Tracker’s Sin (33 page)

Her soft hands would cal us. And for her choice of husband, she would be spit on. His hand went to the hilt of his knife. He’d kil anyone who offered such

an insult to her. Skin and gut them slowly before letting them rot in the sun.

“You were meant for better things.”

Her hand covered his, lifting his fingers away from the hilt. I’ve had these better things. And I’ve had much worse. What I was meant for

was you.”

Miguel grabbed his hair. He wanted to be rough and yank his hand away, but as soon as he touched that tiny fist, the impulse died. Miguel

gave him his gummy smile. There was a bit of white.

“He cut a tooth!” He leaned in for a closer look. Miguel grinned more broadly. Ari inched closer. His hair fel over her shoulder, cocooning

them in the intimate moment. She looked up at him, her eyes darker, more mysterious, holding promises he wanted to accept.

“He’s got thirty-one more to go, my love. Don’t you want to be there for each and every one?”

Taking his hand, she placed it over her heart. The softness of her breast seared his palm. The softness of the gesture seared his resolve.

“Damn it, Ari, I’m trying to do the right thing for the first time in my life.”

She stomped her foot. “Wel , who asked you to start with me? You promised me al or nothing. Told me to make a choice. I did.”

Yes, he had. He let his hand slip down her back, skimming the delicate ridges of her spine until his fingers settled in the hol ow, pressing

until she had no choice but to lean against him. Her lips were inches away. Ful , red and tempting. “You chose al .”

“Yes, I did.” She said it with no hesitation. No regret. “And you said you’d give me anything I wanted.”

“I’m more likely to die young than not.” It was a fact.

“Tracker, I’m not asking for guarantees. I just want every second the Lord gives us together.”

Every second.

Tracker watched Ari’s lips shape the words, heard her voice caress each syl able with love, let them settle on that part of him that just

couldn’t believe he was more than expendable. Let them cover it, smother it, kil it. Felt the death he’d been dreading and then the joy. The freedom. The

rebirth. He leaned in a little closer, savoring the emotion as it washed over him even as Ari’s breath mingled with his. His life, his soul. His Love.

“Son of a bitch, Tracker. You going to make the woman beg in front of us al ?” Sam asked.

No, he wasn’t. “Come here, sweets.”

She went up on her tiptoes, making it so easy for him to mate his mouth to hers. Her lips parted. He didn’t take advantage. Passion

burned, but this wasn’t about sex. This was about them.

“Bad enough she had to do the proposing.” he heard Sam mutter distantly.

Tracker kissed Ari gently. Sweetly. Tenderly. Once, twice. Ari sobbed and pressed against him. Miguel tugged on his hair. From beyond

the circle a horse stomped his hoof.

“Is that a yes?” Desi asked.

Father Bernard cleared his throat. “Since I’d be hard-pressed to slide the marriage papers between them, I’m declaring it one.”

Tracker smiled against Ari’s lips, kissing her once more because it was too hard not to before replacing his mouth with his thumb,

pressing gently on her lower lip, hiding nothing from her searching gaze. He was hers and with four words he confirmed it for everyone else. “That’s

definitely a yes.”

“Great,” Caine said, taking his pistol from Desi and moving her closer, away from the shade and into the sunlight surrounding Tracker and

Desi. Out of the past and into the light.

“See,” Ari whispered, watching as the rest of Hel ’s Eight fol owed suit. “How can you doubt this was meant to be?”

He couldn’t. Not anymore. He believed in signs, and this one was too big to ignore. The old ways were dying, but the future was shining

brightly. Just waiting for those brave enough to step into it. “I guess I just needed a shove in the right direction.”

Ari chuckled. Father Bernard stepped up in front of them, his bald head reflecting the sunlight, his old eyes reflecting his satisfaction.

“Glad to see you came to your senses.”

“I usual y do.”

“Had my doubts this time.” Tracker didn’t believe that for a minute. The priest had that inner calm that came from being at peace with

himself and his world. “And you’re supposed to be the one with the faith.”

Father Bernard smiled. “I’l pray on it.”

