A wry grin kicked up the corner of his mouth as he nodded in her direction. “Reckon the reverend will understand. When I formed the search party, the news spread pretty quick. Doubt he’ll be waiting for us at the altar.”
“No guess not.” Biting the inside of her cheek, she cut a quick glance at her intended. “I hope Pa’ll be home by the time we get there. He needs to know about Tommy.”
He nodded. “Yeah, and about us.”
She watched him shade his eyes with one hand and peer ahead. Was he trying to avoid looking at her directly? “We’re still going to be married, aren’t we? The preacher won’t have forgotten how he found us.” Even without the threat of Teddy Darwin looming over her, she couldn’t imagine being married to anyone but Cord.
“I’ll marry you,” he said. “I’m not the kind of man who goes back on his word.”
“But—”
“Don’t talk it to death.” He kicked the stallion and increased their pace, riding several lengths ahead of her then turned in the saddle and said over his shoulder, “Let’s get a move on. I want to make camp at the hideout cave before night falls.”
“We will talk about it again,” she called after him. “Just you wait.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Just you wait.”
Star’s challenge echoed across the distance and, in spite of the heat, sent a chill dancing its way up Cord’s backbone. When it came to getting her way, that woman was as relentless as a cowhand looking for a piece of pussy on payday.
Her eagerness for lovemaking had seduced him as surely as a baby seeks its mother’s tit. No way would he deny her anything. He was bound to her. Bound by the spell she’d cast over him, not just since she’d returned from Boston, but years earlier when they weren’t much more than kids.
The time they swam in the shallow river at the lower end of the valley, wearing near next to nothing. Star’s breasts had budded almost overnight. What a fit her ma pitched that day. It was the end of summer and the end of swimming for Star. Her ma kept Star closer to home after that.
Whether it was the easy jostling gait of his horse, the memory of that day or both, his cock hardened like an adobe brick. He moved about in the saddle and adjusted his crotch.
Wouldn’t do to cut off circulation. Given Star’s partiality for his body parts, especially that one, she wouldn’t appreciate a dickless husband. While not having a dick might be the solution to not getting her with child, he wasn’t too anxious to see anything untoward happen to it, either.
The longer they followed the trail back to Kenton Valley, the more Cord acted as if she didn’t exist. And the madder she became. She huffed and puffed her displeasure, and still that damn man kept several lengths ahead of her, no matter how she altered Dolly’s pace.
The afternoon sun beat down even hotter than it had the day before. Perspiration dampened her neck and trickled between her breasts. Even worse, she smelled of horse. Not that a certain sheriff would let her get close enough for him to notice.
Fine. He could ignore her and punish her for wanting what any red-blooded woman would want. But once she had a ring on her finger and had him in her bed, things would change.
Damn right.
While they followed the trail back toward the Tyler Ranch, he managed to ignore Star’s presence and bad mood. All right, he tried to ignore her. As soon as they reached the vicinity of the old hideout cave, he caught up to Nash. “Might as well stop here and make camp for the night.”
She remained in a pissy mood, evidenced by her nose in the air and the scowls she shot in his direction. But she had smiles aplenty for his brothers, and they seemed to enjoy his discomfort. Damn woman was used to getting her way. But no way would he fall for it.
Hell no.
He watched as his brother Nash helped her dismount and tamped down his anger. He didn’t care much for the way his traitor brother was simpering and smiling around her. A good talking to was in order for that one.
He walked over to where she stood, shining her sweetest smile now on Luis. Couldn’t she make up her mind which of the brothers she wanted? “How ’bout something to eat?” he asked, in an attempt to settle her down…and remind her just who she was supposed to marry.
She glanced up at him, squinted her eyes against the bright sun then pulled a prim and proper face. “No, thank you.”
“You have to be hungry. I heard your stomach growling for the last five miles.”
Her green eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t see how you could have, and even if you did, how rude of you to mention it.”
“Don’t go all hoity-toity on me. “ He leaned closer and said too low for Fields to hear, “Don’t forget I’ve seen you wearing nothing.”
