The Marshal Takes A Bride (11 page)

God, if he could experience being in her arms just once more, just lie holding her one more night and feel the passion they had known, surely then he would have gotten his fill and could leave these memories behind once and for all.

Tucker swallowed and glanced over at the woman he had known all these years. “What does your grandfather think about you staying in town and filling in for Doc Wilson?”

“He wishes I would move back. He keeps telling me that Lucas needs a male figure in his life, and since it doesn’t look like I’m ever going to remarry, then it has to be him,” she said, shaking her head.

“You don’t agree?” Tucker asked.

“Lucas is a toddler. A father figure is nice to have, but right now I’m the most important person in his life. Eventually he will need a man, but not now.” Tucker flicked the reins, urging the horses to go faster as they pulled away from town. “See, I’m telling you, if you married one of these men I’m introducing you to, then you’d have a father for Lucas, you could stay here in Fort Worth and you’d have a man in your life again.”

“What makes you think I need a man in my life?” she asked.

“Well, it certainly couldn’t hurt. You’re beautiful; you’re young. Don’t you want more children?”

“Sure I’d like more children, but not at the expense of my freedom,” she said. “Why do I need a man? I have control of my life, I have my son and I have my practice. What more do I need?”

“Most women want love, a little romance.”

She nodded. “Most women. But I’m not like most women, and if I require those things, I could have them without marriage.”

“Oh,” he said, stunned. So she didn’t want to marry for love? He was confused. Didn’t all women want to marry, settle down and have children? Wasn’t that exactly what he was running from?

If passion was all she wanted, then maybe she would agree to share his bed one more time. Maybe they could experience the delight he remembered so vividly between them once again.

The countryside passed by for several miles without either one of them saying anything. Kira lay in the back with the blanket covering her face, while Lucas laid his head in his mother’s lap and slept the time away.

“You know, Sarah, you’re a unique woman.”

She glanced at him. “I guess I am different.”

“Most women would have joined forces with my mother to get me to the altar, but not you. So why aren’t you helping my mother?”

She stared at him. “Tucker, at one time in our life, I wanted to marry you. But you didn’t want to get married then, and you obviously still don’t want to marry. So why in the world would I want to force myself on someone who doesn’t want me? What kind of life would that be?”

“You wanted to marry me?” he asked, surprised.

“Once. But now, now you don’t strike me as the marrying kind. You’ve got that wandering bug, and I’ve got a son I have to think of. We’re friends, nothing more.”

He glanced at her to see if she was telling him the truth or just speaking words that he wanted to hear. She gazed back at him, her blue eyes never wavering from his face.

“Damn, Sarah, you almost sound cold,” he said, confused by her obvious disregard of their relationship.

Her words left him stunned. She had wanted to marry him? But he wasn’t the marrying kind. She knew that. And what could he offer the doctor?

“You know you don’t know what you want.” She raised her brows. “Now you’re upset that I’m not joining with your mother to force you into marriage. Would you rather I lie and tell you that I want you desperately. I can’t live without you?”

“No, but what about that time in Tombstone?”

She glanced at him looking as if she wished she could pick something up and throw it at him.

“Tombstone was special. But you left without saying good-bye, without so much as a ‘so long’. I woke up to an empty bed and a night filled with memories. It meant very little to you if you could walk away so easily.”

He stared at her, stunned that she had expected more from him that night. He had only left in the middle of the night to avoid the awkwardness of having to face her in the morning.

“I couldn’t stay.”

Sarah was unique. She wasn’t like the other women he had known. She was his friend, someone he had known for years, and they had crossed a line they never should have gone over.

The two-story white ranch house where Tucker had spent his entire life came into view.

“I think it’s for the best if we drop this subject for now. I don’t think that either one of us wants to give your mother any more ammunition than she already has to try to bring us together,” she said, her voice very polite.

He glanced over at her and nodded. “You’re right, but we’re not through discussing this.”

“Maybe so,” Sarah said, as the wagon pulled to a halt. “But that was three years ago, and this is today.”

