Promises Linger (Promise Series)

by Sarah McCarty

  If she wasn’t mistaken, the hand on hers tightened briefly before he answered. “He’s not spying on you. He’s taking care of you.”

  “I’ve been taking care of myself for many years now.”

  He brought her hand to his mouth and brushed a kiss across the back. The butterflies in her stomach took flight. She couldn’t suppress a gasp. She dared a look at him. He pushed his hat back. The smile on his lips left her in no doubt that he’d heard. “I take care of my own, Elizabeth.”

  “I’m not a child who needs to be watched.”

  “You’re my wife and I have a duty to protect you.”

  “From what?”

  “Outlaws. Indians. Wild animals. Jack Hennessy.”

  She had no trouble meeting his gaze now. He was obviously serious.

  “There haven’t been any outlaws around here in ages. The Indians have all been driven away, and I have yet to run afoul of a wild animal.”

  “Elizabeth, you’re acting like I’ve been unreasonable.”

  “I don’t like being watched.”

  “That’s too damned bad. Either you stick by your escort or you don’t go out.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do!” She bit her lip. He could and they both knew it. All he had to do was order her to stay home, and her world would dwindle to the walls of the ranch house. No more riding. “I don’t like it.”

  “Neither do I, but with the railroad coming, there’s a rough crowd passing through Cheyenne. There’re also those rustlers you had trouble with. With one source of money cut off, they could turn to others.”

  “Are you trying to scare me?”

  “If I thought you’d have the good sense to scare, I sure enough would be.”

  “There is nothing wrong with my sense.”

  “Sure enough, darlin’, you’re a poor judge of people.”

  “I chose you, didn’t I?”

  “Nope.”

  The smug smile on his lips clued her in. “Darn it! Old Sam told you, didn’t he?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “That rotten skunk. He promised he’d keep the fact I’d asked between us.”

  “How do you know he didn’t?”

  “The way you’re smiling at me, as if you’re the only cat in the barn that’s got cream.”

  He chuckled. “Guess I’ll have to work on my poker face.”

  If he did, she was down and out for sure. Willoughby slipped on the way down the slope. She shifted back to accommodate his descent. Shameless stepped aside to avoid a tree. Asa didn’t let go of her hand until the last moment. Just when she was sure they were going to end up hugging the big spruce, he let go.

  She knew he’d be smiling when she caught up to him. Nothing seemed to panic him while he took endless delight in tormenting her. He was like the wind, blowing hard or whispering in soft teases. Never from one moment to the next could she say what he’d do. He kept her guessing. He kept her…smiling.

  She watched the smooth way he dismounted. The muscles in his back stretched his shirt tightly across his shoulders. He was all man. Well-muscled, honorable, with enough punch to his name to make men clear out of his path, and yet, he seemed to look for laughter the way her father had searched for flaws. She shook her head. She didn’t know which she preferred. One was familiar. The other intriguingly different.

  She hadn’t admired much in her father with the exception of his devotion to purpose. She admired a lot in Asa. Mostly his ease with everything he faced. Like now. She’d been staring at him unknowingly for the last three minutes. No doubt he felt uncomfortable, but rather than squirm, he simply stood there and waited her out. No censure. No impatient “let’s get going”. Just acceptance that she needed a minute.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”

  He held up his arms to help her down. “No harm done.”

  “It was rude.”

  “Not as long as you didn’t uncover any warts.”

  “What?”

  “I said I didn’t mind as long as you didn’t find anything you want removed.”

  “You have to know you’re a very attractive man.”

  “I haven’t had many kids run screaming,” he admitted as he swung her down. “But this face has seen better days.”

  Could he be uncertain about his appearance? There was a bump on his nose that said maybe it had been broken. A small scar bisected his right cheekbone.

  “You’re staring again.” He caught Willoughby’s reins in his hand. “Picking out the flaws?”

  He said that as if he’d been through this before. She wondered if he’d been rejected. “I like your face.” It came out fiercer than she’d expected.

  He turned and smiled at her from where he was tying Willoughby beside Shameless to a fallen log. “I like yours, too.”

  “You’re very handsome.”

  She said that as if it mattered. Asa wondered if she thought he was worried about his looks. He patted Willoughby on the neck, gave Shameless an affectionate pat, and headed back to his wife. There she stood, her fists balled at her sides. He realized she thought his feelings were hurt and she was ready to defend him. He stopped when he was two feet away from her. “I’m glad you like my face.”

  “I don’t want you to think I’d rather have a smooth-faced boy for a husband. Someone who didn’t know how to handle himself in a fight. Someone who didn’t have a broken nose and a scarred cheek.”

  He caught her hands in one of his. “I don’t think my pride can take any more of my flaws trotted out.”

  “Dear God!” Her eyes widened with dismay. “I didn’t mean to make you self-conscious.”

  “Relax.” He kissed the tip of her nose, laughing when her eyes crossed. “Do you like the way I look?”

  “I just said so.”

  “Then that’s all I need to know.”

  She stepped back, freeing her hands. She took the food basket from him. “I really made a mess of that.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” he said, ambling along beside her. “Depends on what side of the glass you’re looking from.”

