Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) by Maya Stirling
Authors: Maya Stirling
Tags: Romance, historical 1800s
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eyes narrowed in puzzlement. He seemed not to catch her drift.
Laura gave him a teasing smile. "Don't you remember all the games of hide and seek we played here when my family came for picnics?"
Recollection flashed in Joshua's eyes. He looked around at the scattered trees that ran along both sides of the river. Laura thought she could see the sweet, sunny afternoon memories flood into Joshua's mind. His features softened at the recollections.
"I remember you were particularly good at hiding when it was my turn to seek," he said with a smile, the likes of which she hadn't seen in a long while. It was good to see him smile like that, especially here in this place which brought back so many good memories; her father playing games with her and Eli; her mother and father together, happy and relaxed as if nothing in the world could spoil the contentment of being in this place with their two beloved children.
For a brief moment Laura lowered her head, turning away from Joshua, not wanting him to see how those memories were affecting her. Joshua reached over and lifted her chin. His gaze was serious, intense for a moment.
"I'm glad you're okay," he said softly.
The rushing of the river competed with the sudden racing of Laura's heart. His fingers were so gentle, yet there was a strength in them.
Laura smiled at Joshua and gazed into his eyes. Words that should have come, defensive comments that would have made it so easy for her to just lift her head away from his touch, just froze on her open lips.
The cry of a bird high above broke the moment. Joshua lifted his head and looked up. Laura used that moment to clear her throat and shift some loose hairs away from the side of her face.
"Joshua. We need to talk," she said.
His eyes darkened slightly at that, but he nodded in quiet agreement. "Sure."
Laura felt suddenly awkward, unsure of what was really on her mind. How could she broach the subject of the reasons for her behavior these past few days; the warring emotions that had been burning inside her; the worries that threatened to overwhelm her.
Joshua rested a hand on her arm. "Say what you need to say, Laura," he murmured.
Laura's throat tightened, but she knew she had to say what was on her mind. She owed it to them both. If they were going to have any chance of a future together, then they would have to be clear about how things were going to be between them from now on.
"I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around since the wedding," she said.
Joshua said nothing, merely nodding.
"And I know I've made your life difficult. I've seen how hard you've worked to try to make things as pleasant for me as possible. And I do appreciate it all. I really do, Joshua," she said.
He smiled and his eyes twinkled.
Laura cleared her throat once more and continued. "I don't want to appear ungrateful. But I guess that's how it looks. You must think I'm some kind of spoiled shrew," she said, her eyes moistening.
Joshua shook his head. "Not at all. That's just not true," he said reaching over and tracing the back of his fingers gently down her cheek.
"But I know it is. I don't know how you've put up with me. I must have been trying everyone's patience. Even Mrs. Bell. She's been so nice to me. And I've been such a nuisance."
Joshua's hand cupped the side of Laura's face. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I know that everything's been real difficult for you. It's only natural that it's going to take some time for you to get used to your new life."
"Our new life," she said looking into his eyes.
Joshua's mouth dropped open. He smiled. "I guess you're right. Our new life."
Laura sighed. "I just feel that I've been so unfair to you. Being so cold and distant. Seems like nothing you do can please me. But that's not true. Not true at all," she declared, her voice rising. "I appreciate everything you've done."
Laura could see that her words were affecting him, moving him. She so wanted him to believe that her coldness, her
Laura gave him a teasing smile. "Don't you remember all the games of hide and seek we played here when my family came for picnics?"
Recollection flashed in Joshua's eyes. He looked around at the scattered trees that ran along both sides of the river. Laura thought she could see the sweet, sunny afternoon memories flood into Joshua's mind. His features softened at the recollections.
"I remember you were particularly good at hiding when it was my turn to seek," he said with a smile, the likes of which she hadn't seen in a long while. It was good to see him smile like that, especially here in this place which brought back so many good memories; her father playing games with her and Eli; her mother and father together, happy and relaxed as if nothing in the world could spoil the contentment of being in this place with their two beloved children.
For a brief moment Laura lowered her head, turning away from Joshua, not wanting him to see how those memories were affecting her. Joshua reached over and lifted her chin. His gaze was serious, intense for a moment.
"I'm glad you're okay," he said softly.
The rushing of the river competed with the sudden racing of Laura's heart. His fingers were so gentle, yet there was a strength in them.
Laura smiled at Joshua and gazed into his eyes. Words that should have come, defensive comments that would have made it so easy for her to just lift her head away from his touch, just froze on her open lips.
The cry of a bird high above broke the moment. Joshua lifted his head and looked up. Laura used that moment to clear her throat and shift some loose hairs away from the side of her face.
"Joshua. We need to talk," she said.
His eyes darkened slightly at that, but he nodded in quiet agreement. "Sure."
Laura felt suddenly awkward, unsure of what was really on her mind. How could she broach the subject of the reasons for her behavior these past few days; the warring emotions that had been burning inside her; the worries that threatened to overwhelm her.
Joshua rested a hand on her arm. "Say what you need to say, Laura," he murmured.
Laura's throat tightened, but she knew she had to say what was on her mind. She owed it to them both. If they were going to have any chance of a future together, then they would have to be clear about how things were going to be between them from now on.
"I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around since the wedding," she said.
Joshua said nothing, merely nodding.
"And I know I've made your life difficult. I've seen how hard you've worked to try to make things as pleasant for me as possible. And I do appreciate it all. I really do, Joshua," she said.
He smiled and his eyes twinkled.
Laura cleared her throat once more and continued. "I don't want to appear ungrateful. But I guess that's how it looks. You must think I'm some kind of spoiled shrew," she said, her eyes moistening.
Joshua shook his head. "Not at all. That's just not true," he said reaching over and tracing the back of his fingers gently down her cheek.
"But I know it is. I don't know how you've put up with me. I must have been trying everyone's patience. Even Mrs. Bell. She's been so nice to me. And I've been such a nuisance."
Joshua's hand cupped the side of Laura's face. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I know that everything's been real difficult for you. It's only natural that it's going to take some time for you to get used to your new life."
"Our new life," she said looking into his eyes.
Joshua's mouth dropped open. He smiled. "I guess you're right. Our new life."
Laura sighed. "I just feel that I've been so unfair to you. Being so cold and distant. Seems like nothing you do can please me. But that's not true. Not true at all," she declared, her voice rising. "I appreciate everything you've done."
Laura could see that her words were affecting him, moving him. She so wanted him to believe that her coldness, her
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