Rocky Mountain Bride (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 2) (18 page)

Her words fell like a blow; she watched them hit him and knock him back.

“Are you sure?” he said finally.

“I am sure. I’m sorry it took me so long to know. But I can never love you.”
It will bring us both to ruin, like Lyle and his lady love.

Slowly, Miles’ head sank onto his chest. Reaching out, he took up his hat and settled it onto his head.

Carrie watched him walk to the door. She could tell he was hurting, but she couldn’t stop him. She had to let him go.

He stopped in the door, the light silhouetting the harsh planes of his face.

“I know I am a hard man, but I had hoped you could one day find it in your heart to love me.”

He waited for a moment, but she didn’t know what to say. With a heavy step, he went out the door.

She waited a few minutes, feeling numb. Once she was sure he was gone, she grabbed a shawl and a blanket, and made a bundle with some food. Her marriage had failed, and she had no recourse but to run.

The horses nickered as she passed their corral. Belle and her foal watched her go. Monty trotted along the fence, following her as far as he could.

“It’s better this way,” she told them, and ran to the forest, Monty’s frantic whinnies echoing in her ears.

The woods were dark and thick as she pushed her way through the pines. She quickly lost her way through the pines and stumbled blindly through the branches that tore at her.

It began to rain. Most of the drops were caught by the thick canopy overhead, but she could hear the torrent drumming on the leaves. It grew colder, and she knew she’d need to find shelter for the night, but the trees pressed in from all sides until she could barely see.

The rain started in earnest, and she was almost blind, running and sobbing. She never should’ve left Miles. She should’ve told him the truth and let him do what he would with her. He would cast her out, but maybe he’d send her with fare to go home. She could’ve taken it and left, not for home, because there was no place for her there anymore. But perhaps she could’ve gone back to town, and perhaps take a stagecoach to a mining camp and work there, or on to California.

The storm overhead blew up so quickly. She could hear the trees tossing above her head. Their trunks creaked restlessly, and she wondered if she should lie down and hope they would fall and bury her.

But did she really want to die? Or just escape?

Hope came in the form of a clearing. She stumbled out of the woods, peering through the rain to see the neglected homestead. Lyle’s cabin sat eerie and alone, dark wood stained with the water.

Then lightning cracked overhead and she shrieked, dropping and covering her head out of instinct. She could feel the storm’s energy surging over the ground, seeking a victim.

“Carrie,” someone called. On the opposite side of the clearing, Miles pushed his ride out of the trees, just in time for thunder to boom out just over their heads. The horse reared a little in surprise, and Carrie could hear both man and beast crying out. She stood, torn in the middle of the field, wanting to run to shelter, but also go back to help with the frightened horse.

She saw Miles had dismounted, and calmed his mount, but then lighting sizzled again. She covered her ears, blinking her eyes to clear them of the white light. Before her, the cabin’s door gaped open like a dark maw. She staggered to the porch and grasped the rail.

“Stop.” Miles’ voice cracked with authority. “Don’t go in there!”

The cabin smelled the mustiness of disease and disuse. She recoiled and looked back and saw Miles running towards her, even as great sheets of rain fell between them.

“No, Carrie, get back!” His command moved her frozen limbs, and she stumbled backwards from the cabin into Miles’ arms. His arms pulled her away, inserting his broad body between her and the creaking structure.

Again, lightning sliced down, blinding them. It hit the cabin as the thunder roared above them. Miles dropped to the ground, covering her with his body. Together they watched the rickety shack collapse with a creaking groan.

As the rain beat down, Carrie lay her face in grass. She didn’t know if she was sobbing or just feeling the rain beat her face.

Miles waited, then rose and scooped her up. He ran through the rain with her in his arms, dashing towards the copse as the sky boiled and lightning continued to scythe through the angry clouds. They curled together at the foot of an old tree, Monty standing nearby.

She kept her eyes closed and her body pressed to his strong one. Finally, as the storm passed and left a steady, cleansing rain, she found his heartbeat under her ear and listened to the sound of life. Not once did he let her go.

He had come for her. He’d not let her leave, and then he’d saved her life.

