A Cattleman for Cora Read online

  “I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day or a more delightful house,” she told Tenny when he finally set her down. “I’m so happy right now, I honestly feel as though I couldn’t handle one more drop of joy.”

  “Hmm. Maybe we’d best not talk anymore, then,” he said, letting go of her.

  “What do you mean? What were you going to tell me?”

  He shrugged. “Nothin’. Not important.”

  She reached out and tugged his arm. “Tell me. Oh, please, Tenny! You can’t tease me like that!”

  He laughed. “All right, little impatient one, I’ll tell you. I was thinkin’ this morning about everything you’ve been doin’ to fit into my life, how you’ve scraped manure off your shoes and learned how to ride a horse and done all sorts of unpleasant things because you’ve wanted to learn more about what I do, and I was mighty touched when I added them all up. And I wanted to do somethin’ in return, somethin’ that would mean a lot to you.”

  “But you’ve built me this wonderful house,” Cora replied. “You married me, for goodness’ sake. What more could I ever want?”

  “Those are some pretty wonderful things I did, but I wanted to do something more,” he said. “And so, Mrs. Lawless, after we’re all settled in here, I think I’d like to take you up on that offer of teachin’ me how to read.”

  At first, Cora wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly. Then as his words sank in, she threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him off balance. “Oh, Tenny, do you mean it? Do you really mean it? And you want to?”

  “I do want to. I figure, if somethin’ so simple could bring you so much happiness, I’d be a fool to withhold that from you.”

  “I can’t even tell you . . .” There just weren’t any words in the world that could tell him how she felt, so she decided to show him instead. She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on for dear life. His arms encircled her waist, holding her tight against him, and after a moment, she felt him chuckle.

  “Well now, I didn’t realize that would be my thank you,” he said, grinning. “You sure do know how to make a fellow feel appreciated.”

  “I hope you feel appreciated every single day for the rest of forever, Tenny Lawless,” she told him, grabbing him for another kiss.

  THE END

  About Amelia C. Adams

  Amelia traces her family tree right back to the settlement of the Old West—her great-great-grandmother even drove a wagon to her new home. Amelia is a wife, a mother, and a novelist. She spends her days dreaming up stories and her nights writing them down. Her biggest hero is her husband, and you might just see bits and pieces of him as you read her novels. She loves all things historical and enjoys learning about days gone by, but she's glad she was born in modern times because the Internet is awesome, and she's glad she doesn't have to wash her clothes by hand in a galvanized tub. She’s an eater of tacos, a taker of naps, and a dreamer of dreams. You can reach Amelia at [email protected].

  Also by Amelia C. Adams

  The Kansas Crossroads Series

  The Nurses of New York Series

  The River’s End Ranch Series

  The Mail Order Mounties Series

  The Cowboys and Angels Series

  The Matchmaker’s Ball Series

  The Main Street Merchants Series

  The Brody Hotel Series

  The Pinkerton Matchmaker Series

  The Kansas Cowboys Series

  The Sewing Circle Series

  The Hearts of Nashville Series

  Visit Amelia’s website for a complete list of publications by this author.