Page 41 of Conveniently Wed
“My ma,” he gruffed. “But not in a while.”
“Hmm.”
Was it her imagination, or was he leaning closer…as if he might kiss her….
Arf!
The sharp bark from within the wagon startled them both and Fran stepped away as his arms fell from her waist.
“Emma!” she called, coming back to her senses.
Her sister poked her head out, the white dog in her arms.
“What’s that thing doing in there, with all the food?” Edgar demanded.
“I made sure everything was covered,” Fran protested, defending her sister. As if there wasn’t trail dust and grass coming in the wagon at all times anyway.
He took off his hat and ran one hand through his hair, turning away. Agitated.
Because of the dog, or because of their near-kiss?
She quickly swept her hair up behind her head, reaching into the pocket of her dress for the pins she would use to secure it.
He glanced back at her, eyes intense as he watched her contain the full tresses. So it had been the almost-kiss that discombobulated him.
“It’s good you’re both awake. I came after both of you anyway.”
She sniffed the air. Seemed like Chester had already started the coffee. What more could her husband ask her to do so early in the morning?
“There’re two things a gal needs to know out here in the west. Seems like I’m going to be the one teaching you and Emma.”
There was motion from Emma behind the canvas cover. Fran had been trying to figure a way to get her sister out of that wagon and interacting. If Emma was curious enough to emerge from the cocoon of the wagon, Fran would be grateful. No matter what the idea was.
“What are the two things?” she asked.
“Shooting and riding.”
The corner of his mouth tipped up at the incredulous look that must have been on her face.
“Not milking a cow? Or gathering eggs?” She recited two of the items she could remember from his list of chores that first night.
“Nope. Shooting and riding. You gonna swoon?”
She wrinkled her nose at his reference to the moments just before their wedding.
“No.” She sighed. “Lead the way.”
She could suffer through, if it would get Emma out of the wagon.
“We’ve only got time for one this morning. Y’all can take a few private moments, then meet me back here and we’ll head off for some practice.”
The sun was a half of a burning orange ball on the horizon when she and Emma followed Edgar down to the creek, crossed it in a narrow part and wound back behind to a bluff rising out of the prairie.
“We want to be far enough away from the cattle that they won’t startle when we start shooting,” he explained. “I’ve scouted and there’s not a house or anything back behind here that might indicate someone’s out there. You never want to shoot where there’s a chance you might hit someone.”
She shivered, imagining what a bullet could do to a human body if they weren’t being careful. Beside her, Emma clung to her elbow a little tighter.
On the other hand, being able to protect herself, and her sister, could be something she really needed.
