Teton Romance Trilogy Bundle: Includes Yellowstone Proposal (Short Story)

by Peggy L Henderson

  “Dammit, Tori, I’m only trying to help.” Lucas Walker’s resonating voice fueled her anger.

  How had he managed to catch up with her, even overtake her, so quickly?

  “Let me go,” she called out between clenched teeth, and swung her arm in the direction of the voice. She opened her eyes slightly, afraid the mud dripping from her hair would blind her. Ignoring the sharp pain in her chest, she pushed away from him, her feet sinking deeper into the muck.

  Lucas grabbed her wrist, and she twisted her body away from him. Her foot snagged on a root, and she stumbled backward, the momentum hauling Lucas with her. With a splash, she sank into the soupy mud again. Walker instantly rolled to the side, or he would have crushed her, and most likely drowned her if her head had gone under a second time. He sprang to his feet, and once again pulled her up, this time pinning her arms at her sides.

  Tori ventured to open her eyes and glance up at him. His shirt and britches were covered in as much filth as she was, except his head hadn’t gone under. The momentary murderous glare he shot at her was quickly replaced with something else in his eyes, and his mouth formed a smile.

  “How did you get here so quickly?” she sputtered.

  Lucas shrugged, and nudged his chin in the direction of camp. “I took a shortcut, and I knew my horse’s cantankerous behavior would come in handy some day,” he drawled. “Did you really think you could run away from me, Tori?” His eyebrows rose in amusement.

  Tori shivered involuntarily. She was drenched in cold mud. Lucas stood so close to her, she stopped her struggles as her body craved his warmth.

  Damn him!

  “The horse only behaved badly because it saw you, Walker,” she grumbled. “He wouldn’t have spooked otherwise.”

  Lucas released one of her arms, and swiped his hand along her cheek, wiping dirty strands of hair from her face. A lump formed in her throat in response to his intense stare. She couldn’t look away. There was nothing threatening in his eyes as they traveled over her face, studying her. It was almost as if he inspected something that had him puzzled and couldn’t make sense of.

  “I think you need a bath, Tori,” he said in a low tone. “This mud isn’t good for your wound, either.”

  Was that concern in his voice? Tori mentally shook her head.

  “No thanks to you, Walker.” Reluctantly, she pulled away from him, and to her surprise, he released her.

  He sloshed through the bog ahead of her, and grabbed for his horse’s reins that dangled in front of the animal. The gelding seemed to have decided it best to stand still rather than cover himself in mud if he bolted away. For a fleeting second, Tori thought to run in the opposite direction, but changed her mind. She would bide her time until she stood on solid ground again.

  Swiping her dirty hand over her eyes, she conceded that, for the moment, she had no choice but to follow the man who held her prisoner. She did need to wash the dirt from her clothes and body. Just the stench alone was unbearable, and her wound stung as if a thousand hot needles pricked her. It couldn’t have ripped open again. The stitches held the skin together nicely, and it had been healing well since Lucas sewed her up, but it was still tender to the touch whenever she moved too much.

  To her surprise, Lucas didn’t head back to camp, but led the gelding in the direction she had been traveling. Not twenty yards ahead, the mud gave way to dry ground, and the willows grew less dense around an area along the lakeshore. A thick mist hovered over the water. The golden light of the sun rising over the tops of the mountains illuminated the veil of steam rising from the lake.

  Lucas stopped. He tethered his horse to a nearby tree, then turned to face her. “The water here is fed by a hot spring. It’s warm. I suggest you get cleaned up.”

  Tori glanced from him to the lake. The water did look mighty inviting. She ran her tongue along her teeth. Her mouth was gritty with mud.

  “Fine,” she conceded. She looked toward some willows hanging over the water, and headed in their direction.

  “Where are you going?” Lucas stepped in front of her, his eyes narrowed.

  Tori raised her chin. “You told me to clean up. I would like some privacy, or do you plan on watching?” She glared at him.

  Lucas gazed down at her. Some emotion she couldn’t decipher flashed in his eyes, and Tori swallowed. The corners of his lips twitched, then he stepped aside.

