With This Ring?

by Karen Witemeyer

  Carrie nodded. Isaac tightened his grip on the reins. Once their horses had cooled down enough, the trio set out trotting again.

  The moon was high in the sky when John called a halt. “One more night on the trail, then the longest day yet tomorrow and we’ll be in Broken Wheel.”

  Carrie had to fight back tears of relief that this endless day was finally over and the destination, at least John’s, was within reach. Her destination was something yet again. Colorado was still a long way off, and their hard journey had helped her to see just how long.

  She believed him that they’d needed to push hard, yet that didn’t make it any less exhausting.

  John helped her down off the saddle. Her knees gave out, and he swung her up in his arms and carried her a safe distance from the shifting hooves.

  He pulled Isaac down off his mount, and it was as if her brother was more asleep than awake. John let the boy walk, but supported him as he stumbled to where Carrie lay.

  “Thank you, John,” Carrie murmured.

  He flashed his white teeth at her. The man still had the strength to smile. He made quick work of building a small fire, stripped the leather off the horses, led them to water, then staked them out to graze. He arranged a bed for two, and a separate one for himself on the far side of the fire. The nights were chilly, and Carrie slept close to Isaac and shared a blanket. John was a tough man and used to this life, but it hurt Carrie to think of all he did for them, only to be cast out each night.

  Usually she fell asleep the instant her head rested, but tonight the thought of John left out in the cold was so upsetting that sleep eluded her. Finally it was necessary to slip away into the woods for private matters. When she returned, John was sitting next to the fire. They’d eaten beef jerky and hard biscuits and shared a canteen while on horseback to keep moving. So he wasn’t making a meal. Why wasn’t the man asleep? She went to the fire and sat beside him, so that the two of them faced Isaac on the other side. Her brother let out a gentle snore that told her he’d sunk into a deep sleep.

  “You’re the strongest man I’ve ever known.” Carrie looked sideways at John. “You could have gone farther. We’re slowing you down, putting you at risk.”

  “I’ve been mighty proud to have you ride along with me, Carrie. You and Isaac are a pair to ride the river with.”

  Her brow knitted. “What does that mean?”

  John shrugged. “It’s what a cowboy says when he finds a man who’ll make a good companion in a rugged land. A partner who’ll face the dangers and fight as hard for you as you will for him. Many men, even hard men, won’t set out across wild country alone. Too many ways to die in Texas.”

  “But you did it—you rode to Houston to get us. Didn’t you come alone?”

  “Well, I’m also a Texas Ranger,” he said with a smile. “We’re the exception to every rule. I ain’t afraid of much, and I don’t need help with much. If I didn’t have you and Isaac to worry about, I’d ride straight back to Houston and track down Kearse. When I was done with him, he’d know better than to bother you again.” Then he leaned closer and whispered, “I still might do that once I get you to Broken Wheel and put Vince in charge of you.”

  Carrie gasped and grabbed his forearm. “No, John. I don’t want you to get hurt—not for any reason, but certainly not because of me.” The thought of it made her heart leap in her chest. Or maybe it missed a beat. Something strange was definitely happening to her heart. “Not because of the mess my father got me into. I want you to be . . .”

  John reached up and brushed her hair from her cheek. She wondered what she looked like after all their days of riding. The poor man was probably rubbing dirt off her face.

  “You want me to be . . . what?” he asked. His voice was so deep, it seemed to delve deep inside her, messing with her heart some more.

  It took her a moment before she remembered what she’d intended to say. “I want you to be safe.”

  “I’ve faced some hard things, Carrie, and so far I’ve always come out on top.”

  “I know you could best Kearse, but he comes with his own army. And he’s evil—he’ll stop at nothing.”

  John’s hand, still lingering, shifted so that his palm was flat on her cheek, and he’d slid closer. Then he shook his head as if realizing how close he was and how improper his caress. He caught her shoulders and pushed her to arm’s length.

