Touch Me Boss: A Single Dad Office Romance

by Aria Ford

  Justine laughed. "I suppose not."

  Noah smiled at her. "Are you going to end this now?"

  Justine laid her cards down on the table. The cowboy groaned. "I have nothing."

  She smiled. "I have a lot of experience playing poker."

  He nodded in amazement. "I would like to learn why. It is not exactly a ladylike endeavor."

  "No, it's not."

  "Am I going to hear the story?"

  "It's not much of a story, really."

  "I would still like to know."

  Justine shrugged. "I have dressed as a man since I was fourteen."

  Noah stared at her openmouthed. "Why?"

  "One, pants are more comfortable than dresses. And it's an easier way to survive on your own."

  "You were an orphan?"

  Justine nodded. "My mother died when I was very young. My father always wanted a boy and always treated more like one anyone. Taught me to ride despite my mother's protests. But when he died, I was left on my own. I had always seen it was easier for boys, so I took to dressing and acting like one. I have ever since."

  Noah's bright blue eyes were stretched wide in shock. "Hence why you play poker and are always out with the horses."

  "Exactly."

  "So why...why a mail order bride?"

  Justine sighed. "It wasn't my first choice at all. But I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I witnessed a murder from a very dangerous criminal. I had to escape with a new identity."

  Noah shook his head in bewilderment. "That's...that's incredible."

  Justine shrugged. "I did what I had to survive. I always have."

  "You are a good person, Justine. You are tough when you need to be, but also kind."

  "I wouldn't say I'm very kind, Noah. More rough than anything."

  Noah shook his head. "Not with Eliza. You've very gentle with her."

  "That's because I feel like I'm going to break her at any moment."

  Noah smiled. "I see."

  Justine stifled a yawn and started shuffling the cards.

  "Perhaps we should get to bed?" Noah suggested.

  "That's a good idea." Justine conceded. She stacked the cards neatly and stood up. Noah reached for her hand and led her back to the bedroom. His hand was warm and calloused against her skin and a shiver ran down her spine.

  Noah had been everything she had never found in a man. He was gentle and kind where she was rough and loud. But even though she was nothing of what her letter had portrayed her, he had not rejected her. Though she was loud and had a quick tongue, he hadn't tried to change. He was more curious than anything.

  Justine soon found herself curious about him as well. How could there be a man such as Noah? Though he was kind and quiet, he was firm and strong and fully capable of handling a ranch with only two ranch hands to assist him.

  Justine's life started falling into place. First, Noah had insisted they keep the baby, which she named Eliza. Secondly, he had made it know that he did indeed want to marry her. Just because she was not the docile woman he was expecting did not mean he did not like her.

  Noah slowly let go of her hand once they'd entered the bedroom. Butterflies were suddenly fluttering in her stomach as she looked up at him. Her normally steady hands shook as she slipped out of her dress and into her nightgown. She glimpsed Noah's well muscled back and chest as he climbed into bed. She crawled in beside him, feeling grateful for his warmth on the chilly night.

  He gently pulled her to his chest, his strong arms encircling her. Justine yielded to his embrace, enjoying it like she had never thought possible. She had never felt the need for a man in her life before, but now, in Noah's arms, she wondered how she ever desired anything else.

  His lips brushed the back of her neck as he whispered, "I love you, Justine."

  Her heart thundered in her chest at his words. Her head swam and she whispered back, "I love you too, Noah."

  He gently rolled her to face him, staring down at her with his bright blue eyes. "You are wonderful just the way you are. Don't ever let me try to change you."

  "I won't, trust me."

  Noah smiled and brushed her hair away from her face. He lowered his head towards her. Justine closed the distance as their lips met in a soft kiss.

  He broke away slowly. Justine kept her eyes closed.

  "Good night, Justine. Sleep well."

  "Good night, Noah." Justine mumbled as she drifted into a blissful sleep. Through circumstances she would have never chosen, she was exactly where she belonged.

  THE END

  Mail Order Bride Book 4

  Chapter 1

  Mary Jane Luther looked out the window of the train but her view was hampered by the thick black smoke that was coming from the coal engine at the front of the train. She wasn’t really interested in seeing the terrain anyway. Since leaving Tennessee the land had become flatter and dustier, with scarcely any sign of plant life except for the occasional cactus that thrived in the dry heat. She supposed that Cheyenne, Wyoming would be just as flat and just as dusty, but she really didn’t care. She just hoped that this time things would work out. This was her third trip to meet a man who had promised to marry her.

  Mary Jane had almost given up on the prospect of marriage after her last failed attempt. John Horton, the first man who had asked for her hand in marriage, had unfortunately been killed in a farming accident while Mary Jane was on her way to meet him. The people in Bryson, Utah had been kind enough to provide her with enough money to return home. It was a shame too, because she found the small Utah town to be very charming and the people overly friendly.

