At first Serena thought Trevor would slow down because of the rain. But their speed remained the same. She turned up the collar of her shirt to stop the drops from rolling inside her shirt, though, as quickly as she was getting soaked, it didn’t even matter. It was going to be another long day of riding.
Chapter Eleven
I had been so close. So close to finally ending this nightmare! Trevor kept his face passive as they rode through the rain, but his mind was raging. It had been tormenting him from the moment he had received the missive from President Lamar. His hunt for the killer had been cut short as soon as the council house fight had occurred. People had scattered. He couldn’t keep track of who was leaving town and who was staying. And, once he had the missive, he had to drop the original mission altogether. Only his fellow rangers knew of the mission, and they kept mum about it once they learned about the new task at hand.
Although he had been so close he could almost see the handcuffs he would place on the killer, he had to let it go. For now, he had to focus on the fact they were chasing down a giant tribe of Indians that wanted nothing more than to kill every white man they saw.
While he tried to remain focused, he couldn’t shake the fact that he felt eyes on him. Sometimes it felt as if someone was watching him with admiration. Other times it felt like they were watching him with pure hate. The last thing he needed was a crazed person in his militia that could cause them more harm than good. And, what was worse, they had all been given a gun and ammunition.
By late afternoon, the rain let up and the sun came out to back the earth again. Unfortunately, the sun didn’t bake everything—everyone’s pants were soaked wet, and rubbing against the saddle, he was beginning to chafe, and he knew the rest were as well. He didn’t want to stop, but they had to dry out. He found a spot that had a watering hole that was full to the brim after the rain, and there was a copse of trees not far away that would be perfect to bed down for the night. He didn’t want to be too close to the water, because all of the wild animals of the night would gravitate towards it.
After issuing his orders, he strayed away from the others to try to get his head right. Several hundred yards away from the camp, he stopped and leaned against a tree, watching the sun beginning to set in the distance.
It wasn’t only the loss of the killer that plagued his mind. It was a feisty ginger-haired woman that was always there at the forefront of his mind. He could still taste her sweet lips, could still feel her body pressed to his. He had finally had a goodbye, though he didn’t want it to be a goodbye. He wanted to ride back to San Antonio and claim her as his. The idea that one day another man would be enjoying her was torture.
But he thought of her whenever the darkness threatened to pull at him. The darkness that always brought him down was the monster he was hunting. He’d lost count of how many people the man had killed. He was almost as bad as the Comanche—killing for the sport of it. Trevor could see his face clearly in his mind’s eye, and it was a vision that was burned into his mind forever.
He had only been ten years old when he had witnessed the first crime. He had hidden out of terror, and he cursed himself now for being such a coward. He could have done something. Maybe he would have been able to stop the murderous man. But all Trevor had done was hide and watch.
The way the man had looked as he circled his victim, the excitement on his face at the thought of the kill, was a grotesque thing to see. Then the fight had begun and, for a moment, Trevor had thought the killer would go down and not get back up. But he always got back up, and the last time he did, he pulled a knife that was hidden in his boot and stabbed his opponent directly in the chest. Blood squirted out, and the killer laughed as some of it landed on him.
He withdrew the blade from his opponent and the white pearl and gold luster of the handle glistened in the sunlight, an odd comparison to the bright red blood dripping down the tip. His opponent, with a stunned expression on his face, fell to the ground, convulsing in the throes of death. And the look of immense joy that covered the killer’s face was almost more than Trevor could stand. The man leaned over his quarry and laughed and ridiculed him as his life slipped away.
And then the killer had run. He had taken his opponent’s horse and took off, riding so quickly Trevor knew they would never catch him once they got a search party even started. Besides... he was the only witness. Only he could point out who the horrible man was.
He had come out of his hiding place and walked over to his father’s prone body, kneeled down, and shut his eyes. “I won’t be scared anymore, Papa,” he had said. “I will find him, and he will pay for what he has done.” And Trevor had decided then he was going to learn to track, and fight, and shoot, and one day track down his father’s killer. But, in that moment, all he could do was sob over the loss of his father, the only parent he had left. He was on his own.
Trevor shook his head, pulling his mind back from the past. He would find his father’s killer soon enough. He had been able to track him as far as San Antonio... he would track him to the ends of the earth if that was what he had to do. And the thoughts of Serena calmed the rage in his heart, but replaced it with a longing for something he could never allow himself to have.
For years, he had told himself it was for his freedom. But he realized the thought of putting a woman in a position where she could never expect whether he was coming home in one piece or in a box was something he couldn’t do. But, having tasted Serena’s passion, he was beginning to feel a need that had never plagued him before.
He almost laughed out loud. He was one sorry mess. He carried hatred and pain in his heart and mind, and also dreams and wishes for something that would never come true. Feeling slightly more settled, he headed back to the camp and something caught his eye that was very disturbing.
