A Rancher's Vow

by Patricia Rosemoor

  She was even more convinced when Reed turned the conversation to the past and related stories about growing up between Bart and Chance. While amused, she also felt a little sad. Overshadowed by his brothers, Reed had never been given his due in the family.

  Since they were talking about the past, Alcina broached a subject she’d been curious about for years.

  “Say, whatever happened between you and Barbara Jean Vogler?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Something must have happened,” she insisted. Something pretty significant. “Last I heard before going back to New York was that you were engaged.”

  “That lasted all of…five weeks, I think it was. Our fathers kind of pushed us together, and it seemed like we would work out pretty well, both of us being from ranch stock and all. But when I got to know her better, I realized Barbara Jean wasn’t for me.”

  “Why not?”

  What fault could the perfect woman who could ride horses and rope cattle and who probably knew how to shoot a gun have had? Alcina wondered.

  Five weeks.

  She considered the irony of the leap she’d taken into Jeffrey’s arms. By the time she’d married him, Barbara Jean had been history for Reed.

  “Barbara Jean didn’t have an honest bone in her body,” he explained. “Anything she thought might bother me, she conveniently forgot to mention. Or she made up some stupid story to cover herself. She was a practiced liar. It was simply annoying at first, and I thought once I faced her with it, told her that I was wise to her, that she would stop. Only she didn’t. And so I didn’t marry her. I couldn’t live with a woman who couldn’t trust me and our relationship enough to be honest,” he said.

  Reminding Alcina of her own dishonesty. Her failed marriage that she’d forgotten to mention now hung over her head like the sword of Damocles, ready to drop at a moment’s notice.

  And the feeling stayed with her when, dinner finished, Reed helped her clear the table and the already small space shrank in size. They couldn’t move without brushing or bumping against each other.

  While Alcina wasn’t immune to the physical contact, she found herself riddled with guilt and unable to take advantage of the situation.

  Having done as many of the dishes as the limited sink area allowed, Alcina turned and Reed was there, hovering mere inches from her.

  Suddenly, her breath was gone and she backed up against the cabinets as if the extra inches would fix things for her. Maybe it would have if Reed didn’t home right in on her.

  “I want to thank you for a wonderful supper, Mrs. Quarrels.” He placed his hands on the sink, one on either side of her. “You went beyond the call of duty. Why?”

  He’d physically trapped her. With his presence. With his heat. She couldn’t move a millimeter without rubbing up against him.

  “It was just a meal,” she said, trying not to sound as if she was choking over the words.

  He shook his head. “I don’t believe that.”

  She thought quickly. “Okay, so I wanted to thank you for being so caring this morning.” That was at least part of the truth. “I wanted you to know I appreciated the way you took over and made me feel better.”

  “I’m your husband now.”

  “Yes,” she said, breathless again. “You are.”

  “And that’s it?”

  “Isn’t that enough?” she asked sharply.

  He grinned. “I’ll let you off the hook.”

  “Don’t do me any favors.”

  “All right. I won’t. I’ll let you show me your appreciation with more than food.”

  “What then?”

  “How about a little bit of you?”

  Alcina should have been ready for the kiss, but she wasn’t really. She’d set it up from the moment she’d walked into the trailer—the atmosphere, the food, her—and yet she wasn’t prepared in some basic way.

  Perhaps the lack of underwear…

  With Reed kissing her, the heat of his body burning her, she felt utterly exposed. Naked. And there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

  If she even wanted to…

  She didn’t budge when he explored her mouth with his tongue, and her hips with his hands. Pressed into her, his physical response was obvious and she couldn’t prevent the responding curl deep in her stomach or the way she shifted her pelvis toward him for maximum contact.

  He rocked what seemed to be his substantial length against her, slid one hand up her side to her breast and to the material that stretched and slid easily over her shoulder. He freed a breast and she moaned into his mouth as he manipulated the tight bud of her nipple.

  “No bra,” he murmured into her mouth. “I was right. Couldn’t think about much else all through dinner.”

  So he had noticed, after all.

  His other hand was reaching down, tugging up her skirt hem an inch at a time. Soon, he was exploring the length of her thigh…the curve of her hip…the indentation of her belly.

  Then he dipped lower, his clever fingers finding and seducing her halfway to mindless.

  Part of her protested that this wasn’t what she wanted, not yet. Not without some admission on his part that their marriage meant more than business to him. But the other part silently urged him to take her right there on the sink among the dishes.

  Suddenly, he stopped touching her, but before she could protest, both of his hands were around her waist, lifting her. His mouth found her exposed breast and he pressed his body between her thighs to make her open to him.

  She clasped his back…circled his neck with her hands…ran her fingers down his spine.

  Then he broke contact again and moved his head lower to taste the wet warmth between her thighs.

  The motion of his tongue pinned Alcina mentally, while physically her buttocks raised from the sink on their own. A natural response to the immense pleasure he offered. Moaning, Alcina pressed herself into Reed’s mouth, rocking and wrapping her legs around his back, silently urging him to explore her more fully.

