He laughed. “You’re so outrageous.”
“No more outrageous than Minnie thinking we’d agree to such a ridiculous idea.” She scooted closer and hooked her arm into his as he drove. She was as content as a kitten.
“I have a surprise for you.”
“Animal, vegetable, or mineral?”
“What?” he asked smiling.
“Animal, mineral, or vegetable? Those are the three questions you ask when someone says they have a surprise.”
He viewed her with amused skepticism.
“You’ve never heard that?”
“No, but it doesn’t matter, because if I tell you it won’t be a surprise.”
She showed a mock pout. “You’re no fun.”
“If I pull into those trees up ahead, I bet I can make you change your mind.”
She stilled. Scanning the trees, she took in his mischief-filled eyes. “You’re on.”
Regan loved it when the scandalous side of her doctor husband came out to play. His kisses. His hands. The way he slowly undid the buttons of her shirt. How the heat of his mouth made her gasp and her nipples harden. But impaling herself as he sat on the seat and riding him languidly in the hidden quiet of the trees was best of all.
Afterwards, he drove the wagon out of the trees and back to the road. “Did that change your mind?”
Cuddled against his side, sated and still pulsing, Regan replied, “Yes.”
“Thought it might,” he said, sounding very pleased with himself.
“You’re such a humble country doctor.” She thought back on the settings of the past few times they’d been intimate. “Do you think we’ll ever use a bed again—not that I’m complaining.”
“I’ll put it on my list.”
The drive took them into an area she’d never visited before. The land was flatter, wide open, stands of wildflowers of all colors and sizes spread themselves like a carpet, while the ever-present mountains framed it on both sides. “You sure you can’t tell me what the surprise is?”
“Yes, Mrs. Curiosity, I’m sure. And no more pouting. We don’t have time to make another stop in the trees.”
“How about on the way home?”
He shook his head with amusement.
Regan was enjoying being with him. This was the first day of their new pact and she felt as though this one would last. He seemed content, too, and he hadn’t thrown up any barriers after their passionate romp in the trees. She again wondered if Spring was right about him loving her, but she was content with the present.
The wagon took the road through the open halves of a large metal gate emblazoned with the figure of a rearing mustang and the words Sweet Heart Ranch.
“Can you tell me who owns the ranch? Or is that part of the secret, too?” Up ahead stood a large two-story cabin built from timbers that gleamed like gold in the sunshine.
“A rancher named Ed Prescott.”
“Is he a friend?”
“Yes. He and Whit and I grew up together.”
“Did I meet him at our wedding?”
“No. He doesn’t do much socializing but he’s the rancher that owns the mare with the breeched foal.”
By then they’d reached the house and she couldn’t help but marvel at the design and beauty. There was a wide front porch across the first level, and up top three small porches—one on each end, and one in the center that she assumed led to various rooms inside. “If we ever build a new place I want it to look like this one. This is stunning.”
He parked. “It is. Lots of folks are jealous of it though. They think a man like him doesn’t have the right to own and live in something this fine.”
“Why?”
“When you meet him, you’ll understand.”
A curious Regan got down from the wagon. She was still taking in the magnificent structure when a man stepped out on the porch. He was tall, dressed like a rancher, but his face and the long braid down his back spoke to his heritage. He was Native.
Chapter Fifteen
As he stepped off the porch and walked to the wagon, his eyes assessed her curiously.
Colt did the introductions. “Regan, my friend, Edward Prescott. Ed, my wife, Regan Carmichael Lee.”
“Pleased to meet you,” he said.
“Pleased to meet you as well. You have a beautiful home.” As Regan learned later, Ed Prescott was a member of the Bannock tribe, which had roots in the Shoshone Nation.
“Thank you. I hear you know your way around a Winchester.”
She dropped her head.
“Thanks for leaving him alive,” Ed continued. “I shot him once, too, but with a bow.”
“Why? What happened?”
Colt explained, “We were playing a game we made up called Buffalo and Brave. His grandfather had an old buffalo hide. One of us would put on the hide and crawl around pretending to be the buffalo. The other would be the brave trying to bring it down with an arrow.”
“And he shot you?” she asked with disbelief.
“He got lucky. Shot me in the thigh. Fortunately, the hide blunted most of the force.”
Ed picked up the tale. “I was dancing and singing in victory. When my grandmother came out to see what all the commotion was about, old buffalo there was on the ground rolling and moaning.”
“What did she do?”
“Snatched my bow away, smacked me on the back of the head, and took the arrow out of his thigh. She didn’t let me touch that bow for a month.”
Regan wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be appalled.
Ed added, “He and I had many adventures growing up, but we’ll save them for another time. Did he keep secret about why you’re here?”
“Yes, and I’m about to burst.”
“I’m surprised. A woman with your beauty would make a man spill everything he knows.”
“Stop flirting with my wife.”
Regan saw humor and warning in the look Colt had trained on his friend.
Ed told Regan, “He tends to be a grouch at times.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
“Stop encouraging him,” Colt told her, smiling. “Let’s get to why we’re here, Prescott. Lead the way.”
