Lorraine Heath

by Sweet Lullaby

  She searched his concerned countenance until the meaning of his question hit her. She placed a hand on his chest.

  “No. No, I’m not sorry at all.”

  “I know I’m awkward …”

  She brought her hand to his lips.

  “Jake, how can you have so much confidence when it comes to running a ranch and handling the livestock and so little when it comes to women?”

  He sighed. “Reckon cause I’ve never had a ranch or livestock laugh at me.” His eyes held hers. “I know Ethan put the girls up to laughing at me … but there was never one that didn’t … until you.”

  She touched his cheek. “I think those girls were probably just jealous.”

  “Jealous? Of what?”

  She brushed the hair up off his brow. “Your eyes. You have the most beautiful eyes.”

  He gave her a sad smile. “There’s nothing beautiful about me, Reb.”

  Pressing her hand to his heart, she said, “Here you’re the most considerate, generous person I know, Jake Burnett, and it’s all reflected in your eyes. Don’t you tell me I don’t know beauty when I see it.”

  He ran his knuckles down her cheek, speaking softly. “You’re the beautiful one. You could have married anyone.”

  “I know,” she said with warmth in her eyes. “Of all the things my father did for me, I’m most grateful he asked you to marry me.” She reached down to unbutton his pants. “I appreciate you not buttoning them all up. Next time, don’t even bother to put them on.”

  Groaning, he pressed her back on the bed, managing to slip out of his pants in the process.

  Chapter Thirteen

  THE BELL SUSPENDED above the door emitted a tinny, tinkling sound as Jake entered the general store.

  “Be with you in a minute, Jake,” Samuel Abrams said as he turned impatiently back to his waiting customer.

  A boy who was no older than six stood before the counter longingly eyeing a glass container filled with confections. Jake watched as he tentatively moved four small fingers towards the glass, shot a glance to the man standing before Samuel, and then withdrew his fingers. If Jake had been allowed into town when he was a boy, he had no doubt he would have stood looking at the jar of candy as intently as the small boy standing there now, and he knew he would not have been allowed to have any. He hunkered down beside the boy. “Want one?”

  The boy smiled shyly. “Nay, me da says they’re not for buying—just for lookin’. But if I owned me a store, I’d sell everythin’ in it.”

  “Is that your father?” Jake asked, nodding towards the man at the counter.

  “Aye. He’s a blacksmith. You know what a blacksmith is?”

  Jake smiled at the pride reflected in the tiny face. “Yes. Are you settling here?”

  The boy shrugged, the corners of his mouth turning down. “Don’t know. Me da says they got too many smiths here. Da said ‘twould be better here, but it ain’t. I never been so hungry in me ‘ole life.”

  Jake’s heart ached for the boy. “Where did you come from?”

  “Ireland. We came over on a big boat. I was sick the ‘ole time. ‘Twas no fun at all. Da had to pay extra to bring his smithy tools and now he can’t find work. Me mum used to work in people’s houses but there ain’t no fancy folks here what needs a servant. I’m thinking ‘twould have been better to stay in Ireland.”

  Jake’s interest perked up at the news that his mother worked in people’s houses. “What did your mother do in those houses?”

  The boy shrugged. “Worked.”

  Jake held out a hand. “I’m Jake Burnett.”

  The boy put his small hand in Jake’s, and it was swallowed up. “Sean O’Hennessy.”

  “I’m happy to meet you, Sean O’Hennessy.”

  “Damn it, man! I got five hungry children. I’m only asking for a little credit—”

  Jake kept talking to Sean, trying to keep him from hearing his father’s argument.

  “You’ve got no job and no prospects. I’m sorry, Mr. O’Hennessy, but where do you think I’d be if I gave credit to everyone that asked?”

  “Look, man. I’ll sweep your store, I’ll haul your boxes—”

  “I’ve already got a boy that comes in to do that. I wish I could help. But you’ve just told me you spent the last of your money getting your wagon fixed, which sounds to me like you’re planning on moving on. Where would that leave me?”

  “I wouldna leave without paying you, man!” O’Hennessy bellowed.

