by Lopp, Karen
“I went to New York after you. She offered to help me find you. Hank and Juan had a bet that whoever swept Suzie off her feet and made her stop talking got first dibs on courting her.”
“Getting Suzie to be quiet is a tall order.”
“Guess Hank figured it out real quick.”
“What’d he do?”
“Picked her up and kissed her. They got married that day.”
Kathleen laughed. “She looks happy.”
“She is.”
She slapped a hand to her forehead. “I need to send a telegram to Henry. He’ll be worried.”
“Who’s Henry?”
“My partner.” She jumped off the bed and paced. “I have to get back. I need to finish making my dresses.”
“Can’t you wait?”
“No. We have to fill an order. I would be done by now if all this hadn’t happened.”
“You sound excited about this.”
“I am. I’ve dreamed of doing this for six years. I can’t believe my good fortune.”
“Tell me what you’re doing.”
She perched on the bed and told Mike about how popular her dress designs were, how the business had grown, how Henry had not stolen her designs. Kathleen glanced at Mike and stopped. His face was too pale and he had an arm tossed over his eyes. She picked up the rag and started cleaning his shoulder.
He took her hand. “Sounds like you really enjoyed your time in Denver.”
“I did. I do.”
“When are you leaving?”
“I need to go as soon as possible. Henry must be frantic.”
“Can I come see you in a few days? Give you time to decide how you want to run the ranches?”
The ranch that brought her out here, gained her a husband, and caused pain, grief and almost got both of them killed. What did she want to do? The potential to rake in more money than she ever dreamed waited in Denver.
“You need more than a few days to recover. And I don’t want the responsibility of the ranch. So keep them.”
Being near Mike and his calmness, his compassion, and the unavoidable attraction drew her into him like rainwater flowing downhill to a creek. If she lingered much longer, she’d be swept away in the current. And she wasn’t about to let that happen again. That troublesome flicker of desire hadn’t died.
She had read those papers when Jimmy shoved them under her nose. Mike had apologized. Verified her first suspicions that he had sent her away to protect her. But she needed time to sort things out. To decide if she wanted to be a wife and mother, or a businesswoman. And that was a decision she intended to make on her own.
“Do what you need to, Kathleen.”
Kathleen scuffed her toe on the floor. “I don’t have the means to leave. Everything I have is still in Denver. Willie didn’t give me time to pack.”
“Come here.”
She glanced at Mike. He winced as he tugged some money out of his pocket.
“I wasn’t after your money.”
“What’s mine is yours. Comes with being married.”
“But—”
“Listen, I’m tired. I could use a nap before the doc gets here and pokes around on me, so just take it and go. Send me a letter every now and then.”
“Thank you.”
“Have a good trip.”
Kathleen pulled the bedroom door closed behind her and glanced at Juan. “Take care of him.”
Juan’s brows flew up faster than a startled quail. “You’re leaving?” Shock and disapproval swirled in his tone.
“Yes.” Kathleen stalked out the door, mounted the confiscated horse, and without saying goodbye to Suzie rode off. She kicked the horse into a gallop and rode north. Uncertainty hurled tiny spears at her mind and her heart.
She should stay and nurse Mike. He deserved her attention after all he’d done for her. But the only peace she’d had was when they were apart. And this time, if those papers weren’t forged, any danger would come her way, not Mike’s.
Chapter 27
Kathleen put the scissors down and massaged her forehead.
“Are you feeling ill?”
She looked over at Henry. Not physically ill, but emotionally torn apart. “I’m fine.”
Henry leaned back in his chair and quirked a brow. “You haven’t been fine since you were kidnapped. Are you still afraid?”
“Perhaps a little.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Kathleen did. She told him about her family’s murder, her journey to New York, her life in the sweatshop, and the surprise of her inheritance. She didn’t leave out any details about the subsequent attempts on her life, her forced marriage, and all that transpired afterward. Henry’s eyes grew wide as he frowned and listened without interruption.
“Now, I don’t know what to do. Mike deserves better than I’ve given him. I may not have wanted to marry him but later I made a conscious decision to be his wife. Made a commitment and broke it. What does that make me?”
“You had quite a scare. I’d say it makes you human. We all make mistakes. Make hasty decisions that we regret later. Do you know how your husband feels about this?”
“He told me to do whatever I needed to do.”
“Have you decided what you need?”
She waved a hand around the room. “I’ve wanted this and a family. Material and sketches aren’t very good company.”
Henry chuckled. “Sounds like you want to go home.”
Home. She did have a home. And a husband. “I do.”
“I can hire seamstresses but I can’t hire what’s inside your head. How about you mail me your designs. I’m sure your husband won’t mind. We can work out a commission.”
Kathleen grinned. Henry’s offer was perfect. “I need to send a telegram. Pack.” She paused. “What do I say to him?”
“Men don’t like talking. Show him how you feel.”
Heat tickled her cheeks. She did know how to do that.
Mike stood on the sidewalk, hands shoved into his pockets, and his pulse racing like a runaway train. Kathleen was on that stage. He could see the dust rising in the distance. His fingers curled around the slim golden band in his right pocket. Would she wear it? Or would she give it back to him?
He had taken it to Denver with high hopes of asking her to come home. Jimmy had put a swift stop to that. Then she’d told him about her dreams. The sparkle in her eye and the excited tone of her voice had kept his mouth closed.
His biggest regret was that he didn’t inspire that kind of excitement in her. Didn’t stir her pulse to a raging river like she did his. And he didn’t have the faintest idea how to change any of it.
