The Bounty

by Beth Williamson

  “Are you ready?” he repeated softly.

  She mounted Sable easily, without answering him. Tyler swung up behind her and kneed his gelding forward.

  Nicky turned around once to look back at her saddle. Tyler thought of it all day as they rode deeper into Nebraska. She was Nicole Calhoun now, for better, or for worse. And he thought the worse was definitely coming. And coming fast.

  ———

  Conversation between Tyler and Nicky was strained, to say the least. They simply didn’t know what to say to each other without causing tempers to flare. When they stopped for a short break, Tyler fashioned a sling for her from one of his shirts. He could see the pain lines around her eyes, and wanted to help ease it. She had looked surprised by his act of kindness, damn it all.

  After filling their canteens in a stream, they continued on their journey. He wanted to keep her at arm’s length to make their final parting a little easier, if that was possible, yet here they were dangerously pressed together on his horse. Her behind rubbed his groin provocatively with the sway of the horse, inciting lustful urges he was helpless to control.

  “Tyler?”

  He grunted in response. The effort to ignore her body pressed up against him was wearing down his resolve to keep his distance from his wife. And every time he breathed in, he smelled her hair. She had gathered it up in her hat to keep it out of his eyes—he had been amazed it still fit—but he could still smell the sweet scent. He just didn’t have the energy to talk.

  “Thank you.”

  Silence met her gratitude.

  “I mean thank you for helping me, for going with me…for trusting me.”

  Tyler cringed inwardly at her words. Did he trust her? Or did he simply want to believe her? His feelings for her were still so new, so fragile. He hadn’t trusted anybody in a very long time. He was in love with his wife, but he didn’t trust her. What kind of man could love without trust? It was something Tyler wanted to get control over, even as it spun hopelessly out of control.

  He had gone so far as to strap her gun belt on her hips before they set off from the stream. She had looked at him with the oddest expression in her eyes, a mixture of sadness and confusion. The guns weren’t loaded, and so far, she had made no move to remedy that situation. He didn’t know whether or not he was relieved.

  She sighed as she snuggled back against his chest. In a few minutes, he realized she was asleep. He knew she wasn’t fully recovered from her fall, but she insisted on setting off to North Platte immediately. Nothing he said could dissuade her. He snaked an arm around her waist to prevent her from falling and continued east.

  ———

  “Nicky?”

  Tyler’s voice was in her head, insistently whispering. His lips grazed her ear. She shivered as the goose bumps danced down her neck like a parade.

  “Wake up, Nicky.”

  His tone was sterner, and her eyes flew open. His heavily muscled arm felt like a steel band around her waist, warm and safe.

  “We’re stopping for the night.” His voice was now gruff with frustration.

  “Where?”

  “Here.”

  She straightened up quickly and knocked Tyler’s nose soundly with the brim of her hat. His muffled oath startled her.

  “Sorry, Tyler.”

  He grunted at her as he slid off the horse, then helped her down. For a brief moment, she sensed he wanted to do more than help her dismount, but he turned away quickly to make camp.

  After building up a small fire, they ate a supper of beans and biscuits in silence. She felt uncomfortable, miserable, and tongue-tied. Her arm was aching as much as her heart.

  “Tyler…”

  “Nicky…”

  They both began to speak at the same time. Nicky emitted a short sound that could have been a laugh.

  “Go ahead.”

  “No, you first.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, go ahead.”

  “Umm…I forgot what I was going to say.”

  “Me, too.”

  Tyler rose quickly, and went to fill their canteens, leaving the bedrolls to Nicky. He took the easy way out and left the decision up to her. Nicky eyed the blankets with a frown. She knew what he was about. Coward. Well, she’d show him a thing or two.

  ———

  When he returned with the canteens, he found the bedrolls neatly fitted together beside the campfire. He hid the smile that rose to his lips. He had hoped for it like a fool, but not too hard, for he didn’t want to be disappointed. She was already covered with a blanket, and her back was to him.

