Trail of Golden Dreams

by Coverstone, Stacey

  In a split-second decision, Josie paid the man. “I’ll take the room. Is there a tub? I forgot to ask. I desire a hot bath.” The bath she’d taken at Juanita’s had remained etched in her mind as a most pleasurable experience and one she planned to partake in often, once she was rich and living in San Francisco.

  “Si, Señorita. I’ll have someone fill it immediately.” The clerk stuffed her money into a drawer and whistled. A young girl appeared from around a curtain behind the counter. The clerk spoke to her in Spanish, and she rushed off. Josie assumed he’d instructed her to go fill her bathtub.

  “I’ll take a room with a tub, too,” the other man told the clerk, smiling at his wife.

  “No more rooms, Señor,” the clerk informed him. “We’re full.” With that, the man grumbled an obscenity and escorted his wife out the door. The clerk handed Josie a key and told her where to find the room.

  “How late can I get supper in the courtyard?” she asked.

  “Until ten o’clock, Señorita.”

  “Gracias.” She walked down the hall, feeling proud about securing a room, with a tub to boot! It felt wonderful to have money in her pocket. And I’m going to have a whole lot more once I get a hold of those gold nuggets.

  When she arrived at the room, the door was open and the young girl was preparing the bath. “Hola,” Josie greeted. She dropped her saddlebags on the floor next to the bed and gazed around. It was a small space, but very comfortable and warm feeling. The one window was covered with a blue shutter, and a bureau stood against a wall, while more red tiles lay underfoot. A kiva fireplace was tucked into the corner. Exposed wooden beams spanned the ceiling, and soft blankets covered the double bed. She was pleased.

  After handing the girl a shiny coin when the tub was full, Josie locked the door behind her. She couldn’t wait to get out of her dirty riding clothes. Once they were peeled off, she stepped into the tub, sighing. This was just what she needed for her sore muscles and legs. As she soaked, she gazed over at the bed. Her skin prickled at the thought of sharing it with Grey. Her eyes drifted close, and she recalled the times they’d kissed and when he’d touched her under her shirt.

  How will he react when he finds out we’re sharing the room, and the bed? What will he expect tonight? What do I want from him? Her imagination ran free.

  Nine days ago she’d been a nineteen-year old girl who was inexperienced, lonely, and resolved to the life she’d been dealt. But she’d also been a girl who knew her own mind, wouldn’t allow men to walk over her, and could take care of herself. She hadn’t had any money, but she’d always had pride and motivation. Like any girl her age, she’d fantasized of a better life, though all her hopes and dreams had been locked deep inside.

  Now she was a woman who was so close to making those hopes and dreams come true. She’d made friends with an Indian, outrun outlaws, experienced birth and death, slept outdoors in the cold, and gone without food. More importantly, she’d looked into the eyes of someone who’d come to mean the world to her, and realized she meant something to him, too. She’d learned to trust a man, and she’d let her heart be captured.

  Josie pictured Grey lying next to her in that big bed with his body stretched out on hers, his mouth covering her mouth, and them loving each other till the sun came up. Shivers raced through her body. Thoughts of his fingers pushing through her hair and his hands caressing every inch of her brought on tingles that ran from the top of her scalp to the tips of her toes.

  She loved Grey Paladin. When she first spied him on Cemetery Hill in Dry Gulch, she’d thought he was an outlaw. Never in a million years would she have imagined she’d be making a journey with him and fall in love. Scared, but willing to take a chance at true happiness, she’d let the man rope her heart.

  “I love Grey Paladin!” she shouted aloud. Then she slapped a hand over her mouth and giggled. Her lips curved into a sly smile. This was an easy decision to make. She’d share her bed with him tonight, and anything else he wanted.

  * * * *

  Grey sat at a table in the corner waiting for her. When Josie entered the courtyard, their eyes met, and she could see he was pleased with the way she looked. She’d brushed her hair until it shined and left it down to fall around her shoulders. One of Juanita’s dresses, a red one with a full skirt, sash, and open neck, fit her body like a glove. She’d even plucked a rose from the garden and stuck it behind her ear like she’d seen Mexican women do.

