Wagonmaster (2 page)

She moved toward her clothing and stepped on something sharp. The pain was unexpected and overwhelming. An unstoppable scream escaped her.

Addie caught her breath and found herself in Reynolds' arms.

“Damnation, woman! What happened?”

Tears threatened, but she clenched her jaw and answered, “I've stepped on something.”

He squatted beside her and grasped the foot she held off the ground. Addie placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. “I'm pretty sure it's still in there. Can you remove it?” The initial shock of the injury began to recede, but she still couldn't seem to catch her breath. His rough hand slid down her bare calf to cup her heel.

“That's some splinter you got there. Hold still.”

Hold still? How could she possibly move? She tilted her head back and sucked in a strangled breath. The man's hands sent a new kind of shiver through her.

He pulled the offending sliver of wood from the tender sole of her foot. “There.” His voice sounded strained, and she looked down into his dark brown eyes. The look they held both frightened and intrigued her. Her heart leapt as his hand glided back up her calf. He stood slowly, his hand continuing higher over her thinly covered thigh and hip. His palm settled in the small of her back. Her eyes never left his. She simply couldn't look away.

“Woman, I warned you not to tempt me again.” He pressed her against his hard, warm body. She tried to speak, but her voice just wouldn't work.

Any attempt to talk would have been futile anyway. His head lowered, and his lips slammed down on hers. This was no tender kiss like the one before. Her senses spun with the intensity of it. The pressure eased ever so slightly, and his tongue touched the seam of her lips. She stiffened at the unfamiliar act, and Reynolds' fingers tangled in her hair and gave a sharp yank.

Addie gasped, allowing that sinful tongue to sneak into her mouth. And all thought vanished. She moaned, surrendering to the passion that gripped her. He answered with a groan. The sound sent a wave of heat through her. His tongue caressed hers, and she melted, seemingly boneless into his arms, the sensation exquisite. Never had she imagined such pleasure. His hands slid down her back to grasp her hips and pull them against his. The hard ridge of his arousal nudged her belly, but she couldn't push him away. She had no desire to do so. She wanted to remain right here in his arms, pressed against his incredibly fascinating body. She wanted….

He released her and stepped away. Reynolds mumbled a curse as he snatched her boots from the pile of discarded clothing. Without a word, he stooped and jammed them onto her feet. He gathered her things and shoved them into her arms, seized her elbow, and tugged her behind him. She had to run to keep up with his long strides.

Moments later, he deposited her near the end of her wagon. He grasped her chin and stared angrily at her. “I'm warning you, Addie. Keep that up and you just may get what you're askin' for.”

He turned and stalked away. She couldn't muster the strength to be angry with him. Even his unwarranted accusation hadn't given her the energy to fight back. She climbed into her wagon and collapsed on her bed without bothering to put on her nightdress. Somehow, she managed to kick off her boots. Sleep arrived immediately, but not without dreams of rough hands and heated kisses.

* * * *

It was Sunday, and the train would remain camped near the river. It was to be a day for laundry, hunting, fishing, and perhaps even a bit of rest. Addie woke early, as usual, but allowed herself to remain abed for an extra hour to doze and take advantage of the opportunity for some much-needed rest.

She examined her tender foot but found nothing to indicate that it might fester. As a precaution, she retrieved her medical supplies and applied a salve and a thin bandage. She emerged from her wagon. Several of the others were just getting started as well. Campfires puffed to life in a crackle of smoke and flame. Women exited their wagons, arms laden with pots and food. Addie's stomach rumbled loudly, the apple she'd had for dinner last night a distant memory.

Addie collected water from the river and started a fire to brew some coffee. She made a large batch of flapjacks, set aside enough for her meal, and wrapped all the extras in a clean cloth for use later. After cooking a scrambled egg, she poured a generous amount of honey over her flapjacks and dug in ravenously.

“Mornin', darlin'.”

Addie almost choked. She hadn't heard the wagonmaster approach, and to her utmost consternation, his deep, gravely voice never failed to make her stomach flutter. She swallowed. “Reynolds.”

He leaned against the end of her wagon, one dusty boot crossed over the other. “How's the foot?”

