Dayna's heart skipped at his words. "He mentioned me to you?"
"Little lady, I told you once before you bothered him. Oh, he never has said outright what he feels. But he'd ask me where you were or what you were doing. And I've never known him to care like that about any lady before."
Her brows knitted with confusion. Bonnie's expression was enigmatic. Dayna's eyes shifted to the mountains in the distance. Pointing an arm toward them she asked, "Would it be all right if I ride that way?"
Bonnie made a face. "I don't think you should. It's not good to just ride off somewhere unless you know the land real well. There's a lot of it out there. Why don't you ride one of the trails? That way you won't have any trouble coming back."
"No," Dayna countered, feeling rebellious. "I don't want to. I've been that way. I want to see something different," she said, her annoyance with Bonnie's solicitous attitude very apparent in her sharp tone.
Showing his distress, Bonnie appealed, "Dayna, I don't think you should."
Adamantly, she declared, "Well, I will." With a quick pull she turned the horse away from Bonnie and sent it into a gallop.
Behind her, Bonnie muttered, "Dagnabit— stubborn female!"
How long Dayna rode, she didn't know. She slowed the horse once the ranch disappeared from view. As the bay dawdled along she tried to straighten out her feelings. She had been a fool where Brand was concerned. Christy's appearance forced her to face how little she really meant to him.
She raised her eyes to see where she was. Without a guiding hand, the horse had headed for the greenest place he knew—the same stand of palm trees where she and Brand had nearly made love. She slid off the saddle and walked the horse to one of the palms. After tying him to the tree, she wandered absently about, picking some of the pastel-hued wildflowers. With the flowers in her lap, she sat cross-legged under the tree. Memories of the kisses, the feel of Brand's arms around her, the thrilling shiver he could send through her body with his touch floated back to her. How could he have become so much a part of her in two short weeks? It was as if she had known him all her life, as if there could be no life without him.
The thought brought her swiftly to her feet. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if by doing so she could block out such thoughts. For the sake of your pride, she argued to herself, you can't love him. But her thoughts were overshadowed by the sound of horse's hooves in the distance. Turning toward it, she saw a rider on a chestnut quarter horse approaching.
Her body tensed, her mind warning her, as Brand drew closer. For all the angry determination coursing through her, she felt her legs go weak beneath her just at the sight of him. She knew she was outmatched by the commanding, imposing man who was now almost at her side. What Brand couldn't convey with words, he could prove in a much more physical manner, one that she had no defenses against.
Her anger became heavily intermingled with sensual excitement as she watched him slide from the saddle and stride toward her. "What are you doing, going off like that?" he snapped angrily.
"Bonnie's got a big mouth," she remarked just as testily.
"He did right. If he hadn't told me, he would have been in big trouble." His angry blue eyes stared down at her. "What if you got lost? Then what?"
Her voice crackled with proud emotion. "I know where I am! Look around," she flared, "or don't you remember?"
Brand gave the area only a fleeting glance but his features softened, indicating that he remembered the day they'd spent there. His eyes returned to her and the gentleness she saw warned her to run from him.
As he drew near, Dayna avoided the disarming quality of his gaze by staring down at the wildflowers in her hand. As he reached out to caress her chin, she pulled back slightly as if recoiling from his touch.
"I didn't invite her," Brand growled.
She had expected the very words she had just heard and avoided responding to them. "I understand you were at the sheriff's office this morning." She dared to look up at him. His mouth was set in a thin, hard, determined line; he was aware she was diverting the conversation to a less personal topic. "Seems I was right about Cutler," she couldn't help adding.
"Yes, you were," Brand admitted. He took a step closer and Dayna tensed. His blue eyes had narrowed, glints of confidence and impatience flashing in them. "We'd already suspected Cutler though."
Dayna murmured with some surprise, "You did?"
"We've been waiting for the past five days for him to make a move, but I didn't want you involved in any way. That's why I played it down when you told W.R. and me yesterday morning about what you'd overheard."
"You really knew?"
