Untamed Hearts

by Colleen O'Connell

  “Taryn? Taryn, is it you?”

  She turned at the sound of her name.

  “Why this is delightful!” Etta embraced her, then pulled back. “You look wonderful!” “How is your handsome husband?”

  Stunned by the woman’s presence, she could think of nothing more than to splutter her name. “Etta.” She had not even considered she might see Etta again or be reminded of the fact she and Jared had acted as husband and wife. She had to set the woman straight. Her mother stood off to her side, evaluating Etta’s words signifying she’d overheard the comment. Taryn provided quick introductions hoping to sidestep around her friend’s remark.

  Another group called out to Etta. “Oh Taryn, you must meet these ladies,” she enthused, already taking her arm.

  “Did I hear her correctly?” Madeline voiced, staring after the woman.

  “No,” Taryn refuted over her shoulder as Etta led the way to the women. Her response proved the opposite, and her mother’s gaze promised questions on the subject later.

  Every attempt she made during the afternoon to get Etta alone to tell her the truth about her relationship with Jared was thwarted. She had no opportunity to talk to her privately. The afternoon’s gathering came to a close. She could at least be grateful she’d been able to divert Etta from mentioning her ‘husband’ to the others.

  “Etta, there’s something I need to tell you,” she whispered as the gathering dispersed. Her mother and aunt were saying good-bye to Agatha Masters.

  “We haven’t had much of a chance to catch up, have we? What I need to do is have you and Jared over.”

  “Yes, there is a matter I need to talk to you about,” she said, taking her friend’s arm, attempting to move to a corner of the room. “You see, Jared and I aren’t…”

  “Taryn?” Madeline called from the hallway. “Brad is here.”

  Taryn jerked her head around in horror with her mother’s cheery announcement. She’d forgotten Brad planned to pick her up. They had planned to spend the remainder of the afternoon together. If anything was said… “Etta.” She had to tell her right away.

  Etta’s curious nature surfaced. “Who’s Brad?”

  As if on cue, Brad walked into the room greeting the other ladies before reaching her side. “Are you ready to leave?”

  “I suppose,” she said in resignation. Her explanation to Etta would have to wait. Without elaborating, she quickly introduced Brad to Etta. She wanted to leave before any conversation ensued.

  Etta already informed Brad she had recently moved to Sacramento. “Have you recently moved to Sacramento as well?”

  “We’re only visiting.” Brad said, including her in his response.

  “Well, perhaps Taryn and Jared can persuade you to change your mind. Have you known the Kings long?”

  Brad’s token smile froze on his face. “The Kings? Jared King?”

  Taryn linked her arm with Brad’s. “Brad, we should be leaving.”

  Brad threw her a disapproving stare.

  “I myself met them on our train trip out here. Delightful time,” Etta continued rambling in recollection, “but I’m sure they’ve told you all about it.”

  “Not yet,” Brad bit off.

  Brad’s gaze demanded an explanation while Etta took a breath, oblivious to the friction her comment caused. Taryn choked on hers.

  “Well, I imagine we’d all best be going.” Etta glanced around the room, realizing most of the other guests had departed.

  “A pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Briggs,” Brad managed in a tight voice before taking Taryn by the elbow, leading her out of the house.

  Once outside, Brad had difficulty containing his wrath. The veins in his neck were fairly popping from his throat. “What did she mean when she said ‘the Kings?’”

  Taryn didn’t know where to begin. “Etta was confused.”

  Brad didn’t accept her answer. “What would confuse her, Taryn? Weren’t you and Jared King only acquaintances? You’ve been insisting on it all this time.”

  “Brad, it became necessary,” she said in her own defense. Brad might have a right to be upset with her for not sharing the information with him, but she didn’t care for his demanding tone.

  “What became necessary?”

  “Since I traveled alone, when I met him, Etta drew her own conclusions.” She couldn’t tell Brad the ploy became necessary because it would have appeared odd sleeping by Jared’s side without marriage.