  “I will be watching,” he called after her when she darted for the bushes. “So don’t even think of running away again.”

  Tori gritted her teeth. She had no choice. She had to wash the grime from her body, and from her clothes. If Lucas was going to stand there and watch her do it, then so be it. He’d already seen her in the nude before. What did it matter?

  She scurried behind the dense foliage of a willow, and removed her shirt. Dirt scraped against her skin when she pushed her britches down her legs. She’d have to rinse her clothing before washing herself.

  “Turn your back, Walker,” she called out from behind her screen of branches. Lucas stood by the water’s edge, glancing up at the mountains that framed the lake at the far end. His head turned toward her, then he slowly faced away.

  Tori inhaled a determined breath and darted from the bushes toward the lake. She dipped her shirt and britches in the water, surprised that it was, indeed, rather warm. Goosebumps covered her nude body when she wrung her clothing and hung the shirt and pants over a willow branch. She turned back to the water, darting a quick glance toward Lucas. Her heart nearly stopped when she met his heated gaze.

  “You despicable man,” she hissed. “Is there no shred of decency or propriety in you?”

  Lucas moved toward her. His eyes held her gaze. He appeared to be only looking at her face, but how could he not see the rest of her? She snatched her wet shirt from the branch behind her, and held it up to her chest with trembling hands. Fear raced through. Was he about to take liberties with her? Her head turned in the direction of the willows, then toward the water. There was no place for her to run.

  Lucas stopped inches from her, his blue eyes dark as midnight. There was no hint of a smile on his face. His hand reached up to cup her face. An unexpected jolt of heat rushed through her at his gentle touch. Tori’s breathing became almost painful as her heart pounded in her chest. The look in his eyes, so full of wonder and awe, left her breathless.

  “When you see the most amazing, beautiful thing you’ve ever seen, you don’t think about what’s proper, ‘cause you can’t stop looking.” His voice deepened to a sultry whisper. Time stood still while he held her gaze. Abruptly, he cleared his throat, dropped his hand from her cheek, and stepped back. He shook his head slightly, as if coming out of a trance, then his chin jutted toward the water.

  “Take your bath, Tori,” he said almost gruffly, and turned his back to her.

  Tori stood, unable to move. His words echoed in her mind. Amazing, beautiful thing.

  She dropped her shirt and sprinted into the water. The warm liquid washed over her, and she drew in a sigh of relief. Her pulse throbbed fast and hard in her throat, and she ventured a glance over her shoulder. Lucas still stood with his back to the water, his stance rigid. Her legs trembled as she waded deeper into the lake, and submerged her head. Quickly, she ran her shaky hands through her hair to rid herself of the grit and dirt, then scrubbed at her face. A quick glance at her chest left her satisfied that the stitches were all intact.

  The look of deep longing and appreciation in Lucas’ eyes wouldn’t leave her mind. No one had ever looked at her like that. No one had ever spoken such words of admiration to her. Tori swallowed the lump in her throat. Her skin tingled everywhere, as if Lucas had touched her with his appreciative stare.

  You can’t have feelings for him. He’s nothing but an overbearing lout. He’s toying with your mind to make you compliant.

  She glanced toward the water’s edge again. Tori gasped, and her eyes widened.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she called
in outrage. Lucas stood at the lakeshore, pulling his shirt over his head. He reached for the ties at his waist to loosen his britches.

  “I need a bath as much as you do,” he answered. “Besides. I think it’s only right, since I saw you in the nude, that I’d return the favor.” He flashed her a wide grin.

  “Don’t you dare come near me again, Lucas Walker.” Her voice echoed in a shrill tone across the lake. His laughter followed.

  “You’re welcome to watch,” he said loudly, and slid his britches past his hips.

  Tori whipped around, and paddled into deeper water. The temperature dropped suddenly, and she changed direction back toward shore, keeping a swath of dense willows in her sights. It was time to end her bath if Lucas thought he was going to join her. The nerve of that arrogant, overbearing man!