Ed led them behind the house where an open meadow stretched for as far as she could see. Corrals and barns were a short distance away, but the rest of the open land held horses; two dozen or more of all sizes, ages, and colors. Fascinated, she scanned the scene. “Are all these yours, Ed?”
“Yes. My family has been selling and trading horses for generations.”
Some were grazing. Two knobby-kneed colts with shiny chestnut coats romped and raced. A big roan drank from a line of troughs.
Ed said, “Colt told me you ride and need a mare.”
“I do,” she said, watching the beautiful animals.
“Take your pick. My wedding present to you.”
She thought he might be pulling her leg. “Please don’t tease me.”
“I’m not.” Although they’d just met, his smile appeared genuine.
She looked to Colt.
“He wouldn’t lie to you, Regan.”
She hadn’t had a horse of her own since leaving Arizona. The prospect of being able to choose from Ed’s herd added to her excitement, but she was humbled by his generous offer. “This is a wonderful surprise. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are they all broken to the saddle?”
“The older ones are.”
“May I have some bribes? Apples, carrots—whatever you have.”
“Yes. Hold on.” He hurried to the barn and disappeared inside.
While he was gone, she wrapped her arms around Colt’s waist, raised herself on her toes, and gave him a kiss. “Thank you. I feel like it’s my birthday, or Christmas.”
“As long as you don’t ride back to Arizona.”
“Not a chance.”
“Good. Not sure what I’d do if you did.”
His serious tone made her go still. Was h
e saying what she thought he was?
He whispered, “I think I’ve stumbled into a love match, Mrs. Lee.”
She placed her cheek against his chest and held him as tightly as he held her. Happiness filled her heart. All she felt for him was now free to savor, enjoy, and grow.
“Excuse me.” Ed was back with a small basket holding apples and carrots. “Save that for later. You’re supposed to be picking out a horse.”
Amused, Regan reluctantly stepped out of the embrace and took the basket.
Colt asked, “Do you want help?”
“Maybe in a bit. Are you in a hurry to return home?”
“No.”
“Okay, because I’d like to take my time.”
“As much as you need.”
Leaving them, she walked to the middle of the meadow and sat down in the grass. With the basket in her lap, she waited to see which horses were curious enough to see what she was about. After ten minutes or so, the two chestnut colts stopped racing long enough to walk over. They were too young to be ridden, but not to take the carrot she offered. Smiling, she let them munch and noted a few of the other horses raised their heads to watch. Once the colts consumed the offering, they galloped off to resume their play. A brown-and-white palomino whose coloring brought to mind her sister’s mare, Arizona, walked over. Regan thought the animal might be a good candidate. She looked healthy and strong. The mare took a bite of the apple, but when Regan slowly rose to her feet to examine her more closely, the mare raced away. A couple more mares paid her a visit, took the bribes only to race away as well, and disappointment began to set in. Although Ed had offered his assistance, her pride kept her from signaling for help. Suddenly, a mare she hadn’t noticed before trotted over. She was a beauty with a dark cinnamon coat, black legs, mane, and tail. A light brown patch spanning the length of her nose resembled an elongated star. She ate the carrot bribe and didn’t flee when Regan stood, which she took as a good sign. Regan gently rubbed her neck. “Hello, Star. Do you want to go home with me? I promise to take good care of you and we’ll go on lots of adventures.”
The horse turned her head, eyed her, walked a short distance away, and then reared. A surprised Regan startled, but held her position. As the mare galloped off and stopped to glare, Regan gave thanks that the sharp hooves hadn’t come down on her head. “If you don’t like adventure just say so!” she called out.
But to her elation, the mare raced back, and this time let herself be touched without complaint. “Were you testing me, Star?” Regan asked. “Will you let me make sure the bones in your legs are strong and straight the way they should be?” When she ran her hands slowly over each black leg, the mare allowed it. Regan spent a few more moments evaluating her and letting the horse become accustomed to her touch and voice.
Ed and Colt must’ve seen the progress she was making because they walked out to join her. Ed was carrying a saddle.
“Found your candidate?” Colt asked.
“Maybe.”
Ed asked, “Do you want me to saddle her?”
She rolled her eyes and took the saddle.
Colt chuckled. “I could’ve predicted that reaction.”
Ed said to her, “Okay. I’ll just move out of your way.”
Going about the task, she continued speaking to Star in quiet reassuring tones. Once the last few cinches were done and checked, she put her foot in the stirrup and mounted. The mare danced a bit, but Regan kept her under control with a firm but gentle hand. “Does she jump?”
Ed asked, “Jump?”
“Yes, fences, creeks, potatoes on the ground?”
Ed looked stunned and confused. Her husband was trying not to laugh at his friend but failing.
Regan turned the horse away. “Never mind, I’ll find out.” With a kick and a yell, she and the horse set off. She rode the mare at a medium gallop at first but as they became more attuned, she felt Star straining to increase the pace, so Regan leaned in like a jockey and let the mare have her head. Star’s strides lengthened. Moving together as one, they pounded around the field a few times then headed for the fence that separated the meadow from the road. “Do you like to jump, Miss Star? Can we take that fence?” Regan asked. She knew that if Star balked at the last minute, they could both be injured, but she sensed the horse had no fear. She was right, they sailed over the fence with ease, and Regan yelled her joy. Star landed solidly on the other side, and they continued, galloping hell-bent for leather up the road.
