The Cowboy's Gamble: Destined For Love Series (14 page)

She didn’t utter a word, but then she didn’t have to. Her gaze all but snapped with defiance.

He smiled, and played his trump card. “Keep in mind, Josie, darlin’, this marriage isn’t legal until we consummate it. And in order to consummate our union, it’s going to take
both
of us participating.”

Her feisty rebellion dimmed; it was obvious she hadn’t considered everything she stood to lose by being so uncooperative in their marriage bed.

Deciding to let her sleep on that, he yanked the sides of her nightgown together to cover the temptation he wouldn’t be enjoying that night and pushed the hem back into place. He turned off the lamp on his night stand, then returned to her, circling an arm around her waist and tucking his still aroused body along hers. She tensed, but didn’t complain or struggle away.

Sleep was a long time in coming for both of them.

He’d underestimated Josie’s ability to remain apathetic, and that rankled Seth more than he cared to admit. He’d gone to sleep in a surly mood, though getting a few hour’s rest hadn’t improved his disposition any. He’d slipped out of bed before the crack of dawn, taken a much needed cold shower, and headed down to the stables, not wanting to be anywhere near Josie until he’d decided what to do with his stubborn bride.

Saturday it had been easy to avoid her. There had been a fence down in the west end and it had taken the day to restore it. Seth had joined in on the repair, as much to give Mac and the other men an extra pair of hands as to show his employees that he had no qualms about working hard on the Golden M. What he expected of his hands, he expected of himself, and he’d proved at least that much with his efforts, and gained their respect in the process.

He stayed out on the range even after the other hands had headed in for the day, herding stray cattle and familiarizing himself with the boundaries of the Golden M. The sense of rightness had calmed him somewhat, but not enough to diminish the unsettling emotions from the previous night’s escapade.

When darkness forced him to return, he’d spent more time than necessary cleaning tack. Kellie had brought him a plate of meatloaf, vegetables and rolls for dinner and chatted with him while he’d eaten. He’d enjoyed her company, and had to smile when she’d told him that she’d smuggled the food out to him. Apparently, when Kellie had expressed her concern about him not showing up for supper, Josie had told her when he was hungry enough, he’d come in and fix his own meal.

At least he had an ally in Kellie.

When he’d finally returned to the main house hours later, the structure had been dark and quiet. Kellie was in bed, and when he entered Josie’s room he’d found her huddled beneath the covers, pretending slumber. He’d taken a long hot shower, slipped into bed without putting any briefs on, and snuggled close to Josie. She’d been wearing that dreaded flannel again, but he was too exhausted to engage in a battle for her to take it off so she could gradually get used to them being skin to skin.

She’d flinched when he’d pulled her against his chest, gasped and attempted to squirm away when he’d brazenly cupped his hand over her breast.

“Settle down, Josie,” he’d murmured in her ear. “I’m too damn tired to demand my husbandly rights tonight.” It was an outright lie, considering how a certain part of his anatomy had eagerly leapt to life the moment he’d touched her.

He’d spent the entire night like that, and the next morning’s routine had been no different than the previous. Up early. Cold shower. Out of the house before Josie woke. He’d skipped breakfast, and his stomach was growling fiercely, reminding him that he was a man who liked three hearty meals a day. Mid-morning was rapidly approaching. Soon, he’d be forced up to the main house to slap together a couple of sandwiches.

Something had to give between him and Josie, and he felt as though he’d given plenty and for the most part exhibited the patience of a saint where Josie was concerned. He was willing to set past grudges aside, so why couldn’t she at least meet him half way? Or was she trying to make his life so miserable he’d ask for a divorce and forfeit the Golden M back to her?

“Not a chance, sweetheart,” he muttered to himself. No way would he give up something that offered him so much security, and a future he alone had the power to shape. He’d lived under the pressure of his father’s thumb for more years than he cared to remember, then endured his brother’s manipulations as well.

He was finally his own man, broken free of the O’Connor influence and domination. That kind of freedom certainly tasted sweet, and now that he had it, he wasn’t willing to give it up.

Stabbing his pitch fork into a hay bale, he tore it apart and evenly distributed the pieces of dried alfalfa into the stall he’d just cleaned out for Lexi. Briefly, he wondered what Josie planned to do today, then just as quickly told himself he didn’t care.

Booted steps echoed down the corridor in the stable, and Seth stopped his brusque movements with the pitchfork to listen. The gait was slow but firm, not the clipped, efficient sound he’d come to associate with Josie’s steps. He was irritated to realize he was disappointed.

Stepping outside the stall, he saw Mac casually strolling down the aisle. The foreman glanced in an occupied stall and doled out a treat to the horse within.

Seth frowned, not in the mood to fraternize with anyone. “What are you doing here?”

“Howdy, boss,” Mac said congenially, and gave another mare a slice of apple along with an affectionate rub on her snout. “Just checkin’ on things, like I do every Sunday afternoon for Josie.”

“There’s no need for you to do that any longer.” Seth appreciated the man’s loyalty, but he was more than capable of handling any problems that arose. And he’d be right on hand, considering he spent most of his time in the stables. “Take the day off and spend it with your wife.”

Mac crooked a graying brow his way. “You should be doing the same.”

Seth’s smile was half-hearted. “My wife doesn’t want
my
company.”

A grin split the older man’s weathered face. “Uh-oh, trouble in paradise already?”

