by McBain, Mara
“You’re never alone, Trey. God loves you.”
“I’m right with God. It’s the man representing him that I’m having some issues with.”
Paul’s face paled and Trey took a deep breath to cool his temper. It didn’t help.
“The McCades helped build this church. One of us has sat on the board since its doors opened, just like I do now. What I’m telling you is to drop whatever agenda you have going on, read your scripture, and guide this flock like you understand the word or start looking for another church.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“You mess with one McCade you get us all, as my wife says. I’m not letting anyone bully my brother.”
“So you bully a pastor?”
Trey glanced over the stall door and shrugged. “I didn’t say anything to him that wasn’t the truth.”
“Still, threatening a pastor can’t exactly earn you points in heaven.”
“Paul is a nice guy, but he’s not the greatest pastor. It’s something the board has discussed. So far nice has won out, but there are a couple of members who aren’t happy with him.”
“Including you?”
“I wasn’t including me, but you know how I feel.”
“You liked Pastor John and he was terrifying.”
“He preached a good sermon. No one ever fell asleep while he was in the pulpit,” Trey said with another shrug.
Cole chuckled. “I’ll give you that. Anyway, thank you.”
A grunt was the only indication that Trey heard him, and probably all he was going to get. Finishing up, he went over and leaned on the stall door. The soft hiss of the milk stream hitting the pail was rhythmic, soothing. With only a couple of cows, their parents hadn’t seen the need to modernize something that still worked. Obviously, Trey agreed.
“Do you think it’s about Adri or just the speed of our engagement?”
Trey didn’t look up from his work. Resting his chin on his arm over the door, Cole waited.
“If anything, I would guess it’s the short time you’ve known each other.”
“Are you concerned about it?”
“No.”
Cole waited a moment for his brother to elaborate and then shook his head. It was Trey he was talking to.
“Why not?” he prodded.
“Gen and I knew one another only through letters and we’re happy. Catherine and I had a more traditional courtship and, obviously, we still didn’t know one another when we got married. I’m not sure that it’s something just time can assure. It has to be right. I knew it wasn’t right when I married Catherine, and I did it anyway. That’s all I would say to you is to listen to your gut, to your instincts. Don’t think with your dick.”
“You should write poetry,” Cole said wryly.
“That’s the best advice I can give you. Take it for what it’s worth.”
“I was just blowing you shit. I do appreciate it.”
Finishing up, Trey gave the cow’s ears a rub before picking up buckets and stool to leave the stall. Cole trailed after him as he finished his nightly routine. He smiled to himself, recalling doing the same thing when he was much younger. He’d followed Daddy and Trey everywhere. He wasn’t sure which one had hurt him more, Trey leaving for Texas or their daddy’s death. He frowned at the thought. He’d never thought about that before, never allowed himself to dwell on it.
“When you think about how things were when we were kids, do you think about your and Gen’s baby and think about what you’ll do the same or different?”
Trey paused and rubbed the back of his neck. His forehead creased in a frown and he nodded. “I do, and truthfully it makes me feel guilty. They did a fine job of raising us. What makes me think I know any better?”
Cole blinked at the answer. He’d never thought about it that way. Leave it to the perfect son to over think things. “I don’t think it’s a matter of knowing any better,” he said uncertainly. “People are different. What worked for Daddy and Mama might not be what you and Gen are comfortable with.”
“In church this morning, I was wondering if our little one will have as much trouble sitting still as Gen does,” Trey admitted with a chuckle.
“I saw you give her the look,” Cole said grinning. “You looked just like Daddy.”
“Unlike when Daddy gave us the look though, when I have to give a second one, it’s not accompanied by a visit from the belt,” Trey said with a snort. “Good thing she’s my wife, because there are a lot of second and third looks. That woman cannot sit still as it is; a sore ass wouldn’t help.”
“When you were thinking about your little one, was that a same or different moment?”
Trey turned away. “Different. Right or wrong, I’ll admit I was picturing pulling a fidgety little girl with her mama’s pretty hair up into my lap.”
“There’s no right or wrong there, just your way.”
“Our way,” Trey corrected. “Gen’s going to be a protective mama. After the way she grew up, I’m figuring her and I will have a lot of talks about the difference between discipline and hurting her babies.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
Trey nodded. “I respect her honesty and her heart. I think she’s going to make a hell of a mama.”
“I don’t know anything about Adrienne’s family,” Cole said, thinking back over their conversations.
“Then I suggest you make those lazy afternoons in front of the fire you wanted so damn bad count.”
“You’re just full of advice today.”
“Happy to be of help.”
Cole returned his brother’s grin and held open the door against the wind. “Let’s go find that fire.”
Adrienne’s fingers worked under the hem of Cole’s undershirt to stroke his belly in the dark. He’d seemed a little hesitant when they’d said their goodnights and had pulled on pajamas before climbing into bed. Playing over the afternoon and evening in her head, she couldn’t think of anything that would’ve upset him. That left the awkward conversation with Pastor Paul. She’d truly been grateful for Trey’s interruption. As the McCade patriarch, his opinion obviously held some weight. Her lips twitched in the dark. It had been slick to put the pastor back on his heels using bible verse. Slick and very effective.
