To Tame a Renegade (30 page)

He lifted her face with his thumb and forefinger and kissed her. She had no idea what was going on inside Chad now, but whatever it was, she was willing to help.

“Make love with me now, Sarah. Here, in this house, on this bed.” His voice held a note of desperation. “I need you.”

Sarah gaped at him, then at the bed. The bed where Cora Lee and her child had breathed their last. “Are you sure this is what you want, Chad?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Make new memories for me, sweetheart. I want to banish the past. You’re the only one who can help me.”

Sarah didn’t know how to interpret his words. “Are you saying you love me?”

“Loving you wouldn’t be difficult,” Chad admitted. “Even though I’m not sure I know what the word means. Perhaps I just need time to come to grips with the idea. Will you let me make love to you? Here? Now?”

Sarah shook her head. “It’s not a good idea. It would be for all the wrong reasons.”

“You’re wrong, Sarah. It would be for all the right reasons. Making love to you in this room will help to restore my peace of mind. You can give me new memories to replace the painful ones associated with this house. Give me pleasure to remember instead of death.”

Sarah tried to dispute Chad’s logic, but couldn’t. He had given her more hope for a future with him in these last few minutes than he had in all the previous weeks and months they had been together. If new memories were what he wanted, then she’d give them to him. No matter what happened between them after today, he’d still have his new memories. She stepped out of his arms and began to undress.

Their loving was slow, tender, and achingly poignant. If Sarah felt uncomfortable in this house, her discomfort vanished the moment Chad touched her, the second his lips claimed hers, the instant his tongue invaded the sweet warmth of her mouth. He brought her to climax without spending, then aroused her again, bringing them both to shattering completion.

“I feel as if I’ve just emerged from a long tunnel into the light,” Chad murmured into her ear.

“No more demons?”

“I hope not. I feel as if I’d just been released from two years of hell.”

Chapter 15

J
ackson and Sanchez emerged from the cover of lofty pines wearing a dusting of snow, which was now falling in abundance from the leaden skies. They spied a party of riders approaching the Delaney house and ducked back out of sight.

“Dammit!” Jackson cursed. “Vigilantes. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“What about the kid? Are we going to Mexico without him?”

“Not on your life, Sanchez. When I go to Mexico, my kid is coming with me. The vigilantes won’t expect us to stick around in Dry Gulch after robbing the bank. Remember that old line shack we passed a ways back? Nobody will be using it at this time of year. We can stay there until the coast is clear. When the time is right, we’ll nab Abner and head south to Mexico. If we wait long enough, we’re bound to find the kid alone. Plenty of cover here. We’ll just sit tight and wait for the right time.”

“What are we gonna do about food? We can’t just mosey into town and stock up at the local grocery store. Somebody is bound to recognize us.”

“Don’t need to. We’ll steal what we need from the local ranchers. Come on, Sanchez, let’s get the hell out of here.”

Chad and Sarah met the vigilantes on their way home from the Rocking D. Riley Reed and his men intercepted them about a mile from the Delaney ranch. It was snowing steadily now, and Chad chaffed at the delay.

“Well, well, if it ain’t Chad Delaney,” Reed said, reining in beside Chad. “When did you get home?”

“A while ago,” Chad said shortly. There was no love lost between Reed and the Delaneys. Reed and his vigilantes had come so close to lynching Pierce that his brother still wore the rope burns on his throat. “What brings the vigilantes out on a cold day like this?”

“We’re looking for bank robbers.” His gaze shifted to Sarah. “That your wife?”

Chad ignored his question and posed one of his own. “Who are you chasing this time, Reed? Not another innocent man, I hope.”

“The men who robbed the bank in town are guilty as sin,” Reed returned. “They got clean away, but we’ll find them. They couldn’t have gotten far. We figure they’re heading south. Have you seen a couple of suspicious characters around here?”

A shiver of dread crept along Chad’s spine. Bank robbers. He didn’t like the sound of that. His first thought was that Jackson had traced Sarah and Abner to Dry Gulch. Was that lowlife still determined to have his son?

“What did they look like?” Chad asked.

“One was a short, dark Mexican. The other was tall with blue eyes. Both wore hats pulled low over their foreheads and bandannas covering the lower part of their faces.”

“We haven’t seen anyone matching those descriptions,” Chad said. “Any idea who they are?”

“Some say it was Freddie Jackson and a Mex named Sanchez. They pulled off a robbery over in Roundup a couple weeks back and the federal marshal there recognized them. Can’t say for sure, though, not till we find them.” He peered up at the sky. “This snow will help us track them down.”

“Good luck,” Chad said distractedly as he watched them ride away. He didn’t hold out much hope of the vigilantes catching Jackson. Jackson was a wily bastard. Chad had good reason to know. He hadn’t caught the man after tracking him for over two weeks.

“Chad, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Sarah asked. Her face appeared as white as the falling snow and Chad could taste her fear.

“We’re not sure it was Jackson who robbed the Dry Gulch bank,” Chad reminded her. “It could be anyone.”

“But what if it was Jackson? What if he followed us to Montana? Several people knew I’d left with you. I recall telling Carrie where to find me.”

“Even if you hadn’t told Carrie it wouldn’t be difficult for a resourceful man like Jackson to learn our destination. Don’t worry, Sarah, Ryan and I will protect you and Abner.”

“I’m not worried for myself. Freddie wants Abner, not me. Why would a man like that want to be a father all of a sudden?”

“Abner is Jackson’s link with immortality, I suppose. Let’s get back to the ranch.”

