Tall, Dark, and Texan (23 page)

“We can’t,” she answered.

“I know. But just tell me if you want it too?” He had to ask.

She looked down for a moment, then faced him again. “I do.”

Teagen almost strangled the brim of his hat. He knew Martha would be back in the kitchen at any moment. Sage and Emily could probably see them standing in the doorway all the way from the barn. Now was not the time, but he swore he could already feel her in his arms.

“Until tonight.” He crammed his hat on his head and stepped out before he proved to her just how uncivilized he was.

The old Rangers were waiting near the barn. Teagen wished his brothers were home, but these men were the next best thing. The three hired hands would take care of the herd, but the retired Rangers would stand with him, no matter how outnumbered they were in the fight.

Tattor met him halfway. He fell into step as Teagen moved toward the others. “Dolan found fresh tracks down by the river this morning. Looks like three riders swam over sometime after midnight.”

“Any idea what they were doing?”

“Watching,” Tattor said. “Just watching, like always. If this raid don’t come soon, I’ll be too fat from sweet Martha’s cooking to set a horse.”

Teagen glanced at him to see if the Ranger had hit his head, then decided to ignore the
sweet
comment. Surely he meant the food was sweet, for Martha was far more vinegar than sugar. Pulling his gloves from his back pocket, he said, “If they are hoping to catch us off guard, they’ll have a long wait.”

Tattor Sims shook his head. “That’s just it. I ain’t never seen outlaws hang around like this. Men who live by the gun tend to act first and think later. If there is a gang hiding out, that kind would be shooting each other by now. Whoever is in charge is either real smart or real mean. He’d have to be to keep trouble down.”

“Got any ideas?” Teagen had already come to the same conclusion. He wasn’t dealing with the lowlife who usually raided in these parts. This wasn’t a man looking to steal a few head. Whoever planned this raid wanted all Teagen had and a half-dozen lawmen between here and Austin wouldn’t be able to stop him.

“Nope, no plan comes to mind,” Sims answered.

“We’ll find one.” Teagen knew it was up to him and his small army of old Rangers and broken-down cowhands.

He talked to the men, preparing, as always, for the unexpected. Over the years Teagen had learned from every Ranger who worked for him. He knew his grandfather would stop any attack coming from the hills. Men trying to run the river would never be able to get enough raiders across the water and onto Whispering Mountain land at one time to fight. Drummond Roak had been right; if the raid came, it would be from the bridge.

Teagen glanced over at the barn and saw Emily waiting. She looked so small next to Glory. So tiny and so determined to ride. The need to protect her choked around his heart, and he thought of how tough his father had been on him, always pushing him to do his best. Andrew McMurray had made his sons strong enough to stand what came after he died, and now that the girls were his, Teagen had to do the same.

He walked to the child and lifted her up. “If you’re going to ride, Emily, you’re going to fall off sometime. That’s just a fact.”

She nodded. “I know. Sage told me.”

He patted her hand as she gripped the saddle horn. “When you do fall off, I don’t want to hear a word unless you’re really hurt. No complaining about little aches and pains.”

Her head bobbed.

“That’s my girl,” he said and stepped up on his horse. “Now, ride with me to the end of the corral.”

He didn’t say another word, but when she looked at him with pride, he smiled.

As he turned to watch her riding back toward home, Teagen saw Sage standing at the corner of the barn, waving.

Fighting down an oath at the delay, he galloped toward his sister.

“Sorry,” Sage said, “but I forgot to tell you, I ordered medicine that should come in on the stage today. It’s what I need to help that colt’s open wound heal. I could ride in, or we could send one of the men.”

Teagen shook his head. The men didn’t know about the secret pass through the hills to the post. His sister knew the shortcut, but he’d worry about Sage being alone in town. “If you’ll stand guard, I’ll go get it.”

She looked like she’d already come to the same conclusion. “You can be back in two hours. I’ll be armed and in the saddle until you get home.”

He climbed down and stepped into the barn to grab a few burlap sacks. Knowing Sage, there would be more than one box to tie down.

