Page 64 of Montana Groom of Convenience
Her heart flooded with a foreign feeling of longing and warmth as they continued onward.
Knowing the way, she led them round the hillside to another and another, always climbing. The vegetation thickened. Ragged pine and spruce were more abundant. They scrambled up another hill, and before them lay a tiny, blue-green lake, not dissimilar to the color of Sawyer’s eyes; Carly thought with a start and couldn’t stop staring at the water.
Sawyer chuckled. “So this is your little secret? I like it.”
Jill rode to his side. “Are we going to have a picnic here?”
He slanted a questioning look at Carly. “What do you think?”
She studied the position of the sun and pretended to be quite concerned. “It’s early yet.”
“But I’m hungry,” Jill pleaded.
Carly laughed. “Me, too. So let’s eat.” They left their horses to graze, and Sawyer spread a groundsheet for them to sit on.
Carly put the food out.
Sawyer tossed his hat to one side. “I’ll ask the blessing.”
Knowing she had more to be grateful for than the food, Carly offered her own silent thanks for the many things God had sent her way. And if she thought of Sawyer and Jill, she expected God wasn’t surprised.
As they ate, a doe tiptoed from the trees with two spotted fawns at her side and went to the water to drink. She slipped away as quietly as she’d arrived.
They finished, and Sawyer leaned back on one elbow. Carly wished they had cushions as they had when picnicking with the Marshalls. She might have been tempted to lean back, using the pillow as an excuse to be close to him.
Instead, she sat with her arms wrapped about her drawn-up knees and watched Jill playing nearby.
She recalled her mother’s admonition to not let embarrassment—and surely she also meant fear—stop her from acting, but when she turned to rest her elbow close to Sawyer’s, he’d fallen asleep.
Poor man had worked hard for the past two weeks, putting in the crop. He deserved a rest. And she didn’t mind the opportunity to watch him unobserved and edged back so she didn’t have to turn to see him.
He looked younger with worry and caution gone from his face. Lines fanned out from his eyes from squinting into the sun. He wasn’t as big as the Marshall men and yet he gave off an aura of strength and determination even in his sleep.
She was still studying him, memorizing every detail of his features, when he snored and jerked to a sitting position, looking startled and defensive.
Seeing her beside him, he relaxed and stretched. “I think I fell asleep.”
She grinned. “You surely did.”
He studied her teasing smile. “Did I snore?”
“Loud enough to wake yourself up.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Fall asleep or snore?”
“Both, and you’re teasing me.” He grabbed her and pulled her down.
She lay in his arms, looking into his eyes as they darkened to piney green. His breath fanned her cheeks. She lifted a hand and touched his strong promising lips.
He captured her hand and pressed it to his chest. “Carly.” His voice sounded deep and distant, or was it that her ears heard differently?
Time waited as they studied each other, the moment heavy with indecision. She wanted him to kiss her. Didn’t want him to kiss her.
His gaze lingered on her mouth. Was he as undecided as she? Was he willing to break their agreement?
“Carly, Sawyer, look what I found.” Jill’s voice called Carly back to reality, and she sat up, edging over a foot and a half so he wouldn’t think she wanted more.
