Brody (7 page)

His stomach yowled and she smirked at him.

“I’ve got my own vittles, you know.” He did but they weren’t nearly as appetizing as what she had. His jerky was older than dirt, just as tasty too. He also had a bunch of broken crackers and a can of beans. He had planned to stock up after he’d stopped at the Grahams’, but things had gone haywire.

Hell, they were still going haywire as far as he was concerned.

“Good, because you may not share my food.”

“You sound like a little girl, you know. Not wanting to share her toys with anyone. Selfish.” He got up and she held onto her biscuit as though he meant to grab it from her. “I ain’t gonna take your food, Liv. Jesus, is that what you think of me?”

Her cheeks colored. “No, what I think of you does not include your taking my food.”

Brody snorted and headed to his saddlebags, purely done fighting with Olivia. He had to plan his route into Mexico and what he would do afterward, and that did not involve Olivia Graham. No, he was going to bring her to the next town and pay someone to take her home. There was no way he was going to bring her into Mexico, for two reasons. First, her brother Matt would kill him. Second, she might be killed there because she was white. With Brody’s dark hair, and some help making his skin a little darker, he could sneak into Mexico unnoticed. He’d done it before; he’d do it again.

Olivia had light brown hair and skin like cream with cinnamon sprinkles. She would stand out too much to risk it. He did not look forward to her reaction when he told her, which he would do at the last possible moment, of course. He didn’t want to wake up tied to a tree with his horse gone—no doubt she would do it too.

He sat back down with his meager meal and tried to ignore the fact she’d dumped out perfectly good coffee. The water in his canteen would wash the dry food down his throat just fine.

“My brothers accuse me of being bossy.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Brody responded dryly.

“Shut up while I get this said.” She clenched one fist. “Please.”

He held up his hands in surrender, wondering just what she had to say that was so important. The woman talked enough for two people as it was.

“I didn’t used to be so hard but with so many young’uns in the house, I had to be bossy or get run over. Mama was a wonderful person, a wonderful mother. I helped as much as I could.” She fiddled with the remains of her biscuit. “I fell in love when I was eighteen, but with Pa and Caleb and Matt away at war, I couldn’t leave Mama with all the responsibility. I asked him to wait a bit before we got married.”

Brody frowned at that piece of news. She’d been engaged? Couples anticipated their weddings every day, but she wasn’t married. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what had happened.

“A month before we were to be married, my parents were killed and Benjy taken.” He heard her swallow. “My intended broke our engagement a week before the wedding.” She met his gaze, her blue-green eyes shining in the firelight. “Said he couldn’t be married to a woman who wailed and carried on so much.”

So many things made sense to him now. She’d lost her parents, her brother and her future husband in a short period of time. He’d left her because she grieved too much? Because she wanted to find her parents’ murderer and her missing brother? Whoever he was, the bastard deserved to be castrated.

Now Olivia didn’t cry at all, and she wasn’t a puddle of grief. She was a tornado of anger and vengeance. Brody wondered whether they’d have gotten along better if he’d met her a year ago, whether he would’ve noticed her at all. She was not the same woman; he would bet every cent he had on that.

“He’s a foolish man,” was all Brody could say. “Who was he?”

She narrowed her gaze. “No one. Just a foolish man as you said. The reason I told you the story was so that you’ll understand whatever happens between us does not mean marriage.”

Olivia could have hit him with a rock and it would have had less impact than her words. Marriage? The dry crackers in his mouth turned to dust and he had to take a huge swig of water to dislodge them before he choked.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I am just being clear, Ranger. I didn’t get us into anything. I simply scratched an itch.” She got to her feet. “Now if you point me to the water, I’m going to wash up for the night.”

Brody was speechless. It was the first time in his life he remembered not even knowing what to say. The woman had
cojones
bigger than his. Scratched an itch? The world had just turned upside down in seconds.

“Never mind. I know which direction you came from. I’ll find it.” She walked off, leaving him sitting there holding his balls as though she wanted to rip them off his body. Olivia Graham was more dangerous than he ever expected. She acted like a wildcat, screwed him until he was cross-eyed, then threw her anger and a sob story at him. He wanted to follow her and give her a good spanking.

