by Barbara Goss
“You are not in love with Parker Cole. Your eyes give you away.”
Dawn simply stared at him. What would happen next? Parker would be furious with her.
“Your silence tells me I’m right. Why did you tell Parker Cole you’d marry him when you don’t love him?” he asked.
“Please, he kidnapped me, and I agreed to marry him out of duress. He said he'd hold me captive until I agreed to marry him. I have no desire to, but I fear his reaction when he finds out I lied to him."
“Have you been intimate with Parker? Did he force you?”
Dawn shook her head. “No.”
John Hall nodded and took another long puff from his pipe. “I will protect you from Parker Cole and his family. You will stay in my longhouse.”
“There’s more to my story,” Dawn said.
“Go on—tell me.”
“I’m fairly sure my…my real betrothed is on his way here to rescue me. If you could just protect me from Parker Cole until he arrives, I would be grateful.”
“Consider it done.”
*******
Jake and Bob trudged tiredly into the village in the middle of the night. Bob had wanted to camp another night, but when he mentioned they were just hours from Bay Center, Jake urged him to continue. The village was quiet, and after securing their horses, they crept silently into the Coles' longhouse. Everyone was asleep, so Bob simply pointed to the empty bed that Dawn had used and said goodnight to Jake.
In the morning, Jake was introduced to everyone as a friend of Bob’s, which went over well until Parker stormed up to them.
He spoke in Chinookan to his father. “This is your friend?”
Bob shrugged.
Jake couldn’t control himself. He dove for Parker’s neck and the two tumbled to the floor. Jake’s grip on Parker’s neck increased until Parker began to gasp. Bob and two other Chinook relatives managed to pull Jake off of Parker. One of them held Jake, while Parker coughed and rubbed this throat.
When Parker had control of his voice, he asked his father, “Why have you brought him here? I thought you were helping me and not this…this white man.”
Bob answered in Chinookan, “What you did was wrong. You cannot force a woman to marry you. Without love, marriage is nothing. The woman loves this man.” He pointed to Jake.
“I was working on making her love me,” Parker said, rubbing his throat. “I just need more time.”
“You can’t change a heart that is already filled with love for someone else,” Bob said.
“I’ll challenge him to a fair fight and the winner will get Dawn,” Parker spat.
Bob grabbed Parker’s shoulders. “And what will that do? If you win, a woman who loves someone else will be forced to marry you. What kind of life would you have with a woman who wishes she was with someone else? You can’t force someone to love you, Parker.”
“She is Chinook!” Parker yelled.
“She is half-white, too,” Bob said.
“Bah!” Parker kicked one of the chairs and stormed from the longhouse.
Jake, still held by two Chinook men, felt confused as he hadn’t a clue as to what they were talking about. “What just happened?”
“I hope I’ve just convinced my son that Dawn would never love him, and that he should let her go.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out. Wait here.” He spoke to his wife for several minutes before returning to Jake. “She’s staying in the chief’s longhouse. It seems he was able to see her true feelings, and he is protecting her.”
When Jake received permission to enter the chief’s longhouse, Dawn ran to him and threw herself into his arms. “You came! I knew you would.”
He squeezed her tightly to him. “Of course, I came.”
The chief cleared his throat.
They both spun around.
John Hall smiled. “I assume this is your true love who has come to rescue you?”
Dawn nodded.
“Do you wish to marry this man?” John asked.
“More than anything,” she answered.
John Hall nodded. “I see the love in your eyes. Go, and have a good life.”
Chapter Nineteen
After six days of traveling with Bob as their guide, Jake and Dawn finally arrived in Olympia. It took them much longer than anticipated due to them having just one horse each, and inclement weather. Pastor Spitzer married them as quickly as he could, and they spent their wedding night at the Olympia Hotel.
Dawn had worn her pink dress, and Jake had worn the suit he and Spitzer had picked out before Dawn had been snatched by Parker. Amy and Josephine had been witnesses to the wedding, and they had thrown them a beautiful dinner afterward.
The couple entered the bridal suite, and Jake enjoyed watching the look of awe as Dawn viewed the luxurious room. It had cost him plenty, but he figured he’d only be married once.
“Did you remember to telegraph Laura and Max?” she asked.
“Yes, I did that yesterday. I told them we’d be on our way home. We’ll leave in the morning, if that’s all right with you.”
“It’s fine.”
Jake knew that Dawn was nervous about their first night together. It would be the first time they'd ever been completely alone. It was also the night they’d truly become one. He knew it was his job to make it easy for her.
“Are you hungry?”
She shook her head. “I ate too much at the Spitzers'. Everything was so delicious.”
Jake looked down at her small suitcase. “Would you like to change? I believe there’s a dressing room through that door.” The bellboy had given him a tour the day before when he’d rented the suite.
She nodded, picked up her suitcase, and walked to the door. She stopped before going through it and asked shyly, “Are we dressing for bed?”
Jake nodded.
*******
Dawn’s hands were shaking so badly, she could hardly put on the frilled nightgown Josephine had given her as a wedding gift. It was sheer enough to make Dawn blush.
