“Just before Willow and Rider boarded the stage, Owen and Miriam pulled them aside. Owen looked terribly uncomfortable, and for a moment Willow thought they were about to hear some dreaful news."Yes,Pa?" Willow prodded. "Is there a problem?""No.Just got something to say, is all.""Well,what is it,Owen?" Rider chuckled.Owen put his arm around Miriam and yanked her close. She scowled and smoothed her pretty peach satin gown."Well,I guess me and Miriam here are getting hitched.""You guess?" Miriam snapped, slapping at the arm squeezing the air out of her."Congratulations!" Rider shouted out. "Mrs. Brigham, how did you ever talk this stubborn father-in-law of mine into it?"Owen winked at Rider. And to his future wife's horror, he replied, "She rode and broke the stallion.”

“As Miriam took her seat, Willow suddenly became conscious of the impropriety of her intimate position under Rider's arm. She straightened and would have slid to the opposite side of the swing, but he stubbornly tightened his arm around her. She tried her best to elbow his ribs, but her arm was trapped between their bodies."Do sit still, Willow." Miriam sighed. "It's not ladylike to squirm so. I'm not going to reprimand you for Mr. Sinclair's public mauling."Rider tossed the dragon lady a disgruntled scowl but nonetheless allowed Willow to sit up straight and put a few inches between them. Not to be totally thwarted, however, he grapped her hand and held it in his lap.”

“Miriam and Willow both looked up when Rider cantered in on his big stallion. Unaware of Willow standing just inside the stable, he addressed Miriam. "I couldn't find that little hellion anywhere! Has she come back?"Willow pursed her lips and stepped out of the shadows."Holy shit!" he bellowed at first glimpse of her.Willow grinned and shrugged. "It's possible there's some of that, too, but I don't know how holy it is.”

“Her feet now safely planted on level flooring, Willow nervously smoothed her skirts before lifting her head.Turquoise eyes met deep brown.Willow's mouth dropped open in shock. "Lieutenant Numbskull?"Rider stiffened, but recovered quickly. "Freckles?" he pretended surprise. Backing up a step, his appreciative gaze raked her from head to toe. "My God! It is you!"Willow's cheecks burned beneath his conspicuous appraisal. The lieutenant's pleased grin fueled her simmering anger at Miriam's unwelcome matchmaking venture. "What are you doing here?" she huffed.Rider arched a dark brow in ironic amusement. "Is that any way to greet an old friend...Freckles?""You two know each other?" Miriam interjected, astonished."You might say that." Rider chuckled.Willow didn't know who she wanted to murder most, Miriam or the lieutenant. But standing here in all her ladylike spendor, she remembered his hurtful maligning of her femininity. For some inexplicable reason she felt compelled to prove that she could be every bit as feminine as any other woman.Despite her stormy emotions, her next words dripped off her lips like warm honey. "Unfortunately, Miriam"-she caressed Rider's coat sleeve and flapped her lashes outrageously-"we were never formally introduced."Rider eyed Willow's hand where it petted his arm, expecting claws to spring from her fingertips at any moment. Then he lifted his gaze to twin pools of mischief. One corner of his mouth crved in a wry grin. "What are you up to, Freckles?"His devastating smile was unnerving. Suddenly all too aware of her ineptitude at coquetry. Willow's confidence slipped a notch. Nevertheless, she was determined not to let him intimidate her. Casting him what she hoped would pass for a coy smile, she answered his question with an innocent shrug.Miriam blinked, agog at Willows antics. "Well,ah...let me properly introduce you two. Mr. Sinclair, this is Miss Willow Vaughn. Willow, this is Mr. Rider Sinclair."Willow inclined her head with forced politeness. Rider tossed her a sly wink.Befuddled by the stratified undercurrents, Miriam sputtered. "I...ah...I'm sorry to hurry the introductions, but we really are late. My carriage is waiting out front for us. Shall we go?""But of course." Rider held the door open, indicating they should proceed him. "Ladies..."Willow waited while he closed the door, then draped herself over his proferred arm. Miriam took his other arm and cast a warning glance at the younger woman. The girl smiled back angelically, deciding Miriam deserved to worry-just a little.”

“I just helped with a birthing."Amber flames lit his angry dark eyes. "Women have no business doing that kind of work. It's not decent!"Thoroughly provoked by his unreasonable attitude, Willow completely forgot Miriam's presence. "Well, that's a lamebrain thing to say, considering it's us females who do the birthing. All men do is prime their-""Willow!" Miriam interjected. "That is quite enough!" Seemingly disgusted with both of them, Miriam waved Rider off dismissively. "Mr. Sinclair, you've seen for yourself she's quite all right so I suggest you take yourself elsewear.""Fine! It's a little too whiffy around here for me anyway." He jerked Sultan around and rode off in a monstrous huff.Willow was pricked by his disdain more than she cared to admit. "Did you hear what he said? He said I stink! You'd think I'd just climbed out of a pig sty! Hell, how would he know if I stink? He wasn't even close enough to sniff me."Miriam exhaled a deep sigh and wrinkled her nose. "Well, believe me, I'm close enough!"Miriam bristled but then recognized the teasing twinkle in Miriam's soft hazel eyes and broke into a grin."It'll never do to stick you in a tub," the landlady observed. "I'd kill myself, filling and dumping it before we got you clean. Stay here and don't move. I'll be right back." Miriam returned, loaded down with towels, soap, and clean clothes. "Lead the way to that swimming hole you were telling me about."The two women silently traipsed down the narrow path to the river, Willow brooding over Rider's sarcasm and Miriam wondering if Willow's clothes could be laundered or if she should just burn them.”