During the sermon, Trey had seemed brooding and after, when they’d been accepting well wishes, she’d seen the big man disappear with the pastor. She chewed her lip. Pastor Paul had been visibly shocked at the announcement. Was this about her being an outsider in the small community or about her specifically?
“I don’t want you to worry about what other people think. This is about us.”
Cole’s voice rumbled in the dark and vibrated in his chest under her ear. She smiled. He had a sexy voice. Not as deep as his brother’s, but a beautiful baritone.
“I’m not the only one thinking.”
He rolled onto his side, shifting so he could see her face. She smiled at him when he lifted a curl off her cheek.
“You’re right. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. If the last couple of years should have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is certain. Farms on the plains turned to dust and blew away. People who thought they were invincible lost everything in the stock market, banks closed, families are losing their homes, and people are starving. We’ve been insulated from a lot of that here, but it doesn’t mean we can ignore it. I might not have known you long, but I love you. I want to settle down here and get to work on the next generation of McCades.”
Adrienne kissed him softly. “That was more romantic than your first proposal, but the answer is the same. I want to be Mrs. Cole McCade, and if you’re so fired up about the next generation, why are you wearing these?” she asked tugging on the waistband of his pajamas.
“I’m not going to just assume you want to before we’re…”
Arching a challenging eyebrow at her fiancée, she waited for him to finish that thought. She could feel the blush rolling off his skin as he
looked for a way to extract his boot from his mouth. She didn’t give him a chance.
“So, what you’re saying is that once we’re married, I won’t have a choice in giving it up to you?”
“No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. “No. That’s not what I was trying to say. I meant…” His mouth closed, lips pressing into a firm line before he shook his head again.
“Admit it. That’s exactly what you were going to say. But now you realize how stupid and chauvinistic it sounds, and you can’t figure a way out of it.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry.”
She laughed. “You’re smarter than most men. I forgive you,” she said, stroking his cheek and snuggling closer to him. “And for the record, if your past efforts are a sample of what’s to come, I don’t think you’re going to have any difficulty convincing me to try for those little ones.”
“Thank you,” he said fervently and pulled her tight for a kiss that curled her toes.
“I don’t expect you to be perfect, handsome. You’re a man. Just own up when you mess up and we’ll get through it,” she said when he came up for air.
“That sounds more than reasonable. So, the same goes for you.”
“See how easy that was?”
“This husband stuff isn’t as difficult as they make it out to be,” he drawled with a teasing wink.
“Let’s hope that holds true with the wife stuff,” she muttered and leaned in for another kiss.
Cole pulled back after a minute. “What’re you worried about?”
She gave a happy sigh as he slipped his hands under her nightgown and pulled her tight to the front of him by twin handfuls of her bottom.
“I’m not worried about this part of our marriage. But, there’s a lot more involved, things that I have no experience at.”
His hips rolled against her and her eyes drooped closed in pleasure. Pushing his undershirt up, she planted kisses on his hard chest.
“What else is there?” he murmured against the top of her head.
“Mmmm. We’ll see if you make light of it when I don’t know how to keep your house or cook you a decent meal.”
“Farmhouse, townhouse, what’s the difference?”
Eyes still closed to the stroke of his big hands, she captured a nipple in her mouth and sucked until his back bowed. “A maid,” she murmured.
Cole caught her chin, tilting her face up to his.
“You had a maid?”
“She was a gift from Clark; household staff and spy all in one.”
“She reported back to him?”
“Loyalty tends to follow the money.”
“So that’s why Genevieve didn’t stay with you instead of in the slums.”
Wrenching back from him, Adrienne regarded Cole with narrowed eyes. “Clark wouldn’t have liked it, but I begged Gen to stay with me after her father died. Hell, I begged before the pig ended up in a garbage can, but she wouldn’t do it. Believe it or not, she has pride.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. You know I adore my sister-in-law,” he said, enough firmness in his voice to let her know he wasn’t apologizing this time.
She took a deep breath and then sighed. It was her turn. “I’m sorry. It’s a sore subject. Do you know how guilty I felt thinking about her starving, roasting, and freezing by season in that shack? In comparison, I lived like royalty. I gave her money and food whenever I saw her and could get her to take it, but it wasn’t enough.”
“You can’t force someone to accept help. All you can do is offer and make sure they know you’re there if they need you.”
“I know,” she said, relaxing to cuddle close to him again. “She didn’t tell me about the first letter she wrote to Trey because she was afraid he wouldn’t write back. When he did, and she shared his response with me, I was torn. I didn’t want to lose her, but I wanted something better for her. Gen was taken with Trey’s description of the mountains and pastures, and who could blame her? When he offered marriage, promising her a solid roof over her head and steady food on the table, how could she refuse?”
“I think it has worked out well for both of them. I’ve never seen Trey so happy. Gen’s really good for him.”
“I had my reservations when I met him, but he’s slowly learning he can trust Gen. After what he went through with his first wife, I’d say that’s making big strides. He’s good to her and he makes her happy.”
