The Ranger Takes a Bride (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

As
Alejandra watched Emmaline trudge away, her heart was so full it ached.

Edward slipped a hand around her waist, pulling her to his side. She was tempted to lean her head on his shoulder, but he spoke before she could make up her mind.

"Care to take a short walk with me? It will be almost a full moon, and I know the spot where the stars are brightest." His voice was deep and strong in her ear.

Instead of answering with words, Alejandra turned to bestow a smile on him. She slipped out of his hold, then slid her hand into his. He entwined their fingers, her small hand fitting in his larger one as naturally as if it'd been made to rest there. With his hand covering hers, it gave her the feeling she'd never have to face anything alone again.

They walked a few minutes, skirting the outside edge of the corral fencing as dusk faded to darkness. Little sparkles of light began to illuminate the sky above. The air was chilly, a continuation of the weather Anna said was unusually warm for early March in this area. Alejandra pulled her shawl tighter against a breeze.

"Are you cold?" Edward glanced at her, his brow furrowed as he broke their companionable silence.

She sent him a reassuring smile. "No. I'm fine."

But he stopped walking and slipped his arm around her waist again, leaning back against the fence rail. "This is far enough."

Alejandra laid her head against his shoulder, staring into the twinkling sky above them, while her mind wandered. "Anna said she'd teach me to make fried steak for dinner tomorrow."

"Mmm. That sounds wonderful." His breath brushed the top of her hair as he spoke. "I'm afraid I won't be here to eat it, though. I have to go on a short trip tomorrow."

Alejandra jerked back and spun so she could see his face. Was he kidding? No, the remorse was there, clouding his features in the moonlight. A pang struck her chest, but she bit her lip against the disappointment.

"I'll be back the next day, though. And I hope to have a surprise for you."

She swallowed down the lump in her throat, forcing a light tone into her voice. "A surprise? Is it another puppy?"

A soft chuckle drifted from Edward and he pulled her into his arms. "I'm not telling."

Alejandra released a long, dramatic sigh as she rested her palms on his chest. "If you're bringing me something, I suppose I'll wait until you come back to make the fried steak and potatoes." Or maybe she'd make them tomorrow, too, just for practice.

"That would be nice." His dark eyes twinkled in the glow of the moon. As he leaned nearer, his voice grew husky. "But anything you make is a treat."

As his lips approached hers, Alejandra's eyes drifted closed. His warm breath brushed her face, his masculine scent filling her senses. He tasted of mint and sweet buñuelo sauce, and every part of her came alive at his kiss. By the time he relinquished her mouth and held her face between his hands, Alejandra could scarcely draw breath.

But she didn't need her lungs full to know beyond a shadow of doubt, she loved this man.

~ ~ ~

Alejandra
released a long sigh as she sank into the kitchen chair. Across the table, baby Martin babbled at her from Mama Sarita's arms.

"I'm sure he'll be back today." Anna peered up from the needle and cloth doll in her hands. "But if you frown like that much longer, your face will freeze that way."

Alejandra's hand flew to her forehead, smoothing out the wrinkles. She should be embarrassed that her pining for Edward was obvious. But to be honest, she was so out of sorts she couldn't bring herself to worry about the others seeing it.

Pushing to her feet again, Alejandra trudged to the stove. When she lifted the lid from the large cast iron pot, the hearty aroma of beans spread through the kitchen. It would be a poor supper if Edward came back today, but she'd cooked fried steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, and pear pie the last two nights. Of course the first night was for practice, but he said he'd be home last night. So where was he?

After stirring the beans, she let the lid drop onto the pot with a clatter. The sound didn't seem to faze baby Martin, but Sol jumped to his feet with a high puppy bark. He tilted his head at her, as if trying to decipher why she acted so strange.

He barked again, but this time looked the other way. Turning toward the front door, he continued yapping as he ran toward the hallway.

Alejandra's pulse hammered in her chest. Was someone here? Edward? She sprinted down the hall, following Sol, without taking time for another thought.

The front door opened before she could get there, and a familiar set of broad shoulders spanned the doorway. She skidded to a stop a few feet away, just before she would have thrown herself in his arms.
Slow down, Alejandra.

Surprise raised Edward's features for a second, but it quickly morphed into pleasure. He narrowed the distance between them in two strides, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her boots off the floor with the strength of his hug.

Setting her down, he drew back just enough to see her face. "You're more beautiful than I remembered." His voice held a mixture of pleasure and awe.

"It's about time you came home."

His mouth quirked on one side, displaying that dimple that always made her heart beat double time. "Miss me?"

Her hand itched to wipe the smirk off his face. At the same time, her body threatened to pull him into a kiss that would show exactly how much she missed him.

His brown eyes darkened to a rich coffee color, and he must have read some of those thoughts on her face. "Come with me, love. Let's pack some food and have dinner by the river."

"Sì." She didn't protest as he took her hand and led her down the hall toward the kitchen.

But a twinge of fear pressed her chest. Could she go back to the river? The place of her kidnapping? With God and Edward by her side…maybe.

~ ~ ~

As
they rode, Alejandra answered Edward's questions about the last couple of days, sharing stories of baby Martin, and how many times Emmaline had begged to pet the new chicks. When she asked about his trip, the only thing he would say was, "I think it went better than I'd hoped. We'll see."

What did that mean? Since the wonder of her Texas Ranger rescue was wearing off, she'd been trying to come to terms with his doing rough Ranger work all the time. With God's help, she would do it. But accepting his career sure would be easier if Edward would open up about his trips, and share some details. That way her imagination could be somewhat confined by reality. Maybe she'd tell him that over dinner.