“It's fine.” She sipped her coffee and tried to dislodge the lump in her throat. “I never thanked you for removing the splinter.”

His eyes narrowed, and one corner of his mouth lifted in a half grin. “Oh, you thanked me well enough.”

Addie's cheeks warmed. “Yes, well, that was not intentional.” With a resigned sigh, she decided it would be best to be diplomatic. “I apologize if I did anything to…to….”

“Tempt me?”

She set her plate aside and stood. Wiping her hands on her apron, she gathered her thoughts. “Yes. I never meant to tempt you. Ever. Not last night and not in my wagon before we left. Perhaps you could explain exactly what I did to entice you.”

He straightened and moved toward her. The man stopped only a few steps away, close enough that she had to look up at him. He didn't speak, just stared down at her. She searched his face. Her gaze skimmed his freshly shaved jaw. Last night, when he'd kissed her, his face had been rough with whiskers. Unbidden memories of that passionate kiss assailed her. Her breath caught as she watched his mouth and waited for him to speak.

Reynolds' jaw tightened, and his lips thinned. “You did exactly what you're doing now.”

Her gaze jerked to his. The look he gave her held a mixture of anger and something else, something similar to the heated passion she'd seen in his eyes last night. “But I haven't done anything.”

He leaned down, bringing his face closer to hers. “Darlin', your thoughts are written all over your face. You wanted me to kiss you last night and you're thinking of that kiss right now.”

Stricken, Addie shook her head. “I didn't. I….”

“Lie to yourself if you want. But the truth is in your eyes.” He brushed a stray lock of her hair away. “Those damned beautiful, blue eyes of yours.”

Addie turned away. She wasn't certain what to say. What could she say? Should she deny it? No. Truth was always best. She swallowed hard and whispered her confession. “I'm sorry. I…I can't help it. I've never been kissed like that before. I don't know why I react the way I do, it's just that, well….” She drew in a shaky breath and turned back.

He was gone. Had he heard any of her admission? Relief washed over her. Truth might always be best, but some things were better left unsaid. Joshua Reynolds did not want a wife, and any relationship with him would only lead to heartache.

* * * *

The rest of the afternoon sped by. She washed her laundry and hung it on a rope she'd strung between two trees. She gathered up her fishing gear and headed to the river. Luck was with her, and she collected four fish in less than half an hour. Looking into the bucket, she realized she'd never cleaned a fish before. Her father or the cook had always performed that unsavory task. On her way back, an idea formed. Propping her fishing pole and net against her wagon, she carried her bucket of fish to Jimmy Johnson, Reynolds' cook.

The grizzled cook had skin like leather and a scraggly beard desperately in need of a trim. She'd seen him only once without the weathered hat he now wore. More hair grew on his face than his balding head. He'd never spoken to her, but he'd offered a friendly nod in passing. Despite his rough appearance, Addie believed him to be good man. He squatted next to his campfire stirring some beans. “Mr. Johnson, I've a proposition for you.”

“Proposition? What kind of deal could you be offerin', Mrs. Reynolds?”

It took her a moment to recover from the surprise of being called Mrs. Reynolds. Few members of the wagon train ever spoke to her at all. Of course, Addie hadn't made any attempt to speak to them either. “If you'll clean the largest fish here for me, you can have the other three.”

“Sounds like a fine arrangement, ma'am. I'd be glad to. Sure would like some fish for supper tonight. Tried a bit of fishin' myself this morning. Didn't catch a one. Looks like you had all the luck today.”

She smiled and handed him the bucket. Though certain she could have cleaned the fish herself, she was relieved all the same. After several months of dissecting various animals in her biology classes, she'd learned not to let it bother her. But that didn't mean she enjoyed it. “Thank you, Mr. Johnson. I'll just leave these here and come back in a little while.”

