Brody tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the stage to show up. He looked at the large clock on the bank tower and saw that it was ten minutes after twelve. The stage was ten minutes late. Brody grumbled and took a draw off his cigarette. He had better things to do then wait on some hoity toity, prim and proper princess to show up, so he could take her home and try to hook her up with his brother.
He couldn't believe he'd been roped into having a part in this idea of Elizabeth's but all that damn woman had to do was stick out that stubborn chin and nibble his neck and he was helpless to say no to anything she wanted. The bad part was she damn well knew the power she had over him and she wasn't afraid to use it!
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the stage coming. He put his cigarette out on his boot before sliding it behind his ear and pulling down his hat. He put his thumbs through his belt loops and put his weight on his good leg as he waited for the stage to come to a stop.
"Morning sheriff." the stage driver said as he pulled the horses to a stop.
"Morning Todd." Brody replied with a nod. Todd jumped down and opened the door and Brody raised a brow and shook his head as a woman emerged from inside.
She was exactly what he'd expected. Powdered face, perfectly styled hair, fancy satin and lace dress that hugged her body and covered every inch of skin. Her rigid posture could only be explained by a corset and he was again thankful for Elizabeth who didn't feel the need to wear one of those confounded contraptions. A very pretty, prim and proper lady... Not exactly his type but Jacob had always been a little weird. He'd like her.
"Good morning sheriff." she said with a bright smile that lit up her blue eyes. Brody grunted and looked up at the large clock on the tower.
"By my count it's afternoon." he replied. She ran her hand over her raven black hair and looked up at the clock.
"It seems you are correct sheriff." she replied lightheartedly. Inside Ellie was tied in knots. This man was intimidating. He was tall and lean. Rugged and untamed looking. He had a hard look to his green eyes that told you he knew how to take care of himself. But then again, so did Ellie.
"Perhaps you can help me sheriff." Ellie said, maintaining the bright cheerful quality of her voice. Unaware that to Brody it sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. "I was supposed to meet a Mr. Atkinson here today." Todd sat her heavy trunk on the boardwalk with a grunt and pointed at Brody.
"That's him. Sheriff Brody Atkinson." Ellie nearly choked on her tongue but fought to keep her composure.
"Hello Mr. Atkinson.. Or do I call you sheriff?" she asked holding out her gloved hand. Brody shook her hand quickly and then picked up the heavy trunk in his large calloused hands, as if it was nothing.
"Brody'll do, Miss Bradshaw." he said as he started down the boardwalk. Ellie struggled to keep up with him, the corset making every breath she took extremely difficult. She couldn't believe his rudeness or the fact that Otis would send her to con and rob a sheriff! The man either had a lot of faith in her abilities or he wanted to see her locked up for the rest of her life.
"Would it be okay with you, Brody, if I went to the post office?" she asked. Brody grumbled under his breath as he sat the trunk in the wagon and turned to look down at her. She was short, he realized. Barely more than five feet tall.
"What for?" he asked gruffly. Ellie had a sudden surge of sympathy of this mans wife.
"I would like to send a wire to my family. Let them know I made it here safe and sound." she said, batting her lashes charmingly.
"Ya got something in your eye?" Brody asked raising a brow. Clearly she found herself to be charming. He found her to be highly annoying. Ellie stuttered several times before plastering her smile back on her face. Brody sighed.
"Go ahead, but make it fast. I got work to be getting done Miss Bradshaw." Ellie nodded and Brody pointed down the boardwalk to the post office. She turned on her heels and walked quickly away from him. He was unlike any man she'd ever met. She'd never met a man she couldn't make swoon by batting her lashes. She didn't like it and she didn't like him. Good thing she didn't have to make him fall in love with her because the very sight of the man scared her and made her blood run cold. That scar. Those 'killer' eyes. Her dream man was a little softer than that. Gentler. The fact that Brody was a sheriff scared the hell out of her as well. What had Otis been thinking?
"I'd like to send a wire to San Antonio." she said with a charming smile to the small, red haired man inside the post office.
"Y..Yes M..m..Ma'am." he replied, with an obvious stutter. "Just w..write down w..what you want it to s...say and I'll t..take care of it."
"Thank you very much sir." she replied with an innocent bat of her lashes and the man blushed deep red. She took the pencil he was holding out for her and a piece of paper and quickly wrote a note for Otis.
I made it safe and sound. I am going home with Sheriff Brody Atkinson and his family. I will write you again when I get settled in. I've never lived with a law man before. There should be lots of adventures. She signed it Miss Alice Bradshaw and after giving him Otis's name and paying for the wire she left with a tiny wave of her gloved hand that had the postmaster blushing and stuttering worse than when she had arrived.
