Chapter 10
It took longer than it should have to catch her breath but Rebecca wasn’t going to complain about it for a single second.
She and Caleb danced around every inch of the room before he finally took pity on her and offered to go grab her a drink. The man who’d seen to the horse and wagon when they arrived came inside and took Caleb’s attention. They were talking about horses as she stood near a group of ladies sipping a sweetened drink that tasted of spiced apples. As much as she tried to follow the conversation, her attention was on Caleb.
He’d given her a look so intense when they’d been dancing, she’d thought for a moment that he’d been about to kiss her. Her stomach fluttered at the thought. She’d never been kissed. Well, not a proper kiss. She’d played a silly kissing game with a group of kids in the orphanage but those kisses had been quick pecks on the lips and nothing more. She’d never had a genuine kiss. The kind of intimate kiss a man and woman shared, and the thought of kissing Caleb like that made things low in her belly tighten.
She glanced his way again. He was staring at her. Her face heated as she blushed, then burned when he grinned at her. Her pulse fluttered as if it had wings and it grew so hot in the room, she had to fan her face to catch a cool breeze.
The group of men Caleb was standing amongst were talking about Indians. Julia’s husband Matt had seen them on his ranch a few times. She’d never seen one. Truth be known, she thought they were a myth used to scare people away from all the land out west. Apparently not.
The night wore on and she’d smiled so long, her face ached by the time Caleb said their goodbyes. He led her back into the main room and grabbed her hand before giving it a squeeze. “Go find Amanda and grab your things. I’ll go see to the wagon.”
She hurried through the house, checking rooms until she found Amanda. She was in a playroom with the other children.
Rebecca held out her arm when the girl turned to look at her. “Let’s go, Amanda. Your father is ready to head home.”
A few of the other ladies were bundling their children into coats by the time they made it to the bench they had laid all their things on. Seemed as if everyone was leaving at the same time.
They waited inside the house until a young boy came to fetch them. “Caleb’s waiting for you outside, Ma’am.”
She thanked him and headed out, stopping at the steps to admire Caleb. The moon was full and lit him and the surrounding area in bright light. She’d seen moonlight reflected off the ocean so many times all she had to do was close her eyes to see it again in perfect detail. Seeing that same moonlight glisten on the snow was just as memorable.
She inhaled the fresh air, then sighed while taking it all in. You were right. Staying on that train was the smartest thing you’ve ever done.
They joined Caleb at the wagon and he lifted Amanda and set her in the back, making sure she was covered in one of the many blankets they'd brought with them before coming around to her side. His hand was warm when he took hers and helped her up. She may have scooted closer to the center of the bench seat when she sat down and wondered if Caleb would say anything. He only smiled when he settled beside her. Their shoulders were touching as the wagon started to move. It was a bold move, sitting so close to him but something felt different now. The air seemed charged around them and her stomach fluttered with anticipation, of what, she didn’t know.
Amanda drifted off to sleep not far from the Bailey ranch. Rebecca yawned a few times herself, blinking heavy-lidded eyes to try and stay awake.
“Sleepy?”
Caleb’s voice was pitched low. She nodded and stifled another yawn. “Tired more than anything. I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun as I did tonight.”
“Nor me.”
“Even with me stepping on your toes?”
He chuckled when she did. “Even with you stepping on my toes.”
They grew quiet again, the only sound that of the wagon wheels creaking. The prairie was lit by the moon and she could see clean to the mountains.
The overheard conversation from the party came back to mind. She turned her head, scanning the horizon in every direction. “I heard those men you were talking to discussing Indians.” She turned to look behind them again.
“Matt’s seen some.” He glanced down at her. “I doubt any are out this late in the evening so you don’t have to worry.”
She smiled and nodded, that fear gone. She knew nothing about Indians and hoped to never see one.
Rebecca couldn’t think of a single thing to say after that. She felt tongue-tied most days and she knew so little about anything, she had a hard time thinking of things to talk about with him. Caleb seemed to have the same problem. She wasn’t sure if he was quiet by nature or if like her, he just didn’t know what to say.
Another yawn made her jaw pop and her eyes water. Caleb shifted on the bench and stilled for a moment, then lifted his arm and wrapped it around her. The moment he pulled her close, she sighed and fell into his embrace willingly.
“Close your eyes,” he said. “We’ve a long way yet to go. I’ll wake you when we get back to town.”
She nodded and turned enough to rest her cheek against his shoulder and the desire to wrap her arms around him was strong but she kept her hands to herself.
Far too quickly, the wagon stopped and Rebecca opened her eyes. The town was quiet. She sat up and watched Caleb jumped down from the wagon. They were in front of the livery stable. He helped her down, then woke Amanda. They stood on the sidewalk as Caleb saw to the horse and got him bedded down for the night.
Caleb reached for her hand when he joined them. The gesture made that warmth she’d felt when close to him on the wagon bench spread through her limbs again when he clasped her hand in his. Amanda got her second wind now that she was awake and talked non-stop as they walked through town headed home. When they stepped on the bridge, Amanda took off at a run for the house, leaving them behind.
The sound of trickling water flowing under the bridge was comforting for reasons she couldn’t explain. She sucked in a breath and Caleb’s hold on her hand tightened before he stopped walking.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded and grabbed onto the railing when Caleb dropped her hand. “Yes, I'm fine.”
In all her years, she'd never been nervous around a man. Granted, she’d never been around many of them. Not one she found attractive. Or one that looked at her the way Caleb did.
He’d spent most of the evening dancing with her. Laughing and telling her stories about Amanda and his mother and a few of his late wife. She’d lied about every single thing she told him. She had no grand stories to tell. Her childhood hadn’t been bad, but it had been lonely. She’d spent endless days standing in a row with the other children in the orphanage as the occasional couple walked down the line looking at each of them in search of a child to adopt. They always took the boys, though, and most of those left behind like her didn’t envy them much. Chances were, the boys were only taken so they could help farm the couple’s land and work the many plantations dotted around Charleston.
Caleb was quiet for long minutes before turning to face her. He leaned an elbow on the rail and cleared his throat. “Is something wrong?”