  “So you say.” Samuel Abrams reached in a drawer and brought out a handful of crumpled papers. “These men all said the same thing. I’m sorry.”

  “Mr. O’Hennessy?”

  The man glaring at Jake was well-muscled from years of working with iron, sledging a hammer atop an anvil. His red hair was almost nonexistent except for a patch that circled just above his neck. Jake thought it was worn thin from constant rubbing. In the few moments he had been observing the man, he had run his hands across his shiny pate no less than a dozen times. Jake extended a hand. “My name’s Jake Burnett.”

  Brian O’Hennessy studied the hand extended to him, then he studied Jake’s eyes. He liked what he saw and shoved his hand out. “Brian O’Hennessy.”

  “Your son tells me you’re a blacksmith.”

  “That I am, man. And a damn good one when I got the work to do.”

  “Your son also tells me your wife used to take care of people’s homes.”

  “That she did. Cleaning, scrubbing, watching babies, whatever was required.”

  “I own a ranch a few miles south of here. I could use a blacksmith. It’s damn inconvenient having to come into town when I need a horse shod or a tool mended. For a while, until I get my herd to market, I could only give you and your family room and board. If you’re interested, the job is yours.”

  Brian rubbed the top of his head. Room and board wouldn’t make him a rich man, but it would keep his children dry and their bellies filled.

  “Yes, sir, I’m interested.”

  “I also have a three-month-old son. Do you think your wife would be interested in caring for my house and son a few hours each morning? I’d pay her for it.”

  “She would.”

  Jake could barely contain his excitement. “Then we’ve got a bargain,” he said, extending his hand again. “Where are you staying?”

  “In a wagon, south end of town.”

  “I’ll pick you up in two hours.”

  Jake handed a piece of paper to Samuel. “I’ll be back to pick these things up in an hour. Put Mr. O’Hennessy’s supplies on my account, too, will you, Sam?”

  “Sure thing, Jake.”

  Jake reached into a glass jar, careful not to take from the one that had been deemed for looking at only, and withdrew five sarsaparilla sticks. “And these, too.”

  He handed them to Sean. “Share these with your brothers and sisters, okay?”

  Sean’s eyes widened at the unexpected gift. “Yes, sir, I will.”

  Jake opened the door and the little bell tinkled. He turned back. “Oh, Mr. O’Hennessy. I’d appreciate it if you and your family wouldn’t say anything to my wife about your wife coming to help out in the morning. I want to surprise Reb.”

  “We’ll keep quiet.”

  Jake walked out the door, his smile broad.

  “Now, that’s a good man,” Brian O’Hennessy commented to the air.

  “Won’t find one finer, not in these parts,” Samuel said. Then he gave Brian a hard stare. “But he wouldn’t have given you credit either.”

  Brian had taken an instant liking to Jake, but still he was surprised to see such a beauty run out of the house and fling herself into Jake’s arms as soon as he jumped down off the wagon. He didn’t know why, but he just hadn’t envisioned Jake Burnett with a woman who could take a man’s breath away.

  Jake lowered Rebecca to the ground before releasing his lips from hers. “I hired a blacksmith.”

  “A blacksmith. Do you honestly think w
e have enough work here to keep a blacksmith busy?”

  “We will in time. And until then he’ll help out with odd jobs.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “Hell, I don’t even know if he’ll stay, but he’s got five hungry kids and at least here they won’t be hungry.”

  He slipped his arm protectively around her. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

  As soon as Jake turned towards the O’Hennessy wagon, a mad scramble began as Brian tried to get his family into some sort of condition to meet people. He lined them up by age, then rearranged them by height, rearranged them by sex, and started to rearrange them again before his wife shoved him aside.

  “The man’s not the king, Bri. I’ll not have you behaving like a fool. Line up,” she said and the children rearranged themselves by age. “That’s how it’s done,” she said, giving her husband a curt nod.

  Rebecca had studied the activity, and she stifled her laughter. She supposed she’d be nervous under the circumstances as well.

  “Brian, this is my wife, Rebecca. Reb, this here’s Brian.”