“Oh God, yes. I want to make sure Abner is all right.”

“Jackson is no fool. He’s probably miles away by now.”

Chad prayed he was right. His gut told him Jackson was closer than he’d like to think. And over the years, Chad had learned to listen to his gut.

Sarah rushed into the house, vastly relieved when Abner ran up to greet her.

“The vigilantes were here, Mama!” he cried excitedly. “They were looking for a bad man.”

Sarah snatched him up into her arms and gave him a fierce hug. “I know, honey. We saw them.”

He squirmed out of her arms. “It’s snowing outside. Can I go out and play?”

There was no way Sarah was going to let Abner out of her sight if there was any possibility that Freddie Jackson was in the vicinity. “Not now, Abner. I…”

“I’ll take you out,” Chad offered. He’d walked into the room in time to hear Sarah refuse Abner permission to go outside to play. He couldn’t blame her for wanting to keep the boy close, but the look of disappointment on Abner’s face had gone straight to his heart. “There’s chores that need doing in the barn, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Abner gave a whoop of joy and ran to the kitchen to put on his outdoor gear.

“You’re still worried, aren’t you?” Chad asked.

“Can you blame me?”

“No, that’s why I’m going after Jackson.”

Sarah stared at him. “You’re what?”

“I’m going to find Jackson. His capture is long overdue. I don’t want you and Abner to have to worry about him ever again.”

“You can’t go! The weather isn’t good. It’s snowing.”

“That’s why I have to go now. He’ll be easier to track in the snow. Ryan will look after you in my absence. There are ten armed men on the ranch.”

“What’s this about a bank robbery?” Ryan asked as he entered the room. “Cookie told me about it the minute I walked in the back door. He said the vigilantes paid us a visit”

“We think Freddie Jackson is in the area,” Chad explained. “He’s probably miles away by now, but I’m going after him to make certain he doesn’t bother Sarah again.”

“That’s a job for the vigilantes,” Ryan said.

“I’m a bounty hunter, remember? I understand outlaws and how their minds work. I’ve tracked them in all kinds of weather and gotten into some tight places, but I’ve always gotten my man. I’m not going to fail with Jackson. Will you take care of Sarah and Abner in my absence?”

“You know I will Nothing will happen to them while you’re gone.”

“You can’t let him go, Ryan!” Sarah exclaimed, alarmed.

“I can’t stop him, Sarah.”

Chad regarded Ryan solemnly. “I’m trusting you not to seduce my woman while I’m away.”

“Your woman!”
Ryan repeated. “Did something happen today that I should know about?”

Chad sent Sarah a tender glance before answering Ryan’s question. “You could say that. We’ll talk about it when I return.” Abner picked that moment to run into the room, bundled to the eyebrows. “I’m ready, Chad. Can we go outside now?”

“Sure thing, son. Don’t worry about Abner,” he said to Sarah. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Sarah said after Chad left with Abner. “I don’t want Chad to leave. Not now. Not when he and I…” She flushed and dropped her gaze.

“What happened today, Sarah? Did you and my brother come to an understanding?”

“I followed Chad to the cemetery,” Sarah revealed. “Something happened to Chad out there, something that defies explanation. It was as if a great upheaval was taking place inside him. His anguish was almost palpable. I was shocked when he decided abruptly to go to the Rocking D. I couldn’t let him go alone, so I followed. When we reached the house, we climbed the stairs together and went into Cora Lee’s room. He struggled with his demons a long time before he reached some kind of a decision.”

Ryan was intrigued. “What happened next?”

Sarah hesitated, then decided she had nothing to lose by telling Ryan the truth. “We made love on Cora Lee’s bed.”

Ryan was visibly shaken. “You what?”

“Chad asked me to make love with him. At first I didn’t think it was a good idea, but the longer I considered it the more reasonable it sounded. He needed new memories to associate with the Doolittle house; I provided them for him.”

“Alleluia!” Ryan crowed delightedly. “Maybe I’ll get my brother back now. Chad has changed. He isn’t the same man I’d grown up with. He’s lost the joy of living. If not for you, he might never have returned home. Did he ask you to marry him?”

“I’m not sure Chad wants marriage any more than you do. I’d like to think he’s ready for a commitment, but I’m not going to wish for things that might never be. I do believe, though, that he’s finally defeated his demons, but,” she added sadly, “I’m not sure he wants me and Abner in his life.”

“He called you his woman,” Ryan reminded her.

“In some ways, I am, but that’s for Chad to decide,” she said, blushing.

With nothing more to add to that, Ryan returned to his chores and Sarah went to her room. Today’s events had been both draining and exhilarating, leaving Sarah with much to think over. Unfortunately, she still didn’t know where she stood with Chad.

Chad planned to leave at first light. He had gathered his gear, packed his saddlebags, and conferred with Cookie about trail food. He figured he’d head south, and if he found nothing to indicate that Jackson was traveling in that direction, he’d head on back to the ranch and search the surrounding area. Common sense told him Jackson was too smart to stick around, but his gut told him Jackson could still be in the immediate vicinity. He decided to follow common sense first and, failing a result that way, he’d go with his gut.

Even if Jackson was still around, Chad seriously doubted the man would attempt a bold abduction with ten armed men protecting Abner. Jackson would have to be either damn stupid or cocksure of himself.

Supper was a subdued affair that night. When Chad announced that he intended to leave at dawn, Sarah was visibly shaken. She excused herself a few minutes later and ran from the room, glad that Abner had already been fed and put to bed so he couldn’t see how upset she was.