A Worthy Heir

by Pat Ballard

  She knew within reason that Reese was asleep. There was no sign of him, so he must be in his tent sleeping like a baby, she thought resentfully. But what if he woke up and saw her? Which was silly, she reasoned. After all, he’d seen her totally nude in the hotel room in Vegas. But that was different.

  Finally she made her way to the large rock she’d sat on earlier in the afternoon. It came almost to her waist, so she could at least hunker behind it. Boy, what she’d give for some of the toilet tissue in her pack. She hated to have to drip dry.

  After finishing, she decided she’d try to find her pack. She could see that a Coleman stove had been set up and a pot was on it. Reese must have fixed himself something to eat. Again, resentment boiled up in her throat. He could at least have checked with her to see if she wanted anything.

  Being as quiet as possible, she finally spotted her pack and was reaching down to lift it when a voice at her shoulder said, “Looking for anything in particular?”

  The scream ripped unexpectedly from her throat, surprising her as much as it did Reese. And then she hit him. Her balled-up fist landed in the middle of his abdomen, almost knocking the air from his lungs. All the pent up fury she’d felt for the past twenty-four hours seemed to flow from her as one blow followed another until Reese managed to encircle her wrists with his big hands.

  “Stop it, Pam!” he yelled. “Get hold of yourself! Pam! Oh, Pam, don’t do that!”

  But it was too late. As he gathered her to the same broad chest she’d just been pummeling, the flood of tears was already soaking the front of his shirt.

  When her tears finally started to subside, Reese gently guided Pam to a foldout chair she hadn’t noticed before.

  “Sit here and I’ll get you something to eat. You must be starved. You barely touched your food at lunch.”

  So he had paid a little attention to her, she thought, as she wiped her eyes with the paper towel he handed her from the table.

  “I thought you were just sulking in the tent, so I didn’t tell you when the food was done,” Reese said, handing her a bowl of chili and some crackers. “Then when you didn’t come out, I peeked in and realized you were asleep. I figured you needed the sleep more than the food.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured, taking the food from him. What’s up with him, now, she wondered, savoring the first few bites of the chili and crackers. This was good! Tasted like it was made from scratch! But why was he suddenly being nice to her? She slid a clandestine glance at him sitting in a foldout chair like the one she was in.

  “You like the chili?” he asked, capturing her gaze, which she’d hoped he wouldn’t notice.

  “Yes! It tastes more like homemade than out of a can.”

  “More of Suzy’s handiwork. She knows what my favorite foods are and tries to keep them on hand for my trips. She makes this chili and cans it, so I can bring some with me.”

  “She really loves you, Reese. I think you’re like a son to her.”

  “Yeah, she’s the only mom I’ve ever had.” Pam was surprised at the tenderness in his voice.

  “But I don’t want to get all mushy and sentimental right now. If you’re finished eating, I want to show you something.”

  He set the bowl back on the table and held out his hand to her. Almost suspicious of his friendly gesture, Pam hesitantly placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her from the chair and lead her behind the tents toward the rock wall that loomed straight up. Moonlight glistened around them, turning their world into a mystical gray haze.

  Pam thought Reese was going to walk directly into the rock wall when, unexpectedly, he made an abrupt turn and guided her through a narrow passageway that was barely wide enough for them to pass through single file. Still holding her hand, they walked for several feet before he made another turn and came to a stop.

  Pam could only stare at the scene before her. A solid rock wall encircled a space that formed a completely hidden area that looked to be about 30 feet in diameter. Moonlight reflected off of and enhanced a small waterfall that cascaded down the rock wall to create a crystal clear pool that took up about half the area. She felt as if she’d stepped into her own fantasy paradise. This was the water she’d heard earlier, she realized, as she watched it tumble gently over the rocks to land in the pool before overflowing into a lower section to disappear again into the ground.

  “Do you like it?” Reese’s voice startled her. She’d been so caught up in the beauty surrounding her that she’d forgotten about him.

