Page 11 of Texas Destiny
Mimi rolled her eyes. “Trust men to speak in riddles. Why could he not just say green?”
She pulled a smiling Amelia back behind the curtain. Houston wondered how often Amelia would smile in West Texas, when the sun beat down on her, the dust rose up to choke her, and the nearest neighbor was a day’s ride away on a fast horse.
He wished he could ignore her laughter coming from the back room, but he embraced the melodious sound as easily as his fingers stroked the delicate embroidery threads buried deep within his pocket. He no longer had a reason to keep the cloth on his person. He’d identified himself. He could give the embroidered linen back to her or stuff it into his saddlebags. Instead he found himself constantly rubbing the only soft thing in his life.
And staring at the curtain, waiting impatiently to see Amelia again, the sparkle in her eyes, the way her lips curled up as though she found this whole situation amusing.
The curtain billowed out and she slipped through, wearing a dress the shade of clover. It had no frills, no bows, no lace, no ruffles. Simply made, it hugged her curves as a lover might.
Warily studying him, she turned slowly, keeping her gaze on him until she was forced to snap her head around. “You don’t like it either?” she asked.
“I like it just fine,” he said as he settled his hat on his head and picked up her bag. “Get it and anything else you want. Take your time. I’m gonna fetch the wagon.”
He ignored her crestfallen expression and walked out of the shop, the door rattling behind him. He’d hurt her feelings again, but this time he’d had no choice. If he’d stayed in that room, he would have crossed that wooden floor and trailed his finger along the delicate column of her ivory throat.
Just one finger, just one touch, just one sweet moment … but buried deep within his own personal hell, he knew he had no right to claim any sweet moments, especially from the woman pledged to his brother.
Breathing heavily, he came to a staggering stop and dropped his chin to his chest. After years of wanting and waiting, he finally had the opportunity to prove himself. He had only to deliver Amelia Carson safely anduntouchedinto Dallas’s arms.
He’d never realized how heavy a burden trust was.
Amelia stared at the door, willing the man who’d just stormed through it to return. One moment he seemed interested in her wardrobe, and the next, he was walking out as though he couldn’t escape fast enough.
“He does not like zis one either?” Mimi asked, irritation laced through her voice.
“No, he did like this one. It’s me he doesn’t like.”
Mimi threw up a hand in a dramatic gesture. “Nonsense! He adores you.”
Amelia walked into the back room. “Actually, I’m a burden to him.”
Mimi began unbuttoning the back of the dress. “Oh, little one, I think you must not be wise in zee ways of love. A man sees a woman as a burden only if he thinks he cannot please her.”
“All he has to do is escort me to his brother’s ranch. How hard can that be?”
“That, little one, depends on zee journey. For you, it will be easy. Your heart belongs to another, yes?”
With the hope that she would indeed give her heart to Dallas shortly after meeting him, Amelia nodded.
“When a heart belongs to no one, zee journey is never easy.” With a flourish, Mimi spun around. “Now, let’s see what else I have that looks like zee ground!”
An hour later, Amelia breathed a deep sigh of relief and walked out of Mimi’s shop wearing her own clothes. She would save the new clothing until they neared the ranch.
“Did you get five outfits?” a deep voice asked.
Amelia spun around. Within the late-morning shadows, Houston leaned against the wall.
“Yes, she just needs you to pay for them, and she’ll wrap them up. Although I can’t imagine what I could possibly want with so many clothes.”
He shoved away from the wall. “Dallas figures other women will come farther west once you get there. He thinks he’ll be the king of West Texas.” He held her gaze. “You’ll be his queen.”
“Is he that successful?”
“He’s got a good start, he’s smart, and he’s not a man to let anything stand in his way.”
“Are you successful?”
He shook his head. “Nah, I leave the glory of success to Dallas and men like him. I’d just like to watch the sunset in peace.”
