Getting the cattle back from Harding had sent an important message to the rancher. He might think twice about causing trouble at the Circle D.
Later, when Landon did eventually make it back to the ranch house, it was time for dinner. All throughout the meal, Beth was courteous toward Landon. But he'd sensed she was still cool with him. After dinner, when Landon, Beth and the children had spent the early evening time in the parlor, Beth had nodded politely every time Landon had tried to draw her into a conversation. But she'd been very quiet. Butterflies had tumbled in Landon's belly. He didn't like being cut off from Beth.
By the time the children had made their way upstairs to their rooms, Landon was beginning to feel an awful, heavy sensation in his gut. Beth freezing him out was hurting worse than he could have imagined. Over at the Harding place, Landon had figured he'd been doing the right thing. It was in his nature to help out whenever he could.
Now he wasn't so sure his decision to go the Harding place had been a wise one. Maybe he'd misjudged the whole situation, he concluded as he made his way outside from some fresh, evening air. The night sky was cloudy and the air was noticeably cool. Maybe there would be rain tonight, he told himself. Tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, he wandered over to the large cottonwood tree by the side of the ranch house. The same one he'd seen Katie and Beth standing by days before when Katie had ran out of the kitchen.
Landon leaned against the tree and sighed. It had been a long day. A good one in many ways. Except if you included Beth's dissatisfaction with the choices he'd made. He heard the front door to the ranch house open and close. Footsteps sounded on the porch. He saw Beth coming around the corner of the house. She didn't even hesitate when she saw him standing beneath the cottonwood. It was as if she'd made her mind up to find him and to have words with him. Landon readied himself.
"Evening," he said softly as she made her way to his side.
Beth was dressed in a plain brown cotton gown. Her dark hair tumbled loosely to one side of her head and settled on her shoulder. In the soft light from the ranch house, her skin looked creamy white. Her eyes shone with a bright curiosity as she examined him steadily. He could still see the fire in her gaze which he'd seen earlier. Her jaw was set in a firm line. Her bow-shaped lips pouted. Ripe for kissing, Landon told himself. He felt desire awaken inside him. There was something about the way she was looking at him that triggered a temptation to take her in his arms. Maybe it was time to put words aside. Perhaps he could find another way to show how he felt about her.
Stopping all of those thoughts in their tracks, Beth shifted a hip and planted a hand against her side. Tilting her head, she frowned. "What did you think you were doing today?' she asked quietly.
Landon blinked, peered at Beth, and then he rolled his eyes thoughtfully, trying not to react to her firm tone of voice. "Let me see. I found out you were over at the Harding ranch. I got worried. I rode over there. Stopped a fight from breaking out. And found the cattle that were stolen and then helped bring them back to the Circle D." Landon met Beth's challenging gaze. He quirked a brow and grinned. "Did I leave anything out?"
If he'd hoped his good-humor would defuse the dynamite charge of her anger, he'd been wrong. If anything, his gentle, mocking tone had infuriated her even more. "That's not funny," she declared. "Not funny at all."
Advancing toward him, she lifted her face up to his. Seeing the indignation in her eyes only strengthened his need to hold her in his arms. Miraculously, he managed to restrain himself. "You know why I'm angry at you, don't you," she reiterated.
Landon gazed into her eyes. The time had come to take a different approach. "Because you don't think I should have been riding that horse today?"
Beth nodded emphatically. "I suppose you think you were ready to do that." Her voice was flat and accusing.
"I told you, I felt fine," he reminded her. "I think I'm over the worst."
Beth shook her head. "You and I know that isn't true. Doc Clanton said it might take a few days. Or maybe more." She sighed heavily. "I've seen how pale you can get sometimes. You can't hide the truth from me, Landon." Her voice shook with emotion.
Landon caught her scent on the evening air. The mixture of sweetness and flowers was instantly intoxicating to him. Once again, he reined in his desire to sweep her into his arms. Giving in partially to the impulse, Landon reached out and gently took hold of Beth's arms. He felt the warmth of her body. She reacted immediately. Gasping quietly, her arms tightened. Lifting her chin, she peered up into his eyes. There was still a challenge in that gaze, he told himself. Now, however, it didn't seem quite so defiant.
"I felt fine," he said casually. Then, determined that he'd never lie to her, he added. "For most of the time I was on the horse, anyway."
Her brows ridged into deep furrows. "What!"
Landon tilted his head and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "There was one time I had to pull the horse up on a ridge. Just to give me a moment to get settled." He shrugged. "I felt funny for a while. After that, I was fine." He drew in a breath and waited for the detonation he knew was inevitable.
