“Mav,” Bryan aimed his scowl at his brother, “make yourself useful and get Miss Ross’ trunk and put it in my wagon.”
Maverick ambled toward the coach, running his fingers through his hair. “Why do you need me to do such a manly task? Are you trying to prove to your new bride that you aren’t strong enough to carry her trunk and that you need someone stronger to do it?” He stopped at the trunk and grasped the handle. “Because I’m definitely the one who can handle carrying a woman’s trunk.”
Grumbling under his breath, Bryan left her side and hurried to the trunk, pushing his brother aside as he grasped the handle. “Why do you always have to be competitive?”
Bryan glanced briefly at his brother before lifting the trunk over his shoulder in the same smooth motion that Maverick had done. Hannah realized this was another trait the two brothers had in common. They were both very strong.
She followed Bryan to his wagon. The winds had died down considerably, and for a moment, she had to remember that was the reason Maverick had wanted to go inside the cave in the first place. Now, she wondered if he was a soothsayer and could see into the future. Or, had Maverick planned this all along? Was the kiss part of his strategy?
Hannah glanced back at Maverick, who was now leaning against his wagon, watching her. She couldn’t stop the flip of her heart and the catch in her breath. Although she should be extremely put out with him right now, her mind would never forget their steamy kiss – or the way she was the one who instigated it.
Inwardly, she groaned. If she were to marry Bryan, she prayed she wouldn’t see Maverick very often. His wicked grin would bring out the butterflies in her stomach every time. And it was a sin to marry a man and desire his brother.
* * * *
Not much had been said during the drive from the cave to Bryan’s home. He lived in a log cabin unlike she’d ever seen before. It was fashionably built and so very large. It was difficult to see why one man would need so many rooms in one house. Then again, he had a maid and a cook, so he didn’t have to worry about anything.
“Do you live alone?” she asked as they walked into his home. The decorations gave a masculine touch to the place. She hoped he’d allow her to give it a feminine touch, too.
“I do. My brothers have their own homes. However, I’m rarely by myself. I usually have meetings with business owners or parties to celebrate special occasions, and sometimes, I invite my friends over for supper.”
“I’m sure you have a lot of friends.” She smiled. “You seem like someone easy to like.” Well... except for Maverick, of course. She had guessed that those two brothers disagreed on many things.
“I would hope people think that about me.” He started up the stairs. “Let me show you to your room first, and then I’ll give you a tour of the rest of the house.”
Her insides clenched. He’d mentioned it was her room, which told her that he hadn’t planned on sharing a bed with her after they married. Somehow, she would have to change his mind about that.
Soon, she stood inside her bedroom. Just as downstairs, there was nothing feminine about the decorations. The room looked to be quite charming, and it was larger than she had ever hoped for. Yet, she felt as if something wasn’t right.
She mentally shook the image of Maverick out of her head and focused on Bryan, who had put the trunk on the floor near the end of her bed.
“If you need help unpacking and getting settled in, Mrs. Whittle will be able to assist. She is my housekeeper. She only works two days a week, but now that you’re here, I’m sure she would like more hours.”
Hannah kept her clasped hands to her waist. “And I’m sure I’d love the company.”
Bryan motioned toward the hallway. “Would you like a tour now?”
“I would like us to get to know each other better. The tour can come later.”
His expression relaxed, and he nodded. “You’re correct. We need to get to know each other before the wedding.”
Anxiety twisted in her stomach. “And when were you planning to have the ceremony?”
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
She nodded. “That’s good. It’ll give me time to settle in a little more.”
He walked out the door, and she followed. “What would you like to know about me?” he asked.
“I suppose you could tell me what you do for a living. Maverick told me about your grandfather’s urgent request for his grandsons to find wives, so I already know about that.”
His eyebrow furrowed briefly before he turned his gaze on the stairs as they descended. “Yes, Gramps is still trying to control our lives.”
“What is it that you do for him?”
“I oversee one of the sawmills. There are two here in Stumptown. I also collaborate with other business owners in Montana and Colorado. I deal more in the financial side of the business, whereas my brothers deal more with the loggers.”
They made it to the first level of the home, and he led them into the spacious living room. He motioned to the couch that still looked new. Hesitantly, she sat, not wanting to get anything dirty. After all, she’d been traveling on a stagecoach, and she was quite dusty.
He sat beside her and turned slightly to face her better. He was quite attractive, yet, her mind wouldn’t let go of Maverick and the memory of their kiss.
She nodded, letting him know she was listening to him and not caught up in her thoughts. “Will your grandfather allow you to keep your positions if you don’t get married?”
Bryan shrugged. “That’s a very good question, but I don’t want to go against his wishes just to find out.”
“The man does sound very controlling.”
“That’s an understatement. The only reason I’m still working for him is that he is rarely ever in Stumptown.”
“What does your grandmother have to say about his treatment?”
“She died ten years ago.”
Hannah arched an eyebrow. “And he hasn’t remarried?”
“No. I think it’s because he’s too grumpy. What kind of woman wants a man who is like that?”
“True, but perhaps you and your brothers should find him someone to love. That might change his attitude.”
