by Carrigan Fox
But that didn’t give her any clues as to what Webb would want with her today. Certainly he hadn’t grown so bold as to greet her family and announce that he’d come to see her before racing to the pond with her and making intoxicating love in the water. And she knew Webb’s pride would not permit him to propose again and risk a third rejection, no matter his noble intentions. Perhaps he had spoken with Stockton and convinced him to leave town somehow. As charming as he could be, she had a strong feeling that he could be equally formidable.
“We rode here. He’s probably with the horses in the stables. You must have just missed him,” Elisabeth informed her.
All four women stared at her intently, not bothering to disguise their curiosity, wondering how long it would take her to go running after him; but Chase Fairfax would never run after any man.
“Can I do something to help with lunch?” she asked, smiling to see their faces fall with disappointment. They were as curious as she was about why Colton Webb was here looking for her. Her grandmother tried again.
“He looked quite serious, Chastity. We’ve got lunch almost ready. Why don’t you go help with the horses and find out what he wants?” she suggested.
“There’s nothing that Mr. Webb could possibly want to discuss with me that can’t wait until after lunch.”
“Actually, I would like to speak with you for a short while, if you wouldn’t mind.” His masculine voice surprised her. She hadn’t seen him or heard him slip in the back door. He looked fantastic standing there in Elisa’s kitchen.
“I was just telling these women, Mr. Webb, that we don’t have anything to discuss.”
“Don’t be rude, Chastity. Mr. Webb rode all this way to speak with you. Your parents raised you to be more polite,” her grandmother scolded.
“They certainly tried to raise me to be more polite,” she retorted.
“Listen,” he interrupted angrily, “I only wanted to give you this.” He slapped a small dark pistol onto the tabletop. “If you aren’t going let me keep you safe, then at least learn how to take care of yourself. I heard about your run-in with Stockton, and it is clear that the man would have killed you if he’d had the opportunity.”
She didn’t know what to say. The entire room full of women was silent.
“Do you know how to shoot one of these?” he asked impatiently.
“No,” she answered in awe.
“Your brother can show you, I’m sure. And that’s all I wanted. I just want you to be able to protect yourself since you’re being so damned stubborn about not letting me take care of you.” He scowled at her and then at the floor before turning to his cousin. “Are you ready to head back?”
Elisabeth sensed the seriousness of the situation and quickly rose to her feet and followed him out the back door, with a small wave to the rest of them.
The silence that filled the house after their departure was overwhelming. Chase looked at the pistol lying on the table, and she felt tears burning her eyes and the back of her throat. Elisa sighed heavily. “He’s fallen in love with you,” she whispered.
Reese smiled sympathetically at her sister. Her grandmother busied herself with finishing the lunch preparations. She wanted to run after him and throw her arms around him. She didn’t care if Marcus and the others saw. She didn’t care about being strong and independent. He cared enough to want her safe above all else, even if it meant sacrificing his damned pride. And he trusted her to be able to take care of herself. Suddenly, she couldn’t remember why she had refused to marry Colton Webb…twice. He was perfect for her. And she couldn’t imagine loving someone more.
CHAPTER 22
His advice was sound. And that afternoon, Marcus first showed her how to shoot a pistol. For such a small little piece, she was surprised at the kick it had. Fortunately, she learned that she had inherited her father’s good eye and steady hand. He had always been a voracious hunter, and his disappointment in his son’s mediocre shooting had always been evident.
“Father would have loved this,” Marcus grumbled, watching his sister aim and shoot at a tree behind the stables.
A part of her wanted to show off her natural talent. Another part of her just wanted to see Colton Webb again. And when she was truly honest with herself, she knew that she wanted to make love to him and hear him propose marriage again.
It had been two weeks since he had placed that gun on their table and walked out the back door. And she dug her heels into Artemis’ sides and hugged her neck, wishing she would move even faster. She was heading to the pond. It was hot. It was a perfect day for a swim. And with two weeks and no word from Jett Stockton, it was far from safe for her to be riding farther from her home and family and closer to the Webb ranch, where Stockton had shown up a month before. But she had her pistol tucked into a holster on her ankle—a small gift from her brother—and she felt that if she didn’t see Colton soon, she would go out of her mind. Chase rubbed the side of her horse’s neck in an attempt to encourage her to pick up even more speed.
The pond was within sight now, and she squinted, trying to spot Webb’s horse. The pond appeared to be unoccupied.
She was disappointed. No, that was an understatement. She bit her lip and blinked her eyes rapidly. “I will not cry,” she told myself angrily. “Strong, independent women who can shoot do not cry like lovesick babies.”
To make herself feel better, she dismounted, tied her girl up to a tree, and pulled her pistol out of its ankle holster. Walking a short distance from the horse and pond, she took aim at a small pail lying on its side in the tall grass. She used both hands to steady the pistol and focused on the pail while gently squeezing the trigger. The soft ping was buried by the loud explosion, and the pail hopped.
