Promises Keep (The Promise Series) (26 page)

Clint arced his Stetson to his other hand, never missing a beat. “A knife’s no good if you don’t have the skill or the wherewithal to use it.”

Cougar pulled up his knee and rested his arm across the top. “Oh, Mara has the wherewithal, all right. Killed Cecile with one before we got out of that hellhole, and she fended off Nidia’s attack apparently with no problem.”

The hat flopped to another jerky halt and Cougar’s smile broadened to a chuckle as he watched comprehension dawn on his cousin’s face.

“I wondered at Nidia’s haircut. Did Mara…?”

“Yup.”

“And you say she took out Cecile?”

“Yup.”

“And she married up with you?”

“Yup.”

Clint’s shook his head. “Damn. You are one lucky son of a bitch.”

Cougar rubbed at the bandages covering his chest. The hair Mara had shaved away was growing back with a vengeance that threatened to drive him crazy with itching. “Yes. I am.”

Clint’s stomach, never far from the subject of food, rumbled loudly. “And she can cook, too,” he marveled. “I’m going to have to spend more time in nefarious whorehouses.”

“If you’re in the market for an easy woman,” Cougar offered helpfully, “Nidia will be available soon.”

“Soon?” Clint yelped, astounded. “Why the hell isn’t she available now?” He dropped his hat back to his knee with a disgusted jerk. “You can’t seriously prefer her over Mara. I mean, sure Mara’s a little banged up right now, and Nidia is quite a bit more,” Clint graphically cupped his hands three feet out in front of his chest. “But Mara is as delicate as a rose. As quick as she is to anger, I bet she’d be a wild blossom in your bed. All sweet and filled with fire.”

The anger and possessiveness came out of nowhere, propelling him half out of the bed, the warning issuing from his throat before he was even aware of the intent. “That’ll be enough.”

Clint shut up immediately, the gaze he turned on Cougar speculative.

Clint dragged his hand down his face. For a moment, Cougar felt like he was looking in a mirror. “Hell, Cougar, I’m sorry,” Clint apologized. “I meant no disrespect. But seriously, you don’t prefer Nidia…”

“Of course not!”

“Then why in hell is she still here?”

The fact that there was no good way to answer must have shown on his face.

“Uh-oh…”

“Yeah.” Cougar echoed the sentiment. “Uh-oh. As you pointed out, Mara is not built sturdy, and for all her denials, she’s still weak as a kitten from nursing me. The only help for fifty miles is Nidia. Jackson is sending for his sister, Lorie, but since I’ve forbidden Mara to do anything more strenuous than cooking meals, I’m stuck with that she-cat until Lorie can get here.”

Clint glanced out the window. “I think you’d better just send Nidia on her way and be done with it. Save yourself a lot of burnt meals and a lot of useless hassle.”

Cougar traced the trajectory of Clint’s stare. Pushing to his feet, he made his way awkwardly to the window, his wounds itching and burning with every step. The curses that marked his progress were nothing compared to those he spewed when he saw what was affording Clint such amusement. He hauled on the window but the damned thing was swollen shut. Naked but for the quilt he yanked off the bed and threw around his hips, he lurched out the door, scratching and swearing as he went. Swinging up on his crutches with graceful effort, Clint tagged along in his wake, laughing so hard, Cougar thought he’d choke.

* * * * *

Thwack!

Mara landed the rug beater on the large wool carpet with a satisfying amount of force, supplanting her husband’s face over the most beautiful carpet she’d ever seen. Who on God’s green earth did he think he was fooling? Concerned about her health, my foot. If she hadn’t killed herself dragging him back from the edge of the grave, caring for a nearly recovered man wasn’t going to drive her into one. Mara paused her fuming to drag one of the socks she was using as a glove across her brow. Though the weather was brisk, taking one’s frustrations out on a rug worked up a sweat.

