Bride from Shenandoah (Brides of the West Series Book Eleven)

by Rita Hestand

  They were in the land of the Shoshone and Joe had spoken to several tribes in the area. Most were rather hostile and Joe warned the people to be on guard as they would steal their horses, oxen and mules if they could.

  The animals were weak because of the sparse grasses along the way. They had to stop more often to rest the animals and some grumbled along the way.

  Supplies were running low and things looked bleak, but Joe and A.J. kept pushing them onward, it was the only way to get there, the long seventy-mile stretch to the Owyhee River.

  The road was rocky and dusty, the mosquitoes were thick and snakes abound. Joe warned everyone as he stopped off to tell Millie and Wilma to watch out for them.

  The weariness of the travel now was survival and putting up with one thing or another. Animals began dying and to see a bloated ox with his feet in the air swollen was something, the stench was unbearable. Where was the land of milk and honey?

  But they finally reached the beautiful Willamette Valley south of Oregon City. True to his word, A.J. announced the land allotments had been made and each family would step forward and take their land grants.

  Joe joined Wilma and Millie. "Ladies we made it. I know the last trek of the trail was treacherous and I'm sure you both thought we wouldn't make it, but we did. This is home now…"

  Millie glanced around, she wasn't sure what would happen next. But the green valley that offered so much was before them now and the bad was over, leaving only remnants in their minds of how hard the journey had been.

  Joe looked at Millie. "We have something to take care of now…" He announced.

  Millie looked at him.

  "Don't be in such an all fired rush, Joe. I got a dress for her to try on for that wedding. And I want to spruce up too." Wilma chuckled.

  "All right. We might as well do this up right, don't you think?"

  Millie smile broadened.

  "I'll come call on you in two days…" Joe promised. "That should give you enough time."

  Millie nodded, he leaned over her, kissed her hotly on the lips and tipped his hat to Wilma.

  Wilma brought out a lovely wedding dress, that Millie had never even imagined. It was silk and lace and pearls and so dainty. Millie tried it on, and Wilma decided it only needed taking in a bit in the waist.

  Joe delivered Janet to her father, much to his relief and Janet told her father about her new beau. As Joe was about to leave she called to him. "Thank you for everything, Joe."

  "You're very welcome. Just glad everything turned out all right."

  Joe went to Oregon City and bought him some duds to be married in.

  On the day of the wedding, A.J. came to get Wilma and Millie and escorted them to the little chapel on the hill.

  As Millie walked in Mrs. Newton handed her some pretty flowers, and her other children walked down the aisle spreading flowers on the floor. One carried the ring.

  Millie finally spotted Joe in front of A.J. and Wilma patted her on the arm. "Good luck darlin'." She told her as she took a seat up front.

  The ceremony was long and drawn out, A.J. did things right and Joe was beaming as he held Millie's hand and slid a ring on her finger.

  When A.J. pronounced them man and wife there wasn't a dry eye in the chapel, and most of the wagon train came to the wedding.

  A.J. and the other men had rigged a carriage for them and a cabin had been opened just for their honeymoon.

  Joe carried her inside the cabin and they waved goodbye to the onlookers.

  "Finally," Joe smiled sexily at her. "I get to claim my bride."

  "It's been a long adventure Joe…" She cried with happiness.

  "Darlin' the adventure is just starting," he said and shut the door with his booted heel.

  He stood her up and took her veil away. Then he kissed her on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him and gave herself to him freely.

  He slowly peeled the clothes from her body, and lifted her into his arms. His lips sealing their love, he laid her on the bed. After undressing, he joined her. He looked at her now for long lingering minutes. His kisses were hot, and moved along her jaw and neckline, then down to her full bosom. Her nipples perked from his loving kisses, and his hand sought her out. He knew where to touch her, how to touch. She was shy, until he finally moved lower. First his lips caressed her there, and she squirmed the the sweet joy he created in her body. She sighed with such contentment as he led her into the abys of lovemaking. She moaned softly from the way his lips worked tirelessly to brink her to brink. She opened herself up to him, and greeted him with the throes of their passion. When he entered her slowy, she gasped, and then they began the rhythm of life.

  When they climaxed together, and they came down from their high, he cradled her in his arms as she kissed him everywhere. "I love you Millie," he sighed and closed his eyes with contentment.

  "I never dreamed it could be this wonderful. I love you too," she sighed and went to sleep. After a short rest, the made a love a couple of more times, each time was better, slower, more fulfilling.

  "I could get used to this…" she cooed with a smile.