And possibly get into her drawers again, judging by the way his body was aroused just by talking to her.

What had he gotten himself involved in? And why did he think it would be impossible to get out of?

C
HAPTER
F
IVE

T
hey slept apart that night, yet still beside each other. Olivia had rolled herself into a cocoon of blanket and gave him her back. She woke slowly, which wasn’t normal for her, confused by the body beside her. Sometime in the night she’d snuggled up beside him, her hair loose from the braid she’d put it in the night before. She sat up suddenly, yanking all the covers off them.

Brody’s gun was in his hand before she could even catch her breath.

Although, she did notice his cock was as hard as stone beneath his trousers. When she licked her lips, it jerked beneath the fabric.

He cocked the pistol. “You trying to get yourself killed?”

“What are you talking about?”

He gestured to her with the gun. “You look like you were just tussling under the sheets with a man, your hair wild and mussed. Your lips are red and wet like you’ve been kissed and damned if that blouse is still open. You, woman, are aiming to drive me loco. That’s what I’m talking about.”

She was driving him loco with her hair, breasts and lips? Who would have thought a tough ranger like Brody could be distracted by her less-than-spectacular feminine wiles? This was a piece of knowledge she would tuck away and use to her advantage soon. It was purely satisfying to see she affected him as much as he affected her.

“I didn’t mean to do anything. I woke up and was startled because I didn’t remember where I was.” She got to her knees. “I don’t need to get shot for it, though.”

He blew out a breath and uncocked the pistol. “Jesus, woman, you are gonna kill me.”

“I hope before you kill me.” She rose on shaky legs, her body betraying her with one look at his hard, and utterly virile form. Loathe to admit it, Olivia had dreamed of his cock inside her again, of his mouth on her breasts and his hands between her thighs. It had been a night filled with salacious dreams starring Ranger Brody Armstrong.

“I won’t kill you, for God’s sake. I was just startled.” He ran his hands through his jet-black hair, making it stick every which way. “You’d best get up so we can get going.”

Olivia turned toward her saddlebags. “I’m not the one still in bed.”

He cursed under his breath but she heard it anyway. With a smile, she headed toward the small creek to get ready for the day. After morning ablutions with water that could’ve come from a glacier, she came back to the camp, shivering. To her surprise, Brody had made coffee and had cleaned and packed the bedrolls.

“You have skills as a housekeeper, Ranger.” She didn’t know why she kept baiting the man, but, oh, how fun it was to see his nostrils flare at her jibe.

“Just efficient as any man who lives on the trail is.” He poured himself coffee, then to her annoyance, poured the rest of it onto the ground. “You’ve got two minutes to be on your horse or get left behind.”

“You are a bastard.” She stepped up and tried to take the coffee away from him. With longer arms, he easily kept it out of her reach.

“Nope, my parents were married.” He glared down at her. “You wanted to be partners but you treat me like a naughty schoolboy. I’m a man, Liv, and I deserve better than that.”

“You deserve nothing.” She stepped up until she was nose to chin with him. “You earn my respect. I don’t give it easily.”

He dropped the cup with a clang and yanked her against him. Their lips slammed together and heat flooded through her so fast, she could’ve used that ice cold water again. His tongue invaded her mouth, even as his cock pressed against her throbbing pussy. Just like that, she was ready and willing to be with him again.

Utter madness.

He tore his mouth away and stepped back. “Holy hell, woman. What was that?”

“You kissed me.”

“Like hell I did. You pushed up against me and I reacted.”

“By kissing me?”

“No, by pushing you away. You kissed me.”

“Then why did you drop your precious coffee?” She picked up the cup, shaken to her core, her heart pounding so hard it was about to bust out of her chest.

“You knocked it out of my hand.”

Olivia’s laugh was devoid of humor. “You are fooling only yourself, Ranger. I think we’ve got less than a minute to get moving, right?” She tucked the cup and coffeepot away, nearly burning her hands in the process.

The ranger didn’t say a word, but he turned to his horse and mounted.

