Guardian Bride (17 page)
his head and chaotically wiped his head and tiny chest. "Can I
go get my cake now?"
Snake checked his reflection one last time in the mirror.
Would Summer even recognize him? "Sure," he answered
August's question before nodding for Bug to take the mirror
away.
Half-way to the door, August did an about face. "I almost
forgot my magazines." Scooping up several, he asked, "How
many can I have?"
"Go ahead and take them all."
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"Gosh! That was worth a stinking old bath!" The door
slapped against the wall as August made a swift exit.
Bug laughed and walked across the room, putting the
shaving supplies away. "I like that kid more and more every
day."
"Me, too," Snake agreed, his voice fading. Summer stood
in the doorway, lips slightly parted as she stared at him. Her
taken aback gaze hit a bull's eye on his heart. Time
shattered, giving him an everlasting moment that linked him
to her for the rest of eternity. If he lived to be as old as the
hills, he'd forever remember this moment—for it was the
exact moment he realized that at some point during the past
few days he'd fallen in love with Summer Austin.
Something tugged on his arm. He broke the connection to
see what it was.
"Come on, I'll help you into bed," Bug said, pulling him to
his feet.
Snake grabbed the sheet before it slid off his lap and
turned back to Summer. She wiped her hands over her
flushed cheeks and twisted. "August, come get the rest of
your clothes."
"I'm coming, Summer," sounded from some far off space
in the house.
Bug's fast movements didn't provide Snake with enough
time to cover his backside with the sheet. Pushing his brother
aside, he wound the thin material around his hips best he
could. "I can do it," he grumbled and jumped one-legged to
the bed. Heat ate at his cheeks, and he pushed Bug's hand
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aside again. "I can do it," he repeated, landing on the bed like
a rock hitting water.
"Fine," Bug moved away. "I'll haul away the water. Next
time, you can take a bath all by yourself."
"It'll be a pleasure," Snake sneered, flopping onto his
back. He blushed again when he realized Summer now stood
beside his bed.
Snake wanted to cuss, curse, spit, yell, and hit something
all at the same time. It was bad enough being injured,
hobbling around like a cripple, and putting up with his smart
aleck brother, but knowing he'd done the last thing he'd ever
imagined—fall in love—was enough to make a grown man
throw a tantrum. He sunk deeper into the mattress.
Summer laid a hand on his shoulder.
He flinched at the sting.
She pulled her hand away and empathy filled her eyes. "I
just need you to lift up a bit so I can pull the covers out from
beneath you. I'll be gentle."
Bug laughed. "Don't be too gentle. A good, swift kick is
more what he needs."
Snake bit the curse leaping on the tip of his tongue.
She acted as if she hadn't heard Bug. "I was afraid a bath
would be too much. I'll just bandage your wounds and then
you can go to sleep. Some laudanum will ease the pain."
Bug cackled again, like an old witch on a broom. Snake
ignored it and lifted his backside. In a matter of seconds,
Summer had the blankets over him instead of under him, and
as soft as her shadow danced on the ceiling, her fingers
applied salve and then a bandage to his shoulder. His wounds
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dulled in comparison to the way his body reacted to her
nearness.
When she lifted the edge of the blanket, he held the covers
against the mattress. She frowned. "I need to bandage your
leg."
"It's fine," he croaked. The injured leg was not what was
throbbing.
"No, it's not. It needs to be covered."
He shook his head. "The air will do it good."
"It's not getting any air under the covers."
"It's fine, Summer, trust me." His ability to speak was
being hampered by her closeness. If Bug hadn't been taking
his time getting rid of the dirty water and tub, Snake would
have pulled her onto the mattress and shown her just how
fine his leg was.
She let loose of the covers. "I'll get the laudanum."
Regret pelted him like sleet in November. He snatched her
hand. "I'm sorry."
Her hand rolled beneath his and clutched his fingers firmly.
"I don't need any laudanum," he assured. "I just need to
relax for a minute. That's all."
Concern and compassion covered her face. He lifted her
hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "Leave the
bandages on the table. I'll wrap the leg in a few minutes."
The tub banged against the door jamb. Bug cursed but
made no apologizes for the scraping noise. Summer ran her
other hand over the side of Snake's face, the warmth and
softness of her touch singed his freshly shaven skin.
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"All right," she said. "I'll just clean up the floor and leave
you be."
Snake bit his lips together, afraid his plea for her not to
leave would escape. If love is what made him go from a
grown man to a babbling weakling in mere seconds he didn't
want it. But hell and damnation if he didn't want her. He
closed his eyes and felt her move away, sensed her cleaning
up the water splattered floor. It wasn't until he heard the
door click that he opened his eyes to gaze at the ceiling
above.
Summer carried the wet clothes and towels to the back
porch and carefully draped them over the railing to dry,
reducing the opportunity for mold to form before wash day
arrived. She eased her way down the steps, holding the
railing lest the quivers racking her from the inside out caused
her to stumble.
Seeing August, sparkling clean, bounding out of the
bedroom had been a shock, but nothing in comparison to the
clean shaven, handsome man sitting in the chair wearing
nothing but a very damp sheet.
She'd wiped the sheen of fever from his body, bandaged
his injuries, and combed back his thick hair while he slept,
but none of that had prepared her for the emotions that
ripped through her when their gazes connected moments ago.