  Brian removed his hat, his shiny pate reflecting the setting sun. “Ma’am. ‘Tis a pleasure to meet you to be sure. You don’t know how much we appreciate your fine husband givin’ us a chance here.”

  “Believe it or not, Brian, I probably do. Jake was saying just the other night how much simpler life would be if we had a blacksmith living on the ranch.” Jake pinched her waist and she shot a conspiratorial glance his way.

  “Well … did he now? ‘Tis interesting how life works, is it not? Now I’d like to introduce you to the pride and joys of my life. This is my wife, Maura.”

  The tiny woman with the bright red hair and hazel eyes took a quick curtsy.” ‘Tis glad we are to be here.”

  Rebecca suddenly felt as though she had stepped back in time to her first encounter with Carrie. Now she fully understood how her friend had felt.

  “It’ll be nice to have a woman around, Maura. As you’ll soon learn, we are in rare supply here.”

  “And these are our children,” Brian said. “Our eldest son, Kevin. He’s nineteen. He’ll be helping me. He’s learning the trade, he is.”

  Kevin took a small step forward and gave a slight nod of his head.

  “My daughter, Arlene.”

  When Kevin stepped back, Arlene stepped forward and curtsied. At seventeen, she was unaware of her attraction. Like her brothers, her hazel eyes changed with her moods,turning a speckled green when she was happy.

  Patrick, age fourteen, stepped forward next, followed by Neil age ten, and lastly Sean, who produced half a sarsaparilla stick out of his pocket. His face gleamed as he tilted his head back to look up at Jake.

  “Saved half o’mine, I did.”

  Jake tousled the boy’s hair. “We’ll get more next time we go into town.”

  “And this one,” Brian said, patting his wife’s stomach, “I’m hoping is a girl.”

  “Bri!” Maura slapped his hand away. “You’ll bring us bad luck, you will.”

  Frank had been unloading Jake’s wagon during the introductions, not paying much attention. But as he started to turn towards the house with a sack of flour he saw the girl curtsy. The girl? He almost dropped the load he was carrying. Why the hell hadn’t Jake told him there was a woman among the lot? Her hair was pulled back, but most of it had worked its way free and was framing her face like the sparks from the sun. He dropped the bag of flour and ambled towards the wagon of newcomers. It’d be impolite not to introduce himself.

  He forcibly cleared his throat and Jake turned to him.

  “Having trouble with the supplies?”

  “No, sir. You just forgot to introduce me earlier.”

  “I did, didn’t I?” Jake made the introductions.

  Frank removed his hat, tilting his head towards Arlene. “Ma’am. That’s a right pretty name you got. Goes with your face.”

  Arlene blushed and lowered her eyes.

  Jake nudged Frank. “Finish up with the supplies.”

  Frank donned his hat, running his finger slowly along the brim. “Glad to have you folks here with us. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you get settled.”

  He ambled back to the wagon, rarely taking his eyes off Arlene as he hauled in the last of the supplies. She was a pretty thing. Ruth Reading was going to get a taste of jealousy before Frank was finished.

  After making a final notation in the ledger, Rebecca set the pencil down and closed the book. Her eyes tenderly lit upon her husband and son as they lay before the hearth. Jacob was intently studying the large hand with wiggling fingers that was moving towards him. His smile broadened and his feet began kicking vigorously as the fingers moved closer until they landed on his tummy and tickled him. His father’s smile was just as broad as he moved down to replace his wandering fingers with his lips. He blew air against his son’s soft stomach, and Jacob gave his first burst of laughter. Jake’s head snapped around to find Rebecca.

  “Did you hear that?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said, chuckling as she moved to join them on the floor. “You sure are good with him.”

  “He’s so good-natured. He’s a real joy to have around.”

  Rebecca moved in closer to Jake, slipping under his arm and batting her eyelashes at him.

  “Tell me, Jake, does my name go with my face?”

  Jake blew out a gust of air. “Where the hell did that boy pick up that kind of talk?”

  She laughed. “I don’t know. I hope that girl doesn’t get hurt.”

