“About me?”
She couldn’t see him shake his head ruefully but she did hear him sigh. “I always thought it was odd that Thomas was so concerned about your well-being. First time I noticed it was after the fire, then when you were hurt after the train incident, and, of course, when you had your fever. I thought, well, maybe Thomas is partial to boys.”
Sabrina could not help herself; she laughed.
“It’s not funny! Heck, to tell the truth I was starting to think I was into boys.”
Feeling a bit guilty and wanting to comfort his ego, she leaned over and patted his knee sympathetically.
“And now?”
“And now I’m wondering if maybe Thomas would be a better suitor for you than me.”
Sabrina pulled her horse to a stop, forcing him to stop also. “You listen; I am sick and tired of men trying to control my life. It is my choice and I chose you. I cannot believe you would say such a thing to me after you said you thought of me as being your wife. What has changed since yesterday? Nothing! You are just twisting things up in your mind and it ain’t right. If you are not happy with me, fine. I’ll leave but don’t be passing me off like some used up whore.” Tears burned her eyes as she spat out the last words. She could not think straight. Her heart ached in her chest and she just wanted to be alone. Knowing that was not an option, she chose to speed up and stay close to Chase and Thomas until she could sort out her thoughts.
Brock watched her go, wishing he could kick himself in the head. He did not mean for it to come out the way it did. Now she thought he didn’t care for her. All he wanted was for her to have the best out of life. Moreover, compared to Thomas, what was he? What did she call him before? ‘A two-bit sheriff not smart enough to know that water and dirt made mud.’ Yes, that was it. She was right. He was an idiot.
They decided to take a break as dawn was breaking beyond the tree line. Still angry, Sabrina refused to acknowledge Brock. She did not know what else to do. She wanted to head back to Tulsey town but knew she needed to sort things out with Brock. It felt like her insides were twisted into knots and she knew she would not feel right until they talked but, by damn, she was not going to make the first move. Not having an appetite, she nibbled at the biscuit that Chase forced into her hand as he glared at his older brother.
Brock feeling just as bad, if not worse, went over to try to talk to her. She turned her head, ignoring him. Thomas and Chase watched the scene in quiet amusement as they heartily ate their breakfast. He frowned at the pair and Thomas looked away.
Sabrina was taken by surprise when Brock boldly picked her up and tossed her over his broad shoulder. She squealed and pounded on his solid back as she cursed him with every word she could think of and some she made up in an instant. He carried her far enough away so they could speak privately. When he set her down on her feet, she hauled off and hit him in the face busting his lip open.
She frowned as a drop of blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. She had hit him, hoping it would make her feel better if he were hurting as much as she, but it didn’t. In fact, it made her feel worse. She wanted to step forward and dab at his face but her stubborn pride stopped her in her tracks.
Brock was still. “I deserved that,” he said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He was surprised by the strength behind the blow.
“Yes, you did,” she stated fiercely and he smiled a little and instantly winced. At least she was talking to him now.
“I’m so sorry. I’m an idiot. I didn’t mean what I said. Hell, I don’t think I could ever live without you. I guess I was just jealous.”
She looked surprised. “Jealous? Of Thomas? I have known Thomas for years. Yes, he didn’t know I was a woman all of that time, but I knew he was a man. If I was interested in Thomas don’t you think I would have revealed myself to him?”
“You didn’t reveal yourself freely to me,” he pointed out.
“I was going to. I just had to figure out a way to do it so you didn’t think I was a freak of nature.”
“A freak? Why the hell would I think that?”
“Well, most women don’t go running around pretending to be boys.”
“Well actually I kinda like that in a woman. Keeps things interesting.”
Sabrina raised an eyebrow not sure if he was kidding or not. “Why are you jealous of Thomas anyway? There are lots of available men in town.”
Brock shrugged, not wanting to get her riled up again. He answered timidly. “Well, you’re both rich.”