The telegram in his vest pocket had only asked if he’d pick her up on this day. Nothing more.
When the stage stopped, Mike tugged the door open and all the air in his lungs escaped.
Kathleen took his offered hand and stepped down to face him. This was a different woman than the one who went away. She wore an air of confidence instead of weary acceptance. Her deep-green dress fit snug and emphasized her delicate curves instead of loose, worn clothes. But the most striking, and disturbing, change was evident in her eyes.
He had been able to read her every mood. Tell when she was frightened, hurt, or angry. Not so now. The wary and distrustful girl had been replaced by a harder, more cautious woman who hid her emotions. All innocence had fled in the face of death and danger.
Mike wished he could take her back to a time before she’d suffered the trauma of kidnapping, drugs, and killing in self-defense. “Welcome home, Kathleen.” He slipped the ring onto her finger. A slight smile curved her lips as she gazed at her hand.
“Umm. Thank you.”
Well, she didn
’t take it off. “I’ll get your luggage.”
“I have two bags.” She pointed out her old worn bag and a larger, newer suitcase.
Two bags? Mike grinned as he tugged them down. Maybe she intended to stay a while. “I brought the wagon in case you needed to purchase anything in town.”
“Do you have any food?”
“If you’re hungry, we can stop at Aunt May’s.”
“No, I mean . . .”
He paused at her hesitation. “What do you want?”
She fiddled with her skirt.
“Just say it, Kathleen.”
“I wondered if you’d show me my land. In all this time, I still haven’t seen what everyone fought over.”
Mike’s heart sank. She hadn’t come to see him. To work things out. She’d come to claim her inheritance. “Sure, but we will need a few supplies.”
“And some bedding.”
“Yeah.” So, she planned on staying out there not at his place. Heart heavy, he started down the street.
“Wait.” Kathleen went to the door of the stage and reached inside. She lifted out the rifle he had left for her.
He sighed. That wasn’t his best day. He should have handled things better. Included her in his plan, not left her stranded with three dead men and a lot of pain and anger.
“Here’s your rifle back.” She patted her skirt. “I have a derringer now.”
“That’s only one shot and not very accurate.”
“I know, but it’d make somebody stop and think first.”
“Maybe. Why don’t you keep the rifle?”
Kathleen stopped. “You think I still need it?”
“I hope not, but it’s better for shooting critters. You don’t want to get close to a skunk.”
“I could just come get you.”
Not if you’re miles away.
The sun hung low in the sky as Mike halted the wagon. Most of the ride had been quiet with only bits of conversation and Kathleen fidgeting in the seat. She acted nervous as a cornered coon.
“This is the start of your land.” He gestured to the expanse before them. “It’s a little hard to show you around in a wagon.”
“Where’s the house?”
“Over yonder.” He started the horses moving again. “I haven’t been here since Ben died so I don’t know what you’ll find. It’ll need a lot of cleaning up and this time of year the weeds may have taken over.”
He paused. “So, what are your plans? You going to stay here?”
“Well, I, um, do you like this dress?”
Mike snapped his gaze to Kathleen. What was wrong with the woman? She never avoided letting him know what she thought before. That was one of the things he liked the most about her. No subtle hints or making him try to guess what she wanted. “It’s beautiful.”
“No, really. From a man’s perspective, what do you like to see on a woman?”
“Nothing.”
Pink tinged her cheeks but she didn’t flare up on him. “We can’t walk around naked. Look at it, and tell me what you like or don’t like.”
And he did. Slowly. Letting his gaze drift in a deliberate study and his lips curved up. She looked damned good in the dress.
“The only change I’d make is to take it off of you. Did you design it?”
“Yes. And I want to continue with designing. Henry had a brilliant idea.”
“You like this Henry fellow, don’t you?”
“Yes, he’s the first person who hasn’t tried to steal from me.”
A mule might as well have just kicked him in the gut. Did she still believe he tried to take her property from her?
“He has two brothers in the business. One in California and one in Illinois. Together we can have a big impact on the fashion world in the West.”
She clutched his arm, sparing only a brief glance at Ben’s old house, as he tugged on the reins. Weeds, tall as him, surrounded the place.
“Henry suggested I mail him my work. Meet once in a while when we need to. What do you think of that?”
Mike dropped the reins. She was going to stay? Work from here? The knots in his gut relaxed.
“I think that I like this Henry.”
She curled her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Before he had a chance to recover from his surprise, she broke contact and grinned.
“So, you wouldn’t mind a wife that had a job?”
“Nooo.”
The next kiss went through him like an arrow and he returned it with fervor.
“He also told me something else.”
“What’s that?”
“Men don’t like to talk much.”
“He’s got that right.”
“Why don’t you help me out of the wagon? I have something to show you.”
Mike hopped out and swung Kathleen down but didn’t let her go. He dipped his head for another kiss. She laced her fingers through his hair, knocking his hat off. Before he completely lost reason, he backed away.
“What do you need to show me?”
She placed her palms on his cheek. “Maybe we should talk first.”
He groaned.
She smiled. “Do you want me for your wife?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I want to be your wife. You see, I love you, Mike. I don’t know why I ran, but I did. It was a bad habit and I thought it easier to avoid problems. I was wrong.”
“I don’t need an explanation.”
She arched her brows and flicked his shirt open.
“Get the blankets.”
Mike did. And Kathleen spent the night showing him just how much she loved him. In oh-so-many ways.
