CHAPTER 12
Dev practically dragged Julie out of the kitchen when they finally finished their meal.
“Those dishes can wait ’til tomorrow,” he said sternly. “I feel like I’ve been awake for weeks, and I know you do, too, after all that’s happened.”
She nodded, reluctant to admit she was all but done in.
“I’m gonna move Jamie to your bed with Lauralee for tonight. Then, I need to check on Alex,” he told her. “After that, you and I are going to bed.”
She blanched, and her heart took off in a pounding effort to jump from her chest. “Together?” she squeaked.
Dev laughed, right out loud, but there was tenderness in his eyes that surprised Julia, and touched her heart. He trailed a finger down her cheek.
“Yes, together; but only to sleep.” He turned serious. “This is a bit of a gamble for me, too, Julie. I forgot to mention earlier that, though I may not be the kind of gentleman you’re used to—or maybe hoped for—I would never force myself on a lady. And you are…very much a lady.”
He stepped away, leaving Julia feeling suddenly lonely, bereft, and cold.
“Shall we go up?” He offered her his arm, and together, they climbed the stairs.
• ♥ •
Later, as Julia prepared for bed, she did so with mixed feelings. She feared she had angered him—hurt him—without meaning to. She’d never meant to insinuate that Dev would be that kind of man…the kind who would claim his rights, no matter what. Maybe she was ignorant in the ways of men and what was expected in a relationship between the sexes, but—she could recognize the genuine goodness in Devlin Campbell. He would never hurt her.
She would try to explain herself later. Tomorrow. When they weren’t both so tired, maybe. Yawning, she fell into Dev’s large, four-poster bed, relishing the feel of the soft-but-firm mattress. Carefully, she scooted to the side of the bed she figured wasn’t his.
The other side was guarded by a night table where a lantern sat, along with some of Dev’s personal items.
She was too exhausted to give in to her curiosity and take a closer look. As she settled down into the welcoming comfort of the bed, she slept. Her fingers curled around the edge of the pillow, and that was how Dev found her when he entered an hour later.
• ♥ •
He’d gone upstairs expecting to find his brother asleep. Surprisingly, Alex had given him an enigmatic grin when he’d pushed the half-opened door wide and come inside.
“Thank God,” Alex muttered. “I’m bored shitless up here. Can’t move, don’t have any company to talk to, and—well, you know I was never much of one for reading books.”
“It’s never too late, you know,” Dev said. “I have a library full of them.” He moved to sit in the chair beside the bed. “Right now, I think we’ll all just be glad to see you start eating well, getting some rest, and healing up.”
The grin faded. “Yeah…get well. Then, I can get out. Right?”
“Let’s be honest, Alex,” Dev said, leaning forward.
“Dev, I was not involved in any of this. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Deborah Miles came on to me one day in the mercantile. Practically threw herself at me in front of God and everybody. I’d been seeing her, but—”
“Easy, Alex. Just start at the beginning.”
Alex took a slow, steadying breath, gathering his thoughts. “I don’t know, Dev. It seems, like…we’ve always been at odds. I don’t understand why. All I ever wanted was—to be like my big brother.”
A wave of shame washed over Dev. Why would Alex want to emulate him? He gave his brother a faint grin. “I’m nothing special. You could set your sights higher.”
But Alex didn’t smile. “No.” He shook his head, his too-long hair—as black as Dev’s—shaggy around his face.
There was no excuse for Dev’s actions in the past other than a young boy’s jealousy. But Dev was not that boy any longer. And…neither was Alex. Dev had squandered many years—years he might have enjoyed the companionship of…family.
For no matter what, he and Alex both bore their father’s blood. They were brothers. It was time he started acting like he had a family, for suddenly, he had acquired one.
The realization of all he’d gained hit him between the eyes. Yes, he’d lost plenty in the process of getting to where he was now. His mother, a father he’d never truly been close to, and a wife he wasn’t sure he’d ever loved as true as he should have. But the worst loss had been his daughter.
