The Horseman's Convenient Wife

by Mindy Neff

  Iris stood and picked up her plate of scones. ‘‘I’d best be getting back to town.’’

  ‘‘Don’t let me run you off,’’ Stony said.

  ‘‘You’re not. I like to keep close to the phone now that Hannah’s time is so near.’’ She kissed Eden, then Stony. ‘‘Thanks for the goodies, Eden. I’ll call and check on you tomorrow.’’

  Stony opened the back door and watched until Iris got in her car. Then he turned back to Eden. ‘‘You shouldn’t be working so hard—so soon.’’

  ‘‘I keep telling you, cooking’s not work. It’s therapy.’’ She held a carafe over the cup on the table by the place setting she’d laid out for his lunch. ‘‘Coffee?’’

  He nodded and sat down, noted that she’d folded his napkin like a swan and set it in the middle of the plate. She was always doing stuff like that, dressing up the table with flowers and linen and all manner of special touches.

  He kept seeing more and more of his grandmother’s treasures around the house, things Paula had hated and Grandma had packed away in order to accommodate her and make her feel that this was her home, too.

  He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed some of these things—fussy teacups and lacy scarves on the dressers. Stuff that had memories attached to them.

  He ran his hand over the rose-patterned tablecloth, scooted away the fluted bowl filled with cherries that Eden had set in the middle as a centerpiece, and smiled.

  ‘‘I remember the day I burned this hole in the tablecloth.’’

  ‘‘Burned?’’ Eden asked as she set a turkey sandwich in front of him and sat down.

  ‘‘Yeah. Wyatt and Ethan dared me to strut through the house with a cigarette between my fingers.’’

  ‘‘Why?’’

  ‘‘Hell if I know. Why do kids think up half the stupid things they do? I made it all the way into the kitchen, then heard my grandma coming out of the laundry room. It didn’t even occur to me that she could have smelled that smoke a mile away. Her senses were really keen. I dove for the flowerpot on the table, missed and put the butt out right there on the tablecloth.’’

  ‘‘What did she do?’’

  ‘‘Nothing at first. Her hands were full of towels. It was her eyes, though, kind and disappointed, amused even. I sat right down and waited for her to come back and give me what for, even though Wyatt had his nose pressed to the screen door and Ethan was advising me to make a run for it.’’

  He pushed the bowl of cherries back over the ragged hole. ‘‘I expected a whole lecture—and at that point I hadn’t totally mastered sign language, so I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep up. But she just cupped my chin and asked me if I wanted to smoke. I said no, and she smiled and signed, ‘That’s good, but if you do, please use the outdoor plants or ash cans to extinguish your butts, and leave my lovely violets be.’’’ He shook his head. ‘‘Took all the fun out of sneaking around, if she was going to give me permission to do it.’’

  ‘‘I imagine she knew that,’’ Eden said, reaching across the table to pour mint iced tea in his glass, even though he hadn’t touched his coffee.

  ‘‘Yeah, she did. You don’t have to serve me. In fact, you didn’t have to fix lunch for me at all. I can do it myself.’’

  ‘‘Don’t be silly.’’ She scratched at a spot on the tablecloth with her thumbnail. ‘‘I like doing stuff for you.’’

  It was a wonder he didn’t choke on the sandwich he’d just bitten into. She was talking about serving him a meal, and he was interpreting it in a sexual context.

  He concentrated on mentally counting the number of stalls in the barn and naming each horse in order.

  ‘‘Stony, can I ask you a question?’’

  Just as well. He’d only made it as far as Henry’s stall—the first one by the door—before his thoughts had sneaked right back to stuff Eden loved to do for him. He swallowed. ‘‘Shoot.’’

  ‘‘How come we don’t hold hands?’’

  He looked up, laid his sandwich back on his plate. ‘‘Where did that come from?’’

  She shrugged. ‘‘I’m attracted to you. You’re attracted to me. It’s hard to just shut that off at midnight.’’

  ‘‘Seems I recall being up a little later than that most nights.’’

  ‘‘You know what I mean.’’

  ‘‘Let me ask you a question.’’

  Her brows arched. ‘‘I asked first. And you didn’t answer.’’

  ‘‘In a minute. How did you feel when Iris called you my wife. Be honest.’’

  ‘‘Like we were lying to her.’’ Her shoulders squared. ‘‘But we’re not, really. They know why I’m here.’’