“And if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have met,” Cole said, stroking her cheek with the crook of his finger.
She nodded, turning her head to kiss his hand. “That’s true. And to think that I told Gen it was too bad Father Patrick hadn’t put her in touch with you. I guess I’m glad now,” she said with a laugh.
“I would hope so!” he said with a startled bark of laughter. “Why would you say that?”
“Like I said, I had my reservations about Trey. He was brooding and gruff. You were easy going, charming, and closer to her age.”
“Okay. So Trey’s not going to win any congeniality contests, but he’s a good man.”
“Don’t get your shorts in a knot,” she chided, smacking his chest lightly. “Instead of focusing on the perceived slight to your precious brother, be grateful that I preferred you.”
His chuckle was a little self-conscious, but he nodded and pulled her lips to his again.
“Mmm. Is this you being grateful?”
“Very,” he mumbled against her mouth.
“It’s going to take more than a little lip service, cowboy,” she said, pressing pointedly into the cradle of his hips.
“You haven’t begun to see what I can do with these lips.”
She smiled as he shoved her down onto her back. Sweeping her nightgown up, he leaned down to trail kisses and light nips over her hipbone. Butterflies fluttered in her belly. The covers rustled as he slid lower. He alternated light kisses with the open mouth variety that seared the tender skin on the inside of her thighs. Running her fingers through his sandy hair, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to the skillful way he was playing her body.
His attention traveled down to the backs of her knees. Her legs were trembling by the time he casually draped them over his shoulders. Scooping her bottom up in both hands, he groped roughly, drawing a gasp through her panting. His mouth swooped down and sealed over her lower lips and she gave a choked scream. Bowing up into the sweet suction, she dug her fingers demandingly into the back of his skull. Her eyes flew open, when his tongue pushed into her. She grit her teeth against the pleading whimpers. Opening her eyes had been a mistake. Looking between her heaving breasts, she watched his mouth work over her and groaned. The attentiveness carving his handsome features was unbelievably sexy.
The light flick of his tongue almost sent her through the ceiling. Her hands fisted in his hair. Twisting in his grasp, she let out a sob. She yanked hard on his hair. His lust glazed eyes rolled up to hers, the sight only adding to her need.
“I want you in me, now,” she ordered, tugging. He licked again. “Now.”
Whether responding to the demand or the desire in her voice, he crawled up her body, shoving his pants down. His touch was excruciatingly gentle as he cupped her hips and slowly started to push into her. Tightening her grip on his tawny mane, she drew his eyes again.
“These might not be wife words, but I need it fast and hard.”
Cole stared down at her for a long moment and then pulled out, rolling out of bed. She fought the desire to scream in frustration. Now was not the time for a chauvinistic temper tantrum. Clenching her eyes shut, she started a slow count to ten before she blasted him. She couldn’t smother a squeak when he caught her arm and yanked her up. Lifting her easily, he slammed her back against the wall and impaled her.
Unable to hold back her scream this time, Adrienne’s nails sank into his skin. Her cowboy was a quick learner. He jerked her head back with a fistful of hair and his teeth scraped her throat as he thrust hard into her. There was nothing tentative about the wa
y he drove into her body, aggressively claiming what was his. Tightening her arms and legs around him she hung on, loving the play of his powerful muscles. The surge of excitement only heightened her need. A pleading litany hissed from her lips.
“Please, please, please…”
His grip on her hips pounded her down into his heavy thrusts until her body stiffened and jerked in helpless release. Spasming with the shudder of aftershocks, she held on as Cole continued to hammer into her buzzing body. When he froze against her, every muscle straining in release, she almost wept with joy.
Staggering backward, he sat hard in a chair. The jolt jammed her down on him and she squirmed. A wicked glint lit his pale eyes as understanding dawned and he grabbed her hips before she could move. Grinding her down on him, he grinned at her whimper. He rocked up. Even sated he filled her and it felt so good. Rolling her hips with his, she moaned in pleasure. Their bodies strained in a slow dance for what seemed forever, the quiet broken only by the pant of their breath and non-verbal expressions of pleasure. The second wave caught her unaware and she detonated in his arms.
Adrienne had no idea how long they sat there, but she was shivering when Cole lifted her in his arms. Wrapping her robe around her, he somehow managed to struggle into his without putting her down. He carried her down the hall. Closing the bathroom door behind them, he sat her on the counter. Her head fell back to rest against the mirror. A warm washcloth glided over her boneless body and she hummed in pleasure, but couldn’t find the energy to open her eyes. The next thing she was sure of was Cole tucking them in bed. Nestling her cheek into the crook of his shoulder, she sighed as his arms went around her. The man was perfect.
“I love you.”
Cole kissed her temple. “I love you too, darlin’. Get some sleep.”
Chapter Ten
Cole shifted nervously and looked out the big window, searching the street for any sign of Adrienne or Genevieve.
“This is a lovely piece. Are you sure that you want to destroy it?” the jeweler asked, studying the emerald brooch closely.