  ———

  She knew he had returned, but she decided to play possum and pretend she was sleeping already. In truth, her entire body was aware the second he laid down next to her. Her desire rose inside her like a flower reaching for the sunlight. She heard him sigh. Something was weighing on his mind, too.

  ———

  Tyler reached out to touch her hair. It was an unconscious gesture, and he pulled his hand back at the last second. What are you doing?

  ———

  Nicky debated rolling over and opening her eyes. She knew he wasn’t asleep. He was probably in the same predicament as her. She wanted to touch him so desperately, it was nearly painful. One of them had to swallow their pride. Touch him.

  ———

  Tyler resigned himself to a sleepless night next to his wife. He wanted her so badly, he was almost shaking with need. He felt like a man possessed. Touch her.

  Nicky turned and wound an arm around his neck as he reached out for her at the same moment. She pulled his lips to hers for a long, breath-robbing kiss. It wasn’t tender or romantic. It was elemental, consuming, almost bruising.

  “Love me, Tyler,” she whispered brokenly.

  He hadn’t even needed to hear the words. Thus began a sensual dance between them as clothes were quickly shed and heated flesh slid against heated flesh.

  Their mating was fierce and frantic. As if a day without contact, or too much contact, had left them with a burning need to fulfill. Their passion was an expression of their love, the fragile bond that was stretched to its limit by all they had yet to face.

  Without speaking a word, they reached for the stars together. After an explosive climax, they lay together, entwined arms and legs wet with sweat. Tyler tucked her spoon-like to his chest, then covered them with their blankets.

  ———

  Nicky had never felt so safe, so warm, so secure. She wished she felt loved, too.

  I love you, Tyler.

  ———

  I love you, Nicky.

  The words remained unspoken.

  ———

  For the next two days they barely spoke a word in conversation. Each night their passion burned brighter than the sun, scorching them both with its intensity. They clung to each other with a fever that raged out of control. Desperately trying to hold on to something that was sliding through their fingers. The invisible thread between them was stretched taut, ready to break apart, and take them along with it.

  They’d stopped at the first ranch they came to, and Tyler made arrangements with the owner to purchase a horse and saddle for Nicky. Sable was strong, but it wasn’t fair to push his horse so hard with two riders. And, above all else, the sweet torture of having her sit in his lap every day was slowly driving him mad.

  Leaning over the corral fence, Nicky and Tyler were eyeing a dozen horses that were milling around. Nicky had immediately spied two different horses she liked; one was a gray gelding, the other a buttermilk mare.

  “I can’t decide. They’re both beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you,” he said softly, nearly under his breath.

  Nicky turned and eyed him. “What?” She wasn’t at all sure she’d heard him correctly. Did he really just call her beautiful? Her? Gangly, ungainly, boyish Nicky?

  He raised one black eyebrow at her, a hint of a smile playing around his lips. “I said you’ll have
to pick one, beautiful.”

  No one, not one person, had ever called her beautiful. Not even her mother. In fact, she’d been called horse girl, freckle face, scarecrow, and other worse select phrases for such a tall, unfeminine person such as herself. How could he possibly think she was beautiful?

  “Don’t call me beautiful,” she nearly snapped at him.

  He narrowed his gaze. “Why not?”

  “Sweet-talking me is not going to solve our problems, Calhoun,” she said tightly. She was busy trying to hold back the tears that threatened at the callous way he was trying to charm her.

  Beautiful, my butt!

  “Sweet-talking? Since when have you known me to sweet-talk anybody?”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t think of a single retort. He had a valid point. No one could ever accuse Tyler Calhoun of sweet-talking anybody.

  “Then why did you just call me beautiful? Twice?”

  He regarded her thoughtfully before shaking his head.

  “I’m not sure who told you different, honey, but you’re not only beautiful, you’re incredibly sexy. Anybody that doesn’t think so must be blind as a bat.”

  “Me?”

  “You, Mrs. Calhoun.” This time he smiled—really smiled—at her.

