White Water Passion

by Dawn Luedecke

  “Damn. I’m sorry, Beth.”

  She shook her head and clutched him when he started to roll away.

  “No,” she said, her voice breathy with passion. “I’m yours.”

  Garrett relaxed, pulled out slightly and pushed back in. He kissed her while he tested her response. Beth’s breath became rough, and he continued to show her why she was his.

  “No,” she pleaded when he stopped. “Again.”

  He submitted, no longer able to hold back. He kissed her with fervor and let her see his true self, his desire and need for her. She understood, and responded in kind. Her body started to quake as she reached the peak and he could hold back no longer. With one final groan, he released his seed deep inside her.

  Garrett slumped down beside her, both of them exhausted. With one hand, he toyed with her hair. He swore that the earth had just shattered and reformed as they made love next to the cabin. His life had changed, and there was only one thing he could do. He had to get her out of the camp, and back to Missoula. He had to figure out this whole mess. Figure out a way to be with her. Forever.

  Chapter 19

  Beth was ruined. Not because she was no longer pure, but because she’d now lost her heart completely to Garrett. Before she’d gone to Mother Goose’s Cottage yesterday, she had a fighting chance at finding happiness with someone else, but now every male she saw came up short compared to Garrett.

  Victoria sat at the table talking to the men while Beth and Aunt June washed the dishes as they piled up in the wash bin.

  “Elizabeth,” Carrie said. “Did you know that Ms. Victoria went to a girl’s school in London?”

  “Oh?” Beth took a quick look at Garrett as he chopped wood near the cook’s cabin.

  Victoria beamed. “Garrett and I both went to school in England.” She batted her eyelashes at Garrett, who stopped and acknowledged with a nod.

  “Was it terribly boring?” Carrie asked, but Beth didn’t care to hear the answer.

  Aunt June glanced toward the cabin. “I think I hear Simon calling. Carrie, would you mind checking on him?”

  “So he can toss me out again?” Carrie stood and headed toward the cabin. “Ever since he saw himself in the mirror, he’s refused to allow me inside. And when I do go in, he turns away. He won’t let me see him.”

  “A man likes to look his best for the woman he’s fixin’ to fall in love with. Give him a while to get used to the scars and he’ll be right as rain.” Aunt June shoed Carrie toward the door, and Beth’s friend disappeared inside.

  “You shouldn’t toy with her like that, Aunt June,” Victoria chided.

  “Who said I was? That man is destined to marry into my family. And since I ain’t no young doe anymore, my goddaughter will have to do.”

  Beth chuckled, picked up the empty water bucket, and headed toward the water’s edge. She’d barely made it a few steps when a horse whinnied. Frowning at the oddity of the sound so far away from The Grove, she pivoted to look as Teddy’s brown mare ran into camp and headed straight for the cook table, followed closely by two other horses. She searched the nearby landscape as several more horses ran into the forest.

  Victoria screamed and jumped on the table as men scattered when the mare thundered through the center of camp, headed straight for Beth.

  Beth turned to run when someone grabbed her from behind and yanked her to safety. She spun around in her savior’s arms to see Garrett. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest as the rest of the horses ran past. The thump of her heart beat so wild it could run with the horses and never be found.

  Garrett caressed her hair, and she looked up into his eyes, shining with the same fear she’d felt mere moments before.

  The sound of men scrambling reached her ears, and Beth stepped away as Victoria bustled up to Garrett.

  “Oh my goodness! Beth is lucky you were nearby.” Victoria snuggled up to Garrett’s side.

  “Someone let the horses loose,” said Blue as he ran up to Garrett. “We’re almost done with the next train load, but we can’t get it done if we don’t have horses.”

  “Teddy!” Garrett shouted and politely moved Victoria aside. He gave Beth one last glance before tromping off after the chute monkey.

  Victoria gave a single surprised blink and quickly masked her expression. She turned to Beth. “You were truly lucky that Garrett was handy to pull you to safety.”

