by Stacey Kayne
Yes, she knew what had happened. He'd awakened her, kissed her good-night, and then neither of them made any effort to end the kiss, not until he was locked deep inside her, until they both collapsed, temporarily sated as they fell back asleep wrapped in the warmth of each other's arms.
"Tuck, just go."
He started to push away from her.
'That you, Tuck?" called Garret, his voice not far from her tent.
Skylar's frantic eyes locked with Tucker's. Oh, no. Garret couldn't find her with Tucker's naked body looming over her!
"Nope," Chance replied from somewhere not far beyond her shelter.
Tucker collapsed against her, his head dropping to her shoulder as both released a silent sigh of relief. It was then Skylar realized she could smell smoke. Chance had started a fire.
"Oh. Morning, Chance," Garret corrected. "Have you seen Tuck?"
"I believe he's checking on the horses," came Chance's easy response, obviously covering for his brother.
If Chance had been sitting in the center of their camp long enough to build a fire, he'd surely heard their whispering. Skylar shut her eyes as complete humiliation washed through her.
"Sky's usually up by now," Garret said, his shadow casting across her tent.
"Why don't you let her sleep," said Chance. "We're in no rush to move out today. She might like to wake to some fresh trout for breakfast, though. There's a swollen stream about a half mile east of here. Think you could catch us some fish?"
"Sure!"
Skylar held her breath as she listened to her brother's departing footsteps.
The thought of facing Chance sent a shiver of dread down her spine. What had she been thinking, to allow Tucker to share her bedroll? How could he do this to her? He promised to leave before sunup!
She waited a few more minutes, motionless under Tucker, ignoring the fingers gently caressing her hair. Once she was sure Garret was out of hearing range, she shoved her hands against his chest. "Get off!"
Tucker quickly moved off of her. "Sky, I—"
"Get out!" she cried as she snatched up his scattered clothing.
Tucker blocked his face from his belt buckle as his pants came flying at him. "You don't have to get violent." He shook out his pants and stepped into them.
"I am the biggest fool!" she raged. "Well, no more! Do you hear me, Tucker Morgan? Keep away from me! You and your fallen-angel smiles, shining green eyes, and big, bulky bodyl" Her hands slammed against his chest at the last three words, shoving him from her tent.
Before Tucker could spit a word out, he was standing barefoot in the sunlight, holding the rest of his clothes, and wondering how he'd suddenly become the bad guy.
"You weren't complaining about my bulky body last night," he said in self-defense, annoyed by his brash dismissal. This was no way to part after the night they'd shared!
His second boot shot out from between the crack of canvas. The square heel clunked hard against his forehead.
Swearing profusely, he picked up his boot and turned away from her tent before bullets started to fly in his direction. Skylar's fury ran as deep as her passion.
As he walked barefoot across the wet ground he spotted Chance crouched by the low fire, watching the entire spectacle with a concerned frown.
"Don't say a damn word!" Tucker warned as he walked past him toward their tent.
"Hadn't planned on it, little brother," Chance called after him.
Chance caught Garret's gaze from across the evening fire and knew the kid could sense the tension clogging the air like smoke from a locomotive. The kid's wide eyes silently asked him what was going on. Chance shrugged his shoulders and shifted his gaze toward the fire.
What a muddled mess. It was bound to happen, Chance thought as he glanced at his brooding brother, then Sky sitting on the opposite side of the fire. It had been a long day, pushing the horses through the high ranges, followed by a silent, tension-filled supper.
Picking at her food, Sky looked as though she were chewing glass. She hadn't made eye contact with him since she emerged from her shelter early this morning.
Chance was used to his presence causing discomfort to those around him, but hell, he liked Sky. He hated seeing her eyes dark with a misery that was damn near tangible. Tucker just couldn't take his advice and leave her be.
But he had to admit, he'd been shocked by his brother's newfound sense of discretion. For a man known to brag about his romantic escapades, Tucker had been surprisingly tight-lipped about his involvement with Skylar.
