Ride The Wind (Vincente 3)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "I wasn't even thinking about the Miller broth ers. It goes back much further than that. While Noble was away during the war, my father was dying, although I didn't know it at the time. He sent me to Georgia to live with my grandparents, not knowing they had died during the winter. He thought I would be safe with them."

  "Your mother was already dead?"

  "Yes. She died when I was small. I hardly remember her. There was a time when I thought everyone dear to me had died, even Noble."

  Reese could only imagine what she had suffered. This was a side of her he had never suspected. He wasn't sure Matthew fully valued this woman he was to marry. "What did you do in Georgia?"

  "My aunt was the only family I had living back there. Late in the war, the Yankees tore through Georgia, burning, killing, and destroying. The plantation house was burned, the valuables stolen, and the livestock confiscated by the enemy. My aunt and I sought sanctuary in the overseer's crude, empty cabin that was half the size of this room. We had no food, no clothing, and I believe we would both have died if I hadn't met Matthew."

  "So that's how you met? Matthew never told me."

  She ran a delicate finger over the knee of her frayed trousers. "I imagined he would have told you that."

  "No. He keeps a lot of his thoughts about you to himself."

  She met his eyes and smiled. "I met you through the letters he wrote me. Matthew thinks very highly of you. To read his letters, one would think there is nothing you can't do."

  He rose to his feet, and her gaze followed the line of his long, lean body. "I'll just fix us something to eat."

  She stood up beside him and placed her hand on his arm. "I'll help you."

  "Not this time. You have been through a lot in the past weeks. I'll take care of you tonight."

  She looked so sweet with the firelight playing on her golden hair and reflecting in her blue eyes. Reese wanted to grab her and press her against his aching body. He suddenly felt empty inside, realizing for the first time how lonely his life had been without a wife. He hadn't thought this way before hell, he'd had plenty of women over the years. He couldn't think of any woman he'd wanted that he couldn't get. But Saber was different. He could never have her. If fate hadn't thrown them together, they would never have met. If they had met on the street, she would probably have passed him without even noticing him.

  He reminded himself that she'd been born to be the jewel of some man's heart, to be paraded around as a prize, and Matthew was that man. He allowed his mind to go further, and speculated on how it would feel to slide between her legs, to have her lips on his, to feel her breasts in his hands. He suddenly felt hot and shaken.

  He had to stop thinking like this! He would never know the taste of those lips or feel her writhing beneath him in the heat of passion.

  "Damn," he said, twisting away from her and striding out of the room. He'd never allowed any woman to get under his skin as Saber had. She was in his blood, tangled in his mind, and he couldn't get her out. It was going to be a living hell, being snowbound with her and being tempted every day.

  Saber was puzzled by his strange change of mood. She walked to the window, peering out at the snow. It was a bad storm, and she couldn't see as far as the barn. It made her sad that Reese would lose some of his herd.

  Closing her eyes, she leaned her forehead against the windowpane, feeling guilty because most of her thoughts were of Reese and not of Matthew. If Reese only knew how she saw him he was her hero and always would be.

  She moved restlessly about the parlor and then went to the bedroom and stood in the door way. The room was small, it held only a bed, a night table with a pitcher and a lamp, and a slatted chair in the corner. She advanced into the room, thinking this room would reveal more of Reese's personality. She picked up a book and wrinkled her nose at the title: Fielding's Technique of Animal Husbandry.

  "Well, Mr. Starrett, your reading habits give me very little insight into your character," she said aloud. "My brother has this book."

  The bed was covered with an indigo and green Indian coverlet, and on the floor was a braided rug. She saw a bootjack and a pair of boots in the corner. There was a holster and a six-gun hanging from a wall peg.

  There was nothing of the man here. Nothing to tell her who Reese was. There were no pictures of his family no treasures from family members. She had the saddest feeling that he had no childhood memories to cherish.