  “I apologize, I didn’t mean to . . . to crowd you that way.” He let go of her and stood as if he couldn’t get far enough away, fast enough.

  “You need to get to bed.” His voice was harsh, almost a growl. He turned his back and crossed his arms, showing plainly he wanted no part of her.

  The shock of that, on top of the shock of his touching her to begin with, was like being spun around in a circle. She was left dizzy and confused and a little bit sick. And then she was angry. “I didn’t lean close you to, John. I didn’t touch you.”

  “Yes, you did.” Even angry, he was quiet, probably thinking of Isaac. “Keep your hands to yourself from now on, Carrie. I’m a Texas Ranger, and that’s not a job for a man who has a wife and children.”

  “Wife? Because I took a moment to thank you? You presume too much.” Now she could stand without fear of tipping over. Anger sustained her and helped her forget the hurt.

  “I’m gone for weeks at a time. I have what passes for a home in Broken Wheel, but I don’t stop in there even once a month.”

  Carrie shook her head, bewildered by John’s little speech. Married? Because she’d spoken to him privately? Because he’d touched her face . . . so gently?

  “I need to get to Colorado,” she said. “Other than that, I need nothing from you. If we’re going to get to Broken Wheel tomorrow, I’m sure your responsibility toward me will be relieved. Your work must be all backed up from these days on the trail. Get me to Broken Wheel and you’re free to go.”

  John shook his head. “That wasn’t the promise I made. I’m supposed to see you to Colorado.”

  “You didn’t know about Kearse when you made your promise. Now that you understand the difficulty and the danger, no one would fault you for washing your hands of us.”

  “I would fault me.” He spun around. With the moon being full, even in the darkness she could see him very well. He was washed blue, and his face, always handsome, looked like a statue carved from marble. The lines were strong and noble and even regal. He was a good-looking man, all right. Too bad she wanted to conk him over the head.

  “When we reach Broken Wheel, John, I want you to leave. I’ll not have you come near to kissing me, then turn away and act like I was luring you. You don’t have time for a wife, and I’m going to Colorado. I’ve never heard of any Colorado Rangers, so most likely you’d be without a job and a complete burden to everyone, a wife most especially. So you can stop worrying about whatever nonsense came into your head a moment ago. You’re safe from me.”

  His jaw clenched, and his rigid expression was all high cheekbones and stark irritation.

  He took two long strides toward her and loomed like a hungry vulture. “Don’t be so naïve that you deny what almost happened between us. It can’t happen. It would be a betrayal of my friend Luke and the Kincaid side of his family. And I don’t betray people, especially my Regulator friends.”

  And there he was, too close again, too handsome. She was drawn to him as though she were a magnet and he the north.

  Then the moonlight was gone as his lips rested on hers. His head tilted, and she couldn’t call it resting anymore. Carrie didn’t know a single thing about kissing, but she knew it when it happened to her. She went from wanting to take a rock to his head to wanting him closer when he was already very close.

  Despite all John had said and her own common sense, her hands slid up and rounded his neck. John deepened the kiss.

  When he raised his head, he spoke near her ear, so quietly it was more like he breathed the words into her. “You are the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.” He kissed
her cheek. “I’ve fought beside men in war who weren’t as strong or courageous as you.”

  Since she was on the verge of tears from his earlier scolding, the sweetness of his kiss and his kindness, and her exhaustion and fear, she didn’t say anything to keep from letting the tears fall. Instead, she laid her head on his broad chest. He pulled her close and hugged her.

  It was as if some of his strength seeped into her and gave her the backbone to finally straighten away. “I’m going to the far side of the fire now. That kiss shouldn’t have happened. I’m heading to Colorado, and you’re a Texas Ranger who’s never home. There’s no future for us, and we hadn’t oughta be kissing as if there was.”

  John drew his hand down her face in a caress that made her shudder with longing. Then he set her away from him. “You’re right, Miss Halsey.”

  “Good night, John. Thank you for all your help.”

  Shaking his head, he looked dismayed by her thanks, or maybe warmed by it against his will.