“Rich?” Sabrina laughed aloud. “Yes, I’m rich. In fact, my family has always been rich. We are rich enough to know that money is not important. People are. When my parents met, do you think my mother cared how much money my father had? Do you think your mother cared about your father’s wealth? No. They did not because they loved them for who they were, not for what they could buy them. They loved them just as much as I love you.” Brock watched in shame as she collapsed yet again in gut-wrenching sobs. Not knowing if he should try to hold her or not, he sat gingerly next to her and eased her onto his lap. Still sobbing, she buried her face into his chest as he rubbed her back and kissed her hair.
“I love you, too,” he told her as she shifted so she could wrap her arms around his neck. She took long slow breaths as she started to calm down.
There was a rustle nearby and Chase poked his head out of the brush. “Sorry to interrupt this tender moment but there is another pigheaded Stafford we need to knock some sense into.”
Embarrassed that they were delaying the journey she stood up and wiped her face with her hand. Brock offered her his handkerchief and she mopped her face. She blew her nose and handed it back to him with a slight grin. Nonplused, he tucked it away and offered her his hand to assist her on the way back to camp. Almost shyly, she took it. She was glad for the might of his grip; it seemed to give her strength.
She was grateful when Thomas and Chase acted as if nothing out of the order had happened and soon they were on their way.
They rode quickly now that it was light. They stopped only long enough to rest the horses when they needed rest. Brock was concerned about Sabrina’s stamina but she was holding up and he was proud of her. Thomas was not faring as well. When the sky darkened, and it was difficult for them to see effectively they stopped and rested.
Brock set out his and Sabrina’s saddles and bedrolls. He was not sure how she would feel about sleeping with him in the presence of others so he set her bedding up a couple of feet from his to be safe. Sabrina frowned at this. She was sore and tired and wanted nothing more than to settle down in Brock’s arms and fall asleep. She reached down, grabbed her bedding, and dragged it over next to Brock’s. She gingerly lowered herself to the blanket and waited until Brock brought her supper. Her legs ached and her thighs were chafed from the hours of riding. She thought about skipping supper but she knew she would need the energy for tomorrow.
She glanced over at Thomas. He was sitting hunched over with his head in his hands. He looked very uncomfortable and Sabrina felt bad for him. Brock returned with her plate and she automatically ate. Brock returned soon and she sighed as he pulled her into his arms. Shifting, she pillowed her head on Brock’s chest and fell asleep listening to his heartbeat.
She was in the middle of a wonderful dream when she was gently nudged awake. She had no idea what time of day it was since it was still dark outside.
“We gotta go,” he whispered apologetically.
“What? I just lied down.”
“We rested about four hours. There’s a full moon; we can travel by that. Plus it’s cooler and easier on the horses at night.”
Sabrina pushed herself up to a sitting position and Brock helped her to her feet. She was still sore and could not imagine climbing into the saddle for another minute–much less, two more days. Knowing what was at stake she gritted her teeth and hobbled over to her horse. Brock had lifted up her saddle already and she shooed him away as she fumbled with the straps. She quickly
located them by feel and buckled them into place. She had not worked in a stable that long for nothing. Saddling a horse in the dark was no problem for her. She noticed Brock had stepped over to help Thomas with his saddle and she smiled.
The moon crept out from behind the clouds and Sabrina looked up in wonder. It was a huge orange disk. Brock stepped behind her and hugged her as he whispered into her ear. “It’s a hunter’s moon–some call it blood moon. “
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed and right then, in the middle of the night, with Brock holding her, all was good. She wanted to stay like that forever.
“You’re more beautiful,” he said, turning her and kissing her softly. Reluctantly, he pulled away and helped her onto Justice.
The cool breeze helped refresh her and, although she did not get a lot of sleep, the sleep she did have was restful. Brock was right. The large, low hanging moon painted a soft orange-red glow on the earth. The only time she had trouble seeing was when clouds crept by, blocking out the soft light.
