Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) (7 page)

Belinda smiled and cocked her head. "Look at you two. My! What a pretty couple you are," she declared.

Joshua looked down at Laura and saw the happiness written large on her face. For the first time that day he truly felt he had done the right thing. This whole thing wasn't only about himself. This wedding, this marriage was all about this wonderful woman, Belinda, who had been so kind to him over so many years. It was also about the equally amazing young woman whose hand he was holding. He looked at Laura and felt for the first time in his life that he had done exactly what life was asking him to do.

They turned and went to the door. With a last glance back at the bed Joshua was pleased to see that they had just made the most special woman in both their lives, one of the happiest people in Montana.

"And this is our room," Joshua said standing at the open door to one of the upstairs bedrooms on the McKenzie ranch. He invited Laura to step inside with an extended hand. Laura felt her booted feet freeze at the entrance. She looked inside at the wide double bed, the dressing table with white bowl on the top, the thick decorated rug that covered the floor, the high wooden wardrobe, half opened revealing all of Joshua's clothing hanging neatly there. He wanted this to be the bedroom they shared, right from the start, from their very first night as man and wife.

She frowned and glanced at Joshua.

"Our room?" she asked in as noncommittal a way as possible.

"It's kinda homely. Don't you think?"

Laura thought about the last few hours. It had truly been a day to remember.

They had arrived minutes before at Joshua's ranch to find it mostly deserted. The majority of the ranch hands were still over at the Thorne ranch enjoying the party. Over there, Joshua had suggested to Laura that they both make their way home to his place, leaving the celebration still in full swing. Once word had gotten around that the newlyweds were leaving there had been a gathering of folk in the yard, as Joshua had helped his new wife up onto the buggy. Laura had seen an eager eyed and smiling Belinda look down from her bedroom window, waving to the departing couple. There had been cheers and hats flying in the air as Joshua had driven the buggy away from the Thorne ranch, and then they were alone and driving along the trail back to Joshua's spread.

Joshua and Laura hadn't spoken much on the journey home. The full moon had illuminated the trail. Joshua knew the way to the ranch well enough to guarantee a safe journey to their new home. For that was what it was.

Their home.

Laura had felt a rush of relief at leaving the celebration behind. It felt curiously calming to be alone with Joshua. He'd always had that ability to settle her, even at the worst of times. And now was no exception.

Now she was at the ranch with Joshua. The place that until today he had called his own. Did he really expect her to just arrive at his place and be instantly at home in what had been, until today, his own private space?

Joshua had taken her on a brief tour of the ranch house. She had to admit it was well cared for. Mrs. Bell, Joshua's housekeeper, seemed to have done a good job of keeping the place clean and tidy. There were many signs of Joshua's personal taste around the various rooms. In spite of herself, Laura was momentarily fascinated to see the kinds of furniture he had filled the house with. His taste in curtains and rugs wasn't exactly to her liking, but he had a charming way of deflecting any criticism of his choices in decor.

It had felt strange to arrive at the ranch house when there was virtually no-one around. Because of the dark she couldn't see beyond the house. That would have to wait until morning.

Right now the only thing she had to consider was something that she really hadn't given much thought to, prior to arriving at the ranch with her new husband.

Husband!

Joshua McKenzie was her husband.

Standing at the threshold of the bedroom, looking at the tall handsome man who had been her friend for so many years, she could hardly believe that he was now her husband. And that she was his new wife.

Joshua had a look of patient expectation on his face and she knew he was waiting for an answer. But, right now, she knew she couldn't give him the answer he wanted.

She tightened her lips and merely nodded, reluctant to encourage him. This was all moving way too fast. They were barely married; they hardly knew each other; they were virtual strangers; they'd hardly kissed. The list could go on and on, she thought.

"This is where you think we can sleep?" she asked in a quiet voice. "Together?" she managed to finally say after a long pause.

Joshua smiled softly and nodded. "Since we're man and wife, I guess it makes sense. Don't you think?"