She was determined to stay in the charming, innocent, slightly dim minded young woman persona she'd adopted with her new name, even though it didn't seem to be working with Brody. Oh well she didn't have to make him like her. She'd just work on the wife and earn her trust.
"Ready now?" Brody asked impatiently as she walked up to the wagon.
"Yes sir." she replied sweetly as she pushed her glasses up. Brody nodded and jumped up in the wagon.
"Come on then. Elizabeth's been chomping at the bit to meet you and so have the girls." Ellie looked up at him and then at the wagon. Wasn't he going to help her?
"I could use some help." she said, knowing that there was no way she could climb up into that wagon in this stiff dress and corset. Brody grumbled under his breath and jumped to the ground. She noticed a slight limp in his left leg as he came around to where she was standing and then she nearly screamed when he grabbed her around the waist and quite literally threw her up into the wagon. He walked to the other side and jumped in while she was still trying to compose herself.
"Now are we ready?" he asked.
"Yes sir." she replied sounding very much like a small child talking to her father and then she made a mental note to punch Otis right in his rotten teeth the next time she saw him.
888
By the time the ranch came into view, Brody was convinced that women were indeed only good for those three things he'd always believed. Cooking, sex and complaining. Especially complaining. This woman had complained about the heat, the sun, the dust, the sweat, the smell of the horses.... Brody sent up a silent prayer of thanks that God had given him the one exception to that rule with Elizabeth.
"This is the house you'll be staying at." Brody said as they pulled to a stop in front of the large main house. "My wife and I live in another house about ten minutes away."
"I was under the impression that I would be living with your wife and you so that I could help with your children. Though I must admit that you do not look old enough to have thirteen year old children."
"I'm not." Brody replied simply. "They're my sisters. My brother, Jacob, lives here with them. My children are here most of the day since my wife runs the ranch from here." Ellie's eyes widened.
"Your wife runs the ranch?" she asked. Brody had seemed like a male chauvinist ass to her. Not the kind of man who would work on a ranch that was being run by his wife.
"Yep." Brody replied simply. He jumped from the wagon and was about to remove her trunk when she cleared her throat and reached out her gloved hand. Ellie hated having to ask him for help but if she tried to jump down in this outfit she would hurt herself for sure. She was beginning to wish she had chosen a different personality for Miss Alice Bradshaw because the helpless damsel role obviously wasn't going to earn her any points with this man.
This time she held her scream back when he grabbed her quickly and tossed her to the ground. She grabbed the wagon to keep from falling as she righted herself and he grabbed her trunk.
"Follow me. Everyone is out in the field right now. I'll get you settled in your room."
"Even the babies?" she asked with surprise.
"Yep. That's why we needed a nanny. Herding cattle is no place for a three month old." Brody led her into the house and she looked around, barely managing to hide her predatory smile. This house oozed money. Dark mahogany furniture, fancy braided rugs, gold and silver decorations and fancy paintings.
"This place is beautiful." she said. Brody nodded.
"I guess. Not really my style. I like things simple."
"By simple he means a grass bed, a campfire and the wide open sky." a woman said walking out of the kitchen and into the sitting room. Ellie saw Brody's 'killer' eyes suddenly light up at the sight of this new woman and she knew that she must be Elizabeth. She was wearing dusty pants, scuffed boots, a tight mens style shirt tucked into her pants, and a sweat stained hat covered her long blond braid. Her face was dirt streaked but Ellie could tell that she was beautiful.
"Woman, I thought you were out in the field." Brody said with a smile as he stood there still holding the trunk. Ellie was amazed at his strength. That trunk had to weigh close to two hundred pounds.
"The babies got cranky so Susie and I brought them back here. She's in the kitchen with them now, cooking us some lunch." Brody nodded.
"I'll leave Miss Bradshaw in your capable hands then while I take her trunk to her room." he said and Elizabeth nodded.
"Sounds good to me." Brody walked away and Ellie turned her attention to Elizabeth.
"Welcome to our ranch, Miss Bradshaw." Elizabeth said politely as she held out her hand. Ellie shook her hand and smiled charmingly.
"Please call me Alice." she insisted.
"Alice, I hope Brody wasn't too rough on you. I love that man but at times he can be a bit anti-social." Elizabeth said with a smile just as charming as Ellie's. Ellie realized that though Elizabeth was dressed like a man, she clearly knew how to be a proper lady as well.
"Not at all Mrs. Atkinson. He was a gentleman." Ellie lied and Elizabeth laughed loudly.
