holding her breath. Her plan would be crippled if he went to the church.

  “Where is this church?”

  “On the corner of First Avenue and Spruce Street.” Because they were near, she put on her shoes. “It’s the only church in town, but different denominations use it at different times.” Shoes tied, she crossed the room. “I promised to be at the first service, so I must hurry. We’re meeting for tea beforehand.” Picking up the blue dress he’d bought her that was still neatly folded on top of the dresser, she asked, “Do you mind if I wear this?”

  He’d put on his pants, but not his shirt, and the sight of his bare chest had her swallowing hard.

  “It’s yours,” he said. “You can wear it whenever you want.” He took a hold of the dress. “Hold up your arms. I’ll help you put it on.”

  She complied and had to hold her breath and bite her tongue as the insides of his wrists brushed over her breasts as he slowly lowered the dress. The glint in his eyes said it was on purpose, but she already knew that. Desire flared inside her.

  Leaning close, he whispered, “I guess I can’t hold you hostage all day.” His kiss was excruciatingly slow. “And we have tonight.”

  She bit the tip of her tongue knowing she couldn’t promise that.

  He stepped back so she could button her dress. “Where’s your hairbrush?”

  Drawing a deep breath, she answered, “In my bag.” She watched as he collected her bag and set it on the table. In a few hours he’d be mad at her. So mad. It was a chance she’d been willing to take in order for him to sell his cattle and go back to Texas. That’s where he belonged, and Hosford was where she belonged. With people who loved her, wanted her, despite how she’d never given them a chance over the years.

  Garth had wanted her last night, and she had wanted him, but she also knew it wouldn’t be enough for him. She could never put the shine in his eyes like his cows did. She couldn’t fault him for that, either. He’d found what he’d wanted just like she had. His family was cattle, and hers was back in Hosford.

  Spinning around, she finished buttoning the dress and kept herself from glancing in the mirror until he’d laid the brush on the dresser. Then, while running the brush through the snarls in her hair, she watched him cross the room again. He poured water into the basin and then carried it and the towel to the dresser.

  “Do you want me to walk you to the church?”

  “No, that’s all right, but thank you. It’s Sunday morning, and the church isn’t far. I’ll be fine.” After twisting her hair into a bun and securing it, she pinned on the little hat and then used the washcloth to scrub her face.

  “I’ll probably go to the stockyards while you’re at church,” he said.

  “I assumed as much.” She set the cloth on the dresser and hurried for the door. Luckily, the key was still in its hole. After unlocking it, she pulled it open, but stopped shy of bolting out of it. Turning around, she said, “Last night, here with you, was the best night of my life.”

  She ran then, all the way down the hall and the steps. There wasn’t even time for her to catch her breath. Victoria Franklin stood at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Hurry,” Victoria said. “Or we’ll be late.”

  * * *

  Garth took his time getting dressed, and thinking. Thinking about Bridgette and how she’d always been there for him. Not just at the orphanage, or now, pretending to be his wife, but all the years in between. She’d always been there, in the back of his mind, encouraging him to continue on, reminding him that every day his future, his dream, was one step closer. She’d always been in his heart, too.

  He didn’t want to go back to living without her. But completely. In the flesh.

  Dressed, he left the room and had no sooner entered the street, when Nathan Solstead rolled up in an awning-covered buggy.

  “Jump in,” the man said. “I’ll give you a ride.”

  “Where to?” Garth asked as he grasped the awing brace to step up into the buggy.

  “The stockyards,” Nathan answered. “Figured I might as well check over the new herds while Virginia’s at church.”

  “Don’t you attend with her?”

  “Usually, but she said there was a special ladies’ meeting happening before services today. They do that at times, plan holiday gatherings or events, but mostly they exchange recipes and gossip.”

  Settled on the seat, Garth nodded, glad he hadn’t tried to convince Bridgette not to leave earlier. She’d been excited to go, and now he could understand why—sort of. No special meeting or recipe would have made him leave their bed this morning. During the quiet hours of the night, while holding her close, he’d come up with a plan that might be an answer to all his issues, and he was now ready to put it in place. Bridgette was his future, with or without a solid cattle sale.

  “Jim Green and Howard Knight were out to see me yesterday,” Nathan said as he flayed the reins over the horse’s backside. “Shortly after you and Osborne left.”

  “They ready to buy some cattle at decent prices?” Garth asked.

  “No. They told me they know several other drives are holding up outside of town, and wanted to know how long I thought the stockyards could continue to feed all the cattle penned up there.”

  “I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Garth replied. “Every day is costing me money I don’t have until those cows are sold. I’ve got half a mind to buy me a piece of land around here and put mine back out to graze.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, Garth—no matter which way this fiasco turns out, you’ll be ahead. Maybe not this year, or next, but it won’t take long. I guarantee it.”

  Garth glanced at the other man. Cattlemen were a tight-knit group, but they were still in competition. Especially the owners.

  “I can’t say it’ll happen as fast as Tom made it sound,” Nathan said, “but I do agree that the cattle drive days are numbered. That quarantine line will happen, and railroads are working their way down into Texas—soon quarantine line or not, cattle won’t need to be driven to Dodge to be shipped. You buy a piece of land around here, sell off some stock, but keep the young ones to sell off over the next couple of years as well as a few breeders to keep the line going—before long you’ll have a herd as big as the one you drove here.”

  Garth held his silence. What Nathan was describing was directly in line with what he’d been thinking last night. It would give him the home Bridgette wanted. Where she could stay busy exchanging recipes with all her new friends.

  “Those folks out East don’t know they’re buying Texas cattle. They think it all comes from Kansas, and will continue to think that way.” Glancing his way, Nathan added, “So
on it will be that way. Ranchers here will be raising enough cattle to feed the nation, at least a good portion of it. We already have the railroad and the reputation. A smart man would take advantage of that.”

  “You have a point,” Garth said.

  Nathan had stopped the buggy in the middle of the street and turned his way. “Got an hour before we go check the cattle?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I know of a nice chunk of property and the price isn’t so terribly bad, either.”

  Garth gave a single head nod.

  Nathan steered the buggy around and headed west. “A fella from out East—Boston or Baltimore, or was it Buffalo? Don’t rightly matter, he was a bit standoffish. So was his wife. It was understandable that they didn’t fit in. Even had a couple former slaves who cooked and cleaned for them. Anyway, they built the house and barn and stuck it out for a year or so before they packed up and went back East.”

  They rolled past the church as the bell in the tower started clanging. Garth grinned, glad Bridgette hadn’t been late. “Why hasn’t the place sold?”

  “Because it’s big, lots of acreage. Would make a fine ranch. That’s what the fella had plans for, but he didn’t like cows.” Nathan laughed. “He thought he was going to bring sheep into this area. That wasn’t about to happen—there were too many of us against it. Anyway, when they went back East, he left the deed with the bank, along with specific orders it was to be sold as is, no breaking it up into smaller chunks.”

  Garth had a notion to tell Nathan to turn around. He couldn’t afford a place that big.

  “Turns out, he’s getting a bit anxious to sell,” Nathan continued. “And Ruford Potter at the bank told me just the other day that the price has dropped considerably. The owner still wants to sell the entire lot, but the price is more reasonable. Ruford said it’s full of furniture, beds, a stove, even pots and dishes.”

  Nathan talked the entire time they rode west, and Garth thought of Bridgette. He heard Nathan talking, but his mind was on the little exhibition show she’d provided for him last night. It had not only been tantalizing, it had been adorable, and he could imagine she’d give him the same show when he told her about a house.