The horses’ more acute vision enabled them to keep plodding along the faint trail. Even they seemed to sense the importance of the journey. The party took a short stop for breakfast and then were on again. Sabrina’s body was taking a beating. On the rocky terrain, it was hard for her to time the horse’s movements and her thighs were burning where they rubbed the saddle. She tried standing up in the stirrups from time to time to relieve the sensation but the jostle made her legs feel like rubber and she could only stand for short spurts.
She was desperately looking forward to arriving at their destination, not only to help Brock’s father but also to give her tired bum a rest. She had grown up riding horses all of her life, but she had never ridden for such a long duration at one time. If you looked up saddle sore in the dictionary, it would probably show a picture of her bottom.
She frowned as she watched Brock. He and Chase rode as one with their animals. Not fair. She looked further ahead to Thomas. He was faring as well as she, and that gave her some comfort. He had placed his blanket on the top of his saddle to offer extra padding. Sabrina debated doing the same herself except it kept slipping and she constantly had to fight to remain upright. She decided that a sore butt was better than a broken neck.
Needless to say, she was thankful when they finally stopped for lunch. She gingerly climbed down off the horse and refused to sit down to eat. Brock came over to her in concern.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she gritted out. “I never noticed before but you must have calluses on your ass.”
Brock laughed aloud and hugged her. “We are making good time; we can rest here for a while.”
She shook her head no. “As long as the horses are able to go on, we should ride. I’ll manage.”
Brock still looked concerned. “You aren’t getting any blisters are you? Let me check.”
She pushed him back, embarrassed. “No! I’m just a bit sore.” And to prove it, she hobbled over to the fire and sat down. She was mighty proud of herself for doing it without screaming. Brock brought her a plate of stew over and they ate in silence. The warm food made her tired. She leaned her head over on Brock’s arm and closed her eyes to rest for a couple of minutes before they had to leave again. Brock twisted, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her onto his lap. She was exhausted from the long ride and lack of rest. He glanced over at Thomas to see him leaning against a tree snoozing. His eyes met Chase’s who looked grim. Brock was torn between caring for Sabrina or hurrying to his father’s side. Looking down at her in his arms, he knew the answer as did Chase.
“We can stay in town tonight,” Chase stated. “If we ride hard tomorrow, we can be there before nightfall,“ Chase stated and Brock looked up at his younger brother, impressed by his maturity.
Thomas awoke of his own accord and stretched out his tired limbs. He watched Brock caring for Sabrina and smiled wistfully. Maybe he would find someone for himself one day. There was an unfortunate shortage of women in the territory. But he may get lucky yet. He had met many women while at college but could not picture any of them being happily wed to a country doctor. He finished his stew and gathered the plates to wash. He regretfully remounted Cajun, his horse, and fell in line behind the others.
By early evening, they had reached the town where Chase had left his horse. They headed to the livery first and Sabrina eyed it sadly, as it brought back reminders of Star. They would leave their horses to feed and rest. Sabrina gratefully climbed down from the saddle and had to grab onto the stirrup to keep from falling as her jelly-like legs refused to support her. Brock was at her side in a second. He wrapped his arm around her waist giving her support until the feeling came back.
Chase offered assistance to Thomas, who refused. He was currently standing with his hand firmly gripping the saddle horn as he laid his head against the smooth leather. After a moment or two, he stepped away a bit shaky but standing on his own legs.
They hobbled down the street. Sabrina looked around in dismay. This was the town where she had planned to purchase her dress. That was the furthest thing from her mind now. Her aching body pushed all thoughts from her mind. She would be glad when they arrived at Brock’s parent’s place so she could get some rest.
The town boasted a small hotel and the ragged group headed in to eat. Chase stopped off at the desk to make overnight arrangements while the others went in to find a table. Sabrina eyed the cushion laden chairs and sank down gratefully. Brock sat next to her and Thomas was across, leaving the last seat open for Chase.
