by Linda Broday
Toby flew down from the wagon and began flailing Tom Mason with his little fists. “Leave Uncle Brett alone.”
To Mason’s credit, he simply stood there silently, taking the blows.
Though Callie wanted to land a few well-placed hits herself for good measure, she pulled Toby off. “Stop it, sweet boy. Let him help us fix the wagon so we can get home and tend to your papa.”
“Oh, all right,” Toby grumbled, giving Mason the evil eye. “But I ain’t gonna like it.”
Mason smiled. “Fine son you got. Quite a fighter.”
Callie swung to Mason. “I apologize. As you see, we’re very defensive of Brett.”
Rand pulled himself to a sitting position and Callie handed him the Colt. “Mason, you ever harm him, I’ll hunt you down.”
“Don’t worry, Sinclair, I know better than to take on this bunch. Can’t help wondering though…why did the boy call Liberty uncle? By my records, the man has no kin.”
“You figure it out,” Rand answered shortly.
“All righty.” Mason grinned. “Reckon I’d best get this wheel back on before one of you kill the Samaritan.”
With everything already in place, it didn’t take Mason—with Callie’s small assistance—very long at all. The ex-Pinkerton dusted off his hands and helped Rand into the back along with Toby. Callie wrapped them both in the warm quilts, then, at the baby’s soft cry, moved to change her daughter’s diaper.
“Can you handle the team, ma’am?” Mason asked. “I can—”
“I’ll manage from here just fine,” Callie said, cutting him off. She finished tending to Wren and got the baby situated on the seat beside her for the remainder of the trip. “Thank you, Mr. Mason. I’m very grateful you stopped.”
“No ill will?” The scarred man mounted his white gelding.
“Just saying I appreciated the helping hand, no more.”
“You’re a tough woman, ma’am. I’d hate to be on your bad side.”
“You already are, Mr. Mason.” She said it pleasantly enough, but the way Mason jerked his head up told her he’d gotten her message. “You have a restful evening now…wherever that might be.”
Thank goodness the Last Hope wasn’t far. Callie flicked the reins and got the horses moving without looking back at Tom Mason. The long shadows darkening the road made her nervous. Anyone could hide in them and she wouldn’t see the danger until it was too late.
Though the horses plodded slowly toward the ranch, she gave thanks for making each bend in the road safely. By the time the house came into view, it was pitch dark, and tension knotted Callie’s shoulders. Biscuit came to meet them, barking and wagging her tail near off. Toby leaned over the side of the wagon, calling to his faithful companion and telling the dog about all the sights in town, especially the juggler.
“You should’a seen that man throwing those plates in the air an’ catchin’ ’em.” Biscuit gave a sharp bark back.
Callie parked by the kitchen door and set the brake. Wren was fast asleep. After telling Rand she’d be right back, she carried the baby into the house and lit the lamps. Toby and his dog were right behind her. With the children safely inside, she went back out and climbed into the wagon bed.
She touched his face lightly, willing his eyes to open. “Rand, we’re home. Do you think you can stand?”
“I can walk.” He sat up and groaned. “Have a god-awful headache, though.”
“Let’s get you inside.” She helped him from the wagon and up the three steps into the kitchen. He collapsed into a chair at the table, where he sat breathing hard. The short walk had taxed his strength. She didn’t know if she could get him upstairs to his bed or not. It might be best to spread some quilts on the floor in front of the fireplace.
While he rested, Callie and Toby went out to unload their purchases. She filled the youngster’s arms and gathered the remainder. Then, while he watched over Rand and Wren, she drove the wagon to the barn and unhitched the team. Though the cold night air promised a hard freeze, sweat covered her by the time she finished feeding and bedding down the horses.
The stressful day was about over. Before she went into the house to fix a bite to eat, she took a moment to roll her shoulders in an effort to relieve the tense muscles. A million stars dotted the black canvas overhead.
