Captive Romance

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-One

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't live in that monstrosity of a house?"

Rebecca smiled at Brantley as she held Lorelie to her chest and he helped her from the cart they'd ridden in to the small cabin that Rebecca called home.

"Because I wanted you to decide to stay because you wanted Lorelie and I. If you were willing to walk away from us simply because of where we lived then you didn't deserve us."

"I was scared, Rebecca."

Rebecca knew it took a lot to get Brantley to admit to fear. She also knew that if there were anyone else around to hear his admission, he never would have made it.

She rose on her toes to kiss his jaw. "Scared? A big tough outlaw like you?"

Brantley grunted. "I'm not an outlaw anymore, remember? I got a pardon." He blew out a breath that swirled around his head in the cold air. "Let's get in out of this cold. I'll get a fire burning to thaw you ladies out."

Rebecca loved the feeling of Brantley's hand on her low back as he led her inside. She hoped he would like the cabin. She was sure he would. Every time she had stepped into it in the last few weeks she had thought of that shack they had shared. Did it make Brantley think of that time together as well?

Brantley didn't say a word as he looked around. He headed straight to the wood stove, opened it, added some fresh wood to the glowing ashes inside and soon had flames licking at the open door of the stove.

Closing it back, he stood straight and looked back at Rebecca. "Why are you still standing in that doorway? Get your backside in here," he urged, snapping her from her nervous trance.

She quickly stepped further into the cabin and closed the door behind her. She couldn't explain the awkwardness she felt standing there with Brantley in their home. So often she had dreamed that this would be reality.

"Stop gnawing on your lip like a damn squirrel," Brantley grumbled before swooping down and letting his lips dance across hers tenderly. "This cabin is perfect, Rebecca. It'll be the perfect place to raise Lorelie."

Rebecca felt the tension melt from her shoulders. "So, you like it?"

"I do," he replied, glancing around again. A small sofa sat beside the wood stove and a matching armchair sat beside it. There was a cook stove, a small kitchen table and counters with floral gingham fabric hanging down from them to cover the goods stored beneath.

There weren't many decorations, Rebecca did have one of her biggest splurges, beautiful copper pots and pans hanging from the ceiling behind the cook stove. And she had bought several paintings of mountain scenery to adorn the walls.

She was proud of the house she had helped make—and now that Brantley was here she knew it would finally truly be a home.

Brantley helped her from her coat before hanging it and her gloves, hat and scarf on the hook by the door.

"I'll go lay the baby down in her crib," Rebecca said as she carried the slumbering infant to main bedroom. She still had Lorelie sleeping in her room with her and would until the girl began sleeping through the night.

Rebecca could feel Brantley's presence behind her as she went into the room. She unbundled the infant who slept peacefully through it all before laying Lorelie in her crib and covering the girl with a soft, thin blanket.

Rebecca smiled up at Brantley who was staring hard at the sleeping babe. She left him to his thoughts and stepped into the main room. Her stomach was growling and she was certain Brantley must be hungry as well.