Ride The Wind (Vincente 3)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "I have never been less satisfied in my life," he mumbled under his breath. "It's easy to see that you are accustomed to getting your own way," he said so she could hear.

  "Really." Her hands went on her hips, and her eyes sparkled with blue fire. "What part in all this is my design? If I had my way I'd still have my horse and the blankets."

  Reese smiled to himself, not daring to let her see his mirth. She was ungracious in defeat. After last night he'd never think of her in the same way again. Not only did he desire her; he was beginning to like her more and more. She was quite a woman and would make a fine wife. Matthew would never know a dull day with her beside him.

  But Reese knew that he wanted her for himself, and that that would never happen. Being denied what his body craved suddenly made him cross, and he nodded toward the horse. "It's time to go."

  "I'm ready," she said in an irritated voice. "You don't have to speak to me like I am a child."

  His annoyance grew until it was full-blown anger not with her, but with the situation he found himself in. He turned away from her, but not before she saw the corded muscles in his neck, and his clenched teeth.

  Why was he acting so strangely? she wondered, watching him walk away. She felt as if a moment of understanding had been lost, a moment when he would have confided in her but the moment had slipped away.

  The half-moon shed enough light so that Reese could see ahead to avoid hazards that might cause their horse to stumble. He felt Saber's head slump against his back. "You need to stay awake, Miss Vincente."

  She nodded and raised her head, feeling so weary.

  "My brother told me that horses don't have the best eyesight at night. This fellow could step in a hole, and then where would we be?"

  "That's why I need you to help me watch."

  She straightened her spine. If Reese could go on, then so could she. The night seemed endless, and riding astride was causing her to ache in places that had never ached before. There were times when she thought she couldn't stay on the horse, and twice she nodded off. But a harsh word from Reese brought her back to consciousness.

  "Can't we stop?" she asked.

  "We don't have the protection of being on Comanche land now, so if you want to put miles between us and the Millers, we have to keep moving, Miss Vincente. You can sleep tomorrow-at least half a day."

  Wordlessly she watched the trail ahead of them, wondering what power and strength pushed Reese. She guessed he'd stayed awake most of the time while she slept in the squatter's shack. How could he keep going like this without sleep when she was so utterly exhausted?

  She tried to think of Matthew, but instead her mind wandered to the letters he'd written to her about Reese Starrett. Suddenly something startling and overwhelming expanded in her chest. Every time Matthew had mentioned Reese in his letters, she had been fascinated by his description of his friend. Reese owned a small ranch past Fort Worth on the Trinity River. He had fought for the South during the war, just as Saber's brother had. Matthew had come to Texas to oversee the location and construction of several army forts that were meant to help control the Indians and make the area safe for the white population.

  She thought of their encounter with the Comanche. Apparently Reese had no trouble with the Indians. She imagined that Quanah Parker had let them pass through his land because he liked and respected Reese.

  Her mind went back to the first time Matthew had mentioned Reese in one of his letters. Matthew had been overseeing the building of a fort somewhere in the panhandle of Texas when the Comanche had attacked, forcing Matthew and his soldiers to seek protection behind the incomplete walls of the fort. According to Matthew's letter, Reese Starrett had appeared from out of nowhere that day. He told Matthew to cease fire, and Reese had gone to talk to the Comanche chief. After long negations with the Indians on the army's behalf, Reese had bidden good-bye to the chief, who had ridden away with his warriors. Perhaps the chief had been Quanah Parker. Matthew had praised Reese's valor, and wrote that many lives had been saved that day. After that, Matthew always seemed to mention Reese in his letters. But even Saber's imaginings of Reese could not have made him more perfect than the real man.

  She slumped against his back, then drew her self up straight. "Please, can't we stop and camp soon?

  He felt her limp hands clasped about his waist and nodded. "Yes, I believe we can. If you can make it for another mile, I know a place we can camp and light a fire."

  She only hoped she would be able to make it that extra mile without falling asleep.

  Reese had found a campsite on a plateau, where they could see the countryside in every direction. For shelter, there was a rock formation with a wide overhang and walls that would protect them from the wind. Bone-chilling wind rippled through the buffalo grass, which was as high as a horse's haunches.