  She reached the shore, and ducked through the dense foliage, just as a loud splash reached her ears.

  “Enjoy your bath, Walker,” she mumbled under her breath. She smiled slowly. She might still get the chance to escape after all. Quickly, she pushed through the branches, ignoring that some of them scraped her bare skin. Remaining concealed as best as she could, she reached the spot where she’d left her clothes. With some effort, she pulled the wet britches on, then her shirt and moccasins. They offered little warmth, but she had no choice but to wear them. At least they were cleaned of mud. Lucas’ pile of clothing, along with his belt that held his knife, and his rifle, lay in a heap a few feet away.

  Tori’s pulse quickened. She darted for the items, scooped everything up in her arms, then ran to where the horse was tethered. Without a backward glance, she pulled the reins from the tree branch, and swung up onto the animal’s back.

  “You’re not going to throw me a second time,” she whispered to the gelding, and nudged him in the sides.

  Chapter 9

  Lucas broke through the surface of the lake and shook his head. Treading water, he glanced around, squinting through the veil of steam rising into the air. Tori was nowhere to be seen. His eyes darted to the willows hanging over the water further up along the lakeshore. No doubt she’d gone off to hide. The lapping of the water against his chest mimicked the ripples of desire that spread through him.

  He hadn’t been able to stop himself from staring when Tori emerged from behind the bushes with nothing on. He sure as hell hadn’t expected her to remove all her clothing. He would have fought his way through a war party of Blackfoot at that moment to reach her. The trouble was, he’d acted exactly like the despicable man she’d accused him of being by admiring her openly, and the fear in her eyes when he stood in front of her sobered him to what he was doing.

  Even covered in mud and spitting mad, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Dammit! She was also a mule-headed, ornery female, and eventually that would get her in a heap of trouble.

  She’s also brave and not afraid of anything, Lucas.

  These warm and heightened sensations flooding through him whenever he stood near her or touched her were downright perplexing. From the moment he found out that she was a girl, his mind and body behaved in ways he wasn’t accustomed to – out of his control. He’d been around plenty of women, but none of them had ever excited him or made him forget everything else around him like Tori Williams did. What would it take to convince her that he wasn’t the enemy?

  The tepid lake water lulled him into a serene state of contentment. Lucas floated on his back, staring up at the early morning sky that promised a sunny day ahead. He’d stay in the water a few more minutes and give Tori some privacy to get dressed. Hell. If he saw her in the nude again, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from pulling her into his arms and kissing her like he’d wanted to since the previous day, when she pressed her lips to his. Would she be a willing participant? Something told him she might not be as receptive to a kiss from him.

  He still hadn’t figured out why she was so adamantly against coming with him off that mountain. The only conclusion he’d been able to reach so far was that Jasper had kept her hidden because her life was somehow in danger. If she’d only tell him what she was running from, he would be able to protect her.

  You don’t have time to be saddled with someone’s safe-keeping, Lucas. Least of all a stubborn woman who wants to slit your throat the first chance she gets.

  Lucas closed his eyes, and his lips curved upward. No woman had ever held his attention for any length of time. Somehow, keeping Tori in his life appealed to him more and more, regardless of his adamant insistence that he never wanted to be tied down to a woman. He might have to chase her all over the Tetons first before she’d agree to stop running away from him. There would never be a dull moment with her, and she wasn’t the kind of female to keep him strapped to one place, either. His smile widened into a grin.

  A hawk screeched high up in the sky, and Lucas opened his eyes. It was time to stop daydreaming. He’d lingered long enough. They needed to be on their way to put a few more miles behind them. There was no doubt that Black Sparrow would be on his tail at some point. Regardless of whether the warrior had an interest in Tori or not, he wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to try and bring down his enemy. Lucas was certain he’d only grazed his nemesis with a bullet, trying to chase the Blackfoot off the other day. His intent hadn’t been to kill the man, or his aim would have been better.

  Vegetation rustled loudly from the lakeshore, followed a split-second later by horse’s hooves. Lucas’ head whipped around to where the sound came from.