  “It was your own fault you were traveling alone.” Brad clamped his hand around her upper arm, his eyes flaring with anger. “You might have considered what others were going to think before you decided to head out here on some…”

  “Some what? Some childish dream?” She pulled her arm from his grasp. “No one asked you to follow me.”

  Brad struggled to restrain his ire, the muscles in his face pulsating. He took a calming breath. He took her hand in his. “I’m sorry, darling. It hurts me to know you lied to me. I believed our relationship free of such deceit.”

  She released a heavy sigh, her own anger subsiding. “It wasn’t my intention to lie to you or anyone else. Things happened and then got out of control. I’m sorry.”

  Brad took her by her shoulders. “All right. It’s out in the open; we’ll put it behind us. Perhaps it would be best if you put your relationship with Jared King behind you as well.”

  “He’s a friend, Brad.”

  “I don’t want to share you with anyone,” Brad stated, linking his arms around her waist. “You don’t need friends like him.” Brad tilted his head downward, pressing a soft kiss on her mouth.

  ****

  Taryn had difficulty sleeping. She paced her bedroom floor knowing exactly who kept her from sleep—Jared. Brad expressed justifiable anger over her lying about Jared. Brad didn’t like her around Jared. Since she had not been honest with Jared about Brad, Jared must have questioned her loyalty to her fiancé. For both their sakes, and her own, she had to clarify for Jared she intended to marry Brad. Things were beginning to unravel. Before they came irrevocably undone, she had to inform him their contact would have to change. He patrolled the border of the property at this hour. It was a necessary prevention against the sheepherders from cutting the barbed wire so their herd could graze on her uncle’s land. It wasn’t wise to be out roaming the outer regions of the property alone, but she wanted the matter resolved. Dressing without thought to her appearance, she snuck out of her bedroom.

  ****

  “Rider approaching,” one of the ranch hands called out from his post along the fence. He raised his weapon in precaution.

  Jared had his hand on his own weapon at his hip, waiting. The rider approached at a fast gallop, the horse’s hooves pounding into the dirt sounding even louder in the stillness of night.

  “Jared?” Taryn called out in the darkness, slowing her mare to a canter.

  “It’s all right,” Jared called over to the other ranch hands. He got off his horse, walked over to her as she reined in her mare. The moment she dismounted, he grabbed her arm, walking her a few feet away. “You little fool; don’t you know you could have been shot the way you rode up? What are you doing out here?”

  She pulled her arm from his grasp. “I can do without the unnecessary scolding, thank you. I needed to talk to you.”

  Sighing in exasperation, Jared calmed the fear of what could have happened by her reckless behavior. He softened his voice. “What is so important you found it necessary to come looking for me at this hour?”

  She hesitated. She had his attention, yet she didn’t want to say what she’d intended. “I wanted to tell you we have to remain the acquaintances everyone believes us to be.”

  He heard Thompson’s words from the casino being repeated. “Are those your words, Taryn, or Thompson’s?”

  She jutted her chin out in stubborn defiance. “They’re mine.”

  “You believe by pretending to be acquaintances, you will be able to deny what you feel for me?” He moved
closer.

  “I don’t feel anything for you,” she insisted, taking a step back. “I’m Brad’s fiancée. I’m going to marry him. I’ll admit I’ve been infatuated with you,” she said, recalling the conversation she’d had with her mother, “but nothing more,” she contended. “I think you and I should recognize it’s best we remain no more than friends. Finished with her reason for speaking with him, she turned to leave.

  “I suppose this quest for honesty is why you found it necessary to slither away from the house at this hour to inform me of your decision?”

  She turned sharply to face him. “I didn’t slither away! I…I… Oh, why must you continue to confuse me? Ever since I met you, things have gone wrong, culminating today! It should please you to know Brad knows of our husband and wife act! I should feel fortunate he still wants to marry me.” Once again, she turned to leave, but he grasped her arm, pulling her back around to face him.

