Rachel Donnelly (21 page)

As he wound his way through the pines, the faint sound of female voices brought him up short.

Damn!

What were Morena and Inez doing here at this hour? They usually swam in the early afternoon, not after dinner. The desperate heat must have driven them from the house. Oh well, he shouldn’t have to wait too long. Morena was terrified of the woods after dark, and had instilled the same fear in Inez. They were likely already gathering up their belongings.

The voices dissipated.

Only the familiar night sounds remained.

Nat sauntered, boots in hand down the sloping trail of pine needles to the lake. The smooth surface of the water appeared black in the dwindling light. Nat’s whole body sighed with relief.

In a matter of seconds, he’d stripped down bare.

He sliced through the water like a well-directed arrow. The cold shock of the water made him gasp. It sharpened his senses, sending blood rushing through his veins like hot steam.

When his head broke the surface, he could have sworn he heard a trout jump.

But the strangled screech that followed didn’t come from any fish.

“Nat! What are you doing here?” Christie bobbed above the surface, treading water a few feet away, her pale honey hair streaming behind her. Tiny water droplets glistened on her long curling eyelashes. She wore the wide-eyed look of a startled fawn. “Inez said you were out herding cattle.”

He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “Are you naked?”

“Of course not!”

He chuckled wickedly. “Then I’ll just have to imagine you are.”

“Don’t you dare!” She started to swim for shore.

But he wasn’t about to let her get away, not when he finally had her right where he wanted — dripping wet and barely clothed. In one swift movement, he captured her by the ankle, dragging her back. In the process, her head went under water.

She came up sputtering. But as he pulled her closer, she began to laugh — a magical throaty sound that made him laugh right back. “Nat!” She attempted to wriggle away. “Stop!”

He clasped her around the waist, giving her no choice but to balance her hands on his shoulders. Before she could protest, he bent his head, pressing his lips against her full laughing lips. Drawing her closer, his tongue delved deep until the sweet taste of her made him forget to paddle.

Luckily, Christie came to her senses and pulled away, saving them both. “What are you doing?” she gasped. Green sparks flashed in her brandy eyes. “Trying to drown me?”

The strap of her chemise slipped down, exposing the full curve of one breast. His fingers ached to touch the pert rosy nipple, barely concealed beneath, but he held himself in check, not wishing to frighten her away and end the game too soon. “Drown you! You swim like a fish. In fact, I thought you were one when I came up for air.”

“We have a summer house in Cape Cod.”

“So that’s where you learned to swim.”

“I learned when I was five. Underwater at first. Our retriever thought I was drowning. He picked me up by the drawers and dragged me back to shore.”

Nat chuckled. “I would have liked to have seen that!”

“My father thought it was funny,” she said with a wry smile. “But Mother was nearly hysterical by the time he dropped me on the sand.”

“Let me see … ” He slid one hand down her side to the full soft cheek of her bum. “Humm … no permanent damage, feels perfectly sound.”

She wriggled from his grasp to swim for shore.

By the time he caught up with her, she’d pulled herself from the water and scrambled up onto his favorite diving rock.

But he was right behind.

Another mistake.

The sight of him buck naked sent her fleeing in the opposite direction. He started yanking on his trousers to go after her, but it proved damn difficult with wet skin and his cock swollen hard.

Damn!

She’d likely never speak to him again.

By the time he yanked on his shirt and grabbed his boots, she’d reached the end of the path.

“Christie! Wait!”

She hesitated at the edge of the clearing, quivering like a frightened rabbit. Her tone held an edge of panic, “I have to get back. Inez will wonder what’s become of me.”

He smiled at her flimsy excuse. “Then you’d better let me fasten the hooks on your gown, or she’ll be really concerned.”

A flush spread across her sun-kissed cheeks. Her lips were still red from his kisses. Desire shone in the depths of her eyes. But there was uncertainty there as well.

She nodded silently, then turned around.

If she hadn’t, he might have drawn her into his arms and kissed her again.

He fastened the hooks as fast as he could, resisting the urge to undo them again. It was difficult to make his hands work when all he wanted do was to throw her down in the long grass and sink deep inside her.

