by Sandy James
At the end of the road, he turned her to face him, just as he had the night before. “I don’t want you to leave.”
His familiar words made fresh tears sting her eyes. “Please don’t make this harder than it is.”
“Damn right, I’m gonna make it hard. I plan to make it impossible. I don’t—”
Grace placed her fingertips gently against his lips. “Please listen for a second.” She shyly pulled her fingers back. “I’ve decided something, and I want you to hear it.”
Adam took her hand in his again.
“I have to stay in town, but I’m not leaving right away. I’m going to stay here. In White Pines. At least ’til things are right between Jake and I.”
The smile on his face told her he still didn’t understand. She had to set him straight, no matter how much it hurt.
“I’m living at the Four Aces, Adam. I won’t bring gossip down on your good name.”
“Grace…”
“We both know what will happen if I stay.”
“What exactly will happen? What has you so afraid?”
“I’ll let you take me to your bed.”
He looked properly shocked—an appropriate reaction because so was she.
While the notion had been perpetually in her thoughts, she never imagined she’d have the courage to say it aloud. She found that when she was with him, all the walls she’d constructed around her mind—and her heart—fell away, crumbling to dust. All she wanted was for him to teach her that when a man and woman came together, it could be an act of affection rather than violence.
“Say something,” she blurted out, unable to bear the stilted silence a moment longer.
He grinned, his teeth gleaming white in the moonlight. “Thank you. That’s probably the nicest thing anybody’s ever said to me.”
A laugh bubbled out of her.
God, how Adam loved to hear her laughter. His smile quickly faded. She wanted to leave him. Now that he’d found someone he could love, she was ready to walk away.
But why?
And how could he force her to stay?
Force her.
That was the problem. He was forcing his wants on a woman who’d clearly been hurt before. While he still hadn’t sorted the whole story out, relying mostly on nightmarish mutterings and tidbits of information that both Grace and Matthew dropped when their guards were down, he saw the bigger picture. Someone had forced her to run her whole life. That man had hurt her, both in body and in mind. No wonder she had a hard time opening up.
Adam couldn’t force her to stay. While his feelings for Grace were deeper and stronger than their short time together should have cultivated, they were there nonetheless. And those feelings told him she would someday belong to him.
Now, she needed to come to the same conclusion on her own.
Taking her to the Four Aces and leaving her there would be agony. He couldn’t protect her. He couldn’t shelter her so none of the bad things that had happened would repeat. He couldn’t keep other men away from her.
It was time to draw on some of that eternal patience everyone claimed he possessed. He was going to have to let Grace go to one day bring her back. “You win, darlin’.”
“I win?”
“I’ll take you to town tomorrow. You can stay at the Four Aces and get to know Jake. For now. But I’ll give you fair warning.”
She cocked her head. “Fair warning?”
“One day soon, I’m bringing you back home with me.” He tugged her into her arms. “For good.” His mouth covered hers.
She tasted sweet, and he didn’t have to coax her this time when he deepened the kiss. She opened her lips with a gentle nudge, and damn if her tongue wasn’t every bit as wild as his.
His heartbeat echoed in his head, loud and steady. Despite his best intentions, he couldn’t help but press his palms against her backside, the one he’d admired far too often. As her arms slipped around his neck, he pulled her hips hard against his, letting her feel his arousal.
For a brief moment, she stiffened. His tongue stroked across hers, letting her know this was good. This wasn’t a man forcing his will on a woman. This was something they shared because they belonged to each other. Whatever happened between them was right, and he’d never hurt her or let anyone else hurt her, either.
He drew her closer, and she melted against him. His lips left hers as he nuzzled his face against her slender neck. She smelled like vanilla and her skin was impossibly soft. He kissed his way to her ear, where he traced the delicate edges with his tongue. She shuddered and moved her hips restlessly against his erection.
If he didn’t slow down, this interlude was going to get out of hand. One more hard kiss and he eased away, putting a bit of space between their bodies. She shivered, so he reached out to rearrange her disheveled shawl.
Her gaze dropped to the ground, and even in the dim light of the moon, he could see the flush on her cheeks. “You make me forget myself.”
Since she wasn’t watching him, he let a satisfied grin cross his lips. “Oh, darlin’, you make me forget myself too.”
The corners of her lips twitched into a hesitant grin, and her eyes rose to meet his. “You’ll take me to town tomorrow?”
He gave her a thick sigh and a curt nod.
Taking her hand into his, he was pleased that she fell into step beside him.
Back at the ranch house, Matthew was waiting for them, frowning like a disapproving chaperone as he sat on a porch step and chewed on a piece of hay.
Adam opened the door for her, gave her one quick kiss, and let her go inside. He shut the door, ready to go check the livestock in the barn.
Even from a distance, Matthew had seen their heated embrace, although he’d quickly glanced away to give them some privacy. While he wanted Grace to be happy, he felt that as her brother, he needed to know Adam’s intentions. “She’s fragile.”
Adam stopped and turned back with an incredulous stare. “Fragile? You referring to Grace? The same woman who handles dozens of rowdy cowboys on every long drive?”
