Selena was unconvinced, but she didn’t want to argue. “Thank you, Marcia. That is very kind of you to say.”
“Trust an old woman,” Marcia said, smiling as she turned to walk away. “Have a pleasant evening.”
“You too.” Selena watched her disappear around the corner before she turned back to face the rail. “I just wish you were right,” she muttered.
That evening, Selena and Liam dined in solitude, seeing no sign of the Boyd family. They sat in silence, speaking only when absolutely necessary, and trying not to look at each other. Selena was vastly relieved when the meal was completed, and she excused herself to return to the cabin. She was surprised when Liam followed close on her heels, and when they reached their cabin door, she turned to him with an impatient brow raised.
“If you don’t mind, I thought I would make an early night of it. I’m quite tired.”
“I don’t mind at all,” Liam said, brushing past her to enter the cabin. “I had the same thought myself.”
Selena crossed her arms over her bosom and glared at him as she remained in the doorway. “Well? Do you mind? I would like some privacy to change clothes.”
Liam grasped her elbow and drew her into the cabin, as he shut the door and threw the bolt in place. When he faced her, he bore a scowl, but his voice held exaggerated patience, as if he were addressing a child.
“Selena, you’d better understand from now that you aren’t going to have a whole lot of privacy on this trip. The two of us are going to be stuck in a tiny little tent in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes, there aren’t even any woods around to give you privacy, so you’ll have to get used to changing clothes with me in the room.”
He turned away and started to unbutton his shirt, but when Selena plopped down on the side of the bed with a mutinous frown and made no move to undress, he turned back to face her.
“What?”
She lifted her chin to a lofty angle and refused to meet his questioning stare. “I will not dress and undress in your presence. I’m not some hussy available for your viewing pleasure.”
Liam made an ominous growling sound in the back of his throat and he bent to place one hand on either side of her on the bed. His nose was only inches from hers, and her startled eyes met his angry ones.
“I remind you Selena that I’ve already seen most of what you have to offer, and frankly, I’m not interested.” He ignored her gasp of outrage and went on. “Now, I’m about to make out my pallet here on the floor, and once I do, you won’t have any space to move around in. So the way I see it, you have two choices. You can pout and waste the time you have to change into your nightgown. Or you can get up off your fanny and change clothes while you still have time. Unless you enjoy sleeping in your clothes, I suggest you get moving.” He turned away once again and continued to unbutton his shirt, giving her no further notice.
Selena glared at him for only a moment more, before she rose and retrieved her nightgown. She turned her back to Liam and unbuttoned her dress as quickly as she could. She slipped her sleeves and the straps of her chemise off her arms, baring her shoulders, but she kept the garments clutched over her bosom while she awkwardly struggled to pull her thick cotton nightgown down over her head and arms.
Liam witnessed her efforts and despite his anger, he couldn’t suppress a grin as he watched her wiggling and squirming. He especially appreciated watching her bottom bounce from side to side, but he quickly turned away as her head emerged through the neckline of the gown. Selena gave a sigh of accomplishment as the nightgown dropped over her other clothes, and under its cover, she stepped out of her dress, pantalets and chemise. She folded them and laid them on top of her suitcase, then crossed her arms over her bosom before turning to face Liam.
He had removed his shirt, boots and socks, and he was busy making his pallet on the floor. Not wanting to come in contact with his muscular frame, Selena crawled across the bed and quickly slipped beneath the blanket, pulling it up to her chin. She watched Liam, reluctantly fascinated by the play of muscle and sinew in his arms, chest and back as he bent and stretched to smooth out his bed.
When he was satisfied, he straightened and began unbuttoning his breeches, not bothering to turn his back to her or extinguish the lantern. Selena’s eyes opened to the size of saucers, and she stared at him in shock until he started to pull the pants down over his hips. She squealed and rolled toward the wall, squeezing her eyes tightly shut, but the glimpse she had caught of his emerging manhood standing proudly erect amid a bed of springy hairs was burned indelibly on her brain.
Her cheeks burned when she heard his mocking laughter, and she seethed in silent fury. The cad! It seemed like an eternity passed as she heard him laying his clothes to one side and putting out the light before he finally took to his pallet.
Neither of them spoke, and the silence hung heavy in the room. The darkness surrounded them, with only a faint stream of moonlight coming through the tiny window. As Selena lay awake, her eyes gradually adjusting to the dark, she continued to see Liam’s naked form in her mind’s eye. The more she tried to forget what she had seen, the clearer the details became.
As if in slow motion, she repeatedly recalled him pulling his pants off. Her cheeks flamed again as she imagined the line where the brown of his torso abruptly changed to the pale whiteness of his buttocks and hips. Even more disturbing was the erection that she had so fleetingly glimpsed. It was huge and intimidating, and she swallowed against the lump in her throat. Try as she might, she couldn’t imagine being able to comfortably mate with him if she should ever choose to fulfill her wifely duties.
