“I thought you were going to pick up Emma today,” Maureen called out from her garden as Patrick guided a horse to the stable.

“I was,” he replied, stopping. “But I want to talk to Pa about some horses before I go back.” He continued on to the stables. A weight that had settled on his shoulders became heavier with each passing moment.

Ever since he’d left the Milligans’ home Patrick’s mood had soured. Emma was where she belonged. Getting to know her family was very important and he understood it. As a matter of fact, he felt downright wrong to resent it. As he’d ridden home days earlier, a feeling of deep loneliness had become strong.

Yes, he had his parents. But up until that day, he was all Emma had and Patrick liked that she depended on him for protection. Now, things would change. She had a new safe harbor that did not include him.

Angry with himself, Patrick had tossed and turned most of the first night, which meant he’d been moody and sullen the second day. Now it was the third day and his mood had not changed much. Perhaps it would be different if his wife loved him.

Then again, it was not something someone could force. If Emma didn’t love him, then it wasn’t her fault in any way. One could not control strong emotions.

Once in the stables, he brushed down the horse and gave the greedy animal two apples. The horse was content after that, nickering its approval. Patrick patted its nose. “Get some rest.”

He walked out and looked up at the cloudy sky. If a storm came overnight and lasted until morning, it would mean putting off going for Emma one more day. Raindrops plopped down on his face and he rushed to his parents’ house.

“I do believe you have something worth investing in there, Son.” Finn sat back and looked at the fire for a moment before meeting his gaze. “Start small. We have to be choosy when picking out the horses to breed.”

Patrick smiled. “We?”

His father chose to ignore him. “I’m not sure taking the two he brought is a good idea. Perhaps, we should go to where he got them from.”

“According to Mr. Milligan, he is a good judge when purchasing horses.”

His mother came in and pulled her knitting basket close. “It’s going to rain all night. Did you make sure any calves are put up?”

They looked to each other and, without speaking, got up to gather their coats.

* * *

“Here, drink some of this. I put plenty of honey in it.” Two days later, his mother pushed a cup of hot tea into Patrick’s hands. “You seem to be worse off than your father.”

He resisted bringing up the fact they were sick because she sent them out twice in the rain to retrieve animals. They had hardy livestock that would have managed better than they did.

“Now, you have to get better and go see about Emma,” his mother continued. “She must be worried sick.”

He doubted it, but refrained from saying so. Instead, he sneezed so hard some of the tea spilled over the sides of the cup.

“Yes, ma’am.” Patrick closed her eyes in an effort to relieve a pounding headache. “I need to sleep a bit right now.”

Within moments, he was fast asleep.

“Patrick?” Once again, he dreamed of Emma; of her coming to him repeating over and over how much she loved him.

At someone jostling him, the heaviness of his eyelids did not keep him from opening them. It was light outside, which meant he’d slept all night at his parents’ home again.

Emma came into focus. She spoke to his mother who stood just behind her. “I think his fever has broken.”

“He rarely gets sick but when he does, it’s pretty bad. He’ll be right as rain in a day or two, you’ll see.”

They continued talking as if he weren’t in the room while he looked from one to the other, unable to get a word in.

“I think he missed you terribly and that didn’t help. Now that you’re here, he’ll perk right up. He’s been moping since he came back. Look now, the color in his face has returned.”

Patrick gritted his jaw. His mother’s comments had made him blush. At the moment, he was glad they considered it a sign he was recovered and not what it truly was.

With a bright smile, Emma peered down at him. “Should we help him sit up so he can eat?”

“I can sit up. I’m not that ill,” he muttered. It didn’t stop both of them from slipping their hands under his arms to help. Patrick pressed his lips together to keep from telling them to move away. “I need a bath,” he said instead.

There was a twinkle in Emma’s eyes he’d not seen before. She lifted a brow. “Yes, you do. I’ll see about it after you eat something.”

While he ate a hearty soup, Emma sat at the foot of the bed. “My parents came with me. We were worried something happened to you. Good thing we did, you need me right now.”

While she talked, he watched her with interest. Her shoulders were square and there was a new assuredness in her expressions. Her hair was pulled up and a tumble of curls fell to her shoulders. The style suited her, but it was very different from the bun he’d become accustomed to.

