by Starla Kaye
Adam
Braddocks, Book Two
By
Starla Kaye
©2012 by Blushing Books® and Starla Kaye
Copyright © 2012 by Blushing Books® and Starla Kaye
All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Starla Kaye
“Live, love, laugh… such simple words, but words I take to heart. There are never enough hours in my day to do even half of the things I would like to do. But no matter how crazy my life get, I try to incorporate my words to live by (live, love, laugh) into each day.”
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Don’t miss these other exciting stories by Starla Kaye:
All He Wants For Christmas
Bah, Humbug Cowboy
Cupid’s Mistake
If You Loved Me
Chapter One
August 1878, Dryfork Kansas
Timing was everything and his was the worst.
Adam froze in the doorway of Henderson’s Mercantile, gaped at the sight of a britches–covered bottom thrust up high as the young helper, Aaron, bent over in front of the glass–fronted counter. The bottom wiggled back and forth and he couldn’t have looked away if he’d wanted to. Which worried him greatly. What the hell was he doing staring at a young man’s backside?
With one final wiggle, a voice called out, “See? I can move around just fine in these pants.” But it wasn’t Aaron who straightened, turned, and tossed a waist–long red braid over a very feminine shoulder in a boy’s white shirt.
Adam was barely aware of Annabelle Henderson and Jennie Braddock standing off to the side of the store. His entire focus centered on Faith Paddington. The mayor’s spoiled, outrageous daughter was always up to some sort of mischief… if she wasn’t harassing him about this or that. Lately she’d left him alone and he’d been pleased. All right, he’d missed her pestering him, but never in his life would he admit that to anyone.
“What are you doing wearing a boy’s britches?” he barked and drew the attention of all the women. “What would your father think?”
That little bit of a nose of hers shot up, her slender shoulders stiffened. “I’m trying them on to see if they’re what I need. Not that anything I do is any of your business.”
“They aren’t what you need. Put your dress back on like a respectable lady.” It wasn’t that he didn’t like the sight of her sweet, perfectly shaped body in the britches and shirt. No, he liked it too much. But he damn well didn’t want another man walking in here and seeing her. “Now.”
She didn’t move, simply glowered at him. In her agitation, her plump breasts heaved and pushed out the shirt’s front to its limit. He swallowed hard, curled his hands into fists at his sides. Desire raged through him. He’d been far too long without a woman. It was time he made a trip into the nearby Dodge City and found someone to take the edge off his desires.
Jennie, Faith’s good friend and his sister–in–law, stepped toward Faith. “She’s not doing anything wrong. Leave her be.”
He forced his gaze in her direction. “You best not be thinking about wearing such clothes, Jennie Braddock. Daniel would bust your butt good.” As her cheeks turned pink, he shifted his gaze back to Faith. “A lady should dress as a lady.”
Faith rolled her eyes. “Lots of women wear britches or riding skirts.”
“Women who live on ranches and help their men folk, maybe. Not women who live in town and have no need for such clothing.” He was starting to sweat and it had nothing to do with the heat of the mid–August day. He couldn’t stop glancing at her breasts, wondering if they would fit his hands just right, wondering if they would be soft to his touch.
Now Annabelle moved beside the other two women. Her lightly lined face pinched tight in disgust… and did he see a hint of pain, too? She pinned him with a hard look. “Adam Braddock, you get on out of here. Go cause a problem somewhere else.”
He blinked at her, puzzled. She’d never been anything but gentle and kind to anyone, as far as he knew. She’d generally gone out of her way to be patient and understanding with him. She worried about him, even when he got surly with people.
“I came in here to−” he started.
“I don’t care why you came in here.” She pulled in a shaky breath, putting a hand over her heart. “I’m doing business with Faith right now.”
“Selling her a pair of boy’s britches,” he gritted out in annoyance. But he was getting concerned, as the older woman’s complexion seemed to grow paler.
He stepped closer. “Are you all right, Annabelle?” Maybe he should go round up Doc Carpenter.
She tipped her chin up just like Faith had done. “I’m perfectly fine.”
Faith inched next to her and looked anxiously at him. “She’s had a few days lately where she’s felt poorly. She needs help around here, especially since Aaron quit to work on your brother’s ranch.”
