Yellowstone Romance Series - Bundle (# 2-5) (39 page)

“Leave them, I’ll clean them in the morning. It’s getting late.” He rose from his seat, and brought his own plate to the workbench.

“I . . . I think I’ll go back to bed,” she stammered.

“I’m right over there in the other room, if you need anything,” Kyle replied. She whirled around and headed for her room.

“Kate,” he called. Her back visibly stiffened before she turned slowly to face him. Her eyes had gone large again. “Good night,” he said. Her shoulders dropped, and she expelled a deep breath.

“Good night, Kyle,” she whispered, then turned on her heels once again, and disappeared inside the bedroom, the door closing softly behind her.

Kyle ran his hands through his hair, and rested both elbows on the workbench, his hands clutching his temples. The next few weeks would surely test him like nothing ever had. This girl was wreaking havoc with his mind and body, and today had only been the first day.  He didn’t know how long he’d be able to keep his hands to himself. Where the hell was Josh? His cousin’s presence would surely keep his wayward thoughts in check.

Chapter 7

Kate woke to a delicious smell permeating the room. Her stomach responded with a loud rumble. A warm feeling doused her from the inside out, and she smiled softly into the downy pillow she’d rested her head on all night. For the first time in six months, she was eager to meet the new day. She stretched her arms lazily in the air, then pushed the fur covers aside. Cold air, in stark contrast to the warmth under the covers, gave her goose bumps, and she contemplated diving back under the blankets.

A quick glance out the window told her the morning was already well underway, and she sat up quickly to avoid the temptation of lingering in the comfortable bed. She threw her legs over the sides of the mattress, and scooted forward until her feet touched the ground. The quick action brought a dull ache to her bruised ribs, but she was pleased to note it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it had the previous day.

Shivering now, sitting there in only her thin chemise, she quickly checked under the bed for a chamber pot, then stood and reached for her dress that she’d draped over the bedframe the night before. Her eyes fell on the heap of dresses lying at the foot of the bed. A brightly colored yellow dress with a floral pattern caught her attention. She picked it up and held it to her. There was no mirror for her to see what it might look like if she wore the dress, but it appeared to be the right length.

Not giving it another thought, she pulled the garment over her head, and buttoned up the front. It was a bit wide in the waist and bust, but nothing too noticeable. The bodice gathered in a V-shape at the waist, and the scooped neckline sat lower than she would have preferred for a day dress, but it couldn’t be helped. She had no seamstress experience, or needle and thread, to alter the gown.

Kate sat back on the edge of the bed and pulled on her stockings and shoes, lacing them up loosely. She wished she had some simple slippers to give her aching feet some reprieve from her tight shoes. She ran her fingers through her hair, wondering at her appearance. She had never gone this long with her hair falling freely. Her lady’s maid had always made sure to style it in the latest fashion of knots and ringlets before leaving her bedchamber each morning.

What would
he
think of her now? She’d probably receive a beating for her current appearance. Nothing less than perfection was expected of her, and any imperfection in dress or hairstyle was not tolerated. Going without a tightly laced corset would probably be her death sentence.

Whoever thought up the idea that a woman needs to strap herself into one of these things deserves to be shot.
Kyle’s angry words from the day before came back to her now. It brought a smile to her lips. He had also told her to leave her hair down. She shook her head, trying to comprehend such vast opposition in thinking between two men.  What would Kyle think of her appearance now, in a dress that belonged to one of his sisters?

Only one way to find out, Kate.
Suddenly nervous, she smoothed the front of the dress with sweaty palms, and opened the bedroom door to walk into the main room.  Her eyes fell immediately on him. He stood at the workbench, a knife in his hand, cutting something. He glanced up, and their eyes met. A wide smile softened his chiseled features, and Kate’s heart skipped a beat. He shook some hair out of his face, and set his knife down, turning fully toward her. His eyes swept over her appreciatively. Her face flushed when his gaze lingered just below her neck.

“Mornin’,” he finally said.

“Good morning,” she replied, and moved further into the room.

“That looks real nice on you,” he said, and pulled out a chair for her to sit at the table. His intense eyes on her left her skin tingling, as if she’d been caressed.

“How about some breakfast, and then you can take that bath you wanted?” He didn’t wait for a reply, and pulled a plate of food off the workbench and set it in front of her. “Coffee?” he asked.

“No . . . no thank you.” Kate didn’t know what to say. She eyed the biscuits and gravy on her plate. “Please, I don’t want to be any more trouble to you. You don’t need to do all this.”

“Well, you have to eat, and so do I,” he said casually, and pulled out a chair across from her. He dug into his own breakfast, smiling up at her between bites. “Besides, it looks like that dress could use some filling out. As long as you don’t lean forward, you should be all right, though.”

Kate’s mouth dropped. He laughed.

“You’re not in stuffy Boston, Katelyn. It’s okay to try a little humor,” he said moments later, a wide grin still on his face. She wasn’t sure whether to take his comment as an insult. He mopped up some gravy with a piece of biscuit, and popped it into his mouth. His face grew serious, and he leaned across the table toward her. She sat up straighter in response.

“I’m sorry if I offended you. I wasn’t trying to be rude. Forgive a man for noticing these things about a pretty girl.” His eyes darkened considerably, and Kate felt the heat rise up her neck again.

“Ok . . . okay. No offense taken,” she stammered. “I accept your apology.” Kyle was so unlike any man she’d met before, she wasn’t sure what to make of him. One thing she knew with absolute certainty. He would never strike her or harm her in any way. She picked up her fork, and stabbed it into a biscuit dripping with gravy. It tasted wonderful, and melted in her mouth.

