The Trailrider's Fortune

by Shannah Biondine

  "What now? Isn't this what you meant?"

  She drew in a sharp breath, cringing. "Your side and your back."

  He grunted. "Not gettin' any prettier, am I?" When he saw his attempt at levity had failed, he spoke gently, bending over her in the bunk. "I'm still alive, honey. Stop cryin'. You'd been cryin' earlier, too. I could tell when I lit the lamp in the guestroom. I don't want to be the reason for your tears."

  "Rafe." She couldn't stop her tears, but she pulled him down onto the bunk with her, wrapped her arms around him and let him hold her until they dried up.

  With little foreplay—only a deep kiss and his hands lightly cupping her breasts as he kneaded them—he entered her. It didn't matter. She didn't need teasing tonight. She only needed him, with her, all around her, inside her.

  She released a soft moan and clutched him feverishly, returning his passionate kiss full measure. He pulled his lips from hers and rested on his elbows, panting. "Sorry, darlin'. Don't quite have the…wind…I used to back yet. Give me a… minute or so."

  "Stay like that, take a few deep breaths," she encouraged. She tucked her head down, wriggling to press her lips to the hardened ridge of his long Bowie scar. Her legs pinned his. She kissed and licked at his chest, feeling it hitch as she loved him with her tongue. God, but she'd secretly longed to do this—love him, taste him, right there.

  "Jesus God, Sparkle!" She knew he was startled, but his protests became incoherent moans as she licked and nipped with her teeth, then fastened her mouth over one flat brown nipple. She began to stimulate him, massaging his lean buttocks with her fingers, pulling his hips down against hers and gyrating her pelvis to arouse them both.

  Rafe began slowly pumping his hips. She licked and kissed his scar tissue while raising her pelvis to meet his thrusts.

  Gasping, fighting for each breath, Rafe was on fire, from the tip of his erection to the last follicle on his scalp. Burning with a fever hotter than his infection had caused. His woman had done more than come back to him. She'd listened to him, battled with him, and blackmailed him. Snapped at him, shamed him, amazed him. Now she was loving the ugliest part of him. Kissing the disfigurement, telling him with more than words that she loved all of him. Loved it.

  He seriously thought he might die tonight.

  He'd wondered if he might be able to feel a sensual caress on his chest during lovemaking. Since meeting Sparkle and finding his nerve sensations somewhat improved, he'd wondered all the more. But he never would have come out and asked her to caress him so boldly, to kiss him there even as he took her.

  Hell, he'd paid women to satisfy him and been too ashamed to ask them.

  This was his darkest secret fantasy. The one thing he'd craved but never expected to experience firsthand. Without a word from him, Sparkle had known. She was granting his most powerful wish: that she'd not only prove she accepted who and what he was, ugly as it might be, but also show him she could embrace all of it.

  For once, he wasn't taking a woman. His woman—the person he loved more than he'd ever believed possible—was giving herself completely to him. Giving him intense carnal pleasure. Proving he hadn't surrendered his heart in vain. But he had to stop her, because there was one last thing he needed tonight. One thing he had to have…

  He rose up and rolled them onto their sides, brushing her hair from her face and smiling through his own tears—yes, they'd begun to trickle. Nothing he could do about it—until she looked at him and smiled back. "You close, darlin'?" He thrust again, so she'd have no doubt what he meant.

  She moaned. "Oh God, yes. So close. Oh…"

  And then her blue-green pools went smoky teal. Her eyelids closed as she grunted out his name. They climaxed violently together, and for a split second Rafe pictured Travis' entire spread of cattle stampeding around the cabin walls. The walls shook, the bunk creaked. Rafe shuddered and waited to die.

  But like all violent storms across the prairie, it was over and a quiet followed. A stillness when the world was cleansed and right again. Peaceful.

  Rafe woke some time later, discovering Sparkle's head on his arm had put it to sleep. He shifted their bodies and she stirred, stretching against him, wriggling her backside. Before he knew it, they were spooning again, like the very first time he took her. But this time he paused after a few moments, his shaft buried deep within her, her tits in his hands, her life-force fanning the flames of his.

