As his heart pounded hard and his body pulsed in pleasurable after-shocks of perfect love-making, Trap pulled Elinor close to his side while in her bed. The sweetest armful he’d ever known cuddled up against him and sighed in contentment.
“What did you think of my new talent?” she asked him.
It had scared him half to death. With his eyes closed, he said, “I already told you.”
“I wanna hear it again.”
And her wish was his command. The knowledge punched him in the gut, as it had been doing for the last year. “You were beautiful and graceful, but it scared me. I don’t wanna see it again.”
She let out a huff.
But he wasn’t gonna budge. Of course, that didn’t mean she would refrain from participating in the high flying feat. Elinor Armstrong did what she wanted, when she wanted. It was one of the many reasons why he…
Damn it. He couldn’t say it. Even in his head. But the words were there. Whispering. Threatening.
If he ever got stupid enough to tell her what he wouldn’t allow himself to admit even silently, their relationship would end. It was part of the deal. No demands. No rules. Just fun.
And they sure as hell had had fun. Everywhere. When he wasn’t on the spring or fall drive for the Swinging A ranch, he was traveling across Texas with her or tearing up the Houston night life with her by his side.
Elinor was a darling of Houston Society. Her father was a wealthy stock broker, and she was the widow of a railroad tycoon. She had a lot of money. Not that Trap cared about that. He could take care of himself, and she didn’t buy him anything. Not even his whiskey.
They’d been together for five years. And he hoped to God it never ended. He’d like to make it official, but he wouldn’t dare tell her that. Never mind the nature of their relationship, he was a cowboy, and while he’d made a ruckus with her and some of her rowdier society friends, he’d never escorted her to one of her more civilized events. She’d never asked him. No starched collars for him. No satin vest or fancy pocket watch.
Only chaps, denims and a white Stetson. He was not of her world. So he kept his mouth shut so he could have what he did.
“You might want to find a card game tonight,” she murmured.
He’d thought she’d fallen asleep. He was almost there. “Oh?”
“I’m hosting a party for the hospital. You’d be bored.”
His heart sank to his gut. “All right. I can kick back in the hotel or somethin’.” Had disappointment rang in his tone? He gritted his teeth and waited for her response.
A beat of silence passed, then she replied, “You’d have more fun.”
He snapped his eyes open. What had he heard in her voice? Sadness? Sorrow? If so…why?
“What did you think of my new talent?” she asked him.
It had scared him half to death. With his eyes closed, he said, “I already told you.”
“I wanna hear it again.”
And her wish was his command. The knowledge punched him in the gut, as it had been doing for the last year. “You were beautiful and graceful, but it scared me. I don’t wanna see it again.”
She let out a huff.
But he wasn’t gonna budge. Of course, that didn’t mean she would refrain from participating in the high flying feat. Elinor Armstrong did what she wanted, when she wanted. It was one of the many reasons why he…
Damn it. He couldn’t say it. Even in his head. But the words were there. Whispering. Threatening.
If he ever got stupid enough to tell her what he wouldn’t allow himself to admit even silently, their relationship would end. It was part of the deal. No demands. No rules. Just fun.
And they sure as hell had had fun. Everywhere. When he wasn’t on the spring or fall drive for the Swinging A ranch, he was traveling across Texas with her or tearing up the Houston night life with her by his side.
Elinor was a darling of Houston Society. Her father was a wealthy stock broker, and she was the widow of a railroad tycoon. She had a lot of money. Not that Trap cared about that. He could take care of himself, and she didn’t buy him anything. Not even his whiskey.
They’d been together for five years. And he hoped to God it never ended. He’d like to make it official, but he wouldn’t dare tell her that. Never mind the nature of their relationship, he was a cowboy, and while he’d made a ruckus with her and some of her rowdier society friends, he’d never escorted her to one of her more civilized events. She’d never asked him. No starched collars for him. No satin vest or fancy pocket watch.
Only chaps, denims and a white Stetson. He was not of her world. So he kept his mouth shut so he could have what he did.