Her husky voice had a ring to it, lighter in a way, and she moved her hands as she spoke, reminding him of Mrs. Milligan. It seemed the few days she’d spent getting acquainted with her family had brought many changes in his wife.

“I like your hairstyle,” Patrick said. “You look beautiful.”

Emma laughed, the throaty sound making him wish he could reach forward and kiss her. “Jane did this. She showed me how to pin my hair at night so that I can have more manageable curls in the morning.”

She continued without waiting for him to speak. “I have cousins. Lots of them. Mother is inviting them all for my birthday. I think she wrote about twenty letters while I was there to announce my return...”

While she spoke, Patrick took her in. The new creation, although lovely, was nothing like the woman he left at the Milligans’. This woman was self-assured, bright and talkative. Unlike the Emma before, she teased him and seemed to find humor in his less than happy mood.

“Once you feel better, your mood will improve. Now, let’s see about that bath.” She leaned over him and kissed his forehead. “I’ll be right back.” With that, she took the tray from his lap and waltzed out of the room.

“I wasn’t finished eating,” he mumbled at the empty doorway.

* * *

Emma walked from the bedroom to the kitchen in her home and smiled. It was nice to finally see that things at her home were returning to normal, although her life was forever changed. There were a few new pieces of furniture she’d brought back from her parents’ home.

Her parents had gifted them a new kitchen table, chairs and a beautiful trunk from her bedroom in Millerstown with a few of her childhood belongings.

The trunk was now under the window in the front room. She hummed as she went to the kitchen and caught sight of Patrick outside.

As soon as he recovered, he’d gone to pick up the horses from her brother-in-law. And he was in the corral with them now.

He remained a bit sluggish, still not fully recovered. And, since his father would not allow him to work with the cattle as yet, Patrick had stubbornly worked outdoors with the horses for three days now.

They’d had a minor argument that morning as she’d insisted he wear two shirts and a scarf under his thick jacket. She’d won in the end, but now saw that the scarf was thrown over the corral post.

Ever since she’d returned, there’d been a sort of tension between them she didn’t understand. It wasn’t that Patrick was unkind in any way, but he seemed more reserved. It appeared as if something bothered him. Although he was normally a quiet man, he rarely spoke more than a sentence now to answer whatever she asked about. The only time he became a bit animated was when speaking about the horses and, even then, it would only be for a couple of minutes. Either he was still feeling ill or she’d done something that he disagreed with.

And yet, now, as she watched his handsome face aglow with excitement, Emma saw a lightness he didn’t express with her like he used to.

She turned in a circle and returned to the bedroom. It had been a while since they’d made love. The last time had been when her father-in-law had caught Patrick outside naked.

That could be it. Patrick was in need of attention. Emma began to formulate a plan.

* * *

Patrick walked in from working and stopped at seeing the table was set for dinner. She’d gone to great care to prepare his favorite pot roast and there was a small cake in the center.

Emma pretended as if nothing was out of the ordinary as she walked from the kitchen to the table wearing only her chemise. She’d pulled the pins from her hair and it fell past her shoulders in a riot of curls, which she knew he liked.

“What is this?” His gaze ran over her. “You’re not dressed. Aren’t you cold?”

“A bit.” She went to him and took the scarf from his neck. The entire time, her eyes were locked to his.

“You took it off. I don’t want you to get sick again.”

His Adam’s apple moved up and down, as she knew he could catch a glimpse of her breasts down the front of her chemise.

“I decided,” Emma started, “to treat you to something special today. I fixed your favorite food...and dessert.” She pushed the coat off of her husband’s shoulders. “Then we will sit by the fire and chat.”

He looked to the fireplace where she’d prepared a nest with blankets and pillows. “Let’s chat now.”

Despite wanting to remain sensual and serious, Emma chuckled. “No, dinner first.”

She tugged him by the hand to the table and waited for him to sit.

The entire time he ate, he studied her. Her intentions were clear and Patrick wasn’t fooled by how their evening would end. Hopefully, it was their lack of lovemaking that had him so morose as of late.

“It’s very good. You’ve learned quickly,” Patrick said as he ate with gusto. “I believe Ma will have competition soon as to who makes the better roast.”

A shiver of delight ran through her as she watched him eat. “Thank you.”

