"That was beautiful," she sighed. "Where did you learn to sing like that?"
"Punchin' cows." He chuckled.
"I don't understand." She looked from George and Chico to him.
George who was sitting on the porch steps now turned to look at her on the swing where her and Lance sat.
"Cowboys sing to lull the cows at night, it keeps them calm. We all do it some, but the boss does it best. Although Rusty's got whistling down pat. Lance's been singing like that since he was a kid." George told her. "You see, a lot of things spook the cows and make them run. If they run, we gotta catch them and turn them and that's a hard job, let me tell you. Singing and music help keep them calm, especially when they smell a storm comin'. Or a big cat around."
"Sounds like herding cows is a lot harder than I ever imagined." She told George. He chuckled. She turned to Lance, "The songs were lovely." She told him.
"You're easily impressed." Lance chuckled.
He played a couple of soft song on the guitar and set it down.
The men talked for a while as Trudy sat listening to them and staring out at the night. She loved hearing some of the stories they'd tell, about the cattle drives and things they had to do every day.
Later when the boys left them alone, a new tension surrounded them.
"It's so peaceful here." She murmured.
"The nights are peaceful, everyone's done a day's work. It's a good feeling to know you work hard and rest easy."
"Yes, I know this is true. A lot of people think hard work isn't good for you, but I think it feeds the soul. Sometimes I'd be so worn out, scrubbing floors, and then dad would be drunk and need my attention. But all of it faded when I laid down at night, it was another good day. And I always slept soundly."
"Sounds like you'd have a lot of work and little relaxation."
"Maybe, but you must understand, Dad was a sweet man too. I didn't mind taking care of him. He was a good father. When I'd be down, so tired I couldn't hold my head up any longer, he'd tuck me into bed and tell me an old sea-faring story. Like I was a child. I never told him how much those times meant to me."
He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Tell me, are you happy here?"
"Yes," she whispered softly. "When I came west," she stared into his eyes now. "I didn't know exactly what to expect. The weather was so different, and the people here are friendly. But I'd never worked on a ranch. Strangely, the fact that I was Irish didn't seem to matter to anyone."
"And now, that you've been here a short while, what do you think of it?"
"I like it here, Lance. Not that happy about the weather, but I do like it here. In St. Louis, if someone knew you, they'd greet you with a 'Hello', but if they didn't, they'd totally ignore you, as though you weren't there. It happens in big cities. You can disappear in a big city and no one would even know you were there."
"Never thought much about it. Here people are always poking their noses in your business, but they are usually harmless."
She looked at him and smiled. He bent his head and took her lips. "You've got the sweetest, softest lips I've ever tasted."
"You really shouldn't be kissing me, we don't have an audience now." She smiled.
"I know, that's why I'm doing it." He smiled as he kissed her cheek. "I'm not kissing you any longer because I'm trying to impress my friends, I'm kissing you because I like to."
"My life here is so different. More than I ever imagined it could be. But when you kiss me," she stared into his sparkling eyes. "I go all mushy inside. I never had time for such things at home. Never thought I'd enjoy it so much." She felt all her nerves come alive around him too.
"Did I ever tell you how much I like mush?" he smiled and kissed her again. This time the kiss intensified, making her ache for more. He pulled her bottom lip and sucked upon it, then entered her mouth and swept it with his hot tongue. She moaned aloud.
He raised his head, the desire in his eyes enflamed her. "It's gonna be mighty hard not touching you."
She stood up, on shaky legs and walked to the post on the porch.
"It's not that I don't want to give into my feelings, I do." She raised her head, took a breath then turned to look at him. "But you know that Priscilla is between us, and you haven't told her we are married. I can't take this marriage seriously until everything is settled. And this isn't a ploy to make you do something you don’t want to do. I fully understand that she was your intended, and respect that. But I won't let myself get too involved until it is settled one way or another. It isn't fair to romance me and keep her hanging."
"What is it you want, Trudy?" he whispered between kisses that were stirring her past passion to white hot desire. He moved toward her now, his hands lifting her chin up so he could look into her eyes, his thumbs rubbed softly the line of her jaw, mesmerizing her.
"Love," she murmured simply. "I've always believed that a love between a man and woman shouldn't be shared. I will not look at another man like I do you. And I will not sleep with a man that has two women. I don't like sharing my husband."