The server came by and Thomas ordered steaks for everyone and insisted on accepting the bill. Not happy with choices again being made for her, Sabrina frowned at him. Sensing her mood, Brock patted her hand. She knew she was being difficult for no good reason. Maybe it was due to the throbbing still in her legs and thighs or perhaps just lack of sleep. She would try to be more appreciative. Chase soon returned and Sabrina was surprised when he handed out room keys.
“We’re staying the night? There’s still several hours of daylight left; we need to get there.”
Brock shook his head. “No, we all need the rest and so do the horses.”
“I just don’t want you to be too late. Maybe you should ride on ahead. I know I’m slowing you down.”
Brock lifted up her face and kissed her on her pouting mouth. “You are not now and never will be a burden to me.”
The server gave them an odd look as she set down their plates in front of them and Chase chuckled aloud. Hungry, Sabrina tore into her food, not caring about appearances. After her first juicy bite, she thanked Thomas for her meal. They all ate quickly so they would have longer to rest.
She and Brock headed to their room. She was a bit embarrassed that Chase had expected them to share, especially in front of Thomas. But she was not upset enough to request her own room. He unlocked the door and opened it so she could enter first.
Brock heard a small gasp from her and instantly pulled his gun and stepped into the room. Seeing what she was gasping in shock at, he quickly put his gun away and closed the door. Chase had arranged a hot bath for Sabrina. Brock was a bit put out that he had not thought of that himself.
She stood staring in wonder at the large metal tub in the middle of the floor filled with steaming water. She could not remember the last time she had a hot bath. She turned to Brock to thank him for his thoughtfulness.
Before she could speak, he kissed her softly on the mouth. He kept up the gentle ministration while he used his hands to slowly undress her. She tried reaching up to undo his clothing as well and he shooed away her hands. Once she was fully unclad he helped her step into the bath and settle down into the tub.
Sabrina cringed a little as the hot water covered her raw thighs. It was uncomfortable at first but once she had sat all the way down and settled back against the rim she could feel her pain and aches floating away.
“Feel good?”
“Mmmmmm,” was the only reply as Brock situated him
self on the floor behind her.
Rolling up his shirtsleeves, he grabbed the bathing items left on the bed. Starting with her hair he lathered up her short tresses while thoroughly massaging her scalp, neck and shoulders in the process. Her head lolled back on her neck as her muscles relaxed and he gave her an upside down kiss.
He rinsed her hair with a cup and moved on to other areas. Picking up a bar of lavender scented soap he wet the cloth in the tub, tickling her in the process, and lathered it up. He continued softly caressing her body with the rough material covering his hand. The coarse texture awakened all of her nerve endings and she let out a soft moan.
He again went over her face, neck and shoulders, kissing the areas after they were clean. He then moved down to her back chest and arms. She did not think that her chest was quite as dirty as he let on. He spent an overly long time cleansing her breast and nipples. Her back arched up as he kissed them too. Relathering the cloth, he moved down and pulled her small feet from the tub as he scrubbed every toe, causing her to squirm and pull away since she was ticklish. He continued upwards until he reached her knees. Knowing the rest was still very sore he stood her up in the tub and wrapped a towel around her while he knelt down to wash the rest of her.
Her legs were even more unsteady since she was in an aroused state and she placed her hands on his shoulders for support. With her comfort in mind he gently but quickly washed her tender thighs and nether regions. He was relieved to see that no blisters had formed. They were just very red and bruised from the rugged ride.
Rinsing her thoroughly he lifted her up and carried her to the bed. Sitting her on the edge he towel dried her hair and her body before insisting she lie down to rest. She asked him to lie down with her and he chuckled.
“If I did that right now you wouldn’t be getting any rest and might not be able to sit a horse tomorrow.”
She frowned but was too sleepy to complain. Her eyelids closed as he covered her naked form with the covers and kissed her forehead. He bathed while she slept and then he headed out to check on the horses and buy some supplies.
The Stafford Collection, Historical Western Romances Page 16