  She went back into the parlor and glanced at the books there. Running her finger down the titles, she smiled. Now these were interesting, but they puzzled her further. There was Homer's Iliad, poems by Thomas Hood, and Phillip Green's Guide to Arabian Horses. His choice of books was as complicated as the man himself.

  When he called out to Saber, it startled her as if she'd been caught snooping. She quickly shoved the books back into the shelf.

  "I have the kitchen warmed up. You can come to the table and eat."

  She spun around, finding him standing behind her. "I'm starved."

  He glanced down at her. "I have never known a time when you weren't hungry."

  She entered the kitchen and observed that the room had an unused feeling about it. Reese's large size made the room feel even smaller, and he seemed uncomfortable in this setting. He moved to the stove, spearing bacon and placing it on two plates.

  "I'm sorry about the food. The kitchen isn't my domain."

  Saber sat in the chair he indicated and sniffed the air, taking the cup of coffee he handed her. "It looks delicious to me," she said, watching him, awkwardly scrape eggs out of an iron skillet.

  Reese sat across from her, and they ate in silence for awhile. It seemed that now that they faced each other over a table, they were having a hard time communicating. Saber had so much she wanted to ask him, but her questions would be prying into his private life. Now was not the time to question him, she thought, taking a bite of the fluffy egg.

  "I cook better on the trail," Reese said, watching her carefully.

  "A man shouldn't have to cook, Reese. You should have a wife to do it for you."

  He smiled slightly. "Now, I have never thought of food as a reason to take a wife."

  "Well, a wife has more functions than just putting food on your table."

  He paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "Such as?"

  "Well..." Her brow puckered. "I can't say you need a housekeeper, because everything is neat and orderly."

  "Jake keeps the place clean for me."

  "Well, you must want children. A man should have a son to carry on his name."

  "Have you appointed yourself as a one-woman committee to get me married?" He took a bite of bacon and stabbed his fork into another. "I do very well without a wife, thank you. If I want a woman--" He broke off, somehow resenting her for thinking he needed a woman.

  "I'm sorry," she said, standing up and gathering her dishes. "I know it's none of my business."

  "Damned right it isn't!"

  He rose abruptly and left the kitchen, returning with his coat and hat. "I'll be late. When you are ready to go to bed, you can have the bedroom."

  "I don't want to take your bed."

  He stared at her for a moment. "I'll bunk with Jake and Gabe."

  He was startled when she lunged at him, and he had to catch her in his arms.

  "No, Reese. I don't want to sleep in this house alone. I want you with me." Her stomach tightened in a knot, and she could hardly draw a breath, she was so frightened. She shook her head, confused by her own feelings. "What is it? What have I done to make you so angry with me?"

  His chest expanded, and he reached out to touch her cheek. "Everything about you makes me angry," he answered harshly, with a cruel slant to his mouth. "You don't have any idea what you are doing to me, do you?"

  She knew what he was doing to her, but she didn't know how to answer his question. She shook her head and replied softly, "No, I don't."

  He could feel her trembling and realized that she was really afraid of being
left alone. He should have realized she had not yet recovered from her ordeal.

  He captured her in a protective clasp. "Of course you don't want to be alone. I just have some chores to do. I'll be back before dark."

  Saber touched his face, feeling the stubble of his beard, dazed by the pleasure she felt at being close to him. "You won't forget?" she asked in a throaty voice.

  He dislodged her from his arms and walked toward the door. "No, I won't forget."

  The house felt empty when he left. Saber began doing the dishes while she tried to conquer her fear. What if she spent the rest of her life frightened when Reese wasn't with her? She realized that not even her brother, Noble, made her feel safe the way Reese did.

  Why was that? she wondered.

  Saber cleaned the kitchen, then went into the parlor, where she found a stack of quilts on the chair. She spread them before the fire so Reese could keep warm. She was so tired when she made her way to the bedroom. A smile lit her face when she saw that Reese had placed one of his flannel shirts across the foot of the bed. She was sure he wanted her to use it as a nightgown.

