Chapter 14

“Wyatt,” Cora Sue cooed. “I can’t believe you’re married. Why in the world did you want to go and do that?”

“I’ve been married for some time, Cora Sue.” He carefully unwound his arm from hers.

“Why hadn’t you told anyone about her? Daddy said you were going to divorce her or send her away or something.”

“Your daddy’s wrong. I’m not divorcing her or sending her away.”

“I assume she’s from the east.” When he nodded, she went on. “Do you think she’ll fit in here or will she always be out of place in our small little New Mexico town?”

“She fits in fine.”

Cora Sue entwined her arm in his again. “Are you sure? Look at that dress she’s wearing. It’s a beautiful design for an eastern garden party, but she could’ve had Miss Sprinkle make her one that would be more fitting for today. One which wouldn’t stand out so much.”

Wyatt stopped abruptly and stared at her. “I’ll have you know, I picked out that dress especially for my wife to wear today. I think she looks lovely and any damn female here who doesn’t think so is a jealous bitch.”

“Why…I… I didn’t mean…” Tears came to Cora Sue’s eyes.

“Hell, I don’t care what you meant. I only know that you better not say anything inappropriate to or about my wife.”

“I wouldn’t, Wyatt. I’m sorry, I only thought…” She tried to bat her eyes at him.

“I told you, I didn’t give a damn what you thought. You’re a spoiled brat and I pity the man who ends up with you.” He glared at her. “Now, turn my arm loose and get out of my way. I want to gather up some food to take to my family.”

He felt her eyes boring into his back as he headed for the table of food. He also noticed the grins on some of the serving women’s faces as he walked away from her. Rosalinda’s smile was the widest and seemed to be the brightest of them all. He’d even winked at her and she’d winked back. They didn’t have to say a word and they both knew it.

By the time Wyatt came back with the food, he’d managed to calm down. He didn’t want Edwina to know anything about his encounter with Cora Sue. His wife was having a good time, so far and he didn’t want anything to cause her to regret her decision to come to the function. If they were going to be married, she had to get to know these people. The problem was, they weren’t married.

“Looks good, Son,” Ben said when he took his plate.

Edwina smiled. “It sure does. Thank you for getting it for us.”

“Why don’t you let me hold Adam while you eat, honey?”

“I’m fine. I can eat and hold him, too.”

“No you can’t,” a voice behind her said.

“Rosalinda. Where did you come from?”

“Mr. Wyatt forgot the drinks. You know how men are. They always forget something.” She grinned. “Now give me the boy. I want to show him off to some of my friends.”

Edwina gave Adam to her. “Are you sure you want to do this. He may get hungry.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll feed him if he wants to eat. He likes Rosalinda and he’ll be fine.”

“Relax, Edwina,” Ben said. “She practically raised Wyatt.”

“You shouldn’t tell her that, Mr. Ben. She might not think that’s a good recommendation for my being a substitute mama.”

“That’s not so, Rosalinda. You know I trust you with Adam. I think you’re wonderful with him.”

“Enjoy your food and we’ll be back.” Rosalinda walked off with Adam in her arms.

They finished their plates and a friend of Ben’s came up and insisted Ben accompany him to the hotel where a group of his peers had gathered to play cards. Bidding him good-bye, Edwina and Wyatt walked together to the table to pick out desserts. They planned to find a secluded spot to eat them, but no such luck. The Davies and the Bohannans decided it was a good time to meet the new wife of the richest rancher in the area.

The games began shortly after most folks finished their meal. Edwina and Rosalinda watched as Wyatt and Juan participated in a target shooting match. Juan came in third and Wyatt came in fourth. “I haven’t been shooting much lately,” he told Edwina.

Knowing he wanted to win to impress her, she said, “I think you did fine.”

He chuckled. “At least, you know I’m not a gun-slinger.”