Sage pulled a slip of paper from her pocket. “Martha had Jessie jot down a few things she needs.”

He frowned.

“It’s not much,” Sage teased. “You can carry it all behind the saddle.”

Teagen might have said something about Martha being able to wait until the end-of-the-month trip, but Jessie walked into the barn, and he forgot about being bothered.

Sage disappeared to help Emily water her horse.

His new wife glanced over her shoulder to make sure they were alone, then walked right up to him and kissed his cheek.

He bent and captured her mouth in a warm, friendly kiss he’d been hungry for all morning.

She put her arms around his neck and held on tight. When the kiss ended, she whispered low in his ear. “Touch me.”

He stared at her as he tugged off his glove and spread his hand over her breast. When she closed her eyes and smiled, he pulled her to him and kissed her again.

The second time he lowered her to the ground, she giggled and ran away. He could do nothing but watch. His Jessie was coming out to ask him to touch her; life didn’t get much sweeter.

SAGE SAW JESSIE LEAVING THE BARN SMILING, AND when Teagen came out a minute later, his mood had improved. Whatever the little widow was doing to her brother should be bottled. He was a man who brooded his bad moods to perfection.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Teagen said with a nod. “Keep your eyes open, Sage.”

She waved even after he turned toward the hills. Then she walked into the barn to saddle her horse. In truth, she looked forward to a morning ride. In a few weeks, Emily would be skilled enough to go with her. Sage knew her brothers preferred solitary work hours, but she liked company, and having Jessie and the girls on the place made the days seem fun, even when she was tied to household chores.

Emily showed all the signs of becoming an excellent rider. She had one thing no amount of training could force: a love for horses.

Just as Sage reached for the first stall door, something dropped from the loft along with a dusting of hay.

She pulled her pistol and swung around, almost colliding with Drummond Roak.

“Hellfire, Drum!” She raised her gun as if it were a club she planned to use.

He laughed. “Glad to see me?”

She lowered the weapon but didn’t put it back in the holster. “I should shoot you for scaring a year off my life.”

He winked. “Sorry. Wouldn’t want you getting any older on me, darlin’. I’m already picking fruit long on the vine.”

“Stop calling me darling, and you’re not picking anything.” She waved the barrel of her gun at him. “I’ve told you before—”

He grabbed the weapon from her hand and tossed it in the hay. Then with swift strength, he caught her around the waist, lifted, and shoved her against the rough stall gate. His whole body slammed against her as his mouth found hers.

Sage fought, kicking and hitting as anger built. He was too strong. She couldn’t get in a full swing to make her blows count. Finally, in frustration, she bit his lip.

“Ow!” he wailed. “You bit me!” He stepped away, letting her tumble to the ground.

She jumped up, ready to fight. With one swift kick, she hit his shin as hard as she could, then swung her leg and tripped him as he tried to stagger away.

He hit the ground hard and lay spread out like a gingerbread man.

She drew back her boot to kick his ribs.

“Just kill me!” he yelled without trying to defend himself.

She stopped in midswing. It was hard kicking a man when he asked for it. “You’re lucky I don’t, Drummond. I could break at least one rib.”

He sat up and raked a hand through straight black hair a month past needing a cutting. “I’m sure I deserve it, trying to kiss you and all. I was just hoping you’d be in a friendly mood for a change.”

She offered him a hand, and he stood. “I told you I’d shoot you the next time you tried to kiss me. What’s wrong with you?”

“I don’t know, Sage. I can’t seem to help myself.” He rubbed the blood from his lip. “But you do object strong enough to make me reconsider.”

“You attacked me.”

“I just wanted to kiss you.”

She let out a long breath. In the rough world this wild boy came from, he probably thought that was how to approach a woman. She almost felt sorry for him. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I came to offer my help. I think the raid may come within the week. I wanted you to know so you wouldn’t shoot me. When trouble starts your way, I’ll cross the bridge.”

“You’d fight with us?”

“Sure,” he said. “You’re all I got, Sage.”