  She made several attempts to get her words to come through the emotion that choked her vocal chords. “Oh, Reese! This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It’s a hidden paradise!”

  “I’m glad you think that. It’s also a great natural shower. I thought you might like to refresh yourself after the long hot day you’ve had.”

  “You mean get in the water now? At night?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “Well, how deep is the pool? And what about snakes and animals and things?”

  “Typical woman!” Reese laughed. “We’re perfectly safe here. I’ve been here before. The pool is about six feet at the deepest, right under the waterfall, but it gradually slopes down, so you don’t have to worry about going in over your head too soon. And I can assure you that any snakes or “things” won’t bother you here. But we can explore it more in the daylight. Right now, I thought we could just get under the waterfall and refresh ourselves a little. It’ll be cold, but after you get used to it, you’ll love it.”

  “Just walk into the water with our clothes on?” Pam looked up at him questioningly.

  “Oh, no. We’ll take our clothes off first. Haven’t you ever been skinny dipping?” His teasing eyes glowed in the moonlight, causing Pam’s breath to stop halfway in her chest.

  “Excuse me?” She finally found her voice enough to whisper.

  “Now don’t get all prim and proper on me, Pam. This is our honeymoon, remember? Fifi said there must be a honeymoon. And since we’ve already consummated our marriage, there’s no reason for you to be bashful about taking a shower with your husband.”

  Pam caught frantically at his wrists to try to stop him from unbuttoning her shirt. But his nimble fingers already had half the buttons undone.

  “Reese! Stop this!” she hissed. “I’m not going to strip off and get in this water with you!”

  “You don’t have to do a thing, Darlin’. I’m going to do it all for you,” he whispered, as his lips claimed hers in a hungry kiss.

  By now her shirt was totally unbuttoned. Reese’s hands were hot on her bare skin as he slipped them inside her open shirt and encircled her waist, drawing her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

  Chapter 11

  Engulfed with desire at what Reese’s hands and lips were doing to her, Pam allowed him to slowly undress her before removing his own clothes. On legs that felt as if they would give away under her at any moment, she let him guide her into the cold waterfall.

  “You look like an Amazon princess with the water and moonlight playing over your hair and body,” Reese growled, his lips once again claiming hers. “But wait, I want to look at you some more.” He backed away from her just the slightest, to give himself a better view.

  Pam knew she should feel the need to cover herself. But the flame in Reese’s eyes told her he found her beautiful, releasing a newfound joy in her. Joy to be alive in this wonderful place. And joy to be making love to the only man she had ever loved.

  So she gave herself to him, willingly, eagerly, when he gently cupped a breast in his hand and lowered his mouth to it. A wild freedom overcame her as they made love in the moonlit water that spilled over them. She felt as if they were the only two people in the world. And if she thought she loved him before, there was no doubt now.

  He might be one of the biggest jerks she’d ever known, but he was also one of the most gentle, tender people she’d ever known. And that was the part she would always love. The tender Reese. The
achingly gentle Reese. Her husband. Her lover.

  When they got back to camp, Reese led her into the big tent. “You didn’t really think I was going to let you sleep in that little tent all by yourself, did you?”

  “But why did you bring two air mattresses, if we aren’t going to use but one?”

  “Just in case I get tired of you. I might throw you out of my bed if you don’t keep pleasing me,” he teased.

  “Oh, you—” but his lips hushed her retort as he pulled her down beside him and proceeded to love her again.

  When Pam awoke the next morning Reese was gone. Disappointment engulfed her. Surely after what they’d shared last night, he could spend a little time with her. At least have breakfast with her.

  She boiled some water on the Coleman stove and made a cup of instant coffee. She ate a breakfast bar while remembering the night before. They’d made love three times during the night. Reese was insatiable once he’d gotten started. But she sure wasn’t complaining, she thought, a contented smile playing on her lips.