  The second man who had offered to marry her turned out to be a scoundrel. Her marriage profile clearly stated that she was tall, slim, and very dedicated to God and church. Joseph Brown turned up his nose at the sight of her, but agreed to marry her if she would be willing to live in a plural marriage. Although she was not really looking for love at first sight, she was not willing to share her marriage partner with another. It went against everything she had read in the Bible. Joseph had explained to her that he was looking for somebody who was a bit shorter and with a bit more shape to their body. But he had agreed that he would keep her because she could help with the household duties. He also felt that she had a good body for birthing babies, and he needed sons to eventually help him with his farm. When she had refused, he had provided her with a ticket back home.

  When Mary Jane had returned home after Joseph, she was ready to give up on the mail order marriage business and just stay single for the rest of her life. Life for a single woman in the mountains of Tennessee would be difficult, but not impossible. She could sew, cook, and she was very talented at gardening. Surely with those skills she could make a modest living for herself. But just when she was ready to settle down and forget about a marriage contract, she was contacted by Carlton Summers.

  Mary Jane carefully read the post that Carlton had sent several times before finally making up her mind that it was worth a try. Carlton had stated that he was not looking for physical beauty, and would much rather have a good Christian woman who could cook, clean, and help on his farm on the outskirts of Cheyenne. He hoped to one day have children, but that was not a top priority. He stated that he always attended church on Sunday, and his wife would be expected to attend with him. It sounded exactly what Mary Jane had been looking for, but she didn’t think she could handle another disappointment. It was her friend at the dry goods store in Sevierville that had finally encouraged her to give it one more try.

  Mary Jane had replied to Carlton to let him know that she was willing to accept his offer. He sent her a message through the local telegraph that she would ride the train until she reached Cheyenne, then he would meet her and they would go to the justice of the peace for the legal wedding ceremony. They could spend a couple of days in town if she wished, but the remainder of the journey to his farm would be by covered wagon. Once they left Cheyenne they would travel four days before reaching the farm
where they would live. Everything sounded simple and planned out. Neither of them had required love to be part of the equation but Mary Jane hoped they would one day come to care for each other.

  The conductor had just told the train passengers they would be arriving at the Cheyenne Station within the next hour. Soon Mary Jane would get to meet this stranger that had promised to marry her, give her a home, and one day share children with her. She supposed that she should be nervous, but she had determined long ago that if this did not work out she was going to return to Sevierville and live out her days in solitude. The way she looked at it, God would make this work if that was what He wanted for her life.

  As the train pulled into the depot, Mary Jane saw there were several people standing outside. She assumed that these were the people who were waiting for somebody on the train, or they were waiting to get on the train to travel to some other destination. She searched the crowd for a single man, hoping to get a sneak peek at the man she was there to meet, but the crowd was so large there was no way to pick out a lone man.

  Having chosen to sit in the rear of the car, Mary Jane was one of the last people to descend the steps and onto the landing. Most of the people who were waiting had already found the person they were waiting for and the crowd had thinned out considerably. While looking to the right, and then to the left, Mary Jane ran smack into a man who was standing right in front of her. His arms caught her and kept her from knocking him to the ground.

  “Oh, please excuse me,” she said. “I was not paying attention to what I was doing.”

  “It was obvious that you were not looking at where you were going,” the man said. “Are you by any chance Miss Luther?”

  Mary Jane looked at the man standing before her and realized that this was probably the man she was here to meet. She temporarily lost her voice and her cheeks turned red at the thought of what he must be thinking of her. This was not getting off to a very good start. He probably thought she was some clumsy country bumpkin that didn’t even know how to stand on her own two feet.

  “Yes, I am Mary Jane Luther,” she said. “Are you Carlton Summers?”

  “Yes, I am Carlton, but I prefer to be called Carl,” he said. “Why don’t we collect your bags and then we can go to the local café and get to know each other a little better. I hope you had a safe trip here. I understand that you are a long way from your home in the mountains. You are probably tired and need to stretch your legs a bit. Perhaps then you will have better control of where you are going.”

  Mary Jane couldn’t help but notice the slight smile that came across his face, and she couldn’t help the redness of embarrassment that came across hers.

  Chapter 2

  Mary Jane looked at Carl across the table. He was actually quite good looking in a rugged sort of way. It was easy to see that he spent much of his time working outside for his skin was a dark hue of tan. He seemed to be the perfect gentleman who removed his hat when he entered a building, and he pulled her chair out for her before he seated himself. She liked the way his mouth always seemed like he was smiling, and the twinkle in his brown eyes was captivating. She was so distracted looking at him that she jumped when the waitress asked her what she would like to drink.

  Carl was having his own thoughts about the woman who had travelled from Tennessee to be his mail order bride. She wasn’t a raving beauty, but he found her to be attractive with her long blonde hair and her sky blue eyes. She wasn’t a tiny little thing that would faint at the sight of work, but he liked her tall, slender form that had curves in just the right places. When he had sent for a bride he wasn’t expecting a woman that looked like Mary Jane. He had expected a woman who was so unsightly that none of the local men would have her. Looks were not that important to him because he needed a woman who could work with him on the farm. So far Mary Jane had exceeded all of his expectations.

  “I assume that you have not had lunch yet,” Carl said. “I knew the train was due to arrive in the early afternoon so I waited to have lunch with you.”