He and Ari were going to need al the prayers they could get. Tracker held out his hand. “Thanks for coming.”

The priest shook it and smiled. “Wouldn’t have missed bragging rights on this for the world.”

Everyone laughed. The priest opened his Bible.

“Just a minute.” Tia hurried forward. In her hands she had a smal bouquet of white flowers. Daisies.

“Every bride needs a bouquet.” She handed them to Ari. “Welcome to the
familia, mi hija.
”

Ari sniffed back a sob, her gaze locked on the flowers, a soft look of wonder on her face he wanted to ask her about. “Thank you.”

“Are we al set now?” Father Bernard asked.

Ari’s “yes” was tear-wet but sure.

“Then let’s have this wedding before we lose the opportunity,” Caine ordered. “No tel ing how much mischief Shadow wil get into if we

leave him to cool his heels too long.”

17

T
hree hours later Tracker strode out of the study in Caine’s house. They had a plan to rescue Shadow. It wasn’t much of a plan, but at least they had one.

There were only so many plans one could come up with to defeat the U.S. Cavalry and live. And the one thing they al wanted to do was live. Especial y

Tracker. Tonight was his wedding night. He intended to make the most of it, create as many memories as he could before riding out at dawn. He settled

his hat on his head and opened the front door. When he came back, he’d start on a few more memories. Like Caine, Tucker and Sam, he was

determined that his woman would never regret a moment of her decision to gamble her future on him.

Maddie grabbed his arm as soon as he cleared the door. “You’re not supposed to go to your house, Mr. Tracker.”

Had Ari already had regrets? “I’m not?”

She shook her head. “Miss Ari was very specific.”

Tracker breathed a sigh of relief. Ari being specific was good. Ari being specific meant she had a plan. “How so, specific?”

“Just a minute.”

The woman made him wait while she struggled with her memory.

“Maddie…”

“I have to say it right.”

It wouldn’t do any good for him to push. Tracker bided his time, frustration rising right along with his temper.

“She said to tel you that she knows what the daisies mean.”

That told him nothing important. He wanted to know where she was. His wedding night was waiting. “And?”

“She’s waiting for you with the daisies.”

Ari was at the meadow. The smile started deep inside.

“Thank you.”

The meadow was beautiful in the sunlight—a green-and-white oasis set amidst the darker backdrop of the pines. In the center of it sat

Ari, her long hair draped across her torso. A crown of daisies rested on her hair. When she saw him she stood and smiled. Daisy chains wrapped her

neck, her wrists and her ankles. She wasn’t wearing anything else. Sunshine and smiles. That was his Ari.

Lust slammed through him with painful intensity. He bit back a moan when she stepped forward and her breasts swayed.

“Tracker.”

No one else said his name in that particular combination of disbelief and wonder, as if he were a dream come to life. He couldn’t imagine

wanting anyone else to.

She crooked her finger. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You damn wel better not be waiting for anyone else dressed like that.”

“Do you like it?”

How much he liked it throbbed in his pants. He couldn’t look away from the symbolic placement of the daisy chains. “I like your jewelry.”

She held up a long length of daisies strung together. “I’ve got more.”

“What’s that for?”

“Come here and I’l show you.”

Show, not tel . Damn. “Sweets, I should tel you, I’m a bit on edge.”

“Me, too.”

“I’ve got a lot of questions.” With al that had happened, he hadn’t had a chance to discuss with her what had happened the night before.

Even the wave of her hand was seductive. “Ask away.”

“It looked like there was quite a battle here last night.”

Try as he might, he couldn’t detect concern in her voice. “We handled it.”

“So I see.” He took a couple steps forward, not understanding her mood. She didn’t act like a woman who’d just had her worst nightmare

revisited. “Are you al right?

“I’m very al right. Better than al right. I’m strong.” Without batting an eyelash she said, “I kil ed a man last night.”

He stopped. “You bragging on it?”

She shook her head. “No, it was horrible. But I did what you said. I hid my pistol in my skirts and acted terrified until the last moment.”

“You weren’t?” He took another step forward.