Brand nodded. "Cutler had Mexican connections and was smuggling the cattle across the state line. He was pretty sly. He'd stay at a ranch for a while, gain his employer's trust, and then make his move." His voice suddenly went soft, his mind as one-tracked as ever. "Dayna, I didn't invite her. She came on her own. The only woman I want in my arms is you." His breath warmed her face, suffocating her with his nearness, and the thoughts about Christy that had seemed so important just seconds ago slipped away, forgotten in the wave of weakness that flooded her. His voice caressed her. "I want you." He leaned even closer and bent his head. As his lips gently followed the dainty contour of her ear, Dayna closed her eyes, giving in to the whirling sensation that swept through her. The wildflowers fell from her hand to the ground as the steel band of his arm encircled her waist and pulled her body against the length of his. His lips brushed hers and then pressed down, moving with slow deliberation and thorough passion. When he drew his head back, his voice was thick with emotion. "You know I want you. Only you. Now, show me you love me before it's too late."
He wanted her, only her. A sense of what he was really saying seeped through the intoxicating spell that bound her. But then her mind completed the thought. He wanted her only for now. Not forever. She tensed beneath the smoldering touch of his lips on her neck and denied the desire that was consuming her, knowing she couldn't allow herself to succumb again. She pushed him away. Brand said nothing, but from the corner of her eye Dayna saw his dark frown. She jumped beneath the touch of his hand on her cheek as he gently swept her hair back to view her face better. Afraid she would unwittingly blurt out the words that could completely weaken her, she spun away and ran to her horse, quickly mounting before Brand could reach her. He made a wild grab for the bridle, but she nipped the horse's flanks, and holding on firmly to keep from being unseated, she urged the horse to a wild gallop and headed back to the ranch.
With the sound of thundering hooves behind her, fear rose within her. She hadn't expected Brand's pursuit, and she wanted nothing more than to avoid another encounter with him. She brought the horse to a sliding stop, much to the dismay of Bonnie, who stood nearby inside the corral. Dayna didn't give the ranch hands in the corral more than a flickering glance.
Dismounting quickly, she glanced back and saw that Brand was nearly there. Hurrying the horse toward one of the men, she handed him the reins. "Here," she demanded, "take care of him."
She turned away but froze as Brand slid his quarter horse to a halt frighteningly close to her, jumped from the horse, and grabbed her arm before she could escape.
The men were startled at the sight of their foreman's hell-bent actions. Brand didn't notice the audience. His face was hard with determination, and Dayna desperately tried to break free.
His fingers tightened on her arm in a viselike grip as she tried to pull away. From the corner of her eye, she saw Bonnie storming toward the men and heard his harsh reprimand. "You fellows got nothing to do but stand around here? I'll find you some work. That's what W.R. pays you for, not to put your nose in other people's business."
As Bonnie hustled them out of hearing range, Brand grabbed both her arms and whirled her around to face him. With a courage she didn't feel, Dayna met the anger in his narrowed blue eyes. The impatience consuming him was even more evident in his voice. "Did you think if you ran off that would be the
end of it?"
A combination of fear and anxiety left her breathless and her voice weak. "There's nothing more to say. Christy's appearance last night and your actions now say more than enough."
"You're wrong! Maybe you think everything is nice and clear, but I don't. There's a lot more to be said." He drew a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Christy is Cutler's girlfriend. Her job was to pander to my ego and especially to make sure I was kept busy last night." Dayna saw a muscle in his jaw twitch, conveying how angry he was although he kept his voice low. "You just couldn't trust me, could you? And I understand why, now."
"Trust—like everything else—needs time to grow," Dayna responded.
"Time!" he scoffed. "What you really mean is you've never believed anything I've ever said. You've assumed everything I've said has been some—some ploy to get you to bed."
"You just asked me again to make love with you before it was too late," she said softly.
Brand hissed, not wanting to be heard. "I got that kind of love from you days ago," he reminded her bluntly. "I didn't mean just physical love. But you know that. You've wrapped me up in knots, but you don't care because that's what you intended to do."