  “I was,” Beth agreed.

  “I’ll get that sort of consideration once we are married.” She smiled, but the slight pinch of her lips proved the motion was forced.

  “I’m convinced you will,” Beth replied, but her eyes flew to Garrett as he conversed with the group of loggers in the center of camp.

  Garrett glowered, and after a quick word, they disbursed in separate directions—not one of them toward the train. Beth took a quick look around to ensure Aunt June wouldn’t stop her and headed to check near the railroad tracks.

  Beth slipped past the cabin when she heard her name being called. She turned as Carrie ran up to walk beside her. “Where are we going?”

  “The men are out looking for the horses, so I thought I’d take a quick look at the load.”

  “I’ll wager its fine. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “When a corral full of horses gets loose, I get suspicious.”

  “Good point.” Carrie adjusted her gait to walk like Beth. “Aunt June came into the cabin and said you were almost run over. Are you all right?”

  “A little shook up, but I’ll be fine. How’s Simon?”

  “Grumpy as usual.”

  “He’ll get over it.” Beth emerged from the tree line with Carrie following behind.

  The long line of railcars flowed from the tree line near the hill and curved around past the ever-expanding clearing to disappear into the forest.

  “We’ll start with the load, and then check the engine and work our way back.”

  Carrie nodded and followed.

  The pile of logs near the tracks waited to be heaved onto the railcar, but nothing seemed out of place so Beth made a wide berth around the front of the engine. A movement toward the middle of the train caught her attention, and she motioned for Carrie to keep quiet, and then started to run in the direction of the movement.

  When Beth neared, she slowed and took quiet steps.

  Garrett’s uncle bent over the coupler with his back to Beth. His elbow popped out, and he yanked the pin from the coupling.

  Beth motioned for Carrie to move back and retreat, and slid her finger over her mouth to keep her friend quiet. Carrie backed in between two cars and ducked.

  “Let’s go.” She turned and mouthed, pointing toward the camp.

  “What are you doing here?” Marcus growled and advanced forward. Beth turned to run, twisting her ankle. Her leg gave out, but she forced herself past the pain and tried to flee. Before she could run, Marcus grabbed her hair and tossed her backward to land on the sharp rocks beneath the track. She screeched in pain, and struggled to regain her footing. She couldn’t let him win.

  Marcus leaned over her, fury darkening his eyes.

  “No you don’t!” Carrie screamed, leapt onto his back, and began to pummel the side of his head.

  “Little bitch!” Marcus fought to free himself from Carrie’s grip. Fists flew in all directions, and he growled in protest, but the girl stayed with a surprising strength.

  Beth searched the ground and found a fallen branch.

  “Carrie! Jump!” she yelled.

  Her friend obeyed, and Marcus immediately turned with fists cocked back. With all the might she could muster, Beth whacked him on the back of the head.

  Marcus fell forward, landing on top of Carrie, who struggled to get out from beneath the large man. Beth placed her hand over her chest and inhaled. Aside from the log down the rive
r, this had been the closest she’d ever been to death.

  “He would have killed us. We need to get Garrett.” Beth reached down and helped her friend wiggle free.

  Carrie jumped to her feet and ran past Beth. Following, Beth kept pace until they both reached the camp.

  “Where’s Garrett?” she cried as Aunt June stared at her with surprise written on her motherly features.

  “Went after the horses. Why?”

  Beth gave a quick account of Marcus and the incident, then stopped to take a much-needed breath.

  “Good Lord, girl. Don’t just stand there, find some rope. I’ve always wanted to tie that deadbeat up. Now I have a damned good excuse.” Aunt June wiped her powdered hands on her apron and kicked into action, running to the cabin and throwing open the door. Beth followed her inside.

  “Caught ourselves a saboteur,” Aunt June boasted to Victoria, now sitting beside Simon. “Gonna go hog tie him and throw him in the lake. Let Garrett know when he comes back, will you? We’ll be over by the train.”