Liam lay on his own pallet staring up at the ceiling. He longed to join her on the bed and continue what they had started. He closed his eyes and almost groaned as he recalled the brief glimpse of her pale thighs he had gotten when she was scrambling into bed. His imagination supplied all the brief images he had of her and pieced them together into one image of her nearly naked with her hair spread out over the pillow. Although it caused his loins to ache, he couldn’t resist the urge to examine the vision in exquisite detail.
Combined with his memory of her skin, like the finest heated satin beneath his hands, the image made him ache with desire. Her proportions fulfilled his every fantasy. She was slender but womanly, her breasts high and firm but full enough to overflow his palms. The memory of her pouting nipples standing stiffly erect made his mouth water, and a fine film of sweat popped out on Liam’s brow as he imagined what it would feel like to suckle them while he thrust into her welcoming heat. His rampant erection throbbed painfully, and he tried to draw a deep breath.
The night aged as the two of them lay silently, each one’s thoughts centered on the other. It was past midnight before they finally managed to find sleep, and neither of them knew that they were the focus of the other one’s dreams.
The following morning, Liam was already dressed and gone when Selena awoke. She hastily rose and dressed and was busy brushing out her hair when he returned.
“Good morning,” he said brusquely, turning away from the sight of her tantalizing hair to replace his shaving kit in his suitcase.
“Good morning,” Selena replied. She hurriedly braided her hair and twined the mass into the usual knot at the back of her head. “Have you already eaten breakfast?”
“No, I just went for some fresh air, but I was waiting for you to rise before eating. If you’re ready, we could go now.”
Selena nodded and led the way out of the cabin. Once again, they dined alone, having the room to themselves due to the early hour. When the meal was finished, Liam rose and gave her a tight smile.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you later.” He waited for her nod of acquiescence and then made his exit.
They settled into a routine over the next several days. They took most of their meals together for the sake of appearances, but other than that, they saw as little as possible of each other. When they had to be together, they were polite but reserved. Selena oc
cupied herself by chatting with Marcia and the handful of other passengers on board.
She saw Hank several more times, and she became especially fond of the old man. He had a wicked sense of humor, and his stories of his youth always had her laughing. He told her about his son and his family and how he was going to travel with them to Oregon to stake a claim there. Hank became a trusted friend, and his and Marcia’s company provided the only relief from the monotony of the trip.
While the daytime hours were long and boring, the nighttime hours were pure torture. Every night, Selena lay awake for hours listening to Liam’s breathing and tossing upon her bed. Liam had refused to let her sleep on the floor. For once, Selena had agreed with his order. She much preferred the comfort of the mattress, but she felt slightly guilty knowing that he was sleeping on the hard pallet.
It was a relief when they finally heard the ship’s whistle that signaled their arrival in Kansas City. The passengers gathered at the rail to watch as they approached the frontier port. Selena watched as buildings and houses came into view. Everywhere she looked, she could see new buildings being erected, and it was obvious that Kansas City was a growing metropolis.
“Well, the easy part of our trip is almost over,” Liam murmured, appearing at her elbow.
Selena gave him a tight smile. As far as she was concerned, the past week had been far from easy. “Oh really? I was actually looking forward to getting off the boat.”
He shrugged a broad shoulder and returned her smile as he quickly scanned her features. “Be careful what you wish for.” He turned back toward the dock, and they stood watching for a few moments in silence. “The crew will unload some of the cargo here and take on other goods, and then we will head on to Independence. With any luck, we should be there late this evening.”
Selena nodded. “So we’ll leave from Independence tomorrow morning then?”
“No, it will be a few more days, likely.” Seeing her frown of confusion, he explained. “We’ll have to check on how the weather has been. We’ll want to wait until the prairie grasses are lush enough to sustain the oxen.” Liam gave her a sidelong glance. “We’ll know more once we get there. We’ve had good weather this spring, so we shouldn’t have to wait very long. We also have to find a sturdy wagon and team once we get there, and then it will take another day or two to purchase our supplies for the trip. I’m hoping we can be on our way within four or five days.”
She nodded again and gave him a tight smile. “Well, I’m relieved to know that you seem to know what you’re doing. I shall rely on your judgment.”
Liam faced her again, and his own smile was skeptical. “That will be a first! The day you pay attention to anything I have to say, I might just fall over from shock.”
Selena drew herself up and opened her mouth to give him a nasty retort when she noticed the corners of his mouth twitching with suppressed humor, and she realized he was teasing her. “Ooh! You’re insufferable.” Her own lips curved into a reluctant smile. “I always pay attention on the occasions when you actually have some meaningful information to impart. It’s just that those instances are so few and far apart that I’ve grown accustomed to ignoring you.”
“Hmmm, I see,” Liam murmured.
He liked the way a few strands of her hair had escaped to frame her jaw, and her cheeks were radiant in the afternoon sun. He wished he could ignore her, but that task was proving impossible for him. He cleared his throat and looked down sheepishly at his boots.
“I was going to propose that we agree to a truce.”
Selena’s heart was thudding heavily in her chest as she watched him. He was so handsome she found it hard to concentrate on his words, and her voice was somewhat breathless when she replied.
“I didn’t realize that we were at war.”