“Appears you have an excellent memory, sir. I hope it’ll keep you warm at night.”
Cord scowled at Luis. “Don’t you have something else to do—like water your horse?”
At this, his brother held up his hands in surrender and backed away from the scene.
Smart fellow. Knew if it came to blows, Cord could whip his ass with one hand behind.
He reached for her wrist. “Come on, darlin’. This ain’t the time or place for you to get all bent out of shape.”
She jerked her wrist from his hand. “If you’re going to manhandle me, too, I should’ve just stayed in Boston.” Then she shook her head furiously. “No, I don’t mean that. Not really.”
“I know you don’t. Eat some supper. Get some rest. You’re worn out.”
She glared at him, but her countenance softened a bit. Leastways he needed to think it did.
After a silent dinner, the men decided to take watches during the night. Cord stood and brushed the trail dust from his knees. “I’ll take the first watch. I don’t trust our Boston lawyer friend here. Likely he’ll try to escape and get himself lost in the desert.”
Maybe by the end of his watch, Star would be asleep and not capable of heaving more bursts of anger at him. He tossed his bedroll at her feet. “Here. You’ll need this. Gets cold out here at night.”
“Thank you.” She fluttered her lashes and said softly, “You could keep me warm…if you were of a mind to do so.”
Shaking his head, he let a smile come to his mouth. “I’m taking first watch. You get some rest. We’ll leave at first light.”
“It’ll be good to get home.” She nodded, but the way she held his gaze left no doubt what she wanted.
At least her mood had changed, even if her tune hadn’t. He shut his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. The woman had one thing on her mind. And yeah, it was the same thing on his. He could almost feel the warmth of her, standing a foot away. And more than anything, he wanted to sink into that warmth and bury himself in her love.
But no.
Not tonight.
Not ever, except he’d be a fool to believe he would never take what was so freely offered.
It was midday Monday by the time they reached home. Star made out smoke coming from the bunkhouse chimney. Chuck was already cooking dinner for the hands who’d returned from the cattle drive. She dismounted, and one of the hands took Dolly’s reins and led the mare around to the stable. “See she gets a good rubdown,” she called after him then turned to meet Cord’s dark gaze. “Thanks for seeing me home, not to mention rescuing me. As you can see, the men have returned and I’ll be quite safe. I’m sure Pa’s around here somewhere.”
He removed his hat, wiped the dust from his face with a faded blue kerchief. He shook his head and frowned, the sun glinting off his wavy blue-black hair. She itched to run her fingers through it…and a lot more.
“I have to ride into town and get my prisoner settled into a cell. But I’ll be back to talk to your pa.”
She nodded and stamped the trail dust from her riding skirt. “Will you be seeing the preacher? I’ve had a lot of time to think. No matter what he saw or thinks he saw, maybe we should just call off the wedding.”
“Call it off?”
“
I know I was all for it, but you were sort of forced into the position of saying we were affianced. Cord, I love you. Probably always will…” The words choked her and wouldn’t come. How could she give up his love? His hands. His lips?
The lines at the corners of his eyes deepened as a puzzled expression took up residence on his face. “Tomorrow, first thing. I’ll come back. We’ll sit down and have a logical conversation. We’ll make plans. Talk to your pa.”
“I don’t see what good it’ll do.” She set her hands on her hips, meeting his level gaze. “I want a real marriage.”
His eyes narrowed, and his chin jutted forward. “Seems we’re at cross purposes. But your pa may have other ideas.” He took a step toward her, the longing clear in his dark gaze.
Be strong. Let him go. She raised her chin, shrugged and scoffed, “Pfft. My pa and preacher don’t have much truck with one another.”
“Your pa will see the preacher about a decent burial for your brother. No doubt he’ll hear we planned to marry.”
“A lady is allowed to change her mind.” She folded her arms across her chest. “And I’ve changed mine.” Dammit. Why couldn’t he just take the gift of freedom she was offering?
