by Linda Bridey
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing. Leave your door unlocked tonight. I will come to you,” she said.
“What? You will?”
“There is something I need to see for myself. If you do not want me to come to you, say so now,” Minx said.
Charlie looked into her beautiful eyes and said, “I’ll leave the door unlocked.”
She smiled and ran off.
*****
Though he tried to stay awake, Charlie drifted off sometime after midnight. He’d started to think that Minx wasn’t going to show up and wondered whether she’d just been messing with him. He awoke with a start as he felt someone tap his shoulder.
In the moonlight he was able to make out Minx’s fine features as she smiled at him.
“I didn’t think you were coming,” he said softly as he sat up.
She sat down by him and said, “I waited until I heard Joe snoring before leaving the house.”
“Joe snores?”
“Yes. It is very loud. I have to be careful because there are times when he has heartburn that wakes him up. I have heard him check on me sometimes when that happens.”
“Well, I hope he doesn’t wake up tonight,” Charlie said.
Minx nodded. “Have you thought about what happened today?”
Charlie chuckled. “Pretty much all day and night.”
He was amused as she scooted back on his bed and sat cross-legged as she leaned against the wall. She always sat like that and he thought it was cute.
“Why do you love me?”
Her abrupt question startled Charlie. “A lot of reasons.”
“Tell me.”
“You’re smart, beautiful, a hard worker, funny, and you’re so different than any other woman I’ve ever been around.”
Minx grinned. “That’s because I am Lakota and I am not exactly like other Lakota women, either.”
Charlie frowned. “Just because you’re more of a tomboy doesn’t mean that you aren’t desirable, Minx. I’m glad you liked it when I kissed you today.”
“I did. It surprised me. I have kissed a boy before and it did not appeal to me much.”
“But it did today?”
“Yes. I think it may be like my cousin said. Maybe he was not the right boy.” Minx slid forward on the bed again. “That is what I came to find out.”
Charlie’s brow puckered. “What do you mean?”
“I told you. I need to see something for myself.”
“Am I an experiment to you?”
She shrugged. “I guess.”
He let out a sigh. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No! Don’t!”
“Ok. Do you want to kiss me?”
Charlie laughed. “You change topics like the wind changes direction.”
She smiled at him. “I have always been like that. I am much like my father that way.”
Looking down at her, Charlie was transfixed by her dark beauty and he wanted her fiercely. He reached out and stroked her cheek and again marveled at the smoothness of her skin. His fingers delved into her hair and he found it even silkier than he’d imagined. Charlie was drawn to her like no other girl he’d ever been with. He slowly pressed his lips to hers and put his arms around her.
Minx leaned into him and ran her hands up his arms, enjoying the firmness of his strong muscles. Her temperature began rising as she squeezed his shoulders and he tightened his arms around her. She wondered if her sudden reaction to him was because she was pregnant. She’d heard some of the women in her tribe say that they seemed to become more amorous sometimes when they were with child. Could it be that?
She didn’t know why, but the longer Charlie kissed her, the more she liked it. His lips were firm, yet soft and he definitely knew what he was doing. She began undoing the buttons on the front of his one piece underwear. Charlie broke the kiss and grasped her hands.
Minx frowned and said, “Why are you stopping?”
“Are you sure this is what you want? Aren’t you afraid?” he asked, concerned about her.
“Do I need to be afraid? I do not feel scared. Do you want me to leave?”
“No, but I also don’t want you to have any regrets later on or be mad at me.”
Minx smiled. “I will not be mad at you or regret anything we do. Will you?”
He shook his head. “It’s just that after what happened to you, I thought you might be afraid of being intimate with a man again.”
His concern was touching and Minx was grateful to him. “You are not him so it does not disturb me. Does it bother you that I am pregnant?”
“No. It might bother some guys, but I don’t mind,” Charlie said.
She pushed his hands away from hers and continued unbuttoning his shirt. This time he didn’t stop her. “White people wear too many clothes,” she complained. “Why must you wear this to sleep in?”
“What do you wear to bed?”
“Very little,” she answered.
He said, “I’d like to see it sometime.”
Her smile was suggestive. “Perhaps you will.”
She pushed his shirt down his arms and ran her hands over his bare chest. Then Charlie kissed her again and he pulled her buckskin shirt over her head. Desire sparked between them and Charlie pulled her down onto the bed with him. He was excited by her fierce passion and there was no denying her any longer. Charlie followed her willingly into a night of lovemaking that was beyond anything he’d dreamt of. Towards dawn, they tired and Charlie fell into slumber.
Minx dressed and stood looking down at Charlie with a smile. She smoothed a hand over his hair and he stirred slightly. Then she slipped silently from his bunkhouse, ran to the pond, and took a quick dip before anyone would be up. Dressing quickly, she went to her window that she’d left unlocked. She couldn’t open it and knew that someone had locked it. Most likely it had been Joe, who she was sure was waiting somewhere for her.
Anger burned inside her and she jogged around to the sunroom, ready for an altercation since that seemed to be what he wanted. She opened the door and saw him sitting on one of the sofas there. She smiled when she heard him snore. Torn between leaving him there and waking him up, she stood looking at Joe for a few moments.