“There.” He patted her back. “Done.”

She picked up her skirts and raced for the house.

Nat watched her go, still picturing her dripping wet on the diving rock with her transparent chemise plastered against her long slim legs and her full luscious breasts bursting over top. Though he’d imagined her naked many times, never had he conjured an image such as that.

Damn!

Why did she have to look so good?

Why was he such a lustful fool?

Getting mixed up with a woman like her would be a big mistake.

He’d been a damn fool to bring her here.

Yet every part of him yearned to touch every part of her, whenever he laid eyes on her.

He should have gone to Sacramento to visit one of Maggie’s whores like Holt suggested.

• • •

Christie pressed her back against her bedchamber door, breath coming hard and fast.

Her gaze scanned the room for Inez, ready to tear a strip off her. When Inez brought her to the lake to cool off, she’d neglected to tell her Nat swam there as well. She wouldn’t have taken the risk had she known. And she certainly wouldn’t have stayed behind while Inez slinked off to the house without her.

Seeing any man naked would have unhinged her.

But seeing Nat standing on that rock, his sleek hard body, glistening and tanned would plague her forever.

Good God!

It was surely a sin for a man to look so fine.

And a bigger sin for her to have stared so long.

But she’d never seen a man naked before. The sight of his manhood standing at attention, looking so thick and hard had shocked and thrilled her all at once. And the way he had looked at her — like he might devour her whole, made her shiver just to think of it.

Luckily, she’d come to her senses and ran before anything else happened. His kisses were intoxicating enough, sweeping her away, making her forget what she was doing — who she was. She lost her moral barometer when he was around.

Everything right was him.

And somehow that had to be wrong.

He wasn’t interested in marriage. He’d made that clear. If she allowed this strong attraction for him to go any further, she’d become what people were already imagining she was — a fallen woman. Worse still, it would be her fault.

She’d just have to avoid him.

That was all there was to it.

• • •

Inez burst into her Christie’s bedchamber in a flood of tears.

Christie halted in the balcony doorway where she’d just finished a leisurely breakfast. “Whatever is the matter?”

“Señorita Christie! A terrible thing! A terrible thing has happened!”

Christie’s froze.

Her legs grew weak.

Had something happened to Nat?

Her voice came in a half-whisper, “What do you mean?”

“Tonight, Mama was to ask permission for Heriberto and me to marry.” Inez wiped angrily at the two fat tears on her cheek. “But now,” she spread her hands wide. “She tells me Señor Randall is riding to Sacramento and will not be home until late. If he leaves tomorrow, again, it is over!” Inez threw her hands in the air, sinking back into the rocker in a half-swoon.

Christie’s lips twitched at her dramatic display, but she managed to contain her smile. “It can’t be as bad as all that. I’m certain there’s something we can do. Have you suggested she speak to him now, before he leaves?”

Inez rolled her dark eyes in a look of disgust. “She does not wish to bother him. He is down at the corral inspecting the mustangs Señor Williams has brought for him to buy.”

“Well then, we haven’t a moment to spare.” Christie untied the silk sash around her borrowed white wrapper.

Inez sprang to her feet to help her dress.

By the time Christie pulled a clean chemise over her head, Inez had returned from the wardrobe with a blue poplin gown she’d altered the day before.

Christie had only a moment to admire the bias folds of blue satin and the blue silk fringe before Inez had hooked up the back.

They both sprinted to the dressing table, where Inez brushed, coiled, and pinned Christie’s hair.

By the time Christie reached the landing about to descend the stairs, she was as winded as a nag who’d run a quarter mile.

It was just as well she was forced to assume a more lady-like pace down the stairs and through the foyer, or she’d have been in a lather before she reached the door.

The sun blasted against her face as she descended the veranda stairs. She put a self-conscious hand to her head, but continued on. It wasn’t the first time she’d stepped out without her bonnet and it wasn’t likely to be the last. At least Leigh wasn’t here to imply she’d turned hussy. Not that it mattered, since most of Murdock would think her infamous by now.