“That cow’s already out of the barn. No matter what you say, your reputation’s at stake.” He loomed over her, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Swallowing hard, she took a step back, but her heart hammered like a stampede. “This isn’t Boston.” The second she uttered the words, the memory of her visit to town hit her. Could she face that kind of disdain every time she showed her face in town?
His gaze narrowed. “May not be Boston, but we were caught out and we’re getting married. Make no mistake about it.”
“Can’t you get it through your thick cowboy skull? I’m letting you off the hook.”
He grinned and his handsome face darkened under his tanned skin. “What you don’t seem to understand is I don’t want off the hook.” He shook his head. “I know these folks better than you do. Kenton Valley is a damn small town. We need to be able to hold our heads up and face people. It’s a matter of self-respect. I had no business getting you out of your clothes and playing around the way I did.”
“There were two of us…playing around, as you call it.”
Cord took another step forward. She took one back and bumped into the porch column.
He grinned and circled her waist with his hands. “You’re not getting away from me. You’re going to listen.” He leaned down and slanted his lips across hers. She tried to struggle, but with his hard body against hers, her knees weakened and a shot of heat darted to her core. He held her firmly, pressing her against the post, his cock jutted hard into her belly. She opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to battle with hers, while she started pulling his shirt from his duckins. He tasted of strong coffee. He roamed below her knees and pulled up her skirt. His ride-roughened fingers splayed over her thighs, pulling her closer.
Heat pooled in her belly. Damn the man. He knew the way around all her defenses. She loved him and that’s all there was to it. All further conscious thought fled and was lost in the blast of a shotgun and a tree limb falling and a shower of leaves.
And an outraged roar. “Tarnation! You’re no better than your ma.”
Cord jumped back, damn fast and let her skirts drop. She quickly straightened them and smiled brightly. “Pa—you’re home.”
Chapter Seventeen
Cord might be the sheriff, but he saw the glint of imminent death in old Buck Tyler’s eyes. The old man advanced on him, his bowlegged gait creaking from side to side, each step bringing death closer with a firm grip on his shotgun.
Being caught by the preacher was bad, but getting caught with his hand up Star’s skirt by her bad-tempered, drunken daddy was a whole pile of shit worse.
She rushed to her pa’s side. “Now, Pa, don’t get all riled up. It—”
Tyler drew back his hand as if to strike his daughter. Cord stepped between the two. “Dammit, Tyler. Don’t you dare lay a hand on her. We’re gonna get hitched.”
A cagey expression crossed Tyler’s face as he rubbed his grizzled chin. “Reckon that puts a different light on things.”
“Would’ve been married by now if she hadn’t been taken.”
“Seems like I heard something about that.” Tyler whipped up the shotgun. “You the one what killed my boy?”
“Yes, sir. No choice. He shot at us. Nearly hit Star. But you need to know before your boy took his sister in the dark of night and brought her to a Pinkerton for a fee, he killed one of his own gang.”
Tyler’s pale eyes were watery and reddened. “That true, girl?”
“Yes, sir. The sheriff didn’t have a choice. He saved my life. Tommy shot at us. Could’ve killed me. Not to mention he tied me up and hauled me off like a sack of feed. He and the Pinkerton argued about payment, so he finagled a way to get more money and helped the agent take me to Llano.”
“Llano? Why the hell—?”
“Long story, Pa. This man from back East—he seemed to think I belonged to him.”
“Did you?” Old Buck leveled his gaze on his daughter. “No bullshitting now.”
“No!”
“How’d the sheriff come to know you were a-missing? You ain’t been back that long.”
Cord cleared his throat. “I—uh, I was supposed to visit Star that night. I found the body then formed a search party to ride after Star and your son. We planned to get hitched yesterday after church, but as she just said, she was taken by force.”
“You couldn’t wait to ask for her hand?”
“Sir, you were on the cattle drive to the railhead. We didn’t want to wait.”
“Someone else caught you with your hand up her skirts, did they?” He tried to laugh, but snorted and coughed instead.
