Ride The Wind (Vincente 3)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "You see, it's the Spanish blood that's the problem. The part of me that is my mother will always do what is correct. But my father's Spanish blood causes me to behave irrationally. It's good if you understand this about me."

  "I'll try to remember that," he said, nudging his horse forward at a gallop.

  In spite of his earlier objections, Reese admitted to himself that it felt good to have her riding beside him. He had been well fed, and a beau tiful woman was next to him. What more could a man ask for?

  By midmorning Reese had just about given up the hope of finding anymore strays. Suddenly he heard the frantic bellowing of cattle. Following the sound down to a deep gully, he and Saber located two cows that had been trapped in a high snowdrift.

  Grabbing his rope, Reese shot forward, twirling it over his head, throwing it with precision, and catching one of the cows in his noose. When he wrapped his end of the rope around the saddle horn, the well-trained cutting horse pulled the rope taut and began to back up.

  Saber loosened her rope and whirled it over her head. She had done this many times at Casa del Sol. She prayed that her aim would be accurate today. With a quick whirl, her loop sailed artfully through the air, slipping easily over the cow's horns. She did the same as Reese and wrapped her rope around the saddle horn. However, it took her only a moment to realize her mount was not trained to bulldog, so she would have to dismount.

  Pulling the rope hand over hand, she found she could not budge the frightened animal. She soon felt Reese beside her, and his strong gloved hand slid over hers as he added his strength to hers. They pulled together until the animal was free; then Reese loosened the rope.

  They both watched as the frightened animals ran up the draw.

  "Where did you ever learn to do that?" he asked in amazement.

  She looped her rope neatly and gave him her haughtiest look. "I grew up on a ranch, Reese. I know you think I did nothing but sit around and study fashion catalogs, but it's just not true."

  His admiration for her was growing daily, and so was his desire to have her. He watched her mount her horse, noting the roundness of her hips. He wanted to take her down on the ground and grind his lips against hers and drive into that tempting body until she felt some of the hunger he was experiencing.

  "What do we do now?" she asked, wondering what he was thinking as he looked at her so fiercely, his silver eyes catching the sunlight and burning right into her heart.

  "We look for more strays," he said at last. "Are you cold?"

  "No. Let's ride on."

  He mounted, watching her ride ahead of him. He cursed the day he'd laid eyes on her. She was his torment, and his heart's mate. If he had never met her, he never would have known what he'd missed. No woman would ever satisfy him now. If ever a woman had been created for him, it was Saber Vincente. But she didn't know it, and she never would.

  She halted when she reached the top of the draw and stared about her. Everything was so peaceful and serene. "I love this land," she said dreamily. "It's so beautiful, Reese. No wonder you love it here."

  He tried to see it through her eyes. It had been a long time since he'd really looked at his ranch. He'd been too busy working to keep from losing it. He could see for miles now because winter had stripped the trees of their foliage. A deep path, cut by hundreds of years of buffalo roaming, wound through the trees to the Trinity River. He saw deer tracks where a herd had fed and followed the river. There was no better grazing land in Texas than on his ranch.

  "I suppose a woman like you would find it too isolated and lonely out here."

  "No. I love living on a ranch. I would never fit in anywhere else."

  "Not Philadelphia?"

  Reese had hit on something that she had been struggling with. "Philadelphia is Matthew's home, and I assume he will one day want to return there. As his wife, I will, of course, go with him."

  Silence fell between them, and Saber's gaze traced the Trinity River until it disappeared around a butte. At last she said, "My brother always says that he who owns the water is master of his world. You have good water here, Reese, and a good ranch."

  "Your brother is right about the water." He glanced down at her and found she was watching him. "I have heard that your brother married one of Sam Rutledge's daughters. That gave him the rights to both sides of the Brazos."

  Saber laughed, her eyes filled with mirth. "If you knew my sister-in-law, you might say the woman who controls the water rights is mistress of her domain."