"Sky? You feeling all right?" Garret asked, eyeing his sister with concern.
"Yeah, Sky," Tucker put in. "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
A lethal glint flashed in Skylar's eyes. Tucker was treading on some mighty thin ice, which happened to be cracking fast.
Skylar shot to her feet and Chance figured his little brother was about to receive some enlightening on humility and tact. To his disappointment, she merely walked out of camp, her eyes glazed with tears. Chance silently cursed his brother's flippant tongue.
Short, sharp gasps echoed back from the trees she'd walked through. Hell. He knew this would happen. He'd warned him!
"I think she's crying," said Garret. He sprang up. "She never cries. Not even when our pa died."
"Hold up, Garret," Chance said as the kid started to go after her. "I think Tucker should go apologize for being a horse's ass."
"I'm going," Tucker said as he got to his feet.
"Might help if you pretended you have some manners."
Tucker ignored Chance's barb and hurried after Skylar. Her slender body moved easily through a tight forest of aspen. For every step he took, her long legs carried her two more steps ahead of him. Long, powerful legs that had been wrapped around him most of the night.
He didn't get it. She couldn't get enough of him last night, yet all day he couldn't get her to say five words to him. What had he done that was so horrible? Garret hadn't caught them together, and Chance had better manners than to make an issue of it in front of her.
Skylar's sniffles echoed back through the trees as he began to gain on her. A twinge of guilt festered inside him.
Hell, he hadn't meant to make her cry. He'd only been teasing, but somewhere between last night and this evening Skylar had lost her sense of humor. He increased his strides until he was running after her.
"Skylar?" he called, at last only a few feet behind her.
"Go away, Tucker." She wiped roughly at her cheeks while keeping her fast pace.
Tucker lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of her coat. "Talk to me, damn it! What are you so peeved about?"
"It's got to stop," she said as she spun on him. "I want you to stay away from me." She stepped back, putting distance between them.
"Why? Garret doesn't—"
"Because it's wrong!"
"Wrong? Does it feel wrong when we're together? I was under the impression you fully enjoyed last night."
Her narrowed gaze blazed with anger, and Tucker mentally kicked himself for being such an ass, again.
"A bit of humiliation can do wonders to clear one's perspective."
"If you're worried about Chance, don't be. He's suspected about us from the beginning."
She blanched, her expression revealing such pain Tucker could hardly stand himself. "You told him?"
"Of course not! He just—"
"Thinks I'm a harlot."
"He does not! He's crazy about you."
Skylar huffed her disbelief.
"It's true. My brother never compliments anything, let alone a woman, but he's the first to sing your praises. We're both adults, Skylar, and besides, we're married."
She flinched as though his words had been a blow. Hell, he couldn't seem to open his mouth without hurting her.
"Don't use that excuse. You have no intention of following through with any vows of marriage and I've just realized I have no desire to be your whore."
Tucker's stricken expression
almost made Skylar regret the comment, but what was she supposed to think?
"You know that's not true, Skylar."
"Isn't it?" He'd not spoken any words of love for her. He'd done nothing but seduce her and buy her gifts.
"No. I shouldn't have made light of what's happened between us. If I've made you feel shameful, I'm sorry. God as my witness, Skylar, I have nothing but respect for you."
"If that's true, you'll do the right thing and leave me alone. I do have a conscience, and a brother to raise. If Garret had found you in my tent...1 would have died of humiliation."
"Sky—"
She pulled away as he reached for her. "Don't touch me. Just ...don't."
"All right," he said softly, taking a step back, stuffing hands into pockets.
Skylar turned away from his hurt expression. Tears burned at her eyes. She knew this was coming. She knew she'd have to be the one to end it. But she hadn't expected such physical pain, so deep it took her breath.
"Skylar—"
"Go away, Tucker."
"Sweetheart, that's not rightly possible with us traveling together."