***

Sarah couldn’t believe the conversation that she’d had with Tucker on the way out to the ranch. Part of her had wanted to laugh, and part of her had wanted to rail at him. Was he so blind that he couldn’t see that she still cared for him? Was he so afraid of commitment that he couldn’t acknowledge the attraction they both were feeling? And he was feeling the magnetism, because she saw it in his eyes, in the way he watched her. She felt it in his touch.

Tucker came around to the side of the wagon and put his hands on Sarah’s waist and lifted her to the ground. He reached up for a sleepy Lucas and handed the boy to Sarah.

“What a nice surprise,” Eugenia called from the porch that ran along the front of the house. Sarah could see the woman’s mind filling with all kinds of thoughts regarding her and Tucker.

“Tucker was coming out today, and I rode along to check on Rose,” Sarah said, climbing the porch beside Tucker. Kira following along behind.

Sarah turned and introduced the girl. “This is Kira. I’ll let Tucker explain the situation to you.”

Eugenia raised her brow and then smiled at Kira. “Welcome to the Bar None.”

The young girl tried to smile, though her face was swollen.

“And this must be Lucas,” Eugenia said, reaching out and touching the child Sarah held in her arms.

The fear that Eugenia would recognize Lucas as her grandson seized Sarah as the older woman stroked Lucas’s face. It was all she could do to keep from yanking the boy away from Eugenia. Would Tucker’s mother recognize her son in Lucas’s features? Would she know he was her grandson?

“You look so much like your mother,” Eugenia said, as she patted him on the arm. “Come in out of this cold air. I bet Cook has some cookies hidden somewhere.”

Sarah almost sighed with relief.

“Cookie!” the child demanded.

“Yes. I’m so glad you all are here,” Eugenia cried excitedly. “Rose is upstairs lying down. She’s been so tired lately that she usually naps in the afternoon.”

“That’s good,” Sarah said.

“Come into the house and let me fix everyone something warm to drink to take the chill away,” Eugenia said, heading toward the door of the house.

Tucker touched Sarah’s elbow and guided her through the front door and into the parlor. The feel of his fingers lightly pressing against her skin left her warm and tingly. He seemed to want to touch her whenever he was close, and the feel of his skin against hers always reminded her of the way his naked flesh had felt against her own. It was a sensation that had lingered in her memory, like a warm bath on a chilly evening.

God, she didn’t need these thoughts now, not even when she was alone. He obviously was drawn to her, but didn’t want her on a permanent basis. Just another quick tumble, another baby and then he would be on his way.

“Would you care for coffee or hot tea?” Eugenia asked, bringing Sarah back to the present.

“Thank you, I think a cup of hot tea,” she replied, watching as Tucker nervously paced the parlor while Lucas explored his new surroundings.

“I’ll be back,” Eugenia said, and Kira followed her into the kitchen.

Tucker glanced at Sarah and leaned against the wall, a smile on his face. “Should I tell her we’re engaged, just to stir things up?”

“You do and I promise you’ll be limping back to town,” Sarah threatened He laughed the sound of his voice settling over her nerves like a warm balm.

“We’re trying to help her realize that we’re never going to marry, not give her more reasons to think there’s a chance. Please, Tucker, behave.”

He shrugged “I was only teasing.”

Travis came in the front door, shivering, and walked into the parlor where they were all gathered “Hey, Tucker, I thought that was you.”

He glanced over at Sarah and Lucas. “Hello, Sarah, it’s good to see you. Nice-looking boy.”

“Thank you. He’s pretty special. I hear you and Rose have a baby on the way,” she said

“We’re very excited but I’ll be glad when it’s all over with,” Travis acknowledged “I guess you came out to see Rose.”

“Yes, I wanted to check on her and make sure everything’s going okay. I didn’t want to wait until you needed me,” Sarah said

“Rose is resting right now,” Travis said “But after Tucker and I run out to the bam, maybe she’ll be up. I want to show Tucker the new foal born two days ago.”

Tucker glanced at Sarah. “Is it okay if I leave you alone with Mother?”

She smiled “Go ahead. Actually, that would be good. I’ll talk to her, and then I can go up and see Rose. Take your time.”

“Are you sure?” Tucker asked.

“Positive. Now go.”

Tucker followed his older brother out the door, leaving Sarah alone waiting for Eugenia to return. It wasn’t long before their hostess hurried back into the parlor, her arms laden with a tray that held a teapot and several cups.

