Travis clasped her to him, his lips once again covering hers. But before Meredith could lose herself in the passion he inspired, a throat cleared. The sound echoed loudly in the nearly empty room. She jumped away from Travis with a start, a blush heating her cheeks.
“Sorry to . . . ah . . . interrupt,” Crockett intoned from the doorway. “Wanted to see if we could borrow Meredith’s horse. Noreen refuses to ride in the same wagon as Mitchell and his criminal army, even if the men are all tied up in the back. And she’s declared their mounts equally repulsive. Jim fetched Ginger in hopes of appeasing her, but when she saw there was no saddle, she nearly had a fit of apoplexy. He’s giving her his own saddle now, and she stopped screeching, so we thought we’d better head out while the gettin’ was good.”
Meredith shook her head in sympathy. “I don’t envy you the long ride to town with her. But if having Ginger makes it easier, I am more than happy to lend her out.”
“Do you have lanterns for after night falls?” Travis strode forward, keeping hold of Meredith’s hand as he went. “You’ll only have a half moon to light your way.”
“Yep. Moses thought to bring a few along. He’ll be riding with us to deliver Mitchell and the others to the sheriff while Jim sees Cassie and her folks home. Neill and Josiah wanted to ride along, too, if that’s all right with you.”
“I don’t see why not,” Travis said. “After all, it was the boy’s job to fetch the sheriff in the first place. Might as well let him finish the job.”
Meredith stilled as she did the math. That meant . . . she and Travis would be alone at the house. All night.
Travis turned to look at her and heat flared in his eyes as if he had read her thoughts. “I’ll . . .” He cleared his throat and turned back to his brother. “I’ll see you off.”
Meredith trailed behind, a warm, sunny feeling blooming as she watched her reclusive husband reach out in gratitude to all the men and women who had offered their help. Relationships had been formed today, bonds that would last well into the future. No longer would the Archers be isolated from their community. They now stood among them as neighbors, as friends.
“Moses,” Travis said, holding his hand out to the big man. “I can’t thank you enough. This day would have ended very differently without you.”
Moses clasped his hand. “I’s just doing unto others like the Good Book says. Helpin’ out is what neighbors do. Bearing each other’s burdens, and all that.”
“When it comes to burdens, Travis is good at the bearing part,” Crockett said, slapping his brother on the back. “It’s the letting-others-help-with-the-ones-he’s-carrying part that needs some work.”
Meredith opened her mouth to defend her husband, but Travis responded before she could do more than inhale a preparatory breath.
“You’re right,” he admitted, his humility so dignified it instantly unruffled her feathers and filled her with quiet pride. “But I think that’s going to change after today.”
“I believe it will, brother,” Crockett said, all teasing gone from his tone. “I believe it will.”
As the parties prepared to set off, Meredith hugged Cassie and Myra, then returned to her husband’s side to wave her farewells. Once everyone had departed, she found herself wrapped in Travis’s arms as the two of them rode double atop Bexar back to the ranch.
The short distance didn’t allow for much conversation, but words weren’t needed. Meredith simply leaned into her husband and let the sway of the horse’s gait soothe away the strain of the last few hours.
Travis loved her. Nothing else mattered.
When Bexar halted, Meredith lifted her head. Travis cupped the side of her face and placed a soft kiss on her lips. It was tender and brief and, oh, so sweet, yet when he pulled away, the tilt of his smile and the heat in his gaze promised more to come.
“I need to see to the horse,” he said as he circled her waist with his arm and lowered her to the ground. “But I’ll be in soon.”
“I’ll help you.”
He raised an eyebrow at her but made no complaint as he dismounted and led Bexar into the barn. Meredith followed. She needed to be close to him. This was their first night to be completely alone together, and she didn’t want to waste a single moment.
Travis removed Bexar’s saddle and blankets while Meredith hung up the bridle. She checked the feedbox and water and found them both adequate for the night. Travis came up behind her, his hat brim bumping her head as he nuzzled her neck.
She giggled and danced away, feeling playful yet oddly shy at the same time. Travis gave chase, his husky laughter blending with hers as the two of them darted out of the barn. When they neared the porch, he grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet. Meredith squealed.
“You can’t escape me,” Travis murmured in her ear as he gently settled her back on the ground.
Meredith turned in his arms to face the man she loved. “I’ve no desire to.”
His eyes darkened, and for a moment she thought he would kiss her. But then he scooped her into his arms and carried her up the porch steps. The front door proved more of a challenge to conquer. Travis had to juggle his hold on her a bit before he could get the latch open. Meredith laughed in delight, endeared by his awkward efforts. Once the door was cracked, he kicked it wide with his boot and carried her over the threshold.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Archer.”
Welcome home. As if their marriage had just taken place and he had brought her home for the first time. Meredith’s smile trembled as she met her husband’s gaze. He was offering her a new start, offering a marriage based on love.
He carried her through the hall until they reached the kitchen. There he set her down and slowly undid the fastenings on her cloak. A shiver tingled against her skin wherever his fingers touched. His eyes held hers as he slid the garment from her shoulders, breaking contact only when he turned to hang the cloak on a hook.
While his back was to her, Meredith discovered a boldness she didn’t know she had, and reached for the shoulders of his coat. She eased it down the length of his arms, admiring the play of his muscles beneath the flannel of his shirt. Placing his coat on the hook next to hers, her shyness returned.
Travis nudged her chin up with the edge of his hand. “Will you be my wife tonight, Meri?”
She bit her lip, her heart fluttering so fast she felt light-headed. But she knew what her answer would be. “Yes, Travis. Tonight and always.”
No longer was she a short-straw bride, Meredith thought as she took her husband’s hand and allowed him to draw her down the hall to their room. With the gift of Travis’s heart, she’d been transformed into a well-loved wife. She couldn’t imagine a greater blessing.
Karen Witemeyer holds a master’s degree in Psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and her local writers’ guild. She is the author of A Tailor-Made Bride, which was honored as one of the Best Western Romances of 2010 by the Love Western Romances Web site, as well as being nominated for a RITA Award and the National Readers’ Choice Award. Short-Straw Bride is her fourth novel. Karen lives in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.
Books by
Karen Witemeyer
* * *
A Tailor-Made Bride
Head in the Clouds
To Win Her Heart
Short-Straw Bride
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Karen Witemeyer, Short-Straw Bride
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