She scrunched her face in confusion, his words not making sense. She jumped a little when a deep voice behind her replied.
“Nope, that’s my ranch hand. He’s working off his stay for this summer.”
She whirled at the familiar voice, her face white when she recognized his face. He had come looking for her after all.
He nodded at her and gave her a cockeyed smile. “Glad you made it safe here but you should’ve waited for me. It didn’t take me long to saddle the horses.”
Her heart began to pound again and she scrambled for the words. “I, uh, didn’t want to impose. I knew you were hungry and wanted to eat breakfast.”
“Yeah, I ate but you forgot to make the coffee.”
“I did.” She glanced back at the sheriff before facing him again. “Sorry.”
“Just don’t let it happen again…”
She frowned and it took a moment before she realized he was going to play along with her game and was waiting for her to tell him the name she was going by. “Colton, sir. It’s Colton.”
He laughed and nodded his head. “That’s right. Can’t keep these damn kid’s names straight.” He walked past her and shook the sheriff’s hand. “I appreciate it if you keep an eye out. Colton had his horse taken yesterday and I’m missing about twenty head from what I counted yesterday. We are going back out there this afternoon to bring the remainder of the cattle closer to home. I can’t afford to lose anymore.”
The sheriff stood and shook his hand. “Will do, Sutter. I’ll send some of the boys over your way. If they are hunkered down in the ravine, we will flush them out.” He looked over at Colorado and she smiled sheepishly. “You sure you don’t want me to send one of my boys over to help? This one doesn’t look strong enough to wrangle a goat, let alone a cow.”
Sutter chuckled and shook his head. “Nah. He’ll build his muscle this summer. It’s the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that turns a boy into a man.”
He moved towards the door, grabbing his hat off of the wall hook. “Come on, Colton. We have work to do.”
He didn’t wait for her to reply, just strode out of the door. She couldn’t move and was unsure what to do. She didn’t want to go with Sutter but now the sheriff thought she was one of his hired hands so she couldn’t inquire about a teaching position…yet.
“Aren’t you gonna go with Sutter?”
“Uh, yes sir. Thank you again.” She stumbled out of building and down the stairs. She didn’t see Sutter near any of the horses or watering troughs and began to wonder if he had let her go.
“Hey kid, over here.”
She turned and saw him over by the eating house.
“I need a cup of coffee and imagine you’re hungry so let’s grab a bite before heading back.” He didn’t wait for her, just turned and walked inside Greta’s Tavern. She sat down opposite him and waited for him to say something. He seemed uninterested in her as he studied the menu. She stared at him, wondering exactly what his game was. Her thoughts turned from what he wanted from her to who exactly he was. His gorgeous green eyes were just as brilliant in the daylight as they were illuminated by lamp light. He had crows’ feet at the corners of his eyes and she wondered if it was because of the hours spent in the sun or from laughing. She prayed it was the latter. He had a slight dimple in the middle of his chin and deep dimples in his cheeks. Even through the stubble, his dimples flashed when he talked. She was embarrassed that she had noticed that in the sheriff’s office.
He appeared late twentyish to maybe early thirties. She hadn’t seen a woman’s touch in the cabin so she wasn’t sure if he was married or not. Maybe a widow?
“I guarantee that there’s more appetizing things on the menu than on my face.”
She snapped her head down to the menu, embarrassed that he was aware of her staring at him. She quickly decided on the food she was going to order and set the paper back down.
“I hope you plan on eating a big meal. I plan on putting you to work this afternoon. I still have missing cattle I need to find and bring to closer pasture.”
She stared at him incredulously. “I need to get back to Denver, where all of my things are.”
“Your things can wait until tomorrow. Once I have my herd secured, I’ll take you to Denver,” his unwavering stare unnerving her. “And then you can tell me why you ducked out on me this morning. There’s a reason you didn’t want me to take you to the sheriff in Golden. I’m curious as to what that reason is.”
She felt her face flush and she tried to formulate a quick explanation but he held his hand up. “I don’t need to hear any more of your lies. It’s obvious you are running from something…or someone. As much as the fashion is changing, I know it’s not in style to dress as the opposite sex.”
The working girl who was serving the clientele came over and brushed against Sutter suggestively. “Anything on the menu catch your attention? Or even off of the menu?” She winked at him but he wasn’t looking at her, he was staring right at Colorado.
“I will have a cup of coffee. The lad here will have bacon, eggs and hash browns, also with a cup of coffee.”
The strumpet frowned at him and his obvious dismissal. “Fine.” She stomped off, her hips still swaying suggestively.
Colorado glanced around the tavern, looking everywhere but at Sutter.
“So are you going to tell me who exactly you are and what you are doing here or shall I just take you back to Sheriff Allard?”
She blanched and met his gaze with panic. She kept her voice low. “Please, don’t take me to the sheriff. I can’t go back.”
“Let’s start with your name, your real name and we will go from there.”
“Colorado. My name is Colorado.”
