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Mail Order Bride

Chapter Three

"Lost and Found"

Kenshin had saddled up and left by the time Sanosuke had pushed through the throng of worry-warts he was disgusted to call ranch hands. Each man had wanted to come with them, to help find the boy but there was work to do. Grave peril or not, the cows had to be fed, the fences mended, and dinner started for when they got back. Tracking always did give his boss a mean appetite.

Sanosuke knew that no matter what he might have told the little missy to do, she would take her own path and hunt down her lost brother herself. That's why he hid himself in the shadows of his horse's stall as the sound of petite footsteps scurried by him. The gangly foreman permitted himself a few furtive glances to make sure the lady got properly settled on to her steed before she headed out. Yes, when Sanosuke indulged in matchmaking, he did it correctly. Kaoru was more likely to find Kenshin out on the prairie than her brother. What six-year-old would venture out into the cold when he could hide in the warm hay of a barn?

Chuckling as he climbed up the rickety ladder to the hayloft, Sanosuke began treading nonchalantly through the prickly grass. He whistled an old tune about a lost love as he combed through the area with his foot. When he struck a hard, squeaking lump in the otherwise fluffy substance, he smiled. After an exaggerated yawn and a good stretch, he plopped down on the obstruction for a good rest. Not surprisingly, his seat protested.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Yahiko demanded as he futilely tried to push the large man off his stomach. Sano lifted his shaggy brow in feigned shock.

"Little Yahiko? Is that you?"

"You know it is! Now get up!!" The sadist in Sanosuke let the boy squirm for a few more moments before scooting forward to sit in the hay. Patiently, he waited as the boy fumed before speaking again.

"I taught Kenshin everything he knows about ranching, you know," The tall man commented idly as he pulled a single strand of hay from the stack and began twirling it between his fingers. Yahiko's eyes widened in surprise. He expected a lecture about his shameful behavior or maybe a swat to the bottom. Sanosuke's kindness was...surprising.

"Yep, he bought this place straight after the war and was determined to make a go of it. Trouble was, he didn't know a cow's head from its ass." The boy was transfixed; the Kenshin he had met seemed like a god to him, perfect at everything. He was perfectly suited for his sister who could make her every wish come true. Beside people like them, he was an insignificant shadow.

"At the time, I was wasting my life, mooning over the foxy doctor in town. I had no job, no money, and no prospects. Fool that I was, I didn't think all that would matter to her if I just offered her my heart. What a moron." Sanosuke's expressive mouth twisted in remembered pain that was not quite lost from him. Why had he ever thought that a few fumbling words of love from a mongrel half-breed like him could ever win the heart of that frosty lady?

But that was a story for no one else's ears. He had a job to do here. "So anyway, I was at the local watering hole, trying to drown my sorrows when this big, mean looking brute started coming my way. He'd drunk straight down to the worm and was feelin' pretty ornery. I'm always up for a good fight even when I'm too drunk too stand." Sanosuke gave a short laugh. "Especially if I'm too drunk to stand," he amended. "So I throw a few punches but it don't mean nothing because that guy was beyond pain. He started working me over like you wouldn't believe. The fight spilled into the street where my brains might have gone if Kenshin hadn't stepped in. Before I knew it, he had laid that man out flat and was packing me into his wagon. I guess I passed out then because I came to three days later in the sorriest ranch I ever saw. Kenshin had taken care of me all that time and the least I could do was help out a little."

"You see," Sanosuke said, stretching out his long legs, "Kenshin is a man who needed some time to patch up his heart. He was sick of killing and was ready to start to heal. I reckon he saw ranching as a way to care for something that needed caring for and to make himself useful. It took him a while to catch on, but he turned out to be a damned fine rancher. I see that same need in you, Little Yahiko. You've got what it takes to be a rancher too."

"Do you really think so?" Yahiko asked in a small but hopeful voice.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Sano replied solemnly. He smiled broadly. "Besides, even runts like you can turn out pretty good."

"I'm not a runt!" Yahiko exclaimed as he jumped on the foreman and began wrestling with him. Sano let out the first truly joyful laugh that he'd had in ages. It seemed that he had a family now.

***

Kenshin urged his horse into a canter as he made his third sweep of the eastern boundary. His ranch was over a thousand acres but he could safely confine his search to about a mile from the house on either side. It might even be an overestimation. How far could a six-year old boy run in an hour? Wherever Yahiko was, Kenshin would find him. It was his fault that the boy had run.