  Saber slid to the ground and blew on her fingers to warm them while Reese unsaddled their horse. By the time he'd joined her, she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. He laid a fire and then placed the warmed blanket about her. A contented sigh slipped through her lips.

  When he returned to camp after hobbling the horse, he sat down with his rifle resting across his lap. Saber was asleep, and he watched how the dancing flames from the campfire flickered across her pale skin. He allowed himself to feast on her beauty. She was like the brightness of the sun, and as far above him as the sun was from the earth. She was pure Texas aristocrat, and he was just a broken-down cowboy with a small ranch and a few hundred head of cattle.

  A strange, piercing ache filled his heart, fanning out through his chest. He could never have her, or even touch her, as he wanted to. She was silk, and he was leather. She was a lady, and she belonged to his friend Matthew, and he would never betray a friend.

  His body tensed when he thought of her lying in Matthew's arms, Matthew touching her and kissing those inviting lips yes, she belonged to Matthew. He felt desire run wild through his body as he considered what it would feel like to have her beneath him.

  "Damn," he ground out, and shot to his feet. He walked in the direction of the horse and stood for a long time staring up at the moon. He had to make a decision about what to do with Miss Vincente. His first concern had to be her safety. He didn't think it would be wise to take her back to Fort Worth. Felton would be in Mexico now, waiting for the Miller brothers to deliver Saber to him. When he realized that he'd been tricked, he would send someone else to find her. Neither Felton nor the Millers knew Reese's true identity, so she would be safe with him for a while. There was no use sending the law to Mexico after Felton; he would be gone before they could get there. There were the Miller brothers to worry about, also. They would soon find out that their brother, Earl, was dead, and in their bungling way they would be a problem. He could keep her at his ranch until either Matthew or her brother could come after her.

  He turned his face up to the night sky. There was a storm coming-he could feel it in his bones. He had to get her out of this weather as soon as possible.

  Was he taking her to his ranch because he wanted to keep her with him longer, or for her own protection? Hell, he didn't know anymore.

  Saber woke to the aroma of frying bacon. She blinked her eyes and found Reese kneeling beside her, offering her a cup of coffee.

  "Careful, the tin cup is hot," he cautioned.

  "Where did you get that?" she asked in amazement.

  "It was in my saddlebag."

  She gave him a smile and handed him back his coat. "Thank you for this. Thank you foreverything. I know you risked your life to rescue me."

  Then she looked into his eyes, and he almost melted. "No thanks are necessary."

  She snuggled closer to the fire. "That's not the way I see it."

  He shot to his feet, and his gaze went to the western horizon. "I was just doing my job, ma'am. Your major is paying me to bring you back, so don't go making me out to be a hero."

  She nodded, feeling crushing disappointment at his words. "I thank you all
the same. You did put yourself in danger for me."

  When she stood and moved closer to him, Reese noticed that the top of her head came just above his shoulder. She was tall for a woman, but small-boned and fragile. How had she survived the rough handling of the Miller brothers? His voice was gruff when he spoke. "You'll have to wash from the canteen, since there's no creek nearby."

  She glanced at the bacon sizzling in the iron skillet. "I'll make do. Now why don't you tend to the horse, and I'll see to the cooking."

  He arched a dark brow. "You can cook?"

  Laughter sparkled in her eyes. "Mr. Starrett, you might be interested to know I'm a very good cook."

  His mouth eased into a grin. "I'll trust you on that, ma'am. I'll just get more wood for the fire."

  Saber hummed to herself while she went through his saddlebag and found flour, then mixed the ingredients for pan biscuits. By the time Reese had returned, she was turning golden biscuits onto a tin plate.

  Saber ate one biscuit and half a slice of bacon, while Reese hungrily devoured four biscuits and most of the bacon.

  "Well?" she asked, watching him bite into the last biscuit with relish. "Can I cook?"

  He gave her a slow grin. "Yes, ma'am, you can cook. But can you cook real food?"

  "Real food?"

  "In a kitchen."