There was a horse race and Wyatt decided to unhitch his big black stallion from the buggy, borrow a saddle from his good friend, the sheriff and enter. To his surprise, he won the match against Thourgood Reeson’s champion roan. Thourgood didn’t seem to like it much, but he managed to shake Wyatt’s hand when the ribbon was handed out. Wyatt also noticed him handing out money to several men and couldn’t help feeling a little proud knowing some of them had bet on him to win.

There were pony rides for the children and Wyatt held Adam and let him ride one of the Shetlands. The little boy was thrilled. When they decided to put the little horses up, Wyatt negotiated to buy one to take back to the ranch for his son. Edwina made him promise Adam wouldn’t ride the pony without help until he was much older.

After folks ate again, the sun began to go down and the musicians gathered. Eventually, a few couples began to dance.

Edwina and Wyatt sat on a quilt they’d spread under a cottonwood tree. Adam was playing with a toy cow Wyatt bought at the table where an older man was carving different animals. Ben had returned and his chair was sitting by the edge of their quilt.

Rosalinda and Juan walked up. “All right, you two, I see Dena and Clem are already dancing. Now it’s your turn,” Rosalinda said. “We came to babysit so you can dance the night away if you like.”

“I’m ready to take this lady a turn around the dance floor.” Wyatt stood and reached for Edwina’s hand.

She hesitated. “I don’t think—”

“Now don’t start that. Wyatt will make sure you don’t make a fool of yourself.” Ben grinned at her. “He’s a good dancer and he’ll lead you right into it.”

“You trust me, don’t you?” Wyatt looked at her with a twinkle in his dark eyes.

“You know I do.” She put her trembling hand in his.

The dance area was becoming more crowded. Edwina was glad. If there were a lot of people, maybe she wouldn’t be noticed.

It wasn’t long after Wyatt took her in his arms that she relaxed. It wasn’t nearly as bad as she thought it would be. In fact, it was really nice to be this near him. To feel his heart beat against hers. To feel the warmth of his hands on her back and his breath against her hair.

“You’re doing great,” he whispered in her ear. “I like dancing with you like this.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “You make this easy.”

Several dances later, they took a break and went to check on Adam.

Rosalinda nodded at the baby in her arms. “He’s asleep. I think we’ll leave now and we’ll take him with us.”

“We can go, too.”

She shook her head. “No, Edwina. You and Wyatt stay here and have a good time. We’ll enjoy having him for the night. It’s been a while since a little one spent the night at our house.”

“I think I’ll go with them,” Ben said. “I’m a little tired.”

“We can take you, Dad,” Wyatt offered.

“No, Son. Rosalinda’s right. You two stay as late as you wish. You need to have this time to be together without us all around. I’ll be fine. I’m sure Juan will help me get tucked in.”

“I sure will. As a matter of fact, I’ll sleep in the servants’ quarters so your father won’t be alone. That way you can stay until this thing ends.”

“Are you sure?” Wyatt asked.

“Positive, Mr. Wyatt. Now you two have a good time.”

Edwina was torn. She would love to dance again with Wyatt, but she felt guilty letting Adam leave without her. Rosalinda must have seen her dilemma because she said, “Now don’t think about it again, Edwina. Your husband needs you here. Haven’t you seen how he almost burst his buttons when he sees the women looking at you with envy and the men looking at you with thoughts they shouldn’t be having? All Wyatt wants to do is parade you around as if he’s saying, ‘She’s mine, so don’t you dare touch.’”

Edwina blushed and Wyatt put his arm around her shoulders. “She’s right. Now kiss Adam goodnight and we’ll stop by and check him when we get home.”

“Don’t you dare come in and wake us up, boy,” Rosalinda said with a laugh. “You can check Adam in the morning.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

They walked with the Garcias and Ben to the wagon. “Are you sure you’re going to be all right riding in the wagon, Ben?”

