Chapter Fourteen
One month later, Maura awoke to the sound of her husband's snoring. She turned toward him so she could watch him sleep. He was so handsome. And when he slept, his face was free of the worried scowl he wore on his brow. She would sometimes turn to him unexpectedly and catch him watching her. She asked him several times what was bothering him. He always replied, “Nothing.” She finally just quit asking.
She wanted him. She could admit that to herself in the quiet of her bedroom. She wanted his hands touching her body, making her feel things. Theirs was not the teenage fumbling of two kids in high school trying to find their way to forbidden love. And their lovemaking could have paved the way for a deeper connection. She was sure of it. If only Aidan would stop avoiding her.
Maura smiled to herself. Everyone had worked so hard over the last four weeks getting ready for the wheat crop. She had learned a lot about farming and ranching since the joint venture between their families. Before the depression robbed her papa of all his money, he used to hire hands to help him. He told her she needed to stay in school for book learnin’. She had always studied hard hoping one day he would need her knowledge, but she felt as if her papa just didn’t want her around. When she was older, she stayed at school during the summer or went home with the other girls during holidays.
The wheat they would grow and sell under the government contract would feed families. Lots and lots of families and it made her feel proud.
"What are you smiling about?" Aidan's voice startled her from her musings.
"Ah, you are awake. Did you sleep well? By the sound of your snores, you were dead tired."
Aidan propped his head up on the pillow and folded his arms behind his head. Maura felt the kick in her core at the sight of her handsome husband's naked chest so close.
He grunted. "I don't snore."
Maura rolled her eyes. She wanted to move closer to him, lay next to his body. Run her fingers over the hard ripples on his stomach. Would he be open to that? she wondered. He had been standoffish since their wedding night. Or had he just been exhausted as he said repeatedly? Too exhausted to—
"I asked what you were thinking about that has you smiling so big?" He turned to her, resting his head in his palm.
The pull of his sexual attraction was hard to resist.
"Um, well, I was thinking how much I have learned about farming and ranching in the last month and how much preparation of the land it takes to make it ready to plant over a thousand acres in wheat."
"I see. Anything else?" He prompted her to continue.
Did he want to know how much she knew or how much she didn't know? She couldn't read his mood. She would do her best to dazzle him with her knowledge.
"I know Sully decided to keep a few acres planted with alfalfa hay because he wasn't ready to completely abandon your horse-breeding activities."
"Go on."
Was that genuine interest she saw on his face?
"Well, this fall we will plant about forty acres of oats to sustain the cattle through the winter."
She rose and sat cross-legged on the bed. Aidan's eyes dropped to her breasts, partially exposed by the open neck of her nightshirt. He raised his eyes back to her. Was that need she saw in his eyes? If it was, why wasn't he reaching for her? Should she take the initiative?
"Why oats?" He prompted her on.
Disappointed she had missed her chance, she continued to offer him what she knew. "Because oats will grow fast and thrive under our cool fall conditions. It has a better-than-average feed value and produces over two tons of hay for fall grazing. Since the crop dies out over winter, it will protect the soil without causing planting problems next spring."
Aidan propped his pillows against the iron headboard. He reclined against them, the sheet barely covered his manhood. Her fingers itched to reach underneath the covers and grasp—
"I'm quite impressed. You've been paying attention."
His gaze heated her core, and she wished he would reach for her.
"Is there anything else about our operation you've learned during the last few weeks?"
She nodded, happy to demonstrate she had been paying attention to the business side of this merger too.
"Oh yes, a lot more. The tractor crew is preparing the pastures, along with the three teams of draft horses. The two-horse teams pulled the plow blades through the damp soil, ripping at the grass roots and making way for the twelve-run seed drill. And our two sections of land total over twelve hundred acres—"
"Our two sections?"
There was that scowl again. What had she said to cause him to frown? She thought about it, and nothing came to mind.
"Um, yes. The Langley section and the Jackson section. Our two sections of land will produce a lot of wheat product to help feed the millions left homeless and hungry by this economic depression. And the government money will help sustain us for the next five years until the end of the contract. By then, I'm praying this horrible period in our country will be over and life can get back to normal."
"And what would that life look like to you, Maura? Normal, I mean." Aidan reached out and twirled a curl of her hair around his finger.
She held her breath, hoping he would want more from her than information. But it seemed he was content to wait on her answer.
Truth be told, she had no idea what life would look like in one year, much less five. The vision of children playing in front of the Langley house, blonde and auburn hair glistening in the sunshine came to her mind's eye. Is that what she was hoping for? Children with Aidan?
Damn it. Just go for it, Maura. Don't be a coward. But she wasn't ready to give him her heart. At least not all of it. She needed him to open up to her before she took a leap of faith. After all, he's still a Langley, she reminded herself. He had yet to prove to her he could be trusted.
"I can't predict the future, Aidan. But if I were wishing, I'd wish for happiness for sure. Children perhaps. Certainly, someone beside me to share my dreams ."
He withdrew his hand from her hair. "So, children. Perhaps. And someone to share your dreams." His gaze met hers. "I see."
Did he see? she wondered. Could he see she was falling in love with him? Maybe if she took the initiative, he would meet her halfway.
She leaned closer, knowing her nightshirt hung open just a bit more, giving him an ample view of her breasts. She watched his nostrils flare with desire. The heat in his eyes was undeniable. Her heart kicked at the possibilities.
"I better get up and get to work. Daylight's burnin'."
She watched him roll out of bed, giving her only a quick peek at his naked but magnificent backside before he was fully dressed and headed out the door.
"Aidan? Should I come to the pasture and help you with the planting?" She hated the sound of her voice when she begged.
"Sure. Why not."
And then he was gone. She had the feeling something was bothering him. "So why doesn't the dimwit just say something?" She shook her head and got out of bed to prepare for her long day. "Men."