Pioneer Passion (24 page)

“Well, my boy, I knew you’d come to your
senses.” Hal, as thrilled as his wife shook Guy’s hand and gave her
a big bear hug.

It was a happy moment for everyone, everyone
but Rusty who had spent two days and three nights on the trail
thinking up excuses to be furious with Guy. There were so many that
she didn’t know which one mattered anymore. She assumed that Guy
was also trying to stay mad, so they both refused to relinquish
their anger and discuss it.

Exhausted, Rusty only wanted to sleep. Her
nights lying near Guy on the trail had taken their toll on her
nerves. She didn’t know she could count so many stars in the sky,
and now here she stood in the mansion with mixed emotions. She just
wanted to rest her weary head on a pillow and sleep for days. Maybe
when she awoke, this whole nightmare would be over and she’d be
home with Scott. Life had been so much simpler before Guy.

Chapter-Twenty-Four

Skye came bursting into the parlor. “Rusty!
Oh, Guy, you’re back!” The ecstatic young woman hugged Rusty,
declaring how she worried about and missed her. Eventually, she
turned her happiness towards her brother, clinging to his neck,
saying she knew he’d find Rusty. Guy held her at arm’s length and
told her that not only did he bring the girl back, but he had also
married her. Skye squealed with delight and clasped herself once
again to her brother.

“Oh, too bad Kyle returned to school, won’t
he be flabbergasted.”

Guy peeled his sister off of him and Rusty
believed that he felt uncomfortable with all the attention. He
seemed to be somewhat relieved when Skye turned her affection to
her.

“Oh, you must tell me all about it,” Skye
squealed breathlessly. “Married! This is all too unbelievable.” She
practically dragged Rusty up the stairs to hear all the good news.
“I don’t know why I’m so happy, you did beat me to the altar, you
know.” She feigned disappointment but her smile broadened in
approval. “This is all too romantic,” her sister-in-law chirped and
pushed her into the guest room. The girl sat herself on the bed
with an unladylike plop taking Rusty with her. “Now, tell me all,
and don’t leave out anything,” still bubbling Skye ordered, taking
her hand and she wondered how Skye could feel this whole mess was
so romantic and she knew she wouldn’t get any rest until she told
the story.

“I don’t think this thing is romantic,” she
sighed, rounding her shoulders. “Your brother blackmailed me into
marrying him. He threatened to have me hanged for a horse thief.”
She saw the wounded look in her sister-in-law’s eyes for a
moment.

Skye gasped in disbelief and croaked, “He
what?!” Then Rusty was reassured. “Oh but don’t you see? He was
just bluffing. He’d never have done what he threatened.” In her
heart, she agreed with the excited girl and she grinned sheepishly.
Skye appeared taken aback for a moment, and then giggled. “Oh,
shame on you, you knew that all the time. You wanted to marry him,
didn’t you? You love my brother, don’t you?” she squealed.

Rusty admitted, “Yes, but I didn’t want to be
hoodwinked and I was so mad and so confused. He married me to do
the decent thing and I know better than to marry under such
circumstances, even if I do love him. Therefore, I let him think he
was doing the honorable thing.”

“Oh, this is all so romantic,” her
sister-in-law repeated ignoring Rusty’s furrowed brow. “You just
didn’t want him to know how you really feel. Well, I don’t blame
you. I love Guy dearly, but sometimes he can be so...” Her eyes
widened then lowered blatantly asking, “You aren’t pregnant, are
you?”

Rusty felt her face heat and answered a bit
too sharply, “No!” She slumped, wishing the over-jubilant girl
would leave her to rest. She had no choice but to accept her loving
in-laws, which she was doing her best to do, since she was
swallowed up with too much enthusiasm, and wanted nothing but to be
alone.

Skye wasn’t put off by her curtness and said,
“And Guy married you anyway. You see he must feel something for
you,” she continued.

“He doesn’t know.” Rusty did her damnest to
hide any exasperation she felt. The hype girl was crushing any hope
she had to rest.

Skye blinked. “Didn’t he ask you?”

“No, I tried to tell him that he didn’t have
to marry me that I wasn’t….” She filled her lungs with a
long-needed sigh. What’s the use in trying to explain, she didn’t
comprehend any of this herself. Laughter filled the room and Skye
doubled over clutching her side.