Heather had been the light of his existence, even more so than the son most men coveted. In Jamie, he’d never been certain. Not until Doc Tanner had spoken his piece, and he’d realized how he’d wronged Annella in his heart—and Jamie in his mind.
His own doubts raked him now—now that he understood they had never had any standing.
“Alex…I’m sorry. I don’t know why I acted the way I did—and then, somehow, it…it just became a habit with me.” He stopped and shook his head. “I hope we can start over.”
Alex didn’t respond. He compressed his lips, and Dev realized his brother was trying to hold on to his manhood through his emotions, and the weakness from his wound.
Dev went on, giving Alex time to compose himself. “This house has been turned upside down over the last few days…” He went on to tell Alex of Julie’s early arrival, of her unexpectedly bringing Lauralee with her, and how they’d just been married by Reverend Sites.
Alex’s face relaxed as Dev spoke. Then, he said, “Damnation, Dev. Why are you here? It’s your wedding night!”
Dev grinned and leaned his head back, stretching his tense muscles. “Julie was most likely asleep as soon as she laid down. She’s no shrinking violet, but these past weeks—and especially the past few days—have been hard on her.”
“Thought she was gonna do me in when she believed I had a part in the kids’ disappearance,” Alex said, but he couldn’t keep the smile from his lips as he remembered.
“What?” Dev leaned forward, anxious to hear what had transpired.
Alex related the tale, both men laughing, now that the danger was over.
“I think she would’ve finished me off if I had been involved,” Alex finished, “Southern born-and-bred or not.”
“She loves that little girl,” Dev noted.
“Sounds like you do, too. Already.”
Dev hadn’t considered it. Hadn’t examined his feelings toward Lauralee, other than the fact that she was a child to be protected…but when she’d called for him to come save her and Jamie…what if he hadn’t heard her? What if they’d been too far ahead for Dev and the hands to catch? He drew in a deep breath.
Anything could’ve happened—even death.
The remembered feel of her arms around his neck, her fine hair against his cheek, her reverent tone when she’d named Princess the calf…Oh, yes. He loved her. Already.
He nodded. “I guess I do, Alex.”
Alex shifted in the bed and his eyelids drooped. “Thanks for comin’ in.”
There was an uncertainty, a shyness in his tone that Dev couldn’t ignore. “You’re welcome to make the Flying C your home, too, Alex,” Dev told him.
Alex looked at him, surprised. “I…Dev, you better ask your missus about that.”
Dev couldn’t bear to tell his brother it had been her idea. He nodded. “I—asked her already. She agreed.”
But Alex was already drifting off to sleep. Dev resolved to have this conversation with him again in the morning, just to be certain he understood he was welcome here. He turned the lantern down low and headed for the door.
His own bed—and Julie—waited.
• ♥ •
A patch of warmth settled over Julia’s shoulder. It was—wonderful. She had felt cold for so long—seemed like weeks, now. She stretched lazily and turned toward the wall of heat at her back.
Lovely, warm…skin.
A man!
She bolted upright, wide awake.
“Sorry…” Dev mumbled sleepily. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Married.
Julia rubbed her eyes, and relaxed as she turned to face him. He gave her a smile, and her heart leapt.
“Good mornin’, Miz Julie,” he teased in a lazy drawl.
I must look a fright. She gave him an uncertain smile and slid back down in the bed, coveting the earlier warmth. Now that they were both awake, though, she made certain to leave a few inches of space between them.
But Dev settled his big hand on her arm again and that familiar gesture melted her. He was a man to be trusted. He had kept his word—not pressed her to give more than she was able.
“Julie, uh…I have a favor to ask.”
Her body tensed, and she knew he felt it by the way his own muscles tightened.
“There’ll be a lot of teasing today about our—wedding night,” he continued.
She hadn’t thought of that. It had been their wedding night, but nothing had happened between them. What was he getting at?
