Catherine's Awakening (7 page)

“How could you say that to him?” she demanded, turning from him and shaking

off his touch. “I want that job, Wade. I need it.”

“Because it’s the truth,” he replied. “You won’t make it through the term. I’m going

to marry you before then.”

“Wade, you may not realize this, but we don’t live in a monarchy and you are not

the king. You don’t get to marry a woman unless she agrees to it.”

“Oh, you’ll agree to it,” he replied. “I’ve never had to force a woman I want, and I

won’t have to force you. By the time we’re done with this, you’ll be so damn frustrated

you’ll marry me just to make it stop hurting. I won’t let up until I get what I want.”

“Just get in the damn wagon,” she said turning away from him. As she swung

around, she ran right into Mrs. Cordelia Jackson, who had clearly overheard their

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Catherine’s Awakening

exchange from the startled look on her face. Wade chuckled softly behind Catherine,

grabbed her arm and tipped his hat to the matron.

“You know how young ladies are during courting,” he said, and the sour

expression melted off Mrs. Jackson’s face. Wade heard Cat’s disgusted huff, and tried

not to laugh out loud.

“You really shouldn’t use language like that, Mrs. Masters,” Mrs. Jackson said,

clucking. “But I remember how men can be. Try to be a little more patient with him,

dear.”

Catherine nodded her head politely, but Wade could tell she was ripping mad.

“You know, it’s not my fault the ladies like me,” he said as he handed her up into

the wagon. “It’s just the burden I’ve been given.”

“You should save your charm for someone who’s interested.”

“Oh, I think you’re interested,” he said, swinging up beside her and starting the

wagon rolling with a snap of the reins. “You just don’t want to admit it.”

“Horseshit.”

“Watch that mouth,” he chided gently. “And if you insist, I’ll prove it to you. I’ll

kiss you right here in the middle of Main Street, and we’ll see who’s fighting off whom

by the end.”

She didn’t answer, and he knew he’d won. Good enough for now, he decided.

* * * * *

Catherine was pumping water into a bucket when she saw José riding up with a

woman on a horse. The young Mexican man was shy, and she’d never heard anything

about him having a girlfriend. She saw Wade walk out to greet the travelers, and her

curiosity got the better of her. She set down the bucket and walked over, wiping her

hands on her apron as she went.

“Catherine, I have a surprise for you,” Wade called to her as she walked toward

them. She studied the girl as she approached—she was young, probably seventeen or

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Joanna Wylde

eighteen. She had dark hair, pulled back in a thick braid running halfway down her

back, and she wore a loose white blouse tucked into a wide, flowing skirt. Her skin was

nut-brown, and she wore a pretty mantilla over her head and shoulders.

“This is Maria,” Wade said. “She’s José’s sister, and she’s agreed to come and help

you around the house. You do a lot, and I thought you could use some feminine

companionship. And if you end up taking the teaching job, we’ll need someone to keep

house for us.”

She studied him, wondering what kind of game he was playing. She knew he had

no intention of letting her take the job, although she’d fight him to her last breath on

that one. Still, the idea of having help was a good one.

Catherine turned to Maria, who gave her a bright smile.

“I help you,
 
Señora
 
Masters,” she said. “José says you’re a good lady, and I work

hard for you.”

“It’s nice to have you here,” Catherine replied, forcing herself to smile back while

noting how lovely Maria was. And young. Younger than her.

“Where were you thinking she’d be staying, Wade?” she asked, turning to him. He

kept his gaze on Maria, his expression pleased and appreciative.

“I figured she should stay in the house with us,” he replied. “There’s the empty

room next to mine that will do.”

Catherine nodded, realizing it was the only good solution. A young girl like Maria

wouldn’t be safe out in the bunkhouse, and it might be nice to have some company. But

still… She didn’t like the idea. Wade could slip right out his door and into her room

without anyone noticing. Catherine felt a dark feeling stirring in her gut. Dammit, she

was jealous! It surprised her—why should she care who Wade looked at? Sure, she

found him attractive, but she didn’t want anything from him. She needed to get rid of

this emotion right away. Teachers didn’t have time to moon over cattlemen. Even a

cattleman as handsome as Wade.

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Catherine’s Awakening

“Come with me,” she said to Maria, making herself to keep a civil tone. “I’ll get you

settled and you can help fix supper.”

That night all but one of the ranch hands made it in to eat, the single men eyeing

Maria hungrily enough to make José bristle protectively. Wade even pulled her chair

out for her, and when she gave a pretty blush Catherine had to walk back into the

kitchen to keep from making a snide remark. It didn’t help her mood that she’d thrown

Maria right into things from the start, putting her in charge of supper by herself.

Catherine had assumed that the young woman wouldn’t be able to put together such a

large meal on short notice. Maria had done better than expected, though, making soft

corn tortillas, beans and thin-sliced steak that the men loved.

“It’s nice to have a little variety around here,” John muttered as he wiped his

mouth. “You’re a great cook, Catherine, but this is different. I like it.”