She'd banked the campfire before going fishing earlier, so she gathered some wood and built it up again. She washed and sliced a couple of carrots and a large potato and dropped them in a pot with some butter, salt, and a bit of water. Addie placed the pan over the fire, careful to keep it away from the most intent heat. Already this week she'd scorched her supper twice. It still amazed her how difficult it was to cook over a campfire. Admittedly, she'd never spent a great deal of time in her father's kitchen, but she wasn't completely untutored. After she'd bought all the supplies for her journey, it had been clear that she might want to refresh her cooking skills. She'd spent several hours with the cook at the small hotel and restaurant at Fort Laramie, learning and practicing a few simple recipes. However, cooking on a cast-iron stove was nothing like preparing a meal over a campfire.

Satisfied that her vegetables were safe, she headed back toward the wagon Reynolds shared with Mr. Johnson. Voices drifted to her from behind one of the other wagons.

“I don't think Reynolds really married her.”

She paused. Addie couldn't make out who might have said it, but another male voice answered. “You're probably right. I bet she flashed a wad of money in front of him, and he decided to forget all about our vote.”

Several other hostile voices mumbled affirmatively. “I say we confront him.”

“He's over by his wagon. Why don't we ask him now?” That voice likely belonged to Mr. Adams, the man who'd refused the offer of her services when Reynolds had introduced her as his wife.

“Yeah, I want the truth!” another irritated voice chimed in.

She listened just a moment longer to confirm that they intended to speak to Reynolds immediately. Lifting her skirts, she hurried to his wagon.

* * * *

Josh stood next to Jimmy, who prepared the fish Addie had given them. Maybe he'd return the favor with a steak from the deer he'd killed this afternoon. It had been gutted, but they hadn't had time to finish butchering it yet. A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he thought of how well she'd handled herself thus far. To say she'd surprised him would be an understatement. The little lady was far stronger than she appeared, and she'd yet to complain about anything. He had to admit, the spoiled little rich girl had earned a measure of respect. But damn if she didn't tempt him beyond reason.

What was it about her that drove him crazy? It wasn't as if she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met. She wasn't even his type. Petite blondes usually caught his eye. Addie's hair was brown. He corrected himself. No, not just brown. When the sun hit it, her hair glowed with shades of auburn and honey red. And she was slender. He liked voluptuous women. But last night, the reaction of his body to her softly rounded curves had been almost violent. Granted, her lips were just the way he liked them, full and soft. And God above! Her kisses were sweeter than….

“Reynolds!” Josh turned to find Addie rushing toward him. Breathless, she grabbed his shirtfront. “Hold me.”

“What?” He wanted to laugh, but she behaved as if her demand was urgently important.

“I don't have time to explain,” she hissed, clasping his waist. “Just put your arms around me.” She laid her head on his chest and pressed her body against him.

Without pausing to question himself, he embraced her and pulled her closer. An image of her bathing flashed in his mind. He shouldn't have, but he'd peeked over his shoulder while she washed her hair. That arousing sight and the memory of her kiss had haunted his dreams last night, and he'd awakened frustrated and irritable.

Damn, but this woman felt good in his arms. He lowered his head and breathed in the scent that had almost driven him mad after her bath last night. The soap she used must be perfumed with lilacs and maybe even a hint of gardenia. A soft, feminine, and tantalizing smell teased him.

“Addie?” he began.

Several men rounded the end of his wagon and stalled his question. They came to an abrupt halt, staring at him and Addie. He straightened, loosening his hold on the fascinating woman.

“Reynolds,” one of the men offered an awkward greeting. The rest looked at each other in surprise.

Before he could respond, Addie jerked away from him with an audible gasp. She looked at the men and sighed dramatically. “You see? This is exactly what I've been complaining about.”

Josh's brows drew together in confusion. “Pardon?”

Addie motioned toward the men. “You have no time for me because you already have a half dozen
other
wives!” Without giving anyone a chance to respond, she spun around and stomped over to Jimmy, who quietly continued to cook the fish. “Mr. Johnson, may I have my fish now, please?”

He reached over and handed her a bucket, presumably containing the fish in question. “Here you go, Mrs. Reynolds. Two nice fillets from that one. It was a good-sized trout.”

She nodded and took the bucket. “Thank you. It was very nice of you to clean it for me.”

Jimmy looked a bit puzzled. She graced him with a beaming smile, and he tipped his hat. “My pleasure, ma'am. Anytime.”