She remembered her vow that morning to tell Rand about her past and tear down the wall between them. Now it seemed unlikely that she could tonight with Rand injured.
Soon, though.
A person with a head injury requires constant monitoring, she could have sworn she heard her mother say as clearly as though Nora Quinn Powers stood there. Don’t let him go to sleep or he might not ever wake up.
The admonition gave her chills. Callie had forgotten about the danger. She looked up at the sky. “Thank you, Mama.”
Hurrying inside, she found Rand slumped over with his head on the table—asleep. “Rand, wake up. You have to wake up.” She shook him until he roused.
“Sleepy,” he murmured, trying to push her away.
“I know, but you can’t. You have to stay awake until the danger has passed. Would you like something to eat? I’ll bet you’re hungry.”
At his nod, she scrambled some eggs and sliced fresh bread from the loaf she’d made yesterday, all while keeping an eye on him. She didn’t even have to call Toby to the table. The hungry boy came running and plopped down in his chair.
Ten minutes later, Rand had eaten almost all of it before pushing his plate away. He seemed more alert than she’d seen him since the accident.
After Toby finished and wiped his mouth, Callie asked him to help her get Rand up to bed. Though her husband, stubborn man that he was, leaned heavily on her, it turned out that Rand pretty much climbed the stairs under his own steam. A heavy weight lifted from her chest.
Stripping off his boots, holster, and clothes down to his long johns, she got him into bed and turned to Toby, who stood behind her. “I need you to sit here next to Papa and keep him awake while I clean up the kitchen. Do you think you can do that?”
The boy nodded, then asked, “But how?”
“Talk to him. Talk about anything and everything. If he starts to close his eyes, shake him real good.”
“Okay.”
She stood outside the door for a minute as Toby launched into a recap of their day in town. “I loved the people that played the music. When I get big, I’m gonna play a fiddle an’ throw plates in the air an’ catch ’em at the same time. But my favorite thing was dancin’. When I grow up, I’m gonna dance like you an’ Mama did an’ make her smile. She was so happy.”
Callie smothered a sob. He’d just called her Mama. The child was still putting order in his life the only way he knew. It deeply touched her, as did the fact that he wanted her to be happy. They had to make his dream, and theirs, a reality. Somehow, someway.
“Yes, son,” she heard Rand say. “She was happy.”
Leaving Rand in excellent hands, she turned her attention to Wren, who was awake and looking around. When she saw Callie, the sweet baby smiled big, showing her toothless gums, and excitedly kicked her little legs. Callie picked her up and nuzzled her chubby cheek. Her heart burst with love for the child. She’d never felt as needed as she was in that moment.
She just prayed Rand got better so they could talk. It had taken her so long to make up her mind to clear the air, and now that she’d come to the decision, she couldn’t. Every second dragged.
“Please, darling husband, you have to get better,” she whispered.
* * *
Later, while she sat beside Rand holding his hand, the quiet of the house settled over Callie. The children were fast asleep, the doors bolted, and she was with the man she loved.
He gave her a sinful grin. “If you insist on keeping me from getting a wink of sleep, crawl into this bed beside me.” His eyes darkened, d
aring her. “I don’t bite, you know. And nothing would fix me up like feeling your soft curves pressing against me.”
“Rand, you’re talking out of your head, dear. Do you have a fever?” She leaned in and laid one hand on his forehead.
“Darlin’, you have no idea.”
“Are you sure you’re not milking this injury a tad?” When she took his hand again, his fingers curled inside hers.
“I’ll never tell.” His tired grin made her heart leap. “But would you please rid me of this damn headache as long as I’m only pretending? You put your cool hand on my head again, and I know it’ll go away. Now, I think we were discussing you stretching out beside me.”
Lie in bed with Rand?
The daring thought sent quivers of excitement running through Callie like leaves on a tree in a summer breeze.
Dear God, how she yearned to curl up next to him, fit the curves of her body to his.
What would it hurt? She’d be fully clothed.
