Chapter 1
Willamette Valley, Oregon
October 1852
Naomi Tisdale pulled her horse to a stop and patted his neck absentmindedly as she surveyed her new home. She had wondered how much of a house and farm her thousand dollars would buy her, sight unseen. She smiled ruefully as she concluded, apparently not much.
The house was really not much more than a rustic, very small cabin. Still, it looked solid and sturdy, and she didn't really need much space. The kind of space she needed was from pitying glances and disapproving frowns. The cabin sat nestled beneath several majestic oak trees that would shelter it from storms and the summer heat. There was a river burbling nearby, and a stone well, complete with a bucket and rope, stood in the front yard. At least it didn't look like she would have to worry about having fresh water handy.
A large vegetable garden stretched out from the cabin, and she could tell the soil was black and fertile even though the patch had mostly gone to weeds. On the other side of the cabin was a rough stable that looked like it was just large enough to house a couple of horses and maybe a cow. A crude fence had been erected around the front, forming a corral. Naomi dismounted and led her horse into the enclosure before exploring the interior of the cabin.
She stood in the doorway, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. The thought that there might be other creatures inhabiting the space made her shudder. As long as there weren't any rats, she could handle just about any other kind of critter. The wood floor seemed sound enough, and she was relieved not to hear any scurrying sounds as she walked to the center of the room. A small table with four rickety chairs stood in the kitchen area. There were a few shelves built along the wall, and a cast iron cookstove took up one corner. A low bed with a lumpy cotton mattress occupied the opposite wall, making up the last of the furniture. A rock fireplace was centered along the back wall of the cabin, and a small stack of firewood was piled nearby. Every surface was covered with dust, grime and cobwebs, and a sour, stale smell hung heavy in the air.
So this would be her refuge, Naomi mused. She had come here seeking solitude, hoping to find some remnants of peace and happiness. It had been two years since her husband died. For two years she had agonized about all the ways she had failed him. She had failed to make him as happy as he had made her. She had failed to save him when the fever had him in its death grip. She had failed to give him the one thing he had wanted most in the world.
Naomi heaved a heavy sigh as she set her saddlebags and suitcases on a chair and began rolling up her sleeves. This was no time to get lost in morose memories. First things first, she thought. She would start a fire to provide light and heat, and then she might as well start cleaning. There was no way she was going to spend even one night in this filth. It was already late afternoon, so if she intended to get to bed before midnight, she had better make the most of the time she had.
***********
Aidan McKenzie frowned thoughtfully as he watched a thin stream of smoke rising through the trees. He knew it must be coming from old man Hatcher's cabin. The cabin had remained deserted after Mr. Hatcher died the previous year, and Aidan had heard that someone had bought it. He had considered buying it himself, since the farm that went with the cabin was prime land, and it bordered his own family's farm. It would have made a nice addition to their property, but the McKenzie brothers didn't have enough cash to make such a purchase just yet. They were just getting their feet on the ground after moving out from Kentucky two years before, and so they had reluctantly waited to see who would become their new neighbors.
Aidan was on his way home from town, and thought about continuing on his way, but curiosity got the best of him. He decided to drop by and introduce himself and see just who had bought the farm. The trail leading to the cabin from the main road wended through a small forest, and when he emerged from the trees, Aidan paused to watch as the new owner struggled to drag an old mattress through the narrow doorway.
From fifty yards away, Aidan judged the boy to be in his mid teens. He was somewhat scrawny from the way he was huffing and puffing to maneuver the mattress through the opening. He was dressed in brown breeches and a cream colored shirt of homespun cotton. As Aidan neared, the boy bent over further at the waist to get a better grip, and Aidan's eyes opened wide. That was definitely not a boy!
Why on earth a woman would be dressed in men's clothes was a thought that Aidan would later ponder, but at the moment, he was too busy taking in the sights. At closer range, he could see that she had long hair that had been wound into a tight bun. The woman's breeches lovingly stretched across the curviest bottom Aidan had ever had the pleasure to view, and as he drew his horse to a halt, his mouth watered as he took in the sight of a seemingly endless pair of slender legs. Perfectly proportioned hips tapered up from her bottom, and a flashing image of his hands gripping those hips as he plunged into her from behind made Aidan squirm a bit in his saddle. A wide belt cinched the breeches around the woman's tiny waist. Aidan wanted nothing more than to get his hands around her waist at that moment.
She had been so preoccupied with the mattress that the woman hadn't noticed him yet, so Aidan cleared his throat to announce his presence. She dropped the mattress and whirled to face him as he climbed down from his horse. He removed his hat and gave her his best smile.
"Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Aidan McKenzie. I live just down the road, and I thought I would stop and introduce myself to you and your husband."
Naomi managed to squelch her yelp of surprise, and she answered out of habit as she cautiously eyed her unexpected visitor. "I'm a widow, Mr. McKenzie."
Naomi's eyes widened further as she took in his appearance. Had she not known better, she could have sworn here stood Apollo. He was several inches over six feet, with tawny, sun-streaked hair and darkly tanned skin. His eyes were a deep, soulful brown, and they were set beneath a pair of dark eyebrows. His cheekbones, nose and jaw were perfectly sculpted, strong and handsome, but it was his mouth that drew her stare. His lips were just the right mixture of firm and sensual, and the thought of them cruising along her nape made her nipples crinkle into tight buds. At that moment they were parted in a smile that revealed even, white teeth. Oh, what must he think of her, dressed in these clothes? She hadn't thought that anyone would see her dressed this way, and she fought an urge to squirm.
Her clothes were the last thing on Aidan's mind. His smile had deepened when he saw the woman's face. The knowledge that she did not have a husband, at least not a living husband, pleased him immensely. Delicate, creamy skin covered high cheekbones in a perfect, heart-shaped face. Her hair was a rich chestnut color that caught red highlights from the late afternoon sun. Moist, pink lips were parted to form a surprised O, and her wide blue eyes were tilted slightly up at the corners, lending them a hint of mystery. At that moment, her eyes were transfixed on his mouth, giving Aidan a chance to survey the rest of her.
If the sight of her backside had been appealing, the sight of her front made him ache with lust. Her breasts were full and sumptuous, thrusting firmly out to test the confines of her shirt. He glimpsed the edge of a white lace chemise above the vee of her shirt, and even beneath the layers of cloth, he could clearly see the outline of her erect nipples, straining against the fabric. In that moment, he knew he wouldn't rest until he had tasted those nipples as well as every other one of her charms. His smile deepened and he raised his eyes to meet her surprised stare just in time to avoid being caught in the act of ogling her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs...?"
Naomi started slightly and a delicate blush crept across her cheeks.
"Mrs. Naomi Tisdale. I'm sorry, you simply caught me by surprise. I don't usually have to be prompted to remember my manners."
