He shoved shaky fingers through his hair. Reality and painful memories cooled the remains of his desire. The night’s chill seeped into his bones. “It’s time we got inside.”
“So that’s it?” Her hackles rose and she stiffened. “Don’t you want to talk about what just happened?”
He tightened his jaw so hard he imagined he heard teeth snapping. “No.”
A week later, the sun had warmed the land, banishing the chill. Abby wished it could also melt the chill that had settled between Mr. Barrington and her.
The kiss had shocked them both. For her, she’d not expected her knees to weaken when he’d touched her. She’d not expected her senses to swim when she felt the hunger in his bunched muscles. She’d not expected to want so much.
He’d clearly not anticipated his attraction to her, either. His reaction had angered him. Though he’d not said as much, since that night he’d been overly formal and had kept his distance. Clearly, he’d not wanted to feel anything for her. But he had.
Despite Mr. Barrington’s silence, each time he entered the cabin no matter if she were cooking in the kitchen or lying in her bed at night in the loft, she was aware of him.
His presence filled the cabin. Dominated it. And with each passing day the restlessness she’d felt when he’d kissed her had grown.
Abby punched down the bread dough and sprinkled flour on it. She glanced up out the window and watched the boys playing pick-up sticks, a game she’d fashioned for them out of twigs.
“The stage is coming!” Quinn shouted from the front porch.
Abby looked up from her bread dough out the kitchen window. In the distance the stage, surrounded by a plume of dust, rumbled toward the cabin. She recognized Holden’s coach immediately. “Now what the devil is he doing here?”
Curiosity quickly gave way to excitement at the idea of having a guest. She enjoyed the boys but, after a week living with children and a very silent Mr. Barrington, she welcomed the idea of talking to another person.
She quickly shaped the loaves and set them by the window to rise. Wiping her hands, she moved out onto the front porch next to the boys who both were jumping up and down.
“Mr. McGowan is coming, Abby,” Tommy said.
Abby smiled. “I can see that. What do you think brings him out here?”
“Horses,” Quinn said.
“Horses?”
“Pa trades the tired ones for fresh ones,” Quinn said.
“I didn’t know your pa’s house was a stagecoach stop.”
“People never stay long,” Quinn said. “They don’t think Pa is friendly.”
Imagine that.
The stage rolled to a stop in the yard by the corral. Holden set the brake and tied off the reins. He touched the brim of his hat. “I reckon it’s Mrs. Barrington now.”
She lifted an eyebrow, unwilling to show any signs that her life was tipped out of balance. “No, sir, the name is still Smyth.”
Surprise flickered and then he climbed down from the driver’s seat and strode over to the boys. The sun had deepened his skin to a dark brown and the trail had coated his clothes with a fine layer of dust. With the boys so close he guarded his words carefully. “Did I hear right? The name is still Smyth?”
She glanced down at the boys who stared up at Holden with grinning faces. “Yes.”
Holden scratched his head. “I reckon he was M-A-D.” He spelled the word so the boys wouldn’t get the meaning of their conversation.
She wasn’t ready to let this man, who’d been a party to the deception, off the hook so easily. “Oh, yes.”
He paled a fraction. “I reckon he’ll want to have a chat with me.”
“I’m sure he would, but you’re in luck, he usually doesn’t come in until quite late.”
Holden glanced over his shoulder. “I saw Matthias on the trail. He’ll be coming up presently.”
The skin on the back of her neck tingled. She’d not seen Matthias before sunset in over a week. And the idea excited her. She refused to think about how she’d lain awake these last few nights, trying to erase the feel of his hands and lips on her body. “I’m sure he’s got a few choice words.”
“Look, Miss Smyth,” he said, glancing at the boys. “I am sorry if this isn’t working out for you.” The man looked truly distressed and she found it hard to hold on to her anger. “Everybody knows Matthias needs a W-I-F-E and well, you seemed perfect for him.”
“Time will tell.”
His eyes brightened with anticipation. “So it isn’t a lost cause between you two.”
She thought about the kiss. “Not completely.”