  Grey’s eyes popped open when she greeted him with a soft, “Hello.”

  She was pleased by what she saw, too. He’d taken her advice and gotten a bath, though he’d obviously chosen to forego a shave. Apparently, he’d remembered her saying she preferred his rough cheeks to smooth. He smelled like the lavender soap she’d used in the stream the day he saw her naked. It was a wonder he had any of it left, it’d been so small. His hat was in a chair, and she noticed his dark hair had been trimmed and combed neatly, which meant he’d been to a barber. Still dressed in black, as usual, his clothes appeared to be freshly laundered and pressed. He jumped up and pulled out a chair for her.

  “Thank you, Grey.” His chivalrous action made her feel like a true lady. When he took his seat, his gaze raked her.

  “Josie, you’re as pretty as the day is long.” She smiled. “And we’ve seen some awfully long days,” he finished.

  When she laughed, he joined her, and she wished she could hold the image of the two of them in her mind forever. She smoothed a napkin over her lap and picked up the paper menu, which listed six choices—all Mexican. “Do you see something you like?” she asked.

  He was still staring at her. “Yes, I do.”

  She cleared her throat and smiled shyly. “Grey, I meant, have you’ve chosen something from the menu?”

  “Oh!” He perused the selections quickly, shut the menu, and said, “I can’t get over how you look. That dress is…well…it’s…” His words trailed off. It seemed he had trouble finding the right thing to say.

  “Red is a nice color, wouldn’t you agree?” she said for him.

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  The waitress approached. She was a Mexican woman with full lips and even fuller hips, who batted her eyelashes at Grey. He didn’t seem to notice her, which made Josie feel even more special than she already did. He had eyes only for her.

  “What will you have?” the waitress asked, offering him a seductive gaze.

  “Josie,” he said, “what are you having?”

  “I’ll take the enchiladas and rice. And a Sarsaparilla, if you have one.”

  “I’ll have the same,” he replied absently, “only make my Sarsaparilla a cold beer.”

  The waitress scribbled the orders on a slip of paper and then stood there, blinking her eyes, as if she were waiting for Grey to pick her up and carry her into the sunset. When he didn’t bother to look up, she shrugged and walked away.

  “Did you get the animals settled?” Josie asked him.

  “Yep.” He slapped the table with his hand like he’d just remembered something. “You won’t believe this, but I know the fella who works the stables here. His name’s Zachary Stamps. We worked on the same ranch for a time, some years back.”

  Josie leaned forward with her hands fisted under her chin, hanging on every word that came out of Grey’s mouth. “Is that so? What a coincidence.”

  “I told you I knew a few men up here. Anyway, I asked Zack where I could buy a good rifle. I lost mine in the flash flood, you know.”

  She nodded, remembering that terrifying day.

  “He told me of a gun shop in the plaza that’ll be open early in the morning. He asked me what I was doing here in Santa Fe.”

  “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

  “Of course not, but the question took me by surprise, so I mentioned I was going hunting near Nambe and I’d only be around for a day or two. Zack wanted to know what I was hunting for, and he got a strange look in his eye.”

  Her brow furrowed. “What kind of
strange look?”

  Grey glanced around and lowered his voice. “Well, he asked if I was going anywhere near the falls, because if I was, I might not get up the trail alive.”

  “What?” She gasped softly. “Did he say why?”

  “He said he’d heard there’d been some rock slides up there recently. He didn’t know if they were caused naturally or if the Tewa Indians had put in some booby traps. He told me I might have to blast my way through if I planned on getting up to the falls. He said that’s where most of the elk are.”

  “Elk?”

  “He must have assumed I was planning to hunt for elk, so I went along with it.”

  “Good thinking. But I don’t understand what your friend meant by blast your way.”

  “Zack said I might have to dynamite my way up the trail because of the rock slides. When I laughed, he laughed, too, and said he was joking about the dynamite. But it got me to thinking. Do you have any idea where your pa might have hidden the gold? Do you know anything about that area up there?”

  “I’m afraid not. I know I was there as a child, but I don’t remember anything about it. I think we visited the pueblo where my mother was raised.”

