one another's arms.
… but there was forever.
TWELVE
IF KARLEE HAD EXPECTED A HUSBAND TO BE MORE talkative than an employer, she was greatly disappointed. Daniel didn't say a word when she brought breakfast on the first morning of their marriage. She made no attempt to feed him, but when she returned an hour later with the twins, the food had disappeared.
She sat beside the bed, her sewing spread across her lap while the girls played on the floor between Daniel and the windows. As she'd expected, one twin, the one she'd sprinkled with cinnamon at breakfast, leaned close and kissed Daniel.
“Ah, cinnamon,” Daniel whispered.
“Yes, Papa,” she answered. “That's me.”
The chubby hand of the other daughter patted his arm. “Karlee says I'm Starlett, Papa. 'Cause I ask too many questions to count, like the stars. When you going to take that thing off your eyes?”
“Starlett,” Daniel nodded. “It fits you. I couldn't have chosen better names myself.”
He cleared his throat. “Girls, I married Karlee last night.”
“We married Karlee?” they both squealed.
“Does that mean she's going to stay?”
“Will she get big and fat and have a baby inside her like Willow?”
“Yes, she'll stay, and no, she won't have a baby.” Daniel said the words as if they were final, telling Karlee just what kind of marriage they would have. He wanted no more children.
She tried to keep her hands moving across the material though she knew he couldn't see her. What had she expected? That he suddenly loved her just because he married her? That he'd take her in his arms and to his bed?
Only a fool would think such a thing. She told him she didn't want a husband when she'd arrived, and he made it plain he didn't want a wife. What they'd done last night had been for the twins' sake. The forever part had just been said because he was a man of honor. They both knew, no matter the reason, there would be no turning back. A divorced preacher would never lead a church, and a divorced woman would be looked down on in any community.
Like it or not, they were tied together until death. Without love.
About mid-morning, Valerie arrived and offered to take the twins to the porch for a picnic. As soon as the girls were gone, Karlee collected all she needed to redo the bandages on Daniel's hands. She thought of asking if she could care for his leg as well, for the wrappings needed cleaning, but she decide to wait at least until they'd been married a full day. Changing bandages on his hands was one thing, on his leg would be quite another.
He didn't say a word as she soaked the stained bandage and slowly pulled the cotton away from dried blood along his knuckles.
“I'm sorry.” Newly hardened scabs came away with the cloth. “I'm trying not to hurt you.”
“It doesn't matter,” he answered blandly.
He didn't move as she washed his wounds and spread salve over his fingers. The strength of his hands fascinated her. She gently rubbed the soothing medicine in far longer than was necessary.
After she'd wrapped the wounds with clean cloth, she hurried to the kitchen and returned with a pan of hot water and a razor she'd found in a drawer.
“I thought I'd shave you, Daniel.” She called him by name for the first time. “In case we have company. I'll be careful of the cuts.”
A brow lifted above his bandaged eyes, but he didn't comment.
Karlee had seen men shave a few times. She'd even watched the barber shave a man while she was waiting for him to pull one of her teeth. He did a fine job of shaving the customer, but she felt sure he pulled the wrong tooth in her mouth. And to add to the injustice, he'd charged her two bits for the crime.
From that day on, she brushed her teeth religiously with baking soda and elm twigs gnawed on one end. She never planned to have another barber put his hand in her mouth, again, and any teeth she lost would have to fall out on their own.
Karlee lathered up Daniel's strong jawline with the flare she remembered the barber used.
The first swipe of the blade was perfect. The second disastrous. Blood dotted his chin as if he had a bad case of the measles.
Daniel jerked away. “Did you ever shave a man before?” he snapped.
“No,” she admitted. “I never had a man to shave, before you.”
“Well, I won't be around long if you keep spilling my blood so freely.”
His voice was hard, but she thought she saw a hint of a smile beneath the lather.
“I'll try again.”
Two strokes later, he jerked and grumbled again. “My jaw curves, the blade doesn't. Please leave some hide, Madam.”
“Your skin is sensitive from the fire's heat.” She leaned close to work on his throat. For a man of few words he spared none in criticism. “I'm not cutting you that deeply. I've no wish to make myself a widow after one day of marriage, but you are starting to look like you're related to Wolf.”
He didn't answer. She couldn't be certain he was breathing. Surely she wasn't frightening him with her shaving.
“What is it?” she asked.
His Adam's apple moved up and down slowly, but he didn't move.
“Don't worry, I won't slit your throat. I think I may be getting the knack of this shaving.”
He didn't move.
“You've nothing to fear,” she reassured.
“Spinster… I mean, Mrs. McLain.” His words were almost thick enough to be liquid. “Would you mind not pressing against my chest?”
For a second, she wanted to laugh. She wasn't hurting this big man by pressing on his chest. She'd seen the wall beneath his shirt, touched it. He was solid as stone with muscles.
Then, she noticed what was pressing on his chest. Her breasts. She'd leaned too close.
“Oh.” She was thankful he couldn't see her embarrassment, for her cheeks were on fire. “I'm sorry. I didn't notice.”
“I may be blind,” he explained. “But I can still feel what is pressed against me.” He seemed almost as embarrassed as she.
Her hands shook so badly she couldn't hold the blade level. How could she have done such a thing? She wasn't used to being around men and certainly not this close to one. Her breasts had always been too large, getting in her way since she was twelve. Usually, she wrapped them tighter within a bodice, but this morning she'd worn her loosest dress.
His hand covered hers, steadying her strokes even though he couldn't see where she aimed. He was in as much of a hurry to get the shaving done as she now was.
It seemed hours before she finished and wiped the last of the lather from his chin.
“I'll be more careful next time. Both with the shaving and the other,” she said with determination. “You do look a sight more presentable.”
“I'll wait until I get this bandage off, and shave myself next time,” he answered coldly. “Or I'll grow a beard.”
Wolf bellowed through the door before she could apologize again. When he rounded the corner and took one look at Daniel he yelled, “Did the savage get loose and try to kill you, Danny me boy?”
“No.” Daniel didn't seem to appreciate the humor. “Karlee shaved me.”
Wolf shook his head. “Your face is the best reason I've seen yet for staying single and keeping a full beard. If