Before she could stop herself, she rose. When he moved over to make room, she lay down beside him.
The scent of the wild Texas land enveloped her. Rand was everything she’d ever wanted, ever hoped for, ever dreamed of. She snuggled against him as his arm came around her.
“Thank you, Callie. Now, you’re home.” He kissed her hair.
She lightly dragged her fingertips across the side of his face. “I don’t deserve you, Rand. You’re good and kind and decent.”
“I hear a but in there someplace,” he said, frowning. “I know you have feelings for me. No one kisses the way you do without a fire blazing inside. Something is stopping you from going further. Darlin’, don’t you want us to have more, have a real marriage?”
“Yes.” Her quiet admission seemed to open the padlock around her heart. It was time.
“Tell me what you’re holding back. Trust me with your secret. I simply want to understand, nothing more.”
With his arm anchoring her, she took a deep, shuddering breath and let it all pour out. She told him about her mistake with Richard Farrington that night so long ago and the resulting pregnancy at eighteen.
When she got to the hardest part of her secret—where her stepfather ordered his son to steal the baby from her—she broke down in sobs.
“I only held my angel girl for a few minutes, and then David, my stepbrother, was pulling her from my arms. I held on as tight as I could, but I lost consciousness. When I came to, Claire had a black eye and deep bruises. Claire had fought them both with everything she had, but it was no use. She stumbled downstairs, but they’d vanished into the blackness. Gone just like that. My sister said Edmund swore that night that if we tried to find the baby, he’d kill her.”
Tears trickled down her cheeks and Rand tenderly wiped them away, murmuring, “It’s all right, darlin’. Let it all out.”
“My heart shattered in a million pieces. I don’t know what they did with her, and it has tormented me every second of every day. I should’ve tried harder to find her. I shouldn’t have given up.”
“You had no choice. Don’t you see? You protected your baby. You could do little else.”
“For weeks I thought about killing my stepfather, but then I wanted to kill myself more.”
“Why did your stepfather hate you and your sister so much?”
“He didn’t at first. But when he married socialite Liza Masterson, it all changed. With her nonstop lies and hate, she turned Edmund Powers against us. She said we were evil, would never be worth anything, and he believed her. Then later, we challenged his authority at every turn. Claire married Nate to show Edmund she could. When I became pregnant, Edmund believed I’d done so to spite and embarrass him like Claire had.”
Rand put a finger under her chin and raised her face. “I understand everything clearly now. Why you carried this deep sadness that no sunlight could reach. Why you reacted so strongly when Emily Winters came and begged us to take Wren. But you can’t blame yourself. You did the best you could to find her, of that I’m certain. The overwhelming love for your daughter lay beneath every action.”
She searched his eyes, afraid of the hurt she’d see there. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but I ached to be a real wife. There’s more, and it’s what I’ve been so terrified to tell. This may change everything, but you need to know exactly what you’ve gotten. If you send me away, I understand. You’re such an honorable man, and I—”
“I will never send you away.” He lifted her hand and kissed the soft underside of her wrist. “Just trust me. Let’s get rid of the secrets between us so we can move on.”
“I’m broken, Rand. There is something wrong with me.” The tortured words hung thick in the air. Her heart stilled as though waiting for a blow. She looked away, fearful of what his face would reveal. “I’m only half a wife. I almost died during my daughter’s difficult delivery. I was bedridden for months afterward. I still remember the pain of the birth. Of losing her.” A sob broke free. “I’m terrified of making love and maybe experiencing all that again, and that is why I made you promise that I’d never have to share your bed.”
He caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. The immense gentleness must be how the brush of angel wings felt. Raising her face, he stared into her eyes. His fingers slid to her mouth and traced the curve of her lips.
“I’m sorry you’ve never known the joy of becoming one with someone. I’m sorry that you’ve only had pain. Given what you’ve endured, it’s no wonder that you’re frightened. Making love can bring great pleasure, though. If you’re willing, I promise to be very gentle and vow to never force you to do anything. And should you get with child, I vow to guard you and care for you and never let anyone take our children from us.”
