The Texan's Dream (27 page)

Suddenly, the old house with its shadows and whispers was too much for her to endure. She ran down the stairs and out the front door, needing more than anything to be alone.

THIRTY

JONATHAN WAS WALKING TO THE HOUSE WHEN HE saw Kara storming across the courtyard toward the back gate. He knew where she was going. Her spot on the plains. It might be dark with snow whirling around making everything blurry, but he figured she’d find her place.

He grabbed the one horse still saddled, a huge bay owned by H. B., and headed out behind her.

Sure enough, when she stopped she was no more than a few feet away from where they’d had their previous talks.

“Evenin’.” Jonathan swung down from the mount and dropped the reins, knowing any horse trained by H. B. would stay ground tied and not wander off. “Nice night for a walk,” he lied as he fought the need to pull Kara close against him.

She didn’t answer.

“If you’re worried about Devin O’Toole, I checked on him. The man is sleeping soundly in the barn.” Jonathan said the words, but all his mind could think about was how he could still feel her skin against his.

Fighting the need to touch her, he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I wasn’t worried,” she answered without raising her gaze to him. “I never want to see the man again. He can disappear from the earth, for all I care.”

Jonathan grinned. “A little hard on a man who just wanted to marry you.” He knew she had more reason to hate the man than a proposal. Kara had told him Devin was responsible for her father’s death. Jonathan only hoped the teasing would cheer her.

She began pacing once more, wearing down the frozen buffalo grass.

He tried again. “Quil and Dawn will be fine in the valley of flowers. There’s plenty of lumber to build a shelter, and I’ll check on them—”

“I know they’ll be fine.” She cut him off before he could continue.

“Then what’s bothering you, darling?” Jonathan tried to keep the frustration from his voice. “Don’t tell me you just came out here in the middle of the night for a walk.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she answered under her breath. “Everything is just fine.”

Jonathan fought the urge to grab her and shake her until the truth fell out. He’d had more meaningful conversations with his horse. All he could think about was making love to her whenever she was near but, somehow, he didn’t think that was the right thing to do at the moment. She wanted something. Needed something. But he had no idea what.

He climbed on his horse and was halfway back to the barn when he turned around. All his life he’d been a fighter, and he would fight for her now.

When he reached her again, she didn’t look like she’d moved an inch. He climbed down, pulled her awkwardly into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Kara made no protest or response of any kind.

When he broke the kiss, he whispered, “I don’t know what you want, or need, but I’m not going anywhere until I find out.”

She watched him as if she thought he was the one who’d gone mad.

“Are you sorry?” he whispered, unable to form more into words. If she regretted the only perfect time in his life, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “Do you wish this afternoon hadn’t happened?”

“No,” she finally answered.

“Good.” He cupped his warm hands around her face. “If you had, I’m not sure what I would do. You’re all the beauty and wonder I’ve ever known, Kara. Saying I love you or I need you would just hint at how I feel.”

He brushed her lips with his thumb and felt her smile. He’d finally said something right. “If there is no lifetime for us to spend together, I’d still take the pain of years alone just to have you by my side for one sunrise.”

“And if I live by your side until we’re old?”

“Then I’ll be the luckiest man ever to have breathed.” He kissed her lightly. “I’ve figured out something, darling. If we part, I’ll always have the way I feel for you inside me. I’ll never be completely alone as long as I have one memory of how I feel.”

“And how do you feel?”

“Like a man in love.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Like a man needing desperately to marry. Would you consider such an arrangement, Miss O’Riley?”

Kara smiled. “I would, Mr. Catlin, provided I don’t have to keep any books.”

He laughed and swung her up into his arms. “Agreed.”

As he lifted her into the saddle she added, “I come with a dowry.”

He was barely listening as he moved up behind her on the saddle and pulled her against him. “I would hope so,” he teased, not caring how little money she had. The feel of her against him was priceless. “We’ll make it, Kara. I promise. This ranch will belong to our grandchildren’s grandchildren.”

She pulled an inch away. “You wouldn’t be sorry if I bring nothing into the marriage?”

“No, as long as you stay with me.”

“And if I bring a great deal of money? Enough to put the ranch in the black for years? Enough to build a new house with wide windows and doors that close solid?”

Jonathan kissed her nose. “I guess I’d still marry you, darling. How else will we have grandchildren?”

The next morning, just after sunrise, Kara and Jonathan were married in the little unfinished chapel with a dusting of snow as thin as lace all around. All the guard were there as well as the McLains and Wolf with his family. A few of the ranch hands attended, as did the six soldiers dressed for travel.

Mary Ann acted as Kara’s matron-of-honor. Jason Newton was Jonathan’s best man. They tried to do their part but, in truth, Mary Ann and Jason spent most of the wedding staring at one another. Just before they’d walked to the chapel, she’d told him Jonathan had asked her to stay on as bookkeeper. She hadn’t told Jason what she’d answered. But most could see the answer in her eyes.

As the wedding party crossed the courtyard, the soldiers prepared to leave.

Kara heard the lieutenant thank Snort for wrapping the Apache in blankets for the trip. With the wind from the north, they’d be sure to hit bad weather before nightfall.

“No problem. I wouldn’t want him to be uncomfortable.” Snort patted the man on the back, shoving him along as he added, “You’ve got a hard day’s ride ahead of you, Lieutenant. Best be traveling.”

Kara could barely make out the silhouette inside the boarded wagon, and she wondered how long Snort thought he could fool the soldiers into believing there was a man beneath the blankets.

The soldiers mounted. As their wagon passed Kara, she swore she heard the prisoner sneeze.

She stared at Snort.

He looked as innocent as a guilty man can look. “All accounted for,” he mumbled and moved away before she could ask any questions.

Kara leaned close to her husband and asked, “Are you sure one day you won’t wish you were heading out, running with the wind across open country?”

He laughed as he pulled her against his side. “You make home a nice place to be.”

She smiled-that little smile she knew tamed him. “I’ll work on making it wonderful.”

“Kara.” His words were low against her ear.

“Yes, husband,” she answered.

“You make me believe in forever.”