She glared up at him. "You know what I mean. No more teasing, no more kisses."
"Is that really what you want?"
What I want? When had life ever been about what she wanted? She wanted him to love her enough to want her for his wife. But what they had wasn't real. And what she wanted didn't matter. Tucker didn't believe in marriage; she'd known it from the beginning. If she'd lost sight of reality in order to soothe her own conscience, it was no one's fault but her own. . "Skylar?"
"It's what I want," she said, looking him straight in the eyes. There was no sense in prolonging the inevitable.
Chapter 23
Randal was close. Too close.
Tucker crouched beside his brother, inspecting the wide stretch of heavily rutted dirt. He touched the deep-pitted earth, still soft and damp. The number of unshod horses and accompanying riders couldn't be a coincidence.
"He came in from the West. Can't be a full day's ride ahead of us." Tucker straightened and glanced back at their camp, where he'd left Skylar and Garret, suddenly not comfortable with the mile gap between them.
"We're only a day and a half from the ranch " said Chance.
"What do you suggest?"
"We avoid 'em. We're outnumbered, three and a half to fifteen. Zeke will have hired on extra men to help fight off Randal. We head out early. If they rush the ranch tomorrow, we could get there in time to attack from the rear."
"Skylar might have—"
"We're not telling her," Chance cut in.
"She should know. If I'd known Randal was this close, I wouldn't have left her and Garret alone in camp. For all we know, she's already out searching for signs of him."
"Until we know she's found any, this stays between you and me. The man double-crossed her and killed her father,Tuck. Suppose she doesn't want to wait a day and a half to get her revenge—what then?"
He had a point. Once Skylar set her mind to something, she was a force to be reckoned with. Not that he knew anything about the workings of Skylar's mind. She hadn't spoken a single word to him in three days and refused to look at him. "We better head back and find an excuse to keep her in camp. She's been doing perimeter sweeps, searching for signs of Randal ever since we reached Wyoming."
"I'll take the east trail back, you take the river."
"Let's hope she's in camp or on the east side," Tucker said as he swung up into his saddle. "She won't listen to me."
"Whose fault is that?" Chance mounted his horse. "I warned you."
"And you were right. Feel better?"
"I'll be feeling great once we get our deed back."
Tucker gave a nod of agreement and started in the direction of the river. A half mile from the stream, he spotted Skylar walking in the direction of camp, the skewbald mare at her side. She spotted him too, and veered right in an effort to avoid him.
Damn it. He was sick of being ignored. If she hated him, well fine. He'd take her anger over being invisible.
"Skylar!"
She kept walking. Tucker spurred his horse. He stopped beside her and leaped from his saddle. "Sky—"
"What?" she spat, spinning to face him.
Her gaze locked with his and Tucker couldn't remember what he'd been about to say. The sadness in her expression seemed to amplify the sense of loss he'd kept at bay the past few days. His irritation fled, replaced by a longing so strong there wasn't room for anything else.
Before Skylar realized what hit her, she was surrounded by the warmth of his arms. She tensed as his lips tentatively touched hers. She'd gone too long without his touch not to respond. She trembled as she tasted him and was tasted in return.
When he released her mouth, Tucker drew a ragged breath and held her tight against his body. Skylar rested her head against his chest, her mind tangled in a haze of confusion. She needed to pull away, but Tucker's embrace wasn't so easy to shrug off.
"Tucker, what do you want from me?"
Tucker shut his eyes, the desperation in her tone clawing at his flesh. He was still trying to figure that out. He'd been miserable these past few days. Holding her was like a healing balm, soothing the emptiness he felt deep inside. He wanted to see her smile, he wanted to hold her close and have the freedom to kiss her whenever he felt the notion.
Skylar pulled away and cautiously stepped beyond his reach.
Tucker had to fight his urge to pull her back into his arms. "You can't deny that what we have between us is good."