Beth's eyes widened and she grunted with frustration. "You're telling me you rode out on a horse without telling me you were going to? And, when you did, you took a tumble?"
"I didn't say I fell off," Landon objected. He gazed pleadingly at Beth. "It was the first time I've been back on the horse since the creek." He shrugged again. "It was nothing."
Beth exhaled a huge, furious gust of air. But, revealingly and encouragingly, she didn't try to move her arms away from his gentle grasp. Beth shook her head violently. "Sometimes, Landon Baxter, I do declare you are the most infuriating man I've ever known."
Landon lifted a brow and smiled at Beth. "And you wouldn't have me be any different. That's what you're really trying to say, isn't it?"
Beth shook her head. "No. That's not what I'm saying, at all. Do you realize how worried I was this afternoon. I was thinking about what might have happened to you when you got on that horse."
"I'm sure the ranch hands would have found me and brought me back to the house," he joked.
"This is no laughing matter," Beth snapped sharply. "I'm being serious, Landon."
He drew in a breath. The scent of the cottonwood leaves mingled with the Beth's aroma. Beth Russell sure was a woman with spirit. He'd seen hints of her feisty nature before. She'd faced down Harding twice. But now was different. Landon knew she was just trying to show how much cared for him.
His senses swirled, as intensely as they'd done after his fall at the creek. But this was another kind of fall, entirely, he told himself. This must be what it felt like to fall in love.
He moved his hand up to rest beneath her chin. Her skin was soft to the touch. Lifting her chin up, he gazed into the deep pools of her eyes. He felt as if he could fall into those pools. Lose himself there forever. Landon felt his heartbeat quicken. "I know you were worried, Beth," he murmured. "And I apologize if I made you upset. You're right. It was foolish of me." He narrowed his eyes. "But, you know what? I had to find you. I had to know where you were. I don't know why. I just needed to be with you."
Her features softened and her lashes became suddenly heavy. He knew the moment had come. Heart beating furiously, he lowered his head and kissed Beth.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sensation flamed into life as Landon's lips touched hers. Beth gasped as Landon swept her into his arms. He held her gently, with a tender embrace. She curled her arms around his shoulders, hardly able to believe what was happening. Moments before, she'd left the ranch house intending to scold him for acting so recklessly. To make sure he never did anything so foolish again. She'd been angry with him all day. And with every right, as far as she was concerned. Anything could have happened to him today. He could have gotten hurt riding across the Circle D, undoing all the progress of his recovery of the last few days. He could have gotten into a fight over at the Harding ranch.
However, Landon Baxter
had proven one thing to her today. Even in his temporarily weakened state, he could take care of himself. And, just as significantly for Beth, he was willing to take care of her.
And now she was in his arms. Now the tender good-feeling of his kiss was shifting the ground beneath her booted feet. His arms slid around her, drawing her against his strong body. His lips were soft and tender. His breath was sweet and warm. She'd never imagined kissing Landon could be this wonderful. But it was.
Then he lifted his head up, ending the kiss. His eyes were alive with delight. He smiled at her. Doubt filled his eyes. "Beth, I don't know what to say," he murmured. Perhaps he was asking himself if he'd done the wrong thing by kissing her.
Anxious to reassure him, she lifted a finger up to his lips and smiled. "You don't have to say anything."
He peered intently at her. "Are you still angry with me?" He sounded genuinely concerned.
Beth shook her head and grinned. "I was never angry with you. How could I be upset with you after what you did for me today? For the ranch."
"When I found out you'd gone over the the Harding place, I was worried," he confessed.
"Didn't you think I could handle things myself?" she asked.
Landon grinned. "I knew you'd be able to deal with Harding face to face," he replied. "But he has plenty of thugs working for him. You saw those men with their guns at the ready."
"They wouldn't fire on a woman," she stated, trying to sound confident.
Landon's brows furrowed. "There are some dangerous men out here, Beth. I know because I've had to deal with them over the years."
Beth didn't doubt that Landon had learned how to handle himself. Since he'd come to the Circle D, she'd seen plenty of evidence of his ability to deal with anything which life threw at him.
Landon snuggled up closer to her. "Anyway. Someone has to run this ranch properly," he joked. His features lit up the way they did when he was teasing her. She was starting to get to know his special way of playing these delightful games.
Her eyes widened. Narrowing her eyes, she gave him a pretend angry look. "Watch what you're saying there, rancher," she said.
"Instead of that, let me kiss you again," he whispered. His head dipped and he kissed her again. This time the kiss was even sweeter than the last one. Landon drew her close to him, holding her in his warm embrace. For a long moment, Beth felt like the kiss would last forever. When it did end, she shifted free of him and moved to his side leaning her back against the tree trunk. Beth looked at Landon and felt as if she was looking at a new man. Even with his bandaged head, he looked somehow different. Some of the pent up tension she'd observed previously was gone now. The kisses seemed to have washed away doubts.
