by Ana Leigh
In the past she had trusted this man with her life, and tonight she had trusted him with her entire being, surrendering more than just her body. She had bound her soul to him forever.
When the day came that he rode away, her heart would ride with him. But until then, she would cherish every moment they had together.
Soothed by the rhythm of his breathing and his steady heartbeat, she pressed a kiss to his chest, then closed her eyes.
“I love you, Rico Fraser,” she murmured as she drifted into sleep.
Rico was digging a ditch a few days later when Frank strode up to him.
“What in hell are you doing?” he barked.
“I found this piping in the barn—”
“Yeah, it was left over when we installed the inside plumbing.”
“So I thought I’d put it to good use and run it between the barn pump and Jenny’s garden. That way she won’t have to haul heavy buckets of water when she waters her flowers.”
“I don’t give a damn if those posies get watered; water’s scarce enough around here. You never know when a well’s gonna go dry,” Frank declared. “Besides, hauling those buckets is the only exercise she gets.”
“I disagree, sir.”
“Like I give a damn! I’m running this ranch, Rico, and I give the orders. If you don’t like it, then haul your ass out of here.”
“Have you forgotten why you hired me? If I thought Jenny would be safe, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
“I ain’t forgotten, but there’s no need for it now. It’s plain to everyone that if Slatter’s not dead, he sure ain’t around these parts.”
“Before they hung him, John Cramer admitted to knocking you out, but claimed he didn’t kill the Coles.”
“And you believe the word of a back-shooting murderer?”
“Can’t say I normally would, except he had nothing to gain by lying. It wouldn’t save him from hanging.”
Frank was silent for a moment, then eyed him with a cautious glance. “If you figure on riding on, you plan on taking Jenny with you?”
“You know why I can’t, Frank.”
“You tell her that yet?”
“No. And I asked you not to, either, when you tried to bribe me into marrying her.”
“Where is Jenny?”
“In the garden.”
“If she’d pay as much attention to the vegetable garden as she does to that damn cactus, we’d have vegetables to sell,” Frank grumbled, then strode away.
“What about running this pipe?” Rico called out.
Frank looked back. “Ah, what the hell. Go ahead, if you’re crazy enough to be digging ditches in this heat.”
Jenny glanced up from her book when her father entered the garden. He walked over and picked up the glass of lemonade she’d been drinking, and gulped it down. Disgusted, she got up and started to leave.
“Sit down, girl,” Frank ordered. “We have to talk.”
“I suggest you save your words for one who wants to hear them,” she said, and tried to move past him.
“I said to sit down, daughter.”
There’d been enough confrontations between them for her not to recognize when it was wiser to tolerate his anger.
Jenny sat down and folded her arms across her chest. “Very well, Father, if it makes you feel any better, then go ahead and say what you came to say. But I have no intention of arguing with you.”
“When do you intend to do some laundering?”
“I just laundered my clothing. They’re drying on the line.”
“I’m talking about my clothes.”
“Why, Father, are you implying that you expect my duties around here to go beyond cooking and cleaning?” she asked with mock innocence. “I had no idea.”
“Don’t you dare try mocking me, girl. I’ll not tolerate it.”
“Father, are you ill? You look quite flushed. I suggest you calm down—I’d hate to think that you would add nursemaid to the list of your intended duties for me.”
Frank broke into laughter. “You’ve got a good wit, daughter, I’ll give you that. And if I’m to believe Rico Fraser, a lot more grit than I gave you credit for. But just because you read all those fancy books, don’t think the day’s ever dawned when you can outsmart your father.”
“Do I detect a bit of innuendo in that statement, Father? It appears you still have some canary feathers on your mouth you haven’t swallowed. What are you hinting at?”
Frank chuckled. “Got your attention now, don’t I?”
“Then get on with it, please. What do you want to say?”
“No sense in pretending that I don’t know you and that drifter’s been playing hanky-panky at night, girl.”
“What drifter?”
“You know damn well who. Rico spends more time in your bed than he does his own. For a scout who’s supposed to be such a good tracker, he sure has trouble finding his own room at night.”
“As usual, Father, you’re jumping to the wrong conclusions.”
“No point in denying it, girl. He doesn’t.”
“Nor do I. What I meant is Rico and I don’t limit our…affection…for each other to only evenings.”
The cat-and-mouse game he was trying to play with her was so blatant she had to conceal her amusement behind an impassive expression as she watched him choke back his mounting irritation.
“Like I said, girl, you have a sharp wit so I’ll cut right to the chase.”
“Please do, Father.”
“Now that this Slatter scare’s over, there’s no call for Fraser to remain.”
“Go on,” she managed to murmur calmly, even though her heart had leapt to her throat.
“I just talked to him and told him I’d kick his ass out of here if he didn’t start showing me some respect.”
“And what did he say?” She dreaded to hear the answer.
“He said he could care less. And he’s clearly anxious to get on with his pursuit of Slatter.” Frank smirked. “Apparently you’re not enough of a diversion to hold his interest.”