  "Of course I can. Why would you doubt it?"

  "You are a Vincente. Somehow I can't imagine you in an apron silks and satins maybe, but not an apron."

  Saber's usual good nature plummeted. How could he have such an unflattering opinion of her? Dark lashes fell across her eyes to hide her hurt. "I don't see what the one has to do with the other."

  "Ma'am, this isn't a gentle land, and most of the women out here work hard and are old before their time. That will never happen to you. You were born a lady to adorn the arm of a gentleman. Probably most men wilt when you bless them with your smile. But when they look at you, most of them will have one thing on their minds and one thing only."

  She was incensed. "Perhaps you have just described yourself, Mr. Starrett, but I doubt there are many more like you." She dipped her head, thinking of the Miller brothers. She still didn't know what had happened to her while she'd been unconscious.

  He looked at her lazily while shoving bullets into the chamber of his six-gun. "I described myself right enough, Miss Vincente. I appreciate a beautiful woman as much as any man, and I appreciate your looks. I don't care if I have your good opinion, but I'd not object to having you in my bed. Of course, that will never happen, but I have my fantasies."

  Her cheeks flamed, and she glared at him, wondering why he was speaking so coarsely when he never had before. Then she noticed that his attention wasn't on her at all. He appeared to be looking over her right shoulder. "You are right about that, sir. I would never lie in your bed, and I don't care to be part of your fantasies."

  His eyes were sharp, compelling, intense, sending an unspoken message that she didn't understand. He took her arm, and she tried to jerk away, but he was too strong for her. He held her steady.

  Saber watched him ease his thumb toward the trigger. "Maybe not, but you sure as hell need my protection." He raised his gun, and she screamed, thinking he was going to shoot her. But in a quick motion he knocked her to the ground and fired into the bushes just behind her.

  Reese stood over her. She couldn't move because the fall had knocked the wind out of her, and she was having trouble catching her breath.

  When he spoke, Reese's voice took on a hard, commanding tone. "I know you're there. The next bullet won't be over your head. Come out slowly with your hands over your head."

  Saber rubbed her shoulder and got shakily to her feet just as a man called out in a heavy Spanish accent, "Don't shoot, senor. I am coming out now."

  "Tell your amigo to join us," Reese said in a steely voice. "Tell him to throw his gun out first."

  Saber let out a surprised cry and rushed past Reese to throw her arms around her brother's gran vaquero. "Alejandro, I am so glad to see you!" She turned to Reese with anger in her eyes. "You could have killed him! Why didn't you ask who it was instead of talking crazy and shooting wild?"

  "If I had wanted to put a hole in him, I would have." Reese still held his gun pointed at Alejandro. "I don't know this man. And there is still his friend lurking in the bushes. Tell him to come out now!"

  A white-haired man poked his head around the bush and grinned when he saw Saber. "Your brother's tearing up the countryside looking for you, Miss Saber. Is this man friend or foe?"

  She glared at Reese. "I'm not sure at the moment, Zeb. How did you find us?"

  The old man let out a spew of tobacco juice and scratched his white hair. "Well, sir, Noble sent men in every direction a-looking for you. Me and Alejandro came upon your tracks last night. Didn't know iffen it was you or not, but we followed anyway."

  Saber smiled at Zeb, who was so dear to her. He ambled toward her, seemingly unafraid of the man with the gun pointed at him. "He hasn't hurt you none, has he, Miss Saber?"

  "No. He hasn't hurt me. Zeb, Alejandro, meet Reese Starrett. He rescued me from the kidnappers."

  Alejandro still looked suspicious and kept a protective arm around Saber, while Zeb planted his body between them. "We're much obliged to you for your help. But we'll just be taking Miss Saber off your hands now."

  Reese shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Miss Vincente stays with me!"

  Saber and the two men turned to look at Reese in surprise. Zeb was the first to speak. "Now, just what makes you suppose that we'll leave her with you?"

  "Because when you think about it, you'll realize that it's the best and only way to protect her. The Miller brothers and Graham Felton will all be combing the countryside searching for her, and they want her real bad. I'm taking her to my spread, where she'll be protected. The two of you find her brother, tell him what happened, and inform him that his sister's under my protection. You will also want to get word to Major Halloway and let him know she's come to no harm."

