by Multiple
“I don’t see why I can’t ride with the boys,” Scarlett complained, parting and plaiting her hair into a braid, before covering the wealth of red with a hat.
Gathering the reins in one hand and releasing the handbrake with the other, he urged the horses into a slow walk. “Because I want your company.”
Scarlett bumped his arm with each bounce. The blond, Cody, rode up alongside them. He grinned at Scarlett, ignoring Sam. “You sure you don’t want to ride sweetheart?”
“She’s fine where she is.” Sam kept his hands on the reins, but settled a long look on Cody. He’d not missed the man’s constantly straying attention, his gaze always following Scarlett. He’d intercepted her on the ride in and the hug was a great deal more than fraternal.
The wolf in man’s clothing was competition. Sam wasn’t sure what type yet, but he had the advantage at the moment and he wasn’t letting it go.
“I’ll ride later when we switch out.”
Sam scowled in irritation at her blatant refusal to play along. Cody grinned, his horse sidling closer.
“I can always just keep you company.”
“Only if you want to be bored.” Scarlett motioned to the wagon. “I can walk faster than this.”
Teeth grinding, Sam was saved from saying something he might regret as Kid and Jimmy rode up on his left. “Yo, Cody. Let’s go. We’re going to range ahead. Need to make sure we have a good crossing point at the first river.”
Scarlett waved as they rode off, longing slipping across her expressive face. Sam sighed.
“Do you want to go with them?” He tried not to read too much into her reaction, but this was his opportunity and he didn’t want to waste it watching her ride away.
“No,” she shook her head, grabbing the bench rail as they hit another rock. The horses were moving at a plodding pace, but the landscape wasn’t friendly to the wagon wheels and it was better to go slow and steady, than risk a broken wheel.
Or neck.
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m worried about Cody.”
Sam worried about Cody too, but he was sure it was for a completely different reason. He swallowed back the biting comments he could make and focused instead on Scarlett. Quanto had said this was his opportunity, his one chance to try and connect with her, he couldn’t squander it wasting time on jealousy.
At least not while Cody kicking up dust riding away from them.
He cleared his throat. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She shot a questioning glance in his direction and frowned. “I don’t know if you would understand.”
“Maybe not.” He agreed. “But, if you want to talk about it. I would be willing to listen.”
He tried not to watch her, keeping his attention on the horses. But her hand rubbed over the pocket of her denim britches twice, a pensive look clouding her expression. Sam was already regretting the offer, when she sighed.
“Cody kissed me.”
He hadn’t hit the bastard hard enough. His teeth ground together and he flexed his fingers on the reins. Chin lifting, he studied the range ahead of them, barely out of the mountains, the land dipped and rolled. The riders were already out of sight.
But they’d be back.
He could hit him again.
“Sam?” The query dragged him back to the wagon and he tried to smooth away the scowl on his face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” He cleared his throat again. He’d told her she could talk to him. He’d damn well listen. “He kissed you. But he’s your brother?”
It would give him time to figure out just how much damage was owed the wolf.
“Exactly. But it was a lot more than just a brotherly kiss.” The catch in her voice nearly did him in. It took effort to keep his hands on the reins and not reach out to hug her.
“Well, you’re a beautiful woman.” He tried to empathize.
“But he’s my brother, and I didn’t know he felt that way.” The quivery note in her voice warned of self-loathing. “I didn’t mean to hurt him, but when he kissed me, I burned him.”
“Good.” Pure masculine satisfaction flowed through him. It explained the blisters on Cody’s mouth the first night he’d met him. And his wild reaction when Sam asked about Scarlett.
“Sam!”
“Good. You didn’t hurt him badly, but enough to let him know you weren’t interested.” No he wouldn’t apologize for feeling that way, except…”You aren’t interested, are you?”
“No.” The heated response increased his satisfaction. Sam leaned back on the bench, resting one booted foot on the wagon front. He could handle this conversation.
“What bothers you more? That he feels that way about you? Or that you burned him?”
It was the right question, the stiffness in her shoulders sagged. Another bounce of the wheels rocked her against him and he stretched a steadying arm out behind her.
“I don’t like that he feels that way. He’s my brother and kissing him like that is wrong, but Sam, I shouldn’t have burned him.”
“Then why did you?” Sam applauded his calmness, but he was honestly interested. In the short amount of time he’d spent with Scarlett, all he’d seen was control. Except, he amended, for the time at the pond. When she’d been alone, or thought she was alone, she’d cavorted and played, sending fire swirling up into the sky and down into the water. The picture of it was forever etched into his mind.
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” He knew an evasion when he heard one.
Her face twisted into a stricken expression. He could hazard a guess as to why she’d done it, but it was better to let her say it out loud, to admit it and to own her own actions.
“Quanto said he would heal.”
“And so he has, mostly. But why did you burn him?”
Scarlett fidgeted in the seat, her leg bouncing and brushing against his. He glanced down at the slender length of thigh where it bobbed on the seat and further to the booted foot that tapped a rapid rhythm.
“I didn’t want him to kiss me.”
“Did you tell him no?”