“You know what I mean, Selena. The trip is going to be long enough without us constantly sniping at each other. I just thought that it would be more pleasant if we tried to be friends.”
Selena nervously fiddled with her fingers. “Alright,” she said softly. “I’ll try if you will. Should we shake on it?” She held out a hand as she met his eye.
Liam grasped her hand as he looked down at her, but instead of shaking it, he raised it to his lips and planted a warm kiss on the backs of her fingers. “Deal,” he murmured, holding her gaze over her knuckles.
Selena’s stomach fluttered and heat rose in her cheeks as she stared into his green flecked eyes. She finally withdrew her hand and rubbed it with her other one as she gave a small, nervous laugh.
“Well, I’d better go and make sure everything is ready.”
Liam watched her walk away, enjoying the gentle swaying of her slim hips. He didn’t know which was worse, the chafing of her chilly anger or the temptation of her warm companionship. Either way, it seemed like he was destined to suffer in her presence, and he heaved a long sigh.
“Damn!” he muttered under his breath.
Chapter Five
They reached Independence late that evening, just as Liam had predicted. Selena made it a point to seek out the Captain before they left. She found him overseeing his crewmen, and she approached timidly from behind.
“Captain Harris,” she smiled when he turned toward her, “I just wanted to thank you for everything.”
He doffed his cap and gave her a small bow. “Mrs. McKenzie, it was my pleasure to make your acquaintance and to preside over your nuptials. I wish you Godspeed on your journey.”
“And you as well, Captain.” Selena surprised him when she rose on tiptoes to plant a kiss on his weathered cheek. “I will never forget you.”
The Captain colored with pleasure and cleared his throat. “Thank you, ma’am. That’s very kind of you.”
It startled Selena when she heard Liam’s deep voice from directly behind her. “I owe you a debt of gratitude too, Captain.” The two men clasped hands cordially.
The Captain gave Liam a broad smile. “You take good care of your wife, Mr. McKenzie. She’s a keeper.”
Liam slipped an arm around Selena’s waist and hugged her against him. “I will, Captain. You have my word on that.” Liam looked at Selena, and she was surprised to see the serious expression in his eyes. “We’d better get going if we’re going to find a place to sleep tonight.”
They made their final farewells, and Liam led her off the ship. It wasn’t far to a nearby hotel, but Selena was surprised to see how many people were bustling around in the tiny town. Everywhere she looked, folks seemed intent on accomplishing their errands, rushing here and there carrying packages.
“Everyone is doing the same thing we are,” Liam murmured, seeing her interest. “It’s Oregon fever.”
Liam held the door so Selena could precede him into the lobby. She waited near the entrance while he spoke with the desk clerk. She watched him count out money and within moments he returned with a key.
“I’m surprised there are any rooms available,” she said.
“Most folks are already camped outside of town with their wagons. That’s what we’ll be doing by this time tomorrow.” Liam hefted the trunks once more and led the way to the stairs. “Come on.”
Selena followed him to the second floor and down a narrow hallway. Their room was small and sparsely furnished, but it was spacious compared to their cabin aboard the ship. There was a large brass bed, a small washstand with a pitcher and bowl, and a round table and two chairs in one corner. The only light in the room was streaming in from the dim hallway, and Selena hurried to light a lamp on the bedside table.
Liam set the trunks in one corner and stretched to ease the kinks in his muscles. Selena turned away from the sight, feeling her cheeks turn warm. Her eyes lit on the bed, and her cheeks got even warmer. As if reading her thoughts, Liam came to stand beside her, looking down at the feather mattress. He cleared his throat nervously.
“I don’t see any reason to sleep on the floor. This bed is big enough for both of us.”
He looked at her with a question
ing brow raised, and Selena swallowed hard. She didn’t want to shatter the fragile truce between them, and neither did she want to admit that she was afraid to share the bed with him.
She wasn’t frightened of him. She was scared of her own reaction to his nearness. It was as if she had no willpower at all when he turned on the charm, and she didn’t want to do anything that she might later regret. She raised her chin and met his stare.
“Fine. I’ll sleep on that side.” She dug her nightgown out of her suitcase and laid it on the foot of the bed. “It’s late and I’m tired. I think I’ll go to sleep.”
“Yeah, we should make it an early night. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow.” He dragged his gaze away from her and began unbuttoning his shirt.
They had gotten used to undressing for bed in each other’s presence. Selena had perfected the art of donning her nightgown without revealing anything other than her shoulders and arms, but Liam never could resist the temptation to steal a few peeks. He was usually rewarded with at least a glimpse of a trim ankle and sometimes he got lucky and caught a flash of calf or thigh when she stepped out of her dress. Tonight he got lucky, however, his victory felt hollow since it only served to whet his appetite for more.
Selena climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin as she rolled on her side facing away from Liam. He finished undressing and crawled in beside her. Although Selena had been on the far edge, the feather mattress collapsed beneath their combined weight, and she tumbled against his side.
She scrambled to put some distance between them, and her hand brushed across his naked erection. The heat of his manhood seemed to sear her fingers, and she gasped. Her eyes flew to his, and his face was frozen in a pained grimace.
Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3) Page 9