Untamed Hearts

by Colleen O'Connell

“As you said, the wanderlust.”

  Jonathan laughed. Jared had cleverly evaded answering directly. She felt a surge of disappointment course through her by his statement. She chided herself for foolishness. She shouldn’t care whether he remained in Sacramento.

  Anita turned to Luke. “How do you and Mr. King know each other?”

  Luke brought a forkful of meat to his mouth. “We don’t. We share a mutual acquaintance.”

  Taryn found the matter of Jared appearing at the ranch extremely coincidental, but she couldn’t decide what other reason to put in its place. While she considered the matter, Gwen suddenly couldn’t say enough of the fact they already knew each other. Taryn quickly pointed out they were only acquaintances having met briefly on the journey. She wanted no mistake made about it. How could she tell them the truth? They would never understand. She didn’t understand it herself.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a trip so much,” he commented in response to something her aunt said.

  Taryn blanched. Did he have to sound insinuating? As if…as if they’d been more than the acquaintances she’d alluded to previously. She could barely keep eye contact with her relatives’ faces for fear they’d see through her attempts at nonchalance. “Oh, I don’t know, Mr. King. I found it rather mundane myself.” Perhaps her comment would help discredit his remark.

  Jared still found Taryn enchanting in spite of the straitlaced, high-collared gown she wore more suited to a starchy schoolmarm. He had a hint of a smile in his expression. “I was speaking more in terms of the evenings, Miss Ashford.”

  He sat directly across from her at the table. She swung her leg out, kicking him in the shin in warning. She flitted her gaze at the others hoping her action wasn’t noticeable above the table. He stifled a grunt of pain. She gave him a sweet smile. He’d better not go any further with the conversation. She covered up the situation with a quick reply. “There were some beautiful sunsets,” she commented to clarify his implied reference. By his choked cough, he disguised laughter, but she could only hope the others didn’t realize what was going on between them.

  Gwen glanced between the two with a knowledgeable eye. Anita had a thoughtful look in her own eyes. Jonathan glanced at his wife, while Luke pondered his brother with a quizzical stare.

  A smile of enjoyment slowly spread across Gwen’s face. Taryn decided her aunt was a bit too perceptive. Gwen dabbed her napkin to the corners of her mouth before speaking. “I’ve always found sunsets are more beautiful when shared with the right company, don’t you agree?” She directed her question at no one in particular. Taryn cast a wary glance around the table as if her aunt discovered some secret about them they were unwilling to admit.

  Supper concluded. The group walked out of the dining room toward the parlor.

  Luke stretched, his hands rubbing his lower back. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I need a walk to help digest the amount of food I ate. Anita, do you feel like a stroll in the moonlight with a soon to be married man?”

  Anita paused, all innocence. “Anyone I know?” She laughed at Luke’s crestfallen expression as she rose to join him. “Taryn, Jared, will you join us?”

  Taryn didn’t know how to respond. If she said yes and Jared declined, she would be an awkward third party joining Anita and Luke. If she declined and he said yes, she would have ruined an opportunity to be near him. Why did she care?! She shouldn’t be thinking of being near him at all. She was engaged herself. She gazed over to where he stood, giving him a tentative smile. His eyebrows rose in inquiry. Her smile widened.

  He walked over. extending his arm. “It sounds like a good idea to me. Miss Ashford?”

  She took his arm. “Yes, I’d enjoy some fresh air as well.”

  Luke raised his eyebrows toward Gwen and Jonathan. “Anyone else?”

  Gwen shook her head. “Not I. The walk from the dining room to the parlor is as far as I wish to go tonight.”

  “I’m of the same mind,” Jonathan agreed. “You go on ahead.”

  Once the four left, Jonathan turned to Gwen. “What was the pointed stare you turned my way all about? You and I normally walk after supper.”

  “Not this evening,” Gwen said as they walked into the parlor. “Let those four have a nice stroll without an old couple like us along.”

  “Old, huh?” Jonathan pulled his wife in close. “Shall I show you what this ‘old’ man has the energy to do?”

  Gwen encircled her husband’s broad shoulders, a wicked smile on her face. “If you feel you’re up to it.”