  "Don't you like your sister-in-law?"

  "I adore her. But Rachel is a woman who makes her own destiny, and I admire that about her. She can certainly handle my brother. No other woman could have made him as happy as she has. She rules him and makes him like it."

  Reese was startled. "Your brother allows this?"

  "He has no choice. Rachel is Rachel." She was thoughtful for a moment. "Actually, Noble encourages Rachel to be herself. He likes her just the way she is, and so do I."

  "Why did he marry her?"

  Saber gazed up at the clear blue sky and took a deep breath. "I hope I have a marriage as lov ing as theirs. They are deeply committed to each other. I have never seen two people who are more in love."

  "Yet they come from two different worlds."

  She smiled at him. "Noble once told me that crossing the river between their two ranches was the longest trip he'd ever made. I suspect he had to humble himself a bit to win Rachel."

  "And you say you like her."

  "Of course. She's the sister I've never had. She makes my brother happy, and I would love her for that alone, if not for herself."

  Reese wanted to reach out and touch her face, to bring her against his shoulder and hold her until she realized that he would cross that river for her, brave any distance if it would bring her to him. But again his honor stopped him. "Let's ride on."

  Saber followed him, wishing he'd look at her just once the way his brother looked at Rachel or even notice that she was a woman. She doubted if he ever thought of her as anything but trouble. He had certainly never seen her looking like a woman. If only he could see her in something besides worn and baggy trousers. She wanted him to think she was pretty, and she blushed at that thought. She had never thought about impressing a man before, but then, Reese was not just any man.

  She found him watching her. How would he feel if he could read her thoughts? "I believe it's growing warmer," she said, stating the first sensible thought that came to mind.

  "Yes, it has. But it's come too late to save most of my herd."

  "I know. I'm sorry."

  He tightened his gloved hand on the reins and tapped his spurs against the side of his horse; Saber had to gallop to catch up with him. He didn't want her pity. The last emotion a man like him would want to evoke in anyone was pity.

  "Let's try the left ridge," he said, guiding his horse over a slippery patch of snow that had iced in the shade cast by the cliff.

  They found three dead steers and two dead bulls.

  Her heart felt heavier. "When will it stop?"

  He didn't bother to answer her. They both knew that the storm had killed most of his herd.

  Saber's mood matched the colorless sky, and she pulled her coat tighter about her, huddling beneath the warm folds.

  There was nothing she could do to help Reese, but she was glad she'd come with him today. At least she could share his misfortune.

  If Reese had been by himself, he wouldn't have built a campfire when they stopped to eat the noon meal. Although Saber hadn't complained, he could see that she was cold. Being the stubborn woman she was, she'd rather die than admit to having any weaknesses. She huddled close to the fire, her cheeks rosy, her blue eyes sparkling.

  "I love working with cattle." She glanced up at him. "Of course, Noble always tries to curtail what he terms my `rambunctious nature.' I don't understand why he should object. I can ride as well as he can, and he admits that."

  He handed her a plate of beans and a sl
ice of hardtack. "It sounds like you and your brother are very close."

  "Yes, we are. After our parents died, it was only the two of us. Then Rachel became one of the family and brought joy to my brother. He had been very... sad for a time, but no one can be sad around Rachel." She studied the plate she'd placed on her knees. "I can't wait until they have children. I want to be an aunt." She gazed up at Reese. "I love children, don't you?"

  In that moment Reese could not have felt worse if someone had hit him in the stomach. She would one day carry Matthew's baby in her body and give it life. She would hold the child in her arms and nurse it at her breasts. The pain of that vision was almost more than he could bear. He quickly glanced away, trying to remember her question, and for the life of him he couldn't.

  "I'm sorry, Saber, what did you ask me?"

  "I merely asked if you like children."

  He thought for a moment. "I don't know any children. I've seen them around, but I don't think I have ever really spoken to one."