Jenny held onto her temper “I’m aware of Rico’s intention to leave when he feels it’s safe to do so.”
“And what if he thinks Slatter is around?”
“He’s never been fully convinced that Slatter isn’t.”
“So, what if he finds some evidence that his suspicions are right?”
“His concern for our safety would prevent him from leaving.”
“My thought exactly.”
Suddenly, his intent was clear to her. Appalled, she asked, “Are you suggesting planting false evidence to keep him here?”
“Why not?”
Jenny stood to leave. “No matter how much I want him to stay, I care too much for him to deceive him.”
“Sit down, girl. I’m not asking you to. I’m sure I can make it worth it to him to remain.”
“Bribery won’t work, Father. Rico’s too obsessed with catching Slatter.”
“I know—I already tried that and it didn’t work. But I’ll think of something.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t want him to leave.”
“Suddenly you’re concerned about my welfare?” She shook her head. “I’m not that naïve. What do you expect to get out of it?”
“A compromise from you. I’ll convince your lover to remain if you take over running the whole household. I know you can’t do it as well as Andrea, but it’s better than nothing. I’ll even make it easier for you and do the bookkeeping myself.”
“Good heavens, why don’t you just hire a housekeeper? I intend to leave next year anyway.”
“Housekeepers cost money. As long as you’re here, why should I pay someone else to do it?”
“And you won’t lie or deceive Rico about anything?”
“No. As poor as you are at it, he seems pleased that at least you’re attempting to cook. And you’ll have your lover right where you want him—in your bed.”
As blunt as that was, h
e was right. Rico would be pleased to see her trying to compromise with her father. He had even suggested as much. She’d be doing it for him, not her father.
“All right, Father, I like that offer. If you convince Rico to stay, you’ve got yourself a housekeeper. I wish you the best of luck.”
22
Jenny opened the library window and gazed at Rico, hard at work digging the pipeline to her garden. She never tired of looking at him.
His bare back and chest glistened with perspiration. Fascinated, she watched the bulge of his biceps and the ripple of muscles across his back as he tossed aside shovels of dirt. He paused to wipe his brow with the back of his forearm, then walked over to the pump, tossed aside his hat, and stuck his head under the spigot.
Dressed up, her father walked over to him. “Rico, I’m going into town. I have some important business to attend to.”
“Why don’t you wait until I clean up and Jenny and I will go with you?” Rico said.
“Naw, no call for you to do that, son.”
“I can’t keep an eye on both of you when one is here and one is in town.”
Frank put a hand on Rico’s shoulder. “I appreciate your concern, but you know I’m convinced the danger’s past. But I respect your opinion, so I’ll keep my eyes open, and you see to Jenny’s safety. Why don’t you get out of this hot sun and go inside and have a glass of lemonade?”
You’re overdoing it, Father. Rico’s no fool.
“Thank you, sir, but I’m fine. I want to get this digging over with.”
Frank mounted his horse. “As you wish. By the way, I won’t be home until tomorrow since Andrea and her husband are due back on the stage then. Thought I’d stay in town and greet them.” He winked at Rico and then galloped away.
Rico stood leaning on his shovel, watching him ride off.
Jenny smiled. I know just what you’re thinking, sweetheart.
She turned away and returned to aligning the books and dusting the shelves, but her thoughts remained on Rico.
From the time the Slatter emergency had died down, she had dealt with the heartache of when he would ride away. Right now Rico felt the danger still existed. That was why her father’s proposition had intrigued her, even though it felt like shaking hands with the Devil. Whatever had happened lately between Rico and him, it had been evident Frank Burke would prefer to see the last of Mr. Rico Fraser. Rico was too strong an individual, with unrelenting principles and integrity, for her father to deal with.
And what her father didn’t realize was that she would never align with him to deceive Rico for any reason. In truth, he was the one she would be deceiving. She knew Rico would never leave as long as he thought she was in danger, so let her father think Rico was willing to leave if ordered to do so.
So she had agreed to the compromise to keep him from harassing Rico. No one knew better than she how exasperating her father’s constant nagging could be, and if she could prevent Rico from having to bear it, so be it.
But she’d never give her father the satisfaction of telling him her real motive. Let him think he won the personal victory between the two of them; that submissiveness that he had always tried to demand from her. Let him believe he had convinced her that they each would profit by exchanging one favor for another.
Actually, she didn’t find housecleaning that difficult physically. The issue with her had never been the work involved but from her father’s demands that she do it rather than read a book or work in her garden, because to him those things were wasted time.
She went upstairs to clean her father’s bedroom, while the opportunity presented itself.
Actually, she didn’t find housecleaning that difficult physically. The issue with her had never been the work involved but from her father’s demands that she do it rather than read a book or work in her garden, because to him those things were wasted time.
There was no place in Frank Burke’s world for fiction or make-believe. He measured people by their labor, and in his thinking there was no need for a young woman to be educated, so he condemned her continually with accusations of laziness and stupidity. He just would not accept that learning about the past was just as productive as developing the skill to ride a horse or prepare a new recipe in the kitchen. His judgment lay in what you produced—and the acquisition of knowledge did not fall under that consideration.