  “I don’t think Frank would hurt her.” “Not intentionally maybe. But he’s so fixated on Ruth it worries me sometimes.”

  Jake kissed the top of her head.

  “I noticed you sent three extra men out tonight. That leaves five empty bunks in the bunkhouse,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “If I were to take a look inside, I wouldn’t find four O’Hennessy sons and one father filling those bunks, would I?”

  “You would. Hell, Reb, the women have been sleeping in the wagon and the men on the ground since they got off the boat. It won’t hurt for us to have extra men out at night.”

  “Just as long as I don’t find you giving up your bed.”

  “Never,” he said as his wiggling fingers moved towards her, bringing tickles and laughter to his wife.

  The sun filtered into the room and Rebecca squinted her eyes before turning her head to look up into Jake’s smiling face.

  “What are you grinning about, Jake Burnett?”

  Reaching over, he dropped a hand down on her bottom. “Get up and get dressed to ride.” He slid out of bed. “Wear pants.”

  She arched a brow. “And what, pray tell, am I to do with our son?”

  “We’ll take him with us if we have to. Just get ready.”

  She had just buttoned her shirt when she heard the door open and Jake announce they had company. She slipped on her boots and came around the quilt, greeted by two smiles.

  “Good morning to ya,” Maura said.

  “Good morning. What can we do for you?”

  Maura looked questioningly up at Jake, whose smile broadened.

  “She’s come to look after the house and Jacob. She’s going to help out every morning for a few hours.”

  Rebecca put her hands on her hips, shaking her head. “And just what am I supposed—” She shrieked and threw herself into Jake’s arms. “It wasn’t the blacksmith you wanted!” She laughed.

  “Shh, woman, there’s a man’s pride at stake,” Jake whispered. He plopped her hat on her head before taking her hand in his and leading her out to the horses. She mounted Shadow. With a challenge set in her eyes, she laughed and galloped away with Jake in hot pursuit.

  The wind blew in her face, the smell of cattle assaulted her nostrils, the sun warmed her, and she rode as though it were the last time she would ever be allowed to do so. She had missed riding, the feel of a horse beneath her. She pulled her horse up short at the crest of the
small hill where Jake had hung the swing. He pulled up beside her. She smiled, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath.

  “Thank you, Jake.”

  Reaching over, he ran his fingers down her cheek. “You weren’t meant to mind a house, Reb.” His gaze swept the far-reaching horizons. “This is where you belong. Out in the open where you can run free.”

  He dismounted. Slipping his hand around hers, entwining their fingers, he escorted her along the hill to a spot where the bluebonnets grew thick and abundant. He lay her down among them, his mouth descending on hers with a deliberate purpose, his tongue sweeping her welcoming warmth. He worked his fingers down beneath the waistband of her pants until he found the haven he sought, gently caressing as her hips pressed up against him. She unbuttoned his shirt, gliding her hands along his flesh.

  Pulling himself free of her hold, he pushed himself to his knees and reached down to release the buttons on her pants. She lifted her hips, while he pushed the pants down her thighs, past her knees, then unbuttoned his own pants, entering her as his lips returned to hers. His thrusts were hard, deep, her fervor equaling his until their passion built beyond its limits.

  Lying among the cool grasses and flowers, Rebecca opened her eyes. She laughed, earning a darkened scowl from Jake.

  “You didn’t even bother to take off your hat,” she chided.

  “I didn’t bother to take anything off,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

  “Your arms are trembling.” She pulled against them. “Lay on me.”

  “I’m too heavy for you,” he said as he rolled over and adjusted her clothes to make her presentable before doing the same for himself. Lying on his back, he brought her to his side.

  “You are the politest man I know, Jake Burnett.” “Had politeness beat into me.” “I suspected as much.”

  He opened his eyes, searching hers. His hand cupped her chin. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It was a long time ago.”

  “Which means it was when you were a boy. When I think—”

  He pulled her face closer to his. “Don’t think. Don’t think about it.” He brought her lips down to his, kissing her tenderly, smiling to himself as he yanked her hat off and tossed it aside.