Page 19 of Westbound Awakening

Mae must have felt the same way by the urgency by which she returned the kiss. The world could have gone up in flames and he would not have noticed. He wrapped his arms around her waist anchoring them against the too strong current.

Mae's hands slid over his shoulders to wrap around his neck and released a soft moan from deep in her throat. Any thought vacated, and all he knew was this woman represented everything he'd dreamed of since the day he'd first lay eyes on her. Mae felt exactly the way he'd known she would, fitting perfectly against him, her softness against his hardness, yielding and giving to his taking.

The heat in the small space became intense and their mouths refused to separate. The exploration of each other was far too enticing to draw back from.

The river of temptation began to pull him under until he couldn't breathe. John stopped kissing her, and closed his eyes holding Mae against him while he waiting for their breathing to stabilize. How could he ever let her go? This feeling with her was like no other he'd experienced. A loud sigh escaped him, and he began to trail kisses from her neck, to her throat, then back to her jawline only to stop when he tasted the salt of her tears on her face.

"Don't cry Mae, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" She placed fingers over his mouth stopping his words.

"Please don't say this was a mistake. I don't want to hear any remorse. Not tonight."

She released a heavy sigh and pushed her face into the crook of his neck. While holding her against him, he urged her face up to his. "It's not a mistake Mae, and I'm not sorry this kiss happened. I will never forget how you make me feel tonight. Thank you." He kissed her again this time a soft kiss, which he hoped, conveyed all he felt.

He continued to hold her, her head on his chest until she fell asleep, while he stared up into the darkness.

In her sleep, a shaky exhalation sounded, and he soothed Mae again. His heart pitched in his chest when she wrapped her hand around his arm as if ensuring he remained there with her.

He would for this night. He would stay forever, If only he could get past knowing she'd slept with many faceless men, exchanging her enticing body for money. Not to mention, not only did he have the weight of having to find his child hanging over him, a feeling of foreboding he could not shake loomed over him. The pain in his leg was back, constant like before. For some reason, he felt as if his life would be affected by the injury, perhaps even killing him.

"You and the missus seem to be doing better," Ryan told John the next morning when they shared a cup of coffee. Dang if he didn't blush at the remark. John could only shake his head when the other man laughed at him. "We are."

"Good morning." Mae neared the coffee pot and poured a cup and then joined him on the log. Dressed in a simple blue muslin dress, with her hair in a braid down her back, she looked to be at ease, her face peaceful. She offered to refill their cups, and they held them out for her. For a moment, he allowed himself to believe she was in actuality his wife. His alluring partner.

When she blushed at his regard and smiled at him, his chest expanded with pride.

The next week passed easily. Each night they'd developed an easy routine of discussing different experiences in their lives. This evening John lay on his back with an arm under his head he looked to her. "Who's taking care of your business while you're away?" He asked.

"Miss Lady and her daughter Lucinda will take good care of it. James helps with the books, so I'm not worried. Thankful actually to have three people I trust inherently." She began to explain the logistics of her business and astounded him speechless. She was an acute businesswoman who kept a close eye on expenses, balanced her ledgers routinely and ensured the needs of every person who worked for her was taken care of.

"I'm impressed," he admitted. "I'd need years of training before I could take over my father's business. You could walk in and take over immediately."

Mae chuckled. "I doubt it would take you years. Many months maybe."

They laughed, and John wondered if this was how a husband and wife spent their nights. He'd overheard the Jacobs' laughter on occasion, and it assured him to see that he and Mae too seemed to enjoy their hours alone.

The routine suited him more than he expected, and John had to admit he cherished their nights alone and the closeness they shared. The only difference in the passing days was he never kissed Mae again, not since the night when things had almost gone too far. Once one of them became groggy with sleep, they'd say goodnight and he'd roll to sleep to his side, his back to her.

Days later when they crossed the Texas border, Mae become more withdrawn, and he gave her space. She needed to prepare herself for what was to come. She'd not mentioned her father again, which made him wonder if she would turn right around and return to Virginia once rested from her travels.

Dread loomed. Somehow he knew once separated from Mae, his life would change and not for the better.

11

The size of Hawkins Ranch on the outskirts of Hastings, Texas, her father's lands, was impressive. Mae lost count of how many fields filled with cows or planted with crops they rode by. The road toward an expansive farmhouse was lined with pecan trees with branches so heavy with nuts that they spilled over onto the well-packed dirty road. Her heart pounded inside her chest and she placed her hand over it. How would she be greeted?

Drained after a tearful goodbye with Patricia and Ryan, it took all her willpower not to beg John to turn the wagon around. Patty was optimistic, promising they'd visit soon, since they were less than a day's ride away, just on the other side of the small town of Hastings.

The amount of new sensations slamming into her in quick succession shocked Mae, and she wanted to buckle over and get sick. This had to be was the hardest day she'd ever experienced next to the one when her mother died.

John must have sensed her anxiety because he covered her hand with his and squeezed it gently. "It's a beautiful place. You'll be welcomed here and be just fine."

It was the first time since the night they'd kissed he'd touched her. Since then, they'd slept back to back after only a few cursory statements. Of course it was for the best and she would miss him terribly.

Mae let out a shaky breath and pulled her hand from under his. "The sooner I face him the better. Then I can make a decision as to whether I will remain or not." Mae did not address his comment about the ranch. It was her father's property, and she had no desire to take it over.

As soon as the wagon pulled up to an expansive whitewashed ranch home, the front door opened and a smiling middle-aged Hispanic woman followed by a large man who looked to be in his thirties came toward them. The man assisted Mae from the wagon. "Welcome Miss Hawkins. We're glad you made it safely. I'm Alan, your father's ranch hand." His friendly hazel eyes met hers briefly, and she found calmness in them.

"I better go help," Alan said after touching his hat and went to help John unload. John was already hauling her trunk toward the front porch. The ranch hand followed with her picnic basket and the other few things she's brought.