"If there is one thing Brody is not, it's a gentleman. But thank you for your politeness." she said. "And please call me Elizabeth. Come on into the kitchen and you can meet Susie and the babies." Ellie nodded and smoothed her gloved hands over the bodice of her dress, wishing she could breathe a little better in this corset. For some reason this job was making her nervous... Something felt different this time. She maintained her proper posture and followed after her new employer.
When she entered the kitchen she saw that it was just as rich looking as the sitting room had been. Copper pots of every shape and size hung from the ceiling above a large island. The most up to date stove and oven were on one wall and the countertops were made of solid stone and gleaming in the sunlight. A cradle was in the corner and she could see four tiny legs kicking up in the air. She turned her attention to the girl standing at the counter, slicing pieces of bread off of a large loaf.
"Susie, this is Miss Bradshaw." Elizabeth said and Susie turned quickly and smiled. Ellie could tell this girl was quiet and shy. She was blond, petite and very pretty with chubby, youthful cheeks, bright blue eyes that seemed a little guarded and dark freckles along her cheekbones. Her blond hair was thick and wavy and hung halfway down her back. It was pulled away from her face with several pins.
"Hi Miss Bradshaw." she said politely as she held out her hand.
"Hello Susie." Ellie replied, shaking the girls hand. Ellie cursed her shortness. This thirteen year old was the same height as she was.
"Susie is our master cook around here. She tried to teach me but I'm afraid I'm better at roping cattle than I am at baking bread." Elizabeth said with a smile.
"We all have our different strengths Mrs. Atkinson." Ellie replied with a small shrug. Elizabeth nodded. This woman was perfect for Jacob. She was soft, kind and polite. Just like he was. And she was definitely pretty with her light skin, black hair and dark blue eyes.
"That we do." Elizabeth replied. She motioned for Ellie to follow her over to the cradle as the quiet and shy Susie went back to cutting up the bread.
"This is Bryant and Lexi." Elizabeth said with a happy smile as she pointed at the babies. Ellie had to admit they were beautiful babies. The only baby she had ever been around was Liza and it had been a long time since Liza had been a baby.
Lexi had a pink bow in her thin blond hair. She was pink and sweet and swaddled in white cotton as she stared up at Ellie with blue eyes that seemed to be in the process of turning green as she grew older. Bryant had darker hair like Brody and his eyes were already green as he stared up her with innocence.
"They are truly adorable." Ellie said, covering her heart with her hand and maintaining her innocent, and overly sweet persona.
"That they are." Brody said walking into the kitchen. He grabbed Elizabeth's hand and pulled her to him, not seeming to care that they had an audience as he kissed her lightly.
"I have to get back to town." he said, his eyes locked with hers.
"I'll walk you out. I need to get back to the field." Elizabeth said with just a hint of breathlessness as she stood pressed against him. She turned her head to look at Ellie. "I'll be back around suppertime. If you're tired from your trip you can have Susie show you to your room and rest. She can handle the babies for the rest of today."
"I'm sure I'll be fine Mrs. Atkinson but thank you for your kindness." Ellie replied. She had been struck with a pang of jealousy when Brody had grabbed his wife and looked at and kissed her with such tenderness and love. Their love for one another was plain to be seen and Ellie wished she could know what that felt like. Just once. But that wasn't what life had given her and she'd do good to remember that and quit feeling so sorry for herself. Brody turned and left the room with Elizabeth following behind him.
"What do you think of her?" Elizabeth asked Brody once they were outside.
"Too sweet for my tastes. She bats her lashes so damn much I'm surprised they haven't fallen off." Elizabeth laughed and slapped him playfully.
"She must have been batting them to impress you because she never batted them at me."
"I am so glad that you aren't a normal woman." Brody said with a relieved sigh as he held her close.
"I'm not normal?" Elizabeth asked dryly.
"No. Thank God. You are one of a kind."
"Thank you Mr. Atkinson. I think you're pretty special yourself." she replied, kissing his stubbly chin. "Do you think Jacob will like her?"
"Probably. Most men like that kind of helpless, innocent woman."
"But not you."
"No ma'am. I got me a cowgirl that can ride just as good as me. Handle a gun just as good as me and rope cattle better than me. She knows how to take care of herself and don't need me to do everything for her." Brody said matter of factly.
"Do I know her?" Elizabeth asked, with her face still laying against his chest. She loved breathing in the scent of tobacco, sweat and witch hazel that always clung to his clothes.
"Nope. You sure don't." he replied with a grin and then he tilted her head up and kissed her. "I gotta get going."
"Take care of yourself sheriff." Elizabeth said matter of factly.
"Always do, boss, always do."