  ‘‘Yeah. But you still feel guilty when we accidentally touch in public. Face it—both of us jump like scalded rabbits.’’

  ‘‘Oh, don’t be dense, Stony. That’s a pure jolt of desire and you know it. We get within ten feet of each other and our hormones go haywire.’’

  ‘‘Only ten feet for you? It’s more like fifty for me.’’

  ‘‘Then you ought to be in pretty bad shape right about now.’’ Dimples creased her cheeks.

  He was. Thank God for the table between them. ‘‘You really want to start something you can’t finish here?’’

  ‘‘Who says I can’t finish?’’ She reached under the table and ran her hand up the inside seam of his jeans. ‘‘There’s a lock on that bathroom door over there.’’

  Nikki skipped in with Rosie right beside her.

  Stony raised his brow at Eden. ‘‘See?’’ And damn it all, he was hard as an oak.

  She snatched her hand back and jumped up, then busily wrung out a dishrag and scrubbed at the spotlessly clean countertop.

  ‘‘Hey, there, doll baby,’’ she said brightly. ‘‘You’re lookin’ pert as a cricket.’’

  Nikki fell on the floor giggling, and Stony chuckled.

  ‘‘You’re so silly,’’ Nikki said.

  ‘‘What? You don’t think a cricket looks pert?’’

  Nikki glanced at Stony, then flipped up Rosie’s ear and whispered something. ‘‘Rosie wants to know what’s pert mean.’’

  ‘‘Happy,’’ Eden supplied. ‘‘And is that all Rosie wanted to know? You two get to whispering and I worry. Y’all aren’t thinking about getting into the ice cream or sugar bowl, are you?’’

  ‘‘Oh, no,’’ Nikki said solemnly while shaking her head. Her eyes darted to Rosie again and she quickly changed the subject back. ‘‘We had a happy cricket in the vent by Daddy’s chair and Lottie said it was happy ’cuz it was singin’, and Daddy said somebody ought to shoot the happy out of it.’’

  Eden and Nikki both turned accusing gazes on Stony.

  ‘‘Hey, now. No need to drag me into this. I’m just sitting here eating my sandwich.’’

  ‘‘Imagine,’’ Eden said to no one in particular. ‘‘Threatening a cute little cricket.’’

  ‘‘Yeah,’’ Nikki echoed. ‘‘A pert one.’’

  Thankfully, the phone rang before they could gang up on him anymore. He grabbed the portable off the table where Eden had left it.

  ‘‘Stony? It’s Dora. Hannah’s having the baby,’’ she said, sounding as if she was out of breath.

  ‘‘Which hospital?’’

  ‘‘No hospital. She’s delivering at home—don’t ask me why. The doctor’s there now—hopefully with plenty of drugs—but Ethan said I should call you, that you guys should probably go hang out with Wyatt and make sure he doesn’t embarrass himself. Ethan’s words, not mine.’’

  Stony grinned. ‘‘We’ll meet you there.’’ He turned off the phone and looked up at Eden, who was practically breathing down his neck.

  ‘‘Well?’’ she demanded

  ‘‘Hannah’s having the baby.’’

  She hardly gave him a chance to get the words out. As he watched in awe, she went right into efficiency mode, loading muffins and rolls and cooking supplies into bags and boxes. She took a casserole dish from the fridge an
d a skillet out of the cupboard. In less than two minutes she’d snatched his half-eaten sandwich out from under him, had her purse on her shoulder, Nikki headed out the door, and a huge box shoved at his stomach.

  ‘‘Here,’’ she said. ‘‘Let’s go.’’

  He nearly saluted, but would have dropped the box she’d already let go of.

  Instead he grinned. ‘‘Whatever you say, wild thing.’’

  Chapter Twelve

  Meredith Shirley Malone was born at 3:20 that afternoon. Her middle name had been chosen in honor of a beloved aunt who’d had an impact on Hannah’s life and inadvertently sent her to Wyatt.

  Eden was genuinely thrilled for Hannah and Wyatt and only experienced a tiny instant where her excitement warred with envy. But only for a fleeting second. Seeing how moved Wyatt was over the birth of his little girl brought tears of happiness to Eden’s eyes. And the soft, profound look of love on Hannah’s face was bright enough to light a forest at midnight.

  God willing, Eden thought, this would be her, someday very soon.

