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“Me? Scare her? How would you like to open your eyes and see that face just inches from yours?”
“This face?” Using what little light there was in the dark room, she studied the gray wolf’s features. “Nothing scary about it. Why it’s as cute as two baby bunnies leapin’ in the air at one another.”
“How did it get out anyway?”
“I don’t rightly know.” Pup in hand, she scurried to the door.
“Where you going?”
“Iffen you must know, to put some clothes on.” She was wearing her thin nightgown. She still hadn’t gotten around to making a new one yet.
She whirled and found herself face-to-face with Michael’s chest. Tucking the pup closer to her, she covered her threadbare gown best as she could.
“Selina, we are married. You don’t have to be embarrassed.” His eyes held only kindness.
She didn’t know what to say to that. They weren’t like a real married couple. Her ma and pa shared the same bed. She and Michael didn’t. The way he felt about her, she wasn’t sure they ever would, neither.
“I know we don’t share the same bed and all…”
Her attention flew to his face. Was the man a mind reader?
“But we do live in the same house. We’re bound to see each other in, um, precarious situations now and then.”
“Pre-care-ee-ous. What’s that mean?”
“Delicate. Perplexing. Problematic.”
“Probli what? Purple-lex-en what? You’re confusin’ me. Can’t you just tell me what you’re tryin’ to say without all them big words?”
“Fine. Just remember you asked for it. So…brace yourself. There are bound to be times we’re going to find one another not fully dressed and see things we are not used to seeing. But, we are married so it’s perfectly proper and acceptable.”
She glanced toward the ceiling and sighed, grateful he’d slept in his pants and not his britches. “I had to ask. Now. Iffen you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna get myself out of this pre-care-ee-an situation.” She raised her chin and headed toward the stairs, feeling Michael’s eyes on her and hearing his deep chuckle.
Once again Michael had to admit, even to himself, that having Selina help with chores lightened the load for everyone. He stepped into the barn while Selina fed the chickens and collected the eggs. Horses crunched on grain and shuffled their hooves.
Jesse turned from saddling his horse and did a double take. “You look terrible. Like you haven’t slept in a week.”
“I haven’t.”
“How come?”
“Selina.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s going to be the death of me yet.”
“What did she do now?” His brother pulled the cinch tight and removed the stirrup from the top of the saddle, letting it drop to the horse’s side before he faced Michael.
“You won’t believe what she brought home.”
“What?” Jesse’s lips quivered and his nostrils flared as he struggled to hold back his smile as Michael had seen him do so many times before.
Michael glowered at him. “You’re loving this, aren’t you?”
Jesse held up his hands. “No, honest. From the few things you’ve told me, there seems to never be a dull moment at your house, and Selina is very unique.”
“She’s unique, all right.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m not sure. Sometimes she has me laughing at her backward ways and antics. Other times I want to find the nearest cave at Coeur d’Alene and hide out there the rest of my life.” Michael raised his hat, plowed his hand through his hair and replaced his hat. “Yesterday, on her way home from Sadie’s, she found a wolf pup and brought it home.”
“A wolf? You’re kidding.”
“No. In fact, when I woke up this morning, the wolf’s face was only inches from mine. It about scared the life out of me.”
His brother laughed.
“Glad you find this amusing. That thing scared ten years off of my life.”
“I’m sure.”
“I told her I didn’t want her bringing any more critters home but she told me the good Lord made her that way and she would rather bed down here in the barn than stop doing that. I have no idea what to expect next. Or any idea what she might bring home next.”
“Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a little bit, Michael? She only brought a cat and a wolf to your house.”
“Only?” He dipped his head and hiked one brow toward Jesse. “The cat I could deal with. But the wolf?” He shook his head. “You know they can’t be fully trusted. I wonder what she plans on doing with it once it’s healed. She can’t take it back because she says its mama is dead, and I refuse to share my house with a wolf, no matter what my wife says. That woman is as unpredictable and stubborn as a mule.”