He frowned. “As in, this state?”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
“And who are you running from, Colorado?”
He folded his hands in front of him waiting expectantly but she was hesitant to tell him the truth. She met his eyes when he cocked his head and she felt compelled to tell him the truth. She wasn’t sure if it was the way his eyes bored into her soul or the threat of being turned over to the sheriff.
“I’m running from my father. He’s arranged my marriage to a horrible, old man. I can’t go back. I’ll kill myself first.”
He put his hands up. “Let’s not shed any blood or end any lives just yet.” He took a drink of his coffee. “What was your plan on how to survive here in Colorado, Colorado?”
She rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt at humor. “I was going to obtain employment as a school teacher here in Golden,” she looked around and lowered her voice. “As a man. Men have freedom and don’t have to explain anything. I could set up a little homestead outside of town and live peacefully the rest of my life.”
She didn’t miss the twitch of his eyebrow. He found something she said amusing and it irked her. “I can do that. At least I could’ve if you had just let me be.”
He chuckled. “Oh yes, because you were doing so well on your own.”
She opened her mouth to argue but he held up his hand to stop her. “I’m not here to fight with you. Let’s just eat our breakfast and maybe we can help each other out.”
She closed her mouth and sat back, crossing her arms defiantly. Her father often cut her off and he just did the same thing. It completely irked her but she also learned that the times that she was silent were the times she prepared an intellectual argument and usually won. And that’s exactly what she planned on doing after breakfast.
The working lady came back with her arms laden with their food and she roughly set them down. Not saying a word, she stormed back to the kitchen.
“I can see you make friends easily,” she giggled as she picked up her fork.
“I don’t need friends,” he growled.
She didn’t say another word about it and focused on her eggs. She definitely hit a sore spot with him, even a stranger could tell.
They ate in silence,
surprisingly comfortable. Sutter paid the bill and they walked outside into the sunlight.
“I’m over here. I wasn’t sure if I’d find you or not but I went ahead and brought two horses.”
She smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you.”
They mounted his horses and headed towards his ranch.
“I’ve been thinking about your situation and I have a proposition for you. If you help me around the ranch this summer, I’ll take care of your room and board and I’ll keep your secret. Then this fall when crops have been harvested, you’ll be free to become the teacher you want to be.”
She didn’t say anything, surprised that he was willing to keep her secret. It would be a blessing to have a place to stay and steady meals during the summer. And she loved the ranching work, having helped her father’s ranch manager often during calving season and moving the cattle. It drove her father nuts but her mother had intervened, pointing out that their daughter was a natural rider. She missed her mum.
She opened her mouth to agree but another thought came to her head, a darker, more sinister one. “Wait, you want me to help you around the ranch in exchange for your silence. That is the only thing you want, right?”
He looked over at her and frowned. “I don’t know what you mean? I need a second hand to help me herd the cattle and for chores around the property. What did you think…” His face flushed when he understood what she was implying. “Oh my god, no. I am not interested in your feminine wiles. All that does is lead to trouble.”
She almost laughed with relief as he faced forward again, mumbling something under his breath.
“Okay, then I accept your offer. But I still have to go to Denver and gather my things. My room is only paid for another couple of days.”
“If we move the cows this afternoon, we will have all day tomorrow to go to Denver and get your things.” He glanced at her again, eyeing her suspiciously. “Have you ever worked with cattle before?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yep. I used to help my father’s ranch manager throughout the year.”
“Your father let you do that?”
“Oh heavens no! My mum was the one who talked him into allowing me to help out. She said it was in my soul and would also help calm the wildness within me,” Colorado smiled sadly. “I miss her very much.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Was it recent?”
“A little over two fortnights ago. Dysentery took her from us.”
“Is that why you ran away, because you are sad?”
She glared at him. “Well wouldn’t that be a stupid reason to run away from home? Because my mum died from an illness that none of us could prevent?” She focused on the trail ahead of her. “No. I ran away because my father decided to arrange my marriage to a horrible man who’s well into his forties but very wealthy.”
“It sounds like he was trying to take care of you.”
“Not by making marry a man the same age as my pa. I don’t want to get married at all but if I ever did, it would be because I loved the man.”
Sutter snorted. “There’s no such thing as love.”
“I would care to disagree. My mother and father loved each other very much.”
He shrugged but didn’t say anything more. They traveled along in silence and she began to wonder why he had such skepticism about love. He was of the age where he should be married but his cabin didn’t show signs of a woman’s touch. Actually, it didn’t show signs of much at all. Maybe that was the root of his anger? He didn’t have enough money to woo the woman he loved?
She shook her head. Money muddled everything. She vowed that when she began her teaching position she would sock away the money she brought with her so that she would never have to depend on another human being again.
They rode up to the little cabin and tied up their horses. “I’ll go fill our canteens with water from the stream if you can go in and wrap up some cheese and dried meat from the cupboard. It’s the cupboard on the right side of the stove, where you didn’t look last night.” He cocked his head. “Unless you are thinking of bolting again.”