“I know she’s mighty stubborn and a bit sassy, but deep down, she’s as delicate as a china doll. I’d hate for anyone to hurt her.”
“You’re saying this to me because…?”
“Because for the first time in her life, she cares for a man. That means you could hurt her more than anyone else ever did.”
A quick nod came in reply before Adam went to the barn, leaving Matthew to his thoughts.
Those thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Victoria came marching from the back of the bunkhouse.
She tried to skirt around him to go up the stairs, but he jumped to his feet, spit out the hay, and put himself in her path. “Howdy.”
“Good evening.”
His tongue felt too thick to move. He had to say something because she reached for the door again and he wasn’t about to lose her now that she was so close. “How–how you doin’?”
“I’m very well, thank you. I need to talk to Grace. If you’ll excuse me...”
He moved with her when she stepped to one side. “It’s a right pretty night.”
She took a quick step back. “It–it is?”
The catch in her voice filled him with confidence, telling him that she was affected by his presence. “Yes, ma’am. Would be a pity to go inside and not enjoy it.”
“It would?”
“Don’t suppose you’d care for taking a walk?” He inclined his head to the road Adam and Grace had recently traveled.
Victoria was such a mystery. Not that he’d been around women enough to have even a small understanding of how their minds worked. He had no idea what thoughts were flying through that busy brain of hers, but her expression kept changing. When those emotions settled, she stared back at him with a bit of apprehension in her eyes.
“Come on, Victoria.” He extended his elbow. “Walk with me. I promise not to bite.”
A quick smile warmed him. “O–okay. I’ll walk with you.
For a spell.” She strode toward the road, avoiding his offered arm and acting as though she wanted to get to the end of the road as fast as her legs could carry her.
He dropped his elbow and matched her stride for stride. “Why are we in such a hurry?”
She slowed her steps until their frantic march turned into an easy stroll.
The farther they moved away from the house, the more he relaxed. His world was now the gentle chirps of crickets, the light of the moon streaming through the trees, and the sway of her slender hips. Holding his breath, he reached out to hold her hand.
Her response was to glance down and smile. That beautiful grin made his heart skip a quick beat.
When the road to the ranch house met the road to town, Matthew stopped, turning her to face him. He reached out to take her other hand.
Everything about her branded on his brain. Long, slender fingers that were perfect entwined with his. Dark hair that shimmered in the moonlight. Skin as white as alabaster. She smelled of roses.
She shyly stared at the ground, so timid compared to her normal feisty personality. Her teeth tugged on her bottom lip. He almost said something to get her riled up to see that spark of life he loved so much.
Victoria glanced up at him. “Shouldn’t we head back now?”
He shook his head, unable to get even a single word out. He stared at her mouth, totally lost in the thought of how she would taste and trying to build up the courage to find out. Before he could make a move, she shocked the hell out of him by rising to tiptoes and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Then she dropped her gaze.
“Please pardon me,” she whispered. “I–I don’t know what came over me.”
“Maybe it’s the moonlight. Tends to make a person a bit loco from time to time.” Had he not been holding her hands in his, he would have given himself a good sound slap for being an imbecile.
“‘Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon.’”
The familiar words were said so softly, he almost missed them. “You’ve read Romeo and Juliet?”
Her eyes flew wide as she searched his face. “You’ve heard of Shakespeare?”
He probably should have been offended. While he might have spent most of his life on the back of a horse, he wasn’t ignorant. A frown bowed his mouth.
“I–I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine, Victoria. I know you didn’t intend insult.”
“I truly didn’t. I’d do anything to make it right.”
“Anything?”
She nodded and smiled.
“Kiss me again.”
“I–I couldn’t.”
It was hard not to grin at her embarrassment, but women tended to take offense to teasing. They had overly tender feelings that were easily bruised.
“Then may I kiss you?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” she replied, sounding a bit breathless.
Trying not to feel awkward, he slipped his arms around her waist. She felt so right pressed up against him, although she had to stand on tiptoe again to reach his face.
Such a tiny woman…
Her sweet breath brushed his chin as he lowered his head to meet her halfway. Suddenly, he was drowning in the feel of her, the flowery scent of her skin intoxicating him akin to strong whiskey.
His mouth covered hers, and not for some chaste kiss like the one she’d given him. Matthew let Victoria feel the desire that had been eating away at him from the moment he’d laid eyes on her.
Her response came swiftly and passionately as she wrapped her arms around his neck and thoroughly kissed him back.
He growled and deepened the incredible kiss by teasing her lips until she parted them, then he slipped his tongue into her warm mouth, capturing her surprised gasp. This woman had never been properly kissed before. He wasn’t about to let her walk away without learning how a real kiss could make her burn.
She moaned, mimicking the slide of his tongue over hers. He couldn’t get enough of her, lifting her clean off her feet. Her hands trembled as she laced her fingers through his hair, knocking his hat from his head.
“Oh, Matthew,” she purred before kissing across his cheek to his ear. “I do like the way you kiss.”
