Tender Is the Storm (12 page)

The sight of horses roped off against the side of the cliff made Sharisse giddy with relief. Billy was squatting by a fire, roasting meat. He glanced up with surprise as Slade pushed Sharisse through a narrow opening and into this small area.

The rock walls ended abruptly on both sides of the improvised corral, the steep mountain slope continuing on from there. Huge boulders marked another level exit nearby. The whole rugged scene was bathed blood-red by the setting sun.

Billy stood up. He was dressed exactly as he had been when she’d first met him, looking every bit as savage.

“What’d you bring her here for?” Billy asked belligerently.

“She wanted to find Luke,” Slade replied tonelessly.

Sharisse moved quickly away from him, closer to Billy. Billy made her just a little less nervous than Slade did.

“Where is Lucas?”

“You’re crazy,” Billy told her plainly. “We’d have been on our way home tomorrow.”

“Well, how could I know that?” Sharisse said defensively. “Please, where’s Lucas?”

Slade came up beside her before Billy could answer.

“It’s good to see you again, Billy.”

“I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come around again.” Billy was relaxed, grinning now.

Slade shrugged. “Luke seems to be doing all right by himself. With your help, of course,” he added, looking at the corralled horses. “How many are his?”

“More than half,” Billy chuckled. “You taught him well before you took off.”

“Billy, where is Lucas?” Sharisse demanded sharply.

“Back yonder somewhere.” He nodded toward the exit opposite the opening she had entered through. “I ain’t seen him all day,” Billy explained. “He caught a young buckskin that was sniffing around the herd while the stallion was away. We couldn’t keep him with these mares. He was stirring them up too much. And with so much horseflesh to choose from, he wouldn’t settle down.” He grinned, thinking this subject awfully delicate for her ears, unaware that she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. “Had to move him away from their scent. I guess Luke’s decided to keep him company.”

Sharisse was staring at that passage. It was
growing darker by the moment. What if Lucas stayed away from camp all night?

She glanced hesitantly at Slade and found him watching her with dark amusement in his eyes. She moved away from him again, circling around the fire. His laugh sent shivers through her.

“Get my horse for me, will you, Billy?” Slade asked, his eyes following Sharisse. “It’s been a particularly trying day.”

Sharisse caught her breath. And leave them alone? No thank you.

“I think I’ll just go and find Lucas myself, rather than wait,” she said quickly.

“Well, hold on.” Billy stopped her, bending to scoop a large chunk of meat into a piece of rawhide. He wrapped it thickly, then tossed it to her. “As long as you’re going, you can take him this and save me the trouble—in case he was thinking of bedding down with the stallion all night.”

“He’ll join us, once he knows I’m here,” Slade said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him, so don’t keep him too long, beautiful.” His eyes held hers. “He and I have something to settle, and I don’t want to put it off.”

Sharisse nearly ran through the dark passage between the boulders. She didn’t feel safe at all, not even after leaving Slade behind. The narrow trail widened, but the light was nearly gone and she could barely see. Everything was dark, frightening shadows, especially on the side of the path that was a steep drop down.

She slowed, taking each step carefully. She had, of course, no idea how far ahead Lucas was, and
she prayed the feeble light would last until she found him. She nearly ran into a tree as the path turned sharply. To the left was the beginning of a thick pine forest. Ahead the path continued through more walls of rock. She kept moving, then stopped. The path divided suddenly, one trail leading back the way she had come, or so it looked.

“Lucas?” Please let him answer. “Lucas?”

She waited breathlessly, but there was no sound at all. The sky was cut off behind her, and rather than move into the darkness to her right, she turned toward the forest. At least, up ahead, the sun was still visible.

But after some time, she still hadn’t found him. She turned back, but when she finally got back to the place where the trail had divided, she hesitated again. Should she risk getting completely lost or take the path she knew? It was a matter of finding Lucas or spending the night alone with Slade and Billy.

She moved into the unknown. The path veered to the left, apparently straight into the heart of the mountain. But no sooner was Sharisse enclosed in darkness than she saw firelight. She ran toward it. Next she saw the horse, tied with a rope staked to the ground. There was a small round area enclosed by large boulders, a dead end unless you were agile enough to climb smooth rock.

Lucas apparently was. He lay flat on top of the huge rocks with a gun trained on her. Sharisse froze.

“Sharisse? What the hell are you doing here?”