  After taking a peek and cooing over the brand-new baby, she appropriated the kitchen and effortlessly, busily worked her magic with the contents of the Malones’ refrigerator, dodging children and adults every time she turned around.

  Ian and Nikki were smack in the middle of the floor with laps full of puppies. Katie Callahan, just a year old and cute as a button, had tired of being told no when she’d tried to give too much love to the puppies and was now happily helping herself to the plastic ware in the lazy Susan cabinet next to the dishwasher. Ethan was watching his daughter like a hawk, and Dora, bless her heart was helping peel potatoes. She was disorganized and messy, but she got the job done.

  And Stony, Eden noticed, was watching her. She knew why. He was worried about her. Her heart squeezed at the realization, and she deliberately crossed her eyes at him. He gave her one of those lazy, half smiles that made her go hot and get goose bumps at the same time.

  ‘‘Good thing Hannah decided to do this at home,’’ Dora said, oblivious that she’d just flicked a potato peel on the floor. ‘‘The hospital would never have put up with this many people underfoot at once.’’

  Without interrupting his conversation with Stony, Ethan automatically swiped up the peel and tossed it in the sink. Eden pressed her lips together to keep from smiling, thinking theirs must have been a very interesting courtship. A messy and a neatnick.

  ‘‘At least the doctor was here for her,’’ Eden said.

  ‘‘Thank goodness. I doubt that Wyatt would have held up as a midwife.’’ Dora cut her gaze to her husband. ‘‘Amazing how these big strong guys turn to mush at the slightest little thing.’’

  ‘‘I heard that, legs,’’ Ethan said. ‘‘And I’ll have you know that Stony’s done some midwifery, and did a fine job at it.’’

  ‘‘I was talking about babies, ace, not animals.’’

  ‘‘So was I,’’ Ethan said, grinning.

  ‘‘Who?’’ Dora demanded.

  ‘‘Nikki.’’

  ‘‘Really?’’ Dora asked, looking at Stony.

  Stony nodded. ‘‘Out on a cattle drive, at that.’’

  ‘‘Well, my goodness. I am impressed, and I do stand corrected. Most big cowboys would turn to mush—with the exception of Stony.’’ Her blue eyes twinkled when she glanced at her husband.

  Ethan took a plastic lid out of Katie’s mouth and said, ‘‘You’re awfully sassy for a preacher’s daughter.’’

  ‘‘Comes from being a playboy’s wife,’’ she fired back.

  Katie latched on to Ethan’s pants, then fussed and patted her diapers. He immediately swung her up and perched her on his forearm. ‘‘Aw, sweet peach. I don’t know why you can’t use the toilet—never mind that you’re too little and don’t even talk.’’

  Ethan kissed Katie’s chubby cheek, and she gave a belly laugh that left everyone in the room smiling. ‘‘Be right back,’’ he said, heading out of the kitchen. ‘‘Katie doesn’t like admitting in front of company that she’s done something unladylike in her drawers.’’

  ‘‘See what I mean?’’ Dora asked. She rinsed the potato skins off her hands, dribbling water on the floor. ‘‘Turns to mush. That little girl has him wrapped around her pinky.’’ She looked around. ‘‘Are we done here?’’

  Eden handed her a towel and plucked the peeler out of her hands. ‘‘Yes. Thanks for the help. Why don’t you check on Hannah and Wyatt, see if they need anything.’’

  ‘‘Good idea.’’ She stopped on her way out of the kitchen to tickle the puppies and plant a kiss on the tops of Nikki’s and Ian’s heads. ‘‘You kids ought to take those animals out to the barn. Skeeter’s out there, and he’ll watch you.’’

  ‘‘’Kay,’’ Ian said, and gathered two little dogs under his arms as Nikki cradled another.

  Stony watched the busy activity taking place in the Malones’ kitchen—and Eden was the busiest. She had a roast in the oven, biscuit dough mixed up in a bowl with a towel draped on top to keep it fresh, potatoes peeled, corn shucked, scrubbed and gently bobbing in boiling water and chocolate cake layers cooling on wire racks. Her hands moved constantly, without thought.

  She was very good at this. Not only at preparing excellent-tasting meals, but organizing and adding special touches and doing it all around a roomful of people and chaos—even though she had glanced at Dora a time or two with amused exasperation.

  He saw her hands go still for just an instant when Meredith’s cries drifted downstairs. She looked around, met his gaze and smiled as though she didn’t have a thing in the world on her mind.

