Page 23 of Mail-Order Bride Substitute
Convinced she wasn’t going to choose to stay and meaning to keep his heart free of emotion, he’d leaned back. “Remember not to fall in love with me.” He hoped his grin was a mocking reminder to them both.
She’d flicked the towel at him. “Oh, you.”
He didn’t realize he laughed aloud until Matt gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Are you falling in love with her?”
He reared up, the hammer held before him like a weapon. “Of course not. She’s not likely to stay.” She kept saying she would. She’d proven more capable than he’d thought possible but if he agreed to her staying, they’d have to marry. And if he had children with her—
A lump the size of the entire state of Montana had lodged in his throat. The very idea threatened the solid fences around his heart.
Matt continued. “Gwen says she’s an eager learner. She helped them can beans the other day.”
Luke had joined them at the fence and chimed in. “Honor is teaching her to make bread.”
Riley laughed. Making biscuits was one thing. Bread was vastly more difficult. “I can hardly wait to see how that turns out.” He should have kept his thoughts to himself for the other two hooted with laughter.
Matt sobered. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you like seeing how much she’s learning.”
“I’m not going to dignify that with a response.” Riley moved down the fence line. Matt was right. It was fun to watch her conquer one thing after another.
He’d meant to stop work early and head for home but after his brothers’ comments, he stayed at it after Matt and Luke put their tools away.
They nudged each other as they left the barn. “Afraid to face your feelings?” Luke called.
Matt laughed. “He’s pretending he isn’t anxious to get back to his pretty little lady.”
Arms across each other’s shoulders, they sauntered down the pathway to their houses. Laughing a good deal.
Riley figured it was at his expense. He doggedly continued to hammer staples into the posts.
His stomach growled. He ignored it for a time, but he was hungry. What was the point in pretending otherwise? With long, hurried strides he went to the barn and hung his tools. In his hurry, he didn’t get the hammer right on the hook. It fell. He lunged to catch it and caught his cheek on one of the nearby nails Matt had driven in to hold items.
“Ow.” He put his hand to the injury. His fingers came away red with blood. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. It wasn’t very clean, but it was the best he had, and he pressed it to the wound.
This time he hung the hammer carefully and left the barn.
Alfred poked his head out the doorway as Riley passed Andy’s house. “Me and Mrs. B have plans for the evening.” The man’s announcement didn’t surprise Riley. Alfred hadn’t joined them until bedtime since Olivia arrived. He said it was to give them time to get to know each other but Riley wondered if he wasn’t enjoying the older lady’s company.
Riley stepped into the house. He sniffed. It smelled like fresh bread. He looked around for the loaf. Was that it? A lumpy looking pile of dark brown crust. “What happened?”
At the same time, she asked the same question. He realized she saw the cut on his cheek and pressed his fingers to the spot. “Cut myself.”
“I can see that. Sit down while I tend it.”
When he hesitated, she grabbed his arm and drew him toward a chair. He sat. It was either that or argue and her touch drove every argument from his head.
“Tsk. It’s a mess.” She poured water from the kettle into a basin, tested the temperature with her wrist then dipped in a clean rag she pulled from the nearby drawer. She leaned in and dabbed gently at the wound. She smelled of freshly baked bread, cinnamon, and a field of wildflowers.
He closed his eyes and tried to close his mind to the sensations racing through him. Not only her scent but also the gentle touch of her fingers and the warmth of her breath brushing his cheek.
“How did you do this?” Her words jolted him from concentrating on ignoring her.
“Caught it on a nail.”
She patted his cheek. “Looks like you rolled around in the hay afterward.”
“Guess my handkerchief had grass on it.” The mesmerizing touch continued. He tried not to feel like he was in wide open spaces with a gentle breeze warming him.
Her fingers left off their task.