  “I…I, um, thank you, Tyler.” She hid her nervousness by gripping the fence tighter.

  They were silent for a few moments as Nicky absorbed Tyler’s words.

  “Back to the horses. We don’t have enough to buy both, so you’ll have to pick one,” he said.

  I already picked one, but he doesn’t want to keep me.

  “I don’t want both of them. I only need one.”

  “I only need one, too.”

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand you, Calhoun.” She sighed. “Are we talking about horses here?” She couldn’t grasp his train of thought. First he called her beautiful, and now this.

  His gaze moved to hers. “I don’t know what to do.” About us remained unspoken.

  She studied him silently. He seemed to be trying to reach out to her. Could it be that he felt the same way about her? Her heart did a little dance. Surely not.

  “Neither do I.” She turned to focus her gaze on the horses. But I know what my heart tells me.

  “I plan on staying with you until it’s over. One way or the other.”

  His words caused a shiver of unease to sneak up her spine.

  “One way or the other?” She was afraid of his response.

  “Yeah, either we go our separate ways after all this is over, or…we stay together and try to make it work.”

  “What do you want?”

  He sighed as his callused hands twined together in front of him on the corral fence.

  “A bounty hunter’s life is about as hard as it can be. The wife of a bounty hunter is set up for heartbreak from the get-go.” He paused. “Can’t say that I’ve ever been so confused in my life.” He just couldn’t cut her loose yet…not yet. He had to stay with her a few more days.

  “Me either.”

  He grinned wryly at her, then reached out and brushed his thumb along her jaw softly. “I’ve never even dreamed of running into someone like you, but here you are. Why can’t things ever be simple, magpie?”

  “Don’t know the answer to that one. I’ve been pondering that question for some time now.” She leaned into his hand as he continued caressing her face. It felt heavenly.

  “Let’s call a truce for now.”

  “Okay by me.”

  “I like this agreeable wench. You should do that more often.”

  Ever so slowly, he leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over hers. Sealing the pact.

  “How about the horse, Mrs. Calhoun?”

  She shook her head to clear the cobwebs. “I think I want the mare.”

  “She’ll go nicely with that mass of locks atop your head.” He tugged on the curls peeking out from underneath her Stetson.

  “My what?” She laughed. “My hair? What have you done with the real Tyler Calhoun?”

  He smiled sadly at her. “You’ll be the height of fashion. Imagine women everywhere buying a horse to accent their newest dress, or the color of their hair. You’ll be famous.”

  She punched his arm.

  “What will you call her?”

  Nicky looked at the horse. “Ophelia.”

  Tyler threw back his head and laughed. Shakespeare, of course, what else?

  ———

  As the owner of the ranch approached them, Tyler walked over to meet him, still chuckling. The stranger was well built, in his thirties, large enough for Tyler to be on his guard. He wore weathered-looking jeans, a light blue shirt, and a dusty black hat. His brown eyes were piercing.

  “She wants the buttermilk mare. How much?”

  “How about forty for the horse and saddle? My wife died about two years ago, and I’m glad somebody can use her saddle. It’s too small for me or my men to use.”

  “Sounds fair to me.” Tyler reached into his pocket to pay the man.

  “Before you leave, there is something I need to tell you,” the rancher began. “About the woman you’re with. Is she really your wife? She looks familiar to me.”

  A sense of unease began to squeeze Tyler as he listened to the rancher speak.

  ———

  Nicky reached out to the mare and petted her silky nose. The mare nudged her gently.

  “Hey there, girl, wanna come with me?” A fragile happiness had wrapped itself around her like a warm coat. She almost felt hopeful about her marriage. It was the first shaky step toward their future that was still so uncertain.

  “I’ll tell you a secret, new horse of mine. I love him, girl. That’s never, ever going to change. Even if he is a pigheaded bounty hunter.” She smiled at the horse conspiratorially. “And he said I was beautiful? Can you believe it? I can’t.”

