Texas Passion (5 page)

Or would she
head back to town like his mother when things didn’t pan out the way she
planned? Her father said differently, but Trent couldn’t forget the years she
spent in Boston. She might decide she wanted to go back. Then what?

He edged
forward and, for the first time, noticed the polished, young man beside her.
Jealousy twisted a hole through Trent’s gut, and the desire to deck the man
sped to his fists. How dare she entertain another man when he came to propose
marriage?

“Catherine,
why don’t you introduce Joel’s friend to Trent?” The sound of her mother’s
voice pulled Catherine from an argument with Kirk.

She turned
and drank in the beautiful sight of Trent. In a starched white dress shirt, his
tanned face and dark hair radiated with a healthy glow. He marched forward, and
the thud of his boots against the floor rang through the room.

The dark
glint in his eyes confused her for a moment. What was his problem? Could he be
jealous? Ridiculous. Something else had to be wrong. She strolled forward and
reached out her hand, seeking comfort from the misery of both her brother and
his friend heading off to war. “I’m so glad to see you.”

He glared at
Kirk. “I didn’t know you were entertaining another guest.”

“Kirk, I’d like
you to meet Trent McCall.” Catherine laid her hand on Trent’s arm. “Trent, this
is my brother’s best friend, Kirk Murphy. He’s going off with Joel to join the
war.”

Trent
extended his hand but refused to look at her. “And when are y’all planning to
leave?”

Catherine dropped
her hold on Trent’s arm and returned to Kirk’s side. They were leaving way too
soon as it was. How could Trent encourage their departure? Why was he acting
this way when she was trying so hard to stop them from going?

A laugh burst
from behind Trent, and her brother slapped him on the back. “Not for a few more
days. So you best behave when you’re around my sister.”

Trent clasped
hands with Joel’s and offered a hearty shake. “And how long do you expect to be
gone?”

Catherine
scowled at Trent’s back. What was his problem?

“Not nearly
as long as you’d like me to be,” Joel teased and released Trent’s hand. “We’re
heading over to Dallas. We plan to follow the Trinity River to the coast before
making our way over to New Orleans.”

Catherine’s
heart sank. They didn’t need to fight in this war. She’d argued with both men
for days now, but they refused to listen. “You could always change your mind
and not go.”

Joel grinned
and Kirk slung his arm around her shoulders. The warm circle of his arms soothed
some of the heartache she felt at them leaving. Maybe, she could convince him
to stay behind. But her gaze met his and she knew it was useless when she saw
the determination reflected in his solemn blue eyes. He wouldn’t budge no
matter how much she’d begged. “We’re going to miss you, too. But this is
something we have to do.”

She turned
into his embrace, hugged him close as tears blurred her vision. “Just promise
me you’ll come back.”

Kirk squeezed
her tight for a moment then released her. “Maybe, if we don’t find some sweet
southern belle and decide to get hitched.”

“Oh, you.”
She smiled at his attempt to lighten her mood. “Just bring her back with you.”

“And have you
tell her all my flaws?” He strutted to the high-backed floral couch and sank
into its fluffy cushions. “I don’t think so.”

“But…”

“Trent, you
never said what you’d like to drink.” Her mother’s question drew Catherine’s
focus back to him.

“No thanks,
Mrs. Turnberry. If you don’t mind, I’d like a few moments alone with Catherine?”
He headed to the door without another word.

Frowning,
Catherine glanced at the father for approval. He nodded, and she fixed her
stare on Trent’s back. Was he nervous about proposing? Or was he having second
thoughts? Maybe, if they were alone, he’d tell her what was bothering him. “Why
don’t we take a stroll out to the barn? Dad has a mare that is about to foal.
We can check on her.”

“No, you
shouldn’t—” her mother exclaimed.

“She’ll watch
where she steps,” her father interrupted.

“Yes,” her
mother huffed. “But that dress wasn’t designed to be worn in a barn.”