“How are the horses adapting?” She ran her finger down his forearm. “They are so beautiful.”

His gaze followed her finger. “Ummm...yes.”

“Yes?” she teased.

Patrick smiled and Emma was hopeful this night would bring them closer when it was just the two of them. She narrowed her eyes. It could be he was a bit jealous of her family and, perhaps, fearful she’d be more enamored with them.

“I missed you, Patrick,” she told him with sincerity. “I honestly wanted to come home just the day after you left. I was torn between the excitement of my new family and wanting to be with you.” She brought his hand to her lips and sucked on the tip of one finger. “I don’t like being apart from you.”

His eyes widened for a moment. “I missed you as well.”

“I know things are a bit different now that I have discovered my new family and I want to visit them often. However, I don’t want it to change us. I don’t want you to think for an instant that things will be different between us. Our marriage is what matters the most to me.”

There was a visible change in Patrick. His lips curved at her words and his shoulders lowered. He nodded, seeming unable to formulate words.

When he pushed back in the chair and stood, a tingle traveled through her. “I think we should chat now,” he said, motioning toward the fireplace with his head.

“We haven’t had dessert yet.”

Patrick ignored the comment and lifted Emma up into his arms. “Is anything on the stove?”

A trickle of heat coursed through her body and she shook her head. “No.”

In quick strides, he carried her to the blankets on the floor as if she weighed no more than a feather. Placing her upright, Patrick tugged the chemise off, leaving Emma bare. She didn’t try to hide her nudity, allowing him to take his fill of her.

The entire time, he quickly undressed, Patrick watched her as she lowered to the blankets and waited.

He was magnificent, his broad chest expanding with every breath as he removed his pants to expose slender hips and an already aroused state. Emma bit her bottom lip in anticipation as he stepped closer.

She reached for him and slid her hands up his thighs to take his manhood with both hands. She stroked the silky length as Patrick inhaled sharply. He needed her touch as much as she needed his.

Leaning forward, she licked at the tip and then sucked it into her mouth. He tasted so rich, so much like a man. It didn’t last long. She licked his length just a few times before Patrick pushed her back a bit and rounded to stand behind her.

“Put your hands on the floor, Emma,” he instructed. His breathing, harsh with want in her ear, sent tingles through her.

She did as he bid and he caressed her buttocks while pulling them apart. He trailed kisses from her lower back to each side while sliding his fingers down the center to her sex.

“I missed this so much,” Patrick said between licks and nips.

When he nudged at her entrance, Emma pushed back ready for him, needing him to take her fully.

Both moaned as he pushed in little by little, giving her the opportunity to expand and accept all of him. When he was in deep, Patrick pulled back only to push back in. Emma gasped and grabbed at the blankets. “Yes.”

At first, his movements were languid and leisurely, but soon the tempo became harder and faster. Emma mewled into the blankets when he reached between her legs to stroke the tiny bud at her very center. She lost control within seconds and would have collapsed onto the blankets if he’d not held her by the hips.

Patrick waited as she finished and rolled her to her back. He settled between her legs and took her mouth with hunger.

Their tongues tangled with desperation as she dug her fingernails into his back, urging for more. Unable to hold back the barrage of sensations that slammed into her so hard, she screamed.

And still, he continued, thrusting in and pulling back out over and over again until Emma thought she would pass out. Emma wasn’t sure if she could take any more, each thrust seeming harder and deeper.

At the same time, she didn’t want him to ever stop. The delightful world created by their lovemaking was a place where they were alone and intimately joined as one.

With a guttural roar, Patrick cried out and his entire body stiffened just as he spilled. Emma gasped, attempting to catch her breath when he drove in and out a few more times while shaking with his release.

Dessert remained untouched.

In the nest of blankets, Emma snuggled against Patrick, too spent to move.

“How are you feeling? You seem a bit distant lately.” It had taken a great deal to bring up the courage to ask. If he declared anything that would change between them, Emma wasn’t sure she would be able to stand it. Her emotions were raw after so much happening lately.

The lifting and lowering of his chest as Patrick expelled a breath was a bit alarming. “Everything is well, Emma. Don’t worry.”

His arms tightened around her. “I like this. Just us.”

The strong beats of his heart soothed her a bit. He’d not been honest. Whatever bothered her husband remained.