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“You need some help?”
She jumped, startled when Jesse’s voice pierced her quiet thoughts. She looked around the tree. He stood some distance away, his head cocked to one side, that irritating grin plastered on his face. “I do not and if I did, you’d be the last person I’d ask.”
“Really?” He shifted his weight from one foot to the next. “And who would you ask?” He turned to glance at the other cowboys packing up before turning to face her. “Surely you wouldn’t pick some random man over your own husband.”
“Don’t get too used to that title. You won’t have it once we make it back to Willow Creek.”
“So you say.”
He crossed the distance between them and picked up the discarded clothing, rolling it into a ball before tucking it under his arm. “I gave the rest of your things to Isaac to put away and had a fresh horse saddled for you. Owen’s got him over at the chuck wagon.”
He left her standing and she watched him until he was lost in the mass of bodies hovering near the dying embers of the campfire. She raised an eyebrow. Since when did Jesse do anything to help her out?
When he married you, maybe?
He rounded the corner of the wagon, a small voice in the back of her head whispering that as annoying as Jesse was, he did fit some of the requirements of her ideal husband. He was handsome—even if she’d never admit it to anyone other than Betsey—strong, and a hard worker.
But he was bossy, found joy in tormenting her and liked to pick fights just for the heck of it. He was all wrong for her. If their marriage wasn’t a sham, they’d never be able to live peacefully. Every day would be a battle of wills, an endless string of fights that would eventually get tiring. There wasn’t anything to make a marriage with him work.
Except the wedding night and more of those toe-curling kisses he kept giving her.
The thought popped into her head and caused heat to burn her neck and face. She sucked in a breath, shook the images flashing across her mind’s eye away and decided this line of thought would get her nothing but trouble. She couldn’t even entertain the thought of a wedding night, even if there was a piece of paper saying she had every right. And what about Jesse? Would he expect more than a goodnight kiss?
She was blushing fiercely, her face burning so hot she felt feverish. Whether Jesse wanted to consummate their wedding or not was a question she wasn’t about to bring up. She was going to have a hard enough time divorcing him as it was without the added complication of actually letting him bed her.
Of course, no one said he did. Him making her marry him was for proprieties sake and nothing else. Getting her naked was probably the furthest thing from his mind.
She finished buttoning her shirt, tucked the tail into the waistband of her trousers and went in search of Owen, finding him right where Jesse said he’d be. He didn’t look happy to see her. He handed her the horses reins and walked off without a word.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Isaac placed the big dutch oven into the wagon and closed the door to the bean bin before turning to face her. “If I had to guess, I’d say he wasn’t taking the news of your nuptials all that well.”
“That makes two of us.” She checked the straps on the saddle, made sure everything was tight, then raised her foot to step into the stirrup. “Why’s he upset about it?”
“Ben told him how you came to be married and Owen didn’t particularly like how it all went down. The boy thinks a lot like you and said Jesse making you marry him like that was wrong.”
Alex laughed. “I knew I liked that kid for a reason.” She shifted her weight in the saddle and settled in. “And he’s right. Jesse forcing me to marry him was just evil.”
Isaac checked the water level in the supply bucket then looked her way. “He didn’t force ya. You could have said no.”
“Well yeah, but I would have had to go home.”
“True, but it was your choice.”
Alex scowled. “You’re not going to take his side on this, are you?”
He laughed. “Normally I don’t pick sides but on this, I’m afraid I’m with him.”
“Traitor.” She watched the commotion around camp, her gaze tracing the shapes of cowboys on the far side of the herd. She didn’t see Jesse amongst them. Not that she was looking for him. Was she? She scowled when she realized she was and turned back to Isaac. “I’m going to ride to the back and catch up with Owen.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
He pushed the front of his hat up. “Jesse wants you up front with me.”
“Of course he does.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to be coddled, Isaac, so you can just tell that pig-headed husband of mine to stick his orders up his—”
