Page 69 of Montana Groom of Convenience
They turned aside to a grove of trees along a little stream and let the horses rest, eat and drink. She pulled biscuits and cookies from her saddlebag and shared them with him. They sank to the cool grass to eat.
“Do you like this country?” she asked.
“It’s good cow country.”
“You said that before.”
“Yup.” Why did he get the feeling she wanted something more than his opinion about the land?
“You can see yourself happily settled here?” She paid a whole lot more attention to the biscuit she held than it required.
He sat up. So that was her concern. “I want a home for Jill. She’s happy here. But more than that, I said I would stay. And I keep my word,” even when it was hard.
Carly nodded. “Just checking to see if anything has changed.” She lifted her head then, and her brown eyeswere dark and unreadable. Yet he sensed more questions.
“Has anything changed for you?” Sawyer asked.
“I’m committed to our agreement.” Her look went on and on, searching, probing.
It was not the answer he’d hoped for. Yet it was the one he expected. He finished his lunch, went for the horses, and they resumed their journey.
They rode hard all afternoon. As the shadows lengthened, he asked, “How much farther?”
She pulled up and seemed to consider the question. Finally, she spoke. “If we rode hard until dark, we could get there, but I’m not sure what we’d find.”
He had no idea what she meant. “Your father wouldn’t send you into a dangerous situation.”
She sighed. “We’re supposed to be man and wife. Will they want us to sleep in their guest room?”
He grinned. Quite the quandary for her to consider.
“I think we’ll put up until morning, then pick up the animals and return home.”
Sawyer could not deny that the prospect pleased him very much. A night out under the stars with her. He could foresee all sorts of pleasant moments.
“There’s a good camping spot not too far ahead.” They rode on until she guided them to a quiet stream. Within minutes, he had a fire going. He’d brought cans of food, opened them, and set them to heat. Meanwhile, Carly took care of the horses and tossed the bedrolls to the ground.
He eyed their placement. Hers to the left of the fire, his to the right. Anyone coming along would think they weren’t man and wife.
Well, they were. And they weren’t. And they hadone, possibly two, more nights on the trail. He allowed himself to think things might change in his favor.
It was almost dark by the time they finished eating, but neither of them made a move toward crawling into their bedrolls.
“The stars will soon be out,” Carly said.
He shifted his thoughts back to the night sky. “Do you know the constellations?”
“Just the Big and Little Dipper.”
He jumped to his feet. “Come on over here, away from the fire, and I will introduce them to you.” He lay on the grassy slope.
Without hesitation, she lay beside him, which set his hope soaring. Maybe this would be the time and place to talk about changing their agreement.
“It’s a perfect night for stargazing.” And the perfect companion, but he kept that observation to himself. “There’s The Maiden. She’s carrying a grain of wheat and a staff.” He pointed and edged closer to guide her until she made out the stars forming the constellation. “There’s Leo the Lion.”
“I see it. It makes sense.”
He pointed out several more.