  “Why?”

  “A man likes to know his woman isn’t battling an urge to run screaming when he steps into the light.”

  His reward was a shy chuckle. He pulled her up short when she showed every intention of crossing the glade and heading into the woods beyond. “I thought here would be a good place.”

  “Oh?” She stopped, blushed a bit, and nodded her head. “Yes, it would.”

  She was clearly flustered.

  Asa took it as a good sign. Maybe all the restraint he’d been practicing for the last week was coming ‘round to reward him. She was beginning to trust him. He’d been heading home today at lunch. Wanting to see her too much to stay away like he’d planned, then he’d seen her riding toward him with Clint. About made his day. She’d actually sought his company. And managed a compliment in the bargain. Yup. Things were definitely looking up.

  She spread the blanket on the mossy ground. Overhead, spruce boughs gave a fragrant canopy. If it weren’t this cool, it’d be a darn sticky place to eat lunch, but this time of year, it provided an intimate haven from the wind and prying eyes. A haven he was intent on using to his advantage. Truth was, he was about starved for a kiss. Not one of those uptight come-around-to-my-way-of-thinking attempts he’d utilized before, but an actual kiss with interest on both sides. That was something he was looking forward to all right.

  Before he sat beside her on the blanket, he twitched a stick from beneath it. If dessert went the way he planned, he didn’t want any rude intrusions. “Looks like quite a spread.”

  “A man your size needs to eat.”

  She looked him up and down and added another piece of golden fried chicken to his plate before passing it over. He placed it on the ground beside him. “Trying to fatten me up?”

  “You could use a little weight.”

  “You’re welcome to try, but I gotta warn you, I’ve always been le
an.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “It is?”

  She smiled and daintily made a plate for herself. “That means I won’t have to spend time this winter letting out your pants.”

  He laughed, eyed the ladylike amount of food on the plate she put beside her, and shook his head. Couldn’t keep a bird alive with that piddlin’ amount. “Lord, darlin’, there’s hope for you yet.”

  “There is?”

  “Yup.” He snagged another piece of chicken and added it to her plate. “You made a joke.”

  “I wasn’t aware you felt I lacked a sense of humor.” She placed the added chicken back in the basket.

  “Oh, I had my suspicions.” He took a leg off his plate and added it to hers. “I was just beginning to doubt you’d loosen up enough around me to let it shine.”

  “What a colorful way to put it.” She reached for the piece of chicken.

  “That’s me. All color. No refinement.” He let her get the piece halfway back to his plate before he shook his head.

  “No?” Her tone went all prissy.

  He edged her hand back until it hovered over her plate. “There isn’t enough food on that plate to keep a gnat alive.”

  “It’ll be fine.”

  “Yeah.” If, by fine, she meant ready to drop at the first sign of exertion.

  “Mr. MacIntyre, a lady does not bring an appetite to the table.”

  He closed his eyes and counted to ten. “What does she bring?”

  “Refined conversation, companionship and manners.”

  “How about you drop the first and last and bring a healthy appetite instead?”

  “That wouldn’t be proper.”

  He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Again. He’d never heard such horse hockey in his life as Elizabeth spouted as gospel. “Well, I guess that explains it then.”

  Her eyebrows arched quizzically. She took a nibble of her chicken. “Explains what?”

  “Why you don’t see too many ladies hereabouts.” He waited until her mouth was full of drink before he continued. “No doubt, they all passed out mid-lecture on a ridiculous rule some poor girl was expected to follow next.”

  Lemonade spewed all over the blanket as she laughed and choked at the same time. Only quick reflexes kept him free of the spray. Equally quick reflexes scooped her into his arms and pounded her on the back. The first slap might have been a bit hefty as she flipped half over his arm. Darn. He kept forgetting how slight she was. As soon as she caught her breath, she was back to lecturing him.

  “You, Mr. MacIntyre, are a miscreant of the first water.”

  He tipped up her chin so he could see her red-cheeked face. “You insulting me or complimenting me?”

  “All books on proper behavior insist that I should be insulting you. At the very least, taking you to task for your disrespect.”

  “But you’re not?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “Any particular reason?”

  Her smile was bright and cheery, startling him with its openness. “No, because I’ve often had the same thought myself.”

  He pondered that and all its ramifications. “That mean you might be open to some negotiations as to what ladies can and cannot do?”

  “I cannot speak for all women, sir.”

  “I’ll settle for you speaking for yourself.”

  “Very well.”

  “You think you can bring yourself to call me by my first name? Sure ’nough, darlin’, every time you call me Mister, I’m checking over my shoulder to see who you’re talking to.”

  “I thought you’d gotten used to it.”

  “I confess to the fact I’ve been waiting you out.”

  “And now you’re not content to…” Her eyebrows rose again. “Wait me out?”

  “A smart man keeps an eye for negotiating opportunities.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. “And you’re a very smart man.”

  “Whoa, darlin! Two compliments in one hour. Better ease up or I’ll start thinking you’re buttering me up.”

  Her body grew tense in his arms. He leaned his cheek against the top of her hat. Something poked him in the ear. “Ouch!” He rubbed his ear. “Any chance you could see your way to disarming that hat?”

