The day started out well. They got off to an early start and the weather was fine after the previous day’s rain. However, the trail was muddy and deeply rutted, and they struggled throughout the day. They freed the wagon from one mud hole only to get mired in the next. Progress was achingly slow, and Liam and Gerald took turns lending assistance to each other as they plodded along. Several times they had to use all the extra oxen to pull the wagons out of the muck. By evening, they had traveled only a few miles, and they made camp near a creek that flowed through dense woods.
Liam was covered nearly head to toe with a liberal coating of mud. He should have been exhausted from the day, but he was too eager for the coming night. After wolfing down his supper, he retrieved clean clothes, soap and a towel from the wagon. He gave Selena a roguish grin.
“I’m going to take a bath in the creek.” He came to tower over her and was careful not to get her dirty when he bent to press a quick kiss on her upturned lips. “Then I believe we have a date.” He raised one brow in question and held his breath for her response.
Selena blushed but met his eyes and gave him a sultry smile. “I’ll be waiting. Hurry back.”
She watched him disappear into the woods and quickly washed all the dishes. When they were put away, she went to the tent and made their pallet. She smiled to herself as she made one larger pallet rather than two, and her smile turned into a lustful grin. Closing her eyes, she remembered their morning interlude, and she was anxious to feel Liam’s strong arms around her again.
She puttered around, but after a while, she ran out of things to keep her occupied, and she wondered what was taking Liam so long to return. He bathed every evening, and she usually had barely enough time to make out their beds before he was back. Suddenly worried that something might have happened to him, she set out to look for him.
Liam reached the creek and quickly doffed his muddy clothes beneath the light of the full moon. He grabbed the soap and waded into the creek, sucking in his breath from the coolness of the water. Although it was late May, the rivers and creeks were still cold enough to make bathing somewhat uncomfortable, but lately, he had come to welcome the chill since it cooled his ardor. Tonight, he barely noticed the cold water as he hurriedly washed.
Standing thigh deep in the water, he lathered his body and hair, scrubbing away the sweat and grime. He sank beneath the water and resurfaced, wiping his hair out of his eyes as he walked toward the bank. He was nearly to the edge when he glanced up and saw a woman standing nearby. At first, he thought it was Selena, but he quickly realized his error and took a few steps back until the water was above his waist.
“Natasha, how long have you been there?” he growled.
She came forward with a throaty laugh. “Long enough to thoroughly enjoy your bath. I always thought you would look magnificent without your clothes and I’m glad that I wasn’t disappointed.”
Liam placed his hands on his hips and glared at her. “Well now that you’ve enjoyed your little peep show, get lost so I can get out of here.”
“Oh, don’t be such a spoiled sport,” she simpered. “I thought I might join you.” She began to unbutton her dress.
“Dammit, Natasha. Stop acting like a floozy and go back to your family.”
“I don’t think so,” she said, shrugging out of her dress to let it fall at her feet. She started on the buttons of her chemise.
“Natasha, I’m a married man. I already have a wife, and I don’t want you.” Liam was holding his temper firmly in check. Natasha’s forwardness angered him but not nearly as much as the fact that she was delaying him from getting back to Selena.
“Ah, but that’s the problem isn’t it?” Natasha asked.
She dropped her chemise and quickly wriggled free of her pantalets. Her naked form was clearly lit by the moonlight, and she showed no shame as she waded into the water. Natasha had overheard Selena talking with her mother, and she knew that Liam’s marriage was not what it seemed. She was determined to steal him away for herself, and she was willing to use all her feminine wiles to accomplish that goal.
“I know that Selena is not really a wife to you, Liam. I’ve noticed the two of you together. She doesn’t want to please you, but I do.”
Liam was taken aback by the woman’s boldness. His eyes raked her naked body dispassionately, and he gave her a harsh frown. “Grow up, Natasha. I don’t want you.”
Before he could stop her, Natasha closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck. She pressed her breasts against him and kissed him full on the mouth. Liam reached to grab her arms and shove her away just as he heard a startled gasp. He saw Selena standing on the bank, and his heart sank to his toes. He knew quite well what conclusions she would draw. She whirled and fled back through the woods.
Liam cursed viciously and flung Natasha aside, heedless of the fact that she sank beneath the water and came up sputtering and coughing. He waded to the shore and wrapped the towel around his waist, not even bothering to dress. He stepped into his boots and scooped up his clothes before turning a heated glare on Natasha.
“Don’t ever come near me again. You’re lucky I’m not going to tell Gerald about this, because I have a feeling he would beat you senseless. However, if you so much as look at me the wrong way again, you can bet I will tell him.”
Without another word, Liam hurried back to camp.
Selena raced back to camp, running so fast her side began to ache. She felt panicked tears welling and she angrily brushed at her cheeks. She felt like such a fool! Thank God she hadn’t given herself to Liam. That would have been the crowning blow to her pride.
By the time she reached the tent, cold fury had began to blossom in her heart. She flung the flap aside and her eyes lit on the pallet she had carefully laid out. The covers were turned back invitingly, and they now seemed to mock her. In a temper, she stepped onto the blankets and kicked at them until they were a tangled heap. She snatched up two of them and went to the wagon, where she bent and made a pallet underneath it. Just as she was smoothing out the top blanket, she heard Liam returning.