  “Well, I hate to interrupt someone who looks so happy.” The voice startled Pam into a standing position.

  The man speaking to her wore what appeared to be a forest ranger’s uniform. “But you can’t stay here,” he continued. His face was pleasant and he spoke with a smile, but authority carried in his every word.

  “Excuse me?” was all Pam’s surprised voice could get out.

  “This is private property that you’re camped on, and you have to move. I’ll show you where the public camping areas are after you’ve broken camp here. It’ll take you a little while to pack up your tents, so I’ll come back in a couple of hours and show you where to go,” he said, turning to leave.

  “But wait! What do you mean, private property? I’m here with my husband and he’s the one who chose this spot. Besides that, I can’t leave without him, and I don’t have any idea when he’ll get back to camp.”

  “Oh? And what is he doing all day?” Sudden suspicion clouded the man’s friendly features.

  “He says he’s filming eagles,” Pam answered, hoping Reese didn’t mind her telling a total stranger what he was doing. But this stranger had the power to make them leave, so she had to tell him.

  “Hmmm. Filming eagles. I know someone who does that,” he mused, with a crooked grin. “But that doesn’t matter, you have to go.” Again the firmness was back. “I don’t think Reese would appreciate me allowing someone to camp on his land.”

  “Excuse me?” Pam repeated her first words to him. The man was going to think she was daft, but did she hear him correctly? “Who did you say this land belongs to?”

  “I didn’t say,” he answered, casting her a shrewd glance.

  “Yes, you did. You said someone wouldn’t appreciate you letting me camp on their land.”

  “Oh! Did I say that out loud?” Again he grinned. Pam couldn’t help but like the guy. If he had on different clothes, she was sure he’d look like an American Indian. Maybe he was. This was truly Indian country.

  “Yes, I think the name you used was Reese.”

  “Yes, I probably did. And that’s right, Reese wouldn’t like a stranger being here.”

  “Would this by any chance be Reese Bainbridge you’re referring to?” Pam asked, almost afraid of the answer.

  “Sure would! You know him?” Now the grin was spread all over the man’s tanned face.

  “I guess you could say that,” she answered, with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I’m his wife.”

  “Whaaaat? Don’t tell me ol’ Reese finally caved in and got married?”

  “Seems like he did,” she answered.

  “But wait. How do I know you’re not lying to me? Why would Reese camp out here, although I do know that he loves this place, when you could be staying in his house?” Unexpectedly he let out a whoop of a laugh and slapped his legs, as if he’d just heard the funniest thing in his life. “That’s just like Reese. He’s one of the richest men around, but he can’t get the wild blood out of his veins. That boy has always loved the outdoors more than anyone I know.”

  Very slowly, Pam lowered herself into a chair. What was she hearing? That Reese owned this land? That he even had a house here? What was going on? What kind of game was he playing with her?

  “Lady, you don’t look so happy all of a sudden.” The ranger had stopped laughing and had come closer to Pam. “In fact, you don’t look real well at all. Are you okay? Have I upset you about something?”

  “So you’re telling me that Reese Bainbridge owns this land? He even owns a house close by? How long have you known him?”

  “Oh crap! I’ve done it again, haven’t I? I’ve talked too much. You didn’t know about the land and house?” The look on his face, now, was one of fear.

  “No. I didn’t know,” she admitted. “In fact, we’re on our honeymoon and just got here yesterday.”

  “Well, I’m sure Reese has a reason for this. He’s probably just testing you, to see if you like the outdoors as much as he does,” he offered.

  “What is your name?” Pam asked.

  “John Littlefoot. Reese and I are cousins.”

  “Cousins?” Pam blurted. This just got better and better!

  “Look, I gotta go. I’ve already said too much. I wish to hell I could persuade you not to even mention to Reese that I’ve been by here, but I know you’ll tell him. And now I may be in deep crap with him. Man! I sure don’t want to get his Indian blood stirred up.” And before Pam could say another word, he’d disappeared into the underbrush.

