"I gotta a feeling that things are not as they seem with her. She seems to be hedging, either she's reconsidered the marriage, or found someone else. I don't think it's her mother."
"Why not? Isn't it possible?"
He came toward her now, "She told me, like the first three letters she wrote, her mother was dead. Now, you figure it out."
"Are you sure, maybe it was another relative?" Trudy suggested.
"I went back and reread them, it was her mother, now a dead mother can't get sick."
"What if she comes anyway?"
"Then," he smiled again, "I might just have a few surprises for her."
"Will she be upset that I am here?"
He came closer, lifted her chin with the curve of one finger, "Not that you are here as a cook, but that we are married might shock her. It doesn't matter, you've got this job, no matter what and… we are married."
"Yes, but it can't go on forever!"
He grinned, "Give it time, maybe you'll come to like that job too."
She started to say something, but he leaned to kiss her again. It was shocking how the man could kiss, his lips were like melted butter, and tasted just as good. Her head told her not to response, but her heart didn't listen.
He raised his head and smiled into her hot flushed face, "You sure taste good in the morning."
"You really shouldn't do that when the men aren't around." She muttered softly.
"Why not?" he whispered. "You seem to enjoy it as much as I do, and we are married, so there's no shame in it."
"But you have a fiancée!" she insisted.
"Do I? I don't see her around, do you?"
"Maybe you'll hear something soon." She shot him a smile.
"When someone tells you they are gonna do something, and then they don't. It makes you wonder how you can trust them. You didn't tell me you were coming early, but you were sure here on time. You repeated the vows when I nudged you, even though they were uttered softly. You came out here knowing I have a fiancée, and even though I married you, you carried through on the job too. So, I know I can trust you Trudy, and I damn sure appreciate it too. Especially when the lady that you can trust is your wife."
"This all happened because I was early and wearing that dress… "
"I'd never seen a woman look more beautiful." He told her, his eyes searching hers.
"The lady on the train practically told me I was over dressed. I don't know what possessed me to buy it. It just kind of grabbed all my attention. I never had—"
He saw her flush. He knew what she was going to say. She'd never had a dress like that before. Damn a woman like that, so beautiful and so poor. His heart turned over in his chest.
"Well, I guess you know you had my full attention with it!" He smiled sexily at her. "I'll be in the north pasture, it's spring and that means branding time. The boys work extra hard during these days, we'll be out all day, lots of dust and heat from the branding."
"Sounds to me like you could use some lemonade about noon." She grinned.
"Well, that's something we haven't had much of, but you better check the supply of lemons first, if not, coffee will do."
"Alright. The boys said if I'd make them some biscuits and bacon for a mid-day snack, they'd appreciate it. Is that alright?"
"Honey, anything you want to do in this kitchen is fine with me. I can understand why; these biscuits are great. Thank your Aunt Betty for me."
How did he remember her aunt's name? But a man of his standing would do his best to remember details, she suspected.
There were a lot of things she was beginning to like about this cowboy, but she wouldn't be telling him about them.