She decided to let him be and trotted silently to her room. Lying down on her sleeping pallet, Minx smiled as she thought about Charlie. He’d been considerate and tender with her, as well as passionate. Minx didn’t feel guilty about being with Charlie. Her virtue was already gone, so she didn’t see where it mattered anymore. She fell asleep, but it wasn’t long until morning sickness struck and she ran to the washroom down the hall.
Joe was angry at himself for falling asleep while waiting for Minx and angry at her for getting past him. The girl was damn tricky. He was intent on talking to her, though. As he rounded the corner of the hallway towards her room, he heard her being sick and frowned. He turned around and went to make her some tea.
When it was ready, he took it to her room and knocked on the door.
“Come,” she said and sat up.
“Good morning, sunshine,” he said. “Here. I made you some tea and brought some crackers for you.”
She took them from him and smiled a little as he sat down on the floor directly in front of her.
“Are you happy here, Minx?” Joe asked.
His question caught her off guard. “Yes. Why?” She took a bite of cracker.
“I can’t figure you out. Where were you?”
Minx sipped her tea and said, “Out.”
Joe held his temper in check. “I know that. Where were you?”
“Am I not allowed some privacy?”
“Why do you have to be so secretive? I was worried when I found you gone,” Joe said. “Whether you like it or not, you’re under my protection and I need to know where you are so I know you’re safe.”
“I was perfectly safe and I was not far away.”
; “The barn, the pond, where?”
“No, yes, and it is none of your business.”
Joe slammed the floor with a fist. “Damn it, Minx! Answer me or I’ll pack up all your stuff and take you back to camp today!”
Far from intimidated, Minx also pounded the floor and said, “Fine! I will tell you, but first you must promise that no one will be in trouble.”
With a growl of frustration, Joe said, “Ok. No one will be in trouble. Now tell me.”
She nodded. “I was with Charlie.”
Joe reared back a little as this information sunk in. “With Charlie? As in with Charlie?
“Yes.” She groaned as a small wave of nausea hit her. She waited another moment and took a bite of cracker as Joe just stared at her.
He pursed his lips, not sure whether to be amused or angry. He settled on confused and concerned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Minx.”
“Why? It is my decision.”
“You’re not gonna keep sneakin’ out like that, Minx. I don’t think you’re in the right frame of mind to start a physical relationship,” Joe said.
“Ok. Then I will just use the door,” Minx said with a shrug.
“No. No more going out at night.”
“Is this because you do not want me to be with Charlie?” she asked.
Joe wasn’t sure how to answer that.
“Are you going to start forbidding the others who live here to have company?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “If you are forbidding me from going out, then it is only fair to do the same to them.”
“You are not just another ranch hand, Minx. I don’t want you to get hurt and it’s not a good idea to lead Charlie on.”
She grinned. “I am certainly not leading him on.”
Joe ground his teeth together. He lowered his voice and said, “I don’t want you having relations with anyone.”
“Were you a virgin when you married?”
He just stared at her, astounded that she would ask him such a question.
“I see that you were not. How dare you judge me for doing something you yourself did freely? Were all of the women you were with virgins?”
Joe had never felt like hitting a woman before, but he was coming very close to slapping her. “That’s none of your business and you are all of eighteen years old and living under my roof. My house, my rules.”
Minx finished her tea and crackers and sat the cup down. “Thank you for the tea and crackers. It was very thoughtful of you.”
“You’re welcome,” Joe said as he watched her rise calmly from the floor.
She began rolling up her sleeping robes.
“Minx, what are you doing?”
“I will find another way to finish paying my restitution to you. I am going home. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Minx, you can’t go home yet. Your father will just send you back.”
She shrugged. “I will go stay with Uncle Owl then. Or even Uncle Marcus. Uncle Dean even has a tipi and will let me stay there. I will never be without a home.”
“What about the horses? Leo?” Joe asked as he stood up. “Don’t go, Minx.”
“You do not want me to leave and you do not want me to do as I please even though I am not hurting anyone. Am I to work and sit in this room? Is that all I am allowed to do?”
“No, of course not. Minx, this is complicated.”
“Rita and Callie go out at night. I am sure Randall and Addie go out when they want to. Why am I so different? Is it because I am Lakota?”
“You know better than that. It’s because you’ve recently been assaulted, you’re pregnant and now you’ve started having sex with a man who is not your husband. I don’t think you know which way is up at this point and you’re acting erratically. It scares me that you’re gonna do something really stupid that will get you hurt,” Joe responded.
His words caused an ache to begin in her chest. Tears stung her eyes and she hated it. She threw down the sleeping robe and sat down again. Joe was right. She felt like her world was upside down. Drawing her knees up, Minx leaned her head on her forearms and wept.
Joe sighed, amazed at how awful it made him feel when she cried. Sitting down, he hugged her, holding her and trying to comfort her.
