“Bathed and in bed,” Gloria sighed. “A quiet dinner is the one luxury Rudy and I allow ourselves.”
Jared and Rudy came in from the front porch where they had been enjoying glasses of whiskey. Jared crushed out his cheroot in the nearest ashtray. He was washed and brushed and wearing a clean shirt. He must have taken it out of his suitcase while she was in the bathroom.
Rudy went to Gloria and took her in his arms, kissing her in a thorough manner that stunned Lauren. They murmured to each other privately, oblivious to the other two people in the room.
Jared stood looking out the window, his thumbs hooked in the waistband of his tight pants. Lauren stood in the center of the room feeling self-conscious and nervously fingering the watch on her breast. Seeing Rudy and Gloria be so affectionate made her long for such closeness with Jared. Something inside her wanted to cry out to him, to move toward him.
She was about to take one tentative step in his direction when Maria, who had just entered, said, “What is this? The newlyweds acting like strangers, and the old married people loving like doves!”
“I was about to remark on that myself.” Rudy crossed to Lauren and took both her hands in his. “If that sorry husband of yours isn’t going to kiss you, I will. Welcome, Lauren, into our family.” He kissed her lightly on each cheek.
There was a tense, expectant silence among them. Jared, however, seemed unaffected and went to the table. With a curt nod of his head, he offered Lauren the chair he had pulled out for her. With flaming cheeks, she walked toward it. The others, awkwardly quiet, followed her.
The conversation was easy; the Mendezes were able to talk freely about anything. Some of their topics embarrassed Lauren. Castrati
on, branding, breeding. Sybil would have had vapors for a month.
Lauren and Gloria did the dishes. Gloria adamantly refused Maria’s offer to help, but secretly confided to Lauren that she wished she had someone to assist her with the large household and the children.
When they joined the men and Maria in the large living room, Lauren was glad to note that Jared wasn’t drinking. His face had lost the hostile arrogance that it usually bore like a shield. He seemed relaxed and… yes, happy. He was a different person from the one who lived in that beautiful but cold house in Coronado.
He was stretched lazily in a chair, his long legs extended in front of him. She traveled the length of them with her eyes, much as she had done the first time she had seen him, in the back of the wagon. The bulge at his crotch still intrigued her. She looked away quickly.
Gloria sat down beside Maria on one of the sofas and launched into a tale about one of the children’s escapades. The men were talking ranch business. Left to her own devices, Lauren went to one of the bookcases. She took her eyeglasses out of her skirt pocket and put them on, leaning down to inspect the loaded shelves. She found several volumes that were interesting to her and withdrew them, taking a seat in a chair under a lamp.
She soon became engrossed in a book which described the lifestyle of the Comanche as witnessed firsthand by a Texas Ranger. She was vaguely aware of Rudy getting up and going toward the kitchen asking if anyone else wanted more coffee.
She read a few more pages before something compelled her to raise her eyes above the rim of her spectacles. With a jolt, she realized Jared was staring at her through the blue smoke of his cigar. He wasn’t wearing his usual cold, implacable expression. He was looking at her almost tenderly, with a slight smile on his lips.
His gaze traveled down to her hand, which was absently fondling her watch. Why did those slim fingers always fuss with that watch? What significance did it hold for her? He really knew very little about her, he realized.
When he had held her against him today on his horse, it had taken every ounce of his willpower to keep from pressing a kiss on the nape of her neck where tendrils of ebony hair lay. He could have ridden for a hundred miles with her on his lap. What sweet agony it had been every time her body had been jostled against his.
The memory of that brief touch to her breast was vivid in his mind. He convinced himself that he hadn’t meant to do it. It was an accident. But his curiosity had been gratified to feel a firm fullness under his palm. If only he could see…
Jared stiffened when it occurred to him where his thoughts were leading. Just remember how she got here, he cautioned himself. She’s not the innocent, frail flower she looks with those ridiculous eyeglasses on. She’s a scheming little bitch. What I need is a rousing roll in the hay with some obliging whore. A pair of eager, parted thighs and it wouldn’t take long to get this preacher’s kid out of my mind.
Lauren saw that the soft look had fled his face. Dispiritedly she put the book away and took off her eyeglasses.
“Goodnight, everyone,” Maria stood as Rudy came back into the room carrying a mug of coffee. “I’m going to bed and leave you young people alone. Lauren,” she came and stood in front of the girl, cupping her face between her soft hands, “I’m so glad you are here with us. Ben would have loved to have been here. As a matter of fact, I think he was.” She kissed Lauren on the cheek and walked slowly down the hall.
“She’ll never get over losing him,” Rudy said quietly, as the slender figure moved out of sight.
“Yes,” Gloria sighed. “I’m going to bed, too,” she said, standing and going to Rudy’s chair. She leaned on the arms of it, her gaping blouse giving him an unobstructed view of the generous breasts barely contained within her chemise. They kissed long and hard, his hands resting lightly on her thick waist.
“Get my place warm for me. I’ll be a few more minutes,” he said when she finally pulled away.
“Don’t keep Jared up late. Remember, this is his honeymoon,” Gloria teased, rolling her eyes at Jared.
He shifted uneasily in his chair. “That’s all right, Gloria. I’m joining a hot poker game over at the bunkhouse. Some of the boys invited me, and you know these things can go all night sometimes.” He tried to sound jocular, but failed.
“A poker game!” Gloria exploded. “What in the world—” A sharp look from Rudy halted her. She looked at Lauren, who was standing stiffly in the shadows next to the door.
“Lauren, I’ll see that you are settled for the night,” Gloria said with commiseration.
“Goodnight, ladies,” Rudy said gently.
“Goodnight, Rudy. Goodnight, Jared,” Lauren whispered hoarsely.