  Victoria nodded, her face turned down with the slightest hint of confusion.

  Aunt June grabbed a pile of shredded cloth, and plucked a long metal spoon off the wall near the cook supplies. “Off we go, missy. Need to get there before he wakes up.”

  Beth followed the cook as she tore along the ground toward where Marcus lay. She could see the man’s form lying prone on the ground, unmoving as they approached.

  “Marcus!” Aunt June yelled, and kicked him in the side. “Tie his hands.”

  Beth took a long strip of cloth from Aunt June, and then kneeled to tie his hands together.

  “Damn good thing I done made extra bandages long enough to wrap around a man’s body. I’m just glad something good came out of your poor handsome brother getting hurt. At least he helped us catch the traitor,” Aunt June prattled as she slid the bandages around Marcus’s feet and yanked until he groaned from the pain.

  She studied her metal spoon again, and then gave him one hard whap on the head. He yelped, and Aunt June shoved his shoulder back to try to get him to turn. “Oh, hush up. What are you doing out here anyway while the rest of the men search for the horses?”

  Marcus groaned again, and Aunt June yanked him sideways until he finally turned and looked up at her, a distant, confused look shining in his eyes. “I was just checking around the train for the horses.”

  “In between the two flat cars?” Carrie asked.

  “I dropped my hat.” He moved as if to reach for his head, but stopped and stared at his elbows when his tied hands wouldn’t move. “Goddamn bitch hit me.”

  “You aren’t wearing a hat,” Aunt June pointed out.

  “’Cause it flew away after the little bitch jumped on my back.”

  “You’re a flannel-mouthed liar!” Carrie exclaimed.

  Aunt June moved to stand square in front of Marcus. “I’m inclined to believe my goddaughter over your swindlin’, no good, sidewinding rear-end, but I’ll let Garrett make that call once he gets here.”

  Just then, a ruckus sounded down the trail they’d taken to get there, and Beth turned as Garrett and the Devil May Cares ran down the path.

  “What in blue hell is going on here?”

  “Caught ourselves a traitor,” Aunt June spat.

  Garrett sent Beth a questioning glance, so she divulged the story.

  Unlike the reaction she thought she’d get, Garrett’s eyes stormed. “You should have left him alone and come to me. I’ll deal with you two later.” He glanced between her and Carrie, and then turned to his uncle. “Marcus, tell me what happened.”

  Putting on a face of innocence, Garrett’s uncle recited the same lies he’d told Aunt June. Garrett sent Beth a questioning glance, and she shook her head in denial.

  “You aren’t going to believe a couple of brainless women over me, are you? Women are fickle and only good for one thing.”

  “Oh, you deadbeat reprobate!” Aunt June kicked him in the shin.

  Marcus yelped. “Are you going to let her do that to your old uncle?”

  “You’re a hard case.” Garrett shook his head at the ground in disappointment. “I believe the women. You’d sell your own sons for a bottle of whiskey.”

  “You’re no better than me,” Marcus shouted. “Only difference is you got lucky all your life. I don’t see no one giving me an education at a foreign school, or a job with a fancy title like they did you. We’re the same. One day you’ll find yourself in need of family, and they’ll be no one left ’cause you done gone betrayed them.”

  Wall trotted up to the group. “I checked the railcars. The coupling pins were pulled.”

  Garrett turned an accusing stare on his uncle. “Who paid you to do this?”

  Marcus scrunched his nose and mouth in disgust and spit. “Nope.”

  “You’re not going to tell me?” Garrett squatted down until he drew level with his uncle’s face. “You betray me, your family, and you hold the secret of the men trying to destroy everything we’ve worked for?”

  Marcus simply stared straight ahead and refused to speak.

  Garrett stood and turned to his men. “Put some rope on him and toss him in the boxcar. Lock it up tight. We’ll ship him down to the mill with the logs. They can handle him from there.”

