Page 85 of Montana Groom of Convenience
“The bulls have settled in with the herd. Your father was right about bringing them in.”
“Yeah, he’s a canny cattleman.” She waited a second to continue. “Too bad he doesn’t understand people as well.”
Sawyer chuckled. “Especially his own daughter.”
“Aye,” she said with a great deal of dismay. “’Tis the truth.”
He chuckled. “It’s been a long, trying day. Try and get some sleep.”
“Good night.” She shifted to her side.
“Good night.” His voice sounded more distant, and she guessed he had rolled away from the bed.
She didn’t expect to sleep a wink but drifted off almost at once and wakened as Sawyer tiptoed from the room in the morning. She sprang up, dressed, and hurried out.
Father limped from his room and sat down to wait for coffee. Sawyer had gone out to tend to the chores.
She felt Father’s eyes on her as she made breakfast. The coffee boiled, and she poured a cup. When she turned to hand it to him, his eyes twinkled. “So now you’re well and truly a married woman.”
Her cheeks stung, but she stared at him without letting him guess at the truth. It was necessary for him to believe what he wanted to believe in order to save the ranch.
The day went smoothly. She went about her work. Sawyer kept busy with Big Harry. He said the horse needed his hooves tended to.
That night, she again went to bed while he waited in the kitchen.
She grabbed the pillow and quilt and curled up on the floor, getting as comfortable as possible.
He tapped and entered. He looked down at her, his hands on his hips. “What are you doing there?”
“We’ll take turns. If you recall, I have slept on the ground a few times, too.”
“Carly, it isn’t necessary. I don’t mind.”
“I do. So leave it be.”
“I don’t want to argue. Can you imagine your father’s reaction if he heard us?” He chuckled softly.
She laughed, too. “Sure don’t want him barging in to straighten us out.”
The springs sighed as Sawyer crawled into bed.
All she could see of him was his elbow crooked as ifhe clasped his hands behind his head. He was her husband, and now he lay within touching distance. Yet there was so much she didn’t know about him. “Sawyer, did you never have a lady you were interested in?”
“Once or twice. There was a young lady I thought I cared for. Gladys Berry.”
“What happened?”
“She wanted what I couldn’t give her.”
Carly sat up so she could see him. Even in the dim light, she could tell he seemed unconcerned about the fact. “What couldn’t you give her?”
Sawyer tipped his head so he could see her. “According to her, I wasn’t capable of feelings.”
“That’s what you told me that first day.” She grinned at the memory. How wrong he’d been.
“I felt I had to be honest.”
“It isn’t true, you know.”