Trent held
out his hand for Catherine to precede him. She ignored her mother and led the
way to the front door.

His hand
brushed her waist when he reached for the knob. He swung the door open, and the
fresh scent of pure male aroused her, and a shiver raced down her spine.

“Thank you.”
She glanced at him and smiled, but his blank expression didn’t change.

Clasping a
handful of fabric in each hand to lift her skirts off the ground, she strolled
across the front porch and down the steps. Had he changed his mind? Did he not
want to marry her anymore? Pain pierced her heart. Had she miscalculated and
fallen into the same trap as the girls at the theatre by letting her feelings
and attraction rule over logic?

But he’d
appeared happy enough last night.

The thud of
his boots crunched on the stone pathway, but she didn’t pause at the gate for
him to open it. Instead, she hit the latch and swept through, then swirled
around to hold it for him. Her gaze flew to his face. A black hat shadowed his
eyes—when had he put it on?—but she could still make out his stony expression
as he stomped through the gate. It was all the proof she needed to confirm her
suspicions. He wanted to end their relationship. A wave of dread crashed over
her and her legs wobbled. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but pride held them
in check.

“Okay, we’re
outside where no one can hear us.” She planted her hands on her hips, and the
gate slammed shut. “Just say your piece, then get on your horse and go.”

“Not just
yet.” He wrapped a hand around her upper arm and strode across the yard,
dragging her along in his wake. “We’ll talk in the barn.”

“We don’t
need to.” She jerked her arm from his grasp and drew to a halt. “You can tell
me whatever you have to say right here.”

Trent stopped
after a few steps and glanced back at the house. “Just because they can’t hear
us, doesn’t mean they can’t see us.”

Disgusted at
his high-handed manner, she lifted her skirts and marched toward the open barn
doors. “Fine, but let’s make this short.”

The earthy
scent in the barn should’ve squelched Trent’s desire, but it didn’t. He scanned
the area for the ladder leading to the loft and lengthened his stride to ease
the pressure growing in his cock. A bed of hay would be the perfect place to
show her just who she belonged to.

His gaze fell
to the gentle sway of her hips and up the straight line of her spine. She didn’t
like his possessive attitude. But hell, what did the woman expect when she
threw herself in the arms of another man right in front of him?

The subdued
lighting cast shadows across her soft features when she turned to face him. “So
spit it out. What’s on your mind?”

Something
about her belligerence didn’t feel right. Her beautiful green eyes, which had
thrown daggers at him a moment ago, refused to meet his now. Her bottom lip
quivered slightly. She rubbed her hand over her neck and ruffled the lace on
the neckline of her dress.

He stalked
closer and she edged back. One step, two, the hunt ended when he pinned her against
the railing of a stall. “Tell me about your brother’s best friend.”

She blinked. “What?”

Shock swept
across her face. Yet, he couldn’t hold back his doubts. “What are your feelings
for him?”

“I love him,
just like I love Joel.” She dropped her chin, and Trent tightened his grip on
her waist. “But right now I’m not too happy with them. There’s no reason for
them to go off and fight in this war. No one can win.”

The tight
pressure in his chest eased. She might not have been playing him for a fool
after all. “And that’s the only reason you were hugging him?”

She grabbed
the front of his shirt. Anger flashed in her green eyes. “Is that the burr you
have up your ass? Because if it is, you can just—”

He dove for
her lips. The woman talked entirely too much, and the only sure-fire way to
shut her up was to occupy her luscious mouth. He smoothed his hands along her
ribcage and over her hips. The delicate silk of her dress made him question her
stamina for living on the frontier. She wouldn’t have it easy. Life here was
tough. Could she really handle the pressures of being a rancher’s wife?

But could he
let her go?

The tight
grip on his shirt loosened, and her hands slid around his neck. She answered
his kiss with a passion that turned his cock to granite. Her tongue, lips, and
mouth tasted of pure heaven and stirred his hunger for more. He ground his
groin against the yards of fabric barring entrance to her moist center. She
rocked her hips and rode the length of his shaft. Trent cupped her ass and
squeezed.

