Coralie’s cry wakes her in the middle of the night. She throws on a soft green robe over her nightgown and rushes downstairs to the kitchen. Mixing the formula and milk quickly she makes a bottle the way Maggie showed her.
Barefoot she races back to the bedroom and gasps when she finds Tucker walking the floor with Coralie against his shoulder.
“What are you doing up?” she whispers.
Tucker is entranced when he looks at her. Flush from running, she has a glow, and he is stunned by the sight of long dark curls flowing over her shoulders.
Abbie quickly sits and whispers, “She’s hungry.” He offers the baby to her and steps back to watch her offer the bottle.
Coralie fusses for a second before latching on. Abbie holds up a hand, “Look, I’m shaking,” she teases.
“Me too,” Tucker quips back.
“I’m sorry she woke you,” Abbie whispers and stares down at the child in her arms.
I’m glad I didn’t miss this, he thinks. The beauty of a mother holding a child, and he wishes for a moment they were his. Surprise has him sitting up straighter.
“She likes this milk. I’ll have to make sure we stock it at the general store when we get home.”
“Good idea.” Tucker watches them for a few minutes. “How are you holding up, Abbs?”
Her eyes flick to his, “Good. I thought I’d feel differently. Angry, resentful, or even have no feelings for her at all,” she glances down and runs a hand over the child’s dark hair. “I can’t help but wonder, is this how Mary felt holding Jesus?”
Tucker jumps at the realization of what she’s saying. “How does it feel?”
“I feel wonderful, Tucker. To think that God chose me to protect and nurture these children. I want to make him proud of me, and I pray that I will,” she whispers an looks at him with shining eyes.
“You will, Abbs. Look at her. She’s already asleep. I’d say you were a natural.”
Abbie stands and walks her over to the makeshift cradle they are using for her. Coralie doesn’t even fuss when she lays her down. She sighs and sucks an invisible bottle in her sleep.
“Thank you for the help, Tucker.”
Tucker stokes the fire, adding another log, to make sure they stay warm and walks over to the door.
“Anytime, Abbilene.”
Abbie follows him and bumps into his back when he stops suddenly and faces her.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to know something,” he whispers and grasps her by her upper arms, pulling her against his chest.
Shock has her mouth parting. “Tucker?” she gasps.
Images flash through his mind of his mouth on hers. Abbie screaming his name in passion and longing has him leaning down to trail his hot mouth over her eyelids. Her gasp has him smiling. When his mouth finds the corner of hers, Abbie reaches out and slips her hands into his hair.
Tucker is lost in the moment, forgetting that she isn’t his and feels the sensual heat of passion blooming between them.
Just before his mouth closes over hers, all thought shuts off. Tucker dominates, sweeping away all doubt, confusion, and pain into a world of heat and desire.
Abbie groans and fists a hand tightly in his hair. She pulls his mouth back from hers for a second and stares into his eyes burning with need, for her.
He slowly lowers her feet to the floor, and shame rushes through him. “I’m sorry, Abbs. I...,” her hand closes over his mouth.
“Please, don’t ruin it. I haven’t felt wanted in years.” Tears shimmer in her eyes, and he drops his forehead to hers.
“Aren’t we a pair? Two halves, shattered by this world.”
Abbie steps back and smiles at him. “Broken, not destroyed.” Abbie bites her lip, causing his eyes to drop to her swollen mouth. “My life is in shambles, Tucker. Right now, I need a friend. That’s all I can offer you.”
“I understand. I’m a patient man, Abbs.” He leans in and presses a soft kiss to her lips and turns, leaving swiftly before he changes his mind.
Abbie watches him go and prays she won’t hurt him before this is over. Her main priority is the children. Providing them a safe home and rebuilding the Mill. It is a lovely fantasy to think of them all together, but what kind of man would accept such a strange band of misfits as this?
Too tired to worry, Abbie gives it to the Lord and goes to sleep.
Chapter 32
“How are they always one step ahead of us?” Clint complains. Not for the first time he wishes he’d struck her harder or at least finished the job on the train.
“The boss made it clear that whoever stops her from returning will get paid. Let’s make sure it’s not the group in Nebraska,” his companion declares.
“What are we looking for?” One of the ten young men asks.
“A petite brunette, brown eyes. The man with her is a Sheriff. He may be in uniform. I don’t care if you must stop every dark-haired female! They must not make it back to Nebraska!”
The train station is busy, but at his employer’s insistence he has people all over the station from the baggage car to the ticket counter. Two are working as porters. They won’t get away again.
Abbie and Tucker walk through the station, and she holds the baby on her shoulder. Coralie starts fussing and she pats her softly.
Tucker is dressed in a dark blue suit and hat, looking far more polished than she’s ever seen him. His blonde hair was cut short this morning. Abbie almost didn’t recognize him at first. Clean shaven and dressed sharply, she is surprised to find that she misses her normal, sexy, scruffy cowboy.
“Keep walking, Abbs. We need to board quickly.” He