  Dick and Blue stepped forward and began to heave Marcus to his feet, and Beth turned toward camp with the rest of the crowd. Garrett stepped next to her and walked alongside. She could feel the anger sliding off him in waves.

  The smoke from the cook fire came into view, and the crowd dissipated to their various positions in camp, and Carrie followed Aunt June to tend to the fire, leaving Garrett alone with Beth.

  Beth tried to hold firm to her gumption, but the fury emanating from Garrett sent instant panic deep in her stomach. Of all the antics she’d done during the season, he’d never let such fury show. Not even when he first realized she was a woman did he hold this much anger bottled up. She could tell by the way he now sported a pulsing vein on his right temple—a sight she’d rarely seen on Garrett, and certainly didn’t the night he found out her true identity. She was in big trouble.

  * * * *

  Garrett concentrated on keeping his breathing even as he watched the small woman before him, surrounded by the towering giants of the forest encircling Aunt June’s camp. Her hand shook the slightest bit when he spoke. She was scared. For the first time since they’d come to the camp, she was frightened of him. With a deep, cleansing breath, he calmed.

  “Why didn’t you fetch me?” He let his tone show the seriousness of the situation, but brought it down enough to calm whatever fears she may have.

  “I was going to, but there wasn’t time, and I had no idea where you were. By the time I realized who he was, he saw us. We were too close and before I knew it, he hovered over me.”

  The news calmed him even more. She’d intended to come to him. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No. I think he would have, but Carrie jumped onto his back and distracted him until I could find a weapon. That’s when I knocked him for a loop.”

  “You are to never put yourself in danger again. I can’t lose you,” he confessed. A lie. He’d lose her as soon as they ended the drive because of his foolishness. At least she’d be alive.

  “I came here to help you find out who was sabotaging the camp, and I did.”

  “And are you satisfied in your quest here at camp?” He hoped so. The woman needed to get to Missoula where she could lead a life free of danger. That would be the only way he could let her go, knowing she would be safe.

  “I still want to go on the log drive. If you’ll let me. I’ve come this far.”

  “In the cook’s raft or the bateau. I will not allow anything else.”

  “The cook’s raft will suffice.”

  “Then I will see when I
can satisfy your desires.” If only he could do that for the rest of their lives. He took a quick glance toward Victoria as she stepped from the cabin and conversed with Carrie near the cook fire. Victoria would make a good wife. With perfect manners and a sweet disposition, she defined the essence of a proper wife, but he no longer wanted a proper wife. He wanted Beth. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to see about the log drive.”

  He nodded a goodbye, and when she responded in kind, he left to search for The Bull.

  It took but a few minutes of searching to locate the timber beast’s supervisor as he stood on The Deck and directed the operation. He saw Garrett approach and inclined his head in greeting. “Got the horses back. That was quite the stir. Never had such an eventful season before.”

  “One for the campfire.”

  “Ah, true. Can’t wait to sit around a fire with a shave tail and tell the story. You got the deadbeat I hear.”

  Garrett shook his head in shame. He not only had to confess to the Bonner camp, but big bugs, and his father. The one mistake he’d made through the season had cost more than half the load. He’d learned his lesson, though. No matter how close a person may be, a deadbeat would always be a deadbeat. Some people were beyond redemption. “Yeah. My uncle. Seems he took the bribe.”

  The Bull frowned. “That the guy who’s been staying at Mother Goose’s Cottage? I saw him headed that way right before the fire. Ain’t no way he started it.”

  Garrett’s brows furrowed, mimicking the look on The Bull’s face. If his uncle had been the one who was staying in the cabin, and he’d been there during the fire, then who had started it? “If you’ll excuse me.”

  “Sure,” The Bull said. “I’m doubling up my teams so the drive will be ready by tomorrow. The sooner we get down the mountain, the better.”

  “I’ll let my men know. We’ll be ready to leave day after tomorrow, barring something else going wrong.”

  “True, true,” The Bull agreed and then turned to shout an order to his men, so Garrett headed toward the boxcar holding his uncle.