He didn’t say anything for the longest time as he stared into her eyes. It didn’t take long before she shifted uncomfortably. Finally, his smile softened, and he chuckled.
“You’re a romantic woman.”
At first, she wasn’t sure how to answer him. Nobody had ever said that to her before. “If you mean that I want to see people get a happy life, then yes, I am romantic.”
“I’m glad you’re like that.” He chuckled again. “Maybe after we find a woman for my grandfather, we can find one for Maverick. He needs an attitude adjustment. Not only that, but he also needs a woman in his life to keep him busy so that he stops causing mayhem to my life.”
Find Maverick a woman? How could she accomplish that? Not more than an hour ago, she had thought that she would be his wife.
“Maverick told me there aren’t many single women in this town.”
“He’s right. We have slim pickin’s here.”
“He also mentioned,” she added, “that he doesn’t have time to look for a wife in the surrounding towns, either.”
“Another fact.” He leaned closer, touching her arm. “I want to apologize for what Maverick did. It was selfish of him to make you think he was the man you were going to marry.”
Her heartbeat quickened. How could she tell Bryan that she didn’t want to talk about his brother? If only she could turn back time and not ever meet him. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that Maverick Easton would put a kink in her plans.
“There is no need to apologize,” she said softly as her heart clenched. It should be Maverick who needed to apologize for making her think of him this way.
“You would let me know if my brother did anything to offend you, right?”
“Yes, but I was not offended in any way by his actions.” Only because she had welcomed
them. Thinking that he was the man she would soon wed, she didn’t want to prolong the wedding night any more than necessary. And now... she must try to do the same with Bryan.
Inwardly, she groaned. She felt like a harlot. No wonder the people in town had spread gossip and ruined her. Perhaps she was exactly as they had labeled her.
The knock at the front door pulled her thoughts from her ruined past. She glanced toward the hallway, wondering if he had a servant who would get the door.
“I’ll be right back.” Bryan quickly stood and strode out of the room. She heard him talking with another man, but she couldn’t hear the conversation. However, by the tone of his voice, the man sounded panicked.
“I’ll be there shortly,” Bryan said before he closed the door.
Hannah sat up straight in the chair and waited for him to walk in. His frown let her know that he wasn’t too happy about whatever had been said at the door.
“I hate to do this to you since you just arrived, but there is an emergency at the sawmill. Only I can fix it.”
“I assure you, I understand completely.”
“Mrs. Whittle will be here within the hour. Meanwhile, feel free to roam the house and get acquainted with everything. I’ll be home for supper.”
Smiling the best she could even though her heart wasn’t in it, she nodded. “I’ll be fine, Mr... um, what should I call you?”
“Bryan.” He smiled.
He had a nice smile, but still, it wasn’t like... Stop comparing! “I shall see you later, Bryan. We’ll talk more tonight.”
He turned and left quickly. Once the door was closed, she released a sigh of relief. Why did she feel as though she couldn’t breathe when Bryan was around? He was a nice man and very accommodating. But, she didn’t have that relaxed feeling with him as she’d had with Maverick...
Growling, she stood, marched out of the room, and hurried up the stairs. This needed to stop. She couldn’t keep thinking this way about a man who she wasn’t going to marry.
Because she hadn’t brought a lot of clothes, it didn’t take her long to unpack her trunk. She changed from her dusty, traveling clothes to a prettier gown. After all, she needed to start impressing Bryan and turning his thoughts to the wedding night. Sighing, she placed her hand on her still-flat belly. She was determined not to make this child fatherless.
She brushed her hair, pulling back the bulk of her hair with a leather tie, letting the thickness cascade down her back. She even added a little perfume to take away the outdoorsy smell that surrounded her from her travel. Now, she was ready for anything, and especially, ready to charm everyone who lived with her. She desperately wanted them to love her.
Just as Bryan had suggested, she wandered around the house. It felt strange to think this would be hers once they married. She would be the one running the house and working closely with the housekeeper and cook. Doing that didn’t scare her at all. She was ready for it.
As she floated down the stairs with her mind on ways to make the house more feminine, she suddenly heard someone banging at the front door. She jumped and stopped on the stair, looking toward the front door.
Trying to get control of the fear shooting through her, she made her way to the door and opened it. Her heartbeat quickly changed rhythms, and she stared at the man who wouldn’t leave her mind.
“Maverick? What are you doing—”
“There’s been an accident at the sawmill.” He grasped her wrist. “Come with me, please.”
Her heart sank, not knowing if the news of her soon-to-be-husband meeting up with an accident had affected her breathing, or if it was the incredibly handsome man she willingly gave her hand to as he pulled her out of the house and closed the door.
FOUR
Maverick pulled the very lovely Hannah toward his horse, trying to hide the smile that was slowly stretching across his mouth. Heavens, she was so pretty, and she smelled so good. Having her ride so close to him would be torture – but he welcomed this feeling of excitement more than anything in the world.