“Oh, this is so wonderful,” she squealed. “My
brother didn’t have the mind to ask if you were carrying his child.
And after all the fuss he and my father made over you. My God, wait
until he finds out.”

Skye’s eyes watered and Rusty sat dumbfounded
at the other woman’s reaction. If only she could take this turn of
events as lightly as her sister-in-law. How the other woman found
so much humor in the situation was a mystery to her. Then she
remembered the rejected look on Guy’s face when she refused to
marry him and she had to repress a smile. Now thinking that this
predicament was sort of funny, she curled her lips into a pout,
trying to stay annoyed, but she began playing the events of the
last few days over in her mind. She couldn’t help but get caught up
in Skye’s hysterical merriment and try as she might she could no
longer contain herself and giggled. Oh, what the hell!

Both were hysterical rolling on the bed when
Susan entered after her knock went unanswered. “Ahem! Sorry to
disturb you Miss Rusty but I’ve come with instructions that the
family would like you to join them for supper after you nap and
take a nice bath. Supper will be served at six,” she informed. “And
I’m so glad that your home safe.”

Rusty nodded her approval, still laughing. It
felt so good to let some of the tension out. “Thank you Susan,” she
replied. Breathless and bone-tired, she fell back onto the bed and
within minutes she went into a deep sleep.

Later, the young servant entered the guest
room to help her dress. The girl was so happy she was home safe and
sound, but surprised at the way things turned out.

“I was so worried about you,” said Susan. “I
thought we’d never see you again.” Rusty felt Susan’s hands tremble
as she buttoned up the back of her dress. “I had dreams of you
lying dead somewhere, eaten by wolves.” Her shoulders tensed as the
girl’s voice sobbed. “You shouldn’t have run off by yourself… we
were all so....”

She turned, seeing tears well up in the
pretty girl’s dark eyes and was sorry to have caused her friend
such grief. Susan cared so much for her that she was overwhelmed,
never before having a good friend. Her own brother didn’t seem to
care as much as this little one whom she had known for just a short
time. Her own eyes watered and she hugged Susan, saying, “I’m sorry
that I caused you such pain. But I was desperate. Can you forgive a
foolish friend?”

Susan sniffled and nodded. “Although I’m
happy you’re safe and married, my heart aches knowing I’ll miss you
when you return home.”

Rusty also became choked up and hugged Susan.
No words were needed to tell what they both felt. When she joined
her new family in the dining room she felt much more refreshed and
in high spirits. Everyone treated her with such warmth and
gratitude on her return that her heart swelled with love at being a
part of such a caring family. She prayed that things would turn out
right for her and her husband but suspected that Guy felt that he
was cornered into this marriage.

Were they ever going to settle their
differences? The only time they didn’t fight was when they had made
love, and even that ended in a tiff. But now she was so elated by
the love of others that she refused to brood over the trouble
between her and her husband.

Husband! That’s going to take some time for
it to truly sink in.

But, she was determined to put the past in
the back of her mind, she’d try her best to win him over. And she
knew just how.

Skye laughed with glee when she entered the
room and Rusty’s answering grin left the other members of the
family to ponder on their private joke. Everyone was smiling, even
Guy who looked as refreshed as she. She noticed by his damp hair
that he had also bathed and had shaved off the two-day growth.
Rusty recalled thinking he wouldn’t look so bad in a beard, but she
preferred him clean-shaven. He grinned at her and she saw heart
warming tenderness in his gaze; and a new sparkle in his eyes. At
least he was acting civil in front of his family and she prayed
that he was proud of her. She couldn’t stay angry when his warm
smile illuminated the room. Was Skye right when she said she
suspected her brother felt something for her? How she loved that
obstinate cowboy!

Earlier that afternoon, Guy wanted to get
away from the family entanglement and all the questions. Life was
so uncomplicated before he had met the girl who was now his wife;
some-thing he hadn’t gotten used to yet. He had made up his mind to
make the best of it. He believed when home, on their ranch, that
she would come around and settle into domestic life, one way or
another. He realized he wanted her to warm his bed more than he
ever wanted any other woman before.