The warm breath from her whispered words sent fire racing straight to his groin.
Never in his life had he thought about anything pertaining to his future beyond him and Grace owning a small ranch of their own. As he cradled Victoria’s small, soft body against his, the future was all he could think about.
Victoria standing at the door of a small cabin, smiling as he returned from his chores. Victoria lying naked on a bed, arms open in invitation. Victoria with a gently rounding belly as she carried his child.
The images brought about sobering reality that hit him with the intensity of a bucket of ice water. He’d forgotten who she was— an innocent. He’d forgotten what she was—the only daughter of a wealthy ranch owner. And he’d forgotten that he was nothing but a dirt-poor cowboy who was reaching far too high.
He let go of her.
Victoria stumbled back a couple of steps. The confusion in her eyes pierced his heart, but he only bent over to grab his hat and put it back on.
“Matthew? What—”
“We need to get back.”
“But—”
“Now, Victoria.” This time, he didn’t even offer her his arm.
Her lip quivered as she clenched her hands at her sides.
He’d hurt her.
“Victoria…” He reached for her arm. “Just listen.”
She slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me! Don’t you ever touch me again!” She hiked up her skirts and sprinted for the ranch house.
When he followed, she picked up the pace.
Damn, but she was a fast little vixen. He wanted to catch her, to apologize, to set her straight, but she was already mounting the stairs before he could reach her.
She hurried inside, slamming the door behind her.
He stopped, trying to catch his breath. He was a fool, the humiliation made worse when Adam came out of the barn.
“Trouble?” he asked as he walked over. “She looked a mite upset.”
“We had a disagreement. That’s all.”
Shifting his gaze from the door to Matthew and back again, Adam frowned. “Looks to be more than a disagreement.”
Matthew shrugged, wishing the awkward conversation would end.
“She’s fragile.”
Déjà vu. “Are we talking about the same woman who chased Ty around the yard with a broom for forgetting to take off his muddy boots?”
“Victoria’s mighty stubborn and a bit sassy, but deep down, she’s as delicate as a china doll. I’d hate to see someone hurt her.”
He hated having his own words turned back on him, even if Adam was right. “I’d hate for someone to hurt her too.”
“Are your intentions honorable?”
Honorable?
What was honorable about wanting to marry a woman when he couldn’t afford the kind of life to which she was accustomed? All he had to give was his word.
“I’ll leave her be, Adam. I won’t hurt her again.”
Chapter Eight
“You sure you want to stay?” Adam asked for what seemed like the thousandth time since Grace had told him she was moving to the Four Aces.
Holding tight to her patience, she reassured him again. “It’ll be fine. I need to spend time with Jake. And I–I need to take care of myself.”
Her tone sounded frightened, even to her own ears. She had to do this, so she’d just have to put some starch in her spine and face Jake and his hostility, hoping someday he’d forgive her. At least for what she’d share about the past.
What right did she have to expect his forgiveness? God knew she’d never forgiven herself.
The rest of the late afternoon ride passed in almost unbearable quiet. Victoria sat next to Grace, which forced her to push closer to Adam, making her thigh brush his with each bump. Matthew rode his s
tallion, setting his pace to match the speed of the wagon. Four people traveled in close enough proximity they could have enjoyed a pleasant conversation. Instead, nothing passed between them except furtive glances.
Every so often, she caught Victoria looking over to Matthew. Just as often, she saw him staring at her. Something had clearly happened between them, but it wasn’t her place to ask. A person who’d made as many mistakes as she had shouldn’t hand out advice.
Adam stared at the road ahead almost as if he was purposefully trying to avoid her. Was he so angry he couldn’t even force himself to speak?
He wasn’t the kind of man to play games. No, he obviously had something important on his mind.
Was he worried about her? Was that why he repeatedly asked whether she really meant to stay with Will? Or was he pleased to be rid of her?
Adam wouldn’t lie to her. Nor could he hide his feelings when he’d kissed her. There was something important happening between them, and now she needed to decide exactly how far she would let that road take her.
She sighed in relief when the town came into view.
He looked at her, a frown fixed on his handsome face. “You’re really staying?”
Grace wanted to appease him, to put her hands against his cheeks and kiss him long and deep and tell him all she felt.
But she couldn’t. “Yes, I’m really staying.”
The wagon ground to a stop in front of the saloon. After he climbed down, Adam lifted her out of the wagon. Although she was on her feet, he left his hands on her waist.
“I’ll be fine, Adam.”
His lips thinned to a grim line. “I don’t like this, Gracie. There’s no one to look after you here.”
Matthew nodded as he reached into the back of the wagon to lift out the small trunk, ignoring Victoria who was clearly waiting for him to help her out of the wagon. “I don’t like this, either, Grace.”
She shot her brother a frown, both for his bad manners and his words. “There’s no threat here.” Not anymore. Her gaze settled on the trunk Adam had given her. “I shouldn’t take those clothes. They belonged to your wife. Surely, Victoria will want to—”
His lips brushed an interrupting kiss on her cheek. “We’ve had this argument already. I won. Remember?”