He and Hannah hadn’t been apart for very long, a couple of hours at the most, but he couldn’t wait to see her... even if it meant lying about his brother. Maverick felt like a complete heel as he’d hid in the cluster of trees near Bryan’s front yard, waiting until the man left the house. Maverick knew it would happen, only because he knew some of the imbeciles that worked with Bryan at the sawmill would inevitably need help. Sure enough, just like clockwork, Bryan was summoned to the mill. Maverick didn’t waste a moment before he made his move.
As soon as they reached his horse, she stopped and yanked her hand away. He looked over his shoulder to see her wide eyes as she stared at the horse.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “We’ve got to hurry.”
“But... where is your wagon?”
“Hannah, the horse will get us there quicker.”
“I’m in a dress.”
Indeed, she was, and he was having a difficult time taking his eyes off her loveliness. The lavender dress she wore was not made for Stumptown, and because of that, he liked her that much more. “Yes, I’m very much aware of that.”
Her green eyes met his stare. “But Maverick, I cannot ride sidesaddle.”
He chuckled and moved closer. “You won’t have to.” He rested his hands on both sides of her waist and in one quick movement, lifted her and placed her on the horse. She gasped and quickly gripped the reins. Before she could say anymore, he mounted the animal. After settling on the saddle, he lifted her again but placed her on his lap. His arms circled her as he took hold of the reins.
Ahhh... wonderful torture.
He urged the horse into a gallop, and just as he had planned, her body relaxed against him. There was no way she would be able to keep her rigid posture for very long, and he was relieved that it only took her a few minutes before she quit fighting what was meant to be.
Maverick didn’t lead the horse toward town. There was no way he wanted people to see that he was kidnapping Bryan’s bride. Maverick never had a malicious bone in his body, and his reasons for doing what he was doing were founded. He just hoped Hannah would understand and go along with him. After all, their heated kiss told him that she was attracted to him. If he had to remind her of that fact by kissing her again, he’d gladly do it.
But it wasn’t just the kiss and her beauty that had attracted him to her. When she shared with him parts of her past, he felt a real connection. He had never followed the straight-and-narrow pathway his parents wanted him to walk, and from what he gathered, Hannah had a rebellious streak in her, too. He liked that.
Gradually, the forest became denser, until he was satisfied that they wouldn’t be spotted easily. At that point, he slowed his horse down slightly.
“Maverick?” Her voice was tight. “Where are you taking me?”
“To the sawmill, of course.”
She turned her gaze on him, and he nearly melted in her emerald gaze. For a moment, he could see the stubbornness in her stare, but after a few seconds, the color in her eyes softened. His heartbeat quickened. Did she feel the spark happening between them as he had felt since he first touched her? The connection was undeniable.
“Maverick, this isn’t the way toward town.”
“How do you know? What if I’m taking a shorter route?”
One of her perfectly-shaped eyebrows lifted. “And are you?”
He opened his mouth to speak, but the twinkle in her eyes stopped him. Heavens, how could he lie to her now? Being with her made him want to share all of his secrets – both good and bad. How could he feel that way after only knowing her a brief time? Although... their kiss was anything but brief.
“No, I’m not.”
Sighing, she folded her arms. “Stop this horse now.”
“I can’t. I mean, we are almost there.”
“Maverick Easton, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to scream.”
Grinning, he lifted a hand to her hot cheek and caress
ed her soft skin. “And if you do that, I might have to try any way possible to stop the sound.” He paused. “Now, you wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?”
Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. “Is that a threat, Mr. Easton?”
If he wasn’t mistaken – and he rarely was when it came to women – he detected a touch of playfulness in her voice. “No, my lovely Hannah. Not a threat, but an endearing promise of something very pleasurable.”
Her breathing had turned ragged, and her cheeks bloomed with color. Seeing her reaction made him want to follow through with his promise right now. But he wouldn’t. Not while on a horse.
She inhaled shakily. “Then, will you kindly tell me where we are going?”
“It’s a surprise.” He winked.
“Mr. Easton, I don’t think you know me well enough to give me surprises.”
He chuckled. “Oh, believe me, after our conversation, and especially the kiss we shared earlier, I know you much better than most women.”
He pressed his heels against the horse’s belly, urging the animal faster. Hannah kept her focus on where they were going, and although he desperately wanted to get lost in her eyes again, he was enjoying her sweet fragrance. Roses. They were his mother’s favorite. It was all he could do not to press his face against her hair and inhale during the remainder of the ride. He resisted, unfortunately. Cuddle-time would come later. He’d make sure of it.
It didn’t take long before they entered the long drive toward his home. Bryan took pride in his log cabin, but Maverick loved his quaint little cottage in the woods. He loved the coziness of the place and the memories of his mother helping him decorate it. He’d cherish those times for as long as he lived.
As he pulled the horse to a stop, Hannah straightened stiffly again. She wasn’t meeting his stare. Although she acted like she was put out with him, he was willing to bet good money that secretly, her mind was spinning in the opposite direction.
“Welcome to my home.” He hopped off the horse before reaching up and grasping her by the waist again. She gasped and clutched his shoulders as he lifted her down, purposely, putting her right in front of him. He just didn’t want to let go of her yet.
Hannah's Hardship Page 3
