Badland Bride (13 page)

In no time they were frolicking in the water, thoroughly enjoying a refreshing, playful game of underwater tag. She dove deep, quickly swam several yards closer to the shore before popping her head out of the water. The spot where she'd left him was smooth, not a ripple swirled the water. Her heart stopped for a moment. Worried, she planted her feet in the soft sand and twisted about to look for him. She gasped as firm hands grasped her waist. His head shot out of the water in front of her. The look in his eyes said it was time for the game to become serious.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body against his hot, wet, flesh from knee to chest. His lips picked a trail across her shoulders, fueling her need for him until she withered. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she whispered, “Now, please, now."

He didn't disappoint her. His hands, lips, and body pleasured her until she held on for dear life. Ultimate quakes of ecstasy left her so weak, if by chance she slipped from his arms, she'd drown for sure.

The last bits of daylight were fading by the time he carried her out of the water, back to their misshapen pile of clothes. “Have I told you how happy you make me?” she asked.

His eyes widened, almost as if he was shocked by what she said.

She caressed his cheek. “Evidently, I haven't. Forgive me for being remiss."

His arms squeezed her so tight, for a split second she thought she might smother. Hot and delightful, his mouth settled on hers, breathed his very breath of life into her. The only thing that would make her happier was if the baby growing in her womb was his. The thought sent a chill up her spine, made her quiver.

He let her loose, quickly bent down for her clothes. “Here, I don't want you to catch a chill."

Disappointed, she sighed. Her rambling mind had broken the enchanted spell. She took the lacy, old fashioned undergarments. “That would be impossible. It had to be close to a hundred degrees today."

He stepped into his pants. “We'll be at the land about noon tomorrow."

"Really?” she asked, tying the wide string at the waist of her pantaloons. The floppy underwear was surprisingly comfortable, and the camisole wasn't nearly as sweat trapping as her bra.

"Yes, but as long as we're coming along the trail, I want to make a quick detour to check on the bone excavation near the edge of our property line.” He tugged his boots on.

"Bone excavation?"

"Yes, I told you about the bones."

She tugged the simple, light blue dress over her head. “Yes, but I didn't know an excavation was going on. What are they finding?"

"I won't know until we stop."

She giggled at his teasing, grabbed his shirt off the ground, and threw it at him. He caught it, laughing.

"We were wondering what was taking so long,” Kid's voice sounded as he and Jessie walked around the trees.

"Decided a bath was in order,” Skeeter said, shaking the water from his hair.

Kid and Jessie looked at each other. A knowing smile grew on their faces.

Lila ran her fingers through her hair, and then picked up a stack of dishes. “Jessie would you mind carrying the rest of these?” she asked, nodding at the few she'd left on the ground.

Jessie and Kid gave her a startled look.

Skeeter stepped forward. “I'll help."

She started to protest. He touched a finger to her lips. Irritated, Lila let out a little huff and began walking away. He quickly caught up, dishes in hand. Without a glance his way, she plodded toward the wagons.

"What's wrong?” he asked.

"Jessie shouldn't be swimming in her condition."

"Why not, you just did."

She rolled her eyes. “That's different."

"How?"

She thought quickly, trying to come up with an answer. “Because I'm not as far along as she is."

He grabbed her arm, his hold wasn't hard, but still it forced her to stop and look at him. “Why are you so obsessed with Jessie's pregnancy?"

"I'm not obsessed—"

"Yes you are. She can't turn around without you telling her what she should be doing and what she can't. What she can eat, where she can sit, what she can carry—"

"I do not,” she interrupted.

"Yes, you do."

"Well—she's pregnant and shouldn't be doing some things.” She glanced at the trees, light giggles floated through the bushes. “Like swimming. Kid should know better."

"Kid's not going to let anything happen to Jessie."

In the past week, Skeeter had never raised her ire, but right now steam formed in her ears. “Kid's not God, Skeeter. When are you going to figure that out?” She tugged out of his grasp, walked away. Glancing over her shoulder, she added, “He can't save Jessie from everything."

