Rocky Mountain Wife (15 page)

“I pulled away and stopped it because Clay is the only man that I’ve kissed. It was just a shock, that’s all.” She gently squeezed his knee, perhaps meaning to be reassuring in some way.

That wasn’t his reaction. Images of her stretched out naked before him with her knees parted and thrashing in the throes of orgasm came to mind.

“Sorry.” He cleared his throat, turning the gelding down the first road they came to on the outskirts of town. “I won’t try that again.”

“Oh.”

Was it his imagination or did she sound let down? He cast a sideways glance to her, trying to figure it out. Her face was a mask he couldn’t read. He drew back on the reins. “Here we are.”

“Oh.” Surprised, she jerked her hand from his knee.

Had she been reaching out to him, he wondered, or had it been a casual thing? Blood racing, he set the brake and hopped down. “Wait, let me get that hamper.”

“No, Joshua. Thank you.” She turned away from him, hefting up the hamper and climbing out on the far side of the wagon. Her shoes hit the ground, and she circled in front of the horse. “I can have Lucy drop me off at home when this is done. There’s no need for you to go to the trouble of coming to get me.”

“Trouble? It’s no trouble.” He stared down at her. The brim of his Stetson shaded his face, giving him a rakish, slightly dangerous look. “You’re my wife, Claire. You’ll never be any trouble.”

She didn’t know what to say as the horse drew him away. She stood there, captivated by the powerful figure he made with his broad, muscled back, powerful arms and invincible shoulders. The wagon turned a corner and he was gone, but still, she couldn’t move.

Heaven help her, she desired him. Her hand still burned from the rock-hard heat of his knee. She knew tonight when she closed her eyes and slid her hand between her thighs, she would come, intense and fast, dreaming of him.

“He seems like such a gentleman.” Susannah’s voice startled her, cutting into her thoughts. She walked down the little pathway in front of her house.

Claire flushed, knowing she’d been caught lusting after the man. “Yes. I’m lucky to have him in my life.”

“And I’m sure he’s lucky to have you.” Susannah pushed a lock of dark auburn hair behind her ear. “He’s been alone since he came to town, if I remember right.”

“I think he’s mostly always been alone.” That got to her, just touched her deep. Maybe it was time he understood he had family now, even if it was only a formal arrangement. He had her.

“So, I’m glad you didn’t wait to make the marriage official.” Josie served up a slice of chocolate cake and slipped it onto Claire’s plate. “Noah and I didn’t hesitate either. We consummated right away.”

“Ooh, I wouldn’t hesitate if I had a man like that.” Susannah swept into the parlor with a tray of lemonade, which she set down on the coffee table within everyone’s easy reach. “I got a real good look at Joshua. I’m just glad he didn’t see me peeping at him through the window. My nose was pressed against the glass, I tell you. He is a fine looking specimen of a man.”

“I would hop right on him,” Lucy agreed. “I like my men big.”

When Lucy waggled her brows, everyone laughed. Claire’s face burned. She’d already imagined that part of Joshua quite a few times. She thanked Josie for the slice of cake and retreated to the overstuffed chair by the window. “Honestly, how many times do I have to say it? This is a business arrangement.”

“We know, we know.” Georgia rolled her eyes, digging into her slice of cake with a fork. She sat on the sofa next to Susannah and plopped the forkful of cake into her mouth. She chewed, giving a little groan. “This is really good, Josie.”

“Thanks,” Josie said, cutting one final piece for herself.

Lucy spoke up. “A good man is like chocolate cake. Delicious and tasty, and it’s a complete waste if you don’t enjoy what’s right there in front of you.”

“Look how red Claire is. She’s really blushing.” Josie seemed delighted as she carried her plate to the chair by the hearth.

“We haven’t done it yet,” Claire confessed. “And we won’t.”

“Why?” Lucy shook her head. “That’s a great travesty. How could you not want to? He’s your husband. It’s your right. Think of us who don’t have husbands. Think how we suffer.”

“Yeah, what about us?” Susannah asked with a wink.

Claire laughed, rolling her eyes.

“She’s thinking about it, I can tell.” Josie waved her fork in the air for emphasis. “Claire, honestly, it’s been so long for you. What’s there to wait for? There isn’t one reason why you shouldn’t take that man into your bed.”