“You don’t have me, Drum.” She felt sorry for the kid. “I’m too old for you, and besides, you don’t even know how to treat a lady.” She reached in her pocket for her handkerchief and dabbed at the blood on his lip. “I thank you, though, for the offer to stand with us in the fight. This time you may be joining the weaker side. There’s a chance we could be killed in this battle coming. I heard one of the Rangers say that the leader of this band may be the strongest outlaw in the state. Rumors are he has as many as fifty men.”

“More like thirty, I’m thinking, but it don’t matter. I’d die by your side,” he whispered, and she rolled her eyes.

“If you die by my side, it’s probably my gun smoking. Now swear you will never grab me, slam me up against a wall, and try to force yourself on me again.”

“I wasn’t forcing nothing.” He pouted then yelped when his lip hurt. “I was kissing.”

“Drum, folks don’t kiss like that.”

“They don’t?”

“No. They hold each other gently and barely touch lips.”

He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Show me.” One side of his mouth lifted in challenge.

She knew she shouldn’t; it was like petting a stray dog. But she felt bad for hurting him when he’d obviously meant her no harm. “All right.” She stood on her toes and gently placed her lips on his.

He didn’t move.

She pressed against his mouth ever so lightly.

He slipped his hand over her breast and squeezed.

Sage pulled away and swung, but Drum caught her fist. He had the nerve to look sorry. “That was wrong, right?”

“Right.” She pulled her hand from his grip. “Where could you have learned such acts? Add that to your never-do-again list.”

Drum looked confused. He didn’t answer her question or swear never to do it again, but he did pick up his hat off the floor and step a safe distance away. “I’ll learn,” he finally said. “One day you’ll be asking me to touch you, Sage.”

She watched him move away and swore he turned a little more into a man every time she saw him. Soon she wouldn’t be able to talk to him as a boy, and she wasn’t sure how she’d react to the man.

He pulled Satan from a back stall and swung up. “I’ll be close when you need me.”

No matter how irritated she was at him, she admitted, “I’ll be grateful.”

TEAGEN CROSSED THROUGH THE SECRET PASSAGE, making good time. Though it was midmorning, the day didn’t seem as hot as usual. A few clouds dotted the sky, and he hoped they were in for a break from the past week of hot sun.

He watched for any hint that a horse had passed along the trail as he carefully left no trace. His father had taught the boys well. No one would ever know of this trail into and out of McMurray land. It took less than half the time of going over the bridge and down the road. If he were lucky, no one watching would be aware he left the ranch.

At one point, he paused long enough to see the smoke from his grandfather’s lookout camp. The Apache were always close, but even when it might have meant McMurray lives, his grandfather had not interfered. He taught them how to hunt and track. He’d even shown them ways few white men knew, but the old man believed his grandsons belonged to the white man’s world and had to fight their own battles among their people. Teagen often thought, if all McMurrays were killed, his mother’s people would come down from the hills and bury them.

Still, today the smoke from their fires gave him comfort.

Though he fought the distraction, his mind kept going back to the barn when Jessie asked him to touch her. He knew he’d have to be careful, but it was time for their flirting to be over. He wanted to lay her down on his bed and run his hand over her body. He wanted to feel the child growing in her, a child that would be his, even though not by blood. If it was a boy, maybe they’d name him Eli after his friend. Eli had always written of how he longed to live Teagen’s life in Texas; now maybe his son could. If the baby was a girl, that would be all right too. Teagen had laughed more in the weeks they’d been on the ranch than he’d laughed before in his life.

It crossed his thoughts that he’d promised Jessie a house in town. Just because she kissed him and cuddled up a few times didn’t mean she wanted to be his full-time wife. Being a true wife might be more than she was ready for. She hadn’t married with any promises of such. Maybe she didn’t want any more than they had now. With things comfortable between them, he wouldn’t mind riding into her place a few times a month, and she and the girls could come for a long visit in the summers. With the girls and his brothers, their wives and babies, the house would be full of noise and laughter. Who knows, once Rose saw Duck, Travis’s adopted son, she might decide to teach him to talk too. He and Jessie would watch them grow and laugh about what they did for years.