  “But the X on the map clearly marks the spot where the gold is hidden. You said you believe the drawing Leroy made is of the waterfalls.”

  She nodded. “That has to be the place where the nuggets are. Did your friend say how long a hike it is up the trail?”

  “Not long, unless the path’s been covered over by rocks.”

  The waitress momentarily interrupted their conversation by delivering their steaming hot meals. This time she set down the plates, asked if they needed anything else, and left without trying to catch Grey’s eye.

  Josie could not hold back her enthusiasm. “I’m excited, aren’t you, Grey? Tomorrow’s the day we go after the gold.” He shoveled a forkful of enchiladas into his mouth and appeared in deep thought.

  “Yes, I am. But I’m wondering if I should try to pick up some dynamite before we head to Nambe.”

  Her eyes enlarged, and she proceeded to shoot a series of inquiries at him. “Where on earth are you going to get dynamite? Do they sell it at the gun shop? Isn’t it dangerous to carry explosives? Do you think it’s really necessary?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted to all the questions. “Wouldn’t it better to be prepared than to get all the way up there and find we’re unable to pass through? We both know the nuggets are somewhere near the waterfalls. If we can’t get to them, this entire journey will have been wasted, and neither of us will get what we’ve come so far for.”

  Their gazes fastened, and she concurred. “You’re right. In the morning when you go to the plaza for a rifle, see if you can scrounge up some sticks of dynamite somewhere. And I need some more bullets for my derringer. Make sure you have plenty of ammunition for your guns, too. I’ll give you money for what we need.”

  “Yes, Miss Bossy Britches,” he said, saluting her. From the expression on his handsome face, she could tell he was joking, so she smiled and took another bite of enchilada.

  “Did you get our rooms?” he asked between mouthfuls.

  Josie swallowed and decided to come out with it. “Yes. We have a room. It’s very nice and comfortable. I think you’ll like it.” She kept her eyes lowered as she washed rice down with the Sarsaparilla.

  “Did I hear you say, a room?” he asked, with an arched brow. Nothing got past the man.

  Sighing, she confessed, “Yes you did. It’s all they had left. One room. So I paid for it…and we’re going to sleep there…together.” She lifted her most sultry gaze to him and waited for a response. When his lips curled into a wicked, lopsided grin, she thought, for sure, he saw her heart beating erratically beneath her dress.

  “One bed?” he asked quietly.

  She nodded.

  He shoved his plate back, caught the waitress’s eye and called, “Check, please!”

  * * * *

  They’d barely got the door closed and locked behind them before Grey kissed her and began removing her clothes. He released the sash on her dress with a flick of his fingers and then whispered, “Raise your arms.” When she did, he grabbed the hem of the dress and pulled it over her head in one fluid motion. The chemise she wore underneath was calf-length, had a drawstring on the low neckline, and a button on the drawers. Unveiled in front of a man for the first time, she gasped and tried to cover herself with her arms.

  He smiled and ran his hand under her cascade of hair and caressed her nape. “Don’t be embarrassed, Josie. You’re a beautiful woman. I want to see all of you.”

  He kissed her again and then lifted her off her feet into his arms and carried her to the bed. After depositing her gently upon the covers, he untied the drawstring on her chemise and eased the top down to reveal her shoulders. He nibbled on each shoulder before moving to her lips again. She shivered, from chill and excitement, and a little fear.

  Slowly, he pulled her top all the way down. When her breasts were fully exposed, she saw his Adam’s apple slide up and down in his throat. His fingers began to roam. She shut her eyes, but when his mouth covered her breast, her eyes sprang back open. His tongue licked as he squeezed her into his mouth. When he was finished with one breast, he moved to the other. It was a sensation Josie had never experienced before—his mouth and hand working as one to cause such pleasure. His touch sent a jolt of desire racing through her that ignited every nerve ending in her body.

  Grey still had his clothes on, all except for his Stetson, which he’d tossed on the bureau when they’d first entered the room. She wondered when he was going to undress, or if he expected her to undress him. She didn’t know what to do and felt awkward, half naked with him fully clothed. “Grey…” she started.