  "Good, because I plan on doing it a regularly…" He chuckled.

  "You won't tire of me…"

  He looked at her, pulling the cover off of her and gazing at her. "Never!"

  He kissed her everywhere, whispering softly words of love. Finally, he laid his head on her breast and went to sleep.

  There were ooh and awes all night long coming from the cabin as he claimed her.

  Epilogue

  Two years later, after they returned from another wagon train trip with A.J. and Wilma, they lay on the bed resting, Millie was smiling.

  "Why are you staring at me like that?" She asked with a laugh.

  "I'm thinking how lucky I am to have you with me. I think you love the trains as much as I do…"

  "I do, and I loved the fact that we stopped at the Kiowa village and saw the chief. I enjoyed that so much. He seemed genuinely glad to see us too."

  "The next trip will be even better," He announced.

  "Oh, how could it possibly be better?" She asked.

  "Your father and brothers are coming with us to Oregon to make their home. I've purchased a homestead for them and they can make it another Shenandoah for you, if you like."

  "Oh Joe…. you didn't?" She laughed.

  "I did. I was going to do it sooner, but as you know it took a while to get a hold of them. They are delighted. And Wilma said she's going with us back to Missouri. This is going to be their last trip, they are going to Texas when we return and then coming home to farm. A.J. is retiring, said he wanted to do some fishing and hunting and maybe a little loving on his wife."

  Millie chuckled. "Wonderful. I can't imagine anything better for them. And bringing my father and the boys here, I never dreamed of it. How could I be so luck as to find such a wonderful man?"

  "I've been thinking about bringing them here for some time." Joe told her. "It was part of the surprise; it just took me a little longer to accomplish it than I first expected."

  "You never once mentioned it to me!"

  "It was a surprise. At first I wasn't sure they'd come, and then I had to get a land grant for them. But it's all taken care of now and we'll have family around us…." He took her into his arms and kissed her wildly. "I'm sure your father can teach me some tricks to farming."

  She cuddled against him comfortably. "I've got some good news too…" She said as she stared into his eyes.

  "Oh, what's that?"

  "What would make you happier than anything on earth?" She asked, kissing his ear lobe as she spoke.

  He stared at her a long time and his hand went to her belly to caress it softly.

  "Yes, We're going to have a baby!" She declared, her eyes bright with merriment.

  Joe looked at her and his expression beamed, "Are you sure!"

  "Very!"

  "Oh Millie…" he picked her up in his arms and gently held her there so he could
stare into her eyes. "When?"

  "June!"

  "We'll be right in the middle of a wagon train," he bellowed, and stopped moving her about.

  "Well, that's okay honey."

  "Maybe you should stay here?" His mind clouded with worries.

  "No I won't. I'm going with you." She turned his cheek so s he could stare into his beautiful indigo eyes.

  "Then we'll have to get a doc to come with us."

  "That's fine with me…" she laughed. "But I made up my mind way before this last wedding ceremony, where you go, I go."

  "Oh God Millie, this is wonderful! You've made me so happy." He cried aloud.

  "How many children do you want, my love?" She asked as he laid her gently on the bed now and crawled up in it with her so he could hold her close.

  "Let's have this one first and see how well it goes. I won't put you at risk." He declared. "Childbirth scares me witless."

  "I saw that fear in your eyes some time ago. I didn't think men feared anything."

  "They fear losing what they love." He answered her. "And you are my love."

  "I watch you go and make deals with the Indians, fight outlaws, jayhawkers, and swim rivers rapids. You think I don't fear the same for you?" She kissed his jaw. "I can't relax until you come back to me."

  "But childbirth…one never knows."

  "Hey, listen I've got pretty good hips, I think I could handle a half a dozen or so…." She beamed up at him.

  "Well, we'll need a bigger house."

  "Of course we will." She smiled with contentment. She saw the joy in his eyes and it gave her such pleasure to please him.

  "Then this will be our last trip to Oregon. This next time we stay and make a home, Millie. With children on the way, we have to think of their future."

  "Agreed." She chuckled. "Oh I love you so…"

  "Have you told Wilma and A.J.?"

  "Of course not silly. I wanted to tell you first." She smiled.

  "You've given me everything I ever wanted," He took her so protectively into his arms now. "I have loved you from the beginning. You must know that."

  "And I didn't think you loved me when you uncovered me in the Wilma's wagon." She smiled up at him.

  He chuckled and hugged her tighter. "I took one look into those beautiful dark eyes of yours and knew I was a goner. It was such an instant attraction that I fought it, hard."