Her eyes narrowed in renewed aggravation as she recalled the “good morning” she’d received from Cougar two days ago. She’d opened her eyes to the pink dawn of a new day, and the belief that her husband was just as desirous of making their marriage work as she. She’d smiled at Cougar, and bid him good morning.

He’d kissed her and announced that Nidia was staying on because she was the only help available.
Did he think she was a fool?

Well, Mara thought, swinging the wooden tool in a wide arc, Mr. High and Mighty McKinnely had a few surprises coming his way. Sooner than he might believe. Nidia was no longer in residence. She swung the beater again. And she wasn’t coming back.

Cougar watched as Mara swung the beater. Clearly, she hadn’t heard him approach.

“I thought I told you that housework was out until I deemed it okay.” It took more effort than normal to achieve a growl. Making it down those stairs had taken most of the fight out of him. And the way Mara spun around to face him with that rug beater leveled at his head, made him wonder if he might be needing his strength back fast.

Mara lifted her chin and swung the beater at the rug. “You did.”

Cougar ground his teeth. Hell, his hands backed down immediately when he turned this look on them, but his little wife, whom he could snap in two as quick as he could spit, just threw his authority back in his face. The woman needed a keeper. “Maybe you misunderstood, Angel. It wasn’t a request.”

Mara’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I didn’t misunderstand, but since Nidia is no longer around, that order is no longer relevant.”

“What do you mean she’s not around?”

“I sent her packing this morning,” she informed him without a trace of guilt, nimbly sideswiping his grab for the rug beater. “Try that again and you won’t be grabbing anything for a long while.”

She was threatening him, Cougar realized on a note of pure shock. His primary inclination was to wrest that woven paddle from her hands and apply it to her backside, but common sense said he couldn’t win this fight that way. He needed calm. He clenched his teeth hard enough that a muscle jumped in his jaw, but he managed a reasonable tone. “Be sensible, Mara. That rug is twice your weight. Your ribs aren’t healed, and one night of solid rest isn’t going to restore all the sleep you lost caring for me.”

Mara’s voice was laced with just as much calm as his. “I appreciate your concern, but I am well aware of my body, and trust me, it lets me know the minute I push too far.”

Cougar ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “You wouldn’t recognize common sense if it jumped up and bit you.”

Her hand came to her stomach, a sign he was beginning to recognize indicated that she was nervous, but nerves didn’t keep her chin down or her from facing him. “Just because I don’t agree doesn’t mean I’m not sensible.”

He eyed her hand and that chin. “Couldn’t prove it by me.”

“I don’t need to prove it by you.”

“Yes, you do since it’s my job to take care of you.”

She stared at him for a long time. The paddle in her hand dipped to the ground. The hand pressing her abdomen curled into a fist and dug in deeper. “I’m not a job.”

He looked at the rug, the paddle in her hand and the anger on her face. He reached for the paddle. “Well, you’re sure turning into a lot of work.”

She yanked it free of his grip. “Then you needn’t bother yourself anymore. From here on out, I’ll make decisions for myself.”

“As long as those decisions follow my orders, we’ll be fine.”

“If you feel the need to play the heavy-handed husband, why don’t you hunt up Nidia and practice on her? I’m sure she’d love to fall into the role of wife,” Mara suggested in a tone so sweet, it bordered on sarcasm.

“Why should I want Nidia when I’ve got you?”

Mara had no idea. Absolutely none. She spun around and delivered a blow to the rug that shook the tree and sent shockwaves of pain up her arms. She had no idea why a man like Cougar would want someone like her. The beater fell from her hands. She shook out the tingles. Her stomach churned as she turned to face him. Behind him, at a distance, stood Clint. Watching her. Them. Why was everything she did in front of an audience?

“I don’t know, but you seem to have us confused in your mind.”

“How so?”

“You seem to think I’m as lazy and useless as she is.”

She bent down to pick up the beater, her intent to get out of there. He caught her arm with his hand, stopping her halfway to her goal. She straightened, but he didn’t let her go. He should look ridiculous standing there in the red and brown quilt and nothing else. He didn’t. He just looked incredibly handsome, incredibly sexy as he drawled, “I know exactly who you are.”

His deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. His hand on her arm was warm. His eyes as they stared into hers, intent. Maybe he was trying to make her feel better. Maybe he was trying to intimidate her. Whatever he was trying to do, he needed to be clearer because she didn’t know what he meant. Didn’t know who he thought she was, and it was driving her nuts trying to figure out what he wanted from her. “Well, congratulations.”

Her stomach rolled hard. She pressed her hand into her abdomen. His eyes followed the movement. He frowned.

“You don’t have to prove yourself to me.”

Well, maybe she had something to prove to herself. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

His fingers moved on her inner arm in a caress she felt to her toes. “See that you do.”

His eyes narrowed as she jerked her arm free. Lord, he had gall. She grabbed up her beater and the last of her courage. “I’ll do exactly as I please.”

She turned on her heel and stalked toward the house. She’d finish the rugs later.

Cougar watched her stomp toward the house, his senses still reeling from her unwitting display as she’d bent over. Damned if she didn’t have the prettiest breasts.

Clint sauntered up. “Very nice,” he commented in a voice laced with amusement. He threw up his hands to ward off the blow Cougar was unaware of aiming.

“Don’t be an idiot, man.” Clint grunted as he steadied Cougar in the aftermath of all that momentum. “I wouldn’t comment upon your wife’s charms were I to see them. I was referring to the way you set your wife in her place. It’s clear you’ve established who’s boss.”

Cougar shot Clint a sideways glance before holding out his hand. “Here, give me a hand getting down. I can’t face that climb back inside without some rest.”

“More than likely you just don’t want to come up against the wrong side of your wife’s tongue again,” Clint grunted, as he bore the brunt of Cougar’s weight as he sat down.

Cougar tilted his head back against the tree’s rough trunk, feeling the bark grab at his hair. The wind was cold, so he pulled some of the quilt over his shoulder. A small smile touched his lips. “She could cut steel with it, couldn’t she?”

“Yup,” Clint agreed.

“It upsets her to argue.”

“I noticed.”

Cougar smiled. “She does it pretty well, though.”

“And no doubt, living with you, she’ll get even better.”

“That’s definitely something to look forward to.”

“So, what are you going to do with her in the interim?”

“The interim?” Cougar watched Mara climb the steps to the porch, that cute ass swishing side to side.

“Yeah. Until she gets confident enough to kick your butt, what are you going to do with her?”

“I haven’t decided.”

Clint dropped down on the other side of the tree. “If it were me, I’d hold on to her tight, and give her mouth something to do besides cut me up.”

Cougar shifted his shoulders into a more comfortable position. “And what would that be?”

From the other side of the tree, came a disgusted snort. “If you don’t know that, then you deserve to be cut up in little pieces and served as slop to the hogs.”

With a mind to his healing scabs, Cougar reached behind his head and freed a piece of hair from the greedy clutches of the tree. “Oh that. Well, due to physical reasons, I’m afraid that’s out for a while, too.”

This time, it was Clint’s turn to swear. “Hell, Cougar! You don’t have to bed a woman every time you kiss her. When a woman’s as hot-spirited as Mara, you’re not going to get her to jump her fences through force anyhow. You’re going to have to ease her past the gate. Make her want it. That is, unless you don’t care whether your wife wants you too?”

Oh, he wanted her to want him all right, Cougar thought. He just didn’t know if it was possible to the degree he planned. Cougar grabbed a clump of dead grass. One by one he plucked out the individual blades. Clint had always been a ladies’ man, even though folks said Cougar was the better looking. Still, asking for advice on the subject of women was a delicate thing. He didn’t want to appear desperate. He slowly crushed the clump in a vicious grip. Shit! Who was he trying to kid? He was desperate.

“Suppose,” he began quietly, “that there was a woman who’d been hurt very badly. An innocent that you later made into your wife. How would you go about getting her to relax?”