  She threw back her head and laughed so hard, she almost fell off the log. "I can't believe you haven't been near children."

  He frowned. "It's true."

  "Then you have a wonderful experience wait ing for you. Just wait until you have a child of your own."

  "I don't plan on having children," he said dryly.

  "You may feel that way now. But one day when you..." Her voice trailed off. He was the most solitary person she'd ever known, and she wanted so badly to make his life better.

  "I met your housekeeper, Winna Mae," he said, changing the subject; talking about children was too painful. "What a formidable woman."

  Saber's smile unfolded like the petals of a rose, and then her laughter went though Reese like no warmth he'd ever known. She had a fierce, unwavering spirit, and it touched him so deeply he wanted to always see her as happy as she was now. He'd never forget how she looked at the moment in her ill-fitting trousers with her golden hair crammed beneath a too big hat. He'd been watching her so closely, tracing the outline of her lovely face, it startled him when she spoke.

  "You can't imagine how formidable Winna Mae can be. She came to the ranch with Rachel when she married my brother. She's the real dictator of the house." She smiled softly. "Actually, she's like family. I know she likes and respects my brother, and it wasn't easy for him to win her over because she is so fiercely protective of Rachel. It seems that somewhere along the way, Winna Mae took me into her inner circle and became my watchdog. She doesn't like very many people, and anyone who can win her respect is fortunate indeed."

  Reese had formed that same opinion about Winna Mae the day he'd spoken to her in Fort Worth. "How do you feel about moving to Philadelphia and leaving your family behind?"

  She studied the tip of her worn shoe. "I've tried not to dwell on that." Her eyes met his. "You know Matthew. Do you think his family will resent me because I am a Southerner? I wonder what they will say about my being kidnapped by the Miller brothers."

  "Why should they think anything about it? It wasn't your fault."

  "They are very proper."

  He studied her carefully. "What are you saying?" He took her hand in his. "Did the Miller brothers do anything to you?" Anger flared within him. "Oh, God, did they hurt you, Saber?"

  There was misery in her blue eyes. "I...don't know."

  He tilted her chin up. "What do you mean? A woman knows if she's been ...if a man's been intimate with her."

  She lowered her eyes. "I was unconscious for two days while I was with them."

  He frowned, trying to think what to say to her. It was possible that she had been raped. He certainly wouldn't put it past those bastards. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how. "I believe a woman would know if a man did anything to her, even if she was unconscious."

  Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I've tried to put the thought out of my mind, but it's always there. I just don't know what happened when I was unconscious."

  He pulled her into his arms and cradled her lovingly, touching his lips to her temple and burying his face in her hair. "Matthew loves you. That won't change no matter what, Saber. If you belonged to me, I'd only love you more if you had been mistreated by those men."

  Her chest expanded because of the tears she was trying to suppress. "A man would have to love a woman a lot to overlook her being used by other men."

  "Not if the man loves the woman."

  She pulled back from him. "Is there a way I can know for sure if they... if.. T'

  "Yes, there is. But that would be for Matthew to determine after you are married."

  "Is there no way I can tell before?"

  He nodded. "There is. A doctor can tell." She was in torment and had probably been carrying the fear of what the Millers had done to her from the beginning. He would have a talk with Matthew and make sure he handled this situation just right. He was sick with rage. He wanted to find the Millers and kill them with his bare hands. "When you see Matthew, he will prove that he loves you," he said in a gruff voice.

  She moved away from Reese and picked up a slice of meat. She put it in her mouth to have something to do, but it formed a lump in her throat, and she had a hard time swallowing it.

  "Saber, I"

  "No, Reese, I don't want to talk about it anymore. I don't know why I brought it up. It's just that... not knowing is so hard to bear."

  "Is there anything I can say to make you feel better?"