  "I'm supposing this Graham Felton is the one what took her out of the hotel," Zeb stated.

  Reese shook his head. "Graham Felton paid the Miller brothers to kidnap her. You might want to tell her brother that."

  "Well, now, I'll just do that very thing," Zeb said. "But I'll be taking Miss Saber with me all the same. Her brother wouldn't want us leaving her with you," Zeb said, inching closer to Saber. "You see, we don't really know you. And we don't know that you're who you say you are."

  Reese gazed eastward. "You don't really have any choice in the matter. A storm is coming our way. It'll hit by tomorrow. We need to get her out of this cold, and my ranch is the closest place to do that."

  The gran vaquero nodded in agreement. "There is a storm coming, amigo." His gaze went to his patron's sister. "Is this what you want to do, Senorita Saber stay with this man? Do you trust him?"

  She smiled at Alejandro's concern for her. "I believe it will be best to stay with him. I know my brother won't rest until the Millers and Mr. Felton are behind bars, and I would only be in his way." She looked at Reese. Although she was still angry with him, she knew it would be wise to go with him. "Are you sure you don't mind taking me with you?"

  He was surprised she'd agreed to accompany him without an argument. "It's the only way I can keep you safe."

  Saber realized in that moment that she had become entangled in Reese's life, and she didn't want to leave him. She turned her gaze on the gran vaquero. "You and Zeb will sleep here tonight, and tomorrow morning head out to find Noble to assure him that I have come to no harm."

  Zeb nodded reluctantly. "If that's the way you want it."

  "It is," she assured him.

  Zeb took her arm and led her a little away from the others so he could speak privately with her. "You sure you're all right, Miss Saber?"

  She laughed and hugged him. "Yes, I am sure."

  He scratched his beard. "I almost didn't know you all dressed like a b
oy, and none too clean at that."

  She glanced down at her filthy trousers. "I know. I can't imagine what Noble would say if he could see me wearing these. I am tired, dirty, and I long for a bath but thanks to Reese Starrett, I am unharmed."

  "If you want to leave with us, just say so."

  "Reese wouldn't hurt me, Zeb. And if I went with you, I'd only slow you down." She glanced down at her trousers again. "As you see, I'm not properly dressed to ride about the country."

  He was still reluctant. "If you're sure..."

  Saber studied the crusty old cowhand who had come to live at Casa del Sol when her brother had married Rachel. In a short time Saber had grown fond of the old man who was her sister-in-law's watchdog. "What do you know about Reese Starrett, Zeb?"

  "I heard he's one tough son-of a-er, a tough 'un. But I never heard anything bad said 'bout him. Got himself a spread not far from here. They say he's a loner. No one knows much about his past. I reckon it don't matter none, though. It's more important that he's respected and feared. Make no mistake about it, Miss Saber; he's deadly with a gun and meaner than hell eh, begging your pardon, Miss Saber eh, he's as mean as they come."

  She placed her small hand on Zeb's rough one. "He won't hurt me, Zeb. He's Matthew's friend."

  "Yeah. Like I said, he's a man of honor. I've heard that 'bout him."

  "Tell Noble not to worry about me. Tell him to be careful when he catches up with the Miller brothers. The two older ones are ruthless, but the younger one, Sam, is only a boy. He was good to me, and kept Eugene Miller from... from harming me."

  Zeb nodded. "I'll tell Noble, but I 'spect it won't make no matter to him. He'll want to see them all dead."

  Reese appeared beside them. "Tell your boss that there are only two Miller brothers now. I had to kill Earl."

  Saber recoiled from Reese, feeling fear crawl up her spine. He could be ruthless, and he could kill a man. Still, she could not find it in her to be sorry that Earl Miller was dead.

  The campfire had almost gone out, and Saber slept peacefully on the clean blanket Alejandro had given her. The three men talked in low voices so they wouldn't disturb her. She sighed in her sleep, not knowing that Reese was staring at her.