He jumped down from the rock in one easy
movement, walking to the blanket by the fire. He returned the gun to the holster lying there next to his saddlebags. The sight of him gave her pause. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. His blue pants were tucked into knee-high black moccasins, just like Slade’s.

“Lucas? It
is
you, isn’t it?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“More important than you would believe,” she said raggedly, beginning to feel all the effects of the last few hours.

“Have you met my brother?” he asked. “Is that why you’re not sure it’s me, Shari?”

Shari. That was all she’d needed to hear. Slade wouldn’t know that way Lucas shortened her name and added the French pronunciation.

“Oh, Lucas!” She ran to him and threw her arms around him, bare chest or not. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you!”

“I can see that,” he murmured, holding her tightly. “Maybe you better explain.”

She held him, marveling at the sense of safety he gave her. “It was awful,” she told him in a rush. “I hope it doesn’t distress you, but I have to tell you I don’t like your brother at all.”

He set her away from him so he could look at her face. “What did he do?”

“He…” She paused. Now that she was safe, she felt almost foolish to have been so frightened. Would he ridicule her if she told him? “Oh, must we talk about it now? I think…I’ve brought you your dinner, see?” She handed him the meat she had been clutching in her hand. “Billy wasn’t
sure if you would be joining him tonight, so he sent this.”

“But how did you get here?”

“Slade brought me.”

“You mean he’s here? Why didn’t you say so?”

He moved away and doused the fire with dirt.

“Lucas, wait!” she cried, and he swung around to face her, waiting. “Must we join them? He…he’ll still be here in the morning.”

He looked puzzled. “You mean you want to stay here?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve only got one blanket.”

She missed his warning completely. Her mind was on postponing a confrontation, and she wasn’t listening carefully. “It’s not really cold,” she replied carelessly.

Lucas hesitated. Did she know what she was letting herself in for? It appeared she had transferred her fears from him to Slade. He had hoped that would happen. He owed his brother a debt of gratitude.

“You might as well make yourself at home then.” He grinned and tossed the meat back to her. “Help yourself to that, and you’ll find some biscuits in my saddlebags.”

Sharisse moved over to his blanket and settled herself. She removed her hat. Then she blushed, realizing he had probably recognized the hat and shirt as his.

“I borrowed a few of your things to get here,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“The shirt looks better on you than it ever did on me.”

He built the fire again, concentrating intently. She spread the food out beside her, hesitating only a moment before breaking off a piece of meat with her fingers. She was starved.

“You want to tell me about it now?” he asked quietly, sitting near her.

“What?”

“About what got you up on a horse to come here. I could’ve sworn you were dead set against riding.”

“Oh,” she hedged.

She really didn’t want to tell him what a despicable man his brother was. He might not even believe her, and then what?

“The ride wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” she said. “But then, I didn’t have to control the horse. I…I rode in front of Slade.”

“Did I mistake you? I thought Slade was why you’re here.”

“Well, yes.”

“Yet you agreed to let him bring you, and even rode double with him?”

“Lucas,” she said, “he didn’t leave me any choice. He saw that I was leaving the ranch to find you and took it upon himself to join me. He even sat me on his horse and took off before I could do anything about it. I didn’t
want
him to bring me. Heavens, the very reason I had to leave was…”

She hesitated, and Lucas grinned. “Was to get away from him?”

“You find that amusing?”

“Slade’s like that, honey. He very seldom asks permission before he does something. You’re just not used to Slade.”

“I don’t intend to
get
used to him.” She was beginning to feel put-upon.

“Aren’t you being a bit hard on him?”

“No!”

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Well…no.”

“All right, Sharisse.” He was annoyed over her evasiveness. “What exactly
did
Slade do?”

She couldn’t bring herself to meet those probing eyes. “He kissed me.”

“That’s all?”

“Lucas!” She cried, her voice bouncing off the walls. “Isn’t that enough? He knew I was your fiancée and he kissed me anyhow!”

“Honey, I can see where it might have upset you, but I can’t really blame Slade for trying. Maybe you don’t know what a temptation you are,” he said bluntly.

She looked away. She had expected him to be angry, not amused. Had she reacted hysterically? The threat had seemed so real. Still, Slade had brought her to Lucas, and he hadn’t forced himself on her, only threatened to.

“I still don’t like him.” Agitation sharpened her tone.

“Not many people do, honey.”

Was that bitterness in his voice? He sounded so sad. “I’m sorry. You’re not angry with me, are you?”

