Lonesome Bride Read online

  Caitleen's eyes moved to where he pointed. Shorty had finally caught the ornery creature and hog-tied it. With a whoop, the cowboy loosed the rope, and the calf was again free.

  "Why did he let him go?"

  "He's practicing,” Jed explained. “It's just fun."

  "It does not look like much fun for the calf."

  Jed peered closely at her, trying to determine if she was truly offended. He saw her smile, and turned back to watch the scene in the corral. “Nope. But he isn't getting hurt."

  "How fortunate for him,” Caite said in a low voice. Then, louder, “I was hoping you might grant me a favor."

  Jed looked at her again. Holding out an envelope, she'd moved closer to him. The breeze that had kicked up wafted the sweet lilac scent of her to him, and suddenly his throat was as dry as a Kansas prairie. He could feel her closeness along the fine hairs of his forearms; they rose in mocking imitation of other parts of him struggling to rise as well.

  She was wearing her bonnet this time. Jed wanted suddenly to reach out, untie the strings and pull the offending cloth away from the glory of red curls beneath. He restrained himself. Barely.

  "Well, I reckon I might, Caite. What is it?"

  Caite smiled at him, obviously relieved he had agreed. She must have been thinking he would refuse her. Jed took satisfaction in having surprised her pleasantly for a change.

  "It is a letter. I was hoping you could post it the next time you went to Staghorn. Lorna says you are planning a trip there soon."

  "I was planning to go this afternoon.” Jed took the envelope, and for an instant, his rough brown fingers slid along her soft white ones. He caught her gaze for a moment before she pulled her hand away. Had she trembled?

  "I would be most grateful if you would mail it for me. I want to let Gerda know I'm all right."

  "Are you all right, Caitleen?” Jed's question was low, but she heard him all right. She stared at him, chewing her lower lip in a way he found deliciously distracting. Then she nodded firmly.

  "Yes, I am,” said Caite. He could imagine her adding, “No thanks to you,” but she didn't say anything else. Seemed she could manage to surprise him pleasantly, too.

  "Good,” was all he could manage to say.

  They stared at each other, the silence growing more awkward with each passing moment. The longer he looked at her, the more he wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss the bejesus out of her.

  "Well, then, thank you,” Caite said suddenly, breaking the silence. She moved away from him, her movements causing her skirts to flutter becomingly around her ankles. Lord, she was gorgeous!

  She made it quite clear how she felt about me, Jed reminded himself fiercely. She didn't want anything to do with him, and he supposed he couldn't blame her. He just couldn't keep himself from trying.

  "Come with me, Caite,” he blurted.

  At his offer, she stopped and turned. “To Staghorn?"

  "Yeah.” Jed followed her. “You said you wanted to become a schoolteacher. If you really want to do it, Staghorn's the place. You can come on in with me and check things out."

  Her eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. “Ride to Staghorn with you, Jed? I seem to remember the last time I traveled with you, I only ended up in trouble."

  Jed laughed harshly. She could turn his most innocent of offers right around. All right, so maybe it hadn't been so innocent, but her lack of trust wounded his pride. “Don't worry, Caitleen,” he said casually. “I think I can resist your charms."

  Two bright spots of color appeared high on her otherwise creamy cheeks. “I see."

  "I reckon I'm not so sure I can trust you to keep your hands off me, though,” Jed remarked, purely to see her reaction. He waggled his eyebrows at her, feeling suddenly roguish. He was well rewarded when she began to splutter, her color rising dramatically.

  "You! I! I would never! I mean...” Caite trailed off as she must have realized the twinkle in his eyes was barely restrained mirth. “You're teasing me."

  "Yep, I reckon I am.” Jed waited to see if she would explode. As usual, she surprised him by laughing out loud instead. To his further surprise, she actually stepped forward and planted a demure kiss upon his left cheek.

  "Thank you, Jed,” Caite laughed, unaware of what havoc her simple gesture had wreaked on him. “It makes me feel so much at home."

  The touch of her lips against his face had his manhood rising so forcefully he thought for a moment he might burst the crotch of his trousers. Tarnation! All at once the rough cloth against his flesh was as tantalizing as a thousand tiny fingers stroking and caressing him. At the thought of Caite's fingers stroking and caressing him, Jed felt the tip of his rod pulse threateningly.

  "Do you want to go with me or not?” he asked harshly, turning back to the fence. He found if he gripped the top rail tightly enough, the splintered wood digging into his fingers was almost enough to distract him from the fire in his pants.

  If his sudden change of mood bothered Caite, she showed no sign. “I'm not sure Lorna can spare me. There's the quilt to be finished, and the garden to tend..."

  "You're not a servant, Caitleen. You don't have to earn your keep. Lorna can spare you,” Jed retorted.

  It was all at once imperative she come with him. The trip itself would take several hours. He had planned to stay the night in Staghorn, but could easily change his plans to stay a little longer. Once in the hotel, it would be easy enough to rig things so they had to share a room. As the pain in his fingers helped his erection to ease, Jed felt ashamed. He was plotting to seduce her again.

  "All right, I shall come with you,” Caite announced, just as he was ready to tell her not to come after all. “We'll only be gone overnight after all."

  "Change of plans,” Jed heard himself say. He knew he was talking from his crotch, but couldn't seem to stop himself. “I'd actually planned on staying at least two, maybe three nights. I have a lot of business to take care of."

  "Oh, I see,” Caite replied doubtfully. “Well, in that case perhaps..."

  "Now may be your only chance for a long time,” Jed cut in roughly. “We have a lot of work to do around here, Caitleen. Nobody has much time to spend dragging you back and forth all over creation."

  Caite's mouth thinned and she crossed her arms in annoyance, but she did not yell. “I shall just go and make sure Lorna doesn't need me."

  "Fine, go. But don't take too long!” Jed called to her retreating form. “I'm ready to roll out of here directly!"

  "You sure you want that ball o’ fire goin’ with you to Staghorn?” Shorty, tired of roping the calf, had dismounted Pinta and crossed to Jed.

  "If she wants to be a schoolmarm, I reckon she's got to find a good position,” Jed retorted uncomfortably.

  Shorty laughed. “Well, pard, I reckon you want to help her find that position more'n anyone."

  Jed scowled at Shorty's rather crude, but accurate, remark. “I'm just trying to be nice, Percival."

  Shorty winced at Jed's use of his given name. “Yowch, there, Jed. I didn't mean nothing by what I said. Just be careful, that's all. Don't get yourself into something you can't get out of."

  Jed tipped his hat to the other man and grinned. “Shorty, that woman ain't got nothing on her I want to get out of."

  Shorty clapped him on the back, but his expression turned serious. “She's a mighty fine lady, Miss Caite is. That's all, Jedson. I'd hate to see her get hurt."

  "Jed!"

  The feminine yell from the front porch curtailed Jed's reply. Caite was standing in the doorway, waving her handkerchief to get his attention. He waved back to show her he had heard her call.

  "Lorna says she can spare me for a few days!” Caite yelled. “I will be out in a few minutes, ready to go!"

  Jed turned back to Shorty. “You got designs on Caitleen, Shorty?"

  If the other man heard the distinct threat in Jed's voice, he was unruffled. He just met Jed's gaze unwaveringly, then looped his rope over his shoulder a