  She walked away from him, even though it was exactly the opposite of what she wanted to do.

  Chapter Five

  They rode into Broken Wheel long after sunset. John had pushed them all past any common sense. He wasn’t thinking so much about getting to safety anymore, to the protection of his friends; he was thinking now of getting someone near him who could be a buffer between himself and Carrie.

  He rode straight for his room above Vince Yates’s law office. Vince had since built a big house with room for his wife and three young’uns. He sent Carrie to bed. Isaac followed after, going to sleep on the sofa near Carrie. John would sleep on the hard floor downstairs. It would be even more uncomfortable than sleeping on the trail, but John thought being miserable was the least he deserved.

  He needed to apologize to Carrie, but he didn’t dare. He liked her a lot, and she appeared to like him right back. Being upset with each other was the only way he could keep himself from acting on that. Which would very soon lead to marriage, even if Carrie was too much of an innocent to see that.

  All day long, Carrie hadn’t spoken to him, at least no more words than were absolutely required. He needed to keep it that way until he could get out of town, except he saw no way to avoid riding all the way to Rawhide with her.

  Isaac had looked nervously between them, sensing the chill. Then his eyes narrowed and settled on John. But the boy didn’t comment. He might be waiting to do that for when John was no longer needed as a guide.

  Now, finally, they were in Broken Wheel. He made short work of settling them in. Afterward he saw to their horses and came back to make up a pallet on the floor. Despite his inner tension, he must have fallen asleep fast because he found himself waking up to the sound of a fist pounding on the door.

  “John, come to Glynna’s for breakfast.”

  Vince Yates. Of course he’d be the first to see that John was back.

  John could have used more sleep, but it lifted his spirits to hear Vince, and besides that, he was starving. He’d even eat Glynna’s cooking if that was all he could get. Carrie and Isaac were probably hungry, too.

  He jumped to his feet and yanked the door open.

  Vince flashed that smile at him, then looked him up and down. John was used to riding into town covered with trail dust, but he might be unusually filthy right now.

  “Well? Did you get her?”

  Footsteps pounded on the stairway, and Isaac, fully dressed, poked his head out. “Did I hear you mention breakfast?”

  Vince smiled at the boy, and then his eyes slid to John’s, alit with curiosity. “Don’t remember mention of a boy.”

  “Turns out Audra has a little brother, as well.”

  “You can tell us all about it over eggs and bacon.”

  Lighter steps followed Isaac. Carrie came in already dressed—or maybe she’d slept in her dress. She was a mess, her clothes stained and coated with dust. Even so, she looked mighty pretty.

  John turned to Vince and felt so much weight lift off his shoulders that he wondered if he might just float to the ceiling.

  “We’d love breakfast and we’re in need of help. This is Carolyn and Isaac Halsey,” John said. “A mighty bad man is chasing after Carrie here. He wants to drag her back to Houston and force her to marry him.”

  “This is Luke’s almost sister-in-law?”

  “Yep. And Luke’s almost brother-in-law.”

  “Welcome to Broken Wheel.” Vince nodded a greeting at Carrie and then Isaac. “Big John brought you to the right place, folks. Let me buy you some breakfast and I’ll hear your story. Then I’ll fix everything.”

  John smiled at Carrie and Isaac. “We call him Invincible Vince Yates, so he might not even be bragging.”

  “I know the perfect solution to your problem.” Vince had listened to every word of their story.

  “You do?”

  The man flashed a smile so confident that Carrie was prepared to believe whatever he said. She felt the need to stress once again how relentless Kearse could be. But she didn’t since she’d already reminded them five times.

  “What is it?” Carrie so hoped he was right.

  “I want to hear it, too.” John rested a hand on her back, supporting her. He’d sat next to her as if to shelter her with his body.

  It was midmorning, and they were alone with Vince and his wife, Tina, in the diner. It was a bustling town with wagons and riders filling the street while men, women, and children went in and out of the many stores.

