“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
39
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.
40
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.”
42
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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Joanna Wylde
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,