  “That was very nice of you,” Mary Jane said. “No, I did not eat on the train. The food they served was not very appetizing.”

  “Well, you should be very pleased with the food at this place,” he said. “I eat here every time I come to town. They have a good plate lunch, but feel free to order whatever you want.”

  The waitress arrived with their iced tea and took their orders. Mary Jane could not help but notice the looks the waitress was giving Carl. She picked up her glass of tea and took a large drink. She was tired from being on the train, but the heat in Cheyenne was oppressing. The cold tea felt good going down and it helped her cool off a little.

  “As I told you in the telegraph, we can get married by a justice of the peace this afternoon if you want,” Carl said. “I can afford to spend a couple of days in town before we leave for the farm. That will give us a chance to get to know each other a little better, for once we get to the farm it will be a long time before we get to come back to town.”

  Mary Jane felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. She had waited so long for a husband, but her previous experiences had left her disappointed. This man was prepared to make her his wife today and the thought was both scary and pleasing.

  “If that is what you think is best,” she said. “Staying in town a couple of days sounds like fun, but I am anxious to see the farm where you live.”

  “You will have plenty of time to see the farm once we leave here. I thought we might take in a show tomorrow evening if you like,” Carl said. “There is an excellent theater here and they always have great plays. It’s not something that I do often, but if this is going to be our honeymoon I think we are entitled to enjoy ourselves a bit.”

  The word honeymoon stirred up the butterflies all over again. Mary Jane had not given much thought to her wedding night, but she realized that it was only a few hours away. Suddenly she felt very shy.

  The waitress arrived with two plates of food that looked delicious. Carl took Mary Jane’s hand in his as he bowed his head to say grace over the food. Mary Jane had a knot in her throat at the prospect of actually becoming this man’s wife, but she somehow managed to enjoy the crispy fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fresh made cornbread.

  “You are right about the food here,” she said. “That was the best meal that I have had in a long time.”

  “I am glad you enjoyed it,” Carl said. “When you are ready I will take you to the motel where we will be staying for the next two days. I have some business to take care of and I’m sure that you would like to freshen up before going to the justice of the peace.”

  “Yes, I would love it if I could have a bath. The train did not offer much in the way of luxury and all I could do was wash up,” Mary Jane said.

  Carl paid the bill and escorted Mary Jane out of the café. He carried her bags for her and headed in the direction of a large, two story building that was situated at the end of the street. Mary Jane was having trouble believing that this was finally going to happen. This man had met her and still wanted to marry her. By the end of this day she would be Mrs. Carlton Summers. She was both excited and scared at the same time. This was such a big step. By marring this man she was pledging to spend her life with him, working with him, cooking for him, and possibly one day having children with him.

  When they arrived at the Cheyenne Hotel, Carl told the clerk that Mary Jane needed a bath drawn. The clerk shook his head and assured him that he would have somebody do it right away. Carl then headed for the stairs with Mary Jane’s bags in tow. They stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall on the second floor. She watched as Carl dug a key out of his pocket and opened the door for her to enter.

  Mary Jane stood just inside the spacious room, taking it all in. There was a settee under the window that would allow her to see whatever was going on in the street below, a table with a bowl and pitcher, and a huge four-poster bed. A door led into the bathroom where she discovered a large cla
w-foot tub and a mirror where she could see to arrange her hair. All in all the room was quite nice with its colorful rugs and frilly curtains. It did not look like a room that a man would prefer to stay in alone, and she could only wonder if Carl had requested it to please her.

  “I will be gone for a couple of hours so you can take your time,” Carl said. “You might even want to catch a quick nap. When I return we will go to the justice of peace for the wedding ceremony.”

  Carl turned and left the room, leaving Mary Jane alone to take in her surroundings. Her eyes kept going back to the huge bed that stood in the center of the room. Tonight she would share that bed with a man she had met earlier in the day. This was really happening! She nearly jumped out of her skin when the maid knocked on the door.

  Mary Jane watched as the small girl filled the tub with hot water and bubbles. Finally getting to soak in a tub was going to be a treat in itself. She waited for the girl to leave the room, but the girl showed no signs of leaving.

  “My name is Marie,” the young girl said. “I will help you with your bath. I understand that this is your wedding day so I can also help you get dressed and fix your hair. Your hair is beautiful, but I am sure it is hot. If you would like I can put it up so that you will be more comfortable.”

  Mary Jane had not expected this. She had assumed that she would be left alone to prepare for the wedding, but this girl acted like this was something she did often. For a minute Mary Jane was tempted to tell the girl to leave, but she feared hurting the girl’s feelings. She turned facing the girl to allow her to undo the buttons that went down the entire length of the dress.

  When Mary Jane finally stepped into the tub of water she couldn’t believe how good it felt. She slid down, allowing the water to cover her entire body. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the luxurious feel of the bubbles against her skin and the wonderful smell of the soap Marie had provided. Marie handed her a cloth that she used to wash the dust and grime of her long trip away. Mary Jane felt like she could stay in the bath for hours, but soon the water began to cool so she stood and reached for the plush towel that was laying on a shelf beside the tub.