“Ha!” she congratulated herself and took aim again. She emptied, reloaded, and emptied the gun again before she was interrupted.
“You could set off fireworks and send a marching band into town to personally hand Stockton directions to this place. It might be more effective if you’re trying to get his attention.” He almost had to shout over the echoes of gunfire.
For a moment, she thought that she might be imagining him standing there mocking her. Chase grinned at his annoyed expression. “I’m practicing.”
He nodded. “I see that. Perhaps you should practice on your brother’s ranch, where there are a dozen people to help keep you safe. Alive, even.”
“I was hoping to find you here. I wanted to see you.”
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and tipped his cowboy hat farther back on his head. “Why is that?”
“To thank you.” Chase took a step toward him, and he backed away. She hesitated, smiled, and walked more briskly to him, grabbing the waistband of his pants, making sure he couldn’t get away from her. “Thank you for the pistol.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m not done yet. And thank you for believing in me and for trusting me to take care of myself.” She ran her hands up his muscled chest, grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled his lips down to her own. He returned the kiss hungrily, and she found herself leaning into him and deepening the kiss. His hands fisted at her hips, clutching her to him. “Thank you for caring about my safety.”
He abruptly untangled himself from her arms and stepped away. “You’re welcome,” he said shortly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. I’m glad you like the pistol. I’m glad you’re a good shot.”
She studied his angry expression. “Are you angry because I don’t need you to take care of me?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Chase. I am one of the few people in this world who appreciates your independence.”
That was true enough. She took a seductive step toward him. “Do you know what I appreciate?”
“I have to get back to the ranch. I just wanted to come let you know that you probably shouldn’t be doing target practice out here alone. You might be a bit more careful about attracting attention.”
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“Of course,” she answered slowly. Chase watched him turn away before saying, “What’s happening here? Why do you seem angry with me? I came here because I wanted to see you. I wanted to be with you. But you don’t seem at all interested.”
“Interested?” he scoffed and turned back to face her. “I have been interested since day one, Chase. But you make it too difficult. You demand and demand and demand. And it is never enough. I could hand you one hundred dollars, and you would get angry and accuse me of having handed it to you the wrong way. I am not so stupid that I don’t know relationships aren’t easy, but they shouldn’t be this damned hard, either. And then it occurred to me. This is not what I want. Somehow, I got lost on that damned ship. I haven’t been myself in months.”
“What are you talking about? You are exactly the same stubborn ass you were on that ship. What is it that you suddenly don’t want? You don’t want to make love? You don’t want the passion? You don’t want the secret meetings at the pond? Or the stolen kisses in the stable? What?”
“You. I don’t want you,” he answered quietly and sternly.
She stuttered for a moment, wanting to accuse him of lying. Wanting to beg him to take it back and propose to her again. Wanting him to love her. But she couldn’t get the words out. And before she could manage to put it all together, he was on his horse and riding back toward his ranch.
***
It hadn’t exactly been a lie. He didn’t want her.
He was in love with her. He loved her body and her eyes and her smile. He loved her intelligence and her independence and her tough vulnerability. He loved her kisses and her caresses and her passion. And he loved imagining her as his wife and the mother of his children. And most of all, he was terrified to realize that he suddenly felt he needed her.
But Webb didn’t want her. He didn’t want to love her. And he sure as hell didn’t want to need her.
And since she found the idea of marrying him so disgusting, he had decided to get her out of his system.
When he had heard the gunshots, Webb knew exactly what he’d find at the pond. He realized she was endangering herself, and he suddenly had to warn her against her brash target-shooting lesson. His heart raced as he urged the horse to a full gallop. He found himself getting excited at the thought of seeing her again. And then there she was. Shooting that damned pail out of the grass. She had looked delicious. And that had made him furious.
And when they kissed, he knew that she wanted to continue their trysts. They shared a great passion, and she appreciated what he did to her body. She had a man who could please her and satisfy her appetite, but a decent enough man who would not dare ruin her by advertising her indiscretions. A man who would never want more. A man who would never ask for love.
But she was wrong. She had changed everything. Love had changed everything. And he didn’t want love. So therefore, Webb couldn’t want her.
CHAPTER 23
Slaughter, Texas
Labor Day 1908
“You would look positively lovely if you would stop scowling like that,” her grandmother greeted as she joined her granddaughter on the front porch.
“Is everybody ready to go?”
“Almost.” She sat beside Chase on the porch step and straightened her simple skirt around her legs. “I’m not a fool, Chastity. Anyone with eyes can see that you’re in love with Colton Webb. I tried to warn you about that man on our voyage—”
“I’m really not feeling up to a lecture, Grandmother,” she interrupted impatiently. Chase recognized the disrespectful tone in her own voice immediately. “I’m sorry. I only mean to say—”
“Shush. For once, listen to me and consider that perhaps this one time, someone else might know what is best for you.”
Chase turned and saw her stern expression. Stubbornly, she sulked but kept quiet.
