When she didn't say anything, he looked into her eyes. "Have I worn you out?"
"No, I'm having so much fun. But then I always have fun with you, Sam."
Sam nodded. "Me too."
One of her friends spotted her and bumped into her on the dance floor. "So…who's the new guy?" Sally Chambers wanted to know.
"Oh, Sally, this is Sam Jamison." She introduced them.
Sam didn't want to turn loose of her now. He had his arm possessively around her and tipped his hat to the girl.
"So this is what you've been hiding down on the ranch," Sally teased. "Can I cut in?"
Sam shook his head. "Maybe later."
Wendy looked flustered as Sally backed off and found herself another partner.
"She just wanted to dance with you," Wendy said lowly.
Sam put his cheek against hers. "I know, but I'm not ready to give you up."
Wendy pulled away just enough to look into Sam's eyes. She blushed, and laid her head on his shoulder.
For the rest of the evening, they danced together and talked.
It had been an evening of sweet dreams and neither wanted it to end.
But as he took her home, he was silent again.
Wendy fumbled with her clutch.
"Is something wrong, Sam?" she asked innocently. "I feel some kind of tension in you that hasn't been there before."
"No…and yeah…"
He pulled up in the drive and stopped the car. For a long moment, he gripped the steering wheel like a vise. His eyes were trained forward. For he'd cave if he looked at her now.
"Tell me about it, Sam…please."
"I've enjoyed taking you out, Wendy. I've enjoyed being with you. I like you a lot. But I would be kidding myself if I thought anything would come of us."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand." Wendy moved away from him to look at him.
"I'm just a cowboy…" his voice trailed off from harsh to a whisper. "And I know I sound like Hank. But I'm really just a cowboy. The low man on the rung, so to speak. I got probation staring me down, and well…."
"So…what's wrong with that? I’m just a cowgirl." She smiled.
"No, you are much more than that, you are a McKay," he affirmed.
"Oh my God. You are sounding just like Hank now."
"I didn't want to bring this up, tonight. I wanted tonight to be special. But, it's got to be said and I've got to have the guts to say it."
"Say what?"
"I gotta leave here, Wendy."
"Leave? Why?" she demanded to know, as tears were close to falling.
He saw those tears shimmering in her eyes and he wanted to wipe them away forever, but what he was doing was best for her.
"Why do you have to leave?" Wendy's eyes searched his.
"'Cause I'm falling in love with you and that's not right. You deserve more than just some cowboy on probation."
"Sam…." She closed her eyes for a moment and smiled. "I love you too…"
"No." His hand reached to pull her chin up to the moonlight as he stared into her lovely young face. "I won't let you do that. You don't understand. You are a McKay. You and I, we are from different backgrounds. You are going to be rich, and it isn't the money that interests me. It's you, just you…" he cried, wanting to take her into his arms and love her. "But if we got married, you would always wonder if it was the money or not."
"Don't do this, Sam. Please, don't do it. I love you too. So don't you dare run off and leave me. I'd die."
"No, you wouldn't…"
But as he touched her cheek to wipe a tear away, he bent to take her lips. The kiss was soft, sweet, and made him want her all the more. His lips brushed hers like a feather at first, gently. He started to pull away, but she pulled him back to her and his mouth took possession of hers.
"Don't leave me, Sam…." she whispered as his kisses ran over the bridge of her nose, the tip of her lashes and back to her waiting lips.
The heat from their bodies fused them together.
"You are the most beautiful person I've ever known," he whispered in her ear as his teeth played against her lobe.
He pulled her so she was almost in his lap, as the kisses heated the truck and steamed the glass.
"Oh Sam…" she whispered. "I've missed you so much."
His fingers were laced in her hair, pulling it against his fingertips.
And then…he gently put her away. "I can't…"
"Can't what?" she asked.
"Make love to you, and then leave you."
"Why do you think you have to leave?" she cried.
"Because I'm crazy about you, and I have no right…" Sam explained.
She smiled. "You are?"
"You've known as long as I have, that what we have…well, it just can't be. I'm not some rich rancher. I'm just a poor worker, that's all. And I don't want to keep repeating this. It sounds so Cinderella." He nearly laughed. "I'll never have the kind of money you are accustomed to. And although I think the world of you…it can't go on. I refuse to break your heart, Wendy. You've had enough of that." Sam's voice was low, and drawling.
"Don't pull a Hank on me."
"I can't help it, Wendy; it's true…"
"Hank, he said practically the same thing to Letty. She didn't listen, and neither will I."
"Hank has a good job here. He makes pretty good money," Sam insisted.
"He does now. But you can too."
"I appreciate you thinking that, but you are dreamin'. I wanted to help you when I first met you. I knew you had some problems and I thought I could be of help. Now…I'm just hurting myself by staying here. If you were an ordinary girl, I'd ask you to marry me, but Wendy, you aren't. You'll never be ordinary. And I guess…well, I got too much pride to let my wife be the provider. Can you understand that…?"
"Are you telling me you are leaving? Because of the money?"
"No…not until I’m sure you are safe from Wade," he amended. "I won't leave you in danger. I couldn't cope with that. I have to know you are safe. Believe it or not, you will meet someone someday that befits your station in life. You will marry and have children and be happy."
