Page 35

“Oh my God!” Becky whispered behind her. “Tell me that’s Austin and Cameron laughing.”

Loree stepped back, surprised to see tears brimming in Becky’s eyes as she peeked through the curtain.

“I could not have asked for a better Christmas present.” Becky squeezed her eyes shut and released a quick breath. “It almost killed Cameron to lose Austin’s friendship.” She opened her eyes and grabbed Loree’s hand. “Come on. Let’s go sit with them.”

“I’m not sure we should—”

“Oh, I am. I know it’ll never be like it was … but this is sure close.” Becky opened the door. “What are you two laughing about?” she demanded of the men sitting on the porch.

Holding her breath, Loree peered around Becky who stood with her hands planted on her hips, her legs akimbo. She saw Austin’s smile increase, his eyes grow warm as he held out his hand. She wanted to crawl back into the house and die until she realized that his gaze was latched onto her.

“Come here, Sugar,” he said in a slow drawl that sent her heart to racing.

She skirted around Becky and slipped her hand into his, thinking his had never felt so warm or comforting, so right as his fingers wrapped around her hand and he pulled her down to his lap.

He opened his jacket and tucked her inside like she was a piece of fine jewelry to be protected between velvet.

He held her close with one arm and enveloped her bare feet with his other hand.

She was eye-level with him and from the intensity of his blue gaze, she would have thought he were only aware of the two of them sitting on this porch in the cold dawn.

“What were you laughing about?” Becky repeated as she plopped onto Cameron’s lap and nearly sent him sprawling backward over the porch.

“We were remembering the day that Dallas married Dee,” Cameron said, straightening himself and putting his arms around Becky.

“What was so funny about that?” Becky asked.

“Cameron had told me that Indians cut off Dee’s nose,” Austin said, his gaze never leaving Loree. She grew warmer, but she thought it had little to do with the heat of his body burning through her clothing. “I told Dallas. It came as a surprise to him to discover his wife had a nose.”

“I remember now. Everyone’s mouth dropped open when he lifted her veil, but I never knew why,” Becky said. She wrinkled her brow. “He married her, thinking she didn’t have a nose?”

“He was a desperate man,” Austin said quietly. “Desperate men don’t always think things through.”

Loree wanted to tell him that desperate women didn’t think things through either.

She had been desperate once, so incredibly desperate that she had done something she never would have believed herself capable of doing.

At unexpected times the memory would strike like a rattlesnake …

only a rattlesnake gave warning. Her memory from hell wasn’t as kind.

She heard the tread of heavy feet and twisted slightly. Dallas rounded the corner, burlap sacks bunched in his hand.

“What in the hell are you doing lollygagging back here?” he demanded without breaking his stride. He tossed the burlap sacks onto the porch. “Get this hay picked up.”

Reaching behind him, Austin grabbed the sacks and handed a couple to Cameron. “Guess we’d better get to it.”

Loree slid off his lap and tightened her wrap around herself. “I need to get dressed.”

Austin’s hand clamped onto her waist, preventing her from slipping back into the house.

“Me, too,” Becky said. “I’ll see you in a little bit, Cameron.”

“Be sure and get the hay off the balcony in Rawley’s room.”

She smiled. “Guess he forgot we were going to sleep in his room last night.” She disappeared into the house.

Austin shifted his gaze from Loree to Cameron. “Why don’t you go on? I’ll catch up.”

“Sure thing.” Cameron hopped off the porch and headed toward a distant scattering of hay.

Austin returned his gaze to her, his fingers tightening their hold.

“Is everything all right?” she asked.

She watched his Adam’s apple slowly slide up and down. His blue eyes smoldered like flames on the verge of coming back to life. “Everything is just fine. As a matter of fact, I think it’s been fine for a while and I just didn’t notice.” He cradled her cheek. “I love you, Loree.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs. “You don’t have to say that just because I did—”

“That’s not why I’m saying it.” He dipped his head slightly. “I’m saying it because it’s true.”

He closed the distance between their mouths, their hearts, with a kiss that made her body feel like a melted pool of wax, warm and molten, easily shaped to fit his desires.

And more to fit her desires, desires that spiraled through her.

She slipped her hands beneath the shoulders of his sheepskin jacket and felt the comforting heat of his body.

He brought his coat around her. Her toes crept over his boots. And the baby rolled between them.

Austin drew away and glanced down at the small mound. Then he lifted his gaze. “Figure we’ll spend the day here, pack up our stuff, go to that Christmas ball that Dee is giving in town … then head home.”

She gave him a quick nod.

“Don’t remind me of any promises I’ve made in the past when we get home.”

Her voice caught in her throat, forcing her to push out the words. “I won’t.”

A slow lazy smile spread across his face and in it, she read a new promise, a promise she dearly wanted him to keep.

With long strides, Austin carried the box of presents to the wagon. He and Loree had been blessed last night with an assortment of gifts that ranged from useable items for the baby to a picture from Faith that he suspected was a horse only because it had been scribbled in brown.

After setting the box in the back of the wagon, he dug through the contents until he found one of the music sheets Loree had given him.

He opened it and again studied the black ovals with the strange sticks and flags.

He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to let Loree explain them to him.

If they made sense to her, maybe they could make sense to him.

“Austin?”

Becky’s serene voice came from behind him. He stuffed the sheet into the box, spun around, and realized that he’d lied to Loree.

He’d told her once that a man couldn’t tell if a woman had been made love to, but standing here, staring at the warm glow on Becky’s cheeks, he had no doubt that she had just been well and thoroughly loved.

“I just wanted to thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?”

“For whatever it was that you said to Cameron that made him stop doubting my love.”

“I just told him the truth.” He turned and shoved the box farther back into the wagon.

Becky came up alongside him. “I did love you, you know,” she said quietly.

He met her gaze. “I know.”

“What we had was so incredibly sweet … and young.” She furrowed her brow. “I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“It does.”

“If we had gotten married five years ago—even without you going to prison—I don’t know if our love would have survived the passing years. I think we would have been content, but never truly happy.”

Words backed up in his throat and he could do little more than give her an understanding nod.

“I know it’s been hard on you since you got back. Cameron and I just finished talking about some things that we hadn’t really discussed before. I’m willing to make a public announcement saying I was with you the night Boyd was killed.”

Austin felt as though the air had been pulled from his lungs. Emotions clogged his throat. He knew that announcement would cost Becky more than her reputation. It would cost Cameron his pride.

“I appreciate that, Becky. More than you’ll ever know, but I think it would cause more harm than good.

That’s the reason I told you not to say anything five years ago.

Most people would think you were lying to protect me, but your words would still plant the seeds of doubt about your reputation in everyone’s mind.

It’s not worth taking the chance of hurting not only you and Cameron, but Drew as well. ”

He watched as relief washed over her face. “Just so you know we’re willing.”

He gave her a brisk nod. “Better get back to your husband. Wouldn’t want to make him jealous.”

“A part of me will always love you, Austin.” She leaned over and brushed a kiss over his cheek. His heart tightened.

“Same here,” he said hoarsely.

He watched her stroll back toward the house, her hips swaying gently from side to side. Within his heart, he bid the love of his youth a silent farewell.