  Cold air hit her when she undressed, but she still took the time to pour water into the bowl and quickly wash herself. Shivering, she pulled the soft flannel shirt over her head. She laughed when it fell to her knees and the sleeves covered her hands. She rolled up the sleeves and climbed into bed, hoping Reese would have a comfortable night on the pallet.

  She buried her face in his pillow and sank into the mattress where his body usually lay. A strange contentment came over her, and she could see herself spending the rest of her life in this house.. .in this bed with Reese.

  The truth had been there for her to see all the time, but she had been too confused to recognize it. She had fallen in love with Reese. Not the idealistic love of a young girl who had been overwhelmed by Matthew's handsomeness and his kindness to her when she needed it most. What she felt for Reese was the love of a woman who wanted to share her life with him, to have his children, to stand beside him in hard times and laugh with him in good times. She wanted to press herself into his arms and never leave him.

  Reese was as different from Matthew as two men could be. Matthew was from a prominent Philadelphia family, always saying the right thing, his manners impeccable. He had the kind of looks that drew gasps from young ladies. Reese would never feel at home in a drawing room; his hands were callused from hard work. He was a man to fear if you were his enemy, but a man to be trusted if you were his friend. He was honorable, trustworthy, a man of the land.

  Thinking about the cattle Reese would lose before this blizzard blew itself out brought tears to her eyes. She already knew he was not a man to give up. He'd fight on no matter what the odds. He'd work hard to rebuild his herd, and she wanted to be beside him and help him.

  She rolled to her side and watched the snowflakes drift slowly past the window. Noble would respect Reese, because they were very much alike. She frowned, wondering if her brother would like Matthew when they finally met. She pulled the covers to her chin, relishing the feel of a soft bed. In no time at all, she was asleep.

  Noble Vincente's dark gaze pierced Zeb and Alejandro. "Why in the hell did you leave my sister with that man? I don't know him, and I sure as hell don't trust him."

  Zeb bit off a chunk of tobacco and let the gran vaquero of Casa del Sol explain Saber's actions to her brother.

  "Patron, it was Senorita Saber's wish to remain with Senor Starrett. She trusts him, and so do I.She is in no danger from him."

  Noble paced the length of the hotel room and back again, stopping before Alejandro. "Did it occur to either of you that her reputation might suffer when it's learned that she's staying with him without a chaperon?"

  Zeb ambled forward and fixed Noble with a sagacious glance. "I'm a-thinking that people will say what they want to no matter what. I've heard talk about her being alone with the Miller brothers. I don't like it any, but people'll always sink their teeth in gossip."

  Noble's jaw clamped in a hard line. "What kind of talk, Zeb?"

  "I didn't want to tell you, but I 'spect you should know."

  "Just say it right out, old man," Noble insisted.

  Zeb nodded grimly. "They're a-saying that she can't be pure if she's been with those Miller brothers. Tom Wade was saying they ain't the kind of men to leave her alone, if you know what I mean. I took me a swing at him and cracked his jaw a good-un. He won't be jawing for a time."

  Noble seemed to loom over Zeb; his dark eyes held a murderous light. "Show me the men who have said anything about my sister, and they will die today."

  Alejandro placed his hand on his patron's shoulder. "You can't kill the whole town. The talk will only grow worse if we call attention to it."

  Zeb removed his hat and tossed it on the bed. "The way I see it, Miss Saber is safe with Reese Starrett. And that frees us up to go hunting for the Miller brothers."

  Alejandro's voice was raised in anger as he swooped toward the bed and grabbed Zeb's hat, tossing it to the floor. "You are loco, old man! You should know it's bad luck to put your hat on the bed, and we have had enough of that lately."

  Zeb scooped up his hat and planted it on his head, seemingly undaunted by Alejandro's outburst. He knew everyone's temper was frayed, especially Noble's. He wished Rachel were there to calm the situation down. "We got us enough trouble and don't need to start a-fighting each other."