  “Thompson wants to marry you all right. He pulled her hard against him when she attempted to yank free. “He wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the fact he’ll be the son-in-law of your father who has the power to promote him all the way to a partnership.”

  “What a horrible thing to say! How dare you say such things when I’m trying to be honest with you.”

  “You want honesty, Taryn? By all means, let’s be honest. You did not come out here for the simple purpose of telling me you only want to be friends. You had other unanswered questions in mind, didn’t you? Questions we both want answered.”

  She shook her head in denial, her heart hammering as she noticed the hard determination in his eyes. He maneuvered her so their bodies pressed against each other. The power of his gaze stirred the strange yearning she felt as she stood inches from him paralyzing any movement on her part.

  Her palms rested on his forearms, his corded muscles making her fingers tingle. The heat of his body seared through her clothing. Torso to torso, hip to hip, thigh to thigh. As intimately as they stood, she had the urge to be closer still. She relaxed against him.

  He held her securely against him, his mouth seizing hers in a crushing kiss demanding her response. She melted against him, her arms clasping around his shoulders. His fingers sank into her hair, pulling it free of the combs she wore. Once more the forbidden aspect of their relationship heightened her mood as his passionate kiss continued.

  “Tell me the way you feel now is infatuation. Tell me now your hope is for us to be nothing more than friends.”

  She hesitated, attempting to control the beat of her heart. “It’s what I want.” Her conscience forced the words from her lips. Betrothed to Brad, it was the proper thing to say. Jared’s expression made her want to recant her words. She couldn’t. It wasn’t fair to either Brad or Jared. “It has to be this way.”

  Jared abruptly released her, a hard edge to his voice. “Then that’s the way it will be. I’ll take you back to the house.” Without a word, he assisted her in mounting her horse.

  They rode back to the main house in silence. Stabling her horse, he walked back to the house with her. At the back stairs, she turned to face him. “Jared, please say something.” She couldn’t stand the silence any more.

  “What is it you want me to say, Taryn?”

  “Tell me you don’t hate me.” She didn’t want animosity between the two of them.

  “Therein lies the problem, Taryn. I don’t hate you at all. At least now you’ve saved me from considering how I do feel about you.”

  Even more confused by his statement, she took a step toward him.

  “Don’t! You come any closer to me, I’ll shake the life right out of you.”

  She swallowed, stepping back. His anger was palpable. He didn’t want a friendship, but what did he want? What did she want from him? She went into the house without another word. Her calm demeanor remained steadfast as she walked up the stairs to the privacy of her bedroom. Closing the door, she proceeded to burst into a torrent of unexplainable tears.

  ****

  Three days later, Jared worked in the largest of the Dalton stables with the groom checking the shoe of one of the horses. Taryn and Brad walked in. Thompson once again tried to deter her from riding.

  “I don’t know why you find it necessary to take these rides every single day. There are other things in life than horses, Taryn.”

  “Brad you act as though I’m in danger of growing two more legs. I ride for an hour every day for the exercise and fresh air. If you ever joined me, you’d have a better understanding of why I love it so much.”

  “I don’t need to get up on some barn animal to know I don’t like it.” He caressed her arm. “Let’s take a carriage ride instead.”

  She smiled. “All right. I’ll go riding later.”

  Jared greeted them, his focus on Taryn. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning.” They hadn’t spoken to each other since their argument. His greeting gave her hope they could build on the changed relationship between them.

  Brad reached into his pocket. “Here’s the money you loaned Taryn the other night.” Brad held out the money.

  Jared glanced at the money without taking it. “My pleasure. There’s no need to repay me.”

  “I think there is.” Brad shoved the money in the pocket of King’s waistcoat. “Whatever Taryn’s needs, I will see to them.”