  Tina looked weary. Judging by the stacks of dirty dishes and the dozen long tables, the diner was a prosperous business. She’d sent the waitresses home and served them herself. Then she poured them another cup of coffee and joined them at the table, sitting beside Vince, straight across from Carrie. Tina had hair as blond as Vince’s was dark, and in complete fairness Carrie had to say they were possibly the two best-looking people she’d ever seen.

  Now they all sipped coffee while they sat listening to Vince.

  A blond girl who looked to be about ten came in, whispered something to Tina, then left.

  “What a pretty little girl,” Carrie whispered to Tina. “She must be yours. I see a resemblance.”

  “She’s our oldest. We’ve got two more, and one on the way. Glynna is seeing to their schooling upstairs, along with her children and Jonas’s children. Jonas is my brother, the town parson. Glynna’s husband, Dare, is the doctor here in Broken Wheel. You’ll meet them all later.”

  “Glynna teaches while you cook?”

  “Yes.” Tina, who dressed very well for a cook on the frontier, rose and poured them all more coffee. She even served it to Isaac, who’d never had coffee before their setting out from Houston.

  “So she’s upstairs while you do all the work down here?”

  “Yes.” Tina gave her a confused look. “I’ll clean up as soon as we’re done and get to work on the next meal.”

  “Um . . . if you cook while Glynna teaches, and you serve and clean while Glynna stays with the children, then how exactly is this Glynna’s Diner?”

  “Later,” Tina said. “Right now I want to hear Vince’s plan.”

  “It’s simple,” Vince was saying. “This Kearse character wants to marry Miss Halsey. He can’t do that if . . .” He smiled, clearly enjoying the suspense of making them wait.

  Carrie was tempted to smack him.

  “If you’re married to someone else,” Vince finally said.

  “What?” John scowled.

  “Who else?” Carrie leaned forward, thinking she’d heard him wrong.

  “Carrie hasn’t got anyone else to marry,” Isaac said.

  “Sure she does. Carrie, you need to marry Big John and you need to do it right now, today.”

  Carrie leaped to her feet so fast that she nearly fell over the bench seat she’d been sitting on. “I do not need to marry Big John.”

  Big John caught her and settled her back on the bench. “Try again, Vince.”

  Vince’s eyes shifted back
and forth between them. “You’ve been sitting next to her and touching her the whole time we’ve talked. I’ve known you a long time, John, and you’ve never acted like this with a woman. It’s clear you have feelings for each other.”

  “It sure as certain is not clear.” John clenched a fist. He saw the blanched look on Carrie’s face and it made him mad that she looked so horrified. Sure, it was a lame-brained idea, but she’d kissed him after all. She didn’t need to act quite so shocked.

  “I’d say getting married is just a matter of time,” Vince went on. “Might as well get it over with when it can save her a lot of trouble.”

  Isaac sat up straighter and said, “My sister just ran away from a man she was going to be forced to marry. I ain’t standing by while someone else does the same to her.”

  Vince sighed. “It would take Carrie out of Kearse’s reach for good.”

  “Unless he decides to kill John to get me back in his reach.” Carrie buried her face in both hands.

  “He wants you in large part because you’re a young woman who, from where I’m sitting, looks to be perfectly innocent. He’s not going to want to be a woman’s second husband. He needs you to be pure and untouched. A widow will hold no appeal for him.”

  That was the first thing Vince said that made sense.

  “And,” Tina said, “it’s not right for you to ride all those days together with only a half-grown boy as a chaperone. Not to mention exposing Isaac to it. It’s not proper. Decency insists that you marry.”

  “Decency?” Carrie looked up.

  “There ain’t nuthin indecent about Carrie.” John practically growled the words.

  “We have behaved with complete propriety, and Isaac is more man than boy. He’s a fine chaperone.”

  “I have a hard time believing,” Vince said with a sly gleam in his eyes, “that two people, so casual about sitting next to each other and touching right in front of us as you two have, didn’t share some more . . . private moments on the journey.”