Dusty Britches (76 page)

“
Let it go, boy,
”
Ryder urged.
“
Walk away. Alive.
”

“
No,
”
Wesley growled
as he strode to meet
Ryder.

It was the
n the true coward in him reared its ugly head
. He must
’
ve realized
he was in no physical condition,
because of the dog bite or otherwise
,
to face one such as Ryder Maddox. Instead, he turned toward Dusty, raised his knife
,
and lunged at her
.

“
No!
”
Dusty heard Ryder shout. She turned to see Wesley with the knife high above his head
,
plunging it toward her. It was a nightmare! Time seemed to slow as Ryder miraculously reached her first.
Catching
Wesley
’
s
arm
as
he
plunged the knife toward Dusty,
Ryder twisted his hand—burying
the blade deep into Wesley
’
s sto
mach. Wesley’s breath stopped; h
is face contorted in pain.
H
e dropped to his knees, looking in horrified realization at his own blood on his hands
. C
losing his eyes
, he moaned and
slump
ed
at Dusty
’
s feet.

“
No!
”
Rose sobbed as she rushed to him. She turned him over, crying and stroking his pain-stricken face.

“
Rose?
”
he whispered. His eyes closed
—
his last breath exhaled.

Dusty looked from the dead man on the ground and the woman sobbing over him to the pale, regretful face of Ryder before her. The dog began to bark as it struggled to its feet. Though Dusty looked in the direction of the dog
’
s barking to see her father, Feller, Becca, the sheriff
,
and others approaching
on horseback—
though she heard their questioning and angry shouts
—
she
cared for nothing but the fact Ryder was safe—that he was free—t
hat she was free!

Dusty and Ryder stood for several moments looking at each other
—
so much said with their eyes.
Ye
t Dusty was all too aware of the blood streaming down Ryder
’
s arm. Tears unashamedly escaping her eyes
—
for the thought of him in pain caused
pain in her own soul—
she reached down, lifted her skirt
,
and proceeded to tear a strip of cloth from her petticoat. Working quickly, she bound his wound. Even as his hand caressed the tears from her cheeks, she labored to ensure not one more drop of his precious blood would be lost.

“
Dusty,
”
he breathed.

Gathering her into his arms, he led her away from the dead men on the ground, and they collapsed to their knees in a desperate embrace.

“
Dusty!
”
her father called.
“
Are you all right?
”
But she did not answer him. She was locked in Ryder
’
s arms. His mouth was sweeping her neck and shoulders with relieved, loving kisses.

“
Ryder,
”
she whispered, drawing his kiss to her mouth. Though their passion was
unrestrained
, their bodies were weak
. Ryder
gently pushed
her down in the gra
ss—
continuing to ravish her with caresses and kisses.

“
What went on here?
”
the sheriff asked.

“I can explain,” Rose said. She r
eleas
ed
the dead man
’
s face
,
brushing the tears from her cheeks. She
stood
and walked toward him.

“
Ryder!
”
Hank demanded. Still Ryder and Dusty continued to ignore anyone
’
s presence but their own.
“
Ryder!
”
Hank reached down and pulled hard at the waist of Ryder
’
s pants, tugging at him to get off of his daughter and tell him what had happened.

With a heavy sigh, Ryder released Dusty and struggled to his feet. He pulled Dusty to her feet as well, and Hank grimaced at the amount of blood covering them both.

“
Boy, you do beat all,
”
Hank mumbled as he studied the wound on Ryder
’
s arm.
“
And the way you
’
re eatin
’
up Dusty here…you got anythin
’
to talk to me about?
”
Hank frowned
and then
smiled at the young man
.
Ryder shook his head
and smiled,
sti
ll out of breath from the fight—
or the passion. Hank
didn’t seem
sure
which
.
“
All this aside, that is,
”
he added, looking around at the dead men and blood.

“
Well, sir,
”
Ryder said
,
“
I have to marry your daughter.
”

Hank quirked
an
eyebrow.
“
You have to marry my daughter?
”

Ryder smiled and shook his head.
“
You know what I mean. I want to marry her. I don
’
t have to marry her…yet.
”

Dusty gasped, and Hank burst into laughter at the look of astonishment on his daughter
’
s face.
“
You have at it, boy! It
’
s been too long a
-
comin
’
!
A long, long time!”
A
s Hank turned and looked to
his own adorable wife-to-
be, perched up on her bay mare and dressed in vermillion, his
attention was drawn to Feller,
helping Becca down from her horse.
“
Feller!
”
he called.

