Courting Kate (20 page)

But Tanner wanted more than a hug—that much was obvious to anyone who knew the ways of men and women. Tanner wanted— Picturing what Tanner wanted, Matt shoved a fist into his pillow, wishing it was his older brother’s face. His own blood pulsing with the need to protect her, Matt stared at the ceiling.

* * *

After the whisper of voices grew silent, soft footsteps retreated down the hall. Apparently the Blaines were a restless bunch. First Tanner coming into her room, then the boys plotting across the hall.

Did one have anything to do with the other?
Kate wondered. She’d pretended sleep when Tanner had entered her room, even though it was hard to keep her eyes closed with him standing there looking at her. She would have sworn he must have heard her heart beating, it roared like a raging river in her ears.
 

If the dog hadn’t growled, what would he have done?

Worse yet, what would she have done? Probably something they both would have been sorry for in the morning.

Would he have come to her bed, made love to her? And would she, could she have refused him? She didn’t know.
 

She remembered the night in the buggy and what very easily could have happened. She loved him; it would be easy to surrender her virtue. It would also be the worst possible thing she could do.

He wanted her, he’d made that clear, and while she thought he was fond of her, she knew he didn’t love her. And he certainly didn’t want to marry her, otherwise he wouldn’t have been so intent on finding her a husband.
 

She’d never been in love before, but other people had told her it was the most marvelous thing that could happen between two people. Somehow she doubted she would ever reach that state of euphoria. For as she lay in the dark, alone in the big bed, her love for Tanner Blaine was the most painful thing she had ever experienced.

Chapter 13

“Wake up, Tanner. We need to talk.”

His feet hanging over the arm of the horsehair couch, Tanner groaned and opened his eyes.

Matt, Mark and Luke stared down at him.

He glanced toward the living room window. “It’s the middle of the night. Can’t whatever it is wait until morning?”

“It is morning,” Matt said firmly. “And it can’t wait.”

Tanner sighed, then pushed himself upright and put his feet on the floor.

Mark tossed a log on the fire and sent a haze of sparks into the room. He glared at Tanner, his eyes accusing. “We heard you last night. We know what you were up to, and we aren’t going to stand for it.”

Tanner looked from one to another of his brothers. Each of them appeared mad enough to punch him. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he lied.

“You went into Kate’s room. We heard you,” Matt declared, daring him to deny it.

“So?”

“Don’t do it again,” Mark warned.

“Yeah. We’ll be watchin’,” Luke finished.

With that, the three of them marched back to bed.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Sneaky little... They won’t stand for it? Who do they think they are?” He lay back down and pulled the covers back up over his shoulders, but guilt wouldn’t allow him to sleep.
 

It wasn’t as though he intended to force her or anything. He didn’t plan to do anything she wasn’t willing to do—regardless of what his brothers thought.

It isn’t right,
his conscience argued.

A woman needed a little loving, he argued. He’d be gentle. He’d never had any complaints so far. Some women had enjoyed it so much they begged for more.

Kate isn’t like them. She’s gentle bred. A lady. She’d be ruined.

Ruined? Not in his estimation. A man appreciated a woman with a little experience. Besides, how did he know she’d never made love to a man? She was past the age when most women were married. She might have already been around the barn a time or two and didn’t want to admit it.

Daisy, over at the Golden Spike saloon, had entertained half the men in Jacksonville at one time or another, yet to hear her tell it, she was pure as the driven snow. She’d gotten married, and her husband hadn’t complained none. He’d said she taught him things he’d never dreamed of.

He tugged the blanket up again, uncovering his feet. The covers were too short. He couldn’t keep one end of his body warm without freezing the other.

He drew up his knees and closed his eyes. Wasn’t any sense worrying about something that probably would never happen. With that dog of hers and his brothers watching every move he made, he’d be lucky to get in as much as a “howdy do” before spring.

* * *

After cutting enough wood to replace what they’d used up in the storm, Tanner wiped his feet and went into the house.
 

He’d left Mark chopping ice out of the water troughs. Luke was shoveling a trail to the privy. Now if he could just get Matt and John out of the way.
 

He hung up his coat and gloves and had started toward the living room to warm himself, when a hammering sound drew his attention. He followed the noise and found Matt kneeling by Kate’s bedroom door.
 

Kate stood beside him, watching.
 

“There. All done.” Matt got to his feet.

“Something wrong with the door?” Tanner asked.

“Not now. I just put a lock on it.” Matt glanced at Kate. “Anytime you feel like a little privacy, you just slide this bolt. That way nobody can bother you.” He gave Tanner a pointed look.

“Isn’t he thoughtful?” Kate said, giving Matt a smile.

“Real thoughtful,” Tanner agreed. “Matt, I’ll have to see what I can do for you sometime.”

“Don’t worry about it, Tanner. I’m glad to help out.”

“Speaking of “out.” I want you to clean out those stalls today. And then you can curry the mules.”

“Can’t do it today, Tanner. I promised to show Kate how to make bread.”

“I’m really looking forward to it,” she said brightly.

“Well... I wouldn’t want to disappoint a lady. Matt, the barn will still be there—waiting for you—tomorrow.”

Matt’s face fell.

“Since you’re set on giving cooking lessons, maybe I’ll watch. Refresh my memory,” he said smoothly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve made a loaf of bread.”

“Can you make bread, too?” Kate asked.

“Sure can,” he said, sliding an arm around her waist. “Why,
darlin’,
you’d be surprised at how many things I’m good at.”

“We need to get started on that bread, Kate,” Matt said, shooting him a look that would have driven nails.
 

