“That was completely unnecessary.”
“That yahoo had no right coming in here and hurting you.”
“He’s my friend.”
“Then, honey, you need a new set of friends, ‘cause with friends like that, you sure don’t need to go hunting up enemies.”
“Is that an order?”
“What?”
She folded her arms across her chest and asked him calmly. “Are you ordering me to not be friends with Aaron?”
He’d forgotten about requiring her promise of obedience. “Hell, no.”
As he headed down the hall toward the back door, she fell into step beside him, and asked, “Where are you going?”
“I’ve still got to signal the men and put my horse away.” He paused at the door. “Unless you have objections?”
He hadn’t expected her to come with him, but as she showed no signs of slowing when she reached the door, he held it open for her.
Her nose lifted two inches. “Of course not.”
As she passed, her scent of vanilla, beeswax and tantalizing woman drifted up to tease his nostrils. When she reached the top step and started to unwrap Shameless’ reins, he said, “Is there something you want to say to me?”
She turned, reins in hand. He stepped off the porch, cleared his rifle from the saddle scabbard, and fired off two shots that signaled the all clear. As he slid the rifle back into the scabbard, she answered, “Yes.”
He took the reins from her hands and slid his free arm around her waist. “Keep me company to the barn and you can tell me all about it.”
As if she had any choice, Elizabeth thought. The man wasn’t a bully, but he sure had a laid back way of getting what he wanted, which, apparently, was her company. As he shortened his strides to match hers, she felt his fingers slide up her side.
“I thought I told you not to wear one of these.” His fingers tapped the bone of the corset. It made a slight “tick” sound.
She took a steadying breath. His scent filled her nostrils. She braced herself for the repugnance she usually felt at the way a man smelled. It didn’t come. Asa smelled of horses, leather and the outdoors, but he also smelled pleasantly of something else. Something elementally him. Something she liked. “You didn’t tell me not to wear a corset. You asked me not to wear one.”
He sidestepped them around a manure pile. “You don’t feel that’s a bit of hair splitting?”
“No.” She glanced up in time to see a smile flirt with his lips. The man was an enigma, taking offense at the slightest things, and at others, having the patience of a saint.
“You want me to order you not to wear it?”
“Not hardly.”
“Why not? The thing seems darned uncomfortable.”
“It is.”
“Then why wear it?” He stepped aside to let her through the barn door first.
“No proper lady would be without one.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What does that mean?” The warm scent of the barn enclosed her in a welcoming hug.
“That’s polite for ‘I’ve never heard such bull in my life’.”
“It’s true. Being seen without a corset would be scandalous.”
“My reputation could probably survive the scandal.”
“Mine wouldn’t.”
He tied Shameless to the hitching post and made short work of the cinch. He had nice hands, Elizabeth decided. Long-fingered, broad across the back, and very agile.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but, now that we’re married, isn’t your reputation mine?” He swung the heavy saddle clear of the gelding’s back.
“Sort of.” It was a blatant stall. His teeth flashed white in the sun-dappled interior, letting her know he was aware of it.
“Well…” He tossed the saddle onto the wooden support leaning against the wall. “Seeing as how my reputation doesn’t give two hoots about anyone else’s opinions, I guess you could chuck that contraption into the old well tonight.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” He picked up a rag and started to wipe down Shameless.
“Because none of my dresses would fit.” She grabbed a curry comb and moved in beside him, currying where he’d finished wiping. Beyond a quick glance in her direction, he didn’t say anything.
“Hadn’t thought of that.” He moved to the other side of the horse and repeated the process. “Might be time for you to get a new wardrobe.”
“You truly don’t mind if I don’t wear one and everyone notices?”
He folded his arms along the horse’s back and regarded her across the breadth. “Let me put it this way; if you needed to move in a hurry, could you get the job done with that thing on?”
“Not hardly.” She was lucky to manage bending over to get biscuits out of the oven.
“Then I don’t mind a bit.” He flicked his finger at her nose, and went back to wiping down the horse.
It took her a minute to put it together, it was such a novel concept. “You’re concerned about my safety.”
“It’s a husband’s job to take care of his wife.”