When the trail entered the woods that bordered the river, a knot tightened in Alejandra's stomach. The scenery looked too much like that awful day of her kidnapping.

Edward glanced over and gave her an easy smile. "Almost there."

She tried to return the smile, but had to catch her lower lip between her teeth to keep it from quivering. At last, the woods opened to the river's edge, and the trickling melody of the water seeped into her nerves, easing the tension.

While Edward tied the horses, Alejandra spread out the quilt and unwrapped the ham sandwiches she'd put together just before they left. Maybe not the most elegant meal, but eating in the fresh air with the rustling river before them might make up for the simple fare.

Edward motioned for her to sit before he did. As her blue skirt billowed around her legs, Alejandra couldn't help but feel like a princess.

He slipped his hand in hers and bowed his head. "Father, thank You for this food, and I thank You most for Your daughter who prepared it. Please bless us…and give her an open heart. In Christ's name, amen."

Alejandra's brow pinched at the last words. How could her heart be any more open than it was now? As she lifted her head and looked up at Edward, he smiled, but something about it didn't feel quite right. He looked almost…nervous.

As she pulled her hand from his to pass out the food, chilly air touched her skin, as if her hand was damp from contact with his. Now that she thought about it, his hand had been a little clammy. Was he sick? Her gaze jerked to Edward's face. He wasn't pale. If anything, more ruddy than normal.

He caught her examining him and raised a brow, his mouth tipping in that quirky smile she loved. "Everything okay?"

She placed his plate in front of him on the blanket. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. Are you feeling all right?"

"Never better." But his voice rasped, and he cleared his throat.

"I'll make you some honey tea when we get back to the ranch." She'd have to keep an eye on him to make sure it wasn't anything serious.

He chuckled, his voice back to its usual richness. "If you like."

A red bird sang from the tree branch overhead while they ate. How nice to have music with dinner. The sun hadn't set, but the light held that in-between quality of early dusk. Down river, a squirrel scampered to the water's edge and chattered at them.

Alejandra was too content with it all to finish her food, even though she'd taken half as much as she gave Edward. He hadn't finished his food either. Maybe she should have taken more time to prepare a nice dinner to go with their perfect setting.

Finally, he wrapped the remaining portion of his sandwich in the cloth, then extended a hand for her plate. "Are you done?"

She reached for it. "Yes, but I'll take care of all this."

Snatching it before she could pick up the plate, he shrugged. "It's the least I can do."

That wasn't true, especially since she was being paid to do the cleaning, but Alejandra let the comment pass.

He tucked the food and dishes in the satchel, then leaned back on one hand, and patted the blanket beside him. "Come sit with me?"

The suggestion started a flutter in her chest, and Alejandra scooted to his side, leaning back against the crook of his arm. They sat for long moments, no words needed to make the conversation perfect.

He finally broke the quiet. "You asked how my trip went." As she leaned against him, the vibrato of his voice rippled through her.

Alejandra stopped breathing for a moment, taking in his words. Edward was going to share details with her?
Thank You, Lord.

"Sì." She tried to keep her tone neutral, not show the relief coursing through her.

He was quiet for another moment. "I resigned my commission as a Ranger."

Alejandra sucked in her breath, turning to watch his face. He kept his focus on the water, so she could only see the outline of his strong features. "I thought you liked saving people."

He faced her then, his lips curving up as he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. "I do. That was the best part of the job." He exhaled a long breath and turned to watch the river again. "It's just…all the violence. And besides, with so much traveling, it'd be hard to settle down and take a wife."

Alejandra stilled as the words swirled in her head. A wife? Was he talking about her?

His face didn't change. He didn't look at her. And then the corner of his lip quirked, forming that dimple she loved. When his eyes darted a glance at her, his grin was undeniable. That rascal.

She raised her brows, giving him an impish look. "A wife?"

With his free hand, he reached for hers and raised it to his lips. When he met her gaze, his eyes had darkened and all humor fled his face. "Yes, my love. My beautiful, brave, kind Alejandra. Will you marry me?"

Even though she'd known what he would likely say, his words cleared every thought from her mind. Everything around them faded away as she gazed into Edward's earnest expression. Emotion welled in her chest, clogging her throat so she couldn't speak. Finally, she forced a single word through the mass.

"Sì."

Edward's face shone, like the sun breaking through the clouds. His hand slipped up to her cheek, then into her hair as he leaned close to seal the promise. His lips were strong and sure, almost possessive, yet gentle. The kiss didn't last long, but when he pulled away, every nerve in Alejandra was alive.

He searched her face, his breath coming heavier than before. "Tell me when."

A smile found its way to her mouth. "Soon."

For a long moment, she could do nothing but watch him. He was so handsome. With his earnest brown eyes, strong jaw…and that dimple. Her fingers crept up to touch it. A hint of stubble tickled her skin. He caught her palm and brought it to his lips, planting a kiss that sent tingles all the way through her.

She tried to ignore the sensation, forcing her mind to other things. "So what will you do instead of Rangering?"

"I wanted to talk to you about that." His eyes grew serious again, and he studied her. "I've been offered a job in Seguin. As sheriff." He slipped his hand around hers, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand. "I won't take it if it would make you uncomfortable. I could always build a house on the Double Rocking B. Jacob's offered me a share in the business. And you could be close to Mama Sarita."