“Tanner?”
 

“I’ll be along in a minute,
honey.
I just want to inspect Matt’s work. Wouldn’t want you getting locked in so tight you couldn’t get out, would we?”
 

After Matt took Kate off to the kitchen, Tanner inspected the lock. In truth, Matt had done a fine job. Neat, darn near perfect. The bolt slid easily. Not a chance it would jam. It was also stout enough to keep out a bull. Thinking of last night, he sighed. Well, he could scratch that possibility. But Matt wasn’t the only one who could play the game. A determined glint in his eye, he headed for the kitchen.

Matt stood, arms around Kate, punching at a mound of dough. “We can pretend it’s Tanner,” he said, pummeling it with his fist.
 

Kate blinked when a puff of flour hit her in the face.
 

“I think it’s safer over here. Besides, you can see better,” Tanner said, freeing her from Matt’s embrace.
 

“Yeah, but she won’t learn how to do it.”

“Sure she will. We’ll use that bunch,” he pointed to another mound of dough that hadn’t been punched up yet. “Kate and I will do ours. You can show us how.”

Matt scowled but remained silent.

“First,” said Tanner, turning her to face him, “we’ll get that flour out of your eyes.” He took his handkerchief and wiped her eyes, then with his fingertip brushed a smudge from her nose. “Now, then.” He sprinkled a handful of flour on the table, then placed the dough in the middle of it. “Let’s see.” He placed Kate in front of him and put his arms around her. “I think that’s the way you were doing it, isn’t it, Matt?”

“Since you know so much about it, from now on I’ll leave the bread making to you.” Matt wiped his hands and strode out of the room.
 

“Think I might enjoy bread making,” Tanner murmured into Kate’s ear. He took hold of her hands and pushed them in and out of the soft dough. “How about you, darlin’?”

“I think it could be real pleasurable,” she said, sounding a little breathless.

“I thought you would,” he said, hiding his grin.

* * *

“What happened to the bread?” Mark asked, trying to saw through a piece.

“Tanner made it,” Matt said accusingly.

“I helped,” Kate said, not wanting him to take all the blame. “Didn’t we do it right?”

“It’s okay. Actually it’s quite tasty,” Luke said, tearing off a chunk with his teeth. “Just a little hard in spots.”

“I guess we need more practice,” Tanner said softly, his eyes fixed on hers. “Lots more practice.”

Thinking about that bread making, and the possibility that more would follow, she grew absolutely giddy.

* * *

That night when she’d gone to bed, that feeling still hadn’t left her. She could smell the tangy pine and wood smoke scent of him, feel the strength of his arms around her, his breath warm against her cheek. His hands enfolding hers and the soft dough pressed between their palms, giving her the most erotic sensation she had ever experienced. And when they were finished, he’d wiped the flour from her face and neck. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he intended to kiss her.

Then John burst through the door.

Her face had flamed scarlet and Tanner had looked decidedly uncomfortable. They hadn’t done anything wrong, yet they couldn’t have looked more guilty if they’d been caught rolling on the floor. Thank goodness the child was too young to notice.

But the older boys weren’t. Had they heard Tanner enter her room last night? Was that the reason Matt had put the lock on her door?

The lock.
Matt would be insulted if she didn’t use it. She crept out of bed and slid the bolt. Tanner wouldn’t be visiting her room this night. As she climbed back into bed, she didn’t know if that made her sad or happy. But at least she wouldn’t be yielding to temptation.

It seemed Matt might be the wise one, after all.
 

* * *

A blinding snowstorm hit the next day. And John came down with a fever. Matt had awakened Tanner during the night and together they had watched over the child until morning.

“More than likely it’s only a cold, but I think we should keep him isolated until we find out for sure,” Tanner said.

Kate’s eyes grew wide. “You don’t think it could be....”
 

“Naw. How could he catch it?”

“Could I have brought him the germs?”

“No. If anybody brought him any germs it was me. I was at the doctor’s office.”

“But you came into town because of me. It would still be my fault.”

“It wouldn’t be your fault. Kate, the boy has a cold, pure and simple. But even with a cold, I think it might be a good idea if we made different sleeping arrangements, for the time being at least.”

“Yes, you’re right. What do we do?”

“If you don’t mind, your bed being the biggest, we could put the three older boys in there. You could take Mark’s room, and John could stay where he is. Is that all right with you?”

“Of course. I’ll move my things right now.”

Tanner took another look at John, then he went into the kitchen where Matt was busy with breakfast. “Maybe some soup might help him. I’ll kill one of those old hens, and you could stew up a pot.”

“You can’t even see the barn. How are you going to find a chicken?” Matt asked.

“What if you get turned around?” Mark said. “You’d freeze before we could find you.”
 

“You could use that new well rope,” Luke suggested. “Tie it to the porch post and string it to the barn. That way you could find your way back.”
 

“It’s not long enough, but we could tie that length of clothesline on it,” Matt said thoughtfully. “It might reach then.”
 

Tanner gazed at Matt. “Yesterday I had the feeling that you wouldn’t care if I froze or not.”
 

“Hell, Tanner,” Matt said angrily. “You’re my brother. I might want to punch your gizzard out, but I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

Tanner grinned. “I’ll remind you of that next time.”

“I’ll go with you,” Mark said. “Need to break the ice so the animals can get water. And that cow is probably bawling her head off to be milked. Besides, with both of us out there, we could get done quicker.”

“I’d appreciate your help. Matt, keep an eye on John, but it might be a good idea if you don’t go in there unless it’s necessary.”