Promises Prevail (The Promise Series) (31 page)

“Uh-huh. On the outside that would appear to be so, but Clint, I’ve known you since you were twelve and nothing is ever that simple with you.”

It was Clint’s turn to say, “Uh-huh.”

“As a matter of fact,” Cougar continued, “it wouldn’t surprise me at all to find out that you’ve been hankering for Jenna all along and just looking for an excuse to hitch your wagon to hers.”

Damn, Cougar knew him too well.

“She’s a good woman, and she needs help.”

“There are a lot of good women who need help. I didn’t see you marrying up with any of them.”

Probably because just looking at the other women didn’t make him ache so hard his back teeth wobbled.

“Which just goes to prove your theory is empty.”

Cougar cut his glance to Clint’s groin where his erection throbbed. The other man’s smile was slow and promised future ribbing.

“You just keep shoveling that bull. Truth is you married up with Jenna Hennesey—”

“McKinnely,” Clint corrected.

Cougar nodded and continued, “Truth is you married up with Jenna for the same reason I married up with Mara.”

“And what would that be?”

Cougar laughed. It was a low, deeply satisfied sound that had both women glancing their way, Mara with love and Jenna with wary curiosity. Clint sighed. He really was going to have to do something about Jenna’s unreasonable fear of Cougar.

Clint smiled at Jenna, which immediately had her ducking her head and fussing with Brianna’s blanket. He had to wait two seconds before she lifted her red face and smiled back.

“It was the only way to get any peace of mind,” Cougar admitted, continuing their conversation. “The woman had the damnedest knack for getting into trouble.”

“Not to mention she had you walking bent double with hunger.”

“Not to mention that.” This time Cougar’s smile was wryly mocking.

“I’m not likely to get any peace of mind until I find out who Jenna’s afraid of.”

“That’s the truth.” Cougar shook his hair back and all laughter faded. He suddenly looked as intense and as dangerous as his namesake. Clint sighed. Figures Jenna would choose that moment to look over. Her grip on Brianna tightened and her glance as it bounced off Clint’s was worried.

“You put someone on watch?” Cougar asked.

“Not yet. I was wondering if you had any idea who was free.”

Cougar’s taunting smile let him know exactly who Cougar had in mind before he said a word.

“Jackson’s free, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on someone as pretty as Jenna.”

Clint didn’t want the handsome, sweet-talking wrangler and bounty hunter anywhere near his wife.

“I thought Jackson was tied up with those rustlers over at the Rocking C?”

“Nope. He cleaned them out last week.”

Damn. “You sure he’s not looking for a break?”

“I’m sure.”

“Damn.”

Cougar shrugged. “If Jenna is as loyal as you say you don’t have anything to worry about, and short of Asa, myself, or you, Jackson is the best there is now that the reverend is out of commission.”

“I know.”

“We’re talking about my niece and sister-in-law, Clint. I’m not taking chances because of your jealousy.”

“Neither am I,” Clint forced the words between his teeth. His mind knew what was right while every possessive instinct forbade another male from being anywhere near Jenna.

“Jesus, can’t you just take her to bed, work that magic you do that has all the women falling at your feet, and wrap her around your finger?”

He wished. “It’s not that easy.”

“Why the hell not? She’s your wife.”

“And that just has her waiting for me to turn into a monster. The woman doesn’t have an ounce of trust left in her body.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Clint drained the last of his coffee and listened to the quiet murmur of the women’s voices, watching Jenna’s expression as she nodded to whatever Mara was telling her, wanting to reach over and smooth the tension from her shoulders with his fingers, wanting to tell her it was going to be all right.

“I figured I’d spoil her rotten and see how she takes to it.”

Chapter Thirteen

Spoiling Jenna was easier said than done. The woman had a bone deep distrust of anyone doing anything nice for her. Taking Bri so she could enjoy a bath had her looking nervous. Cooking supper so she could bathe Brianna made her drop things. Walking Bri through a crying jag had her alternating between biting her lip and making excuses. As if there was something shocking about a baby crying.

Clint leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb and watched Jenna as she sat on the bed with Bri, rocking her in her arms, alternating between soothing noises and outlandish promises. Sure enough the two of them had worked themselves into quite a lather. Bri was clearly taking her cues from her mother, screaming in time with Jenna’s frantic promises, sobbing through her tense croons.

He pushed away from the door. “Here’s the bottle.”

Jenna turned those frantic blue eyes on him and he felt his heart trip over itself, redoubling its beat when he spotted Bri. Damn, he didn’t like to see his girls upset.

“What’s the matter, Button?”

Brianna kicked her feet and screamed again, the hoarse wail ending on a pathetic warble. Jenna nudged the corner of her wide-open mouth with the bottle.

“Here, Bri. Here’s your bottle.” A bit of milk dribbled in. “Take it, sweetie, and you’ll feel all better.”