  "I thought you were so handsome and so mad at me."

  "I was, one look and you stole my heart. I didn't know how to fight it."

  "Why did you offer to marry me at the Indian village?" She asked as she snuggled into his arms and sighed.

  "You had the son of the chief, and Matt Hudson and no telling how many others wanting to marry you. I couldn't dare let them have you…"

  "Oh," she glanced up at him, hovering just above him now. "I like that answer…"

  "Maybe you should stop doctoring the community now. I don't want you to strain anything." He insisted after they kissed for long lingering moments and both came up panting.

  "There's isn't a doctor within a hundred miles of here. I can't just stop Joe. I'll be fine though. I know how to take care of myself. I promise I won't overdo."

  He kissed the tip of her nose and smiled. "I know, you are a doctor, and nothing can stop that. But I aim to be around to see that you do take care of yourself."

  "That's fine with me," she cooed. She shrugged lazily now, "Do you want a girl or boy?"

  He studied her a moment, "I don't really care, as long as you both are healthy."

  "I think a boy first, then a girl."

  "On our last trip, can we stop off and see Latanka, let him know where we are living so he can come and visit often." Millie asked.

  "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

  "Good."

  "I love our home here. The cabin is so beautiful, and the view from the kitchen window is to die for." She laughed. "The forest and the mountains in the distance capped with snow."

  "Took me long enough to finish it. Now I gotta enlarge it." He insisted.

  "You'll have plenty of time. So why don't you kiss me, and make love to me, and then we can go tell everyone the good news." She insisted.

  "Will I hurt the baby?" He asked in a whisper.

  "No…never. You fill me with so much love, how could that ever hurt our baby?" She smiled and he kissed her into submission. "Our baby will know how much you love us, before it even arrives."

  Every time Joe touched her was like the first time. She didn't know she was capable of so much love. And every time was just a little better than the last. In forty or fifty years maybe she'd get enough of her husband, she thought with a silent giggle.

  But what thrilled her so was the words of love he spoke to her when they made love. The sweet reverence he had for her body. His touches were gentle but so very erotic, she lost herself in the man. No one could ever imagine how gentle, kind and caring Joe Modoc was. He was a part of her now and deeply seeded in her heart.

  His hands stroked her, sending waves of sensations over her. Where his hands touched, his lips followed.

  Their honeymoon had been filled with nights of pleasure, as he romanced her with his words and deeds. She treasured him in the same way, learning from him how mind, body, and soul came together as one. She realized quickly that Joe's lovemaking was unique and straight from his heart. His love, his touch, his words sent her spiraling into a burst of climaxes each time, and sealing their love with promises of more to come.

  "You'll always be my bride, Millie." He whispered softly.

  "And you'll always be my love." She smiled with contentment. "Isn't this fun, we don't even need a squaw watching us now!" She giggled and turned into his waiting arms once more.

  The End

  About the Author

  I’m a professional writer of romance and children’s books. I’m also a poet and short story writer. I’m working on another historical western right now, one mid-grade book and just finished two historical westerns. You’ll find a lot of facts in my historical western romances not the run of the mill romances. Check them out.

  I’m also a grandmother and great-grandmother who enjoys spending time with her family.

  I hope you enjoy my books. Thank You and God Bless

  Rita Hestand

  Rita's Other Books

  Beyond the Dream Catcher

  Just One Kiss

  Ask No Tomorrows

  A Promised Heart

  Be Free My Heart

  Dare To Dream

  Western Serial Killer Series

  Better Off Without Her

  Good Day for a Hanging

  Bad Day for a Killing

  Ghost of Victor Frank

  The Travers Brothers Series

  Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

  Courting Abby

  Hannah's Man

  Along Came Love

  The McKay's

  Raining in My Heart

  Ring of Fire

  Twelfth of Never

  Stand By Me

  The Amory's

  Heart of the Wild

  Sweeter Than Wine

  Mail Order Nanny

  Singles

  Always Remember

  Love Rules

  Jodi's Journey

  Nick's Baby

  Pretend Mom

  Runaway Bride

  Suspicions of the Heart

  Wandering Heart

  Brides of the West:

  Heart of a Family

  Delivering the Bride

  Heart of a Woman

  Wanted Bride

  This Side of Forever

  Shotgun Bride

  A Love as Big as Texas

  Heart of a Captive

  Where Ever My Heart Roams

  (coming soon to this series)

  In the Arms of an Angel

  Bride From Shenandoah

  Falling for the Bride

  An Unexpected Welcome

  A Desperado's Br
ide