She in turn found the acquisition of knowledge fascinating and stimulating. Andrea, who thrived on nurturing and embraced the household responsibilities with enthusiasm, always placated her brother’s demands and had prevented any need for Jenny to even consider the need for compromise with him.
Andrea would be back tomorrow. It was hard to believe the month had passed so swiftly.
When she entered her father’s room, she sat on the bed and picked up the framed picture of the smiling, dark-haired woman, and smiled back at it.
“You were so lovely, Mother. It’s no wonder Father’s so bitter over losing you.”
She set to work cleaning the room, and after finishing she undressed to take a bath. She was just about to step into the tub when Rico came inside.
“Anybody home?” he called.
Jenny slipped into her robe and went to the top of the stairway. “My unregrets, sire, the master of the house is not here.”
“And the mistress?”
“Alas, sire, there is none in this household.”
He leaned his arms on the newel post and grinned up at her. “And what is your name, fair maiden?”
“I am called Jennifer of the Garden, sire. I am but a humble servant who is more than happy to service you. What is your wont, sire?”
“My wont is the humble servant.”
“Well, you can keep on wonting. This humble servant is about to bathe forthwith. And you, my lord, are all sweaty and dirty.” She raised an eyebrow invitingly.
“The maiden is not only fair, but incredibly prophetic.”
“She is, indeed.”
Jenny returned to the bathroom and had just settled into the water when the bathroom door opened and Rico walked in buck naked.
“I’ll wash your back if you wash mine, Princess. Just slide your pert little derriere forward.” Then he sat down behind her, stretched out a leg on each side of her, and slid her back between his legs. “Just like riding double in the saddle.”
Jenny snuggled back against him. “Oh, I do like this.” She sighed when he massaged her neck and back with his soapy hands. He kissed her shoulder, then cupped her breasts in his hands. “Mmm, I like that, too.”
She closed her eyes and lay encircled in his arms until he finished the erotic bath, then she turned and bathed him in like fashion, exchanging kisses as she did.
When restraint was no longer an option, he lifted her out of the tub and they dried each other off, then he swept her up in his arms and carried her to his bed.
Night had descended when Jenny awoke. Rico was asleep beside her. For a brief moment she stared yearningly at him, wishing it were possible to always awaken and find him beside her. But she had him for now, and she wasn’t going to waste a moment of it.
She slipped out of bed and went to her room to dress; then went downstairs to prepare something to eat.
Jenny had set an intimate table in the kitchen with candles and a lace tablecloth by the time Rico joined her. She had even put a small bouquet from her garden on the table, and gone down into the root cellar for a bottle of wine.
“I hope you’re not too hungry,” she said, when they sat down to a simple meal of cheese, bread, baked potatoes, and a fresh garden salad. “I didn’t want to spoil this perfect day by burning the food.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Princess, you’re doing great. None of us are born knowing how to do anything. Do you have any idea how long I had to practice to learn how to fire a rifle and hit what I was aiming at? And I fell off a horse many times while learning to ride?”
“You’re so kind Rico—and so generous. Guess wh
at I did today?” she asked with an impish smile. “When I dusted the shelves in the library, I rearranged the books alphabetically.”
“By title or author?” he asked.
“By title. Father would never find a book by author. He should be very pleased.”
“Speaking of your father, Jenny, I had two short discussions with Frank today. In the first one he threatened to kick my butt off the Double B, and in the second discussion he stopped just short of kissing it. What’s that all about?”
Jenny giggled. “He thinks being nice to you will convince you to remain.”
“But I thought he wanted me to leave.”
“He does, but he approached me with a proposition to compromise. He knows I don’t want you to leave, so he said if I agreed to take over all of the household duties, he’ll persuade you to remain. So I agreed.”
“Why in hell did you do that, Jenny?” Rico declared. “You’re giving in to him.”
“But not for the reason he thinks, Rico. My motive is not to please him, but to make things more pleasant around here for you.”
“But he’s getting what he wants. You know I wouldn’t leave here as long as I thought there’s a possibility you can be harmed.”
“I know that, but he doesn’t. Surely he didn’t think I would let Andrea do them alone? I only complained because he demanded I do them. As I told you previously, I reached a time when I made up my mind I would stop trying to please him. As childish as it was, at least I made a stand against it. So now, I’m only doing what he wants for my own selfish reason—as unfair as it is to you, I’m ashamed to admit. Do you really think polishing a room or scrubbing a floor is that difficult? Of course not.”
She grinned. “Now cooking to me is much harder, and I’m only doing that so you won’t have to do it.”
“Jenny, I don’t want you to do anything for my sake.”
“And why shouldn’t I? Aren’t you remaining on the Double B for my sake, when you want to be elsewhere? Why is that so different from what I’m trying to do?
“You had a good chance to catch up with Slatter, but for the sake of Andrea, Don, and me, you remained with us. And even now, you still are, despite my father’s nagging at you.”