Texas Heat

by Holly Castillo

  “Ah.” She gestured to her glass and he reluctantly poured in another tiny amount. “So if they do anything really stupid, you get in trouble for it.”

  He couldn’t resist the smile pulling at his lips. “Something like that. Or, I just make sure they are punished appropriately when the time comes.”

  “So what do you think you’re really going to accomplish here? Do you think it is going to keep things ‘peaceful’ to see the Republic Army soldiers and the rangers stationed around San Antonio? Or do you think it might create fear and paranoia?” She threw back the small shot and leaned back in her chair, obviously beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. “The Comanche have rights, too, you know. We treat them as if they are heathens, as if they have no feelings. They are the same as you and me. The same!”

  Trevor sobered quickly and focused intently on her, hoping that what he said got through her alcohol fuzzy brain. “Have you ever seen what Comanche do to their prisoners, their hostages?”

  She tensed in her chair, yet said nothing.

  “I’ve seen them cut off parts of a person’s body while they are still alive, listening to them scream in agony. And that only increases their madness. They play with their hostages, forcing them to run behind a horse until they can’t any longer and then they fall and are dragged across the harsh land. Now, tell me, pixie, have you ever seen what they do to their hostages?”

  A slight shiver went down her back, barely perceivable, but he was watching her closely enough that he saw it. “I know some of them do bad things. But not all of them. And they want peace just as much as we do!”

  “Do you really believe that? Truly? Because I’ve watched the Comanche on their war path. They maim and kill for the fun of it. They fight other Indian tribes. We are playing a dangerous game with them.”

  Serena shook her head as though to clear it. “What dangerous game? We are trying to seek peace! They are trying to seek peace! That’s what the council house meeting is all about.” She held out her glass again, but her hand had a slight tremble to it this time.

  “You’ve had enough, pixie.”

  “That’s why your men are here, isn’t it? To cause drama? To be around adoring fans? To be big brutes who always get the way?”

  “Why so much hostility towards us, pixie? What have we done to you?”

  Serena recoiled as if he had slapped her and she shook her head slowly. “I... I... well, you’ve certainly stirred up drama around here. And I’ve seen your men wooing their adoring fans.”

  “And the big brutes?” he asked softly, his eyes watching her intently.

  “Are you ever going to answer my question?”

  “Are you going to stop being so hostile to me?”

  Serena folded her hands in her laps primly and awaited his answer and, if it weren’t for the clothes she wore, one would think she was attending a church sermon. Trevor sighed and felt the room tilt slightly. Damn, he had taken too many shots. Serena, however, seemed unfazed by them. She continued to surprise him when he least expected it.

  “You were correct in your earlier guess... we’re here for the council house meeting. Same with the Republic Army. We know that more than twenty Comanche chiefs are supposed to be coming, and we don’t know how many others they will bring with them. We have to be prepared for any scenario”

  Serena shook her head again. “You can’t show your weapons in front of them. They’ll immediately think that it means they are in danger. You mustn’t show force. You’ve seen what they are capable of, and I know that they are capable of even far worse.” She looked away from him for several moments.

  “There are always good and bad in every culture. Look at us. We are Texans who went to war against Mexico for freedom. At San Jacinto, our men were thirsty for blood and they killed even those who begged for mercy. Are they any better than the Comanche that kill?”

  Serena ran her hands down her face. “I understand what you are saying. But I think greeting these Comanche leaders, who are coming here to seek peace with us, with a wall of armed men is going to send the wrong message.” Her eyes focused on his face. “You said before that you’ve been to tribal council meetings. Surely you know what is best to do in this situation.”

  Trevor leaned forward, his forearms braced on his legs, his hands interwoven. He was so close to her he could smell her shampoo—a heady mix of strawberries and cream. Or was that the way her skin smelled? He would like to explore the question further, but knew where his boundary lines were with her. The same as they were with anyone. Keep a distance. “I agree with you. The best thing for us to do is to blend with the crowd and not cause any scene. But these decisions are not made by me.”

  “Then talk to the people who do make these decisions and tell them what you know. Tell them the danger the entire town will be in if this goes the wrong way.”

  “I’ve got a day to see what I can make happen. No promises, though.”

  Serena reached out and grasped one of his large hands. Her own looked so tiny and pale compared to his suntanned, roughened large ones. Hers was so smooth and soft, even though she had a few callouses from her work in the kitchen. From the moment her skin touched his it was as though he had been hit with lightening and he froze in place, his eyes slowly lifting to look at her stunning green ones.

  “Thank you. Whatever you can do—it means so much to me. Thank you.”

  He couldn’t think of anything logical to say. So he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “So that means you won’t be spying on my men any longer?”

  Her smile lit up the semi-dark room, and the lantern made her eyes glitter. “I’ll find another roof if you’d prefer.”

  “No,” he heard himself say, but he didn’t recognize his own voice. “It will be nice to look up there and see you every evening.”

  Her smile broadened and he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her sweet pink lips, to find out if she really tasted like strawberries and cream.