With no breakfast and no coffee, Olivia saddled Mariposa with little grace and was ready in minutes.

“You’re late,” he groused as he kneed his horse into motion.

“You’re a jackass.” She had the satisfaction of seeing his shoulders tense. Ha! Olivia Graham was not going to lie down and take his rejection. Oh, no, she would be the victor in this war, no matter what.

The buildings of Reidsville rose in the distance before Brody spoke again. He was angry, at himself mostly, for being stupid enough to kiss her. Again. Not only that, he woke up wanting to plunge into her. Again. Then he fought with her. Again.

Leaving her in Reidsville would be the best thing for both of them. He could track the rest of Jeb’s gang into Mexico and be done with the Grahams for good. There was a slim chance he would find Benjamin Graham. The odds were not good he was alive, much less untouched.

The warmth of the morning had given way to afternoon heat. Sweat trickled down the center of his back. Olivia rode in front of him, and to his satisfaction, she had a few sweaty spots on her blouse. He certainly shouldn’t be glad she perspired just like everyone else, but he was glad she wasn’t unaffected by their situation. There was no reason to believe she was as hardnosed as she appeared to be.

In the half a day since they’d been riding in silence he had had half a dozen conversations with her. All of them ended in him yelling at her for twisting him into knots. He needed to get her back home before he truly did lose control.

“What are we doing here?” She finally glanced back at him.

“Stopping to get supplies. I can’t make it for much longer on cracker crumbs and dried beef.” He spurred his horse faster, eager to get away from her as soon as possible. A trained soldier and Texas Ranger did not lose control over a rancher’s daughter with a big mouth.

“You should have packed more.” She flipped the braid over her shoulder. “Then we wouldn’t have to waste time here.”

He counted to ten before he spoke again. “I had planned on packing more, but you came along for the ride before I could.”

“Poor planning on your part.”

“Jesus Christ, Liv, can you let loose your grip on my balls for just five minutes?” He couldn’t believe she’d driven him to this.

She stopped and stared, her mouth open. “What?”

“You have pushed, bullied and manipulated me into this. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman who twisted people into knots like you do.” A cork popped out and he couldn’t stop his words if he tried. “I didn’t want a partner. I don’t want a partner. I sure as hell didn’t want you.”

Her eyes widened. “What are you fixing to do about it?”

“You are going back home. I will find a wagon, a buggy, or even a goddamn turtle for you to ride back to the Graham ranch.” He pointed at her. “I won’t take you into Mexico with me.”

“It’s a little late for that. You won’t get rid of me that easy, Ranger.” She narrowed her eyes. “I am your partner until we find Benjy. I will follow you into the bowels of hell if I have to.”

He kneed his horse into a run, leaving her behind. Cowardly perhaps, but it was either that or get into a fistfight with her. He wouldn’t degrade himself into losing what was left of his honor over her.

Reidsville was a little stop along the trail, with typical wooden buildings, a mercantile, a restaurant, a hotel, a couple of taverns and blessedly, a whorehouse. He didn’t care what Olivia said or did—he wouldn’t lose his control over her again. She would stay at the hotel tonight and in the morning he would send her on her way.

Brody headed directly for the tavern closest to him. There wasn’t enough whiskey in the world to make him forget Olivia Graham, but he could numb the pain for a little while at least. As he dismounted, he spotted her riding in behind him. No doubt she’d follow him into the tavern too and spoil his drink.

He walked in, blocking out his annoyance for a few minutes. The man behind the bar was burly and hairy, with a scar down his cheek. Obviously noting the scar on Brody’s face, the man nodded at him.

Brody sat down on the tired-looking stool. “Whiskey.”

With no conversation to weigh things down, he sipped at the rotgut. It burned its way down his throat, leaving a path of blessed fire. Yep, that was exactly what he needed.

“Woman troubles?”

“I’d like a whiskey too.” Olivia’s husky voice came from beside him.

The barkeep raised his bushy brows, but poured her a shot and slid it to her.

To Brody’s utter surpise, she slung it back as though she regularly spent time in taverns.