Mail Order Mishap: Christian Romance (Kansas Brides Book 1) (14 page)

She looked up into his bright blue eyes and saw he was sincere. He’d never really lied to her. She really did want to trust him. She loved him, too, but something held her back from saying the words. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Have patience with me, Garrett. I don’t know what I want.”

She could feel his nod.

“I’m a very patient man.”

“You're also a very disciplined man,” she said, moving her head to look into his eyes. “You could have … but you didn’t. When I think of what you could have done. It could not have been easy for you to stop … but you did. Tell me again why you stopped.”

“And risk getting your dander up again? Why can’t we just get past it?”

“Because I was so upset over everything you’d told me that day; I don’t remember exactly what you said. My head was spinning, but since then I’ve wondered why you stopped, and wished I'd paid more attention.”

Garrett took her hand in his. “All right. I stopped when I realized you were responding.”

“Why? Wasn’t that the whole idea?”

“Yes, but you weren’t responding to
me
, you were responding to Charles. At that moment I wanted you to respond—but to me, not to him. It shocked me and I just couldn’t go through with it. What if you'd called out his name in a moment of passion? That would have killed my passion faster than a bucket of cold water. I loved you already, and I had no wish to continue with something that, in the end, would end up hurting you,” he said. “I felt ashamed of myself.

“I lay in bed that night calling myself every name I could think of. Then I prayed, and I instantly knew what I had to do. I had to tell you the truth.”

“If you'd only known that I knew it was you from the start,” she whispered.

“I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve grown closer to God through all this and realize that he made our bodies the way he did for a reason. He wanted husbands and wives to procreate, to inhabit the earth. He made it so it would feel so delightful that married couples would do it often, and thus beget children. I realized that when you use it before marriage, you are defeating the very purpose God intended it for.

“He didn’t create it for the reason I was trying to use it. Making love is only for people who are married,” he said.

She continued to study him.

“Now don’t get me wrong. I’ve done my share of laying with women, saloon women, mostly, and I never gave it a thought until all this happened.

“I’ll tell you this one thing, though: of all the women I’ve been with, none of them caused me to feel what I felt with you, and that's the truth.”

She noticed his eyes still reflected sincerity, and she believed him.

“God has forgiven me, and you say you’ve forgiven me, too. I hope we can at least be friends,” he said. He slipped off the swing and gazed at the fence.

“No, don’t leave,” she found herself saying.

He swung around. “You want me to stay?”

She nodded and slipped off the swing to stand beside him. She put her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. “I love you, too. I've loved you the whole time but was angry and hurt about what you did. I didn’t realize you’d found God through it all, and it only serves to prove to me that I
can
trust you. You’ve taken a step to change yourself, to make yourself a better person through all of this.” She moved closer. “I love you, Garrett.”

Garrett pulled her close, hugged her tightly, and rocked her back and forth in his arms. “You’ve just made me the happiest man on earth, Amber.”

“Would you kiss me?” she asked.

Garrett laughed a bit. “Are you kidding me?” He couldn’t get his lips to hers fast enough. The kiss was sweet, but when she made a small sound of pleasure, he instinctively increased the passion level a bit until they were both breathless.

“I think I’m being led to propose so we can finish this the way God intended,” he said.

“I accept. Can we get married today?” she said, moving her lips to his again.

He groaned. “How about right now?” He then swung her around. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“Do you supposed we’ll need to jump the fence?” she asked.

“Hmm,” he said, breaking away from her embrace. “I think there’s an Indian tribe that jumps a broom and then they’re married,” he said with a laugh.

Amber laughed with him and then pointed to a broom leaning against the side of the house.

Garrett laughed and swung her around again. “I’m the happiest man alive. Thank you, God.”
 

Epilogue

Reverend James Flannery read the vows of Holy Matrimony to Amber and Garrett while Edna, Mandy, and Cole looked on. Edna prepared a light repast after the service and they could tell that Amber and Garrett were anxious to go home. They’d both put very little on their plates, and finished eating before anyone else had barely started.

“You two run along. James, Mandy, and I will stay and make sure our meal is digested,” Edna said with a laugh.

Garrett had lugged Amber’s trunk to his apartment earlier that day. Was it only three days ago that Edna had confined them in her backyard? They climbed the stairs, stopped at the top, and kissed. Garrett fumbled with the lock, and when the door opened, they squeezed into the sitting room with their arms still wrapped around each other.

Garrett took Amber by the shoulders and sat her down on the sofa. “Will you wear the same nightgown you wore that night?” he asked.

“Why that one? Edna made me a prettier one.”

“I like that one. The material’s thin, and I liked the feel of you through it,” he said.

“Are you sure you’re all right with the story I told you yesterday about Charles and I not sharing the same father, and Cole being my cousin?”

She nodded. “I think it was wonderful you found out while your uncle was still alive.”

“Yes, it was fortunate.”

“And since we haven’t consummated our marriage yet and there is still time to change your mind, are you good with being married to the part owner of a livery?”

“I told you last night I was good with it. I no longer care if I’m rich or poor. What matters is who I’m married to—and I love you,” she said, putting her arms around his neck.

Garrett removed her hands. “Not so fast, sweetheart. There’s one more thing we didn’t talk about yesterday.”

“I thought we hit on everything,” Amber said with a pout. She so wanted to get to the kissing; she loved Garrett’s kisses.

“You may have to do a bit of housework—not much, though. I do have a woman who cleans and does the laundry, but I don’t have a cook,” he said with a grimace.

“Good grief, Garrett, you wouldn't want to eat anything I've cooked. I’ve never cooked a thing worth eating.”

“Do you mind eating beans from a can then?”

Amber laughed. “Yes, I would very much mind. How about we use my dowry to hire a cook?”

“How long will that money last?” he asked.

“Long enough for her to teach me how to cook.” Amber stood and pulled him into the bedroom. “Enough talking. I want to legalize this union, and now.”

“All right. I’m going out to check on my horse. I haven’t fed him today. That'll give you some time to get ready.” He kissed her passionately and left.

Amber slipped into the same nightgown she’d worn the night at Charles’s house, and climbed into his bed.

She heard Garrett return and turn the key in the lock of the door. He walked to the bedroom door and called, “Is it all right for me to enter?”

“Only if you love me,” she said.

He pushed the door open. “That’s a given.”

It was still daylight so they couldn’t hide behind the darkness.

Garrett walked over to the opposite side of the bed and she heard his pants drop to the floor. She shivered and wondered if she’d be the one to not go through with it this time. She was extremely nervous. Refusing to look, she lay on her side away from him. She heard the rest of his clothes being thrown across the room, then she felt his weight on the other side of the bed. He drew the quilt over himself and turned to her.

He pulled her closer, again loving the feel of her body through the gauzy material of her nightgown. She turned his way and smiled. He pulled her closer until he had her pressed against him tightly.

“Will you do just one silly thing for me,” he asked.

“What?”

“When you respond, and I know that you will—be sure to call out my name as much as you can. I will thrill in the fact you’re responding to me, your husband.”

“I will,” she whispered. “I love you, Garrett Turner.”

“And I love you, Amber Turner.”

Afterward, they stayed in a tight embrace and repeated how much they loved each other several times before Garrett grew quiet.

“What are you thinking, dear husband?” Amber asked. “Are you thinking of how soon we can make love again?”

“That
was
on my mind, but I’m also worried about Cole as he's still all alone. Now that I’m happy, I want him to be, as well.”

“Aren’t there any nice women here we can introduce him to?” she asked.

“There are none.”

“Let’s get him a mail order bride, then!” she said.

The End

Look for book two and find out if Cole finds his mail order bride.

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