Catherine pasted a smile on her face as she picked up the dishes and carried them

into the kitchen. As they cleaned, Maria chattered happily at her, oblivious to her

hostility. Every word grated on Catherine, which really wasn’t fair because Maria

seemed to be a very nice girl. And they got the kitchen cleaned up in record time. Early

enough that Catherine had time to heat water and take a bath.

Bathing was a luxury on the ranch, and she knew some of the men went for long

periods without doing more than washing up at the pump before supper. But she

enjoyed a bath as often as possible. Wade and his father liked to keep clean too, so they

were good about hauling water in for the tub. She’d take the first bath, then the men

would follow, everyone using the same tub they set up behind a sheet she would hang

across the kitchen for privacy.

Tonight, Maria recruited José to help with the water, and by the time the crickets

started singing the bath was ready to go. Catherine banished everyone from the kitchen,

hung up the sheet and pulled off her clothing, sinking into the tub with a sigh of

pleasure.

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Joanna Wylde

This was almost worth hearing about Maria’s cooking at dinner, she decided,

letting the hot water soak the tension out of her shoulders. The light of the lantern

flickered as she relaxed in the tub. She couldn’t afford to rest for too long—she didn’t

want the water to get cold for the men. But five minutes wouldn’t hurt anything, she

thought, sliding beneath the surface.

When she popped back up something seemed different in the room. She looked

around, but couldn’t see anything. Then she heard the thump of a booted foot against

the floor.

“I’m taking a bath,” she called out. “And I want my privacy.”

“I want lots of things,” Wade said, pushing aside the curtain and stepping into her

little enclosure. “But I have a suspicion I’m not going to get them tonight. A man can

hope, though.”

Catherine glared at him, sinking down into the tub, covering her breasts with her

hands.

“You can’t come in here while I’m bathing!”

“I just did,” Wade replied, grinning at her. He pulled up a chair and sat down,

propping a foot against the kitchen table. “And I have to say, the view is a hell of a lot

better on this side of the curtain. Although you give a pretty good peep show through

the sheet. The lantern offers just the right touch.”

Her breath caught, and she surged up, forgetting for a moment to keep herself

covered, ready to tear a strip off his sneaking hide. His eyes followed her hungrily, and

she sat back down just as quickly, sending a surge of water out onto the floor.

“How long have you been spying on me?” she asked.

“Well, it didn’t start by spying,” he replied. “I just walked in once while you were

getting dressed. But after I saw how good the view was, I came back for more. Hell, you

had to be suspicious—I was always offering to haul in the water for you.”

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Catherine’s Awakening

She didn’t reply at first, not knowing what to say to that. He
 
had
 
been very helpful

when it came to hauling the water. She’d thought it was because he enjoyed the baths so

much for himself.

“You’re a disgusting, filthy pig of a man,” she said finally. “And you need to get

out of here so I can get dressed. And then I’m going to find a way to put a lock on that

door.”

“You don’t need one,” he replied. “I always keep an eye on you. Nobody else is

going to see.”

“I’m not worried about anybody else seeing, you degenerate.”

“I’m no more degenerate than any man is around a beautiful woman. A beautiful,

available woman who’s living under my roof, no less.”

She glared at him, and he gave her a crooked grin.

“Seems like we’re in a bit of a standoff,” he said. “Seems to me like you haven’t

finished your bath, and that water is going to get cold sooner or later. Would you like

me to help you?”

“No,” she snapped. “You can get the hell out.”

“Nope, I don’t think so.”

“I’ll scream!”

“If you do, someone will come in and see us and your reputation will be ruined,”

he smirked. “You’d have to make an honest man out of me. Of course, that’s fine with

me. Go ahead and scream.”

She gritted her teeth, looking over to the length of toweling cloth she’d laid out

earlier. If she stood and lunged for it, how much would he see? His eyes followed hers,

and then he leaned over and grabbed the cloth, throwing it behind his chair.

“You aren’t going to get off that easy,” he remarked. Catherine glared at him, trying

to decide her next move. Ever since the day at the creek she’d been avoiding him, but

maybe it was time to confront the situation. Call his bluff. He wanted a show? She’d

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give it to him. It had nothing to do with the way he’d been looking at Maria, she

assured herself. She didn’t need his attention or his admiration. But if he wanted to play

this little game again, she’d take it as far as he would. After all, once she took the

teaching job she wouldn’t be seeing him much anymore.

“I’m going to finish my bath,” she said haughtily, pulling her hands away from her

breasts. His sucked in his breath, hard, and she closed her eyes. She didn’t think she

could handle watching him watching her. She’d die of embarrassment—she was pretty

close already. Good girls didn’t do things like this.

Of course, good girls didn’t feel all jealous of their hired help, either.

She shook out her hair, smoothing it back, and then grabbed her precious bar of

lilac soap. It had been a Christmas gift from Wade. She loved how it made her smell,