All she could feel was Cody’s strong chest resting against her back, pushing all thoughts of the hunk of metal in her hands far from her mind. “Mm-hmm.”
“Then you hold it firmly with both hands.” He cupped her hands in his, moving them to the right spot on the gun. Ella closed her eyes and inhaled his woodsy scent. When had pine and cedar wood become such a comforting smell?
“Now all you have to do is aim and pull the trigger…and brace for the kickback. Your jacket should absorb some of the shock.”
That brought her back to reality. “Does it hurt a lot?”
“It might sting at first, but you’ll get used to it. The tighter you hold the gun against your shoulder, the less it will hurt. Now, close your left eye and locate the tree.”
Ella did as instructed.
Cody released her but didn’t step away. “Fire when ready.”
She let out her breath and squeezed the trigger. The gunshot exploded in her ear. She staggered backward into Cody, her shoulder buzzing as she dropped the weapon.
His hands landed on her upper arms. “The hardest part is over.”
Rubbing the sting away, Ella peeked up at him. “It is?”
“Yep. Though we’ll have to see about your aim.” He winked and scooped up the gun, then started for the tree. Ella gaped after him, amazed that a simple wink could send her heart fluttering. This man, this husband of hers, was breaking through her defenses all too easily, gruff exterior and all, chipping away at her walls one block at a time.
“Not bad!” he called, breaking into her thoughts. “You grazed the tree. That’s a good start. Try again.”
They spent the next half hour working on her new skill. By the end of it, she could hit the middle of the tree without much problem. Cody grinned like a proud parent. “I’d say this was a success. Next time, we’ll work on a smaller target.”
“Thanks for teaching me.” They walked toward the house. Ella massaged her shoulder. The pressure gave slight release to her aches. “It does give me a bit more peace of mind.”
“Good. I’ll keep the gun loaded, but far out of reach of the children. There’s a rack above the front door that will hold it. You should be able to get to it easily if needed.” He exhaled slowly. “Though I pray you never need to.”
When they got to the house, Cody hung the weapon above the door. Ella reached up to test the height. To her relief, she could retrieve it without a problem.
He touched her shoulder. “How does it feel?”
“Not great, but nothing I can’t handle.”
Little footsteps sounded upstairs. They both looked up, then at each other. Ella braced herself for Cody’s departure. “I’ll get the kids ready. You probably need to get out to the fields.”
“I’m not going.”
Ella blinked. “You’re not?”
“No. I found Hank early this morning and asked him to keep things running today. The boys will be fine on their own.”
Suspicion raced through her. “Is it because of me?”
“It’s because of your father. I don’t feel right leaving you here on your own, not until we have a handle on what he’s up to.”
“But…are you sure? I know Hank is capable, but you’re the boss. What if they need you?”
“Then they know where to find me.” Cody shrugged out of his winter coat, hanging it on the rack before helping Ella out of hers. “We haven’t really gotten to spend time together as a family, at least not for a full day. Consider this a bonding experience for us all.”
Ella couldn’t help staring at the man she’d married. He gave her another half smile, then turned toward the kitchen. “If you get the kids ready, I’ll make breakfast.”
CHAPTER 12
He should take days off more often.
Cody looked around at his unconventional family. They sat on the parlor floor, a blanket spread out beneath them with a picnic basket in the middle. Ella had suggested the indoor picnic. The children were intrigued by her idea. Isaiah even grew excited, making suggestions about the kind of food they should have on their “picnic.”