He threw his empty hand in the air. “Now you're mad at me because Kid and Jessie went swimming?"

"It's true, men are ignorant no matter what century they live in,” she muttered.

"What?” He'd caught up to her.

She balanced the dishes in one hand, used the other to grab the couple he held. “Just leave me alone."

"Lila—"

"Just leave me alone, Steven!” She'd never used his given name, but right now she was so mad at him he didn't seem like Skeeter to her. Stiff grass crumbled beneath her feet as she stomped toward the wagon. How on earth was she going to make sure Jessie's delivery wasn't fatal if no one else was willing to heed her warnings? People in the eighteen hundreds had to be the most stubborn people ever. They all thought there was nothing they couldn't tackle.

After settling the dishes in the storage crates, Lila climbed in the back of their wagon, flopped down on the feather tick Skeeter had spread out for the night. Jessie was going to die, and nobody but her realized it. And even if by some miracle she didn't, the baby certainly would, which could be just as devastating. She stared at the canvas flopping overhead. The wind made it bubble like a parachute. The death of the baby would tear Jessie apart. The poor girl didn't deserve that. Losing a child was terribly hard on parents. She knew that first hand. When she'd been seven, her mother had a baby that died right after birth. He'd been named Charles after her father, and if it hadn't been for the medical care her mother had received, her mother would have died as well. Lila could still remember all the blood. Her mother had started hemorrhaging after she came home from the hospital, and gallons of bright-red blood had soaked right through the mattress on the bed before the ambulance had arrived with flashing red lights and whisked her away.

The back of her throat burned, her face scrunched, and with a loud sob, the tears began to flow with a grand force. She tried to blanket her mind, not think of the baby growing in her womb or the event that was sure to happen, but it was impossible. Just as not thinking about her parents was. She'd thought about them several times this past week. Reflected on how much her father will enjoy hearing about all she saw, all she did. Until this very moment, she hadn't thought of what they must be going through.

It was understandable; she wasn't prone to worry when separated from them. They traveled a lot. In May, they'd left to spend the summer in Alaska, and weren't due to return to Kansas until October.

Her mind swirled. What if someone had found her car and called them?

"Lila?” Skeeter stuck his head in the back opening.

She rolled onto her side, hid her face behind both hands.

"Ah, honey.” The wagon groaned as he climbed in. His hands tugged her close. Strong arms instantly gathered her into an embrace. “Shh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

Despite her previous anger, she was unable to resist the sheltered, loving comfort he offered. His chest felt so solid under her cheek, his arms so strong and consoling. Her emotions were in complete upheaval. With a renewed energy they peaked, her sniffles became uncontrollable. “My face is probably on milk cartons by now,” she sobbed.

"What?"

"My...face. It's on a milk carton."

Gently, he rocked her back and forth. “Shh,” he whispered.

The tears kept flowing, and she buried her face in his shirt. “Or maybe they stop doing that when the lost person is over eighteen. There was this kid from Minnesota, his name was Jacob, and they even had his picture on semi trailers.” The memory made her sobs increase. A hot knot tightened in her chest.

Every missing person she'd ever heard of on CNN flashed in her mind. Pictures of their parents crying on national T.V. tore at her heart. Was that what her parents were doing? Her dad was almost seventy. The stress could cause a massive coronary. “Oh, God, it's going to kill him."

Skeeter grasped her cheeks, forced her to lift her head. “Kill who? What are you talking about?"

She didn't try to open her eyes. Knew she couldn't see anything through the burning tears. “My father. It's going to give him a heart attack."

"Your father? Lila, you're not making any sense. What's going to give him a heart attack?"

She grabbed his wrists. “They're probably searching for shallow graves, looking for my remains."

His lips, warm and gentle brushed over her forehead. “Nobody is looking for your remains."

"You don't know that.” She pulled her head back.

"Honey, you're sitting right here in front of me."

She snapped her eyes open, wiped at the tears with the heels of her hands. “In eighteen-eighty-two, but what about two-thousand-eight? My parents probably think I died, or at the very least I'm missing. Not knowing what happened to me has to be awful for them."