After Skye had hustled his new wife from the
room, Guy relaxed in a hot tub. Wife! He shook his head wondering
how he got himself into this mess. But the more he remembered her
luscious body, her soft sensual lips and the feel of her smooth
silk-like skin, the more his anger subsided. Well, he’d made his
bed, as they say. Was it such a terrible bed to lie in? Hell! Not
if she was in it. He prayed Rusty would be in a better temperament
after her bath and rest. He was now counting the minutes until they
were in bed tonight. His heart hammered in his chest recalling how
good he felt inside her soft tightness and his annoyance at the
marriage was gone along with the bath water.

He was thrilled that by the time supper was
finished, it was settled. His father would have another two dozen
of his finest cattle driven to his ranch, as a wedding gift. And,
Susan would return with Rusty as her personal maid. His bride tried
to convince them that she had no use for a servant, but when she
saw the dejected look on his mother’s hurt face, she lower her eyes
and tried to hide in defeat. Guy took his cue from Rusty’s
chagrined glance and intervened by explaining that his wife was not
one to sit around like a lady. That remark produced a few dirty
looks.

Now his wife felt that it was her turn to
intercede for him. “What Guy is trying to say is that I’m not
afraid to work along with the ranch hands and I do my own plowing
on part of the land. Though, I’ve had bad luck recently, I’ll be
trying again. I’m not used to this luxury.” Rusty looked at him,
and then peered with embarrassment into her plate, after she saw
the crestfallen look on his mother’s face. The kid probably felt
like biting her tongue; the hole she was digging was getting deeper
and deeper. Guy opened his mouth to put his foot into it but
luckily his mother cleared her throat and tried to explain herself,
also.

“I just thought, since you and Susan became
such good friends, and she was beside herself with worry when you
were gone, I thought...”

Rusty felt the older woman’s uneasiness.
“Please forgive me. I would love to have Susan come home with me...
but as a friend; someone who would work alongside me as my equal.”
She studied all the faces in the room, looking for any clue that
she’d said the wrong thing. Skye smiled reflectively and she saw a
glint of humor in Hal’s and Guy’s eyes. She was happy to see
Claire’s eyes dancing.

“That would be wonderful. I see no reason why
anyone, even Susan would object,” her mother-in-law replied.

It was finally settled and the mood around
the room brightened. Rusty once again thanked her new in-laws for
their generosity and begged to retire. Though she had napped, she
was still somewhat tired, and she felt a trickle of underlying
anticipation wondering whether Guy would join her in bed. She would
be very hurt if he didn’t come up to her tonight. Only when she was
fully in the room did she notice that someone had laid out a
beautiful frilly nightgown. Surely, Skye had given her one of her
trousseau gowns, she reflected. It was so sheer that she felt heat
travel through her body at the naughty thoughts that brought a
provocative smile to her lips. Moments later, she was admiring her
body through the nearly transparent gown when the door opened and
her husband walked in. She turned sharply, a small squeal caught in
her throat, and she crossed her arms to cover her breasts. But the
modest attempt to cover herself only made her full breasts balloon
more under her arm.

Suddenly, she was in Guy’s strong embrace and
all those strange sensations returned to engulf her body and the
room became close. She strained to breath and closed her eyes
leaning against his hard body. She felt the need to talk. Explain.
To be honest and tell Guy the truth, he didn’t have to marry her.
Rusty wanted to start the marriage off with honesty, something she
hadn’t felt the need to do until now. Say something, she ordered
her weak self but was too embarrassed by his dark slate eyes,
scrutinizing her so thoughtfully that her honesty was eaten away by
her chagrin.

She couldn’t form the words that were
screaming in her brain. How could she say anything coherent when he
undressed and stood before her without any modesty; his
well-endowed manhood stood engorged to its limit. She could fell
heat creep from her face down her body and he smiled with
satisfaction; the blood vessels in her neck pulsate with
excitement. She closed her eyelids tightly and heard his deep voice
soften when he praised her body.

“Darlin’. I want you to open your eyes and
look at me, your husband. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You
have a beautiful body and I want you to see that a man’s body can
be pleasant to his lover’s eyes.”