Witt enteredthe den and approached his wife. She had her eyes closed and was humming a soft tune, her bare toes keeping time with the music in her head.
“Are you drunk?” he asked, taking in the empty bottle as well as the crumpled sheets of yellow paper littering the desk.
“Why yes, I believe I am,” she replied with a smile, her eyes still closed. “Would you like to examine me to make sure, Dr. Whittaker?”
He snorted.
“Trust me, Cara Mia, other than carrying you upstairs to sleep it off, the next time I put my hands on you won’t be nearly that pleasurable,” he promised, scooping her out of the chair and into his arms.
Cara rested her head on his shoulder with a pout.
“That’s too bad,” she whispered sadly.
“Yes, it will be, for you,” he replied as he strode from the room and up the wide curving staircase.
Reaching their room, he laid her on the king-sized bed and pulled a throw over her. He watched her snuggle into the cover and tried not to smile. Bending down he brushed the hair from her cheek and kissed her.
“Sleep well, naughty girl,” he whispered. “I have a feeling you’ll be sleeping on your tummy tonight. Not your favorite position, I know.”
He smiled when Cara waved him away with her hand, her lower lip thrust out. For a highly educated professional, she certainly had her childish moments, he thought as he headed downstairs to clean up her mess.
It wasn’t until he’d gathered all the crumpled-up papers that he saw the legal pad face down on the desk. Picking it up he sat in his chair and began to read.
We met in college. He was a jock who pursued me with a vengeance. Eventually I caved and we became lovers.
An injury caused his dreams of playing pro ball to vanish. I felt terrible.
His younger brother enlisted and was killed on his first deployment. His parents were devastated, and Morgan enlisted to honor his brother’s memory.
We married in a civil ceremony just before he deployed out. Mostly intended to give his parents some comfort.
While Morgan was serving our country his parents were killed in a house fire. Morgan came home for the funeral and returned to duty immediately. I didn’t hear anything more until he was wounded and shipped home.
He recovered physically, but was despondent. For months we barely spoke.
Finally, I asked him to be part of our time-travel program and he agreed. We sent him to 1880 Kansas.
Apparently, he fit right in. His ancestors had a son, also named Morgan, who never returned home after serving under General Sheridan. Our Morgan took his place. He acquired two brothers, Mead and Matthew, and a sister, Melissa.
Shortly after he arrived in Kansas he requested information about a woman, Miss Callie Mae Walker. I sent it against my better judgment. Callie Mae was shot during a barroom brawl. I worried that Morgan would intervene, and I was right. Although the dates were wrong on the newspaper article I sent him, he still managed to circumvent her death.
Everything changed at that precise moment. Immediately the article in my hand vanished, but you appeared, so it was a great trade.
Today I gotword from him that he’s returning on Tuesday. I don’t know why, and he absolutely cannot stay! If he doesn’t return to the past, there will be no you and therefore, no us. I don’t yet remember everything about my life with you, Witt, but I know enough. I love you. I’d rather die than give up what we have together. Help me!!!
Hell,no wonder she got drunk, he thought, running a hand through his hair. He could use a drink himself. Getting up he went to the bar and poured a glass of bourbon. There were a million questions he wanted answers to, and she was intoxicated. That was one more reason to blister her sweet little ass.
CHAPTER2
1880
Morgan nearly groaned as he gently removed his bride’s arms from a round him and slipped out of bed. The floor was cold, and he immediately got a cramp in his foot that had him grinding his teeth. Grabbing his clothes and boots, he hobbled from the room as quietly as he could and hurried down the stairs, avoiding the ones he knew squeaked.
Mead was already dressed and waiting on the bed his mother arranged in a corner of the parlor. Ever since the gun fight in The Duchess, he’d been staying at the farm. His soft laughter belied his pain as he watched his naked brother sneak down the stairs.
“Good thing Ma didn’t hear you. She’d probably make you go back to bed and get to work on those grandbabies she wants so badly.”
“I got a damn cramp as soon as I hit the floor,” Morgan hissed, pulling on his pants. “I thought for sure I was going to wake up Callie Mae, if not the whole house. Are you ready?” he asked, buttoning his shirt.