  “Don’t speak. Just enjoy,” he whispered.

  The next thing she knew, he’d unbuttoned her drawers and slid them down her hips and flung them to the floor. When his warm hand snaked over her stomach and down the curve of her hip, she trembled and then her legs began to shake. He smiled. “Are you cold, honey?”

  Honey. The only other time he’d referred to her as something besides Josie was the one time he’d called her darlin’. She liked the pet name and squeaked, “A little.”

  “Don’t worry,” he huskily said. “I’ll warm you up in no time.” With that promise, he crawled off the bed and peeled away his shirt, trousers and socks. She watched with unbridled curiosity, as her internal flame began to soar.

  As he stood by the bed in his long johns, her gaze was riveted to his body, which she knew would be perfect. He slipped his arms out and pulled the top half of the underwear down to expose his chest. It was hairless, broad and muscular, and it narrowed at the waist. The muscles in his arms swelled. Through the long johns she could tell his legs were long and sturdy. When he stripped off the bottom half of the long johns, Josie stifled a gasp. She’d never seen a man fully naked before. Though she wasn’t familiar with all the particulars between a man and woman, she did have some inkling as to what happened.

  A myriad of physical sensations assaulted her as he stared at her. Her private area grew warm and moist. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins. Her stomach fluttered. She found it hard to breathe. She thought she was going to explode if he didn’t touch her again right then.

  Grey climbed back onto the bed and moved on top of her. “This may hurt a little at first, but I’ll be gentle. It’ll only hurt for a minute,” he assured.

  She suddenly tensed. What did he mean it would hurt? Wasn’t loving supposed to feel good? He lowered himself into her—very easily. What the…? When she jerked and drew in a breath, he kissed her, covering her lips with his, tender at first, and then more demanding as she met his passion. After the initial pain, it felt like she’d been transported to another world. The pleasure he gave was indescribable. Never had she felt sensations like this before. She clutched at his back, grabbing onto his taut muscles. Involuntarily, her hips started to writ
he. She felt her own muscles contracting; building and building until she thought her insides would shatter. When she could take no more, she submitted to the wondrous rapture and shuddered below him. At the same time, a groan tore from Grey’s throat.

  Afterwards, he remained melded to her for several minutes; his eyes closed and his breathing ragged. His head was in the crook of her neck with his hair falling against her cheek. She stroked his skin with her fingernails. When his legs entwined with hers, she smiled, silently rejoicing in the intimacy they shared. Being one with Grey was bliss beyond anything she’d ever imagined. She closed her eyes and inhaled his masculine scent, and couldn’t picture a life without him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sunlight poured through the shuttered window, stirring Josie awake. She moaned, stretched, and reached over to feel Grey, but the bed was empty. Springing up, she tossed the covers aside, and her gaze flew around the room. “Grey!”

  Where was he? Had he left without her? Was he going to Nambe on his own? She rubbed her knuckles over her eyes, and the memories of last night flashed in front of her. Had the love they made meant nothing to him? Had last night just been a ploy to distract her? Was he ever intending to share the gold with her? Or had she been a fool to trust him?

  Why that…

  Tears burned behind her eyes, but anger won out over teardrops this time. He wasn’t going to get away with this. She may have given him her virginity, but he wasn’t about to get her gold! With lips pursed, she scrambled off the bed. As a paper fluttered to the ground, she suddenly realized it must have been lying on his pillow. The rhythm of her drumming heart slowed as she picked it up and read:

  Josie,

  Gone to the gun shop on the plaza. Animals fed and saddled. Will meet you in the stables.

  Grey

  She expelled a long breath. Thank God! He hasn’t left me! She brought the note to her lips and kissed it and then twirled in a circle.

  As she dressed quickly, a million thoughts ran through her mind. Today they’d ride to Nambe Falls and locate the gold nuggets. For nine days they’d survived every obstacle thrown in their path, including the preacher and the evil Wade Kendall. The trail had been difficult, as Pa had warned, but they’d pressed on together. Their reward was close at hand; so close she could taste it.