Laura fixed Joshua with a look. Was he being serious? Did he really expect them to share a bed on this, their first night alone together. The butterflies in her belly started fluttering like crazy. The look in his eyes told her he was deadly serious.

"If you're not sure..." he began to say.

"It's just been a busy day, Joshua. I don't know what to say," she told him.

Joshua nodded. She thought he looked deflated, even crushed at her response.

Joshua leaned back against the door frame. It was clear to Laura that he was working hard to contain the emotion in himself. She could see it in his eyes. There was a sudden flash of what she thought looked like deep disappointment.

Then Joshua straightened up and cleared his throat. He reached over and stroked her cheek softly with the back of his fingers. "I know this isn't easy for you. I don't want to put any pressure on you. If you like you can have the other room," he said gesturing to the door on the other side of the hall.

Laura turned and glanced at it. Was that what she wanted on her wedding night? A night alone. When she thought of what her wedding night might have been like with Bewly, being with Joshua suddenly seemed like a truly attractive option. But those darned butterflies wouldn't stop their crazy dance inside her tummy. She didn't know what she should do.

As if sensing her mood and the confusion she was experiencing, Joshua stepped across the hall and opened the door. "Let me show you the room. I think you'll be pretty comfortable in here," he said. Laura stepped inside and noticed immediately that Joshua didn't follow her into the room. There was a wide bed, chest of drawers, dressing table and wardrobe. It looked like it had already been prepared for her.

"I had Mrs. Bell make it up for you," he said.

Laura turned and frowned. He'd already known that she would be reluctant; had already anticipated her hesitation. She smiled at him. "You shouldn't have gone to such trouble on my behalf," she said to him.

Joshua smiled. "It's nothing. You've had a hard time lately. I know that. You'll benefit from some rest," he said.

Joshua came to her and rested his hands gently on her shoulders. Laura suddenly felt his presence, the sheer strength of him, even with his gentlest of touches. His eyes were filled with a deep and patient acceptance. "I am so happy that you are my wife," he said quietly.

Laura's breath caught as she looked up at him. She hadn't realized before just how much taller he was than her. Her head leaned back and she raised herself up on her toes slightly. She felt the heat of his body close to her. His scent, a mixture of leather and soap, was intense in the confines of the small room.

Joshua raised a finger and placed it over her lips. "Don't say anything," he instructed her. "All I want you to know is that your happiness is all that matters to me. Now that you're my wife, I will do whatever I have to, in order to make sure you have what you need. I can only hope that in time we can become...more than friends."

Laura felt the color change in her face, but Joshua continued. "But I know that will take time. If it's destined to happen."

Joshua leaned in closer and she could feel his breath on her skin. His hands on her shoulders held her more firmly. "And I believe in destiny. Do you Laura?"

Joshua's eyes burned into her own, seeking an answer, demanding a reply. But Laura could not utter a word in reply to his declaration. The words had stopped in her throat.

Joshua reached down and kissed Laura on the cheek. His lips lingered on her skin. Laura closed her eyes briefly, inhaling his scent, feeling the heat of his body next to her.

Then she was looking up at him, and he was running a thumb across her cheekbone. Laura opened her mouth to say something, anything that would answer him, but nothing would come.

Joshua's eyes narrowed and Laura was sure she saw the deepest understanding lodged in them. With a tiny smile creasing his lips, Joshua turned and walked out of the room, leaving Laura standing there wondering what she could have said to him; what she should have said.

Laura went across and closed the door seeing Joshua disappear down the hallway and make his way downstairs.

With the door closed, alone in the room, seated on the edge of the bed, the enormity of what she had done hit Laura with all the force of a physical blow. She had changed her life irrevocably. Becoming Joshua's wife meant her life would never be the same again. She would always be a rancher's wife, and right now, she wasn't sure that was a good thing or the worst thing she could possibly have done.