“Why can’t I be normal?” she muttered into his chest. “I feel like an outcast. No one understands me, I do not understand myself. I am so lonely and confused. I might as well stay. None of this will change if I go back to camp.”
“We’ll get some of this figured out. One day at a time, I guess. Now why don’t you lie down for a while?”
“No. I have work to do.”
He stopped her. “You don’t always have to be so strong, you know.”
“I was not strong just now. Lying here whining will not do me any good.” She stood and scooped up her tea cup before leaving the room.
Joe put his head in his hands for a few moments while he gathered his wits. Then he followed her out into the hallway and went to his room.
Chapter Twenty-Six
When Deena and Eddie returned from their honeymoon, he carried her across the threshold of their home. Our home, Deena thought with pleasure.
Eddie hugged her and said, “I had such a good time on our honeymoon, but it feels good to be back home, too. I’m so lucky to be spending the rest of my life with you.”
She laid her head on his chest and said, “I’m glad to be home, too. I’m pretty lucky, too, you know.”
He kissed the top of her head and said, “I know. I’m pretty wonderful, huh?”
She laughed and playfully pushed him away. “Go get our bags and I’ll make us something to drink.”
“Barely home and you’re already bossin’ me around. And so it begins.”
She pointed at the door. “March, mister.”
He grinned at her and left the apartment.
As she went to the kitchen, Deena took note of things about the apartment she wanted to change. Eddie had said that the place needed some sprucing up and he was putting her in charge of that. Excitement about making the place theirs instead of just his contributed to her happiness, but she would have lived anywhere if it meant being with Eddie.
Their time in Helena had been magical. Seeing Eddie’s childhood home had been touching and she’d enjoyed the stories he’d told her. Being back there again had jogged his memory and he’d been amazed at some of the things that came to him again. He showed her the tree where he’d carved his initials and had taken her on a hike to an old cabin where he and his buddies had played.
They’d taken in the sights around Helena and they had even looked up Eddie’s best friend from his teenage years. Blake Dempsey was a jovial man who was built like an oak tree. Deena could easily picture the man being a rabble-rouser just from the devilish light in his dark eyes. Blake’s wife, Annie, was a pretty, plump woman with black hair and blue eyes and it seemed as though her personality mirrored Blake’s.
The two couples had spent a day and an evening together as Blake and Annie had shown Eddie what had changed about the city and had given Deena even more damning information about her new husband’s wilder days. At times Eddie groaned when Blake told an embarrassing story about him.
As Deena made them coffee, she chuckled as she remembered some of these stories. Before parting ways, Eddie made Blake and Annie promise to come to Dawson to visit. Deena had come to like the other couple very much in just the short time they’d been around each other.
She heard Eddie come in with some of their bags and heard another male voice. Recognizing Joe’s drawl, she came out of the kitchen.
“Well, there’s Mrs. Baxter,” Joe said with a big smile. “It looks like the honeymoon agreed with you.” His wink made Deena blush.
“You’re looking good yourself, Mr. Dwyer,” she said as he hugged her.
“Did you expect me to look any other way?” Joe asked.
“Get out of here,” she said. “You are so vain.”
Joe nodded. �
�Guilty. So y’all had a good time, then?”
Deena beamed. “It was wonderful. We have so much to tell you all.”
“Good. Y’all can tell us all about it at supper. We’ll leave you alone today so you can settle back in.” Joe turned to Eddie. “No work today. That’s an order.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Good.”
Deena asked Joe, “How is Minx doing?”
Joe’s look of consternation told them things in that area were not satisfactory. “She’s stubborn, infuriating, loveable, and funny. Her moods change with the speed of a Texas twister. Her morning sickness seems to be starting to go away, so that’s a good thing. She’ll be glad to see y’all. I think she missed her boss.”
Eddie chuckled. “You’re her boss.”
“No, I’m her warden. Anyway, I’ll let you two be and we’ll see y’all this evening,” Joe said and descended the stairs again.
Eddie and Deena looked at each other and smiled. “I wonder what that means?” Deena asked.
“I have no idea, but I’m sure we’ll find out. So what would you like to do for the rest of the day?” he asked.
“Well, we should unpack and then we could just see what happens after that,” she said with a saucy smile.
Eddie picked up a couple of suitcases and said, “Then let’s get to it.”
Deena laughed as he practically ran to their room. “There’s no rush,” she called after him.
“There is as far as the unpacking goes, but not the seeing what happens after that,” he said as he came back for the other suitcases. “C’mon. Shake a leg, woman.”
When she came into the bedroom, Eddie sat the suitcases down and turned to her with a devilish smile. “I say we unpack later.”
Eddie picked her up and she laughed as he roughly pulled her down on the bed with him. He nuzzled her neck and it tickled her. When he kissed her, Deena became hungry for him. He had introduced her to the pleasure between a man and woman and they hadn’t been able to satiate their desire for the other. She knew they never would. She thought it wonderful how their lovemaking was always different— sometimes slow and tender, sometimes funny and more like roughhousing, and sometimes animalistic and quick. That afternoon they forgot all about being back home as they continued discovering sensual things about one another and loving away the hours.