Page 23 of Montana Groom of Convenience (Montana Cowboys #5)

C arly kept her feelings stuffed back as she helped set out the picnic. They put the food on a tablecloth and spread blankets to sit on. She noticed the many cushions the men carried.

“Here’s one for you,” Kate said. “You and Sawyer.” Her eyes twinkled.

Carly dropped the cushion to the ground.

Hugh took off his hat. The other men followed his example. “I’ll ask the blessing.”

Carly bowed her head, grateful no one could see the tangle of her thoughts.

She’d believed Sawyer meant to kiss her as they lingered behind the others.

She’d leaned close, inviting it. But then he’d stepped back as he should have.

Their agreement clearly left no room for kissing.

She understood that. However, it was getting hard to remember.

She realized Hugh had said amen, and the others had seated themselves on the blankets. The food was passed from hand to hand. The children sat in a group, eating with gusto. Conversation hummed around her. She was more than content to let it be so.

“Carly, how have you enjoyed your first week of married bliss?” If the question had come from anyone but Isabelle, Carly might have suspected she was being teased,

“We’ve been busy. Sawyer has started seeding. I’ve been planting the garden.”

“I don’t think she was asking about the work,” Annie said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Carly’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Sawyer chuckled. “Seems she’s speechless.”

The others laughed.

Her cheeks grew warm. Let them think what they wanted. But did Sawyer have to give the impression that they’d enjoyed a week of conjugal bliss?

“Relax,” he murmured and patted the cushion where he lounged on one arm.

She glanced around. All the other couples had finished eating and lingered over the coffee Annie served. Each pair leaned on a large cushion. Happily married couples eager to share the same intimate space.

Sawyer patted the cushion again.

She stared at the spot, studied his elbow, which he’d bent to support his head.

Slowly, wishing she could resist but acknowledging she couldn’t, she lifted her gaze along his arm, taking in every detail.

The crease of his shirtsleeve where his elbow bent, the strain of the material across his biceps, the darkness of the skin on his hands. And the blinding light from his eyes.

What was he thinking?

Surely not what she wished.

She blinked. She wished for nothing. She had what she wanted. A pretend marriage that protected the ranch.

He patted the cushion again, his eyes steady and the tiniest bit challenging.

She shook her head and fanned her skirt out before her.

“Chicken,” he murmured so softly she knew no one else would hear.

She wasn’t going to let him tease her into doing something she didn’t want to. Because she wanted it so badly, it frightened her.

Something tickled her neck and she swatted at what she thought was a spider.

Sawyer chuckled—a sound so sweet it rivaled the meadowlark on the nearby stump.

She grabbed the blade of grass he’d tickled her with and tossed it aside.

Would this picnic never end? If it didn’t soon, she’d end up doing something she’d regret, though at the moment, she couldn’t say if she meant she’d give in to her urge to plant her elbow close to his and share a special moment.

Or if she meant she’d regret not doing it.

Determined to keep things between them as they had been and as they’d agreed they would be, she turned her attention to the conversation around them.

“We’re planning for the spring roundup,” Dawson said.

That got Carly’s attention. Their cattle, for the most part, were on their land, but she enjoyed the roundup even though Father absolutely forbade her to follow the crew. No, she had to wait until the animals were gathered and then join in identifying and branding the calves .

Sawyer sat up, pressing to her side, as he listened to the planning for the spring gathering.

Carly felt his interest and knew he’d want to go with the men. She refused to acknowledge that thinking of him being gone left her empty inside.

A scream rent the air, sending tension across Carly’s neck.

The parents were on their feet in seconds. The children, except for Kate and Conner’s baby, were playing nearby. All of them were used to playing outdoors, and fourteen-year-old Beth, Logan and Sadie’s oldest, was supervising.

Beth rushed toward the adults. “Jill’s hurt. Come quick.”

Sawyer and Carly bolted to their feet and raced after the girl. They ran down the slope toward the creek. Carly saw Jill crumpled on the gravel and let out a cry.

Sawyer would have outdistanced her, but fear gave her wings, and she reached Jill at the same time as Sawyer. They both wrapped their arms around her and helped her sit up.

“Honey, what’s wrong? Where are you hurt?”

