Short-Straw Bride (36 page)

“I'll help you.”

He raised an eyebrow at her but made no complaint as he dismounted and led Bexar into the barn. Meredith followed. She needed to be close to him. This was their first night to be completely alone together, and she didn't want to waste a single moment.

Travis removed Bexar's saddle and blankets while Meredith hung up the bridle. She checked the feedbox and water and found them both adequate for the night. Travis came up behind her, his hat brim bumping her head as he nuzzled her neck.

She giggled and danced away, feeling playful yet oddly shy at the same time. Travis gave chase, his husky laughter blending with hers as the two of them darted out of the barn. When they neared the porch, he grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet. Meredith squealed.

“You can't escape me,” Travis murmured in her ear as he gently settled her back on the ground.

Meredith turned in his arms to face the man she loved. “I've no desire to.”

His eyes darkened, and for a moment she thought he would kiss her. But then he scooped her into his arms and carried her up the porch steps. The front door proved more of a challenge to conquer. Travis had to juggle his hold on her a bit before he could get the latch open. Meredith laughed in delight, endeared by his awkward efforts. Once the door was cracked, he kicked it wide with his boot and carried her over the threshold.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Archer.”

Welcome home.
As if their marriage had just taken place and he had brought her home for the first time. Meredith's smile trembled as she met her husband's gaze. He was offering her a new start, offering a marriage based on love.

He carried her through the hall until they reached the kitchen. There he set her down and slowly undid the fastenings on her cloak. A shiver tingled against her skin wherever his fingers touched. His eyes held hers as he slid the garment from her shoulders, breaking contact only when he turned to hang the cloak on a hook.

While his back was to her, Meredith discovered a boldness she didn't know she had, and reached for the shoulders of his coat. She eased it down the length of his arms, admiring the play of his muscles beneath the flannel of his shirt. Placing his coat on the hook next to hers, her shyness returned.

Travis nudged her chin up with the edge of his hand. “Will you be my wife tonight, Meri?”

She bit her lip, her heart fluttering so fast she felt light-headed. But she knew what her answer would be. “Yes, Travis. Tonight and always.”

No longer was she a short-straw bride, Meredith thought as she took her husband's hand and allowed him to draw her down the hall to their room. With the gift of Travis's heart, she'd been transformed into a well-loved wife. She couldn't imagine a greater blessing.

Karen Witemeyer
holds a master's degree in Psychology from Abilene Christian University and is a member of ACFW, RWA, and her local writers' guild. She is the author of
A Tailor-Made Bride
, which was honored as one of the Best Western Romances of 2010 by the Love Western Romances Web site, as well as being nominated for a RITA Award and the National Readers' Choice Award.
Short-Straw Bride
is her fourth novel. Karen lives in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.

A Tailor-Made Bride

Head in the Clouds

To Win Her Heart

Short-Straw Bride

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