  “I’m up to it,” Jonathan promised. “What I don’t know is what you’re up to. It can’t concern Luke and Anita since they’re about to be married, so it must have something to do with Jared King and Taryn.”

  “Perhaps.” She saw the questions forming by her husband’s expression. “Are we going to have a discussion, or are you going to take me upstairs and have your way with me?”

  Jonathan laughed heartily forgetting his questions. He scooped Gwen up into his arms, kissing her soundly. “Ever the romantic.” He headed for the stairs. “I’m going to do more than ‘have my way with you.’ ”

  ****

  An hour passed since the start of their walk along one of the many horse trails when the group decided to rest at a grassy hill overlooking the lake. Sitting down, they were quiet for a moment, listening to the gentle lapping of the water and inhaling the sweet fragrance of the late summer evening.

  Anita sighed, gazing at the moon. “What a beautiful night. It is nights like this where I feel every dream I have will come true.”

  Taryn peered at the sky sensing the same thing as Anita. With the stars twinkling, and the full moon glowing, there were no worries or confusion.

  Luke pulled Anita between his legs so she could lean back against him. “If I had any energy, I’d consider going for a swim.”

  Anita dismissed the idea. “As if any of us are properly attired for the water.”

  Luke gave her a crooked smile, undeterred. “We’ve improvised before.”

  “Luke!” Anita pressed her palm against her chest. “You’ll have Taryn and Jared thinking the absolute worst of me.”

  “Not in the least.” Jared smiled at Taryn sitting to his side.

  She couldn’t help the laugh from escaping her as she recalled her own improvised attire when they had shared a swim.

  Luke quirked a brow. “What are you two laughing at?”

  “Nothing.” Jared grinned, sending a sidelong glance toward Taryn for their private memory.

  She arched her back to relieve the stiffness.

  Noticing her movement, he took her arm. “Here, you can lean against me.”

  “No, it’s all right.” Any close contact with him always set her heart fluttering.

  “It’ll be more comfortable for you.” He pulled her closer. “Better?” His breath caressed her ear as she leaned back against his broad chest.

  “Yes, thank you.” Her heart skipped at a rapid pace, and she felt very comfortable. She felt a sense of warm security unlike any she’d ever known. He had one leg stretched out with his arm braced behind him on the ground while his other arm rested casually on his bent knee.

  In the span of time the four of them sat on the hill, a deep friendship formed. They talked of everything and nothing, learning of interests most important to the others. A relaxed silence finally settled over them.

  Taryn felt so peaceful, her eyes drooped shut.

  Luke nodded down at Taryn’s head leaning back against Jared’s chest. “I think you’ve lost her.”

  “Anita, are you still with us?”

  Jared observed Anita’s slumbered state. “She’s gone too.”

  “Nice to know our company keeps them so riveted,” Luke joked.

  Jared grinned. He felt he could sit there forever with her so close. “It is nice, isn’t it?”

  Luke nodded in contentment.

  Jared took advantage of the opportunity. “As long as we hav
e this time, tell me about Marcus Rhodes.”

  “All I can say is he hasn’t changed,” Luke said. “He has more power now than he ever had. The people around here aren’t too happy with him. The sheriff, Andrew Donahue, is ready to leave his post. Rhodes’ sense of judgment is very subjective. If he finds out you’re in town, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”

  Jared exhaled audibly. “He’s bound to find out I’m here sooner or later. I have no intention of hiding from him. Clashing with him might prove worthwhile to stay around for a while. I could use some amusement.”

  Luke didn’t share his brother’s casual view of the situation. “Amusement? Perhaps you shouldn’t stay. I’d forgotten you consider danger adventuresome.”

  Jared quirked a brow. “You’ve lived the quiet life too long Luke. You’ve lost your own sense of adventure.”

  “I’m all for adventure as long as my life doesn’t have to be forfeited because of it.” He kissed the top of Anita’s head, gently shaking her. “I should get Anita home.”

  Turning Taryn in his arms, Jared nodded. “Taryn, wake up.”

  “Hmm?” Her reluctance to open her eyes was unmistakable.