Years ago, when he was young and innocent, Kenshin had often thought of how his life would be. His wife would tend their pretty little house while he worked out with the horses. He would have a son, a precocious boy who had no fear. Like a good father, he would teach his child right from wrong and instruct him in the joys of hard work and family. Kenshin had it all figured out; after the war, he'd convince Tomoe to go West. They'd rebuild their life together in a land where the sunset was every color of the rainbow.

But Tomoe hadn't made it through the war and the boy who he wanted to claim as his own had run off. It was all falling through his fingers like bitter sand in an hourglass. All his hopes and dreams were fragmented now and lay in the gentle hands of his lovely new bride. He prayed that she had the power to mend what was so terribly tattered and forlorn.

But first he had to find her brother. It was no use pinning his hopes on a woman who would hate him forever should he fail to save her precious brother's life. Riding west this time, Kenshin's keen eyes spied a wisp of smoke in the distance. No city child could have lit a fire with the available resources around him. The smoke could only mean one thing; trespassers. The only one remotely close to his homestead was his hated neighbor. If that devil Hajime Saitou had come on to his land, there would be hell to pay. Spurring his horse forward, Kenshin prayed that the man would still be there when he arrived. He was craving a taste of battle.

***

Kaoru hummed to herself as she poked at the embers of her cheery campfire. The lilting song did precious little to calm her nerves though. Yahiko was out there somewhere and she hadn't found him yet. Night had fallen and her little brother, the child she had sworn on her parents' graves to protect, was out there alone with no defense against that which prowled after dark. Maybe if he saw the light from her fire, he would stumble to it and she could save him. But unless he did, there was nothing else she could do in the pitch black prairie. It would be suicide to continue racing across and unfamiliar field in the dark. She resigned herself to waiting.

The wind picked up, sending chills down Kaoru's spine as she huddled closer to the fire. Eerie noises wafted in from the darkness, begging her to give into her fear. Maybe Yahiko had already been eaten by what was out there. Maybe she would be next. Maybe…

Shaking her head vigorously, the ex-debutante ferociously rid her self of doubt. There was nothing out there that she couldn't face down with her rifle. Nothing at all. But then again…were those footsteps she heard?

"You wouldn't shiver so much, dear Kaoru, if you were in the house like a dutiful wife."

As her husband emerged from the shadows, Kaoru shot to her feet, automatically taking the man into the sights of her gun. She would have relaxed if his words hadn't sank in. Dutiful wife? Finger tightening on the trigger, the pale beauty motioned her new life partner to take a seat by the fire. She really should shoot him for his remark but she had a feeling that might not go over too well with his men. Slowly, she sat back down with the rifle remaining in her lap.

Kenshin had been surprised and angry to find his beautiful, delicate wife shivering by the campfire. Hadn't she understood that she was to stay home and wait for him? Anything could have happened to her out here! A thin, fragile woman like Kaoru could have been easily killed by a passing cougar or pack of wolves. She had no right prancing around out in the countryside!

But then again, she had managed to light a fire and the way she held that rifle spoke of experience. His heart had been in her sights and she looked capable of shooting.

Damned if that didn't arouse him too.

Taken aback by a sudden surge of lust, Kenshin remained quiet as he took his place at the fire. After a few moments of open deliberation on his bride's face, she did the same. She kept her rifle in her lap though, and absentmindedly stroked it as if still considering shooting him. The stoic rancher wondered if she had any idea what that was doing to him.

Kaoru glanced stealthily at her husband who seemed to be transfixed by the gun in her lap. Good. She hoped he feared what she might do. He deserved every minute of anxiety for that dutiful wife crack. She had never been the image of a dutiful anything in her whole life. If they were going to make this marriage work, she had better set him straight.

"Kenshin, I understand that you are mad at me for disobeying your orders," she began with a semblance of reasonability, "but I am not one of your soldiers. My brother is lost out here and I couldn't do sit around the house. I think you should know right now that I won't jump to do everything that you tell me too. I am a capable woman with a mind of my own and if you can't understand that, well, then this whole marriage was a mistake." She looked into the fire, suddenly unable to face the man after that tirade. If he didn't understand, she didn't know what she'd do. There was no where for her to go and no one to turn to.

A long silence ensued that became unbearable for the fiery lady. Screwing up her courage, she dared to glance at her husband, certain to find the disapproval that had graced the faces of so many men in her life. Instead, there was only a peaceful smile filled with a tenderness she could not describe.

When Kenshin had listened to his wife's impassion diatribe he wanted to go out and pummel every male figure that had been in her life. How could they tell his spirited, courageous wife that she was anything less than perfect? It was exactly those qualities that she had belittled that endeared her to him. If she thought he didn't realize what kind of woman he had, she was mistaken.