“Maybe. But mostly I was mad.” Her eyes narrowed. “They had no right to invade our home. Threaten our child. No right at al .”

“No, they didn’t.” None at al .

She shuddered. “I’m letting you scrub the bloodstains off the floor, though. I don’t think I can do that.”

“I’l handle it.” She was watching him, waiting for him. He had no idea what she wanted from him. Uncertainty wasn’t his friend.

“Baby, I need you to tel me what we’re doing here.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“No.”

“We’re getting married again.”

He looked around. They were alone. “Thought we did that this afternoon.”

“Yes. That was for everyone else. This is for us.”

“Sweets, you are going to have to explain.”

“Later.”

“No. Now.” It’d been a hel of a day. He’d just come from a battle and three hours of hard riding with nothing but worry for his companion, a

wedding and now the planning of what would likely be a suicide mission. His emotions were running hot, needing an outlet, but he stil needed some

things said before he could start his wedding night. “Shadow kil ed Amboy.”

Ari paused for two breaths. “I’l thank him later.”

“It’l have to be a long while later. The soldiers arrested him.”

“I know, but you’l get him back.”

Such faith in him. “That’s the plan.”

“They won’t kil him, wil they?”

Not unless he did something particularly aggravating, and knowing Shadow that was a possibility. To Ari, though, he gave hope.

“Not likely. He’s a Ranger gone bad. There wil have to be a public trial. To save the Texas Rangers’ reputation. It wil be public. That wil

buy us time.”

“But you wil get him back?”

“Absolutely.” When he did, Shadow would be an outlaw, but that was better than dead. And knowing Shadow, he’d enjoy the chal enge of

staying one step ahead of the law.

“Good.”

Tracker took her in his arms. She felt good against him, a sweetly scented angel from his dreams. Good and alive. “I never want a ride

like last night again, Ari, not knowing if you were alive or dead. Whether you needed me.”

“You taught me wel . I wasn’t afraid.”

He stil found that hard to believe. “Just pissed.”

She nodded. “Very, very pissed.”

She was finding her strength but losing more of her innocence. He had mixed feelings about that. “I’m proud of you, sweets, but I’m sorry

you had to go through that.”

“I’m not.” Her attention was no longer on the topic, if the placement of her hands was to be believed. “It’s good to know I’m not always

helpless.”

Yes, it was. For him, too. “Yeah. I can understand that.”

Her fingers worked the buckle of his gun belt. He caught it, along with the knife tucked into it, and set them aside careful y before they

could fal . Ari tugged up the tail of his shirt. He smiled when she grunted in frustration. She was too short to do it in one smooth motion the way he did.

“Looks like you need a bit of help there.”

She pinched his side. “Then help.”

She had no patience. With a grin, he tugged the shirt off. Her sweet hands were on his torso before he got it over his head. Her lips found

his stomach, dropping a hot little kiss just below his bel y button before working their way up his chest in a string of nips that danced over his skin like

flame.

Her thigh slipped between his, pressing against his cock and bal s in rhythmic pressure. Tilting his hips forward, he gave her better

access, moaning as his bal s pul ed tight.

“What are you doing?”

“Seducing you.” She glanced up. “Is it working?”

Cupping her head, he held her mouth to his chest, growling in his throat when her nip spread like fire through his system. “Al too wel .”

“Too wel ?”

“I’m never at my best, coming off a battle.”

She stepped back and took his hand in hers. “You don’t want me?”

He shook his head. “I want you too much.”

Wrapping the daisy chain around his wrist, she tugged him closer. “Not possible.”

“I’m not feeling civilized, Ari.”

“You want to make love to me.”

“I want to fuck you. There’s a difference.”

“Are you tel ing me any woman would do?”

“Hel , no.”

“Then explain.” She wrapped the other end of the daisy chain around her wrist, binding them together.

“I want to take you hard and wild.”

She bit her lip. A shiver went through her. “Al right.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I was in a battle last night, too,” she reminded him.

“I’l take you in ways you won’t be comfortable. Ways you’re not ready for.”

A blush mounted her cheeks. “Desi gave me some cream. She said you could say thank you later.”