  “How long will you be here?” she asked softly, obviously recognizing the intimacy of the moment.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. Until I receive my next set of orders.” He smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently. “May I walk you home?”

  Her smile slipped a little and slowly she pulled her hand from his. “I can make it on my own, thank you.” She stood and wavered on her feet, trying to catch her balance.

  His hands instantly went to her waist and braced her as he stood. The room tilted slightly, but not bad enough he wouldn’t be able to walk. But based on the way she clung to his hands on her waist, she was in no condition to walk home on her own.

  “C’mon, pixie. Let’s get you home.”

  Chapter Three

  There was an odd fluttering in her stomach as she settled into her spot on the roof. It had been a long, brutal day at the cocina. Their grandfather was moving slowly, his knees hurting him to the point that walking was difficult. So they had to double their speed as they took care of gathering everything from him while he sat out by the pit as he grilled.

  Her feet ached, her shoulders were sore from carrying multiple plates, and, overall, she was completely exhausted, no thanks to the number of shots of rum she had done the night before. She had lost count after the fourth one. But she remembered her conversation with the ranger clearly. She only wished she had asked him what his name was. But the entire day she had been full of hope that he had been able to get through to the right people so that they didn’t insult the Comanche.

  She hugged her knees to her chest as she watched the door to the saloon, hoping to see him come out soon. She vaguely remembered him helping her home, his arm wrapped around her waist as she stumbled alongside him, trying to match her steps to his long strides. She also remembered arguing with him the entire time that she wasn’t drunk and could get home just fine on her own.

  After that, things got a little blurry. Somehow they had gotten into the house and to her room without waki
ng anyone. And then she was on the bed while he unlaced her shoes and gently pulled them off her feet. That was the last thing she remembered. Her cheeks flamed as she thought of how she had woken in the morning. All she was wearing was her thin chemise that she wore under her shirt. That was it. No pants. No shirt. Absolutely mortifying.

  He had probably been with enough women that undressing one wasn’t unusual to him at all. But it had been highly disturbing to her. What was more disturbing, was the fact that she wasn’t necessarily upset he had undressed her—she wondered what he had thought about her as he had slid off her buckskin pants and pulled off her large shirt. She wished she could have been coherent and awake when he had done it so that she could have watched his face for a reaction. Had he been indifferent, pleased, disappointed?

  She wiped a hand down her face and could feel the blush climbing to her cheeks again. She had never had such thoughts about a man. Her life revolved around the cocina and seeking her freedom every night. She daydreamed about exploring the world instead of daydreaming about men, the way most girls her age did. Why now? Why with this man?

  She wasn’t smoking a cigarette this time. She just sat in the dark atop the building, resting her chin on her knees that she held tightly against her chest. She was strongly tempted to leave. What if he was disgusted by her for getting drunk? What if he had no desire to ever see her again? She shouldn’t be up on a roof waiting for him. None of it should matter to her.

  She turned and began to stand to leave when a deep voice stopped her instantly and made her heart pound rapidly. “I thought you weren’t going to spy on my men anymore, Pixie.”

  Serena sat back down but pivoted to face the ranger, forcing her face into a neutral expression. “Why do you automatically assume that I’m spying on your rangers?”

  “Because that’s what you’ve been doing for the past several days.” He walked slowly across the roof ridge and sat down beside her, again with his shoulder pressing against hers.

  “Did you know this rooftop, specifically, is the best view of the entire town?”

  He gazed at the town around them and a slow smile spread to his face. “It really is. Good eye, pixie. Do you come up here every night?”

  She forced her gaze off of him when his eyes turned towards hers. She didn’t want to be caught staring at his face, admiring the angles of his high cheekbones and square jaw and intense grey eyes.

  She struggled to remember what he had just asked her. “No, not every night. Sometimes I go to other parts of town. Sometimes I go just a little outside of town where it is pitch black and the only sound is the wind blowing through the leaves and the crickets chirping. If the moon is out, I go to the river and sit out there, listening to the water bubbling over rocks and watching the way the moon makes the river shine like a beautiful jewel. It’s my way to escape.”

  Slowly, she lifted her eyes to his, and he didn’t look pleased that she had shared such information with him.

  Instead, he looked irritated and angry. “Do you realize the danger you are putting yourself in to do such foolish things? Are you even remotely aware of what lurks out there, waiting for someone like you to come along?”

  “What are you talking about? There aren’t any people out there.” Serena bristled at his tone. It was almost as though he were lecturing her as a child.

  “Tell that to my rangers who drove away a half dozen men camped not far from the river. They were a rowdy bunch of men that had been kicked out of town, but they would still come in during the day, harassing the locals and the businesses. I’m surprised they didn’t come by the cocina.”

  She flinched at the tone of his voice. “I’m not a child, ranger. I don’t take any foolish risks.”

  He dropped his head down and shook it, chuckling slightly. “Pixie, I think ‘risk’ is your middle name.”

  “Speaking of names,” Serena began hesitantly, “I don’t think we’ve ever been properly introduced.” She willed her nerves to calm down and held out her hand to him. “I’m Serena Torres.”