“If you aren't in love, Willow Vaughn, then my name isn't Miriam Brigham."Willow started out of her daydreaming and glanced up from the laundry tub. Miriam stood before her with her fists planted on her hips. "Now, Miriam, I-""No sense denying it, young lady. You've got that dreamy dazed glow about you. Rider Sinclair isn't much better, the way he hangs around you,like a bee drawn to honey. He's always holding your hand or throwing his arm around you when he thinks I'm not looking.""Well,even if I were in love, it wouldn't change anything. I still don't want another man to look after, and I don't need one looking out for me either. I can take care of myself!""Course, you can!" Miriam agreed, picking the last sheet out of the rinse water and wringing it out. "Most women can. Look at me, I run a boarding house and support myself just fine. But let me tell you something. That lonely bed of mine is mighty cold on winter nights, even here in the territory."Willow blushed and concentrated on her hands where they rested on the edge of the tub."Willow," Miriam continued, "you've been managing your pa just fine since he got home. A husband isn't any more difficult to manage than a father, unless, of course, you're married to a no-good lout."Willow dried her hands on the wide white apron around her middle. "But, Miriam, if I don't marry, then I don't have to bother finagling a man to my way of doing things. Staying single makes a hell of a lot more sense!""Watch the cursing, young lady."Miriam slung the sheet over the line and returned to help Willow with the wash tub. They each grapped a handle and carried it a few feet before setting it down to rest their arms a moment."Willow, use your noggin, will you? Part of the fun of being a woman is wrapping some big, handsome hunk of a man around your little finger. You do have to use your good sense, though, and realize when you're wrong and he's right. Of course"-Miriam chuckled-"that won't be too often."And you have to be careful not to hurt a man's feelings overly much. Men are funny creatures. They seldom let their emotions show because they think it isn't manly. But you can tell when they're upset.They start pouting like a little boy.I've always thought that was rather curious.”

“Willow leaned forward and laid her head next to his on the pillow. "Is it too late to say I'm sorry, and that I love you more than anything else in this world?""Oh God,no,love." With his good arm, he reached for the back of her head and brought her lips to his. They kissed as if they'd never get enough of each other, because they knew they never would.When Rider finally released her mouth, he smiled rakishly and pulled her hand under the covers.Willow smiled when he laid her hand over his throbbing desire. "Hmmm, you are feeling better.""Almost well enough to start Mr. Happy on his baby-making lessons again," he said in a deep sexy baritone."Ah,Rider?""Yes,love?" He was pulling her down for another stirring kiss."About those lessons?""Hmmm, I'm anxious to start practicing again, too,love. But at the moment Mr. Happy is a lot stronger than the rest of me.""Oh,I know,but...Rider, Mr. Happy must have learned his lessons real fast."Rider stilled. "What do you mean?""I mean that I think Mr. Happy cooked something up in the kitchen."Forgetting his shoulder, Willow's husband sat straight up in bed. He winced, then asked, "You mean you're...going to have a baby?""Of course I'm going to have a baby, you beefwit. Did you think I was baking another damn pie?""Yahoooo!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, and hugged her with his good arm.Six men, Juan included, plus two women came pouring into the room."What in the hell is going on in here?" Owen grumbled in mock irritation.Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Rider announced, "Owen, your daughter is about to make me a father and give you a second grandchild.""Oh,hell, I knew that."Nine people echoed, "You did?""Hell, yes, all you gotta do is look at 'er face."Rider cocked his head and studied his wife's face. "She does have an extra glow about her, doesn't she?""She sure does." Owen chuckled. "Her mama got the same glow with all five of her babies.""If I'm glowing, it's because all of you are staring at me like I just grew horns," Willow said, covering her flushed cheeks with her hands."Dammit, I just thought of something," Owen said. "I s'pose this means I'll have to add another room to the house for when you come visiting.""Owen Vaughn," Miriam reprimanded, "stop that cursing. I swear every other word out of your mouth is a curse! I'm going to break you of that before your grandbabies get old enough to repeat that filth.""Break me of it?" Owen laughed and poked Nick in the ribs with his elbow. "Only one way for a woman to break a stallion, that's to ride 'im hard!" The man all guffawed loudly.Miriam's face turned ten shades of red. "Well,I never!" She turned on her heel and made an indignant exit.”