A sigh hummed
from her throat, followed by a few frantic whimpers. The sound vibrated through
his body. God, he had to fuck her.

He tore his
mouth from hers and charted a path to the curve of her neck. “Please tell me
you need me as much as I need you,” he murmured against her skin. “Because
right now, I have to be inside you.”

She threw
back her head. “Yes.”

He leaned
back enough to lift her skirt.

“I hope that
means we’re planning a wedding.” Joel’s voice echoed from the entryway of the
barn. “Or else I’m going to get my gun.”

Catherine’s
head lowered to Trent’s shoulder. “Could he have worse timing?”

Trent wrapped
his arms around her waist and whispered, “In another minute, he’d have found me
pounding—”

“So what’s
the answer?” Joel persisted.

She lifted
her head and their eyes connected. Trent lifted a brow in question. “So are you
going to marry me?”

After a
slight nod, she turned her head and yelled to her brother. “We’ve decided you’re
not invited to the wedding. Now leave us alone.”

Thrilled that
she’d accepted his marriage proposal, Trent didn’t relinquish his hold. They
deserved a few minutes alone. “And if you hope to have any of our children
named after you, you better not return for at least an hour.”

A burst of
laughter sounded from the opening. Kirk answered instead of Joel, “Won’t work.
Because even if Joel is willing to skedaddle, I’m not leaving until you come
out.”

Catherine
placed a quick kiss on Trent’s cheek and wiggled in his arms. “We’ll just have
to postpone this until later.”

“Sure,” he
sighed and turned but maintained a hand at her waist. Maybe they could arrange
to meet later tonight at his hunting cabin.

****

The sky
glowed with a thousand stars, and Catherine basted in the knowledge that
finally all her dreams were coming true.

Trent swung
into his saddle, his tall and handsome form highlighted by the light streaming
from the windows of her family’s home—her future home with Trent. She smiled,
pleased at the thought of telling him about the lease she’d secured on her
father’s ranch. She imagined his delight at them having a place of their own.

He gave a
quick little nod and tugged on the reins. His stallion danced in a circle and then
fell into a smooth canter.

Catherine
didn’t move but enjoyed the sight of Trent in the saddle as he rode away.

“Trent McCall
is a good man.” Her father’s voice rang from directly behind her. “He even
asked if your brother wanted to run the ranch when I told him about the lease I
gave you on the ranch.”

Catherine’s
heart jumped into a gallop and fire sped through her blood. She whipped around.
“What? Why did you tell him?”

“Now,
Catherine, the boy deserved to know the truth.” Her father stepped to one side
and directed her toward the house.

“Yes, but I
wanted to tell him,” Catherine argued and refused to budge.

“Now, honey,
that was man talk. I needed to make sure he’d take care of you and the ranch.
After all, I’m still your father and this is still
my
ranch. I won’t
hand over either of you to someone who can’t appreciate you both.” He strolled
toward the house, leaving her to follow.

She spun on
her heels and crashed through the front gate, doubts hounding her as she
strolled for the barn. One thought plagued her most. Was empty sex enough to
build a marriage?

****

Hot air
brushed Catherine’s cheek. The wind yowled a warning of the abuse to come. She
tossed the long braid of her hair over her shoulder and glanced at the reddish
glow to the west. The dry plain, stretching out for miles, waited for the storm
on the horizon to blow through.

Where did
that stupid cow leave her calf?

She urged her
horse into a dry creek bed and scanned the underbrush for any sight of the
newborn. Today would be the last time Catherine would have more than a few
moments to herself. Her mother, planning every detail of the wedding, had them
leaving at dawn for the church in Old Lubbock. Trent had arranged for them to
stay in town Friday night, and then they’d head back for a party at his father’s
place on Saturday night.