When she pooched out her lip, he nearly caved.
"I've got nothing to offer you. And I won't offer it unless I do. I'm still on probation…you know that. One wrong move and I go to jail. I could have gone to jail for trying to defend Caleb, don't you see that?"
Wendy crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
"I just want to warn you, so we don't get so involved," he assured her.
"Don't get so involved? What have we been doing, dating every night almost? You protected me and Caleb and now you want to walk out of our lives, all because of money."
"I'm not some gold digging ranch hand who sees dollar signs, Wendy. I see a girl, a girl I could love and live with the rest of my life. But I also see it wouldn't work. And I don't want to hurt you like Wade has. I wish the money and your position had nothing to do with all of this, but it does. I'd be lying if I said it didn't."
Her eyes stormed at him. "You've already hurt me more than Wade ever could…"
"I didn't mean to…" he began.
She opened the door to get out. "Go on…go back to work and stay away from me…until you can grow up and realize that love is a two-way street and that there is no out for it. I don't want to even see you again…."
"You don't mean that…but it is best this way!" he nearly screamed at her.
She was crying as she ran into the house and slammed the door.
Chapter Sixteen
Wade stood on the far side of the porch, watching her. He saw her crying. But her tears didn't stir his heart. She'd been a thorn in his side much too long. Tonight he would be rid of her…
Wendy forgot to lock the door in her emotional upheaval, but right now it was the least of her problems. How could she ever outlive this horrible legacy that the McKay girls had encountered? None of them really wanted their dad's money.
She didn't want the money. All she wanted was Sam. Why couldn't he see it?
She reached for the phone and called Letty. It was after ten and Letty would be preparing for bed, but she had to talk to her.
"Letty, I need to talk to you," she said, not holding back the tears any longer.
"What's wrong, honey?" Letty heard the hurt in her voice.
"It's Sam…I'm in love with him. And he's just as stubborn as Hank was. He doesn't think he's capable of providing for me. He doesn't think he's good enough. Oh Letty, what am I going to do? I love him so…"
"Calm down, honey. I know." Letty's voice was smooth, like bourbon sliding down the throat and Wendy picked up on it. She had a way of making Wendy calm, a way of understanding.
"He thinks he's no good because he's on probation. But Letty, he saved Caleb. He's a hero and doesn't even know it. He's a good man…and I don't know what I'll do if I lose him all because of Dad's money."
"I know, honey. I really do. I went through the same thing with Hank. Dad's money has done nothing but create problems for us. It isn't fair. And the really dumb part of it is that we don't even have his money yet. It's been a noose around our necks ever since he died."
Wendy listened to Letty, and a calm began to settle over her.
"What can I do? I'm a rancher Letty, I can't just up and leave and go earn a living somewhere else, can I? This is all I know. This is all I want to do with my life, just live here and work here and be happy."
Letty's voice lowered. "Let me change phones and I'll call you right back; Hank's asleep, I'm afraid I'll wake him."
"Okay…" Wendy hung up and waited for Letty to call back.
She heard a noise, but figured it was probably just the wind, as it had picked up a bit as she was coming home from her date.
She stretched out on the bed and relaxed, feeling blue, but a little better just having Letty to talk to, someone who understood her problem and could help her reason it all out in her mind.
Letty called back in seconds and she wasn't whispering now.
"Men can be so stubborn about being the man, the provider. And for some reason, cowboys are the worst about this than other men. Hank was really a case. But Caleb and Cade did a lot of talking to him and he began to see it wasn't impossible. I know you have a problem because the ranch is also your life and leaving it, well, that just isn't doable. So don't even go there. Somehow we all have to make Sam see that money can't break the two of you up. Why, you haven't even had an argument with him, have you?"
"Not until tonight when he told me he was going to have to leave."
"What on earth for? Where is he going to go?" Letty protested as though she were talking to Sam himself. "Honestly honey, Dad's money has caused us all some heartbreak. If only he knew…"
"All I want to do is work here the rest of my life. Keep this ranch going, that's all. I don't want change. I don't want Dad's money. I want Sam."
"Deep down, I'm not sure any of us wanted his money. And he should have known that. But the funny part is, you are the only one of the family that hasn't broken his year rule about it. You are the only one that should inherit from it."
"I don't want it. I just want my life to go on here, and I want Sam to stay," she cried aloud.
Letty's voice softened. "Oh honey, I wish I could say something that would make it all right for you, but the two of you are going to have to work it out, together."
"Sam has been nothing but good to me. He's been there for me every time there was a problem. He saved Caleb. No one on this ranch will ever forget that. Everyone loves him. Why can't he see he's not a failure? He's got a future here on this ranch, if only he could see that." Wendy cried.
"Men don't see themselves like we do. Especially macho men like we have."
Wendy almost chuckled at Letty's description.
"It's so good to talk to you. I knew you'd understand. Do you think me fickle? I mean, after having such a crush on Wade…and now Sam."
"No, you're just growing up, honey. You weren't really in love with Wade. That was infatuation."
"How is he?" Wendy asked.