But somehow her spoiled reputation paled when compared to hunting down Nat Randall in the light of day after what had taken place at the lake last night. So much for her plan to avoid him! Thanks to her pudding heart, now she was seeking him out.

Hopefully, he didn’t get the wrong impression.

In truth, she did admire him, but not for the reasons he might imagine. She admired his courage and loyalty to his friends — his capacity to love someone so much he would chase her killer for three years and still not give up. But he wasn’t the sort of man she could become entangled with.

Oh, no, no, no.

His strong will would jeopardize her independence.

And that she would not allow.

As she rounded the right side of the whitewashed, two-story barn the smell of hay and manure grew stronger. She hastened down the dirt path, skirts snatched high in one fist.

Nat lounged beside the rail, conversing with a man on a black horse with three pretty white socks.

The man grinned when he spotted her, causing his sun-burnt skin to crinkle around his wide hazel eyes. He appeared as tall as Nat, though it was difficult to tell with him sitting so high up. “Now what do we have here? When Ellie finds out you’re hiding a lady, there’s going to be hell to pay.”

Christie cast Nat an inquiring glance.

“Ellie’s his wife.” Nat pushed away from the rail to wave a hand in her direction. “Mr. Roscoe Williams, Miss Christie Wallace.”

“Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Roscoe said, putting a hand to the Stetson covering most of his chestnut curls.

Christie inclined her head. “Mr. Williams.”

“Call me Roscoe,” he said with a wink.

Nat smiled ruefully. “Can you make it home alone, you old rogue? Or should I send a few vaqueros with you to keep you out of trouble?”

“I expect I can find my way. If you’re so worried about me, you can bring Miss Wallace over for supper. Ellie’s been asking after you ever since she found out I was delivering these dang horses.”

“Can’t tonight. My lawyer is waiting in Sacramento with some papers he needs me to sign.”

“Doesn’t he usually ride out to the ranch?”

Nat gave a slight shrug. “I thought I’d save him a trip.”

“Well then, I’ll just have to tell Ellie your business was so dang important she’ll have to wait another month to enjoy your company. But I wouldn’t want to be you when she claps eyes on you next.”

Nat rolled his eyes heavenward. “I suppose he’ll show up tomorrow if I don’t arrive today.”

“Good.” Roscoe tipped his hat to bid farewell. “We’ll eat early so you can make it home before dark.”

“There’d better be peach pie!” Nat called after him.

Christie watched Roscoe ride off, feeling somewhat annoyed. Neither man had asked her if she wanted to come to supper. They’d just assumed she’d be delighted.

“Hope you don’t mind,” Nat said. “But I didn’t want to disappoint Ellie.”

“No, that’s fine.” She didn’t wish to appear churlish when he was doing the neighborly thing. Besides, perhaps Ellie might shed some light on Nat’s wife. “I could do with a change of scenery.”

“Good.”

It took a moment to remember why she was there. Her mind had already turned to the evening ahead. Now that Nat wasn’t riding to Sacramento, there was no need to wrangle him into speaking with Morena. The last thing she wanted was for him to accuse her of interfering again. “I came to thank you for the wardrobe you lent me,” she lied. “Inez altered several of the gowns. I hope you don’t mind.”

His expression remained inscrutable. “You might as well get some use out of them.”

One of the vaqueros hailed Nat from the other side of the corral.

Christie retraced her steps to the house.

At least she could inform Inez that Señor Rañdal would not be home late. Morena would have no excuse now not to speak with him.

That should make Inez happy.

Unfortunately, she’d paid a hefty price.

Instead of avoiding him as she had hoped, they’d be spending the entire evening together. Not to mention the ride to and from the Williams Ranch. But all the gold in California couldn’t have kept her from meeting Ellie.

Ellie was her best bet at satisfying her curiosity about Nat.

It was a good hour’s ride to the Williams’ ranch. Nat spent most of the time berating himself for giving in to Roscoe’s sentimental plea. He should have gone to Sacramento instead of putting himself through the torture of battling his lust. Christie looked too damned good in that sapphire riding habit, hugging every one of her curves — every spot he yearned to touch.