  He accommodated her if only with tongue and fingers. But the result was an explosion of the highest magnitude. Waves of pleasure washed through her as she tumbled down from the heights and into his waiting grasp.

  Before she knew what he was up to, he lifted her in his arms and fought with the narrow doorway so that he could carry her into the bedroom. He kissed her long and lingering, then set her on the bed.

  Weak-limbed, Alcina was nevertheless ready for anything. She sprawled back and opened her arms to receive Reed’s weight when he joined her.

  Joined with her…

  “Sweet dreams,” he whispered, backing off instead.

  “That’s it?”

  He hesitated in the doorway. “Are you inviting me to sleep in the bed with you?”

  She wanted him to. But she also wanted to hear the magic words.

  Not that the words had to be I love you.

  He could choose so many ways to express his affection and regard that would reassure her.

  But he said nothing.

  So neither did she.

  Reed waited barely a moment before backing out of the room and drawing the privacy curtain.

  And Alcina covered her face with a pillow so he wouldn’t hear her frustrated wail.

  EVEN BEFORE he got into his vehicle, he knew he was being watched.

  No one could dupe him so easily. Not when he was forever on guard.

  Forever watching. Waiting. Biding his time.

  No sooner had he pulled out of the parking spot than he saw the headlights of the other vehicle turn on. To make certain that he didn’t lose his tail, he drove slower than he normally would.

  Reveling in games of chance ran in his blood. And wasn’t his the ultimate game? He’d been playing for quite a while, and only now was someone catching on.

  That damn diamond had given him away just as he knew it would!

  The headlights in his rearview mirror receded. Trying to hoodwink him into thinking he wasn’t being
followed, after all? He wasn’t so naive.

  He had a plan, he was good at thinking on his feet. Not the most clever of plans, perhaps, but it would do.

  It wasn’t long before he turned onto an utterly dark, deserted gravel road. He traveled along this for nearly a mile before turning onto one more primitive, littered with debris and potholes.

  He knew the vehicle behind him followed, even as he knew exactly when the headlights were cut. Knew that it was done to fool him.

  But he was no fool.

  He knew he wasn’t alone.

  Once he’d parked the car, he took his time getting out and retrieving the flashlight and rifle from the back. The weapon was already loaded. And he was expert at its use. Listening hard, he caught the purr of an engine nearby before it, too, abruptly died.

  The silence made him smile. As did the creak of a metal hinge.

  He moved forward, shining his light broadly so that the trail he took couldn’t be missed.

  The place had been closed up for years before he’d come to claim it. It had been and still was unsafe inside. Exactly how he liked it. Dangerous footing. Rotted wood. A ceiling that threatened to cave in at the first sharp sound.

  But he had made the place his own. With unlimited time to explore every nook and cranny, he knew where to hide, just as he knew where the most danger lay.

  Deep inside his lair, he grinned, confident that he wouldn’t be alone for long.

  The wait didn’t bother him.

  His prey would never see daylight again.

  Chapter Ten

  Reed went from aggravated to concerned when he and Alcina got to the house the next morning only to discover that Pa was still gone.

  “Not even a telephone call?” Reed asked Felice.

  “Not a word, Mr. Reed.”

  “Telephone,” Alcina echoed. “I’m going to check on Daddy. I’ll use the phone in the office.”

  She rushed out of the kitchen where Reed poured himself a mug of coffee, strong and black.

  “I am worried,” Felice said. “Mr. Emmett is a stubborn man…but where could he have been all this time?”

  “I don’t have a clue.”

  “And Mr. Bart already took Daniel and Lainey to Albuquerque. He was very angry with your father.” She hesitated a moment before informing him, “And he means to meet with Sheriff Olvera this morning.”

  Reed’s gut tightened. Did that mean that Bart planned to sell out and go back to his old job?

  “He’ll do what he has to,” Reed said tightly. “And I’ll do what I have to. I can handle Pa.”

  “If you can find him.” As she straightened up an already clean kitchen, Felice muttered to herself in Spanish. Then she made a sound of exasperation and asked, “Can I fix you breakfast, Mr. Reed?”

  “Thanks, but I don’t seem to have an appetite this morning.”

  Besides, his stomach was churned up from his stewing.

  What was Pa up to now?

  The old man had everyone worried about him, which had become his specialty lately. Maybe he was sitting back, enjoying himself, thinking they were all running around in circles, like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to find him.

  Reed vowed that he’d figure it out, but he wasn’t going to drop everything to do so. With Bart already gone and Chance planning to leave for the rodeo by early afternoon, the welfare of the ranch was solely in his hands and would be for at least a few days. He wasn’t about to neglect the place.

  Who knew how much longer he would be able to call it his?

  And after all, Pa had left of his own volition. There had been no indication of foul play, so why should he think the worst? No doubt this was Pa’s ploy to deflect his guilt in fooling them all.

  Well, the old man had cried wolf once too often…

  Reed went in search of Alcina, who was just hanging up the telephone with what looked like nerveless fingers. She appeared pale and tense.

  “No luck?”