  She lay back against his arm. Her mouth parted, in an unintentional invitation. He longed to accept the temptation and press a kiss to her mouth, giving in to his desire. Instead, he gently shook her.

  Taryn opened her eyes, focusing on his face, then realized her position. She shot up to her feet in reaction. “I’m sorry. Did I fall asleep?”

  “You weren’t the only one.” He came to his feet.

  Her gaze turned to Anita. Luke was helping her to her feet as she stifled a yawn behind her hand.

  They retraced their steps back along the trail. When they reached the stables, Luke and Anita bid them goodnight before Luke guided the horses of the carriage toward Anita’s home. Jared hesitated in leaving himself. He wanted to prolong his departure.

  Alone for the first time with him since he’d appeared at the ranch, Taryn was even more conscious of how he affected her. She had to think of something to say. She considered again what his true purpose had been in coming to the ranch. “Why did you come to my uncle’s ranch?”

  “I came to speak with Luke Morrell.”

  She smiled. Had she expected him to tell her he’d come there to see her? He hadn’t known about her family. “Is he the reason you came to Sacramento?” She found it ironic they had been on the train for a week together; neither knowing the other’s destination was the same.

  “In an indirect way, I suppose so. What is it you thought I came to Sacramento to do, Taryn?”

  Unable to voice the words, she briefly glanced down at the guns about his hips.

  He lifted her chin. “I haven’t come here with the intention of using my weapons.”

  “The sheriff in Omaha,” she ventured, “was he looking for you?”

  He nodded. “My past has its shadows.”

  She concluded it may have been another reason he had journeyed West. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to constantly be on the move because of his profession. A sense of fear crept through her. “Jared, you’re not in danger, are you?”

  “The only danger facing me is you.”

  “Me? What danger do I present?”

  “Danger to my heart.” He pulled her into his arms, gently placing his mouth over hers.

  She succumbed to his kiss, a kiss initially sweet intensifying to heady passion. His arms tightened around her. Her arms already raised to encircle them around his shoulders. She’d forgotten the feeling his kisses inspired, making clear thought challenging. She had to stop. Brad was her betrothed. She pushed against his chest, pulling her mouth away from his heated lips. “No, Jared, I can’t.”

  He pressed his mouth to the side of her neck moving toward her ear. “There’s no harm in kissing, Taryn.”

  He was right. There was no harm in kissing if her promise wasn’t to another man. Now was the time to tell him about Brad. She weakened with the heat of his scorching kisses. A part of her wanted to tell him. Still, she hesitated. She was being unfair not to explain why she kept rebuffing his advances. Yet, it was equally unfair to Brad to allow anyone else to kiss her. “Jared, no!” She pushed away from him.

  “Taryn…?” He outstretched his hand.

  “No, I can’t!” She rushed toward the house.

  Stunned into immobility, he stared at her fleeing form. What had he done? He pulled out a cheroot from his pocket, lighting and inhaling, completely baffled by her reaction. One moment she was on fire with the passion she was capable of expressing, and the next instant turned cold. Why did it matter so much? He had never concerned himself so in the past with women he pursued. If one lacked the interest, he simply moved onto another. This new concern was completely inconsistent with his character! Women had always been readily available. Women of all types and varying backgrounds. Taryn proved different. Refined one moment, a hellcat the next. Half the time, if not all the time, she deserved a sound crack across her backside. Something he determined she’d never received. Defiant and rebellious, she also displayed vulnerability. She was too damn confusing for his taste. She kept him totally at odds which was a new experience, and one he didn’t care for at all.

  Taryn ran up the back steps colliding with her aunt.

  “Taryn, what’s the matter?” Gwen caught her niece by the shoulders. “Why are you crying?”

  “It’s nothing.” Wiping away the tears from her face, she stopped their flow.

  Gwen placed an arm around Taryn’s shoulder. “If something’s bothering you, let me help you.”

  “Nothing’s bothering me. I’m tired.” Inwardly her excuse sounded feeble. Going into the house, she ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

  Gwen stood on the porch reflecting on her niece’s behavior when she noticed Jared riding hell-bent from the stables. A knowing smile crossed her face.