  "I'm not sure I'm up to sufferin' the pure hell I been in these past months ever again. Swear I won't ask you to the opera. Promise we'll spend our weddin' night in bed, just like this. I'll lick wine or the icin' from the weddin' cake off your body, give you a dozen peaks and long, sweet valleys in between. Make love to you so long, you won't leave the bed for a solid week."

  She chuckled and surprised him by pivoting so she was still impaled but facing him, embracing him with both arms around his neck. "I can't imagine where you'd get the idea I would like that."

  "I asked you before, but maybe you didn't think I meant it. I want you to be my wife for a fact, Sparkle. I'll do my best to make you happy, even though I'll prob'ly never manage to get everything quite right. Don't reckon I could make anybody as deep-down content as you make me."

  "You really want to, don't you? Get married?" She studied his dark eyes. "You want to see me happy. The last several sentences were all about me."

  He had to smile. From what she'd said about that damned fool doc, he'd made the mistake of building his marriage proposal around his work, his folks, his own notions. Rafe wasn't going to follow that lousy example. He touched the turned-up tip of her pert little nose.

  "Reckon I'm learnin' how to blackmail from one of the best. If I want you to do somethin', I need to sweeten the deal. From your perspective. So, how about this? I promise to love you with all my heart until the day I die."

  She choked on a small sob. Was she going to argue some more?

  "Sparkle, if we're meant to be together like you were sayin' last night, you got to marry me. Don't you see that?"

  She gave him a tearful smile. "Yes. Oh, yes."

  "Yes, you see my point, or yes, you will?"

  "I said yes twice, Raford."

  "Goddamn. You did!"

  CHAPTER 24

  The cabin door creaked. "Rafe, you awake?" Travis stepped inside. Miranda was right behind him. She let out a gasp of pure shock. Rafe shot from the bunk to seize his Colt from its holster. Sparkle dove under the jumble of quilts.

  "Sorry," Travis coughed without an ounce of sincerity. "Didn't mean to intrude."

  Rafe lowered his pistol, scowling. "My ass! Sneakin' up on a man like me can prove deadly, Trav. Expected you to know better. Rannie," he mumbled, giving a half-nod of greeting. He retrieved his pants from the floor and stepped into them. "If I'd known my kinfolk were plannin' to pay an early mornin' social call, I would've made sure I at least had on a clean pair of socks."

  Miranda blushed. "We were concerned. Travis' houseguest mysteriously disappeared sometime during the night. He said she was distressed last evening. Her trunk's still there, but he doesn't know if someone took her to the train depot or…well, we didn't know. He thought we should ask if you'd seen her."

  "Yep. She's here, safe and sound," Rafe responded levelly, gesturing back at the lump in his bunk.

  "Well!" Miranda huffed.

  "Little privacy might be nice. Meet you in the kitchen for breakfast in a half-hour or so."

  Miranda pursed her lips and hissed. "You're positively depraved, Raford Conley." She glared at him, then their brother. "And you're not far behind him. Allowing his crude debauchery on your land."

  Before Travis could respond, Rafe reiterated, "Half an hour, Rannie. Polish up your pulpit and save your sermon till then."

  His sister was still mumbling about evil taking root when Rafe slammed the cabin door shut behind his siblings. He crossed to the bunk and peeled back the quilts. Sparkle had blushed to a bright pink hue. "Mornin', darlin'. Damn, but you're a fine sight
first thing in my day."

  "They're gone?" she looked around timidly.

  "Yep. Come here, you." He gathered her in his arms, releasing a hearty laugh. "We sure got Miranda's tail in a knot this time. Catchin' us naked in bed together! Serves her right. She's always been a busybody."

  "Why don't you put a bolt on that door?"

  "Never needed one. Only man on this spread who'd dare come through it is Travis. I'll deal with him. But just now I'd a lot rather deal with you…even though we spent most of last night not sleepin'." He winked.

  "Your family's waiting for us," she reminded, evading his clutches.

  "Let 'em wait," he growled, lunging to catch her as she darted past him. She grabbed her discarded nightgown pulled it over her head. "I can rip that right back off you, you know."

  "You could, but unless you plan to bring me back to the main house buck naked in front of any wranglers who happen to be around, you'd better leave it alone. In case you'd forgotten, this was what I was wearing when you abducted me from my room last night."