Beth realized she was probably smiling like someone ten years younger. Loneliness had been a problem ever since she'd moved to the ranch. Of course the children had been the delight of her life. But, from time to time, she'd been aware of a deep longing to have someone by her side. Someone with whom she could share her days. And now, here she was. Right next to a handsome rancher with a heart of gold.
Landon leaned a shoulder against the tree and gazed inquiringly at Beth. "What are you thinking about?"
Beth looked thoughtfully at Landon and wondered just how much she should share with him. Trust had been growing between them at a furious pace ever since she'd brought him to the ranch. And gradually, day by day, they'd both been opening up to one another. Today's events had just served to push them even closer together.
"I was thinking about how we've been brought together like this," she admitted. "A week ago, I'd never have believed this would be possible."
Landon's gaze became thoughtful. "I was thinking the same." He grinned. "The last thing I expected was to fall for a lady rancher."
Beth giggled. "Harding called me a lady."
Landon snuggled closer, peering into Beth's eyes. "Well, this lady rancher put Wes Harding well and truly in his place, didn't she?"
"I think we did," she said. "You and me," she added quickly.
Landon sighed. "I'm used to dealing with his type. Ranching is a tough business." He gave Beth a mischievous look. "As you'll soon discover." Landon turned to peer into the darkness beyond the ranch house. "Men like Wes Harding think they can run roughshod over good people. They believe this land is theirs for the taking. That they can just help themselves, no matter how much misery they create in the process. They believe it all belongs to them."
Landon shook his head slowly and very firmly. She could sense he was warming to his cause. This was what he truly believed. What he lived with every day. "But it doesn't. This is God's land. It's where He brings His people together. It's where He gives them the chance to build good lives. Create godly families. To find joy and happiness, even though it takes hard work. And faith."
The mention of family and faith caused an involuntary reaction in Beth. A stirring of old emotions. She forced herself to consider Landon's passionately spoken words. "I think you're right. This frontier has so much promise. I've always felt that. Especially every time I look at the children. Whenever I see how happy they can be here." She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. "We'll never go back to the city again. We can't turn our back on this life. This is where the children will find their future. I'm determined to make sure that happens."
Beth saw Landon smile as he listened to her words. She'd meant every one them. Of course there had been moments in the last few months when doubt had almost overwhelmed her. When her faith had weakened in the face of tremendous hardships. At times, if she was being honest with herself, hope had faded. She'd never forget how awful that had felt. The terrible sense of loss she'd experienced. As if she'd cut herself off from the only power capable of helping her.
But, now things seemed to have changed. From the moment Landon had come to the ranch, Beth had felt the beginnings of a renewal. She'd been reluctant to admit to herself that Landon was a hope for a new beginning. Maybe she would have to start believing that, she told herself. Especially after what had just happened beneath the branches of this cottonwood.
"You and the children must come into Inspiration more often," he suggested. "There's a community there. Folks are real friendly. And there's a godly character to the town that you won't find anywhere else."
"We will spend more time there," she agreed. "The children need to go to the schoolhouse. And the church, too."
"What about you, Beth?" Landon asked softly. "What do you need?"
The question took her aback for a moment. She hadn't truly thought about her own needs that much. So much of her time had been taken up with ranch business or looking after the children. Her own needs had been tucked away in a quiet corner of her mind. Forgotten amidst the frantic activity of starting a new life. "I'll have to think about an answer to that one, Landon," she said, realizing she sounded suddenly defensive.
Perhaps sensing her reluctance to be drawn, Landon moved closer. "I think I know what you're looking for."
Gazing up into his eyes, she tilted her head. Landon's eyes smoldered with a fresh intensity. "You do?" she breathed.
Landon nodded. "You want whatever will make your life complete. Whatever can fill the emptiness you've felt these last few months."
Beth felt her mouth drop open. She gasped quietly, knowing that what he'd said was the truth. "Isn't that what everyone wants? Fulfillment? So that nothing is missing?"
Landon's eyes narrowed slightly. "And this place can give you that, Beth. If you hold on to it. If you make it your own." He drew in a deep breath. "If you let the Lord guide you."
She knew he was right. Knew that God had brought her to this place. And that He had brought Landon into her life. All she had to do was allow her will to become that of the Lord's. Deep in her heart, she knew she had to pull down the barriers she'd put up after the tragedy. And, there had been times when she'd tried. Maybe Landon had been brought to her so that she could end her struggle. To reach out and accept what God was offering to he
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