  “Sonofabitch!” With quick strokes of his arms, he pulled himself through the water to reach shore. That little hellion had just disappeared out of sight astride his horse.

  “Tori, you little fool,” he called after her. Where the hell did she think she’d go where he wouldn’t track her down? He cursed his own stupidity. Why had he been such a fool and let his guard down? His body still simmered from the memory of her standing at the lakeshore as nature had intended. Apparently, his mind wasn’t as clear as it should be where she was concerned.

  Time to focus, Lucas, or you’ll get yourself killed.

  Reaching shallow water, he splashed toward shore, and cursed again.

  “Damn her.” His clothes and weapons, including his knife and rifle, were all gone. He picked up a rock and hurled it through the air. He cursed her name again, then laughed out loud. He really had underestimated Tori Williams. Rather than anger, a sudden surge of desire swept through him. She was a remarkable woman, and if nothing else, Lucas would enjoy a good chase. If she thought that taking his clothes and horse would keep him from going after her, she was sorely mistaken. All he had to do now was find her before Black Sparrow got to her.

  Following her trail at the moment was out of the question. No doubt she would head back to her cabin. Lucas turned toward camp. He wasn’t about to run nude through the mountains. He had a spare shirt and britches in his saddlebags. Perhaps he had some scraps of leather he could fashion into quick footwear. He’d also left his tomahawk behind when he followed Tori after her first escape attempt, a decision he was glad for now. No doubt she would have run off with all his weapons, leaving him completely defenseless.

  Lucas rubbed his hands up and down his arms to ward off the chill in the air. He couldn’t wait to slip into his buffalo robe. He drew a small sense of satisfaction that Tori had to be cold in her wet clothes.

  Heading back the same way he’d come earlier, Lucas made his way through the willows and tall sagebrush, avoiding the marsh. The vegetation scraped his bare skin, and more often than not, a jagged rock stabbed the soles of his feet. Gritting his teeth, he focused on the clearing ahead, and the promise of some warmth. There would be hell to pay when he caught up with Tori. He smiled. He could think of a dozen ways he would make the little spitfire pay for running off on him. All of them ended with her wrapped in his arms, soft and compliant.

  The sound of something whirring through the air was followed quickly by a loud thud. Lucas stopped in his tracks. His head turn
ed in time to see the shaft of an arrow lodge deeply in the trunk of a tree not five feet from him. He swore loudly. Before he had time to react, six warriors darted from the bushes and surrounded him. Each one of them pointed strung arrows at his chest. Damn! Thinking about that infuriating woman had made him careless again.

  One man stepped forward, and laughed heartily. The other warriors quickly joined in. Lucas clenched his jaw. Black Sparrow. This was a hell of a time to be caught without clothes. There was no way he could fight his way out of this predicament at the moment. They hadn’t killed him outright, a sure sign that the Indians would want to toy with him first.

  “Walker, I see you have no horse, no woman, and even your clothes couldn’t bear to be with you.”

  The warriors howled with renewed laughter at Black Sparrow’s ridiculing words.

  “A temporary affliction, I assure you.” Lucas spoke loudly in the Pikuni language, and stared directly at his old foe. For good measure, he straightened unabashed to his full height. The band of Blackfoot warriors continued to snigger and taunt him with rude hand gestures. Lucas caught the mocking comments of some of the men, making reference to cold lake water, and that a white man fared poorly in the morning chill.

  “Are you trying to kill me with mockery, my friends?” He smiled calmly at the men. He assessed his opponents out of the corners of his eyes. If he could disarm one of them while they were having their fun, the odds might be more in his favor.

  “Which one ran away first at seeing you without your britches? Your horse or the woman you stole from me? I cannot fault either of them for their decision.” The warrior smirked, but his voice held a distinctly frigid undertone. Black Sparrow appraised him boldly from head to toe. “I can see why they would run from you, Walker.”

  The men around him laughed again. Lucas grinned broadly, even while his insides seethed at Black Sparrow’s inference that Tori belonged to him. He held his arms out at his sides, and turned slowly to give each warrior a full view of him.