  She shook her head. “Daddy hasn’t even called the bank or collected his messages from his answering machine. And he hasn’t left a message for me, either. This isn’t like him, Reed. What the heck is going on?”

  “Both of our fathers missing…a coincidence? I wonder.”

  “What?”

  “They were having a set-to yesterday, but after I broke it up, they insisted that I leave them be because they had some things to discuss.”

  “And when I barged in on your family meeting,” Alcina said, “I heard your father talking to himself, something about a partner selling out. At the time, I didn’t know what he was talking about…then I figured he meant one of you.”

  “But maybe he meant Tucker.”

  “So you think they could be together? But where? And to what purpose?”

  “I don’t know. And I’m gonna be real ticked if I leave the work on the ranch and find they’ve been playing some damn game with us. Rather, if Pa has.”

  “What about the authorities?”

  “Sheriff’s department won’t do anything this soon—it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. They’re adults with their full faculties—at least your daddy has his—and there’s no indication of foul play.”

  “Oh, right.”

  Alcina appeared so forlorn, Reed wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he knew what that could lead to. He didn’t think he would be able to sacrifice his growing need for her once aroused again.

  Sighing, Reed caved from his determined position not to be drawn into Pa’s new game.

  “All right, all right. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I can make a few calls to the neighboring ranches, see if anyone has set eyes on either of them. Put the word out that if anyone does, to let us know immediately. But that’s not going to reach everyone, not by a long shot.”

  It was the best concession he could make at the moment. And it seemed to please Alcina, who suddenly seemed as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. As if he would let her go through this alone, even if his own pa weren’t involved.

  “We could ask around ourselves in town,” Alcina said excitedly.

  “Later, maybe.” He had to draw a line somewhere. “And we still don’t know that they’re together. What if your father’s car simply broke down on the way home? Do you know his emergency service?”

  Alcina brightened. “I know the route he takes. I think I’ll go for a drive. If I find him, I’ll call. If I don’t, I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  “You’re planning on going alone?”

  She blinked and her eyes widened. “You have a problem with that?”

  “Hey, I’m not telling you what to do. I would just feel better if you wouldn’t go alone.”

  What kind of trouble she could get herself into, Reed couldn’t say. And he didn’t want to consider too closely why he should worry so much about her in the first place.

  “I am a big girl.”

  “A fact that you drove home last night.”

  “I did? You were in the driver’s seat!”

  “As I recall, you were the one who wore a dress with no underwear,” he said, discomfort immediately growing at the vivid memory.

  Her mouth snapped shut and color flooded her face.

  Reed had never seen her look more desirable. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms for an up-close-and-personal reminder.

  But danger lay in that path. He didn’t need another distraction.

  “I’ll make the calls, after which I have work to get to,” he said. “If you learn anything of interest, let me know and I’ll come running.”

  ALCINA WAS MUSING over Reed’s seemingly protective nature when she arrived at the Garner place. Chance was in the yard, keeping an eye on Hope, who was playing with Pru’s nieces.

  Waving to him, Alcina let herself in. Pru was in the midst of packing.

  “Well, how did it go?”

  “Swimmingly. Reed was ready to have sex with me and didn’t even mention the words busine
ss or duty.”

  “That’s progress. So did you?”

  “Not exactly…” Before Pru could demand details, Alcina said, “I need a favor.”

  “Ask.”

  “Can I borrow a pair of jeans?”

  “Jeans? For…?”

  “For me, of course. I thought I’d try some, see if I like them before I bought a pair.”

  Pru’s eyebrows shot right up practically to her hairline. “Okeydoke. How tight do you want them?”

  “How tight do you have?”

  Alcina had never before lain prostrate on a bed to zip up a pair of pants. There was a first time for everything, she decided.

  Unable to breathe, she nevertheless rose and inspected herself from all angles in a mirror. Hmm, she could see why Reed wanted her to wear them.

  “They’ll do,” she croaked, thinking they looked good with her buttoned cashmere sweater tucked inside.

  “Practice talking or Reed’ll be more hung up on the fact that you have some weird vocal problem than he will be on your butt. Don’t worry, they’ll loosen up a little with wear.”

  Alcina changed back into her skirt and a camelhair jacket. The jeans could wait until later. Much later. She could only go without breathing properly for so long.

  Hugging Pru, Alcina left, trophy jeans in hand. Chance was still outside with the girls.

  “Good luck in the competitions!” she called.

  “Thanks. Has anyone heard from Pa?”

  “Not yet. But we’ll find him,” she said confidently, certain that Reed could do anything he put his mind to.

  Alcina then took off and went in search of her father. She drove slower than usual so as not to miss Tucker’s car if he’d turned off the road. But she saw not a single breakdown all the way into Taos.

  When she arrived at her father’s house, she used her own set of keys to let herself in. The place was empty, the mailbox full. He hadn’t been there.

  Alcina checked his answering machine—all four messages had been from her. She called herself. No messages at all. She called the bank. No one there had heard from him.

  Then, as a last resort, she went into her father’s study and searched his files until she found his personal records. In no time, she had the name and number of his emergency road service. But, immediately checking, she learned that he hadn’t called them for help.