  She stared at him, thinking he was the only one who could make her feel better. He'd said if he loved her it wouldn't matter to him if she had been violated, and she believed him. But she wasn't sure Matthew would feel the same way. All the feelings she had been suppressing came rushing to the surface, but she said, "I am not going to burden you with my problems, Reese. You have done enough for me as it is."

  "If you want to talk, I'm a good listener."

  She sensed a new tenderness in him and won dered why she hadn't seen it before. "I know, and I thank you. But I have to face this alone."

  He realized that she didn't want to talk about it anymore and changed the subject. "Since the weather has let up, I'm going to ride into Fort Worth tomorrow and find out what's happening. Would you like me to bring Winna Mae back with me?"

  "I should go with you. I'll need to see Matthew."

  "I can't let you do that, Saber. It's still too dangerous. You'll have to stay here until your brother or Matthew comes for you. But you needn't be afraid. Jake and Gabe will look after you."

  She wanted to beg him not to leave her, but she knew from the stern look in those silver-gray eyes that he would have his way. "I would love to see Winna Mae-and could you bring my trunks?"

  Reese had suddenly lost his appetite. He began clearing the remains of the meal away, then doused the campfire with snow. "Yes. I'm sure you will be glad to have your own clothing."

  He watched her walk in the direction of her horse, wanting to crush her in his arms and never let her go. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his hands off her. Where was Matthew, damn it? She was his to take care of. Surely Noble Vincente's men had informed Matthew by now that Saber was here at his ranch. Why didn't either her brother or her future husband come after her?

  Reese swung into the saddle and urged his mount into a fast gallop, and she kept pace with him. In a way she hoped Winna Mae had already gone back to Casa del Sol so she could have a few more days alone with Reese. If only she had the courage to tell him that she loved him. Would he be horrified if she did? Yes, he was the kind of man who would never think of touching a woman who was supposed to marry his friend.

  She was weighed down by misery as they rode in search of more stranded cattle. In the late afternoon they came to a wide valley, and Reese held his hand up for her to stop. She rode to his side and gasped at the grisly sight that met her eyes. The frozen carcasses of dead cattle were too numerous to count.

  Reese dismounted, removed his hat, and stared in disbelief at the carnage around him. He couldn't
win against such odds. He exhaled slowly, facing defeat. He felt a soft hand in his and glanced down to see tears swimming in Saber's eyes. Without stopping to consider, he turned her to him and held her tightly.

  Saber pressed her face against the rough fabric of his coat, loving him to the depths of her soul. This was what love meant, she thought: to hurt for someone so badly that his pain became her own. "I'm so sorry, Reese," she murmured, unable to say more because of the lump in her throat.

  He jerked her head up and gazed into blue eyes that swam with tears. Her lips parted, and his arms tightened around her, drawing her closer to him. His lips did not settle gently on her mouth but curved hard, urgently, ravishing, as he put all the frustration he felt in his kiss. His mouth punished and ground against hers, and her arms slid around his neck as she gave him access to her lips.

  Reese's need for comfort quickly turned to desire for the woman in his arms. He took Saber to her knees with him. They were like two wounded souls, seeking the light.

  "Oh, Reese," she cried, tearing her lips from his and kissing his rough cheek. "Reese."

  "Shh, sweetheart," he whispered. "Shh."

  He was taken aback for a moment. He'd never called a woman by any endearment. His body tightened as she pressed her face against him, trying to stop her tears. His hands moved beneath her coat and roamed up and down her back. He pulled her beneath his coat, and her breasts were flattened against the wall of his hard chest.

  She made a small whimpering sound as passion and desire twined through her entire body like warm honey. When his hands went inside her shirt and she felt them settle on her bare breasts, she thought she would faint as he caressed them with such tenderness. His mouth covered hers again. She had not known that a kiss could be so wonderful.

  When he broke the kiss, his chest was tight and he could hardly speak. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that what he was doing was wrong. But days of frustration, of wanting Saber, dulled his sense of right and wrong. He only knew he was touching her, and she didn't pull away.