Dayna looked up now. His eyes pierced her like sharp knives. The weight of his anger bore down on her as he released his hold on her so abruptly she stumbled back a step. "Hank overheard your little plan to teach me a lesson. But I never wanted to believe that's what you were doing. You aren't a damn fool. I am!"
Dayna found her voice, but her words suddenly sounded weak even to her own ears. "I didn't want to be used. I told you before, whirlwind romances don't last."
He released a bitter laugh. "You've done a fine job of proving you were right. You haven't been used. But I have. Because, like a fool, I fell in love with you, when all the time none of it meant anything to you."
His words came at her like a powerful bolt of lightning. Dayna laid a trembling hand to her mouth to prevent her emotions from breaking loose. Through blurred vision, she watched Brand whirl away, his irate strides carrying him quickly toward the big house. As he disappeared from her sight, the door closing behind him, she was still dazed, still too stunned to utter a defense. Christy had been part of the rustling scheme. Had Brand known that, too? Had he deliberately allowed her to make a play for him so that Cutler wouldn't become suspicious? But one thing was certain. She had used him. By denying her love for him and the love he professed for her, she had been emotionally destructive to him. Slowly, she became aware of her surroundings and the curious stares of the ranch hands, who had overheard some of Brand's outburst. She squared her shoulders and stumbled inside trying to salvage some dignity despite the shattering effects of the scene that had just ended. She stood trembling in her room, knowing that as much as she loved him, she had unwittingly hurt him.
Dayna burrowed herself under the sheet, not wanting to get out of bed, not wanting to face the morning and what it eventually would bring. She placed the pillow over her head but still heard Shelly's muffled voice. Knowing she couldn't escape the inevitable by such childish actions, she rolled onto her back with a soft moan, jarred to wakefulness by the sight of Karen packing. It was a sharp reminder that they were leaving in a few hours. Seats had been reserved for them on a late afternoon flight, so she had only the morning and early afternoon left. Somehow she'd arrived at a decision while she slept.
Brand had been absent all day yesterday, and pride had kept Dayna from asking anyone where he was. Pride, it seemed, had caused her more harm than good, for it was just that need to maintain her self-respect at all costs that had prevented her from believing his words of love. A restless night had dispelled every emotion but one—love. She loved him. That was all that was important now.
Both Shelly's and Karen's eyes were on her as she sat up and commented wryly, "I think I could have slept all day."
Returning her attention to the suitcase she was packing, Karen quipped, "That would be a good way to miss the flight."
Dayna appealed, "Karen, don't. The last thing I need is unasked-for advice."
"Sure," Karen mumbled.
Trying to lighten the mood, Dayna looked at Shelly, who appeared to be uncomfortable because of the irritated sound of her friends' exchange. "Well, Shelly, some cowpoke didn't sweep you into his arms and ride off into the sunset with you, but an accountant did. Did Martin talk of continuing this romance?"
Shelly shook off her discomfort and beamed. "He did say Chicago and New York aren't so far apart." Shyly, she admitted, "He also said he was seriously considering relocating to Chicago."
Karen whirled around in response to the unexpected news, and she smiled with happiness for her friend. "Oh, Shelly, that's great!"
As if she was trying to keep the joy she felt subdued, Shelly nodded and said quietly, "Yes, it really is."
Dayna rose from the bed and stepped forward to give Shelly a hug. "I'm happy for you."
Keeping her eyes intent on the blouse she was folding, Karen remarked, "Arizona, however, isn't just a jump away from Chicago. I doubt if we'll ever see anyone from here again." Getting no reaction from Dayna, Karen added, "Dayna, what are you doing? Are you really going to be able to forget Brand the minute you step on board the plane today?" Dayna made a move as if to stop her, but Karen seemed determined to say what was on her mind. "He's in love with you. Tell him you love him. You haven't, have you?"
"I'm going to," Dayna answered quietly.
"What?"