Jill sobbed, unable to answer. She lifted her arm for them to see a deep gash above her elbow bled. The children had removed shoes and stockings to play in the water. Blood stained the water. The sole of Jill’s foot bled.

“What happened?” Sawyer demanded.

Did he realize how thick his voice had become? He cared far more than he’d ever admitted.

He scooped up his sister and stood. He looked around. “Did any of you see what happened?”

Carly kept her arm about Jill, needing to offer as much comfort as she could. Finding strength in contact with Sawyer.

Beth’s brother, seven-year-old Sammy, stepped forward. “She stepped on that sharp rock.” He pointed toward the offending item. Then he picked it up and threw it into the water. “There’s lots of blood. Is she okay?”

The others gathered round. Kate pushed forward. “Let me have a look.” She examined both cuts. She held Jill’s arm. “I need to wash it.”

Sawyer carried Jill to the edge of the water. Carly held the injured arm, and Kate washed away the debris.

Kate spoke to Jill. “Will you let me put your foot in the water? It’s cold, but that will help.”

Jill looked at Carly, her eyes brimming with tears and fears.

“Do you want me to do it?” Carly asked.

Jill nodded.

Carly hunkered down beside Sawyer. Together, they tended the child.

Their gazes caught and held as a thousand thoughts raced through her mind.

She cared about this little girl in a way that made her heart tremble.

And perhaps cared just a little for a man who would hold his little sister so tenderly and murmur that everything would be okay. He would make sure it was.

Jill squirmed. “It’s not hurting so much now.”

“We need to get her home,” Sawyer said.

Carly nodded in agreement.

Sawyer carried his sister back to the picnic spot. The others began to gather up items.

“No need for the rest of you to end the outing. ”

Dawson, the eldest, looked around. “It’s early yet. We can stay and let the children play.”

The family gathered round them to say goodbye before Sawyer and Carly began the return trek to the ranch, Jill in his arms.

Carly stayed at his side, holding Jill’s hand where it lay across her chest. Sawyer’s hand covered Jill’s hand as well. It made walking a little awkward, but Carly wasn’t about to end the connection between them.

At that moment, she knew they had become family.

Jill had been hurt. Sawyer had not known he could feel another person’s pain until now. If not for Carly’s steadying presence, he didn’t know what he would do. He held her hand and Jill’s as they hurried back to the Marshalls’ ranch house.

“I’ll get Father while you settle her in the wagon.” Carly ducked into the house while Sawyer went to the wagon.

Two old men hobbled from the house.

“The wee lassie is hurt.” Father Morrison hurried to the wagon and climbed into the back. “Ack, poor lassie.”

“Is she okay?” Grandfather Marshall called from the doorway.

Jill poked her head over the edge of the wagon box. “I cut my arm and my foot on a rock.”

“I’m sorry. You’re in good hands, though. Robert, I’ll take care of that business we discussed.”

Sawyer would have helped Carly into the wagon, but she was up before he could reach her. She sat beside him, leaning forward as if she could make the wagon go faster.

Sawyer was equally anxious to get home, even though he knew there was no need to rush. Jill’s cuts had stopped bleeding. Her injuries were not serious.

The way his heart ached was serious. It both alarmed him and enticed him.

His pulse settled to a normal pace as they made the journey.

By the time they reached home, he could speak without his words catching in his throat. “It scares me to think of her hurt.”

“It didn’t look serious to me, and Kate didn’t think it was.” She shuddered a little. “I suppose I had cuts every bit as bad. Likely you did, too.”

He understood she tried to reassure him with those words. “I was a boy. Boys get banged up lots. But Jill’s just a little girl.”

“I know.” She put her hand over his.

He turned his palm to hers. His insides settled.

Back at the ranch, he carried Jill inside and Carly arranged her in the armchair across from her father’s chair. Father Morrison followed them and sat down facing Jill. “Aye, now ye’ll be keeping me company, I think.”

Jill nodded. “I can’t walk.”

Carly placed a pillow behind her and unearthed some children’s books.

Then she and Sawyer stood side by side, watching the girl.

“Look, it’s stopped bleeding.” Jill held up her arm. Her foot had stopped bleeding after being placed in the cold water of the creek .

“I’ll get a cloth and clean up the blood on your arm.” Carly went to the cupboard.

Sawyer felt her departure like the blast of winter wind.

She returned and cleaned up Jill’s arm.