The event had left her winded and exhilarated at the same
time.
Snake was remarkably handsome, she'd known that from
the first time she'd seen him back in Dodge, but this time, it
was as if she saw his inner soul, which was beautiful and
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pulled her in like a whirlpool of sorts. She lowered onto the
bottom step and rested her head against the solid rail post.
The swirling storm of emotions inside her slowed and calmer,
more intuitive thoughts emerged.
Love. She loved him. It wasn't just because Jonas had
provided a mysterious connection to Snake—or the rest of the
family—for all these years, nor because he was injured and
needed her assistance. It was her. Somehow she'd let down
her guard and fallen in love with Snake. Up until now, she'd
accepted her fate—the marriage, the aid from all of the
Quinters, even the warming of her heart whenever he was
near—as what simply had to be in order to provide for August
and September. But that had been a ruse on her part. Truth
be told, she was now discovering that secret no one knows
until they find that one person in the world who makes them
complete. Standing in the doorway of his room she'd felt their
souls unite.
The door behind her creaked, and Stephanie said, "You all
right? Need some help?"
"No, yes." She shook her head. "Yes, I'm all right, and no I
don't need any help. I was—" She glanced around, looking for
a plausible excuse. "Just wondering when the storm's gonna
hit."
The other woman sat next to her. "It's odd, isn't it?"
"What?" Summer swallowed the lump in her throat.
Stephanie must sense what was going on inside her, and
knowing the other woman, would most likely share her take
on it.
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After a long pause, Stephanie waved a hand. "This
weather. The haze to the southwest. It say's there's a storm
brewing, but it's hanging there. That's usually what happens
in the winter, a few days before a big snow—not summer
time. Summer rains fly in and out without any warning. This
one has the hair on my neck twitching."
Summer scrutinized the horizon. Night had fallen, and
moonlight shimmered off the haze hovering the curve of the
land. "I've never seen one like this either. Signs of a storm
have been in the air for two days, but it doesn't seem to be
getting any closer."
"I know. It's too strange." Stephanie patted her shoulder.
"Well, there really ain't no use in worrying about it. There's
nothing we can do. Maybe it'll miss us completely."
"Perhaps."
"I gave August another piece of cake. He's a growing boy
and needs it."
Summer couldn't help the smile that formed. August had
taken to the family like a rabbit to a cabbage patch. He'd
always been a friendly, likeable child, but the lack of attention
from male figures had subdued his natural enthusiasm. Not
so here. All of the Quinter men lavished him with such open
and honest interest; he literally beamed with eagerness every
moment.
"September's a good girl, too. She just ain't figured out if
she's coming or going yet."
Summer frowned, deciphering the meaning of the
statement.
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Stephanie rose. "I'm turning in now. Don't sit out here too
long. We don't know when or how hard that storm's gonna
hit."
Summer nodded, but felt inclined to say, "Thank you,
Stephanie, for all of your kindness."
A firm hand patted Summer's head. "You're welcome. But I
sure do wish you'd call me Ma. I'd feel right honored."
The woman's gaze held a pleading hint that sucked
Summer's breath away. Her eyes stung and accepting the
love simmering deep inside, Summer nodded. "Good night,
Ma."
"Good night, sweetie."
Summer sat there long after the door closed. The storm
didn't move any closer, yet the heaviness of the air grew
suffocating. The eeriness of it drove her inside. Nighttime
silence filled the house. She prepared for bed, but before
lying down on the sofa, she snuck into Snake's room, intent
to see if he had bandaged his leg.
Before she arrived at his bedside, he whispered, "Hi."
Happiness created a smile. "Hi."
"I was hoping you'd come say good-night."
"You were?"
He took her hand and pulled her to sit beside him. "Yes."
"Why?" The mattress dipped, and her hip bumped his
thigh.
"Because I like whispering with you in the dark."
A warm stirring of her insides caused her breath to shake.
"Oh?" was all she could manage.
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"Yes, don't you?" His hand left hers, slipping its way across
her lap to cup her side. The husky sound of his voice
shrouded her with a misty and fascinating temptation. A
calm, yet inspiring silence hovered between them, and a
bonding happened. Their minds and bodies, silently and
naturally, communicated with a private and mutual
understanding.
After a few minutes, Snake's hand tightened on her waist.
"Lie beside me."
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Summer's mind didn't conjure up an excuse before her
body accepted the invitation. Stretched out on the mattress,
she settled her head upon his shoulder and closed her eyes,
reveling in the experience.
His arm curved around her shoulder, and his hand stroked
her upper arm. The warmth and hardness of his palm
penetrated the thin material of her nightgown, and she found
herself wishing the gown was sleeveless.
"I've been lying here wondering how to apologize to you."
She eased her face upwards to scan his profile in the faint
moonlight. "For what?" Her hand brushed along his jaw,
tugging his face her way. "I thought the bath might cause you
too much pain."
"No, not that. I needed a bath. I was getting as rotten as
week old eggs."
Her fingertip edged along his chin. "No you weren't."
His gaze roamed her face before stalling on her lips. She
ran her tongue over the way they pricked and tingled. Her
back arched as his arm tightened its hold.
Perfectly, without hesitation, their lips met.
The tangy, musky sent of his shaving soap filled her nose
as his soft warm mouth floated over hers so gently she
moaned with sweet pleasure. His lips hardened, and hers