He’d heard – but forgotten for a second – that the sixteen–year–old boy had decided he wanted to try being a cowboy. Ben had hesitated taking him on because of his protective feelings about Annabelle. She pretty much treated all of the Braddock brothers as the sons she’d never had and they all watched after her as much as they could. So how the devil had he not noticed her feeling poorly? He worked and lived next door to her. Was he so lost in his doldrums that he didn’t see what happened around him anymore?
Irritated with himself, he sounded gruffer than he meant to as he said, “Maybe you should close the store.”
Every one of t
he women sent him sizzling looks.
“I’ll do no such thing!” Annabelle snapped. She stretched to her full non–intimidating height a good foot shorter than him. “I just need to take it a bit easier for a while.” She nodded at Faith. “Sweet Faith is going to help me out for now.”
Faith looked sourly at him. “I suppose you have an objection to that too. As you do to the britches I plan to wear around here while I work.”
Lord yes! He already saw too much of her as she continually chased after him. At least he had. Until about a month ago. He still hadn’t figured what had brought about the change in her. He’d been too busy congratulating himself on finally being rid of the little nuisance. But to have her working next door to him on an almost daily basis… .
“I can’t imagine that your father will allow it.”
She glanced away, clearly bothered by his comment. Then she faced him again. “I’m not a child anymore. I’m twenty–one and perfectly capable of making my own decisions.”
He noted how Jennie was worrying her lower lip, her pretty face pinched in concern. Even Annabelle appeared uneasy. They all knew the town’s opinionated mayor had a good heart but he also believed in being the strong head of his household. Nothing had ever been said about him applying a firm hand to his wife’s or to Faith’s bottom. Discipline was a private business. But many in town had witnessed one of the women squirming uncomfortably now and then on the church pew on a Sunday morning. Himself included. It didn’t bother him, though. Both Sarah and her daughter Faith could be trials at times.
“What you need is a husband, a household of your own to take care of. Then you wouldn’t have time for…” He closed his mouth at the furious looks cast in his direction.
To his surprise, Faith said calmly, “I have decided to be a spinster. Men are more trouble than they’re worth and I don’t need one in my life.”
“Now, Faith dear,” Annabelle quietly protested. “Just because––”
Faith shot him a withering look and then moved around the counter, heading for the back room. “No, it’s more than Adam’s determined resistance to my attentions. I’ve been courted numerous times over this last month by some of the cowboys in the area, you know that. But not a one of them truly wanted more than to get in my bloomers.”
She glanced back at Adam, and then continued on her way. “While it might be enjoyable having a man rut into me, I want more than a man’s seed. Since that appears to be all men are interested in…Well, I’ll be content to live alone.”
Adam gaped at her bold declaration, slowly fuming. “She’s been courted? By some of the yahoos around here?”
Annabelle seemed to have recovered now and shook her head sadly at him. “Did you think she would wait forever for you to come to your senses? She’s pretty. She’s sweet. Of course there are men around these parts wanting to court her.”
He didn’t want her constantly trying to whittle away at his resistance. He’d decided after his first wife died giving birth he never wanted to go through all that pain again. Loving someone was nothing but a headache, heartache, too. But, hell, he hated the notion of Faith going out with any of the men around Dry Fork. What was her father thinking allowing that?
Frustrated, he snapped, “Faith Paddington is not sweet. She’s trouble. Too outspoken for her own good. Too daring and independent.” What she needed was a good walloping to get these crazy thoughts out of her head. “A decent woman doesn’t talk about men wanting to get in her bloomers.”
He sucked in a steadying breath, horrified at the idea of any man touching her in that way. “Talking about a man’s seed. She needs her mouth washed out with soap for speaking such things. A hand applied to––”
Faith poked her head back into the room, eyes blazing. “Rutting or spanking. That’s all men seem to think about doing to their women.”
“Some women need their butt burned from time to time.” He refused to talk about the “rutting” because he was already fighting down an erection just at the thought of pounding into her.
Disgusted with all of it, he turned and stomped out of the mercantile.
* * *
Faith sat across the dinner table from her parents. She had dreaded confronting her father with her decision and, just as she’d thought, he hadn’t taken her announcement well. Her stomach knotted, knowing she would face his wrath and certain punishment, but she would not back down. She waited for his explosion.
It came swiftly. “Daughter, you are not going to work in that mercantile. I won’t have it.”
She saw his hands tightening as he held a knife and fork, and then he tossed them down. Her heart raced. You can change your mind. Save yourself from a licking for going against him. But she remained quiet, determined. This was important to her.
