Page 46 of Bryson

"Had to step out for a while. Will be back in a few minutes. You were sleeping so peacefully, did not want to wake you. Eat. Your husband."

Pulling herself up, she reached for the tray and found crispy toast, still slightly warm, and a slice of their wedding cake. There was also a thermos of tea.

Yawning hugely, she poured tea into the cup and took a sip, a smile touching her lips. Last night and this morning had been magical. She still felt the imprint of his body on hers. She did not miss going to exotic places for their honeymoon. This was perfect.

She would finish the meal. Touching a hand to her stomach, she spoke sternly to the child growing inside her, warning him about being on his best behavior for the rest of the day.

"It would not look good for you to start acting up and have me hurling. I'm on my honeymoon and me and your dad require this special time to make memories. So, the least you can do is cooperate." With that said, she went to take a shower.

He came back while she was getting dressed.

"Hi."

"Hi." Bending, he kissed the back of her neck as she finished tidying her hair. "I thought you'd still be asleep. I kept you up all night."

"I'm completely revived. Where were you?"

"Jack wanted a word. He was very contrite about interrupting my honeymoon, but it was important." He stepped back to remove his jacket and went to sit on the sofa.

"What was it?" Julianne pulled the shawl around her shoulders and joined him on the sofa. She supposed it wasn't anything much to worry about, because he looked calm and serene.

"Jeff fell off his horse last night and broke his right arm." He slid his arm around her shoulder to pull her close, pausing when she reared back to stare at him.

"Oh, but that's awful."

"It would have been if it was his neck." His voice was grim. "He was riding drunk. He could have killed himself and injured a very fine animal. He's been here long enough to know better, and when he's back from the hospital, I'm going to break the other arm."

Julianne eyed him for a minute. He certainly did not look calm now.

"What was he thinking?"

"Obviously he wasn't." With a sigh, he reached over and pulled her closer. "He's young and stupid and was trying to impress some girl." He rubbed his lips over her left temple, breathing her in. He had hated leaving her in bed and was alarmed and certainly amazed at how much he was dependent on her.

"It must be love," she murmured with a laugh. "It's the cause of most of the silly things we tend to do."

"Or lust." He turned her in his arms. "How about a long drive? I have to warn you that fall is now in full gear. It rained late last night and the weather has turned."

"A drive sounds wonderful."

"Your mother-in-law and I had a long talk and a bracing drive. And you look like a woman who's very satisfied. I take it the cowboy took care of business?"

"That's none of yours," Julianne told him with a laugh as she settled back on the sofa. They had come back early this morning because Bryson had some meetings to attend. But it did not feel as if the honeymoon was over.

"I'll try and wrap things up early so I can come home and spend some time with my wife."

His wife. She was his wife and it still took some getting used to. She had arrived to find Barbara already gone for the day to some charity breakfast that had to do with the corporation of cowboys and their families. She never knew there was such a thing!

Anyway, she was happy she did not have to face the woman yet. She had told Bryson they were getting along, but she still could not put it out of her mind that the woman had tried to pay her off.

"Spoilsport," he complained.

"You went for a drive with Barbara?" She cocked a brow at him in surprise. "How did that go?"

"Rather well. She was the one who did the driving and for a woman with a stick up her ass, she certainly knows her way around a four-wheel drive." Brian grinned in remembrance."And she knows this place like the back of her hand. I had no idea the McNabs were instrumental in actually building the place, the town."

His eyes were lit with excitement. "I always thought it was a dinky little town with mostly cattle and bushes. But it's quite a beautiful place. And that poor woman, the things she told me about that awful husband of hers." He stretched his long legs out and crossed them at the ankle. "You knew she came here from Ireland?"

"I did." Julianne hid her amusement at his involved expression. It seemed Brian had found another lost cause. He was good at adopting the injured and people who had been through emotional upheaval. It was one of his many weaknesses. It was also why he got involved with people who were usually damaged. In his quest to try and "fix" them, he would end up frustrated and exhausted when they remained broken. But it was also one of his most endearing qualities.