Once the rain had died to a whisper, she gripped his shirt to raise herself up. “You came for me.”

“Of course I did.” He looked tired, but triumphant, face washed with rain. “You’re mine, Carrie girl.”

Her hand laid against his face to make sure he was real.

“I don’t deserve you,” she whispered.

“No,” he said, shaking her a little. “I don’t deserve you. I left home young, ran to the West. Settled here and lived alone. All work, never laughter, never smiles, never anything more than hardship. You came to me like sun breaking over the mountains. I’ll never let you go. Never. Not even if every star falls from the sky will I allow you to run.”

She was crying again, but against his face, his beard scratching her as he kissed her lips.

“You came to marry me. I love you, Carrie Donovan. I want you to stay with me.”

Above them, Monty whickered as if to say,
all well and good, but I’m standing in the rain.

Carrie couldn’t help it, she laughed. When she looked at her husband again, he was smiling.

“Come on, let’s go home.”

Before they rode, Miles tucked a blanket around her. “Don’t ever do that again,” he murmured. “Promise me, Carrie, you won’t ever run from me.”

“I promise,” she said and he kissed her again, before turning Monty home.

Back at the homestead, she undressed quickly while Miles built up the fire. The weather had turned colder on the heels of the late summer storm. Miles wrapped her in blankets and settled her close to the fire. He heated water and bathed her limbs and face, wiping away mud and cleaning out the cuts the branches gave her.

“Stay here,” he said, pulling her chair closer to the fire and placing her feet on a warming stone. “Stay here. I’ll see to Monty.”

When he came back, he stripped. She watched his body move in the glowing firelight, muscles stretching and flexing.

“Into the bed,” Miles directed her, crawling in after her.

She settled facing him, fear growing in her heart again.

Miles turned his serious eyes onto her. “Now, Carrie girl. I’ve let you keep your own counsel, but no longer. You need to tell me.”

“I’m afraid,” she said.

“Trust me, Carrie. When did I ever prove that I wouldn’t treat you well?” His right hand stroked back her wet hair.

She turned her head and kissed it. “It’s not that. I deserve to be punished, every day of my life and more besides,” she said, tears running down her face.

“My sweet wife. What have you done?”

His words broke her.

“I’m a horrible wife,” she sobbed. “Our marriage was ruined from the start.”

“Don’t say that, Carrie.” He looked desperate, watching her cry. “If you told me you wished to return home, I would’ve sent you—”

“No, Miles, don’t send me away.” She clung to him. “I love you.”

He pulled her closer then, tucking her under his chin. His warmth seeped into her bones and soothed her.

“I didn’t mean to love you,” she said as she calmed. “It just happened. I know that love leads to wicked, evil things.”

He almost chuckled. “What do you mean?”

Too upset to speak, she shrugged.

“Has anything between us been wrong?”

“No,” she sniffled.

“Then tell me everything.”

“I will confess. But promise me, when you hear me, that you will not cast me out right away.”

“Carrie, I will not—”

Her arms around his neck tightened. “Promise me.”

He nodded.

Slowly, she unwound her arms and lay on her back so she would not see him. For a few more seconds, she focused on the joy of his long, heated body beside her. Then she began.

“When I was eighteen, a man at church caught my eye. He approached me and told me he wished to court me. He told me he would ask Thomas for my hand. But my brother said no. So I went against his wishes and courted this man anyway. One night I snuck out and met him. He tried to touch me, and I refused. So he tried to force himself on me.”

She felt Miles stiffen beside her and shut her eyes.

“The next day he told everyone at church I had seduced him and would bear his child. He said he would marry me if the elders required it. I was twenty-two then.”

The bed moved, and she knew Miles was staring down at her. Somehow, she couldn’t resist opening her eyes and meeting his tawny gaze.

“It wasn’t true,” she said. “But they believed him. What’s more, they blamed me entirely, saying it was my fault for leading him astray. The elders required us to be married, but I refused. My brother stood by me, but no one else did. Not one. For months I tried to hold my head up and defend my side, but then I just couldn’t…I left the church. I never went back.”