“No.”

“I wouldn’t have come if he didn’t make me so nervous. You see, I just couldn’t stay there alone with him.”

“It’s all right, Shari.” He smiled reassuringly. “You’re not to worry about it. He won’t bother you again.”

Not as long as I’m with you, she added to herself. “I’m glad you’re not like him,” she said impulsively. She couldn’t read the look he gave her.

She wasn’t asleep, and he knew it. She was restless, turning toward him, turning away. Lucas lay there, fighting with himself, wondering what was wrong with her.

Sharisse had protested when he lay down beside her, but there was only the one blanket. She had to lie next to him, and she’d even accepted his arm for a pillow. But she was as nervous as a cat. She was undoubtedly worried about their close proximity, but so was he. He was, in fact, amazed by his own restraint. He had her where he wanted her, was even reasonably sure he could make her respond to him, yet he kept away.

She would have to come to him. She trusted him to protect her, so he could not take advantage of her. That trust gave him a satisfying feeling, and he wouldn’t betray it.

Sharisse was exasperated with herself. She had been lying there staring at the dying fire, sleep impossible. She had never slept next to a man
before and had no idea it would be so disturbing. Was this desire? Did she want a man to the point of aching for him? From the moment Lucas had joined her on the narrow blanket she had felt this strange disquiet. What would end this awful wondering? She had been willing to give herself to Antoine when there hadn’t been any of this restless yearning, so why was she resisting so hard now? It wasn’t as if anyone would find out. Her friend Sheila had said there were ways to make a man believe you were a virgin when you were not. But what about the other way around? To make a man think you weren’t a virgin when you were? She couldn’t give herself to Lucas and take the chance that he would be able to tell, for then he would know she had lied about being married. It was too late now to admit the truth.

“Shari, you’re not asleep.”

It was not a question.

She stayed as she was as long as possible, then slowly turned around to look at him.

“Lucas? Is something wrong?—”

How inane that sounded. She knew very well what was wrong. He didn’t bother to answer.

“Shari.” He said that and nothing more.

His expression, what she saw in his eyes, told her what he was going to do. And dear Lord, she wanted him to do it.

His eyes were moving over her face, caressing each feature. His gaze settled on her lips, and then his mouth descended to claim hers. The taste and smell of him was intoxicating, filling her. Time stood still. There was only his mouth, working
magic. The pins fell from her hair, releasing it to a glorious fall, and she felt his fingers running through it. Her hands moved up to encircle his neck, letting him know it was all right. His tongue slipped between her teeth, and she welcomed it, teased it, hesitantly following with her own tongue.

He groaned, his lips moving along her face to her breasts. She clasped him tighter. He was beginning to undress her, and soon her shirt was open, then her skirt. Her many petticoats were untied, and even the hooks on her corset gave way under his deft fingers.

He pulled her to her feet in a sudden, swift movement, and half her clothing dropped to the ground. He caught her to him with one arm and finished disrobing her with the other. By the time she thought to say no, she was entirely naked and he was lowering her to the blanket again. His fiery kisses dispelled the last of her resistance, and she gave way with all of her being.

He stroked her wonderingly, making her quiver with urgent desire. He stopped suddenly and moved away from her, and she nearly cried out to him. He shed his clothes and moved across her again.

His eyes raked her, burning with a passion that mesmerized her. This was, she knew, her last chance to stop him. No words came. There was only the glorious feeling of him, the hard, masculine body. She reached up to draw him closer, and he hesitated for just a moment, then let himself be
drawn by her until his weight covered her. His mouth captured hers in a heated kiss.

He entered her slowly, savoring her. But his tender care allowed for a steady build of pain as he pressed against the membrane that would not give. Sharisse pushed against him a little, but he continued kissing her breasts and moving inside her. His lips worked their magic, and when he suddenly thrust deep inside her, the stab of pain was over before it began.

It was done. Sharisse felt a terrific relief. An incredible burden had finally lifted. He filled her deeply, touching her in a way that brought surge after surge of renewed desire. Fire grew in her loins, and soon there was only the pleasure, increasing with every thrust. The pleasure became nearly unbearable, frightening in its intensity. Waves rushed through her, sweet shocks flooded her, and she was left weak and trembling. Lucas tensed, clasping her to him for a final plunge. She felt his throbbing, and a tender feeling for this man consumed her. She held him to her as tightly as she could.