“I don’t want a real marriage.” There, she’d said it. She poked her fork into the creamy frosting and licked it off the tines. The sweetness sat on her tongue, but she hardly tasted it.

“Fine, then don’t have a real marriage.” Lucy seemed untroubled as she grabbed a glass from the tray and took a sip. “Just do it with him. If I were you, that’s what I’d do.”

“You would.” Georgia seemed to admonish, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. “Honestly, you two are married. If you can’t do it with your husband, then who can you do it with?”

“My point exactly.” Josie seemed pleased as she took another bite. “Look at how happy Noah and I are. He wasn’t in love with me when we started out doing the act in the field under the stars, but now he loves me so much that I count my lucky stars every day.”

“You mean night,” Susannah corrected around a mouthful of cake. “Stars come out at night.”

“She’s too busy at night to count stars,” Lucy pointed out. “Lucky. You know, if I had a husband, even if it was just business, I would put a rider into the marriage contract.”

Georgia choked on her cake. “That was a terrible pun.”

“I know.” Lucy looked proud of herself. “I would make it clear, no hearts involved, if that’s the way it had to be. But I would do it. I would require it. Life isn’t as good without regular orgasms. I do miss that part of marriage so much.”

“But I don’t miss man feet,” Georgia said, putting down her fork to reach for a glass of lemonade.

“Or man snoring.” Susannah wrinkled her nose. “Even though we never married, we were engaged. And boy, could that man snore. It was a wonder he didn’t wake himself up.”

“Noah doesn’t snore.” Josie flushed happily. “He’s wonderful. There is so much about marriage that I’ve missed, like sharing that first cup of coffee together in the morning.”

“Or rolling over in the middle of the night and having him snuggle up and put his arms around me in his sleep,” Lucy said with a wistful sigh. “Or that little moan he made when he took the first bite of my fried chicken.”

“For me, I miss the way his eyes used to light up when I walked into the room.” Susannah looked wistful and sad at the same time. “Like I was his whole world.”

“I’ll tell you what I don’t miss.” Georgia’s chin went up, and her tone changed. “I don’t miss having someone lie to me, or spend all our money gambling and not having grocery money for the week. I don’t miss him cheating on me. You’re lucky Joshua isn’t like that, Claire. I fell out of love long before my husband died in the firestorm. When I was married, all I did was spend nights wishing for a man who worked hard, who was honest and who would take the time to drive me around because he was a good husband.”

Claire couldn’t hold back the sympathy for her friend. Georgia had an unfortunate and painful marriage. But she was right.

Joshua was a good husband. She was more grateful for him than she knew how to be. It had felt so good when they’d touched today. He was lonely, she was lonely. Maybe her friends were right. Would it be wrong for two lonely people to find comfort with one another? Just comfort? Could she be so bold?

It was something to consider.

Joshua lumbered through the back barn door, fatigue heavy on his bones. He’d put in a long hard day, but the north fields were completely planted, including his own. He slung the harnesses off his shoulder and onto the hooks on the wall. They were damp from the horses’ sweat. He’d have to wipe them down later. That would be a good evening project. But right now, he had to get ready to go fetch Claire.

Thinking of her, he got all tangled up again. He swung off his hat and let the hot breeze ruffle and dry his sweaty head. He was parched, he was beat, and he wanted a long cold drink of water. He’d worked harder this afternoon than he had his entire life—mostly trying to stay so busy he wouldn’t be tempted to think improper thoughts about his wife.

Although he suspected that was always going to be a losing battle.

He circled around the back of the house, heading toward the shady well. A child’s singsong voice rang gently on the air, followed by the soft notes of an older woman’s. He hesitated, almost turning in his tracks and heading to his own place instead. He didn’t feel comfortable alone with Claire’s ma or her daughter. He feared the mother looked at him like he wasn’t good enough for her daughter.

She wouldn’t be wrong.

But it was a long hot ride home, and he didn’t have the time if he didn’t want to be late getting Claire. So he put one boot in front of the other and kept heading down the little stone path.

The shade of the backyard blew over him, nice and cool. Mrs. Kline, Claire’s ma, was seated on the bottom step, offering advice to the girl who was up in the sturdy lower branches of an old maple tree.

Maybe if he sauntered on over to the well, they wouldn’t notice him. Much.