  Jonathan walked out onto the porch, slipping his arms around his wife’s waist. He gave her a sidelong glance seeing her expression. “You have a gleam in your eyes again. It’s the same you had earlier. What is it you’re concocting now?”

  Gwen squeezed him tighter. He knew her so well. “I’m not sure yet.”

  ****

  Lying in bed in the seclusion of her room, Taryn found it impossible to sleep. Thoughts of Jared flashed through her mind. Her mind conjured up his kisses which made her weak with a strange desire she didn’t fully comprehend. She had never come across a man like him. With his dark smoldering looks and lightening-like temper, he matched her word for scathing word. He made her feel utterly devoid of her self-control. She had always prided herself on her comportment. Any time he drew near, she acted like a childish twit. He distracted her thoughts, and she needed to focus her attention on how she felt toward Brad. She couldn’t allow herself to become weak again in his presence.

  The best way to ensure he would no longer distract her would be to reveal her engagement to Brad, but she didn’t have the courage. Whether it was to spare him or her from pain, she had yet to decide. The next time she came across him, she would have to show him he didn’t affect her. It was the only solution. Perhaps then, he wouldn’t want to be around her. Her determination steadfast in the silence of the room, she rolled on her side falling asleep with tears staining her cheeks.

  ****

  Four days after last seeing him, Taryn’s determination and self-confidence evaporated when she returned from her daily ride to find him at the ranch again. He spoke with Uncle Jonathan outside the stables. The familiar pounding of her heart began at first sight of him, her pulse quickening in defiance of her own will. No, she couldn’t let him affect her!

  ****

  Jonathan and Jared stood talking near the horse stalls, assessing the attributes of one of the stallions. Jonathan patted the stallion’s neck. “I wondered Mr. King, if you’d consider working here at the ranch. You have a keen sense for horseflesh, and I can always use experienced help.”r />
  Remembering their conversation about the wanderlust in him, Jared had to hide his smile of amusement from Jonathan Dalton. The man had made the employment offer out of kindness. Jonathan Dalton must think him penniless. To save the man from embarrassment, he refrained from telling him he held stock in a number of diverse ventures and owned income-producing property throughout the country. He had more money than he could spend in a lifetime. He considered how to politely refuse when he noticed Taryn riding up to them. He tipped his hat. “Miss Ashford. A pleasure to see you again.”

  She dismounted, finding the encounter too disconcerting to be pleasant. She strove to appear indifferent. “Hello, Mr. King.” She kept her address formal. It wouldn’t be appropriate for them to be too familiar after she’d told her relatives they were only acquaintances.

  He reconsidered Jonathan Dalton’s offer. If he agreed to work on the ranch, he would be around Taryn all the more. He turned to Jonathan. “Your offer is very kind, Mr. Dalton. I accept.”

  “Wonderful!” Jonathan clapped him on the back. “Well Taryn, we’ll be seeing more of Mr. King here now. He’s agreed to work on the ranch.”

  Confounded, she stared at the two men. “He’s working on the ranch?” How could she control her emotions if he was at the ranch on a daily basis? She threw an accusatory glare his way certain he had coerced her uncle into the offer. He gave her one of his impossibly endearing smiles.

  “If I don’t see you beforehand, I’ll see you at the party.”

  “The party?” She silently reproached herself for sounding like a parrot.

  He paused in mounting his horse. “The celebration the Dalton’s are having in honor of Luke Morrell and Anita Adams.”

  Her displeasure obvious, Taryn had to take deep breaths to control her frustration. She hadn’t known her aunt and uncle had invited him to the party. She didn’t know if she could remain immune for the social gathering lasting an entire evening. How was she ever going to manage to remain immune to him on a daily basis?

  Jonathan offered to take her horse into the stable when the animal became restless. Taryn handed over the reins to her uncle, leaving her alone with Jared. His potent gaze rested on her. She found it difficult to breathe normally and longed to press her palms to flaming cheeks. Suppressing the urge, she swallowed hard, recognizing the passion in his eyes. “Why do you look at me so, Jared?”