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He chuckled. “Not a one.” Without another word, he scooped her up and sat on the chair. When he had her settled in his lap he asked, “Is that better?”
“I meant, was there any reason you had to hold me for us to converse?”
“Yup.” He scooted down and resettled her against his chest. “I like holding you.”
She didn’t seem to have an answer to that.
He rested his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. “What are your conditions?”
“I’d like you to come home for lunch if possible. And I’d like for us to attend church together on Sunday.”
“I’m not much of a churchgoer.”
“You said you wanted us to do normal things.”
“Best I can tell, y’all don’t have a regular preacher, so I can’t see how going to church on Sunday is normal.”
“We have a preacher that comes through every other week.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Are you saying you won’t go?”
“I promised you could set the rules and, if you insist, I’ll go.”
She sat up stiff in his lap. “There’s no need for you to go to church. I can go by myself.”
He cracked one eye and took in her mutinous expression. “You’re not riding all the way to town on your own.”
“I’ll get a ride with Aaron and his wife.”
He closed his eyes. “Like hell you will.”
“Mr. MacIntyre!”
“You don’t want me swearing, don’t go throwing that neighbor in my face.”
“I didn’t throw him anywhere. And, even if I did, Aaron is a childhood friend, a perfectly respectable member of this community, and a married man.”
“Darlin’, I don’t care if he’s one of those saints, he’s not escorting my wife anywhere.”
“You have no right to be jealous.”
He tried to tug her back against his chest, but she was in a snit and her backbone was iron tough. “You hinting I got call to be jealous?”
“I most certainly am not.” He cracked both eyes and saw she was serious.
She shifted until she ferreted out his gaze with hers. “I haven’t done a thing to deserve your jealousy. Even when Aaron told me he’d help me obtain a divorce, I stuck to our bargain.”
Asa sat up straight, almost dislodging her from his lap. “That son of a bitch offered what?”
She patted his chest as if she thought that would calm him. “He’d heard the rumors and he wanted to reassure me that I didn’t have to stay married to a gunslinger.”
He just bet he’d offered her that. “And what did you say?”
She met his gaze calmly. “I told him I was satisfied with my choice of husband. I thanked him for his concern, and then I changed the subject.”
He could see her doing it, too. All prim and proper. Elizabeth was loyal. She’d stick by her word. Some of his anger slipped, but not his unease. “I imagine that offer was a bit tempting.”
“No, it wasn’t. Divorcing you would land me back where I started. Aaron’s a nice man and very concerned about my welfare, but he’s not practical.”
And Elizabeth was.
“A man’s got to be practical out here,” he agreed.
She sighed. “It would help.”
“No doubt.” He rubbed her back, urging her against his chest. He liked the way she felt resting against him. Soft and sweet. She gave up the unequal struggle and lay her head on his chest. He let his mind wander over their conversation. The part about where she referred to being back where she started set a warning chill down his spine. Aaron’s ranch bordered Elizabeth’s. If it went bankrupt, Aaron would be the one most likely to want to take over. The drought was hitting everyone hard. He wondered how hard it was hitting Aaron’s spread. He made a note to check it out. Just not tonight. Tonight, he was just too doggone tired.
He let his head drop back. Under his hand, Elizabeth’s shoulder muscles relaxed. He smiled and closed his eyes. She was skittish, but he’d coax her around. He recalled her summation of his ‘needs’, and his smile broadened. No doubt she considered herself an authority on the subject, but she still had a lot to learn about him. He didn’t like discord in his life. He had no intention of having anything other than a sweetly willing wife in his bed. Other men could waste their energy looking for excitement outside the marriage. With the proper approach, he was willing to bet Elizabeth was more than capable of delivering all the excitement he could handle. It was going to take some ruminating, but he’d find the key. Only a fool wouldn’t.
Elizabeth’s even breathing and lax muscles told him she was asleep. He decided to hold her a bit longer and enjoy this rare moment of peace before he carried her up to bed. He imagined her discomfort with the kindness and smiled anew. Courting Elizabeth was looking to be the most fun he’d had in a month of Sundays.