  But Stony knew her heart was alternately aching and blossoming with hope, hope that she, too, would one day hear the miraculous cry of her own child.

  He moved up next to her, draped his arm across her shoulder and massaged her neck beneath the silky fall of her auburn hair.

  She jerked her head toward him, obviously startled by his open display of affection, when he’d gone out of his way to avoid it before.

  He’d been an idiot. Depriving them both. And he wasn’t going to do it anymore. For as long as she was here, she was his.

  Without a word he pressed his lips to her temple.

  She sighed, put her arms around his waist and looked up at him. ‘‘I’m okay,’’ she said.

  ‘‘I know. I just had this urge to kiss that sexy blue vein just there,’’ he said, doing it a second time.

  She grinned. ‘‘Liar.’’

  ‘‘Now when have you known me to lie?’’

  ‘‘Well, whether you are lying or not, I’m a greedy woman. I’ll take your kisses any way I can get them.’’

  ‘‘Maybe you two would like to get a room,’’ Ethan suggested as he came back in, his freshly diapered daughter perched on his arm.

  Eden blushed and groaned into Stony’s shirtfront.

  ‘‘Maybe you’d like to stuff it,’’ Stony said back to Ethan, his smile belying his tone.

  Ethan shrugged and snagged Dora when she breezed back in the kitchen. ‘‘Just trying to help out my fellow man.’’ He bent his knees, kissed his wife. ‘‘How’s it going, legs?’’ His voice and eyes were so filled with love it hit Stony right in the chest.

  ‘‘Do that again, and I’ll let you know,’’ Dora urged.

  ‘‘My pleasure,’’ Ethan said, and kissed his wife again.

  ‘‘Kind of like the pot calling the skillet black,’’ Eden remarked to Stony. ‘‘Don’t you think?’’

  Stony nodded just as Wyatt walked in, stopping to take in all the embracing going on in his kitchen. ‘‘You guys are doing that on purpose just to get to me,’’ he complained.

  Stony grinned, and Ethan taunted, ‘‘Six weeks, pal.’’

  STONY RODE IN from the west pasture, where he’d been observing a stallion that had been spooked over at the Callahans’ a couple months back, nearly trampling Dora and Katie. Although the proud black beauty hadn’t displayed any more noticeabl
y nasty traits, Ethan wasn’t in a hurry to take the horse back, and Stony didn’t push.

  He swung down off Henry and saw Eden balancing baskets and dishes and putting them in the trunk of the Mustang. He handed Henry’s reins to Demone. ‘‘Mind putting him away for me?’’

  ‘‘Sure thing.’’

  Ian and Nikki were impersonating a couple of rabbits hopping around Eden’s feet as she walked. Stony and Eden had been keeping Ian for the past two days to give Wyatt and Hannah a chance to settle, and he wondered if Wyatt had stopped grinning yet over the newest addition to their family.

  Wyatt Malone was one proud man—and he had plenty of reason to be. After losing his first wife and son, Stony had begun to worry that Wyatt might never truly recover. Then Hannah had dropped into his life, a city girl with zero ranch skills and scared to death of animals, radiating a truckload of determination and a gentle spirit that had grabbed Wyatt from the first hello. You’d never know Ian and Meredith weren’t his biological children.

  Eden laughed at the kids’ antics. ‘‘Y’all are gonna be barfin’ up those pancakes if you don’t settle down.’’

  Ian stopped and stared at Eden.

  ‘‘It’s okay,’’ Nikki told him. ‘‘She says stuff like that all the time. She’s from Texas.’’

  ‘‘Yes, ma’am, I am. Now hop yourselves in the car while I get the rest of this stuff.’’

  Stony stepped up behind her just as she was reaching for one of the grocery sacks she’d left on the porch.

  ‘‘Need some help?’’

  She shot straight up and pressed a hand to her bosom. ‘‘You scared the daylights out of me.’’

  He grinned, bent down and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. ‘‘That make it better?’’

  Her eyes were dazed as she licked her lips, glanced around. ‘‘Cryin’ out loud.’’

  God, he loved it when she whispered that expression in that soft drawl, her voice breathy, trembling, aroused. She had a tendency to say it after he’d done something that stunned her, annoyed her…or aroused her. It made him want to pick her up and haul her someplace private—in a hurry.

  Her gaze slipped to the front of his pants then shot up to his face.