She smoothed back a lock of hair that had fallen onto his forehead. Gazing into his blue eyes, she saw love shining in the depths, a love that he’d once vowed to never speak of. She trusted him more than anyone. He held her heart in his hands. Deep commitment in the lines of his face said he’d stand with her no matter the outcome of this night. Now it was time to share all of her with this wonderful man.
“I know you will. You’ve demonstrated that. Maybe it’s time to let go of my fear and face up to the thing that scares me most. I know you’ll take your time and let me find my way.”
“You can count on that, darlin’. I promise to take it slow and easy, and if I hurt you in any way, I’ll immediately stop. But why did you decide to take this step? I’m curious.”
“You’ve filled me with so much yearning that I can’t stand another night apart. I’ve been miserable because I want it all. I want all of you, not just your kisses.” She stroked the side of his face. “I want to shower you with every drop of my love.”
“Do you think we should hold off until you can visit with Doc Yates to make sure you have no physical problems? I would never do anything to hurt you. Losing you would be the last straw. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live alone again, nor do I wish to find out. Maybe we should just lie here in each other’s arms for now. And kiss, of course. I can’t be near you without needing your lips on mine.”
Callie shook her head. “I don’t want to waste one more second. Life doesn’t come without risk. I want you, Rand Sinclair. All of you. No half measures.”
“Lord knows I sure don’t want to keep a lady waiting.”
Delicious shivers danced up her spine. “Make me feel—”
He silenced her with a burning kiss that stole her breath. When he finally removed his lips from hers, he covered her face and neck with kisses. Someone had taught Rand very well how to make a woman feel cherished.
Happiness curled inside her chest. She’d known her husband was a keeper but hadn’t been aware of the extent of his commitment to her, to their marriage, until now.
In the soft lamplight, she saw a shimmer of tears in his eyes. She gen
tly kissed each eyelid.
When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. “I convinced myself that I didn’t need anyone, but I find I cannot live without you, Callie. You are my life. Never be afraid to tell me anything. I’ll not judge. I meant my wedding vows. I want permanence. I want a forever marriage, and I’ll accept nothing less.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough. I just didn’t want to ruin what I’d found here.”
“Darlin’, nothing on this earth will ever make me turn away from you.” He rose on an elbow and tenderly smoothed back her hair. “As soon as we send Nate Fleming to the hangman’s noose, I’ll find your angel girl. Even if I have to kill Edmund Powers, I will get her back for you. That’s a promise.”
Twenty-five
Drugging her with his kisses, Rand unfastened her dress one button at a time. He whispered in her ear, left a trail of kisses down her neck, and removed her clothing piece by piece until she lay bare.
He quickly shed the long johns she’d insisted he wear while recovering. Finally, with no barriers between them, he pulled her to him, crushing her breasts against his chest.
Touching the expanse of all that satiny skin made the heat from his belly spread through him like wildfire, consuming everything in its path.
But he wanted more. Lots more.
He needed to be inside her, feel her warmth around him, feel the hum of her body, and taste her desire.
Running a hand down the shapely curve of a long leg, Rand pressed his lips to the inside of her thigh and watched her satiny skin tremble.
Her shivery moan fed his hunger for her. With each touch, each caress whispering his love, he returned to her luscious mouth, pouring out his heart into a kiss that was long and deep.
Under feathery touches that encompassed every inch of her, he had her feverish body straining for release, toward the completeness that comes from giving all you have to the person you love. He just prayed she was ready for all he yearned to give her. He longed to show her that lovemaking wasn’t anything to fear but something to savor.
Raking his teeth gently across her breast, he drew the tip into his mouth. Slipping his finger into the soft folds between her legs, he stroked. She responded with moans, plunging her hands into his hair and tugging him tightly to her.