“Don’t be silly, Pa. You know I never wanted to go back East, but ma didn’t give me a choice. I always wanted to stay here…”
“Because of this ’un?” He jerked his head toward Cord.
“Yes, sir.”
Cord swallowed hard, still not too sure Tyler wasn’t going to aerate his backside. “I love your daughter. I’ll make her a good husband.”
“’Til some sidewinder is faster on the draw than you are.”
“I’m not a gunslinger. I’m a lawman.”
“Same difference.” He spat a stream of tobacco close to the toe of Cord’s boot.
Might as well ignore the old fool’s insult. “If you want to call the preacher, I’m prepared to marry Star right now.”
“You will not marry me right now! My dress isn’t ready.” Star’s face grew red as the sun setting on the cliffs. Her eyebrows were drawn together in a ferocious frown.
“Now, Star.” He took her hand, hoping to calm her down and not piss off her pa any more than he already was. “I don’t care if you marry me in those denim breeches of yours.”
Her face flushing with heat and her green eyes shooting sparks like Independence Day fireworks, she jerked her hand free of his. “First of all, I’ve just been hauled all over Texas in the last three days, nearly suffered a fate worse than death—and Heaven only knows what else—by a man who thought he owned me. I’m tired. I’m dirty. And I’m fed up with all you men bossing me around and telling me what I’m going to do or when I’m going to do it. I won’t get married in pants, and I will wear my new dress…as soon as it’s finished.”
More than a little buffaloed by her anger, Cord stared as she flounced back into the house. He glanced at Tyler. “I’d best go—”
“Nope. Reckon you might oughta let her cool down some. But you mind my words, there’ll be a weddin’ or a funeral. One or t’other.”
“Oh, there’ll be a wedding. You got my word on that.”
Tyler nodded. “Always heard you was a man could be trusted.”
“You think—?” He nodded toward the house where a certain pissed off woman waited.
“Nah, not yet.” He set the sho
tgun down by its butt. “Been a while since I was courtin’, but if I remember correctly, women like to be asked—nice like.”
“Already asked once, and she accepted,” he said. The very thought of old Buck Tyler giving courting advice was enough to make him clamp his jaw to keep from laughing out loud. Likely the old coot wouldn’t take it too kindly. Once he could trust he wouldn’t break down, he managed, “Yes, sir. I’ll try to remember.”
He nodded and turned to find his horse. “Anyhow, I have to see to my prisoner. Already told her I’d be back tomorrow morning. Gotta see the preacher today, too.”
Tyler nodded and spat. “See that you do.”
Cord put his foot in the stirrup and swung into the saddle. Fine. Let Star stew for a while. Let her finish that dad-blamed dress. One of the many things he’d learned in the last five days was no matter how much trouble she was, she was worth it. He loved her—temper and all.
It wasn’t the way she literally tugged at his balls as much as his heart. He’d nearly lost it when he thought he’d lost her for good. He reined the horse’s head toward town and urged the animal forward.
Chapter Eighteen
The next morning, the sun dawned bright and hot in the sky. Star stumbled into the kitchen to start breakfast for her father. Chuck, the cook for the hands and trail drives, had already left a half-dozen eggs on the back stoop and taken the rest to fix breakfast for the men in the bunkhouse.
Once she had biscuits in the cookstove oven, she leaned over and checked the ice box. Ice was getting low. She’d have to send Chuck into town for more. She pulled out the salted pork to fry up for breakfast.
Her father ambled inside. From the smell emanating from his boots, he’d come directly from the stables. She looked up from the skillet of melting bacon fat. “Take off those boots. You’re tracking in heaven only knows what on my kitchen floor.”
“You been up to no good while I was gone. Just want you to know I know. Preacher was scandalized.”
She clenched her jaw and turned back to the skillet and broke three eggs into the fat and added several thick slices of salt pork. Damn that old fool of a reverend for being so nosy and talkative. Wonder how many more folks he spread that story to?
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