“You’ve been drawn to him from the moment you met him. I warned you to stay away from him, but you wouldn’t listen. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. After all, you’ve never had any interest in men before; but Mr. Webb was different. He was different from the very beginning. I have known men like him myself, you know. I recognized immediately that Mr. Webb is not the kind of man who settles down and marries a lady. Of course, he was charming and polite, but I didn’t trust that he was entirely sincere. But I was wrong about him, Chastity. He is a truly genuine man. And honorable. And he cares about you deeply.”
“That is where you’re wrong, Grandmother.”
“You’re a fool, Chastity. He cares. Men like him don’t want to marry. But he was prepared to commit his life to keeping you safe from Mr. Stockton.”
“That’s no reason to marry,” Chase argued bitterly.
“I take it back, dear. You’re no fool.” Her eyes narrowed critically. “You’re a damned idiot. There is no better reason than that to marry.”
“Love is the only reason,” she asserted.
“Love? It’s only a word, Chastity. A man’s actions mean so much more than a simple word. He was going to give up his precious freedom for you. To keep you from falling into the hands of a brute. What do you think that is…if not love?”
She snorted and stepped past Chastity, off of the porch. As though on cue, the rest of the family flowed out onto the porch and into the front yard. George Wainright had joined them for breakfast and took her grandmother’s arm in order to help her into his car. Elisa slid in beside her with Jacob cradled in her arms. Without a word, Marcus lifted Chase onto Artemis’ back.
As a family, they headed to Cloverdale for the Labor Day celebration. A band was set up in the pavilion while families on picnic blankets colored the lawn. Children rushed into the watering hole to enjoy what could prove to be the last swim of the summer.
Chase had been sitting on their blanket watching everyone else enjoy themselves for nearly an hour. She was nibbling on a biscuit and watching Marcus and Elisa as they danced to the band. She laughed loudly and leaned into his body. Little Jacob, as though sensing the happiness of his parents, cooed and nestled down more cozily into his aunt’s arms. She lowered my head close to his and breathed in his baby scent.
“How is young Jacob?” Elisabeth’s sweet voice greeted.
Chase glanced up quickly, both hoping her cousin would be standing beside her and hoping that he hadn’t come. She was alone.
“He’s doing very well. I think he’s preparing to nap.”
Even surrounded by her family and friends, she had never felt so alone in her life. And she couldn’t get her grandmother’s words out of her head. Suddenly, with no conscious decision having been made, Chase pushed herself to her feet and handed the baby off to Elisabeth.
“Where’s Colton,” she asked sharply.
Elisabeth gave her a quick glance and then waved absently to the field around them. “He is here somewhere, Chase. I last saw him speaking with some men I didn’t know.” She adjusted Jacob in her arms and seemed to hesitate before adding, “Perhaps you shouldn’t go looking for him right now.”
“Why? Did he mention that he didn’t want to see me?”
“No, of course not. It’s only that with Mr. Stockton still looking for you, isn’t there a possibility that he’ll be here today? When I saw you sitting here alone, I thought there might be safety in numbers, so I came to join you.”
It was an argument they had had with Marcus the evening before. He was certain that his sisters had no business attending such a public event. But Tom won him over in the end. His ranch hand reminded her brother that the Marshall would be attending the event. Sure, there was a possibility that Stockton would try to approach her today. But they knew enough people from Slaughter who would help to watch over their family, and the Marshall could easily arrest him if he tried to hurt Chastity at the picnic.
“I’m perfectly fine. If Marcus and Elisa come back, tell them I’ll return shortly. I’m going for a small walk.”
People greeted her easily as she wound her way throu
gh the small crowds. She finally spotted Colton laughing with a large man. She recognized him as the blacksmith who ran the shop next to Mr. Wainwright’s printing shop.
Chase nodded to the blacksmith and turned to face Colton. He eyed her without interest and tried to pretend she wasn’t standing beside him. “Mr. Webb, I was hoping I might have a dance with you.” She didn’t see the blacksmith’s face to know if he thought her inviting a man to dance was too forward or odd. Frankly, she didn’t care.
“I’m sorry, Miss Fairfax, but I’m in the middle of an important business transaction. Please excuse us,” he responded shortly.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Webb. I’ll come by your ranch tomorrow afternoon to check those shoes. We’ll get it taken care of,” the man assured him. “Miss Fairfax,” he greeted. “Have a beautiful day.”
“Thank you.” She waited until they were alone before trying again. “I’d like to speak with you for a moment, Webb.”
“I’ve said everything I need to, Miss Fairfax.”
“Stop it.” She made the demand through gritted teeth. “Stop with the ‘Miss Fairfax’ and the stubborn foolishness.”
He snorted. “Stubborn? If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle—”
“I’m in love with you, Webb,” she blurted out. “I’ve been in love with you since I watched you smoke your cigar across the poker table from me. You are arrogant and infuriating.” He opened his mouth to fire insults back at her. “But you are honorable and genuine,” she finished, borrowing words from her grandmother.