BECCA Season of Willows (16 page)

Becca sat down on his hard length feeling him fill her. She had never felt so full. River stroked her nub as she got her rhythm down to match his. River teased and suckled her heavy breasts as she rode him and at last cried out his name as she met her climax again. River took that as a sign to find his pleasure and he rammed into her again and again shouting out his own language and kissing her as he released himself into her.
It was just beginning to dawn as Becca opened an eye. She felt a very warm body spooned to her and felt the typical male hardness for the morning. She would not think of Harrison, she now had River. Her handsome, loveable River. Who is as passionate a lover as ever you could find. He made love to her all night long without stopping to rest. He was a ball of fire she could never put out. She loved him. Harrison was a good man, but now…there was River.
River ate breakfast like he was a starving man. Becca grinned at the plate of biscuits he was putting away and went to the kitchen to pull another batch out. Since the tornado, Tuck had hired a new cook for the bunkhouse and he seemed to be filling in poor old Big John’s boots.

So this morning it was family time. Mac snickered as Mazie begged to sit on River’s lap.
River took her and set her on his thigh. Mazie was in heaven as River shared his food of buttered biscuits and honey with her. He finished his scrambled eggs and ham as Mazie leaned against him and ate. Becca grinned and put these special moments in her memory.
As he finished he patted his stomach. He grunted.
“Good.” Looking at Becca he winked.
“I go out today to check fences with Tuck. Others will feed cattle the hay from wagon we already load. Henderson buy ten horses from us, he will come by today or tomorrow and pick which he want. Seth come too.”
He looked at the plate of biscuits and shrugged taking another.
“Tuck and I find honey bees in tree on south of my land, we will try to gather honey and comb for you.”

He spread a good amount of butter on his biscuit and dipped it into some honey on his plate.
“I think if Seth want to marry woman that he write to, maybe he want my old farm? He want to farm and it good land and house still very good. I keep pastureland for us. He will still have many acres of farm land to grow what he want.”
Becca smiled at the thought. River always amazed her with his generosity, especially after the church meeting before their wedding. She never knew River was so generous but then again…why should she be surprised. He was a very special man.
“That’s a wonderful idea River. What would you charge a young couple for your farmland?” River looked at Becca and snorted.
“I charge nothing. It will be wedding gift.”
Becca was struck again by the thoughtfulness of her husband.

“You are a very wise and good man, River. I agree. If he marries and wants the property, you should give it to them.”

River shoved the last biscuit in his squirrel cheek and grunted as he chewed.

“Wife is wise too as well as beautiful. After all, she married me.”
He grinned at her and Becca laughed. River shoved away from the table as he tied his headband around his head.
“I will always take Seth with me to hunt. The money I safe in getting meat for family and bunkhouse we save in killing cattle for us. I still make money off giving him land.”
Becca grinned and chuckled at her canny husband.
 

CHAPTER TWENTY

Life was moving along slowly after the wedding and Becca sat down on the porch as she felt a Winter breeze start to come over the rise. It was getting nearer to winter and River said he needed to hunt for many deer to feed them during winter.

They would smoke the meats in the smokehouse to preserve some and make jerky of the rest to use over the winter to go with the vegetables Becca was canning.
But today was the day for gathering honey. River and Tuck were outfitted in their long leather dusters with their heavy winter gloves. Becca made the suggestion to use some of her fine cloth she brought with her to cover their heads from the bees. She explained she had a neighbor in Virginia who was a bee keeper and she used the fine cloth to cover her head against bees over wearing a broad rimmed hat. She showed them what she meant and River was impressed. Becca also told them that her friend also blew smoke into the hive to calm the bees by making torches that smoked. River rubbed his chin thinking and got busy making smoking torches.
 

Soon Tuck and River were on their way to his lands by wagon arriving at the tree around mid morning. They tied each of their sleeves closed and around the waist as Becca suggested and River climbed the tree as Tuck handed up the torches tied to close branches. River was surprised at the calming effect the smoke seemed to have and he carefully cut the chunks of the huge honeycomb, gently scrapping off the bees with a piece of bark back into their hive without a sting. Careful slow movement seemed to be the trick with the constant smoke from the torches. Bees were all around them but there was no swarm. The horses were off far enough away to not draw attention of the bees which Tuck had suggested.
After a couple of hours, River and Tuck had collected several cases of jars full of the precious sweet and its honeycomb. It would be used for not just a sweet but also for medicine.
It had been a good day.
Tuck and River rode back in the wagon happy that they had suffered just a few stings mostly on their legs. Tuck laughed at River getting stung on the ass which River shifted uncomfortably in the wagon. Tuck laughed.
“You can have Becca kiss it and make it better.”
River laughed and Tuck got serious.
“Yah know River? When Harrison died I really expected this place to go to hell in a hand basket. But you came out of nowhere and saved it. I was wrong about yah. I really didn’t think yah had it in yah. But yah did and I ain’t sorry. Yah got it back to better than it was.”

Tuck blew out a breath.

“Harrison was a good man but after his first woman left him, he became a real bitter son of a bitch and yah know that. I was sometimes afraid for the kids he would get so mad. Little Mazie would get so scared she pee herself. I know that hasn’t happened in a long time since Harrison been gone. He made a good change since he married Becca though I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. The Lord took him quick!
I was surprised as shit when we came back and you had everything under control.”
Tuck barked a laugh.
“Even setting up that tipi you had was smart. Everyone had a place to live while you built a new roof.” He nodded thinking of something else to say.