“I tried.”
“But he didn’t listen?”
“I couldn’t get the words out and Cody’s a lot stronger than I am, he was so close and…” She broke off again, fire sparked on her fingertips and Sam pulled his hand out from behind her to cover her hand. The fire evaporated at his touch and he held back the sigh of relief. It would be so easy for her to burn him, but he trusted that she wouldn’t.
He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. “Why did you burn him?”
“Because he scared me.” It was such a simple confession and she sounded all of twelve years old. Sam fought the urge to pull her over into his lap and snuggle her until the last trace of that fear vanished. It was only slightly stronger than the urge to pound Cody until he couldn’t walk.
But only slightly.
“Jimmy, Buck, even Quanto, everyone says that Cody is letting the wolf take him too much. It is the wolf, not Cody. But it doesn’t matter. I hurt him and I should never hurt my family. I’m dangerous to be around.”
“You haven’t burned me.” Sam held onto the hand, thumb stroking the back of it.
“Yet.”
He chuckled at the rebellious note in her voice.
“Fair enough. But as I recall, when I kissed you,” he turned to watch the impact of the words. “You didn’t burn me.”
Scarlett’s face flushed red and she dropped her gaze away, embarrassment having completely scuttled her distress. Sam lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it gently, inhaling the sweet, sunny scent of her. Her gaze jerked back to his and he smiled, speaking against her skin so she could feel his breath.
“And I’ll be happy to test that theory with as many kisses as you’d like.”
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Sam grinned, kissing her hand once more before tu
cking it against his thigh and holding it there. She tugged once, but when he tightened his fingers, her hand palm relaxed on his thigh and it stayed there.
Even when he needed both hands for the reins.
The rest of the afternoon past in quiet, speculative silence. Sam was almost sorry to see the sun dipping lower in the western sky. Smoke puffed into the sky, a mile ahead. The outriders had set up a camp for them, there would be water for the horses and food roasting on the flames.
He stole a glance to his left, but Scarlett kept her gaze firmly on the horizon, lost in her own thoughts. But her hand was still on his thigh.
It was a small measure of progress.
Sundown swept like a great blanket across them by the time the horses were loosened from the wagons, rubbed down, watered and fed. Scarlett ached from the roots of her hair to the tips of her boots.
She really didn’t like the wagon.
Except, her gaze strayed to where Sam stood talking to his brothers, she did.
Two rabbits and a grouse were roasting on the fire, Jimmy and Cody tending to it. Setting up camp was a quick prospect with so many bodies, but Scarlett did her part, hauling the water when Sam handed her two buckets. It took six trips and her arms were screaming before she was done, but there was enough water to drink, cook and wash as needed.
One glance revealed Cody watching her and he said something to Jimmy before striding in her direction. Scarlett considered heading to Sam, but decided that letting her hand sit on his thigh all day had been enough of a bad message and Cody was her brother.
Dammit.
She squared her shoulders and found a smile for him. It wasn’t hard. “Want to swim?”
The question, while unexpected, also sounded wonderful. She was hot, sweaty and she needed to blow off some steam.
“Yes. Did someone pack towels? Wyatt didn’t mention them when he rousted me this morning.”
Cody grinned. “Grab some clothes, I’ll get the towels.”
Scarlett went hunting for her saddlebags. They’d been stowed with the crates in the wagon she and Sam shared. She climbed up, sorting through the bags by feel in the dark until she found one stuffed with clothing. It was a simple matter to unpack a clean shirt and britches. She’d skipped bringing any dresses or skirts, expecting that she’d be in the saddle most of the time.
After locating her hairbrush and a bar of soap, she rolled it all together and pushed the tarp back to find Sam waiting for her. He shot a questioning glance at the roll of clothes.
“I’m going swimming and I thought I’d wash while I was there. It’s hot.”
“With Cody?”
Her chin lifted at the cool question. “And anyone else that wants to come along.”
Sam grinned. “Toss me my saddlebag. I think I might enjoy a swim.”
“Swim?” Micah leaned against the side of the wagon. “Count me in.”
Scarlett ducked back inside long enough to grab Sam’s bags and hand them down to him. He set the bags down and then lifted his hands expectantly. She hesitated, but he was just being a gentleman.
Or at least that’s the excuse she told herself.
He caught her easily and lowered her to the ground, his hands lingering on her hips a few seconds longer than necessary.
“Race you,” she challenged and dashed away. The sound of feet rushing after her, chased her through the dark. The watering hole, or at least what she’d seen of it in the dying light of the day, was a rock rimmed lake fed by three separate streams that fell over an outcropping of rocks. Cattails grew in rich profusion around the shores, but there was little sand or dust at the edge, as though the water had shaved its own path through the landscape to create the escape.
She toed off her boots and stripped down to her under shirt. She considered the britches for a moment, but she didn’t really want to soak them and chucked them off as well, trusting the shirt to hide any delicate bits that the worn, cotton pantaloons didn’t.
“Damn.” Jimmy swore in the dark. “Can’t see a damn thing out here.”