“Now, Sylvester,” her mother gently protested and earned a scowl from her father. “Annabelle needs some help right now. I see nothing wrong in Faith helping out.”
Her father’s face reddened and he shoved his plate away. He didn’t like anyone going against him. “Stay out of this or face the consequences.”
“I’m an adult now. I can make my own decisions.” Faith didn’t want her mother being punished for defending a choice she’d made.
“You live under my roof, do you not?”
“Yes, but…” They’d had this argument many times before. His roof meant under his rules. Meaning whatever he said must be obeyed.
“No buts to it, Faith Marie Paddington.” He steadied his gaze, pressed, “I say you working in the mercantile isn’t proper. You need to focus on finding a husband.”
She thought back to Adam’s carrying on about her wearing the britches, how a proper lady wore dresses. That disagreement still bothered her. “Are you saying Annabelle Henderson isn’t a proper lady because she works in the mercantile?”
“Of course he’s not saying that,” her mother interrupted.
“I told you to stay out of this, Sarah Anne.” He focused on Faith once more. “Her situation is entirely different. She’s a widow woman, owns the store.”
She knew she was treading on dangerous ground, but Faith refused to be swayed from her decision. “She’s a woman alone. I am a woman alone.” She hesitated, feeling her face heating. “All right, at the moment I don’t live alone. But I’m planning on doing just that. Soon.”
Her father’s eyes bugged out. “You will do no such thing! You are not moving out of this house until you take a husband. I won’t have it!”
Annoyed that he wouldn’t listen to her wishes, she shoved back her chair and stood. “I am going to work with Annabelle at the mercantile. And I am going to move out on my own as soon as I have the money to do so.”
She heard her mother suck in a worried breath at her clear defiance of her father’s wishes. She listened to his chair being pushed back on the hardwood floor. As he stood, she knew what he was going to say even before he said it. But she wasn’t going to back down. She would suffer the consequences.
“You will go to your room and wait for me, Faith Marie. Be ready for a sound thrashing.” His tone was firm and she knew there would be no changing his mind at this point.
Her knees were weak as she walked away with as much dignity as possible. Behind her she heard her parents arguing and finally her mother quietly saying, “Yes, Sylvester.” No doubt her mother would be disciplined this night as well. And it was all her fault.
* * *
Adam sat at one of the tables near the piano in the Tumbleweed Saloon, nursing a whiskey. How many had he had already? He’d stormed in here after closing up his barbershop and not knowing where else to go. Even though it had only been mid–day and the saloon wasn’t officially open, Angelica had let him in. They occasionally tangled over something, but for the most part the saloon owner and he got along.
Business was picking up by now. A dozen cowboys from nearby ranches had wandered in as they usually did on a Saturday night. Angelica’s two waitresses were making the rounds, chatting wit
h the familiar men, bringing them requested drinks. Doc Carpenter had just sat down at the piano prepared to play the ivories for another night as he did most nights. For the most part everyone kept their distance from Adam, which pleased him greatly.
Then his younger brother Ben ambled through the front doors and into the dimly lit saloon. His twin, Caleb, was with him. Behind them came Daniel. All three brothers headed straight for him, expressions sour. Damnation. Had Jennie gone straight home to her husband and tattled on him about his argument with Annabelle and Faith? He felt bad about causing Annabelle any grief, but not Faith. No, definitely not that little spitfire.
“What brings the three of you in here tonight?” He tossed back the rest of his whiskey.
Ben and Caleb pulled out chairs and sat down. Daniel spun his chair around and straddled it, bracing his forearms on the back. “Apparently some jackass brother of ours upset Annabelle Henderson.”
“Jennie tell you that?” Adam lifted his glass and called to the bartender, “Another whiskey.”
“That and that you had words with Faith. Unkind words.” Daniel looked him eye–to–eye. “What the devil has gotten into you lately?”
“Yeah,” Caleb added. “You’ve been so edgy that men are steering clear of your place. Afraid to take a chance with their lives to have you hold a knife to their throat for a shave, let alone get a haircut.”
It took him a few seconds before he finally grumbled, “Last week was three years.” He didn’t have to explain further. His brothers immediately understood he was referring to Meredith and the baby dying three years ago. It wasn’t that he particularly missed Meredith, who had become a true harpy as soon as her father had forced them to marry when Adam had gotten her pregnant. But he sure did miss the son he hadn’t had a chance to raise, even to hold.