With Star trailered behind the wagon on a lead, Colt drove his horse-riding woman home. “You know you almost gave me and Ed a heart attack when you jumped that fence.”
Snuggled close to his side, she said, “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not. Between the fence and watching the mare rear at you, it’s a wonder both of us are still alive.”
“She was just testing me.”
“Well, you tested us for sure.”
“Mr. Blanchard traded horses when Portia and I were growing up, so we learned a lot from him. Some horses hate jumping. Not Star. I could feel it as soon as she began to run. And she loved it. She had her eyes locked on that fence, her ears were back. I’m going to love riding her.”
“Good, but try not to scare me into my grave, would you, please?”
“Yes, sir, and thanks so much for the surprise.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I enjoyed meeting Ed.”
“He enjoyed meeting you, too. In fact, once we got over the shock of you clearing that fence and could breathe again, he asked if it was okay to kill me, so he could marry you.”
He liked the sound of her laugh. After Adele’s death, he never imagined finding another woman to fill his heart, but he had. “Can I be truthful with you?”
“Yes.”
“I never thought I’d love another woman after Adele passed away.”
She met his eyes and he wasn’t sure what she was thinking. “I don’t mean to offend you talking about her.”
“You don’t. You loved her and you don’t have to forget her just because you’re married to me now. She gave you a beautiful little girl who will probably grow up and look exactly like her and that doesn’t bother me. I’d be very mean-spirited to try and erase her memory from you or from Anna.”
So surprised by her words, he stopped the team. “Do you mean that?”
“No, Dr. Lee, I’m telling you a lie,” she groused sarcastically. She cupped his cheek. “Of course I meant it. If you want to leave her portrait hanging over the mantel until we’re old and gray, so be it. In fact, she and I speak all the time.”
He laughed. “What?”
“Sometimes when I’m in the house alone, I hold conversations with her. They’re one-sided of course, but I value her opinion. We’ve been discussing getting rid of all the stuffy old furniture and we’re trying to decide which pieces to keep.”
He threw back his head and laughed loud and long. After recovering he took in the remarkable woman at his side, and once again thanked the angels for bringing her into his life. “I love you very much, Regan.”
“I love you, too.”
“What’s she doing now?” Anna grumbled, watching Regan check the underside of Star’s shoes.
Colt explained, “She’s looking for any stones Star may have picked up on their ride.”
“Is she going to play with her horse all day?”
He hid his smile. He and Anna were outside by their small barn. Regan and her new mare were just returning from a short after dinner ride and it sounded as if Anna was jealous that a horse seemed to have taken her place in Regan’s heart. “This is the first day she and Star have been together, so your mama’s really happy about having her. She still loves you best though.”
The look on Anna’s face didn’t change.
“Livy talks about Snowbird all the time,” Anna said.
“Riders love their horses like family sometimes.”
“Are you and Mama going to ride together?”
“Probably, but not today. We’ll take you with us when we do though.” He longed to suggest she reconsider letting him get her a mount of her own, but didn’t. She’d come to it in her own time when she was ready. “Was Felicity mean to you at school?”
“No, she wasn’t there today.”
As a doctor, he hoped she wasn’t ill, but as a father he was glad she hadn’t shown up.
“Hello!”
They turned to see Odell approaching. “Hey, Odell.”
“Hey, Doc. How are you, Anna?”
“I’m fine, sir.”
He stopped beside Colt and seeing Regan leading Star to the barn, he asked, “New mare?”
Colt nodded. “Yes.”
“Fine-looking animal. One of Prescott’s?”
“Yes. A wedding present.”
Odell smiled approvingly.
“What brings you by?” Colt asked.
“A couple of crates from Arizona and telegrams for Regan. Runner brought them over from the Laramie train station this afternoon. I’m headed home, so thought I drop everything off on my way.”
“Appreciate it. You need help with the unloading?”
“I do. Anna, did you draw those fish for me like you promised?”
“I did. Do you want to see?” she asked, more excited than she’d been all evening.
“Sure do.”
“Anna, you fetch your drawings and I’ll help Mr. Odell with your mama’s crates.”
She ran off and Colt followed Odell back to his wagon.
After the two large wood crates were carried inside, Odell left for home with Anna’s promised drawings, and Regan watched anxiously as Colt used a crowbar to pry off the top of the first crate. While he worked on the second one, she and Anna pulled out the newspapers and towels placed inside to keep the contents safe on the journey from Arizona. What they unearthed made Regan jump for joy. “My saddle!” She lifted it from the crate and beamed. The way the black leather and overlaying silver accents gleamed, it must have been reconditioned and cleaned.
Colt said, “That’s a mighty fine saddle. Leave it to you to have one of the fanciest ones in the Territory.”
Tempest Page 18