“
Yes, boss,
”
Feller nodded.

“
You got somethin
’
to say here?
”

Feller cleared his throat nervously.
“
I don
’
t have to marry your daughter yet either. But…
”

Hank laughed. He looked back to where Ruff and Titch were helping Guthrie and the sheriff tie up the two men
they’d caught running off
as they approached.

“
Good thing I only got two daughters, Raynetta! My hands are droppin
’
like flies!
”
H
e pulled Raynetta from her saddle and gathered her in his arms
,
quenching his own thirst for the kiss of the woman he loved.

“
Boss…your family is somethin
’
else,
”
Guthrie sighed, pausing as he l
ooked at the scene around him—d
ead men
, blood, and people of all ages—
in love.

“
You be careful gettin
’
that turkey out of the oven, honey!
”
Raynetta Hunter mothered her daughter Becca.

“Oh, Mama! You worry too much,” Becca said. She
smil
ed
as she carefully took the turkey from the oven to baste it.

Angelina Maddox stood in the doorway of the parlor watching Becca and her mother work on the turkey. Angelina had brought the pies, rolls
,
and potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner.
S
he was glad
her dinner preparations were finished, for n
ow she could stand back and watch the two women she loved most in the world bustling arou
nd in the kitchen—
listen to the low, masculine voices of the men she loved most as they sat talking in the parlor.

“
What you boys thinkin
’
you
’
ll have to pay to start your herd come spring?
”
she heard her father ask.

“
Too much!
”
Ryder chuckled.

“
Dang right,
”
Feller agreed.
“
I ain
’
t leavin
’
though.
’
Til Becca
’
s had the baby, I ain
’
t goin
’
for cattle.
”

“
Me neither. I worry about Raynetta. She
’
s so small,
”
Hank mumbled.
“
All of a sudden I
’
m rememberin
’
how downright scary havin
’
babies is. Raynetta
’
s hopin
’
for a boy. But I hope she
’
s carryin
’
another girl. I like
’
em.
”

Dusty turned and smiled at her father. He winked at her. Ryder saw her attention was not on the kitchen at that moment. He rose from his chair and sauntered seductively to where she stood in the doorway dividing the two rooms. Putting his hands caressively at her waist, he gazed down upon her with a mischievous grin
—
silently telling her only the present company was keeping him from ravishing her.

“
Well, I guess I can hire on enough hands to drive home Feller
’
s cattle and mine come spring. Ol
’
Leroy
’
s ranch cost a bit…but it can be done,
”
Ryder told the men, though his eyes saw only his wife.

“
Sorry
’
bout that
,
Ryder…but I can
’
t leave Becca,
”
Feller apologized.

Ryder bent down and whispered in Dusty
’
s ear,
“
I love you.
”
He kissed her neck several times, causing her to flinch from the
delicious
tickle.

“
Ryder can
’
t go for the cattle,
”
Dusty announced.
“
We
’
ll all have to depend on Guthrie, Titch
,
or Ruff to go.
”

Ryder smiled and kissed her again.
“
Dusty gets cold at night,
”
he explained with a wink to Feller.

The men chuckled, and their merriment caught the attention of Becca and Raynetta.

“
What
’
s goin
’
on in here?
”
Raynetta asked, drying her hands on her apron. Dusty noted how green Becca looked and wondered if she
’
d be able to even enjoy her Thanksgiving dinner. She wondered if either of them would be able to eat and keep it down. The way they
’
d both been lately, she doubted it. And even though her own stomach was upset, she smiled.

“
Dusty don
’
t want to let Ryder go for cattle come spring,
”
Hank answered.

“
Well, of course not!
”
Raynetta exclaimed. She squeezed Ryder
’
s arm lovingly.
“
She
’
s gonna have a new brother or sister and a niece or nephew to help look after. She
’
ll be plum worn out if Ryder
’
s gone!
”