  She felt a rush of embarrassment at Brad’s response to Jared. Jared had given the money to her out of his generosity, not because he expected it back. He said nothing, but his expression indicated he didn’t appreciate Brad’s condescending manner.

  “We’ll be taking the carriage,” Brad instructed the stable boy. He then pointed out the horses they would use to lead the carriage.

  The boy hesitated, his gaze going to Mr. King in question.

  Jared addressed Brad. “Mr. Thompson, two of the horses you’ve chosen might prove unpredictable. They’re not fully broken in. If I might suggest…”

  “I’ll handle them.”

  “Brad,” she said, attempting to intervene, knowing Jared spoke the truth. Brad had chosen two of the newest steeds.

  Brad’s words were terse. “Taryn, do you want me to go with you or not?”

  “Of course, but…”

  “Then let’s go.”

  The stable boy led the horses outside to hitch them to the carriage.

  Jared watched the two follow the stable boy out, shaking his head in disgust before taking one of the horses out of its stall.

  Brad stood by waiting for the stable boy to hurry with his business. “Can’t you move any faster?” He moved over to the boy, grabbing the straps from him. “Move aside, I’ll do this,” he shoved the boy aside. “Taryn, get in the carriage.”

  She stepped in the carriage, gathering the reins in her hands. “Brad, are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Brad’s treatment of the stable boy was uncalled for. The boy did his job properly without delay.

  Brad snapped his head around. “Taryn, are you questioning my abilities now?”

  “No, but there’s no rush.”

  Brad yanked the rigging in irritation. The horses pawed the earth, throwing their heads back. As Brad continued to move around the horses, the animals became even more skittish.

  She wrapped the reins around her wrists as the steeds moved forward when Brad attempted to connect their harnesses to the carriage.

  “Stupid beasts, move back!” Brad pulled hard on the rigging to make the connection.

  The lead horses reared up in anger. She controlled them with the reins, while Brad yanked once more on the rigging. “Brad, don’t!” Brad’s actions caused more difficulty in controlling the steeds.

  Jared walked out of the stable at the sound of Taryn’s raised voice.

  Brad reached for the whip on the side of the carriage, cracking it against the hind quarters of the two lead horses.

  “Brad, no!” When the horses bolted forward in reaction to the whip, she remembered too late the reins were wrapped arou
nd her wrists. Brad had not been able to connect the carriage to the team. Hauled forward over the front of the carriage, she plunged to the ground, screaming as the four horses thundered forward into a panicked run. The length of the reins stretched out, dragging her behind them. She attempted to untangle her wrists from the reins. The horses ran too fast causing the reins to tighten around her wrists. She screamed as she twisted and turned. The hard impact of her body striking the ground repeatedly was unbearable as the four horses continued their flight. She did all she could to protect her face, screaming again as she felt her entire body being scraped across the ground. Please stop, please stop!

  Horrified by what he saw before him, Jared swiftly retrieved a horse from the stable. He pulled himself up into the saddle prodding the steed into a gallop while Thompson stood in stunned confusion. Taryn’s screams urged him forward. The dire consequences for someone dragged by horses oftentimes led to death.

  She could taste dirt in her mouth. She strived to hold her head up in an effort to prevent it from hitting the ground. A burst of agonizing pain surged through her neck. Twisted and spun around, her body pounded against the dirt as the horses ran in a frenzied state. Her wrists were burning from the straps of the reins tightening around them. She felt herself losing consciousness, praying it would happen soon. The ground battered her body repeatedly with excruciating force.

  Coming abreast of the team of horses, Jared moved his horse close enough so he could jump onto one of the group of four. Using his legs for control, he grabbed the bridle of the second lead horse, forcing the animals to stop. Halting them, he dismounted rushing over to Taryn.

  She lay on her back with her gown twisted around her. He knelt down, fearing her dead. The sound of her moan sent waves of relief through him. She lived. She lifted her head. He brushed her hair away from her face. “Don’t try to get up, Taryn.”