“Do you think maybe you could just go along—” He raked a hand through his hair. “If anything is mentioned, I mean…”
She turned to him and touched his bare shoulder. So warm. So strong…Desire pooled in the pit of her belly and spread outward. “It would embarrass you,” she said softly, “if they knew we hadn’t…”
Their eyes met and she saw the reluctant agreement in the depths of his gaze.
She nodded. “Of course! I would never shame you, Dev. No one will know. And hopefully…we’ll be comfortable with one another soon, and—” Heat flooded her face.
He gave a soft chuckle. “I’m ‘comfortable’ with you, Julie. I’m ready to be your husband in every sense of the word—whenever you’re ready to be my wife.”
Gratitude washed over her. “Oh, Dev—I—”
“Shh…I understand.” He kissed the top of her head and held her for a moment.
But there was no way he could truly know what his patience with her meant. She wasn’t used to having anyone thinking of her—and it seemed, he wasn’t accustomed to it, either.
He’d been in much the same situation as she’d been—looking after his ailing wife until she’d died, and also being the caregiver for his young son, as Julia had been for Lauralee.
It felt almost selfish to imagine having a wife or a husband to lend support, to be a helpmate, to stand strong with in the face of adversity. To have someone to love.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get up and get ready to face this day—the heathens await.”
Julia giggled. “Those two are quite a pair, aren’t they? They already love each other.” She drew back to look at him. “It’s Christmas Eve Day! Oh, my goodness…so much to do—”
“Like what? I thought today we’d be able to—”
But she was already shaking her head as she stood up and went to the chifforobe for her cleanest dress. “I have food to prepare now. I can make us a real meal.”
“Julie, that was why I brought home the dinner last night. I thought we could eat off the roast for the next couple of days—let you rest some.”
She hurried back to the side of the bed, clutching her dress and unmentionables, bent and kissed his cheek impulsively. “Oh, Dev, yes! We will, but it’s our first Christmas and I want to make a special meal for our dinner tomorrow on Christmas Day. We need to finish decorating the tree, and—oh…Dev, I have nothing to give you…” She stopped talking abruptly and stared at him, stricken. It was Christmas. Their first. And—
He reached up and pulled her back down to him, this time kissing her full on the lips, long and lingeringly. “Yes, you do, Julie. You’ve brought the light back into my dark world. That was the best gift you could have ever given—and you don’t even realize it.”
• ♥ •
Just then, the door burst open and “the heathens” ran in, shouting and laughing. Lauralee stopped abruptly and put a staying hand on Jamie’s chubby arm.
“Oh…my…stars…” Lauralee said in disgust. “They’re kissing, Jamie!”
Jamie wrinkled his nose in imitation of Lauralee’s expression. “Ewww.”
Dev chuckled, watching Julie’s face to see her reaction. She only smiled, leaning over him to put her lips to his once more.
“We’re leaving!” Lauralee announced, pulling Jamie by the arm to hustle him out of the room.
“Closed door means knock before entering,” Dev called as Julie lifted her lips from his.
“Ick. We will, next time,” Lauralee shouted as she and Jamie disappeared down the hallway, and Dev and Julie smothered their laughter.
“Uncle Alex—Aunt Julie and Debbil are kissing!” Lauralee’s voice floated back to them as Alex’s door was flung open—again, without knocking. Then, “Oh, sorry…” The door was hastily pulled shut, as Alex’s incensed shout sounded, and Julie and Dev’s eyes widened as they could only imagine what the children had seen.
“Let’s get out of here,” Lauralee muttered as she and Jamie passed by Dev’s and Julia’s open door.
Julia went to the door to pull it shut, saying somberly, “Please remember to knock, Lauralee.”
Dev had risen and begun searching for clean clothes, but he turned as Julia closed the door behind her, shaking her head.
He smiled. “She’s a pistol.”
“I can still hear Alex cursing.”
“Is his door closed?”
She nodded. “Yes. Even worse. He’s turning the air blue in there.”
“Bet she knocks next time.”
Julia gave him a doubtful look. “We probably should lock ours, starting tonight.”
Dev stopped buttoning his denims, giving her a searching look.
She only smiled in response, but it was all he needed.