“I thought when yah started wooin’ Becca, you were loco, but I was wrong again. You were just the medicine she needed. She loves yah, I can tell…even more than Harrison.” Tuck gave him a nodd. “I’m proud ta be workin’ for yah River.”

River shook hands with him and nodded as he resumed driving the wagon back home.
“It is Good.”

River nodded feeling a deep satisfaction from the compliment. Tuck laughed.

“That’s another thing I like about you River, yah don’t go on and on talkin’ all the time yammerin’ about nothin’. Gives me a chance to talk.”
River laughed and lifted his rifle shooting into the tree line. The big buck River saw hit the dirt. River slapped Tuck on the back.

“Good. We have fresh meat.”
Tuck smirked and slapped his thigh.
“Damn right it’s good! If yah hadn’t been talkin’, I would have got ‘em!”
Hearty laughter from the two men echoed across the pasture going to pick up their prize.
 

As the rolled in front of the house Becca ran out the door looking at the deer in the wagon.

“I thought you were going to get honey…honey?”
Tuck laughed at River’s snort. River frowned at him.
“We have many jars Becca. Your idea very good.”

River jumped off the wagon and kissed her.
“You are very smart. Honey was easy to get with what you say.”
Tuck tipped his hat to Becca.
“We had a few injuries though Miss Becca, River will need your healing touch.”
Tuck started to laugh and River smirked. Becca looked him in the face as he was trying to avoid looking at her.
“You were stung? Let me see!”
Tuck laughed harder.
Becca gave them a questioning look. Tuck could hold it back not longer.

“He got stung on the ass! Got him good too!” Becca chuckled.
“Well! I’m not surprised! They always go for the sweetest spot.”

River rolled his eyes and blushed as Tuck laughed harder.
“Wooo wee! I’d best go take care of my own business before I start something.”
River gritted his teeth at the laughing cowboy.
“Too late!”
Tuck got out and set the cases of jars on the porch.
“I’ll gut the deer and hang it River. We can cut it up later today for smoking. That way your wife can tend to your…wound.”

Tuck jumped in the wagon and drove the horses to the barn laughing the whole way.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

They had arrived in town that week and it was a blustery early November day. River dropped Becca off at the mercantile on his way to the feed store. As soon as he was out of sight, Becca hiked up her skirts and ran to the Doc’s office.

She had been ill for some time and had come to the end of her trying to hide throwing up every day. River was getting suspicious and eyeing her funny when she would come from the privy brushing out her skirts while she washed out her mouth. She was so tired she just didn’t have the strength anymore.

Becca looked around before she ran into the Doc’s office. The Doc about jumped out of his skin when Becca came rushing in and slammed the door.

“What the hell? What the matter woman? Someone dyin’?”
Doc looked concerned as Becca ripped her bonnet off.
“Yah got to check me quick, Doc. River is down at the feed store and I have ta know.”
Doc looked at her like she was insane.

“What ARE yah talkin’ about woman?”
Becca was very nervous fumbling with her bonnet strings.
“I have been kinda queasy sick in the mornings and I have started to gain weight. My dresses are tighter around the middle. I’m falling asleep at the oddest times. Yah got ta tell me…am I dyin?”
The Doc tried his best to look concerned but he broke into laughter.
“Come inside and let me examine yah. I already can guess what it is.”
Ten minutes later she was walking out of the room buttoning her blouse.
“You are sure? It’s River’s child? I married Harrison in the spring.”
The Doc patted her arm to reassure her.

“And you were just a few weeks with him. You would have had symptoms long before now if it was his. You’re just newly pregnant by a couple of months, Becca. River is the father of this child.”
Becca grinned as tears ran down her cheeks.
“Thanks Doc.”

He patted her back reassuringly.

“Sleep. Take naps. Eat well. River will be thrilled I’m sure.”
Becca pulled some coins from her reticule and handed it to the Doctor.
“Thanks Doc. You’re sure? Around six or seven months?” Doc chuckled.
“I’m pretty sure. It’s still early. Now calm down and relax. You need to take it easy.”
Becca bit her lip.
“Doesn’t it seem awful early for this?”

The Doc chuckled at her and shook his head.
“Becca, it only takes once and it looks like River took care of business on your wedding night. So just relax and enjoy being with child.”

Becca waved and stepped outside the Doc’s office and turned running into a solid wall of male chest. She smelled mint and grimaced knowing it was River.

She looked up into her husband’s face and gave a squeal as he lifted her in his arms and took off back to the wagon.
“What are yah doin’ River? Put me down! I’m heavy!”

River kept walking to the wagon as they started to draw attention.
“You not heavy!”

Becca turned and saw Marie Ettles.

“Good morning, Marie. How are yah?’
Marie gave Becca a strange look and chuckled. She waved and said a hello as Becca was carried the rest of the way to the wagon.
 

He set her on the bench seat and got in to drive. The horses took off and Becca pointed to the mercantile as they approached it.
“I needed something from the mercantile.”
River snorted and ignored her pointing.
“Hiyuh! ( No!) I leave you at mercantile. You ran to Doctor. You no need mercantile!”
Becca grabbed his arm.
“Well, I do now! Stop!”
River sighed and stopped at the mercantile. Becca tried to jump down and River frowned grabbing the back of her skirts and yanked her back in the seat.
“You speak now Becca! You tell me why you at Doctor! You sick?”
Becca let out a long breath.
“I would rather not talk about it here in the middle of the street. It is private.”

River snorted and pulled his hat down.
“It not middle of the street. Middle of street out there.”

He pointed to the middle of the wide main street in town.

“It not private too! You run down street like crazy woman! People see you running down walk like wild chicken!”