  Indian blood? Had he said Indian blood? How many more surprises would she have had if the man had stayed another thirty minutes?

  Too numb to think, Pam headed for the waterfall. Maybe the cold water would clear her mind. But it didn’t help. The stimulation just made her thoughts whirl faster.

  How could Reese have been so loving to her last night, knowing all the time that he was deceiving her? What else was he keeping from her? Well, as soon as he came back to camp tonight he was in for a few big surprises. He had some questions to answer! How dare he deceive her like this!

  Like you did him? The little voice interrupted her mental ranting. At least he didn’t deceive you into marrying him, the inner voice continued. He hasn’t tried to move in and take over your heritage.

  “All right, already!” she yelled out loud. “I get the message!” And she did. She realized she didn’t blame Reese for keeping his secrets. She could see his point. For all he knew she’d try to stake a claim on part of everything he owned, so she couldn’t fault him for protecting himself from her. When she put herself in his shoes, she could very well understand why he’d be suspicious of her.

  But she truly didn’t want anything from the Bainbridges except to get Tom’s life back. Somehow she had to make Reese understand that. But how? Now that they were married, he would never believe she hadn’t meant to trick him into this situation from the beginning.

  There’s always divorce, the ever-present little voice whispered. Pam wanted to reach inside her head and rip that voice out and smash it, but she knew it was right, yet again. She knew instantly what she must do.

  Fiona’s will stated that there must be a honeymoon. But it didn’t make any further stipulations. So she’d give Fiona a honeymoon. She’d give herself a honeymoon. But when it was over, she’d give Reese his freedom.

  Fiona could rest in peace, knowing that her precious company was in good hands. Tom would have his life back. Reese would have his freedom. And she would have—she would have the most wonderful honeymoon she could ever have dreamed of. And, after that, maybe she would be able to stand the lonely life that would follow.

  Having made up her mind that she wouldn’t say anything to Reese about John Littlefoot’s visit and her newfound knowledge, Pam set about to prepare supper.

  When Reese returned to camp, he was amazed to find potatoes that Pam had rolled in tinfoil and baked by building a smoldering fire on the groun
d, letting it die down to coals, then placing the potatoes in the coals and letting them cook. She had made cornbread cakes and heated a can of pork and beans.

  “Well, aren’t we full of surprises,” he murmured, pulling her close and kissing her neck.

  Biting her tongue to keep from commenting about what had been on her mind all day, and that he was the one full of surprises, she said, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Reese.”

  “I know. But I plan to learn it all. Little by little, inch by inch,” he whispered, starting to unbutton her shirt.

  “But, Reese, the food!” she protested, half-heartedly.

  “The food can wait, baby, I’ve been starving for you all day.” His mouth claimed hers, to prove his point.

  “Then why—?”

  “Shhhh. No more talking. Concentrate on what you’re feeling. That’s all that matters right now.” If he only knew how prophetic his words were.

  Darkness was settling in when they finally sat down to eat. As the moon cast its silvery spell around them, Pam watched Reese’s features as he talked about his day. Indian blood? She could see it now. The sharp, chiseled features. The dark hair. Throw in Fiona’s flashing blue eyes, and Reese Bainbridge was a fascinating man to behold.

  As the campfire died out and the moonlight played across his face, Pam sensed a wildness that lay just beneath the surface of the man facing her. A determination to never be tamed. A need to be his own person, no matter who wanted to own him. To claim him. She knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that if any woman ever claimed Reese Bainbridge it would be because he gave himself to her. Not because she demanded that he be hers. Fiona had witnessed his determination to never be forced to live a life he hated.

  She also knew, in that instant, that she loved Reese too much to try to force him to be happy in a marriage he didn’t want. This substantiated the decision she’d made earlier in the day, to let him go. If you love something—or someone—set them free. Oh, how she hoped he’d come back to her. But in her heart, she knew he wouldn’t.