“Honey, I rode in a wagon for many a year. Now, stop worrying your pretty little head and get back to the dance. My son needs a little fun in his life, and you’re just the one to give it to him.”

“You’re such a wonderful man.” She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “I’m beginning to wonder if I married the wrong Singleton.”

Ben laughed. “I know you did, sweetie, but it’s too late to talk about that now.”

Wyatt reached down and lifted his father into the wagon. “Now you two stop that. I’ve had to fight off enough of these local cowboys. I don’t want to have to flatten my father.”

Everyone was laughing as the Garcia’s wagon pulled away and Edwina and Wyatt stood waving. When it was out of sight, they dropped their arms and turned back toward the music. Wyatt said, “You’ve brought a happiness to my father that I haven’t seen in years, Edwina. You’ve made him realize life’s worth living. I thank you for that.”

“Your father’s a wonderful man, Wyatt. It’s easy to be nice to him.”

“I don’t know if you know or not, but he had a disastrous marriage a few years ago. He hadn’t been serious about a woman since my mother died years earlier, then he met Roxy. He was taken in by the woman and it was easy for her to trick him into marrying her. Everyone but my father knew she only wanted his money. As soon as he had the accident, it became well-known she’d begun turning to other men.”

“I’m so sorry. I bet that broke your father’s heart.”

“I don’t think he ever knew or if he did, he didn’t let on. Luckily, when I came home from Virginia, I was able to get rid of her.”

“Get rid?” Edwina’s eyes grew big.

“I didn’t kill her or anything like that.” He pulled Edwina into his arms and looked down at her in amusement.

“What did you do?”

“I paid her off and she left. It took Dad a while to accept the fact she wasn’t coming back, but he finally did.” Kissing the top of her head, he added, “Now, thanks to you, he’s happy again.”

“Don’t give me too much credit. I think Adam’s the real healer.”

He nodded. “I’m sure he’s a big part of it, but you’re important to him, too.”

For several long seconds they stood there, close together with their arms around each other. Then, almost in slow motion, Wyatt lowered his head and his mouth covered hers.

Edwina never dreamed his mouth would be so soft. Oh, she often thought of the night of passion they’d shared after their marriage, but this was different. She wasn’t the young innocent girl any longer. She was a woman. A woman who could now not only enjoy, but appreciate the feelings this man stirred in her.

As his kisses grew stronger, she felt his hand cover her breast, causing her to wrap her arms around his neck and pull herself closer to him. She felt his need pressing against her, but she didn’t move away.

The magic moment was broken when a woman’s voice said, “Oh my goodness, am I interrupting?”

Wyatt and Edwina broke apart. “You are, but I’m sure that doesn’t bother you, Cora Sue.” Wyatt glared at her.

“Of course not.” She threw Edwina a haughty look. “He’s a good kisser, isn’t he?”

Before Wyatt could say anything, Edwina snapped, “Yes. He’s a very good kisser.”

“Did he tell you we’ve been giving each other kisses since we were children?”

For the first time in her life, Edwina decided she wasn’t going to take the snide remarks a snooty woman made to her. With her gaze boring into Cora Sue’s eyes, she forced a smile and said, “You and he may have shared some little girl and boy kisses, but he and I shared a wedding ceremony and that has resulted in, not only passionate kisses, but a wonderful son.”

“Are you sure he wants a son to tie him down?”

Wyatt broke in. “You’re damn right I want a son. I also want the woman who gave me a son.”

“I don’t believe you.” Cora Sue threw back her head, whirled around and stalked off without another word.

“I’m sorry.” Wyatt took hold of Edwina’s hand. “Please don’t let anything she says upset you. She’s just a spoiled girl who thought she was going to marry me for my money. I never had any such intentions.”

“She’s a little late, since you’re already married.” She snuggled close to him. “Are you sorry enough to take me back and dance with me again?”

“You bet your life, lady.” He gave her a quick kiss, put his arm around her and ushered her back to the circle of dancers.