Joshua's Montana Bride (Sweet, Clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series) by Maya Stirling Page A
Authors: Maya Stirling
Tags: Romance, historical 1800s
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distance hadn't been because of anything he had done. It had really been because she was finding it all so tough. Leaving behind the life on her parents' ranch should have been easy. But it hadn't been.
Joshua held her hand. "I told you from the start that there is only one thing that is important to me. And that is your happiness. Nothing else matters. I don't care what it takes, or how long I have to wait. I am bound and determined to make you happy. You are my wife. Now and forever. And that means more to me than anything else on earth."
Joshua leaned in closer and she could feel his breath against her face. His eyes were still and focused, piercing in their intensity. "I will not be denied, Laura McKenzie. You know that. Don't you," he declared.
Laura's heart raced. Joshua's hand went to the side of her neck, tracing the racing pulse there with his thumb. In that moment she was certain that they would always be together. How could it be any other way when the man in her life had spoken such words to her. His words had burrowed their way deep into her soul, here by the side of the river, in the only place where she had ever truly known peace and contentment.
"So you don't need to apologise to me for anything. I'm your husband. I know what moves you, what pleases you, what gives you meaning in your life. I've always known. And I have patience. I can wait."
Laura raised a hand to her chest. The emotion that had welled up had to be contained. Somehow. How could this man be so understanding, so mature, so sensitive to her needs? She couldn't fathom it, but it was true in spite of her obvious inability to truly understand him. It would take time for them to get to know each other. That was for sure. But in the meantime, how was she going to deny him, to restrain his ardent attentions?
Joshua leaned in close and his lips sank slowly onto her own. His kiss was inevitable, gentle and sensitive to how she was feeling in that moment. His lips were soft and kind, grazing her slightly open mouth with a delicate and tender caress. The sounds of the river faded beneath the thundering of her heart.
Then, just as quickly, their lips parted and they were gazing into each others' eyes, a connection present that hadn't been there before.
He understood. That fact was all that mattered in those moments. Here, in this precious place, he had made his feelings plain and clear to her. She was under no illusions about the depth of his feeling for her. The truth was, she never had been in any doubt. Their friendship had always been somehow a masquerade for something deeper, more meaningful. And she knew that now.
Joshua wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close against his broad chest. Laura, settled against him, feeling her whole body soften. As she leaned her head against him she felt his heart beating steadily, firmly, and she sensed the reassuring strength of his body.
Laura closed her eyes and savored the sensation of being with this man who was her husband now. This man who had once been merely an acquaintance, but who was now so much more. The melodious sound of the flowing river mingled with the steady pulse of his heart. Laura McKenzie gazed across at the bend in the river and wondered just what direction her life would take from this moment on.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Joshua would have stayed by the riverside for the rest of the day. Especially if meant he'd get to hold Laura the whole time. It felt so good to have her close to him, to feel how relaxed she was in his embrace. This place was their place. It always had been, and after what they'd said to each other, he knew it always would be their special corner of Montana.
The day seemed to go on forever. They continued to talk about all the things that had been standing between them in recent times, and after a while he started to feel that the barriers were finally starting to come down, albeit slowly and reluctantly.
Joshua got the sense that Laura understood that it
Joshua held her hand. "I told you from the start that there is only one thing that is important to me. And that is your happiness. Nothing else matters. I don't care what it takes, or how long I have to wait. I am bound and determined to make you happy. You are my wife. Now and forever. And that means more to me than anything else on earth."
Joshua leaned in closer and she could feel his breath against her face. His eyes were still and focused, piercing in their intensity. "I will not be denied, Laura McKenzie. You know that. Don't you," he declared.
Laura's heart raced. Joshua's hand went to the side of her neck, tracing the racing pulse there with his thumb. In that moment she was certain that they would always be together. How could it be any other way when the man in her life had spoken such words to her. His words had burrowed their way deep into her soul, here by the side of the river, in the only place where she had ever truly known peace and contentment.
"So you don't need to apologise to me for anything. I'm your husband. I know what moves you, what pleases you, what gives you meaning in your life. I've always known. And I have patience. I can wait."
Laura raised a hand to her chest. The emotion that had welled up had to be contained. Somehow. How could this man be so understanding, so mature, so sensitive to her needs? She couldn't fathom it, but it was true in spite of her obvious inability to truly understand him. It would take time for them to get to know each other. That was for sure. But in the meantime, how was she going to deny him, to restrain his ardent attentions?
Joshua leaned in close and his lips sank slowly onto her own. His kiss was inevitable, gentle and sensitive to how she was feeling in that moment. His lips were soft and kind, grazing her slightly open mouth with a delicate and tender caress. The sounds of the river faded beneath the thundering of her heart.
Then, just as quickly, their lips parted and they were gazing into each others' eyes, a connection present that hadn't been there before.
He understood. That fact was all that mattered in those moments. Here, in this precious place, he had made his feelings plain and clear to her. She was under no illusions about the depth of his feeling for her. The truth was, she never had been in any doubt. Their friendship had always been somehow a masquerade for something deeper, more meaningful. And she knew that now.
Joshua wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close against his broad chest. Laura, settled against him, feeling her whole body soften. As she leaned her head against him she felt his heart beating steadily, firmly, and she sensed the reassuring strength of his body.
Laura closed her eyes and savored the sensation of being with this man who was her husband now. This man who had once been merely an acquaintance, but who was now so much more. The melodious sound of the flowing river mingled with the steady pulse of his heart. Laura McKenzie gazed across at the bend in the river and wondered just what direction her life would take from this moment on.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Joshua would have stayed by the riverside for the rest of the day. Especially if meant he'd get to hold Laura the whole time. It felt so good to have her close to him, to feel how relaxed she was in his embrace. This place was their place. It always had been, and after what they'd said to each other, he knew it always would be their special corner of Montana.
The day seemed to go on forever. They continued to talk about all the things that had been standing between them in recent times, and after a while he started to feel that the barriers were finally starting to come down, albeit slowly and reluctantly.
Joshua got the sense that Laura understood that it
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