“Will you teach me how to cook like this?” she asked, after swallowing. She smiled at him. “I never thought I’d be asking a man to instruct me in the culinary arts.”

“If you promise to smile like that more often,” he said. There was no hint of humor on his face as he gazed at her from across the table. She quickly averted her eyes.

“I’ll try,” she said softly.

He left the table with his empty plate. “When you’re done here, your bath awaits, m’lady.” Kate glanced up at him leaning casually against the workbench, one heel crossed over his ankle, his arms crossed over his chest, watching her. She could only stare.
Why couldn’t you have entered my life six months ago, Kyle?
Her chest constricted, and breathing became difficult. She took several more bites of her breakfast, then pushed her chair away from the table and stood. Kyle appeared instantly and took her plate.

“Trying to act like a gentleman,” he explained when her eyebrows rose. “How am I doing so far?” He grinned.

“You’re not like any gentleman I’ve ever met,” she said, and couldn’t suppress a giggle. His easy going manner and attempts at humor were infectious. 

“I’ll take that as a complement.”

“As well you should,” she said, looking up at him intently.

Kyle cleared his throat. “There are towels, and I found some soap my sisters left behind, already down by the river. I’ll show you where it’s safe to enter the water.  Can you swim?”

She hadn’t thought about needing to swim. “Just a little. I can probably stay above water long enough to call for help.”

Kyle led the way out of the cabin. He glanced at her feet. “You might want to take your shoes off here. No need carrying all that stuff later.”

Kate’s eyebrows rose in earnest. “Remove my shoes? You mean, go barefoot?”

He stared at her. “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

“I’ve never gone without shoes, especially outdoors.”

“Well, then it’s about time you did. I won’t ask what you ever did for fun in Boston.” Kyle shook his head, and grabbed her hand, pulling her down to the ground. “Take off your shoes,” he prompted.

Kate hesitated, then did as he asked. She unlaced her shoes, and pulled them off, then removed her stockings. Kyle removed his own moccasins, and offered her his hand to pull her back up.

“Doesn’t that feel good on your feet?” he asked. She took several steps on the soft cool grass, wiggling her toes. She smiled. It felt wonderful and refreshing on her aching feet. He hadn’t let go of her hand, and reached for her other one. Walking backwards in front of her, he pulled her along at a faster pace.

Even as a little girl, she couldn’t remember her mother allowing her to walk barefoot through the grass. Anything except acting reserved and behaving like a proper lady should was discouraged. Kate realized the only fun she’d had as a child was playing quietly in her room with her dolls.

Nearing the banks of the river, Kate’s toe caught on a root jutting out of the ground, and she stumbled forward. Kyle’s strong hand steadied her, and an instant later he pulled her up against him. Kate braced her arms against his chest, her breathing fast and erratic.

“I won’t let you fall,” he said hoarsely. “No more bruises, okay?”

Adrenaline flooded her system. He was too close. No, she was too close to him. His strong arms around her waist made her feel things she was forbidden to feel. He wouldn’t let her fall, ever. His hands, his arms, his entire being promised the security and protection she so desperately yearned for.  She looked up at him. His expression had grown serious again, his eyes in constant motion, as if he was scanning every contour of her face.

“Kyle,” she whispered. “Please . . . release me.” She said the words, but she didn’t mean them. These feelings, what his closeness did to her senses, it was wrong. She wasn’t free to express such feelings. Kate pushed against him. Slowly, he stepped away from her, and dropped his arms. His jaw clenched.

“I’m sorry. I got carried away,” he said casually. His voice held a certain edge. “Right over by those two trees, I left some towels and the soap. The current isn’t strong in that spot, and the warm water from the Firehole River flows right though here. If you don’t stay in the water too long, you shouldn’t get cold.” He turned and headed back toward the cabin. “Yell out if you need anything,” he called over his shoulder.

Kate watched him walk off. He was angry about something. An angry man usually meant a beating, whether she was at fault or not. Kyle simply walked away. Oh, how she wanted to call him back, ask him to hold her again so she might forget. Instead, she sighed, and headed for the trees he’d indicated. There she found several large towels and a cake of soap that smelled like lavender.  Tears stung her eyes. No one, not even her mother or father, had ever paid her this much attention, or treated her with such thoughtfulness.

Stop dwelling on what can never be, Kate. You’re away from
him
, that’s all that matters.
Suddenly, it just wasn’t enough anymore. She realized she would never be truly free to pursue her own happiness.

Impatiently, she wiped at the tears falling down her cheeks. Then she unbuttoned the dress, and slipped out of it. She felt rather self-conscious, standing in only her chemise in the open air. Nothing she’d done the last couple of days had been conventional, and she’d enjoyed every minute of it. She shrugged, and pulled at the satin ties, letting the cotton garment fall to the ground at her feet. Her drawers followed. Grabbing the soap off the towel, she stepped into the water until she was submersed to her waist, and quickly washed.

The water was definitely colder than any bath she’d taken before, and her skin was covered in goose bumps within seconds. She squatted and tilted her head back to wet her hair, then lathered it and rinsed quickly. Unable to linger due to the cold, she stepped back onto dry land, and wrapped a towel around herself.

She reached for the second towel to dry her hair, when a shadow to her right caught her eye. She looked up, and stumbled back in shock. In front of her stood a savage-looking dark-haired Indian, wearing nothing but a loincloth, his chest covered in blood. Kate screamed at the top of her lungs.