  She smiled. A soft smile that set his neck hairs on end in warning. She lifted the hat off her head. She held it above her head as she shook the ties free of her chin. Seated as she was in his lap, he had a bird’s eye view of her breasts. And it was a mighty nice view.

  He must have stared too long, because she dropped her hands suddenly. The little hat landed with a plop on her folded legs. “I’m sorry.”

  Now it was his turn to raise his eyebrows. “For what?”

  “I didn’t mean to shock you.”

  “Shock me?”

  “You said it was all right.”

  “I did?”

  “I won’t do it again.”

  She wouldn’t? “Whoa, darlin’, do what?”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “I heard that, darlin’. Problem is, I was still eating dust on the first sorry.” He tipped up her chin. “What are you apologizing for?”

  She told him, but he had to ask her to repeat it, her voice was so faint. “I’m not wearing my corset.”

  “And you think that’s worth losing a smile over?”

  “It appears I misunderstood your dismay.”

  He had to turn the words over in his mind two or three times before things made sense. “You mean my staring?”

  Her hands clenched in on one another. “Yes.”

  “Darlin’, we’re going to have to work on your education some. That wasn’t dismay. That was plain old admiration.” He met her shocked gaze. “You have the prettiest breasts I’ve ever seen.”

  He had to give her points for pluck. While her cheeks turned cherry red, she kept her eyes open. “If you think that, why haven’t you touched them?”

  Whatever response he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. The one she gave him left him so weak-kneed, she could have knocked him over with a feather. For the third time in his life and the second time this month, he felt heat scorch up his neck. Along with it came laughter. “Dammit, woman! How am I supposed to come off as strong and capable when you’ve got me blushing like a school boy?”

  “You look good in red.”

  “You’d best hope no desperado comes upon us now, ‘cause armed or not, I wouldn’t be putting anything into the man but laughter.”

  “I like you, Asa MacIntyre.”

  Soft as a feather, that whispered confession put an end to his laughter. “I like you, too, Elizabeth.”

  “So why haven’t you done anything about it?”

  It was a good question. He just wasn’t sure how directly he wanted to answer.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Are you going to answer?” Elizabeth asked, watching his expression carefully. The man was as changeable as a fall day.

  He touched her cheek. “Yeah.”

  “With the truth?”

  “I hadn’t decided that, but I suppose you’re going to insist?” His right eyebrow quirked as punctuation to the question.

  “Yes.” She definitely wanted the truth. She shifted off his lap to her knees.

  He sighed from his toes as if it were a great sacrifice. “Well, then, I guess I’ll have to.” She waited and counted ten breaths before he finally said, “I was waiting on a sign.”

  “As in a miracle like Reverend Griffin talks about in church?”

  His chuckle was deep, intimate, coaxing. As seductive as his come-hither lazy grin. It ought to be illegal, she decided, feeling the pull, for a man to toss about charm as easily as Asa did.

  “Nothing that earth-shattering.”

  His gaze dropped to her lips and she felt it like a touch. Yet, he made no move toward her. She folded her hands in her lap. She clutched her composure as tightly as she did her fingers. There was no hope for it. She was
just going to have to bring it out in the open. “I was wondering why you were going into town today?”

  “I have some business to take care of.”

  That was no help. A pine needle rested on the blue serge of her skirt. She flicked it away. It sailed clear off the blanket. “Will you be coming home for dinner?”

  “I told you this morning I wasn’t sure if I’d get everything done in time.”

  She smoothed the crease created by her overzealous flicking. “Will you be stopping by the saloon?”

  “Ahh.”

  She wished he were more vociferous. That ahh could mean anything, and there was only the slightest chance one of them wasn’t correct. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

  In no apparent hurry to clarify his exclamation, Asa drew his knee up and rested his forearm across it. His legs were so long, his knee was level with her mouth. It wasn’t any effort at all for him to reach out and hook his finger under her chin. She’d never met a man so devoted to face-to-face conversation. Hadn’t his mother ever told him that demure ladies kept their eyes downcast? It was something a man was supposed to look for. He tugged and she had no choice but to meet his knowing gaze. Couldn’t he even allow her any of the few advantages available to being a lady?

  “You want to know if I plan on being overcome with manly needs while I’m in town?”

  She gritted her teeth against the amusement in his voice. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

  His finger dropped away from her chin. “You forget our deal?”

  “No.” Lord, this was embarrassing.

  “I gave you my word.”

  “I know. I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just that…”

  “Just what?”

  “Two weeks have gone by.”

  “Yeah?”

  If she didn’t die of mortification, there wasn’t a God. “You haven’t come to my bed.”

  “Darlin’, I’ve been there nightly.”

  “I was speaking figuratively.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He was being deliberately obtuse. She took a steadying breath. If she didn’t get a hold on her emotions, she was going to wrap her fingers around his neck and throttle a direct answer out of him. “Then why…?” She filled in the blank with a descriptive wave of her hand.

  His right eyebrow kicked up. She heeded the warning and braced herself. “Why haven’t I exercised my marital privileges?”