Bri obviously disagreed. She turned her head, letting the milk dribble down her trembling chin. Jenna tried again. Bri screamed louder, her body as stiff as a board in Jenna’s arms.

“She doesn’t want it.”

Clint touched the little one’s flushed cheek. “She’s just got her tail in a knot, Sunshine.”

“She’s suffering!”

And Jenna clearly saw that as her fault. Clint could practically see the knots forming in her spine. He cupped Jenna’s shoulder in his hand.

“She’s showing off that fine temper she has.”

“She’s too little to have a temper!”

From where he sat, Bri had one hell of a temper, but he could see that wasn’t a point Jenna was willing to concede.

“Uh-huh.”

Jenna shifted so her back was slightly to him, and resumed her rocking and promising. Bri resumed her screaming. In the doorway, Danny whined. Son of a bitch, if he wanted any peace, he was going to have to step in. He motioned the dog to stay while he kicked off his right boot. Before it hit the floor, Jenna’s promises to the little girl had reached the ridiculous. When she got to the point where she promised to return her to Mara if she’d only eat, Clint had had enough.

His left boot hit the floor with a clunk. The mattress sagged as he swung up behind Jenna. The sudden movement got him one moment of peace as surprise silenced both Jenna and Brianna. He wrapped his arm around Jenna’s soft waist, gathering the volume of white material comprising her nightdress in his hand as he did. One tug and Jenna’s back was resting against his chest, her soft buttocks cradling his groin. He looped his ankles over her shins, keeping her in place.

“What are you doing?” Jenna asked in a muted squeak.

Clint bent his head to nuzzle her neck. The scent of roses immediately enveloped him in its familiar embrace. “Helping you calm down.”

Jenna wiggled against him. “I’m not the one who needs calming.”

He held her in place. “I disagree.”

Jenna’s snort was as close to an argument as he’d ever heard her give.

She nudged Bri’s mouth again with the bottle. Bri arched her back and let loose a scream that must have originated in her toes.

Jenna renewed her wiggling. Clint let her try to get free while he reached around her with his longer arms and tugged the blanket out from around Brianna.

“A lot of times, new moms have trouble nursing their babies,” he began conversationally. “They’re nervous, and their milk doesn’t flow.”

“I don’t have any milk.”

He kissed her cheek at the regret in her husky voice.

“But you’re still nervous and it’s up to your husband to ease things along.”

“What do you know about new mothers?” Her tone bordered on insolent. He kissed her again for that bit of courage.

“For awhile I had thoughts of being a doctor and tagged along behind Doc whenever I had the chance.”

“And instead you became a marshal?”

She touched the bottle to Bri’s quivering lips. The little one arched her spine and wailed. Against him, Jenna lurched as if suppressing a sob.

“Pretty much.” The blanket came free and he snapped it open. Brianna silenced mid-wail, her puffy eyes following the flash of white.

He folded the blanket into a triangle and put it on the bed. “Lay Bri down on the blanket, Sunshine.”

“She’ll cry.”

He rested his chin on Jenna’s shoulder. “No you won’t, will you, Button?”

Brianna sucked in her lip and wrinkled her nose, clearly ready to make a liar out of him.

“What are you going to do?” Jenna asked as she carefully laid Bri down.

“Something Dorothy taught me.”

“I don’t know anything.” The sad whisper was more sorrowful than a wail.

“Watch and you will.”

He eased a fold over Brianna’s tiny arm. Her forearm was hardly the width of his finger. Her deep blue eyes stared at him with such high hope. A surge of protectiveness welled from inside as he wrapped the edge against her fragile body. He’d tear apart any man who hurt her.

“That’s it, Button. You just let me get you snuggled in here, and you’ll feel a lot better.”

Jenna’s body was unnaturally still against him, watching every move he made.

“The secret, Sunshine, is to get Bri to a place where she feels safe.” He folded Bri’s other arm into the blanket, gentling his touch to feather light for fear of breaking her delicate bones. “Secure,” he added as he tucked the long end of the blanket under her opposite hip. “Then she won’t worry so much about things that can’t touch her.”

He pulled the bottom flap up and tucked it around, cocooning the baby in a snug bundle. Bri hiccupped and let out a shuddering sigh. He slid his hands under her body, amazed as always at how tiny she was. She almost fit in his palm. He made a mental note to check with Doc to see if she was all right. He didn’t remember other babies being this small. He eased her back into Jenna’s arms.

“I think she might take that bottle now.”

There was a moment of hesitation before Jenna pulled her spine taut and took Brianna from him. He brushed his lips over her ear.

“That’s my girl.”

This time when Jenna put the nipple to her mouth, Bri closed her lips around it. One tentative suck and then she went at the bottle the way she’d been screaming earlier. Like there was no tomorrow.