Seth’s answer was a plain and simple grunt of disgust. He wasn’t willing to elaborate beyond that.

Mac, however, had no qualms pursuing the issue. “Considering your grouchy mood yesterday, I figured your wedding night didn’t go as planned.”

Seth blanched inwardly. Great, had his sex life, or lack thereof, been the topic of discussion yesterday when he hadn’t been around? “Just leave it alone, old man.” Not caring where this conversation was heading, he propped his pitchfork against the stall and headed toward the tack room.

“Seems to me you don’t know the way of women,” Mac offered absently as Seth stalked past. “Especially one like Josie.”

Seth came to an abrupt stop and whirled around. Everything that had accumulated over the past week—frustration, anger, bitterness—finally boiled to a head. “Oh, I know Josie all right,” he said, his voice heated with resentment. “Better than you, or anyone else thinks!”

Mac took off his aged leather hat and slapped it against his thigh, calmly digesting that information. “I suppose what’s between the two of you is really none of my business-”

“No, it’s not,” Seth said succinctly. The last thing he wanted, or needed, was someone meddling in his relationship with Josie.

“But I’m going to tell you what I think anyway.”

Seth ground his teeth and told himself to walk away, but something kept him rooted to the spot.

“Josie has been through a lot in the past ten or so years,” Mac began, stepping up to the next stall to give the mare within her share of attention. “She’s had a child on her own and raised that little baby into a sweet young girl. She’s endured remarks about Kellie’s parentage, and she doesn’t date because men expect more from her than she’s willing to give, if you know what I mean.”

Seth knew exactly what Mac meant, but he wasn’t to blame for Josie’s past indiscretions. “What does all this have to do with me?”

“Maybe it has more to do with you than you think.” He cast a casual glance Seth’s way. “The two of you were seeing each other some years ago, weren’t you?”

Seth’s body tensed at the question, but he saw no point in lying about the gossip that had circulated around town. His father’s anger over Seth’s involvement with Josie had overridden discretion, and after a few drinks anyone within earshot had heard David O’Connor grousing about his son making time with Josie McAllister.

“Yeah, we spent some time together,” he admitted.

“She’s was pretty broken-hearted when you broke things off.”

Seth scoffed at that. All he’d seen from Josie the past week was a cold, frosty heart. But there had been a time when she’d been warm and sweet . . . “What happened between us wasn’t just about me,” he said, annoyed that he felt the need to defend himself over what had clearly been Josie’s duplicity.
She’d
used
him
, not the other way around!

“No?”

Seth didn’t care for the other man’s penetrating stare. “No,” he stated firmly. “There are circumstances you obviously don’t know about.”

“Maybe,” Mac said vaguely.

Seth jabbed a finger in the foreman’s direction. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy.”

“Oh, I don’t think you’re the bad guy at all,” Mac conceded. “But you shouldn’t be heapin’ all the blame at Josie’s feet, either.”

Seth’s impatience climbed a few notches. “You’re talking in riddles, man, and making little sense.”

Frowning, Mac absently scratched his head. “That tends to happen when the years creep up on you.”

Seth didn’t believe the man for a second. Mac was old, but sharper than a tack. Was he insinuating that there was more to what happened between him and Josie than met the eye? Seth shook his head. The old man had no idea what had transpired eleven years ago! Had no idea that Jose had slept with him in an attempt to claim him, an
O’Connor
, as the father of her child. It was a sick sort of vengeance, but she hadn’t denied any of it.

And he’d paid a steep price for that brief time with Josie.

Scrubbing a hand over his jaw, he blew out a heavy breath that did nothing to ease the tightness in his chest. “If you’re done with your Sunday sermon, I’d like to finish what I’m doing.” He again started down the corridor.

“Be gentle with her,” Mac said.

Seth halted and turned around, compelled to reply. “Doesn’t work. I’ve tried it.”

Filching another wedge of apple from his shirt pocket, Mac held the treat out to a mare bobbing her head over a stall. “Breaking a stubborn filly takes time, doesn’t it?”

Seth squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, unable to believe Mac was actually comparing Josie to a horse, of all things! “And it’s up to me to break her?” he guessed wryly.

Mac shrugged, a smile playing around his mouth. “So to speak. Just like a skittish filly, you need to give her time to trust you’re not going to hurt her. You need to woo her.”

Woo her? Seth thought cynically. “She’s my wife,” he said, as if that fact excluded him from such nonsense.

The look Mac gave him was direct and wise. “It doesn’t make her any less a lady, and all ladies like to be courted and romanced. Do it properly, and you’ll tame your little filly without breaking her spirit.”

Seth crossed his arms over his chest, doubting Mac’s frivolous idea. It would take more than hand holding and pretty words to smooth things over with Josie. Him filing for divorce would certainly do the trick, but that wasn’t an option.

Settling his hat back on his head, Mac nodded at Seth like they’d just conducted business. “I’ll be on my way now. Have a good day, boss.”

Seth doubted that would happen, either.

S
eth pulled his truck out of Pete’s Hardware parking lot and made a right turn through town and toward the Golden M. He’d spent the last two hours picking up supplies and running errands, having decided that the next couple of days he’d devote to the business end of the ranch, rather than spending daylight hours working the range. Eventually, he’d balance the two separate duties, probably committing his mornings to helping his men in any capacity they needed, and the afternoons in the office and around the main house.