Moving towards the watering hole was someone dressed in a plaid shirt and buckskin pants. The pants were looser than they’d been before, but that heart-shaped rump was something he would never forget. He narrowed his eyes and watched the stiff walk, but even that didn’t hide the gentle sway of her hips. His hands curled into fists. She wasn’t going to get away with this.
He went to his second-in-command and directed him not to let anyone go near the watering hole. And then he took off, marching towards the last place he had seen her. He slowed his pace and chose his steps carefully as he approached the water. But he wasn’t prepared for what he saw.
She had stripped from her buckskin clothing and was gliding through the water in only a short, thin chemise. When she dove down into the water he realized she had nothing on under the chemise, and he nearly lost all control in that moment.
But she needed to be taught a lesson. Wasting no time, he shed his clothes quickly, draping them on the same shrub she had. The moon had come out, casting an ethereal glow on the water and her shimmering skin.
Cautiously, silently, he moved into the water, barely even making the fluid ripple. Her back was to him as she lathered in her soap. He couldn’t believe she had brought her soap with her, but part of him was glad he’d be smelling the sweet strawberries and cream that was so specific to her.
When she started to turn, he pushed under the water, and admitted to himself that it was a refreshing feeling to get clean and get the trail dirt and grime off. But she wouldn’t need to be doing that if it weren’t for her sneaking into his militia. Wasn’t getting shot enough of a lesson for her? Obviously not.
The water was a bit murky, but he could see enough to see her legs churning in the water. He attempted to be a gentleman and not look any further than that, though it was damn tempting. But his anger was at an all-time high, and it was time to teach her another lesson. When she had turned again, he made his move.
Sliding up in the water behind her, he hooked his arm around her shoulders and yanked her backwards, beginning to haul her towards the shore. She instantly panicked, grabbing at his arm and dragging her nails across his skin, gasping and sputtering.
�
��You and your charade are over, pixie. I should have known that you would pull something this foolish.”
“Trevor! Let me go! I can explain.”
“There is no explanation for this, Serena. You never should have put all of these men at such a risk.” He stopped and turned her around to face him, treading water. “You shouldn’t have put yourself at this risk. What were you thinking? There are over one hundred men just yards from here, and all of them are hungry for a woman at this point, no matter how tired they are.”
Serena tried to push away from him, but he held her tightly. “I’m here to fight the same as the rest of these men. Just because I’m a woman shouldn’t make any difference!”
“It makes a hell of a lot of a difference! Don’t you see? These men are going to go for days, weeks, maybe even months without the comforts of a woman. You will be an easy solution, and they’ll have no problem turning you into the whore of the camp. Whether you like it or not,” he added with emphasis. “Now let’s go.”
He turned and began to pull her behind him once more, but she resisted him with a strength he hadn’t expected. “You cannot just drag me out of here!”
He looked at her with shock. “Are you even remotely aware of what you are doing? You’re swimming naked near a company of men. You could get caught at any point. You’re just fortunate that I’m the one who caught you!”
He wished he could see her blush, but the moon was hiding behind some clouds, making everything incredibly dark. “I am not naked,” she said with righteous indignation. “How dare you insinuate such a thing!”
Trevor was struggling between his anger and the pleasure he felt at seeing her again. He hated that he was going to have to send her home, but it just wasn’t safe for her to be with them.
“So,” he said, catching both her wrists, “when I pull your body against mine I’ll feel clothing?”
“Don’t you dare, Trevor. Don’t you even think about it. I know that you are naked. That would be highly inappropriate. Highly.”
“Since when have you been concerned about propriety?” he said softly as he began to pull her closer to him.
“Trevor, I’m serious. I’ll scream for help.”
“And no one will come. I left explicit details with my rangers that no one is to come down here.” He continued pulling her closer.
“Trevor... I’m not ready for this. Please. You just taught me how to kiss. I’m not ready to feel... to know...”
Trevor’s heart had been pounding at the thought of feeling her form pressed against his. But her words were as if the water had turned to ice.
He shook his head. “You know I would never force anything on you, don’t you, pixie? I would be crushed to ever see you hurt or sad. You’re like one of the wildflowers out here. You’re tough and strong and made to weather any storm. But you’re also sweet, and soft, and precious—and fragile if held wrong. I’ll never hold you wrong, pixie.”
The moon finally came out from behind the clouds and they could see each other perfectly. Her face was illuminated by the moonlight, and he marveled at the beauty of her skin contrasted by her red hair smoothed off of her face. He couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping a little lower where her beautiful breasts were barely clad by the thin chemise, and he could see the color of her aureoles.
He pulled her closer to him.
Her eyes were wide in her face. “Trevor, what are you doing?”
“Trying to give you a little dignity,” he said softly. He pulled her close enough that he was staring directly into her eyes and her breasts were not in his immediate view. “What were you thinking?” he asked, nearly shaking her with his frustration.
“I was dirty and needed a bath,” she replied, not quite meeting his eyes.
“You know that’s not what I’m talking about. How could you be such a fool?” His temper was starting to rise again, and he was starting to remember why he had stormed down to the water tank in the first place. Seeing her beautiful form had distracted him from his purpose.