  "I never did any such thing," he protested, grinning broadly. "You came out here and threw yourself at me. Just like old times. Begged me to make love to you. Four, five times."

  She arched a brow at him. "Well, maybe it was only once or twice," he amended.

  "Behave yourself when we go face your family, and maybe I'll do that tonight," she cajoled, smiling back.

  Rafe honestly couldn't remember ever being this damned happy in his entire life. "I'll behave if you pay me an installment now. One taste. Any part, you pick. One taste to hold me over before I face the grand inquisition."

  "Don't be ridiculous," Sparkle replied. "There's no lock on your door, your sister's furious already, and it's full daylight." She gestured toward the curtains over the big window.

  "Darlin'," he said in his most seductive slow drawl, "we're gettin' married." He abruptly scooped her up and tossed her back on the bunk. There he quickly pulled her nightgown up to her waist and held her pinned to the mattress. "Thought you knew from Dodge that I like daytime even better than nights. I like mornin's. I can see what I'm enjoyin'." He parted her thighs and buried his face, reducing Sparkle's protests to mewling whimpers.

  A short time later, he stepped through the back door into Travis' kitchen with Sparkle in his arms. Barefoot in her flannel nightgown, she hit the floor running and sprinted through the kitchen into the hall.

  "Would've introduced her, but she has this peculiar notion. Thinks she ought to dress for breakfast," Rafe drawled, cocking a dark brow at Miranda.

  "Well, imagine that. Some decorum, after all."

  "Rannie, I love that little gal. Don't you talk her down, or I'll toss your butt into a wagon and drive you back to the depot myself."

  Miranda scowled back at him. "Oh, it's nothing against her. I'm sure you're to blame anyway. I trust you have an explanation for your deplorable behavior. Fornicating in that disgusting cabin."

  Rafe poured himself a mug of coffee and took the empty chair beside Travis. "You plannin' on handin' me some crap as to how Sis here conveniently showed up this mornin'? Know damned well you wired her again."

  "You haven't been yourself for months, Rafe. You kept insistin' you wouldn't see the gal or talk to her, even though she'd come clear from Kansas."

  "Didn't mean I wanted everybody else seein' her."

  Miranda wasn't cowed so easily. "From what I understand, first you deliberately shunned the poor girl. Then you spoke so harshly to her, you reduced her to tears. She came to discuss business and you obviously lured her somehow into a compromising encounter. You should be ashamed of yourself, Raford, though I seriously doubt you comprehend what shame is."

  "She used business as an excuse, but it was personal between us all along. I knew I'd upset her yesterday afternoon. Waited until I'd calmed down, came into the house last night to talk things out. Then I took her out to the cabin. Ain't ashamed of sharin' my bunk. Just a mite foolish it took me two days to get her in it." He winked at his brother

  Miranda gasped in outrage as Travis chuckled aloud and tipped his coffee mug against Rafe's in salute.

  "May I remind you both that relations between unmarried persons is a sin before the Almighty."

  Rafe snorted. "Whatever I've done or refused to do my whole life's some sin or another, the way you tell it, Miranda. What's one more sin, if I've already got the best seat in Hell? Make me out to be the next thing to Old Scratch himself, but—"

  "Isn't this woman your fortune teller?" Miranda interrupted. "The same girl you were so positive didn't have genuine feelings for you?"

  "Yes, but he was mistaken," came a female voice from the doorway. Sparkle entered the kitchen in her dressing robe. "I love your brother."

  Rafe rose and went over to wrap an arm around her waist, drawing her into the room. "You look fine, darlin'. Pretty as a picture." He pulled out the empty chair beside his. "Pardon my manners," he drawled, gesturing for her to take the seat. "Sparkle, you already know Travis. The know-it-all-harridan with the sharp tongue is our sister, Miranda Donaldson. Miranda, this is Sparkle LaFleur, my fiancée."

  "Well, glory be!" Travis crowed. "Raford's gettin' himself hitched at last. When?"

  "Soon as I can get the local preacher out here," Rafe answered firmly, giving Miranda a triumphant glare.

  Sparkle shook her head. "No, that's not quite accurate." She inhaled and looked first at Travis, then Miranda. "We'll be married as soon as Rafe hangs up his peacemaker and finds a new way to make a living."