"I can't live in the moment because it feels good, Tucker. I have to think about tomorrow. I have to think about building a future Garret can depend on."
Skylar turned away, and he was swamped in an unfamiliar rush of sensation. Panic.
"You know, we still need someone on the ranch to oversee the training of our horses. You're damn good at what you do."
Skylar stopped walking, the mare halting beside her. "Are you offering me a jobV
Unable to see her expression, Tucker wondered if anger or surprise strained her tone. She wanted a home and they needed a trainer. He knew she enjoyed working with the horses. No reason they couldn't set her up in a small place on their land. The thought of having Skylar on the ranch settled real well with him.
"I'm just saying we need someone skilled with horses, which you are. I know you like what you do. I was thinking if you had a place to call your own, you may be interested in staying on at our ranch."
"A place to call my own."
"Yeah," he said, stopping behind her, certain her flat tone
was a definite sign of negativity. "You want a real home. Plenty of ranches build houses for their foremen and such."
"Sounds like a bunkhouse to me," she said as she turned to face him.
Tucker frowned. She wasn't going to accept his proposal. He could tell by the cold void in her eyes. "No it's not. We built a house for Zeke and Margarete. No reason we can't build one for you and Garret."
"Wouldn't that be too convenient? Horse trainer and mistress all wrapped up in one neat package."
"That's not what I meant!"
"No? So this would be strictly a business arrangement? You want me to work with your horses, not to warm your bed."
Hell. Of course he'd want her in his bed! "Skylar—"
"No thank you, Tucker. I could never work for you."
Moisture burned at her eyes. She turned away, refusing to shed more tears in his presence.
"Damn it, Skylar, wait!"
"For what?" She imagined in Tucker's mind he'd offered her a fair deal. He didn't love her, but the sex was good, so why would he assume she'd be hurt by his proposition?
"Would you wait a minute," he shouted, tugging her to a stop. "Why won't you even consider it?"
"Because I'm not like you," she said, shrugging his hand from her arm. "I thought I could be. I wish I was, but I'm not."
"Like me how?"
"I can'
t give myself to you and not feel...things."
His expression slackened. "You feel things, for meT
He had his nerve to ask her that after he'd blatantly expressed that her feelings weren't reciprocated. She'd be damned if she'd bare her heart to a man who'd just offered her employment.
"I don't need you or any fancy clothes to get by. I can take care of myself and Garret the way I always have. Living on your ranch or marrying the first Wyoming man I come across aren't part of that plan."
Tucker's heart sank in his chest. Had she heard him and Chance talking all that time ago? "Skylar, I said that before—"
"Don't." She lifted her hand to stop his words. "It didn't matter then, and it doesn't matter now. I don't need that dress you bought me to trap a husband to take me and Garret off your hands."
"Damn it, Skylar, I didn't buy you those clothes because—"
"I tried to take care of our entanglement in Greeley, but that didn't work out." She pulled a piece of folded paper from her jacket pocket and held it out to him. "Take it," she insisted. "I intended to give it to Chance this evening, but now is as good a time as any."
Tucker unfolded the stiff paper. He stared at the deed to his valley, but somehow couldn't muster the relief or excitement he was sure he should be feeling over its recovery.
Why was she giving this to him now?
"You got me to Wyoming and I've given you what's yours."
Her crisp tone cut through his surprise.
"I don't want our farce of a marriage getting in the way of me claiming what's mine. I'm getting my horses back. If you want my mustangs, I expect you to pay me for them."
She really doesn't trust me. The revelation hit him with stunning force. "My God. You thought I'd steal your goddamn horses!"
"It crossed my mind," she said, confirming the truth he could see in the chilling depths of her eyes. Her cold gaze pierced his chest with a shaft of pain. Not only did she not trust him, she thought him to be a thief and a coward.
"You must think I'm a real bastard."
"No, I don't."
"The hell you don't! What else could you call someone who uses you for their own selfish needs while robbing you blind?"
"A man!"