Dragging in a harsh breath, she rolled on her side away from him. “My brother thought it would be better for me to leave home. He sent me to live as a helper with friends in Pennsylvania, but after a few months, they learned of my story and sent me back. They said I was a harlot, and an untoward influence on their children. Thomas didn’t know what to do. Then he received your letter, and I chose to come here. So now you know how I deceived you.”

Silence.

“Carrie, look at me.”

He didn’t sound angry, so she risked a glance. Miles’ face, so serious, held only tenderness for her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted a fresh start. I needed one. I tried, truly.” She blinked back tears. “If you wish to send me away, I understand.”

“Sweet Carrie, I never want you to leave my side again.” His hand cupped her cheek, and she threw herself against his hard body, sobbing the rest of her apology while he soothed her.

“My love, there is nothing to forgive. Let your guilt go.”

Tears still flowed down her face when he raised her chin and kissed her.

“No more crying,” he said, mock gruffly.

“I thought you would be angry,” she said. “You married a whore.”

“Carrie, you’re the furthest thing from a painted woman. And even if you were, well, love covers over a multitude of sins. Even a harsh, judgmental attitude such as mine. Though,” his tone turned serious, “I should like to thrash the man who attacked you.”

She lay her cheek onto his bare chest with a sigh. “That’s what Thomas said.”

“I’d like to take a horsewhip to the elders at your church, too. Did your brother not stand up for you?”

“He did, but he was new from seminary and didn’t have the authority. Everybody believed William. Even me. He said he’d take care of me.”

“Man breaks a vow to a woman, and violates what he’s sworn to protect, he deserves a beating. Perhaps I’ll send Lyle’s gun-slinging brother after the villain. Teach this William a lesson.”

“Oh no.” Carrie reared up in Miles’ arms. “William said he’d find me. He enlisted before the start of the war, but he said afterward he would find me and force me to marry him.”

He coaxed her back down and cradled her body to his. “I won’t let that happen.” He kissed her softly drying hair.

Minutes passed while she dozed in his arms.

“Miles?”

“Hmm?”

“I ran from you. You told me to never to do that.”

He smiled. “Then I best make sure you never run again.”

Rolling, he settled on top of her and sought her lips. “I’ll tie you up in the stables,” he said between kisses. “And train you like a wild mare.”

Her eyes went wide.

“You’ll learn to heed my every call.”

“Miles.” She frowned. “You wouldn’t really do that would you?”

“Feed you hot mash every day.”

As her face creased with worry, Miles shied his head away. His body on hers was shaking.

“Miles, are you laughing at me?”

He turned his face back to her, shoulders jerking and a grin splitting his face. “Aye,” he said when he could finally speak.

Then he lowered his head to her mouth and made her forget her indignation.

His body pressed deliciously between her legs and she found herself undulating under him, trying to rub against him.

“Someone’s ready for me.” He lowered his head and nipped at her neck, hitting a spot that made her spine go weak.

She moaned his name, and he gazed down at her, fixing her with his serious stare.

“Do you trust me, Carrie?”

“Yes.”

He sat up and pulled her over his lap. She went willingly, biting her lip at the thought of her punishment.

“Let’s see,” he said, patting her bare bottom. “It’s Sunday. This week you refused to tell me why you were upset. You let me think you were ill, and when we spoke today, you lied and let me think you didn’t love me. What else?”

“I ran from you,” she said.

“Yes, you did.” Miles’s hand started to knead her cheeks, slapping them lightly. “I think I shall set a rule. If you run from me again,” his hand smacked down a bit harder, “I’ll hunt you down and tie you to the bed. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Her voice went breathless as his hand dipped between her legs.

“I’ll teach you to trust me, Carrie. It may take a life time, but it’s worth the work.”

His palm started spanking, the blows hard enough to make a sharp sound, but they didn’t hurt much. In between, he caressed her bottom. All the smacking and rubbing made her blood rush to the apex of her thighs and she squirmed against him, feeling his member growing large against her belly.

“You’re mine, Carrie, and I don’t want to lose you.” His hand fell a little harder, then immediately rubbed away the sting.