  A corner of his lips lifted in a disarming smile. And then his large, tanned hand engulfed hers. “Trevor Daniels,” he said softly.

  “You already knew my name, didn’t you?” she asked, even though she was fairly certain she knew the answer.

  He smiled and didn’t release her hand. “It’s part of my job to know things about everyone. At least everyone that draws my attention.”

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing to draw your attention?”

  He took her hand and raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it. “In your case, it could be a little of both.”

  He slowly released her hand, reluctant to lose her touch. He had felt her pulse racing at her wrist, and he hoped it was from excitement, not fear.

  Her bright green eyes were watching him intently and he wondered what was running through her mind. She didn’t make him wait. “Why did you come up here tonight?”

  Trevor turned his eyes back to the saloon, debating exactly how he should respond. “I attempted to persuade our Texan representatives that the show of force could be received poorly.”

  Serena’s eyes widened as she watched him. “Truly? You truly asked?”

  Trevor refused to turn his head to look at her, irritation building. He kept his eyes on the activity of the saloon. “I told you I would. Do you have such little faith in me?”

  “No, I mean yes, I mean... I’m not used to very many people following through on things they tell me.” She shrugged and turned her eyes towards the road leading out of town for a few moments, then looked back at the saloon.

  Trevor made a mental note to himself about her behavior, eager to ask more questions, but this wasn’t the time. “Yes, I asked. But it was met with resistance. They already have set in their minds what to expect tomorrow.”

  “So the Comanche are going to arrive and be greeted by a bunch of men and soldiers with loaded guns. Does that say peace meeting to you?”

  He shook his head. “No. But I understand both sides. Pixie, your only exposure to the Comanche is an old man, who made the choice to live here instead of with his tribe, and his son, whom you grew up alongside. You don’t know these people and what they are really capable of.”

  “They are making the effort to come here and negotiate a peace agreement. Doesn’t that stand for something?” Serena had turned her eyes back on him.

  He turned slightly and looked at her directly. “These are dangerous times, Serena. We can’t trust them and they can’t trust us. I can assure you that they are going to come here with some of their warriors armed with knives, bows, and axes. If we demand for them to turn over their weapons, they can demand the same of us. And I guarantee you the Texans will refuse to give up their arms. So what would you have us do?”

  Serena turned as well so she could face him. “I don’t have a solution. I shouldn’t be the one coming up with solutions! This is your area of expertise. These are your men. Order them to stand down!”

  “While a group of Comanche warriors file into San Antonio?” He shook his head. “That’s impossible. I could order my rangers to stand down, but that doesn’t stop the Republic Army. I have no control over them.”

  Serena closed her eyes for several long seconds. When she opened them, her green eyes were shimmering. “We need the peace agreement to work. We have to be able to live with them and not be afraid all of the time. Don’t you see how important this is?”

  Trevor watched her closely and couldn’t resist the temptation to catch one of her curls and loop it behind her ear. It was an intimate touch, but she didn’t shy away from him. “I know all too well how important this is. I’ve been with these tribes. And I’ve been a ranger for four years. And the Comanche have both welcomed me and tried to kill me. I understand the need for peace all too well.” He wanted to see peace and, at the same time, justice.

  He was on his own personal mission besides the peace treaty. But if he told Serena, he strongly suspe
cted she wouldn’t want to talk to him again. She was about trust and unity. He was about truth and justice.

  She caught his hand in both of hers and, for a brief moment, he was astonished by her strength. There was more to this woman than he had originally anticipated, and he was enjoying constantly being surprised by her.

  “Then promise me something.”

  At that moment she licked her lips and he felt like promising her the moon. She was so close he could smell the sweet strawberries and cream scent, and could almost count the freckles covering the bridge of her nose. He almost promised her anything.

  “What, Pixie?” he asked softly.

  “Promise me you will protect the innocent tomorrow.”

  “Regardless of which side they are on?” He had to clarify. Because he had no idea what tomorrow might bring to him.

  She drew in a deep breath. “Yes. Regardless which side they are on.”

  He couldn’t fight the temptation anymore and lowered his head to hers, taking her lips firmly against his. She did taste like strawberries and cream, only sweeter, and certainly more intoxicating. Especially when she returned the kiss, pressing her lips firmly to his.

  With a low moan of approval, his hands slid into her silky curls and he tilted her head, slanting his mouth over hers. She hesitantly rubbed her hands on his shoulders, then gradually moved up until she was holding his head, tentatively running her hands through his hair at the nape of his neck.

  Her actions were so cautious and uncertain, he was suddenly hit with a thought that both excited him and made him feel like he had just taken advantage of her sweet innocence.

  Slowly he pulled back and leveled a look at her. “This isn’t your first time to be kissed, is it?”

  Her eyes searched his face for several moments, but she didn’t pull further away from him. She kept her fingers in his hair, kept her head tilted to receive his kisses. “If it is, does that change anything?”

  With tremendous willpower, Trevor pulled away from her and pushed his hat back on his forehead. “I’m the wrong man, pixie. I’m wrong for you in a thousand ways. And you deserve a gentleman to teach you what it is like to kiss, not someone like me.”