Breathless(66)

When she first arrived in Virginia City, their initial relationship had been rocky but once she learned to trust him, she’d given him her heart.

“And I’ll be letting Kent know that if he puts even one minute of sadness in your life, I’ll be taking a bullwhip to him.”

He handed her his handkerchief and she blew her nose through her smile. “I love him very much.”

“Good to know. He’s the younger brother I never had, and he’s grown into quite a man.”

“He told me about the Mexican prison.”

“He was filled with hubris back then.”

“He called it stupidity.”

“That too.” Rhine pulled her close again and kissed her brow. “I’m so glad you found someone worthy enough to give your heart to.”

“I am, too.”

They spent a few more minutes talking about Rhine getting together with her and Kent to draw up plans for their new house and where they might find a carpentry crew to get it built. “We can talk about it all after the wedding,” he said.

“I’d like that. I’ll let you get back to Aunt Eddy. Thank you again, Uncle.”

“You’re welcome.”

At dinner that evening, Ruth announced that she would be taking the train home in the morning. Everyone voiced their disappointment. “I’m due back at school soon even though my students would probably love for me to stay away longer.”

“Someone here can take you to the station,” Eddy pointed out. “Just let us know when you’d like to leave.”

“Thanks, but I’ve already made arrangements. James has offered to take me.”

“Well, now,” Regan teased in a knowing voice, and Ruth dropped her eyes and smiled.

“Portia, I want to thank you for introducing us. We’re going to be writing. His father is coming to Chicago later in the year for a church convention and James will be accompanying him. He’s a very nice man.”

“I was hoping you’d like each other.”

“We do. Quite a bit.”

Portia was pleased.

“I’m sorry I’ll miss the wedding though.”

Sylvia said, “Who knows, maybe there’s a wedding in your future.”

Ruth didn’t respond but she did smile.

Eddy asked Sylvia, “What about you and Oliver? You two aren’t leaving right after the wedding are you?”

“We’ll see how Oliver feels,” she said.

Portia wondered if the Randolphs had shared Oliver’s prognosis. It wasn’t her place to ask, so she didn’t.

Oliver said, “I definitely want to stand up with my son.”

Kent looked pleased and raised his wineglass in his father’s direction.

“Portia’s going to be good for you, Kenton.”

Kent glanced over at Portia and the love in his eyes was reflected in his reply. “I know.”

After the dinner cleanup, Portia and Kent slipped away to see the cottage. When they walked in Kent took a look around. “It’s much larger than I imagined.”

The front parlor was lavishly furnished with a sofa and a few comfortable-looking upholstered chairs. There was artwork on the walls and a fireplace served as the focal point. There were fine rugs scattered about that pulled on the colors in the drapes on the two French doors that led outside. There was a small kitchen off the parlor. The lone bedroom with its adjoining washroom was at the back of the house. The four-poster brass bed was large and covered with fine linens.

“Now this is a bed,” Kent said, pressing his hand into the mattress to test its give. There was a large armoire, a chest of drawers, and a vanity table with an attached mirror. She waited while he stepped into the washroom. “I think this tub will fit two.”

She laughed, “I believe that is why my aunt and uncle purchased it.”

He walked back out and looked around again and said suggestively, “The things I’m going to do to you in here. Good thing we’re not near the hotel. I don’t want Rhine running in with his gun drawn when he hears you screaming.”

The heat in his eyes seared her, setting off a familiar tightening that made her want to move into the space and share the big bed with him as soon as possible. She also wanted to ask him to teach her how to please him, but she wasn’t sure she had the courage to broach the subject, at least not yet.

He walked to her and gently lifted her chin so their eyes would meet. “Penny for your thoughts.”

“I want to learn to make you scream, too.” There, she’d said it.

He traced her lips in the silence. “Do you?”

She nodded.

He kissed her gently. “Then we’ll put that on the list.”

“Thank you.”





Chapter Fifteen




The next morning, they all said good-bye to Ruth. She and James drove off in his buggy, accompanied by a small contingent of armed riders that included his father and some of the men from the church. Geronimo and his followers were still at large, and although the army and the hastily cobbled-together posses were frantically crisscrossing the territory, he managed to elude them. Numerous sightings both real and imagined continued, and to have the newspapers tell it, he and his band were often seen in various places at once. People did their best to go about their normal lives but they kept their weapons close and remained vigilant.