  Noble walked to the window and threw the curtain aside. "When did you say Matthew Halloway and his family would be here?"

  Alejandro produced the note that had been delivered to him earlier. "The note said by midmorning."

  Noble stared out at the darkened Fort Worth streets, feeling helpless. He wanted to ride out tonight and get his sister; he also wanted to find the Miller brothers and Graham Felton. He could be very patient when the situation called for it. He would take care of the men who had dared touch Saber. He just needed to know she was unharmed.

  He glanced back at the two men who watched him expectantly. "While we wait for the Halloways, tell me everything you know about Saber's abduction and rescue by this Reese Starrett. And don't leave out any detail."

  Reese bumped his knee on the stone fireplace and muttered an oath beneath his breath. As tall as he was, he was cramped on the small pallet. He turned until he found a comfortable position, knowing his restlessness had more to do with the woman who slept in his bed than the hardness of the floor.

  He'd never brought a woman to his ranch. He tried to imagine a wife doing chores around the house, cooking, cleaning, and waiting for him when he got home. But no woman of his acquaintance fit that picture. His imaginary woman took on a form and a face she was Saber. In his mind he could see her slowly undressing and coming to him naked to nestle in his arms.

  He shot up to a sitting position and shook his head to clear it of the haunting vision. Saber hadn't been brought up to do housework or labor on a ranch. So she could cook that didn't mean she would be willing to do without all the comforts she was accustomed to having. He recalled Matthew telling him that he'd hired a cook and a housekeeper to take care of the house where he and Saber would live after they were married. No, she would not be spending her life cooking in his small kitchen, and she sure as hell would never come to him naked.

  He placed another log on the fire, watching sparks shoot up the chimney. Saber was getting under his skin. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. She had woven herself into his mind so tightly he couldn't think of anything but her.

  He should have insisted that she leave with Zeb and Alejandro. He'd used the excuse that he could protect her here. Well, who was going to protect her from him if he couldn't control this burning passion that was ripping him apart?

  When Saber awoke the next morning, she dressed quickly and went through the house, finding it empty. She was disappointed that Reese had already left. She found a cheerful fire in the parlor, and when she went into the kitchen, she found a pot of coffee on
the back of the stove. After she'd eaten a thin slice of bacon, she set about making herself useful. She made her bed, swept, and dusted the house. She washed her dirty clothing and hung it before the fireplace to dry. She then bathed and washed her hair and dressed in the clean trousers and shirt. Then she waited for Reese to return.

  If he was anything like Noble, he'd be out all day trying to save as many head of cattle as he could. He'd need a hot meal when he got home. She rummaged through the well-stocked kitchen shelves until she found the ingredients to prepare a hearty meal.

  She had been so busy she hadn't noticed that it was almost sundown. She went to the front door and stepped out onto the porch. The biting wind stung her face. It had stopped snowing, and the clouds had moved away; the brilliant sunset painted the land with a crimson glow. She considered going to the barn to see if Reese was there, but he would only scold her for coming out in the weather. She shivered and stepped back into the house, then went into the kitchen and began kneading bread dough.

  Warmth surrounded her heart as she removed an apple pie from the oven and set it on the back of the stove. She was happy and felt as if she belonged there. It felt so right to be preparing a meal for the man she loved. A sudden rush of feeling assaulted her senses, and she found herself wishing that she had the right to be there, to take care of Reese as a wife should.

  Her heart was racing so fast it was hard for her to breathe. She dropped down in a chair and lowered her head, overcome with shame and guilt. She should not be having such thoughts about Reese when she was engaged to Matthew. If only she could talk to her sister-in-law, Rachel, perhaps she would be able to figure out why she was having these disturbing feelings for Reese.

  Saber was always one to face the truth about herself. She loved Reese, and she probably always would. But duty and honor burned deep within her, and that honor would bind her to Matthew. She was determined that when they were married she would be the best possible wife. She would hide her love for Reese, so Matthew would never know.