“You might want to find a card game tonight,” she murmured.
He’d thought she’d fallen asleep. He was almost there. “Oh?”
“I’m hosting a party for the hospital. You’d be bored.”
His heart sank to his gut. “All right. I can kick back in the hotel or somethin’.” Had disappointment rang in his tone? He gritted his teeth and waited for her response.
A beat of silence passed, then she replied, “You’d have more fun.”
He snapped his eyes open. What had he heard in her voice? Sadness? Sorrow? If so…why?
Elinor drifted from room to room of the stately manse she’d inherited from her late husband. She missed Walt. She’d loved him, of course, but not as much as she loved Trap Ferguson. She should have realized she’d fall for the cowboy. Why hadn’t she paid attention?
Five years they’d been together, which was four years and eleven months longer than she’d thought she’d get. And whenever he was set to return from a drive, she held her breath and prayed he’d come to her. And, so far, he always had. She should be content with what she had with him. Instead, she strolled the large home, despondent, yearning and wishing for more.
Servants scurried about preparing for the benefit for the hospital. Trap had left an hour ago, and there had been something in his eyes she couldn’t identify. Something in his kiss that had felt distant. Her heart pounded hard as anxiety made her stomach turn. She floated to the piano in the ballroom, and stood at the instrument, staring down at it.
Juliette, her housekeeper of ten years, barked orders around her as stands of flowers were placed about the room. But Elinor barely noticed. She reached out and depressed a key. She sighed as a rip rent her heart. She missed Trap. Gone only an hour, and she was already lonely for him.
Had she upset him too much with her high-flying acrobatics? Or…had their love-making not satisfied him? A lump of sadness formed at the base of her throat, and she tried to prepare herself. It was bound to happen; Trap leaving her, that was.
As tears threatened, she shot out of the ballroom and hastened to the kitchen. Once she arrived amidst the hustle and bustle, she called, “Daisy, can I do something?”
A white cap covered the black curls of the cook’s head, making her dark skin glow. She worked at the counter, kneading dough for either dessert or bread. As she arched an eyebrow, Daisy said, “You ought to be getting dressed.”
Elinor lifted her chin. “There’s enough time for that yet. I need to be busy.”
With a sigh and shake of her head, she nodded at a basket of unshelled peas. “Get to work, then.”
Grateful, Elinor found an extra apron, rolled up her sleeves and set her mind to her task.
Five years they’d been together, which was four years and eleven months longer than she’d thought she’d get. And whenever he was set to return from a drive, she held her breath and prayed he’d come to her. And, so far, he always had. She should be content with what she had with him. Instead, she strolled the large home, despondent, yearning and wishing for more.
Servants scurried about preparing for the benefit for the hospital. Trap had left an hour ago, and there had been something in his eyes she couldn’t identify. Something in his kiss that had felt distant. Her heart pounded hard as anxiety made her stomach turn. She floated to the piano in the ballroom, and stood at the instrument, staring down at it.
Juliette, her housekeeper of ten years, barked orders around her as stands of flowers were placed about the room. But Elinor barely noticed. She reached out and depressed a key. She sighed as a rip rent her heart. She missed Trap. Gone only an hour, and she was already lonely for him.
Had she upset him too much with her high-flying acrobatics? Or…had their love-making not satisfied him? A lump of sadness formed at the base of her throat, and she tried to prepare herself. It was bound to happen; Trap leaving her, that was.
As tears threatened, she shot out of the ballroom and hastened to the kitchen. Once she arrived amidst the hustle and bustle, she called, “Daisy, can I do something?”
A white cap covered the black curls of the cook’s head, making her dark skin glow. She worked at the counter, kneading dough for either dessert or bread. As she arched an eyebrow, Daisy said, “You ought to be getting dressed.”
Elinor lifted her chin. “There’s enough time for that yet. I need to be busy.”
With a sigh and shake of her head, she nodded at a basket of unshelled peas. “Get to work, then.”
Grateful, Elinor found an extra apron, rolled up her sleeves and set her mind to her task.
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