At first, he didn’t notice her beneath the wagon, and he went straight to the tent. Not seeing her inside, he glanced around and spotted her.
“Selena, listen. It’s not what you think,” he assured her, rushing to her side.
Selena threw him a glare from over her shoulder. When she saw that he was still wet and dressed only in a towel, she jerked back to face her pallet.
“Leave me alone.”
“Dammit, you don’t know what happened.” Liam grasped her arm to turn her around. “I can explain.”
Selena was in no mood to hear his explanations and she yanked her arm loose from his grasp. “Let go of me!” Her eyes burned with fury as they raked his naked chest. “To think that I almost fell for your seduction, when all the time you’ve been enjoying Natasha on the side. Now I understand why you are so faithful about taking your evening baths. You two must have been carrying on for quite some time.”
Liam’s temper began to flare at the unjustness of her accusations, but he was struggling to control it. Still, his voice was an ominous growl as he replied.
“Selena, it’s not like that. I swear to you that I haven’t been with Natasha before. She just showed up tonight, and before I could stop her she had stripped off her clothes.”
Selena’s mocking laughter made it clear that she didn’t believe him. “Oh sure,” she sneered. “Poor Liam. It’s such a shame that beautiful women just throw themselves at you and you’re helpless to defend yourself.” Her eyes took on a feral gleam as she viciously poked a finger into his chest. “Well don’t worry. I won’t be one of them anymore. As soon as we get to Oregon, I’ll be out of your life for good.”
Liam grabbed her arm again when she went to turn away. “I know what it must have looked like, but Selena, you have to believe me. I wasn’t making love to Natasha. I told her to go away and leave me alone.”
Selena looked
down at his hand on her arm before she fixed him with a steely eyed glare. “Take your hand off me,” she gritted out. When he reluctantly complied, she continued. “Don’t touch me again. I’m not one of your little trollops to be handled whenever you feel like it. From now on, I’m off limits to you.”
Without another word, she brushed past him and stalked to the back of the wagon to retrieve her nightgown. Liam stood rigidly watching her go. He hated to admit it, but his reaction would have been even worse than hers if the situation had been reversed. He would likely have murdered any man that he saw holding his naked wife, and he knew there was no way to make her see reason until she had time to cool off. He ran a hand through his hair and trudged to the tent.
He entered to find the heap of blankets on the ground and his heart constricted in his chest. This was supposed to be the night he and Selena would have shared their bodies and consummated their marriage vows. Instead, he was destined to spend another sleepless night alone. He tossed his clothes on the ground and smoothed the blankets into a pallet. Liam crawled between the covers and stared into the darkness.
He would speak to Selena tomorrow and explain what had happened. He could only hope that she would be willing to believe him, because he didn’t know how much longer he could stand this tension. He could hear her settling into her own bed, and he released a deep sigh of frustration. Liam had realized some time ago that he wanted Selena as his wife. He loved her, and he knew he could never be happy without her in his life. He would have to find some way to make her understand what she meant to him.
Selena lay on her pallet and tears rolled unheeded down her face. Over the last few weeks, she had begun to believe that she and Liam were building a future together. He had told her about his farm in Oregon, and she had envisioned herself there, as his wife and the mother of his children. Now, her entire future was up in the air. She knew she could go to her sister’s home, but the idea was unappealing. Selena had always wanted a home and a family of her own. She had thought Liam was the husband of her dreams. It seemed those dreams had been built on nothing but a lie.
She closed her eyes to sleep, but she kept seeing visions of Liam and Natasha clasped together in the moonlight. Nothing had ever hurt Selena so much. She felt like there was nothing left to work for, nothing left to wish for.
Selena dozed fitfully, and when morning came, she was exhausted. She dragged herself from her bed and went about stoking the fire out of habit. She put the coffee on to boil and had begun to make biscuits when Liam emerged from the tent. He gave her an assessing look, as if he were gauging her mood, before turning away to tend to the oxen. Selena ignored him and finished the biscuits. Liam brought her the morning eggs and milk before he left to finish his chores. He gave her another questioning glance, but she refused to acknowledge him. By the time Liam returned, Selena had breakfast ready. She filled a plate for him and handed it to him without comment. She took a plate for herself, even though she didn’t feel like eating.
Selena sat as far as possible from Liam. She pushed the food around, eating a few bites but not tasting the food. When she couldn’t eat any more, she started to gather the pans and dishes and turned to Liam to retrieve his plate. She noticed he hadn’t been able to eat either. When she would have brushed past him, Liam snagged her hand and pulled her down beside him. Selena started to struggle against him, but his fingers remained locked. His hold on her was gentle but firm, and he waited patiently until she met his eye.
“Are you ready to listen now, Selena?” he asked her quietly.
“We have nothing to talk about. Just let me go.” Selena felt tears burning at the backs of her eyes and she was loathe to cry in front of him.
“We have a great deal to talk about, but I need you to listen.” Liam’s voice remained calm. He reached out to lift her chin until she was looking at him. The tears swimming in her lovely eyes nearly broke his heart. “Selena, if you think about it, you will realize that I have never lied to you.”
