Page 24 of The Rancher's Bride
As she made her way to Ben’s bedroom, she wished the rain would stay forever, drown away the world and leave only her, Ben, and Tessa. Wishes were mere whispers of the heart, futile against reality’s loud call. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Her heart was pounding against her chest like a wild bird longing for freedom.
She could still feel the imprint of his hand on her waist, his fingers pressing into her flesh with a surprising tenderness which made her shiver in delight. She traced her fingers along the spot, as if she could still feel the searing memory of his touch on her skin.
She strolled to the bed, finding herself unable to shake off the lingering sensations from their dance. Climbing into bed, she lay in the dark and stared at the wooden ceiling above. She couldn’t escape the thoughts whirling in her mind. Her palms perspired as she recalled the intensity of Ben’s gaze, the feel of his powerful arms, around her and the comforting smell of him. He was a potent mix of gentleness and strength that made her heart flutter wildly.
Outside, the storm raged on, but inside Bethany’s heart, a different storm was brewing, and she didn’t know how shewould explain that to Pa once she arrived back home.
Chapter Eight
Bethany blinked away the sleep from her eyes and her eyelids fluttered open. As she basked in the peacefulness of waking up, a small smile formed on her lips as she remembered the dream from last night. In it, she was wrapped in Ben’s firm embrace as the rain poured outside. As she tried to shift closer to where she thought he was, disappointment washed over her when all she felt were the smooth sheets tangled around her limbs.
Groaning, she sat up and untangled herself from the sheets. She tugged on the soft fabric of Tessa’s borrowed dress, adjusting the hemline to skim her ankles before stepping out into the fresh morning air. The storm had moved on, but the scent of damp pine and earthy rain lingered in the air. She could see the sun rising in the east as it cracked above the horizon.
She had been at the Kendrick ranch for five days, but only four of those she was awake. Now the sun brought with it a myriad of emotions. Even though she wished she could stay forever, she knew she had to head home. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t be long before Pa came looking for her.
As she walked towards the outhouse, she couldn’t help but wonder if Tommy had made it back home. She imagined him returning with his own wild stories about his adventure in the storm.
When she was done with her morning ablutions, she gathered eggs from the three chickens she noticed the day before in the barn. Making breakfast for Tessa and Ben was the least she could do for them taking care of her. There was a loaf of bread left over from dinner, which Bethany could use to make one-eyed jacks for breakfast.
Ben was already sitting up on the settee when she returned to the kitchen. His eyes met Bethany’s as she placed the eggs on the table. He gave her a small smile as he tried to wake up.
“Morning,” he said gruffly.
Bethany returned his smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Well enough,” he replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Would you like coffee? I can it started first.”
He raked his fingers through his thick, unruly hair until it stood up in every direction. Bethany couldn’t help but smile at how endearing he looked. “I’ll fill the pot. No need for you to go outside in the rain twice.”
She picked up the coffeepot. “The rain’s stopped.”
“Really?” He pulled his suspender straps over his shoulders. “I’ll be right back.” He headed outside, and she watched as he trotted through the yard towards the creek.
Of course, he’d check the water, she thought.He wants to get his bed back as soon as possible.She tried turned crimson at the thought and remembered she was simply a guest.
As she listened for Ben to return, she got busy making breakfast. She fried slices of bacon in a large pan. As the bacon was crisping, she cut thick slices of bread and used a small biscuit cutter to make a circle in the middle of each slice. Once she cooked the bacon, she put the slices on a plate and gently placed the bread in the grease.
Cracking an egg on the side of the pan, she dropped one egg in a hole in a piece of bread, then sprinkled it with a bit of salt. When the bread was toasty on one side, she flipped it over to continue cooking.
Tessa came out of her room, leading Marigold on a bright green ribbon just as Bethany put the plates on the table. “Good morning!” She spied breakfast on the table. “You didn’t need to cook for us.”
“It is just breakfast. Go get your brother. He’s outside. Put Marigold outside while we eat.”
She regretted being short with Tessa, but the overwhelming emotions of having to return home were getting to her. Bethany shook off the melancholy and focused on her task at hand. She had just started pouring coffee when Tess and Ben returned.
“Smells good,” Ben said, hanging his hat on the peg and shrugging out of his coat.
Pouring coffee in Ben’s cup, Bethany moved it closer to his plate. “It’s still hot. Where’s Marigold?”
“Ben had me put her in with the goats today. If she’s left alone for too long, then she destroys the house.” Tessa picked up her fork and poked the egg in the middle of the toast, watching it jiggle. “What’s this?”
“Ma called them nested eggs. Pa called them one-eyed-jacks, but I call them delicious.” Bethany sat down in the chair beside Tessa and offered her a hand. “It’s something simple you can make yourself.”
Once Ben sat down, he said the blessing and they ate the simple meal. “The water is still high. Might not go down for a few more days.”
Bethany tried not to appear too excited. It meant the possibility of spending more time with Tessa and Ben. She poked at her egg with a fork, allowing the yolk to run over the fried bread. “Oh? At least it isn’t raining today.”