"Beautiful Kaoru." He murmured softly. Another shiver raced down the young woman's spine but not because of the cold. Did he really think her beautiful? No, he still didn't realize just what he was getting into. She decided to give it another try.

"I'm a bad cook," Kaoru explained.

Kenshin's smile widened. "I love to cook."

"I have a temper that has sent grown men running," she replied.

"Those men were cowards." Kenshin moved closer to her and gently enclosed her small hand in his.

"I can ride like a man, shoot better than most men I've met, and have a tendency to be overly bold." She explained desperately. Why didn't he understand what she was trying to tell him?

"My proud, lovely wife," he said again. "Those are the things I admire you for. Do you think I want a woman who I have to constantly coddle and amuse? Your independence and brave heart are what I want. There's no other woman I'd rather have by my side than you and the next man who tells you that you aren't a proper woman will have to answer to me and my pistol."

What could she but kiss him after that declaration? His lips were so sweet on hers and the little groan he gave as she ran her tongue over his lips was the loveliest sound of all. This man had given her so much, a home, new hope. Kaoru wished she knew how to show him exactly how she felt.

Kenshin felt like he died and went to heaven. After he told her exactly what was in his heart, his beautiful, young bride threw herself into his arms and kissed him passionately. As her tongue swept into his mouth, he realized what a quick learner Kaoru was. It was just like this afternoon only hotter, more intense. Kenshin didn't know how much he could take.

Even with the wind raging over the prairie, Kaoru felt hot. It was as if her skin was too tight to contain her and she was going to fly apart. All she knew was that she wanted more and she wanted it now. Fisting her two hands in Kenshin's shirt she ripped it open with a resounding tear. The man's brief laughter turned into a low moan as she took his earlobe into her mouth. He had done such wicked, delicious things to her before and now it was her turn.

Kenshin could barely do much more than feel as his wife feasted on his neck with those pouty pink lips. Her wandering hands traced blazing circles on his chest as she lay draped over him. Not content to lay passively by, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his hands moving down her back to cup her pert backside. Kenshin smirked with male satisfaction as Kaoru gave a startled yet very pleased cry.

Kaoru yanked on his soft hair for another kiss as her husband's hands slid under her skirt to the bare flesh of her upper thighs. This all so very exciting and yet made her feel safe and secure. In Kenshin's arms, she felt like the powerful woman she was never allowed to be.

Impatient to taste more of his exquisite woman, Kenshin rolled over so Kaoru was beneath him. Fumbling with the buttons of her dress, he managed to bare the swells of her breasts which he lavished with ardent attention. He had only gotten the slimmest glimpse of what charms she possessed and by the flickering light of the campfire, he was ready to see more.

Kaoru cried out as Kenshin's knowledgeable tongue flicked between the valley of her breasts. This was all so very exciting. She snaked her hands into his shirt and caressed whatever naked flesh she could find. She groaned as his mouth continued to feast and his hand delved once again beneath the swath of calico and lace.

Desperate now to claim some part of this free-spirit, Kenshin sought intimate contact with his bride. With trembling fingers, her caressed her inner thighs. Each feathery touch brought him closer to her inner heat and wrung a sweet cry from Kaoru. When he at last made contact with the very core of her he let out a groan. She was so very hot and wet for him. It was like touching the sun.

It was must be sinful, the way he stroked her but Kaoru didn't care. Kenshin's hands were bold and his questing touch made the burning heat in her belly coil tighter like a spring ready to burst. She couldn't take much more of this. If something didn't happen soon, she'd burst. Just when she couldn't take anymore, Kenshin captured her mouth with a hungry kiss and slide a finger deep inside her. The night exploded around her as wave after wave of pleasure crested over her. She might have screamed if her husband hadn't been kissing her so insistently.

As he brought her to fulfillment, Kenshin felt a rush of male satisfaction. He had brought this magnificent and thoroughly surprising woman to her first climax. Soundly shy, he smiled down at her. How long had it been since his heart had been involved with the act of lovemaking?

"That was, wow, I mean wow." Kaoru breathed. She stared up at her husband and returned his cocky smile.

"There's more," Kenshin whispered huskily. He chuckled as his lovely bride's eyes widened.

"More?" She inquired, suddenly out of breath.

"Oh yes. Something much better." Kenshin teased. "But, I promised you I'd waited a month so sleep tight, Beautiful Kaoru."

Kaoru's jaw dropped as he rolled off her and settled down to sleep. She continued to stare after him long after his

breathing evened out and light snores escaped his untroubled lips..

What had she done?

TBC…soon.