“That’s what I thought until last night,” she cried. Her hurt and anguish caused her voice to crack.
“Selena, last night was a big misunderstanding. I swear to you, as God is my witness, I did not betray you. I haven’t even thought about another woman since I met you.” Liam smiled ruefully, “I’ve been so obsessed with thoughts of you that there is no room in my tiny brain to think about anyone else.”
His comment would normally have made Selena smile, but she jerked her chin free from his hand and looked away. “Liam, what do you expect me to believe? I saw you with my own eyes.”
“I know what you saw, sweetheart. I thought about it last night and I would have jumped to the same conclusion you did, but that doesn’t make it right.”
Liam heaved a deep sigh and pulled her against his chest. Her head rested beneath his chin, and he stared up into the dawning sky, stroking her hair as he continued. It was easier to talk rationally when he didn’t see her tear-streaked face.
“Selena, when I went to the creek last night, I was rushing to bathe so I could return to you. I’ve been crazy with lust for you, and you had finally promised to be mine. I could think of nothing else but hurrying back. But when I was done and I started out of the creek, Natasha was there. She had come while I was bathing, and I didn’t know. I asked her to leave so I could get out, but instead, she undressed and came to me. Selena, I know it sounds unbelievable. I could barely believe it myself, but she literally threw herself at me. Before I could peel her off, you came and saw us together.” Liam grasped her shoulders and held her at arm’s length to stare into her eyes. “Selena, I swear to you, that’s what happened.”
Selena stared back at him for a long time, wanting desperately to believe what he was saying. “I don’t know, Liam. I just don’t know what to believe.”
“I can understand that,” he whispered. His eyes pleaded with her. “All I’m asking is that you don’t shut me out. I’m begging you to trust me and trust your own intuition. You’ve told me before that you have a knack for seeing how people really are. Don’t you know me by now? Don’t you know I would never do anything to hurt you?”
Selena’s confusion was apparent, and she frowned up at him. “I thought I knew you. I don’t know,” she said again. She looked down at her lap. “I need some time to think.”
“I’ll give you whatever time you need,” Liam’s rueful snort surprised her and she looked at him to see a resigned smile on his face. “I pray that you don’t take too long to decide, because I just might die from wanting you.” He was gratified to see the barest hint of a smile on her lips. “Take your time and trust your heart. I hope you’ll realize that you can trust me again.”
Selena scanned his face seeing only honest sincerity in his eyes. Just moments before, she had felt dead inside, but suddenly her heart was soaring with hope. Was it possible that she was wrong? Her mind hung back, still doubtful. She didn’t want to be a fool.
She gave a small nod before looking back down at her lap. “Alright, Liam. Let me think about everything.”
“Thank you,” he murmured. He lifted her hand to place a kiss on the backs of her fingers, and his eyes glowed with a strange light when they met hers. “I’ll be waiting.”
Selena rose from his lap and cleared the dishes. They had to hurry to pack up their gear, as most of the other families were already starting to leave. Liam lifted her to the seat, and they started their daily journey. Sitting beside him, Selena was more keenly aware than usual of his leg brushing hers, his shoulder rubbing against her. She desperately wanted to believe him. Her entire happiness depended on it.
Chapter Eight
They reached a wide river, swollen from the recent rains, and the fast moving current posed a problem. The wagons crossed one at a time, and while the water was deep, the current didn’t seem to cause too much difficulty for the teams. The oxen swam to the other side as the water rose up the sides of the wagon bed.
Several families had already crossed, including the
Boyds by the time it was Liam and Selena’s turn. The oxen waded into the water and began to swim. Selena clutched the side of the bench as the water level steadily rose, but since Liam showed no alarm, she trusted that they would be fine. It seemed to take forever, but the oxen eventually began to get their footing on the opposite bank. Liam and Selena heard shouts from the people who had already crossed, and they looked up just in time to see a dead tree come floating down the river to crash into the side of their wagon.
The impact was enough to knock Selena off the bench, and her arms flailed in the air as she tumbled into the river. She struggled against the current and the weight of her skirts, and she surfaced a good thirty feet away. She thrashed in the water and looked up in time to see Liam anxiously searching for her. He spotted her and dove in after her just as she was pulled under once more by the sucking currents. Selena kicked and thrashed to break free of the water’s grip. The tree that had struck them floated past the wagon, and just as Selena managed to clear the surface, it slammed into her.
Liam watched in horror as she sank beneath the tree, and he frantically swam the last few feet. He dove under the water, groping through the murky depths until his lungs were burning for air. He kicked to the surface and grabbed another breath before diving again. His hand brushed something that felt like cloth, and he snatched it. To his relief, it was Selena’s dress. He dragged her to the surface and held her in the crook of his arm, making sure her head was clear of the water as he battled against the current. His feet struck the bank, and he carried Selena onto the grass. He wasn’t sure if she was alive or dead. She was completely still, blood was streaming down the side of her face from a deep gash near her temple, and her skin was deathly pale.
Trailing Home: Liam's Bride (The McKenzie Series #3) Page 16