She set the tray down on a table and then turned her attention to the child.

“Lucas?” she called. “I brought you an oatmeal cookie. Does he like oatmeal?” she asked. “They’re Tucker’s favorite, so I try to have some baked when I know he’s coming.”

“Lucas likes them well enough,” Sarah replied hesitantly, knowing it was her son’s favorite cookie, but not about to share that information with his grandmother.

The boy saw the cookie in Eugenia’s hand and danced excitedly. “Cookie, Momma, cookie.”

“Yes, son, you may have the cookie.”

The child took the sweet from Eugenia and smiled at the older woman.

“He’s so adorable. He reminds me of when my sons were small. Toddlers are so cute at this age.” Sarah felt her heart race with panic. Surely the woman couldn’t tell anything just by looking at Lucas. The urge to pick up the child and run was strong within her, but she took a deep breath and tried to relax. What could the woman do?

Sarah cleared her throat, anxious to change the subject. She picked up the tin box and handed it to Tucker’s mother. “Eugenia, I am returning your package to you. I cannot accept your gift.”

“Why ever not?” the woman asked, as she poured the tea into the cups.

“Because I have no intention of marrying your son. And if there was even the slightest possibility of us ever getting together, you are pushing him away by your constant interfering.”

“But that’s why I’m contacting you, dear, not Tucker. I think he’s always had a crush on you, though he knew you wanted to go away to that fancy school, so he let you go. But now you’re back, you’re a doctor, you have a son, and I’m sure you must want to settle down.”

Sarah couldn’t believe this woman. “Eugenia, I’m going to ask you to quit trying to force us together. He’s a man who wants to travel. He doesn’t want to settle down and have a family. I have Lucas, and I must look out for his best interests.”

“Oh, pooh, dear. You and I both know that Tucker is no more a traveling man than either one of his brothers. He’s just being stubborn, and he thinks roaming the countryside is what he wants to do. It’s up to you to show him that’s not what he really wants or needs.”

“Me?” Sarah asked, surprised.

“You’re the only one who can, dear. Haven’t you been listening? Tucker has had a crush on you for years. I’ve watched the way his eyes change and glow at the mention of your name. Today, the first thing I noticed was how different he is when he’s around you. He’s happier, more settled. And, Lord, when he looks at you, I blush to think of my son’s thoughts.”

Sarah sat stunned at her words. Was it that obvious? Seldom in Sarah’s life had she been speechless, but for just a moment she was.

“Mothers know these kinds of things, dear, just like you’ll know who Lucas is attracted to long before he does and even longer before he tells you.”

Sarah considered her words. “If it’s true about Tucker not really being a man who likes to roam, then he will have to discover that on his own. I can’t help him make that realization.”

Eugenia thought for a moment, her head tilted to the side. “That’s a very astute observation. I think that’s true. But you, dear, are the catalyst to set him in motion. I would wager that even now his thoughts are centered on you. He isn’t ready to declare himself or set the wheels of matrimony in motion just yet. He’s fighting his attraction to you with all the strength the Burnett boys are known for.”

“Oh, please, Eugenia. Why am I listening to you? Tucker doesn’t want to be with me; he proved that years ago.” Sarah stood and began to pace around the parlor. “If what you’re saying is true, then why in the world would he be introducing me to other men while I’m here? Why wouldn’t he be pursuing me himself?”

“Like I said, dear, just part of the Burnett boys’ resistance to getting entangled. Why do you think I’ve resorted to matchmaking? If I’d waited for any of my sons to succumb to marriage, they would still be single, and I’d be no closer to becoming a grandmother.”

“What if I’m not interested in him? Have you considered that I might not want to marry your son?”

“Yes, I considered it. But our meeting the other day convinced me that you are very interested in my son. So much, in fact, that I sent you my veil.”

“I’m not going to marry Tucker, Eugenia. I’ve returned your veil, and when I leave town, I want you to remember we had this conversation. Plus, I plan on taking advantage of Tucker’s idea of seeing other men while I’m here.”

Eugenia only smiled and sipped her tea. “Go right ahead, dear. I think it would be good for Tucker to see you with other men. I think it’s a great plan to push him closer to proposing.”