She frowned at him. “Whether you believe me or not, I am a woman of my word. I promised to help you with the cattle and you promised to keep my secret. How would it benefit me if I bolted now?”
He nodded. “Yep, you are right. Just wanted to make sure you use common sense. I haven’t experienced too many women who have common sense.”
She bristled at the insult of her gender. “Well, sir, I can assure you I have common sense and integrity, more so than any man I’ve ever met.
He chuckled and grabbed her canteen off of the saddle horn, then turned and walked down towards the ravine.
She swung off of her horse and stomped inside the cabin. It looked just as dark and dreary in the daylight as it had last night. There were no fine artifacts in his home and she wondered how he could stand to live here.
Quickly grabbing the meat and cheese, she wrapped it up in a cloth and made her way back out to the horses. He was walking back, water droplets glimmering on the sides of the canteens. Quickly storing their lunch in her saddle bag, she swung back up into the saddle. He handed her a canteen then secured his before leaping up onto his horse.
“The cattle I need to bring down are in the northern pasture, about two hours ride but they know home so it won’t take long to get them back here. That should give us plenty of time to get the wagon ready for tomorrow and still get a good night’s sleep.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go.”
Sutter snorted again but didn’t say anything as he swung his gelding around. The path dropped down into the ravine before climbing several hundred feet. When they breached the top, Colorado sucked in her breath. There were miles and miles of open grasslands, giant blue mountains cupped the flatland like a delicate flower. It was truly breathtaking.
The trail was fairly easy to follow and before the noon hour they had found the cattle. Sutter quickly counted his head and when all were accounted for, began to round them up and head them towards home.
Colorado enjoyed helping keep the cattle together and was thankful she had been taught by one of the best. She was able to get ahead of a couple stubborn calves who thought they wanted to bolt in a different direction, and bring them back to the herd. She saw Sutter’s appreciative smile when she brought the third one back.
They made it back to the home pasture in record time and after securing the cattle, rubbed down the horses and put them away.
Though they had eaten all of the meat and cheese while they were working, Colorado touched her belly when it cramped and growled in discontent.
“If you can start a fire on the stove, I’ll go cut some steaks for supper,” he raised an eyebrow. “You do know how to start a fire in the stove, don’t you?”
She blew out her breath in frustration. “Yes, I know how to start a fire.”
“I thought so. You handled yourself very well out there today. I just wanted to make sure.”
She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face. He had actually complimented her. “Yes, I can wrangle cows and start a fire and believe it or not, I can cook steak too.”
She made her way into the cabin, found an old apron and tied it around her waist. She had to go around he waist twice because the material and strings were so long but she made it work and began preparations for making a decent meal for them.
With the fire roaring, she quickly put beans on and seasoned a skillet for the meat. She found some scraps of bacon and put them in the pot with the beans. While the fat from the bacon was rendering, she searched his cupboards for any seasonings.
Sutter came into the cabin with two large slabs of meat.
“Are you planning on guests that I should be aware of?” she laughed.
He glanced down at the meat in his hands and shrugged. “I don’t know about you but I’m starving and I figured it would also be nice to have something to eat on while we are on our way to Denver tomorrow.”
&nbs
p; She nodded her head. “Very smart thinking. My stomach will thank you today and tomorrow.” She took the steaks from him and dropped them onto the hot skillet. She seasoned them with the rock salt she found before stirring the beans.
He leaned over her shoulder and peered into the pot. She stiffened, aware of his size and closeness. Despite them being out with the animals all day, he smelled good.
“I don’t know what you did to those beans but they smell wonderful.”
She felt a heat in her belly as his breath tickled the hair near her ears. His voice was deep yet gentle, his breath hot and sweet on her neck. She felt the room start to spin. Quickly stepping back, she stepped on his toes which caused her to stumble off to the side. His arms wrapped around her waist and he brought her back to center.
“Easy there. Are you okay?”
She glanced up into his concerned green eyes and nodded. “Yes, I think I’m just tired and hungry. I’ll be better after supper.” She pushed him away gently and straightened her apron. Tucking some of her hair behind her cap again, she tried to sound normal again. “Do you have any plates we can eat off of or should we just caveman it?”
He laughed and moved away, grabbing two tin plates for their meal. She scooped generous portions of her beans and bacon before placing a steak on top.
They sat out on the porch and ate in silence. The crickets were singing their evening songs and the occasional snort of a horse was comforting and relaxing. Colorado watched the shadows stretch as the sun disappeared into its dark, velvety bed. She sighed. She could definitely get used to living like this. Simple, easy, peaceful.
“What are you thinking about?”
His deep voice broke the spell and she glanced over at him. “I was just thinking about how I could get used to this way of living.”
He snorted. “You say that now but six months into it you will miss the parties, the shopping, society engagements.”
“I wouldn’t miss social obligations. I’ve hated them all of my life and would often feign illness just to get out of them. I find the people pretentious and boring.”
Rescuing Colorado Page 2