“What have I done that is foolish? You’ve called for all the help you can get, and I responded to the call.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? You have put yourself and others around you at risk. Does it mean anything to you at all the consequences of your actions? Or do you ever think that far ahead?” His words were biting.
Serena tried to pull away from him, but it only made him tighten his grip, and her eyes jerked up to his. “I thought you said you would never hold me wrong.” The accusation in her eyes was hard to miss.
“Serena, you are near a camp full of men and you are practically naked. I won’t have anyone seeing you like this.”
With the moonlight shining brightly, Serena’s blush was very visible this time. “Very well. Then let me go so I can go to the shore and get dressed.”
“Perfect. I’ll join you.”
She opened her mouth to protest then must have realized it was futile by the dark expression on his face. Together, they began to swim back to shore, and Trevor wanted nothing more than to watch her heart shaped rump bobbing above the water as she swam. But he was determined he would be a gentleman, no matter how hard it was.
And it turned out to be in their fortune, as well. For he saw the moonlight glint off the side of the gun in the shrubs and dunked under the water, pulling Serena with him. The report of the gun firing could still be heard even under water, and Trevor flinched as the lead ball swiped alongside his arm. It was merely a flesh wound, but it burnt like hell.
He kept them under water until his lungs ached severely. He’d been able to move them further over into an outcrop of tall weeds in the water to hide until he could be certain the gunman was gone. He rose cautiously, and much to his relief, Serena did as well.
“Are you hurt?” he asked her softly, still keeping her hidden within the tall weeds.
“N-no,” she stuttered, obviously shocked at what had just happened. “Was that an Indian? Have they captured us?”
Trevor shook his head. “No. That was someone else entirely.”
Serena’s eyes were wide as she looked at him and he wished he could reassure her. “Were they aiming at you or at me?”
Her question caught him off guard. He hadn’t thought that anyone would want to harm Serena and that it was actually one of his enemies who had tried to take a shot at him. He was well-known for how many criminals he had caught, and there were still plenty more for him to catch. They may have simply been trying to beat him to the punch.
But, then again, someone could be after Serena. It was well-known she held an affection towards the Comanche and that she wanted things to end peacefully. For those family members that had lost someone to a Comanche warrior, Serena could easily become their number one enemy.
“I don’t know, pixie. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll always be here to protect you.”
Serena’s eyes locked with his and he was immediately drowning in a sea of green instead of the watering hole they swam in.
His hand came up and smoothed her hair back from her face. “What am I going to do with you?” he whispered softly, before placing his lips over hers gently, then gradually intensifying it until his mouth was slanted over hers, his tongue tasting her sweet strawberries and cream flavor.
He pulled her lose against him, and he moaned when she wrapped her legs around his waist. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted another woman.
“Captain!” The shout came from the edge of the tank where he had first dived in. “Captain, we heard a shot. Are you alright?”
Trevor broke off the kiss with a moan. The timing couldn’t have been any worse. Keeping Serena close to him, Trevor slowly swam to a spot where he could see who it was that was talking. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was his second-in-command, Logan. He raised his arm to draw Logan’s attention, keeping Serena behind him. “I am safe. I was able to get under the water safely before the man attacked. Have you been able to track him?”
“No, we just heard the gunfire and came running. We all thought the Indians were attacking.”
Slowly Trevor realized they weren’t alone. Several of his men stood at the ready behind Logan. There would be no easy way to get out of this situation. “Logan, take two men to scout the path with you. I’ll join you shortly. The rest of the men need to return and guard the camp.”
“Yes, sir,” replied the enthusiastic ranger, quickly setting about his path.
Trevor turned slowly and faced Serena, and his eyes were drawn to the bullet wound on her chest. Lightly he traced his fingers over it, and the horrible memories of that day came rushing back. And it had almost happened again.
“You can’t stay with us, pixie,” he said softly, pulling her towards him and kissing her neck lightly. “There is just too much of a risk for you out here.”
“I’m not leaving,” she retorted firmly. “It would be foolish to send me home now.”
Trevor leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Then another, and another. He couldn’t get enough of her sweet taste. What made it even more enticing was her response to his kiss, the way she threaded her fingers in his hair, the way her tongue slid along his. His hands slid into her damp hair, as fine as silk and subconsciously pulled her closer.
When the tips of her breasts touched his chest he moved backwards as if he had been stung. He couldn’t take advantage of her in such an emotional state. He wouldn’t.
“Ah, pixie.” He sighed, pressing his forehead against hers. “I want so much the very things I cannot have.”
“What are you—”
“Let’s get you dressed before someone sees something they shouldn’t.” Keeping her at his side, he swam over to the shallow spot where he had come in and handed her the buckskin pants and plaid shirt.
She stepped out of the water unabashedly and took the clothing items from him. He had to remind himself to breathe as she pulled the wet chemise off and stood before him as naked as a newborn babe. Was she trying to seduce him?
Texas Heat Page 10