"No one's heard a word. I guess he's getting his treatments and they are watching him," Letty remarked. "At least I hope so."
"Do you think he'll come back here?"
"I don't know. I know Cade gave orders that if he did to call the police…" Letty said.
"I hope not, for all our sakes. Sam seems to think it's not over either," Wendy said, her thoughts mulling the past and present.
"I don't want to alarm you, but this ranch is also Wade's life. And that tells me we have to be on the safe side. So keep those doors locked."
"Oh…" Wendy's alarms went off in her head. "That reminds me, I don't think I locked the door tonight. I was so upset. I guess I better go down and do that now. I'll talk to you tomorrow…and Letty…"
"Yeah…"
"Thank you for tonight. I love you…" Wendy said softly.
"I love you too, honey. Lock those doors."
"Okay…"
Wendy hung the phone up and went downstairs.
A shutter was banging in the living room and she pulled it closed. Then she went toward the front door.
But as she was about to climb the stairs after locking it, someone grabbed her around the mouth and forced her to climb the stairs.
She struggled against them.
Whoever it was felt muscular and Wendy had no doubt that Wade had returned. She tried to scream against his hand, but he tightened his hold of her, nearly covering her nose so she couldn't breathe.
"Not a word…" Wade ground in her ear.
"Wade…don't do this…" Wendy tried to say, but her words were muffled.
Wade took her to her room and threw her on the bed.
He stared down at her. "Now, you little temptress. Now, you will get what you have been wanting from me all along," he threatened.
Wendy's eyes widened with pure fear. Panic set in.
Wade moved his knee between her leg and bent over her. "You want a real man? You've got one, babe," his voice grated.
Suddenly, she screamed as loud and as long as she could before he silenced her with his big hand. She fought him, she bit him, and she screamed again when he moved his hand away.
"Don't do this, Wade. They'll throw you in jail," she threatened, and then screamed again.
He slapped her hard on the face. "Shut up, you little whore."
Wendy groped to stay awake. But reality was quickly fading. Shock riveted her.
She needed to scream again. She needed to get away from him. But her body wasn't moving. Wade had pinned her legs with his knee.
She raised up for a second and he slapped her again, this time harder. She fell on the bed, her head pounding and spinning at the same time. She tried to focus, but it was increasingly hard. She felt the darkness surround her.
The moonlight coming into the room started to fade. She was losing it. She was falling into a black void.
He tore her western shirt open and ogled her for a long moment. "Nice…" he whispered like a villain from a bad movie. She heard him, but the lights were out. She couldn't move, couldn't do anything.
One hand on her mouth, one hand on her clothes, as he pushed the material away, he fumbled with her bra.
Something inside her told her to fight. She moved, she moaned, and then she bit him again on the hand.
He unbuckled her belt and took it off of her. He began to move the zipper of her jeans downward.
She had to stop him, something deep in her mind told her she had to fight again as his hand moved away temporarily, and he cursed under his breath.
He ripped his belt off, and when she raised up to fight him, he slapped her with it across the chest. With only her bra protecting her, the leather bit into her skin like a fire, leaving a huge ugly mark.
But Wendy no longer cared. She was determined to fight him off her.
She head-butted him in the stomach and then she coll
apsed at his feet as she felt the leather tear into her back.
She heard noises, but somehow she couldn't open her eyes any longer. The deep, dark, black void had taken her away.
Wade threw her on the bed once more.
"I'm not through with you yet, you little bitch," he snarled. "You've been the thorn in my side too long. Tonight is payback time."
~*~
"Get away from her!" a voice called.
"I'm warning you…"
When Wade didn't move, when he unzipped his pants, a hard object crashed against his head and he stumbled to the floor. Glass crashed around them, as the lamp by Wendy's bed lay shattered.
Sam jumped him, pounding him in the stomach. Wade got in a good hit to Sam's jaw, making him back away a bit.
When Wade went after Wendy again, Sam picked up her radio on her night stand and threw it at Wade, clipping him on the side of the head.
Blood ran down his face, and he fell once more, cursing as a darkness settled over him.
It was over.
Sam saw Wendy's bleeding chest, and the huge bruise that was forming on her face and he picked her up in his arms and cradled her so tight. She was unconscious.
Caleb came running in. He saw Wade, and then he saw Wendy.
"Wendy…girl…" he called as his voice choked with emotion. "Oh God…no, not this…"
Sirens were screaming down the highway toward the ranch as Sam carried Wendy downstairs. He wouldn't let go of her. He'd never let go of her.
Julie was right behind the police and, not long after, Letty and Sandy followed.
The whole McKay's household was now watching as the ambulance arrived and Wendy was put on a stretcher as the paramedics worked on her. Her breathing was shallow, her jaw was swollen and bruised, and her body was bleeding from the leather belt where Wade had hit her.
Letty bent down over her and cried, "Oh my God, I was just talking to her…on the phone."
Julie was crying, Sandy was in shock and tried to follow the paramedics to the ambulance. "That's my sister. I need to be with her…"
Mike came and took hold of Sandy. "We'll follow the ambulance."
Stand By Me (Book 4 of the McKay's) Page 12