“I see you back there.” Mrs. Kline called out. She gave him a friendly wave. “Let me fetch a cup from the house for you. No sense drinking out of that old dipper.”

“I don’t mind. I’m used to dippers.” He didn’t want her going to the trouble.

“Well, suit yourself.” Her tone was pleasant, but her gaze was intense as she watched him lift the well lid. He could feel the child’s gaze on him, too.

Uncomfortable, he kept his eyes low, and that’s when he spotted the boot marks in the soft, damp earth by the well. They weren’t his boot prints, and they weren’t fresh. The morning sun had attempted to dry them, by the looks of it. His gut fisted. He felt a little sick.

It was hard to say, but that was about Oliver Sanders’ foot size. Sanders didn’t have the biggest feet in the world.

“Ma says you’re working in my papa’s fields.” A sweet voice rang out. Bare feet padded to a stop in front of him. A pretty ruffled hem swirled to a stop right at the edge of his eyesight.

He resisted the urge to look up. Children put a big void of uncertainty in his chest. Children made him remember the misery of the orphanage. Children reminded him of what he would never be a part of. He wasn’t a man made for family.

Although he found himself wanting to be.

He cleared his throat and drew up the rope. “That’s true. I’m just helping your ma run the place.”

“Okay, but you’re not my pa. You should stop driving his horses.” Pain vibrated in those words.

Forcing him to look up. Tears stood in those blue eyes. He knew what it was to be a child with a broken heart, to grieve a parent who would never return. He grabbed the edge of the bucket and let it fall on the soft grass near his knee. “I’m sorry about driving your pa’s horses. Your ma said it would be all right.”

“Well, it’s not.” Tears tracked down her cheeks. Despair cloaked her.

“Ivy!” Mrs. Kline rushed up to slip an arm around the girl’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Joshua.”

“It’s all right.” He didn’t let it bother him. He took a long pull from the dipper. Cool water ran down his throat, a welcome relief as sweat dripped down the back of his neck. “I’ve lost a pa, too.”

Pain. He couldn’t bear it. The only thing he could do was leave. He plopped the dipper back into the pail and lowered it down. “I’m on my way out now. Thank you for the water.”

“She’s young, she doesn’t understand.” Mrs. Kline’s face wrinkled with a sincere apology. “I don’t want you to think we don’t appreciate—”

“It’s fine. Really.” He wedged the lid into place, checking to make sure it was snug and safe before straightening to his full six-foot height. Looking at the child, with her back to him and her spine rigid, he felt inadequate. He didn’t know how to help her. He swung his hat onto his head, adjusted the brim and nodded at Mrs. Kline. “I’d best be getting the wagon hitched. Good afternoon, ma’am.”

“I’m grateful that you treat my Claire so well.” The woman called out after him, trying to fix what wasn’t broken, trying to be kind.

That got to him, too. He hadn’t had a lot of kindness in his life. Probably why he longed for Claire the way he did. He kept walking. That seemed the safer bet.

He cornered the house in time to see a familiar spotted mare and fancy little buggy coming up the drive. Claire’s friend was behind the reins, and she was beside her on the seat, looking relaxed and lovely, her face framed by her soft blond curls.

“Joshua!” She was in the middle of laughing as she cast a glance in his direction. “We ended things sooner than expected.”

“And I insisted on driving her,” her friend with the black curls explained. “It gave us more time to talk.”

“Looks like it did you good.” He liked Claire like this, sunny and happy, as if something within her was coming back to life. He circled in front of the horse. “It’s great to hear you laugh, Claire.”

“It’s Lucy. She has that effect on everyone.” Sparkles lit her blue eyes as she slipped her hand into his and accepted his help to the ground.

He wanted to keep hold of her hand, to pull her up against his chest and pop open those tiny buttons marching down her dress. He wished they were alone and that she was truly his so he could lay her down naked beneath him. When she pulled her hand from his, it didn’t feel as if there was distance between them. Her gaze lingered on his, and the smile that shaped her lush mouth was…secretive.

“Yes, it’s me,” Lucy agreed cheerfully, giving the reins a snap to send her mare into a fast walk. “I believe laughter is the best medicine. It is the stuff of life. Along with a few other things. Think about that, Claire!”

And with a waggle of her eyebrows, she was gone, speeding down the driveway into the sinking sun.