Laura lay back and stared up at the ceiling. How had it come to this? She knew the answer to that almost immediately when the image of her brother flashed into her mind. It was Eli's fault. All of it. If it hadn't have been for him she would never have ran away, never have even entertained the idea of marriage as some kind of escape. Her life had never been the same since Eli had taken over the management of the ranch after the death of her beloved father. Of course her mother Belinda did her best to restrain Eli's wilder tendencies, keeping him focused on the maintenance of the family business with all the firmness a mother could summon when dealing with her only son. But Eli was a law unto himself. And he had made it clear that Laura wasn't welcome on his ranch.

So, she had drifted into mad fantasies of escape and marriage to strangers, and now, here she was, married to a man she'd known since she had been in school.

Laura laid the back of her hand across her forehead and groaned.

Joshua was sweet. There was no doubting that. And he was certainly mighty handsome. In fact, if she was being entirely honest, there had been many a time in the past when she had harbored what could only be described as a crush on him. But every time that had reared it's ugly head, she had pushed it out of her mind.

But, there was no denying that Joshua was infinitely more preferable than the odious Mr. Bewly with whom she had almost made what would have been the biggest mistake of her short life.

In marrying Joshua there was one thing that Laura knew she had achieved, and that above all meant more to her than anything in the world.

She had made her mother happy.

Laura smiled when she recalled the look of sheer unadulterated joy on her mother's face on seeing Joshua and Laura together after the wedding. Why hadn't her mother told her before that she was of the opinion that Joshua would make a perfect husband.

And would he? Would Joshua be a good husband?

His declaration only moments before gave Laura hope that his intentions toward her were genuine and pure. As she recalled his low voice uttering those sweet words, Laura felt the fluttering in her middle that seemed more than mere excitement. And his eyes. Those eyes just seemed to burrow deep inside her, searching and probing in a way that made her feel something new, something that Mr. Bewly would never have made her feel in a hundred years of marriage.

Yes. Maybe things weren't as bad as she had been telling herself. Her choice to marry Joshua had certainly made a few people happy.

The only thing that concerned her now was one simple thought that gnawed away at her, even as she thought about her mother happiness and Joshua's obvious strong interest in his new wife.

Could Laura herself find happiness as the wife of Joshua McKenzie?

Joshua was beginning to run out of ideas.

Over the past few days, since the day of their marriage, since the first night they'd slept apart, he'd tried everything he could think of to make Laura feel like she belonged at the ranch; that she belonged with him. But nothing seemed to be having any effect on her.

What was he going to do to make her feel at home?

It had all started on the first morning after the wedding. Laura had seemed distant, distracted. Joshua had made sure that there was a real special breakfast for them to share when she awoke. Mrs. Bell had given him some help of course, but he'd made most of it himself. Laura had come down and the look of surprise on her face at the sight of the spread laid out on the kitchen table had filled him with hope that their first day together would be something to remember.

And it had been. For all the wrong reasons.

The breakfast had gone well enough. Mrs. Bell had left the newlyweds alone. The conversation between Joshua and Laura had, at first, been lighthearted and casual. But there was still that darned awkwardness that he couldn't shift. They'd talked about the wedding and some of the amusing things that had happened when they'd got back to the Thorne ranch, and how it had all turned out fine in the end, in spite of all their worries at the start of the day.

After the breakfast Joshua had offered to take Laura for a ride, just to show her what now belonged to them both. They'd headed off across the ranch, and Joshua had enjoyed showing Laura the extent of his holdings, the beauty of the landscape. But after a while Joshua's gut had tightened when he'd seen the look in Laura's eyes. It seemed like the last thing she was interested in on their first day as man and wife was him boring her with a tour of his ranch.

On seeing her expression Joshua had cursed himself for his insensitivity. Joshua realized with a stab of regret that Laura must have been feeling all sorts of emotions about the sudden change in her life. Joshua had assumed that Laura would share his own enthusiasm for what was to be the place where they would share their future life together.