  "What?" Rafe thundered, his jaw literally dropping open. He'd said several things during the heat of their mutual passion, but he didn't recall any such stipulation.

  "It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Donaldson," Sparkle calmly went on. "Travis, forgive me, please, but I'm not very hungry this morning. I think I'd like to take a bath." She got up and left the kitchen.

  Rafe started after her, bumping his chair with his hip and sending it crashing to the floor again. "Dammit, Sparkle! You never said nothin' like that last night. You can't expect me to—"

  Travis caught Rafe's upper arm to halt his flight. "Let her go, Raford. You just got back together. Don't start trouble again. You don't calm down, I won't have any kitchen chairs left to sit on. Give her some time. She's probably a little put out cause we embarrassed the two of you earlier. Let her calm down before you go hollerin' at her."

  Miranda used her most authoritative tone. "Both of you sit yourselves back down. I'll speak to the girl." She called to Mrs. Abbott, requesting water be put on the stove to boil.

  Rafe glowered at Travis, waiting until their sister left the kitchen. "Thanks for bringin' her out to the cabin," he snapped. "Couldn't you figure Sparkle might have been with me before you went nosin' around?"

  Travis flashed Rafe a broad grin. "Course I knew she was with you. I heard you drag her out last night. I also knew if Rannie got an eyeful of you two bunkin' together, she'd insist you marry the gal. Sparkle told me she loved you. Saw a chance to give things a shove in the right direction."

  "You sneaky little son-of-a-gun."

  Travis broke into utter glee. "Wish you could've seen your face when you thought I was sellin' Snatch! Boy, if—"

  "Sparkle told you she loved me? When?"

  "Five minutes after she got here. I came out and asked if she was carryin'. Figured maybe that's why she'd come."

  "Great," came Rafe's snort of disgust.

  "She answered, 'Only a torch.' Just like that. Told me she left town instead of marryin' some other fella everyone said was perfect. Told me she loves you, even with your scar, cause you're adventurous and…" He paused a moment. "Irreverent."

  They both started to laugh. "Irreverent?" Travis repeated. "More like downright lecherous. You know, before the door creaked and gave us away, I caught a glimpse of you and—"

  Rafe grabbed a fistful of Travis' shirtfront, jerking him out of his seat. "Just forget whatever you saw, Travis."

  He shook h
is head. "Can't. Saw one of the prettiest, nicest gals I've ever met in my life with her arms around my brother. Saw him lookin' truly peaceful for the first time in months. Saw you got a damned good reason to listen to what everybody's been tellin' you for years, Rafe. It's time you settled down. And I hope right now I'm seein' a man with sense enough to appreciate what he's got and hang onto it this time."

  * * *

  Sparkle opened the guestroom door at the soft knock. Miranda entered and closed the door behind her. "I've had Mrs. Abbott put some hot water on. You'll catch your death in a cold bath." She eased onto the edge of the bed, wincing slightly with the effort. "Now, would you mind explaining what's been going on here? If I ask Rafe and Travis, I'll get two completely different pictures. I'm more interested in your version than either of theirs."

  "You don't even know me," Sparkle replied warily.

  "But I'd like to. I'd heard you were very pretty and had unusual eyes. Travis wrote to me early last spring, concerned because Rafe seemed serious about you. Knowing he met you working in a saloon in one of those lawless cow towns. Travis suspected you were more interested in Rafe's money than Rafe himself."

  Sparkle had to laugh. "I've never asked him for money. He'll tell you that. Rafe's spent some on me, but it was always his own idea, not my suggestions. Did Travis also tell you I brought a bank draft in Rafe's name for several thousand dollars?"

  Clearly he hadn't, for Miranda looked startled and her features softened noticeably. "I'm not destitute," Sparkle went on. "Rafe and I haven't discussed his financial situation. He mentioned he had savings, but I never asked for any specifics."

  "He's quite well off. My husband's a bank manager in Omaha. He looks after Rafe's investments. He was at least wise enough to salt away most of the bounties he's made, has quite an impressive portfolio now. Suffice it to say he doesn't need any additional outlaw reward money."

  Sparkle took a deep breath and played with the sash of her robe. "Mrs. Donaldson, I honestly don't know what you want me to say. I love your brother for all the same reasons I assume you love your husband."