His face softened, his eyes filled with concern. “Oh, honey, I never thought of that.” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Come here."

She went willingly, snuggled into his chest. “I have to get home."

"I know. I'll get you back to the future. As soon as possible.” His chin settled on her head. “I promise."

His assurance eased the pain gripping her body. There was nothing like the comfort his hold provided. Nothing she could compare to the way his presence wrapped her in a perfect, loved-filled shroud. Snuggled against his solid, welcomed strength, gradually her distress faded as if he absorbed her grief. He continued to cradle her, rocked her until a deep, tranquil peacefulness filled her.

The next morning as they rolled into the excavation area, Skeeter tried to shake a heavy tension from his shoulders. His guts were rolling like a rapid river again. Nothing had prepared him for loving someone. At least not this crazy up and down ride he was on. He went from riding high, to feeling lower than a snake's belly. Loving Lila was easy, wonderful, but trying to figure her out more confusing than reading the Bible upside down. He hadn't meant to upset her last night, had really just gone to help her with the dishes. Of course he hadn't been able to deny her suggestion of skinny-dipping anymore than he could deny his body of breathing. He still didn't know what had triggered her anger, and suspected he needed to try understanding it all a bit harder.

He'd been so engrossed in having her in his life he'd never considered those she left behind in the future. He reached over, wrapped her hand with his. The smile she tried to muster up didn't touch her eyes and filled him with a sense of uselessness more encompassing than the sky above.

No wonder she was so sad. She lived with extreme passion, yet had such a soft heart. Her concern for others was so apparent. His entire family already adored her, almost as much as he did. But missing her parents was tearing her apart. Therefore, it tore him apart. He had to find a way to get her to the future as soon as possible.

He glanced over his shoulder, to the wagons following his. Holding in the sigh burning his chest, he pressed a kiss to her temple and returned his gaze forward. Family was an odd thing. He'd left them many times, without ever giving it much thought. Things were different now. It was as if he was a different person, looked at things with new eyes. Felt things with a new heart.

As soon as they arrived, he'd send Bug up to start digging on the tunnel. His youngest brother wouldn't mind, he loved playing in the dirt. And he'd talk to Kid. Explain why Lila had been so concerned about Jessie's pregnancy. Anything that has to do with parents has her worried beyond control. Kid was sure to understand. Maybe he even had some pointers on this whole husband thing.

He pulled their wagon to a stop beside a high-sided U.S. Cavalry buckboard parked at the edge of the encampment. Half a dozen white, canvas tents covered an area of about two acres. Several yards beyond the tents, diggers paused, rested their hands on shovel handles to watch the caravan roll to a halt.

"Soldiers are digging for dinosaur bones?” Lila asked, her eyes canvassing the area.

He nodded, and needing something to concentrate on besides her unhappiness, explained, “Two men from out east started what some people are calling The Bone Wars, several years ago. Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh have been competing to see who can collect the most fossils. Each of them wants to become the country's best paleontologist. Last year Cope found a complete prehistoric bird about three miles from here. He was so excited he rushed back to New York to officially name it, and as soon as possible sent another gang of diggers out.” He nodded toward several army men mingling about. “Afraid Marsh's diggers will try to steal some of the bones Cope hires noncommissioned units of the Cavalry to guard the sites."

"I remember reading about the Bone Wars, briefly, there's not a lot about it in Kansas history books.” Her face pulled into a slight frown. “I wonder why? Have they found a lot on your property?"

Skeeter wrapped the reins around the wooden brake handle. He had no idea why Cope and Marsh weren't in history books, and pondered for the briefest moment if he'd ever be in a history book. He couldn't ask her, didn't want her to dwell on not being back in her time. Dang, if it wasn't hard. There were so many things he wanted to know about, so many things she mentioned that he speculated about, but her happiness was more important. He wasn't about to bring on melancholy just because he wondered about something.

Shaking off his wandering mind, he answered, “Yes, they've found a lot on our property.” He took off his hat, wiped at the sweat. “Russell, Jessie's brother says Cope has barns full of bones in Philadelphia, but still he wants to buy every one we discover."