She smiled at Karen's dumbfounded expression and explained as she gestured toward her suitcase, "I'm only packing in case I'm forced to leave. I've hurt him. He may have decided I'm not worth all the trouble."
For the next two hours, Dayna searched everywhere for Brand. She didn't care who knew of her desperate need to find Brand, but by noon, her hope was fading. Brand was nowhere to be found. Heading back to the lodge, she glanced at her wristwatch. Only two hours were left before her flight. Despondently, she entered the lobby, knowing she had to pack. She'd do a hurried job and use any time left to continue what appeared to be a futile search.
She began to climb the stairs when the door of W.R.'s office opened. Leaning against the doorframe, he called out to her, "Dayna, may I speak with you?"
She nodded, but her heart lurched with apprehension when she saw the grim expression on his face as she entered his office.
W.R. closed the door behind her. "Please sit here," he said, indicating the chair Dayna had seen Brand slouching lazily in many times throughout the past two weeks.
She sat down and ran her hands over the leather of the chair, wondering if this was as close to Brand as she would ever get again.
Bluntly he stated, "You're looking for Brand."
Dayna nodded. "I've looked everywhere. No one seems to know where he is." With a cheerless laugh, she said, "He's doing another disappearing act I guess."
"No, he isn't, Dayna. I know where he is. He told me last night he was riding out and wouldn't be back until late this afternoon."
"Is it far?" Thinking of making a desperate attempt to see him, she said, "Maybe I'd have time to ride out there."
He shook his head. "No, it's too far. Dayna, it was deliberate. He didn't want to be around today."
Her throat constricted as tears began to form.
"I'm sorry," W.R. said with a frown. "He just didn't want to be here when you left."
"I wanted to tell him that…" The words caught in her throat.
Lines were etched deeply in W.R.'s face, and Dayna tried to gain hold of her composure.
"Dayna, Brand was in such a state yesterday I told him that if he didn't tell me what was going on I'd hogtie him to a chair," he said, revealing the concern he was feeling over the situation.
"Did—did he tell you?"
"No, he refused. But anyone watching you two could see the love that was growing between you. I just wish he'd regain his good sense and get back here before it's too late."
Drawing a deep, ragged brea
th, Dayna glanced at the clock on the wall behind W.R.'s chair. W.R.'s words echoed in her mind as the clock ticked away precious minutes. Everyone had seen their love but her. "I think it might already be too late."
The bustling airport sounds were nerve-racking to Dayna as she awaited the dreaded announcement to board their flight. With a heavy sigh, Bonnie set their luggage on the floor. "Sure don't want to say goodbye." Somewhat self-consciously, he moved the rim of his hat between his fingers. "It's like you belonged at the ranch. Kind of thought you might be there all the time, Dayna. W.R. would be real happy if you came back. Me, too."
Dayna raised a bemused face to him as she tried to sort out all her confused thoughts. Suddenly, she reached a decision. She turned to Karen. "You can handle anything that comes up at the travel agency, can't you?"
"Yes," Karen answered quickly. "You're going back?"
Dayna nodded. "I'm going back. Brand isn't the only one who never gives up. This is too important for me to just walk away. I have to talk to him again."
Bonnie's face brightened agreeably but a familiar voice behind her interrupted. "Now that sounds like my strong-willed daughter."
Dayna whirled around in surprise, not believing her ears.
"Dad, what are you doing here?"
"I came to visit an old friend," Edward Palmer offered with a smile.
Dayna's face had a dubious expression. "You just left the business to come here? Needed to see W.R. that badly, did you?"
"I just closed the office for the day," he said placatingly. "Karen will be there to handle matters tomorrow." Dayna's green eyes leveled a curious look at him, forcing him to answer more truthfully. "When I talked to you on the phone, you sounded as if for the first time since you were twenty, you might need me."
Dayna smiled, placing an affectionate hand on his arm. "For a while it seemed I'd lost direction. Now I know exactly what I'm going to do."
Whirlwind Page 18
