Mail Order Bride: Westward Winds by - (book club books TXT) 📕

Tessa was thankful to Dean for thinking to place a thick folded blanket on the wooden seat of the buckboard wagon. The going was rougher than she was used to and her bottom kept smacking against the seat. Her rear was beginning to get sore. She could imagine how much worse it would have been if there had been no blanket.

As they rode, she kept sneaking looks at Dean and found him quite attractive. His blond hair was disheveled from the wind and his jaw was beginning to show stubble. He was tanned and muscular, and filled out his clothes in a way that the men she knew didn’t. Tessa smiled to herself, thinking that Edwina would certainly be jealous when she wrote to her and told her that Dean was incredibly handsome and virile.

She’d been charmed by Marcus and had pegged him a likable troublemaker. She wondered from which parent each of the brothers got their looks. Outside of the shape of their jaws, there wasn’t much resemblance between Marcus and Dean. Marcus’s jet black hair and gray eyes were far removed from Dean’s golden locks and vivid blue eyes.

Dean looked down at Tessa and Tessa’s stomach did a little flip. His gaze did things to her that she hadn’t expected so soon. She thought she saw the same thing flicker in his eyes, but couldn’t be sure.

“See that big maple tree over there?” he said.

Tessa looked where he indicated. “Yes.”

“That’s the start of our land,” Dean told her with pride. “Those steer you see are some of our finest cattle.”

Tessa took a small notebook from her reticule and began looking around with interest and writing down her observations. Dean watched with curiosity, remembering Tessa had told him that she was working on improving her creative writing skills. “What are you writing?” he asked.

“I’m writing in detail about how everything looks and how it makes me feel,” she responded.

Dean arched an eyebrow at that. “How it makes you feel?”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

Tessa didn’t look at him, but responded as she wrote on. “I mean, how what I see, and hear, and smell makes me feel.”

“I don’t get it.”

She looked at him then. “Look at the steer.”

Dean did. “Okay.”

“How do you feel when you look at them? You just told me that they are fine animals,” Tessa said.

Dean looked into her deep blue eyes looking at him so eagerly and he wanted to please her. He thought about it carefully. “Proud, I guess. It took a lot of hard work to breed such good stock.”

“Yes! Proud! And you should be. I’ve seen some steer back East and I don’t think they’re as nice as these. Look at how strong their shoulders are, and sleek and healthy their coats are!” Tessa was still writing as she talked. After a minute, though, she put away her notebook and pencil.

Marcus leaned up from the wagon box. “Someday, I’d love to read some of your observations.”

Tessa turned to him. “Really? Do you enjoy reading?”

“Oh, yeah. He’s always reading. You’ll have to go to his house sometime. There are more books than anything else in it. I’m surprised he doesn’t just sleep on them,” Dean said.

Marcus smiled. “It’s true.”

“When I get them more polished, I would certainly welcome your insight. In fact, you are both welcome to read them,” Tessa said.

Dean said, “I’d like that. I really enjoyed your letters, so I can just imagine what your other writing is like.”

Tessa was flattered. “Thank you,” she said with a smile and blushed.

“Pa! Pa! Is that her?”

Dean looked up and saw his children running toward them as fast as they could.

“Here we go. Prepare yourself. Both of them have been on tenterhooks waiting for you to get here. We all have,” Dean told her.

Tessa looked in his eyes and saw that flicker of something unnamable. Then the children arrived and her attention became focused on them.

“Hi! I’m Jack. Boy, you’re pretty. Can you cook? I like to eat,” Jack stated as he climbed on board the wagon and squeezed between Tessa and Dean.

“Mind your manners, Jack,” Dean said a little gruffly.

Jack barely gave his father a glance. “Okay. But can you?”

Tessa smiled down at him. He looked a lot like Dean. “Honestly, I haven’t had much chance, but I’m a quick learner. I’m Tessa and it’s very nice to finally meet you. I’m looking forward to becoming friends.”

Jack nodded. “Yeah, me, too. It’s okay if you can’t cook. I can’t either.”

Tessa smiled and then turned and looked down at Sadie. “And this pretty young lady must be Sadie,” she said.

Sadie blushed and smiled. “Thank you, ma’am. Pleased to meet you. Jack’s right, you’re beautiful and your clothes are so pretty.”

“Why, thank you,” Tessa said.

“C’mon, Sadie. I’ll help you up here,” Marcus said and held out an arm.

Sadie grabbed on and giggled as Marcus swung her up into the wagon. She came to stand behind Jack, holding onto the back of the wagon seat. “What’s Pittsburgh like?” Sadie asked as they drove beneath the arch that marked the entrance to their ranch.

Dean chuckled. “Sadie, let Tessa get settled and a little rested before asking so many questions. We’re all gonna have time to get to know each other, but it doesn’t all have to happen right now.”

“Okay, Pa. Sorry, Miss Theresa,” Sadie said respectfully.

“That’s quite all right. I promise I’ll tell you anything you want to know. And I have a lot of questions of my own. Oh, and please call me Tessa,” she said.

“Tessa?” Sadie asked.

“It’s my nickname,” Tessa informed her.

Dean pulled the team to a stop in front of the house. “Okay. Here we are.”

Tessa turned and was instantly charmed by the house. It was a wooden two story structure with quite a few windows. A nice porch wrapped around it and several wooden rocking chairs sat behind the railing. A swing hung from the porch rafters. The house was a rustic brown color. Tessa didn’t know a whole lot about construction, but it looked sturdy and well put together.

Dean watched Tessa closely as she looked the place over. He was nervous about what she’d think of it because he knew her family was rich and lived in a large mansion. He knew their place couldn’t compare to the kind of home Tessa was used to. Her eyes moved quickly, he noticed.

As he looked at her profile, Dean was struck again by how beautiful Tessa was. She had a pretty, straight nose and a graceful neck. Her dark hair shone with good health. He had a sudden urge to touch it to see if it felt as soft as it looked. Dean’s hands tightened imperceptibly on the reins as he fought the impulse.

Tessa turned to him with her eyes shining. “It’s lovely! I can see the care that went into building it and you certainly keep it well maintained.”

Dean grinned as relief flowed through him. “Thanks. I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”

“No need to worry,” Tessa said.

“Good.” Dean stepped down from the wagon. “I’ll help you down.”

“All right,” Tessa said.

Dean grasped her by the waist and helped her down. The physical contact sent a jolt of awareness through Tessa. Her hands rested on his large biceps and his scent reached her nostrils. He smelled of hay and horses and a little sweat. The combination was far from repulsive. It was a little primal and she felt a stirring of desire.

Dean was having much of the same feelings. He hadn’t touched another woman since Sarah and her waist and lower back felt soft, yet firm. It scared him a little that he could desire another woman. He cleared his throat and stepped back quickly.