Laughing, she raced to the edge and jumped. The water was ice against her flushed skin and the swearing erupting closer to the rock edge told her she’d gotten more than a few with the backsplash.
“How is it?” Buck called.
Scarlett dropped her feet, testing the depth of the water and found that it crested at her breastbone. Deep enough for swimming and bathing, but not so deep she would have to swim to stay on the surface. A second splash followed quickly by a third warned her that she was about to have company.
“Light it up, Scar.” Jimmy called from the shore.
“You sure?” Something brushed her leg and she twisted away from it.
“Go for it, we’re safe!”
The bands of tension in her belly expanded and blossomed as she released the rigid locks on the heat building up inside. Flames burst into the dark sky. She stretched her hands out, letting the pillars of fire climb up from her palms, illuminating the water.
Sam waded just two feet away from her, his expression captivated. So captivated that he didn’t seem to sense Micah’s approach and he flashed her a wicked grin as he went to tackle his brother. Sam must have seen her eyes widen because he jerked around at the last moment and caught his brother, sending him tumbling into the deeper water.
Her heart pumped wickedly against the surge of feeling his wonder evoked. Two hands locked around her ankles and she oofed as she was jerked under the water. She came up sputtering to Cody’s laughing face. Sam waded closer, all but glaring at Cody and he grinned a challenge and hit the marshal in the face with an arm wave of water.
Sam lunged for him and the two wrestled into the deeper water. Fire raced in circles around the water as Scarlett watched them. There was more than play going on.
“I’ll be damned.” Micah waded closer to the flames and she flicked them away, sending them racing to the edges, the push and pull of the water lapping against her adding to her internal buoyancy. “They said you could do this, but it’s the damndest thing.”
“Thank you, I think.” She gave him a small smile, pleased that he was just as fascinated as his brother. After years of warnings about fear, it was a relief to be herself. She glanced around the water for Kid, but saw him sitting on the shore, not far from Jimmy. They were both armed and watching.
“Don’t worry, Miss Scarlett. We’re all going to take turns with watching.” Micah drifted closer and gave her shoulder an awkward pat. “Just swim and play.”
She nodded and dove under the water, swimming a few feet from him and kicking back up the surface. She opened her eyes, testing her control and was pleased to see the light of the flames still flickering above. Surfacing she found Cody and Sam glaring at each other.
“Anytime.” Cody murmured.
“Now?” Sam challenged.
Scarlett’s heart froze in her chest.
Cody’s eyes were yellow.
Flame exploded up in a geyser between the two men forcing them to jerk back. They turned twinned pairs of startled eyes in her direction.
“Sweetheart,” Noah wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and tugged her backwards. “Sometimes, you just have to let folks sort themselves out.”
“But they’re fighting.”
“Yes, they are.”
“And Cody’s eyes…”
“Trust your brother. Trust the marshal.” Noah advised. Jimmy and Kid were both still sitting on the shore, clearly undisturbed by the prospect of what was about to happen.
Scarlett looked back to where she’d left them, but Cody and Sam were already on the shore, climbing up onto the rocks. She started after them and Buck slid in front of her. “Uh uh.” He shook his finger at her.
Her hands slapped against the water sending it upwards and she looked to Micah for help, but he lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
“They’ll sort it out, Scarlett. Besides, I need to know who wins.”
“Why?” She demanded.
“So I can take on the winner.” Micah grinned. “I think I like the idea of the prize.”
Scarlett gaped at Micah. “Are you ever serious?”
“Sometimes.” He grinned. “If you ask me too, I’ll be completely serious about you.” But his bid was interrupted by Noah and Buck sweeping him under the water, leaving Scarlett to stare off into the darkness where Sam and Cody vanished.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cody rolled his head to the left and the right, the bones popping and resettling. The wolf rolled against the inside of his skin, all fur and fury. He focused on his hands, fighting the need to unsheathe his claws. The marshal strode ahead of him, clearly unperturbed about showing Cody his back. It was a weakness.
And a sign of confidence.
He swallowed the growl itching up his throat and focused his will. Quanto told him the wolf was a partner, not the dominant within and if Cody did not exert control, he would find himself the submissive to the wolf’s demands. Just as he had at the lakeside when he’d kissed Scarlett. The healing burns on his chest itched, a reminder of the frantic blows of her fists.
The wolf wanted to mark her and to claim her.
The man understood that he could do neither.
But the man and wolf were in perfect agreement where Sam was concerned.
They didn’t want the marshal anywhere near her. When they’d passed into the true dark beyond the reach of Scarlett’s flickering flames, the marshal paused. Shirtless, weaponless and wearing only his damp denim, he turned to face Cody.
The moon was passing full, spilling its pale light across the desert scrub and adding a nearly pearlescent sheen to the sand. The warm air brushed over Cody’s damp skin, doing little to lower the fever burning in his blood. Quanto had made him swear to not attack. He’d demanded Cody’s word.
He’d given it, reluctantly, but he wouldn’t turn down Sam’s challenge or the cool promise of pain offered in Sam’s gaze. Sam didn’t want him around Scarlett either.