  She glanced at Tyler, who was deep in conversation with the rancher. His face was set in stone.

  What was going on?

  ———

  Tyler eyed the man, keeping his cool mask in place. “What do you mean she looks familiar?” The words were clipped as he forced them through his dry throat.

  He puffed out a sigh. “I’ve seen her on a wanted poster, mister. It’s none of my business, but I think you oughta know she’s on the run from the law.”

  Tyler’s lips came together in a frown. He debated whether or not to tell the man he knew very well who Nicky was.

  “I’m a bounty hunter, mister. I know who she is—a murdering thief. I tell people I married her to shut her up, keep her in line. Less suspicious when a man and a woman are traveling together.”

  The man nodded in agreement. “Not too many women tromping around in jeans though.”

  “I don’t give a shit about her clothes, or what she looks like. If she got away, I’d be out a good bounty.” Tyler continued with his pretense in his coolest bounty hunter tone. “It’s the bounty I’m after. And I’m not about to let anyone take it out from under my nose. Making myself clear, mister?” He touched the butt of his pistol deliberately.

  “No problem here, mister. Just was being neighborly.” The rancher held up his hands.

  “Just wanted you to be clear.” Tyler held out the money. “Here’s the forty for the horse and saddle. Need to make sure my bounty arrives alive.”

  With a sense of fatalism, he knew, just knew, she was listening. He swiveled his head and saw her. He saw the pain and anguish etched into her lovely face and eyes. Oh, God, how much had she heard?

  “Come with me and we’ll get that saddle.” The rancher led Tyler toward the barn. Tyler tore his gaze away from his wife, aware that what he had just done may have caused irreparable damage to his fragile relationship with her. And he wanted to take it back, to magically pull those words out of the air, out of her memory, out of his.

  What have I done?

  ———

  Nicky felt all blood drain from her face. I
f Tyler had plunged a knife in her heart, he couldn’t have hurt her any more than with his cruel, cold words. How could something with no edge be so sharp as to rip her apart? She glanced down at her chest, expecting to see blood, if not her very soul, leaking from her body.

  Her eyes were full of unshed tears as she watched the two men walk away. When they were out of sight, she fell to her knees and tried to breathe. Oh, sweet Jesus, she had never felt such pain. With a start, she realized the low, keening sound she heard was her own. It was the sound of a soul in ultimate pain, of a heart breaking. The pain was so deep, so intense, she thought her heart would stop beating completely. To her shame, it was even worse than when Logan had died. She had thought, hoped, dreamed he had truly wanted her for his wife. And now, she knew for sure, it was all a game. She was still his bounty, nothing more.

  I plan on staying with you until it’s over.

  Yes, he meant to stay with her until he got his bounty. Until it was over for good. One way or the other.

  That night when they camped, she placed the bedrolls on opposite sides of the fire. She hadn’t spoken a word to him since they’d bought the horse. Tyler Calhoun was never going to bed this wife again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  They arrived in North Platte the next evening. Nicky told him where to find Belinda and Rebecca’s house. The two women had shared residence since their harrowing ordeal in white slavery. Nicky had located them shortly after their escape to be sure they were all right, and formed a permanent friendship with them. They stopped the horses in front of a two-story blue house with lace curtains and a white picket fence.

  Looks like a home, thought Nicky wistfully as she tried to dismount, but Tyler quickly swung out of his saddle and approached her. She was still wearing the sling and her arm was tender and awkward in the splint.

  “Let me help.”

  Grasping her waist he lifted her from the mare. As her feet touched the ground, she looked up into his unreadable blue eyes.

  “This is familiar,” he murmured.

  His words sent a wave of desire down Nicky’s body. He bent his head and brushed her lips gently with his own. She closed her eyes, her body unconsciously swaying toward Tyler. Amid the confusion of her body’s reaction to his kiss, her mind was swirling as well. Did he? Didn’t he? Did she? Didn’t she? She opened her eyes and frowned at him.