She put it over her head, looked at herself in the long mirror on the back of the door, and blushed again. Dawn dug into her suitcase, delighted Josephine had included a matching robe, which she threw quickly on.
She sat on a golden brocade chair and tried to calm herself. Dawn knew what was about to happen and she welcomed it, but it frightened her at the same time. Would it hurt? What if she did something wrong? How should she act—like an experienced woman, or the cowardly maiden she was? Laura had always told her to just be herself.
She opened the door and walked out into the large bedroom. Jake was lying in bed with the quilt pulled up to his neck, reading a hotel brochure. He looked up at her, smiled, and patted the bed beside him. Dawn’s heart was beating so hard, she was sure he could see the pulsing in her neck.
She climbed into bed and pulled the quilt up to her neck as well.
“Hello, wife,” he said. “It’s nice to finally be alone. Let’s talk a while.”
Dawn felt relieved that he wasn’t about to dive right in and “do it.”
He turned onto his side, and she did the same. “How many children would you like us to have?” he asked.
“Two or three,” she answered.
“We’ll need a house soon. My apartment is very small. Do you mind living there until I can buy us a house?”
“I’d live in a—” she was about to say tent, but the memory was too painful. “I’d live anywhere with you.”
“I think that by this time next year we should be able to build a house. Max has offered me ten acres on the west side of his land. There isn’t a lane to get to it yet, but we’ll put one in. That way, you’ll always be near Laura, Max, and Caro.”
“And you'll be near Max.” Dawn smiled and realized she was now relaxed.
Jake smiled. He talked about the livery and his plans for expansion and soon Dawn felt so relaxed, her eyes had begun to droop.
Jake put his arm arou
nd her. “Are you too tired for a kiss?”
“Never,” she answered.
He leaned over and kissed her, lightly at first, and then, together, they built it into a feverish and hungry kiss. Jake pulled her against him. “Tonight, our bodies will become as one, but only if you’re ready, sweetheart.”
Dawn leaned in for another kiss and threw her arms around his neck. “I’m ready.”
In the morning, Jake awoke and pulled her close. “I love you, wife. Last night was perfect.”
Dawn smiled up at him. “I love you, too, husband, and last night was heavenly. I look forward to many nights of becoming as one.”
Jake laughed. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Oh, Jake, I’m so ready!”
“Let’s get dressed and get to the depot. Our train leaves at ten which leaves us just enough time to grab a quick breakfast.”
Jake and Dawn held hands all the whole way to Astoria. They boarded a train to Silverpines, peering out the window, looking for sites they'd recognize, indicating they were drawing closer to Silverpines.
“Silverpines—our home,” Dawn said. “It’s so good to be home.”
The reunion with Laura, Max, and Caro brought a lot of hugs and tears, but neither Dawn nor Jake was prepared for their wedding gift. Max put them all on horses, and they rode to the west end of their property, where a lot had been cleared and there was a stack of lumber sitting and waiting for the builders.
“All you need to do,” Laura said, “is sit down with the builders and tell them what you want. The supplies have all been paid for. All you need to do is pay for the labor and accessories.”
Dawn cried on Jake’s shoulder. “This is all too much! Thank you!”
Max patted his brother’s back. “Think nothing of it. We just want to be sure we have babysitters close by.”
THE END
Look for the next book in the series here:
http://georgemcvey.weebly.com/silverpines-preview.html
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraGossBooks
http://www.barbaragossbooks.com
Sign up for my newsletter on my website above.
DO YOU ENJOY SWEET WESTERN ROMANCES?
Sweet Wild West Reads is a Facebook group and a wonderful place for sweet western romance authors and readers to discuss their favorite stories, thoughts, and authors. Join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1832790870336744/
Other books by Barbara Goss:
1. Forbidden Legacy
2. Captured Heart
3. Stolen Heritage
4. Dangerous Illusions
5. Silent Love
6. The Final Vow
7. The Kissing Bridge
8. Drawn from Darkness
9. Temptation by Moonlight
10. The Romantic Ruse
11. Shadow of Shame
12. Shadow of Deceit
13. Shadow of Regret
14. Shadow of Hope
15. Shadow of Love
16. Shadow of Faith
17. Shadow of Second Chances
18. Sunshine in the Rain
19. Yesterday’s Rain
20. Mail Order Mishap Book 1
21. Mail Order Vixen Book 2
22. Mail Order Ruse book 3
23 Mail Order Calamity Book 4
24 Mail Order Compromise Book 5
25. The Guilty Proposal
26. The Reckless Proposal
27. The Shotgun Proposal
28. The Housekeeper’s Proposal
29. Dan McCall’s Bride
30. Looking for Love:
31. Delightfully Deluded
32. Ricochet Romance
33. Wanted: Horse Breeder – spring 2018
34. Wanted: A Trusting Heart – August 2018
35. Lawfully: Rescued –September 11, 2018
36. A Bride for Nathan – Oct. 2018
