Sweet Talking Lawman

by M. B. Buckner

  He was almost back to the shed when he met Jory walking hand in hand with Raale beside Rance in his power wheelchair. Raale, of course, had to have a goodnight smooch from her dad and Rafe was thankful that he’d encountered them. After the exchange of affection, he watched as they resumed their trek to the cabin. In the background, he could hear Mesa singing Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. Slowly he turned and walked back to the machine shed and found Uci sitting with Jenny in the group that was listening to the song. Spur had left his grassy patch and was relaxed next to the chair that had been provided for Uci’s comfort.

  His grandmother watched him approach, recognizing in his stride the tension she’d come to realize resulted from being around Mesa. She hadn’t been surprised once she met Raale that there had been something between Rafe and the child’s mother when they’d encountered each other in Branson. She hadn’t been surprised either, at his hurt and anger when he learned that Mesa had kept knowledge of their child from him. But it was easy to see that there was still some sparks flying between them. Even if Rafe didn’t want to acknowledge it, Uci suspected he was still in love with his daughter’s mother.

  He bent his big frame and settled into a folding chair next to his grandmother’s. “Are you getting’ tired?” he asked.

  She cackled a short laugh, her umber eyes sparkling with mischief. “Why? Are you?”

  He shrugged. “I just thought if you were, I’d load up and take you on home. I know you’ve been going hard since daylight.”

  Jenny looked around Uci at her brother. “While you were busy in the arena today, Shirley and Uci went to the big house and had a nap.”

  Rafe didn’t acknowledge that his sister had spoken, even to look at her, but kept his eyes on Uci. “I don’t want you pushin’ yourself so hard that you make yourself sick.”

  “Didn’t you hear what your sister just said?” Uci chortled, her wrinkled face smiling up at him.

  “I’m not speaking to or hearing anything my sister has to say, at least, not until I hear an apology from her. Family doesn’t keep the kind of secrets she kept from me,” he replied, his voice stilted and angry.

  Jenny stood up and came around her grandmother, her temper flashing angrily. “Damn your hard head, Rafter Storm Horse,” she started, but Russ appeared from behind her and wrapped her in his big arms from behind, raining kisses against the back of her head. Jenny always loved to watch fights on television and had taken boxing lessons at a local gym. Her trainer had liked her determination and had arranged for her go a round or two with a female boxer who was passing through town and needed a sparring partner. Jenny didn’t fight like a woman and he knew that under the right circumstances, she wouldn’t hesitate to sail into the middle of a brawl, gender of the brawlers, notwithstanding.

  “Easy, darlin’,” he spoke softly into his wife’s ear. “This is not the place for you to whup his ass. You should just wait until he comes to the barn for a load of hay.” Laughter sparkled in his eyes when he said the last statement looking steadily at his brother-in-law.

  Rafe had stood up as Jenny shot out of her chair, remembering her penchant to start swinging her fists, and now he glowered at Russ. “Don’t condone what she did to me, Russ,” he said. “She was wrong and you know it.”

  Russ grinned at his brother-in-law, his arms tightening to keep hold of Jenny, who only put up a token struggle. “Hell, I didn’t say she was right. I just know when she gets fired up she can whip my ass and I can whip yours. I’m just lookin’ out for you, tryin’ to save you from public embarrassment.”

  Rafe chuckled dryly. “You’re just anxious to keep her from getting arrested for starting a brawl.”

  Jenny wiggled out of Russ’s arms. “And he’s right! I can whip your ass!”

  Rafe didn’t look at her. Instead he held out his hand to Uci. “I’d like to dance with you, if you feel like it.”

  She smiled and stood up, taking his hand before she turned and looked at her granddaughter. “It might be a good idea to think about what he said. Family should always be able to trust each other.”

  On the dance floor, Rafe led his grandmother in a slow dance, moving her around the floor with grace, his face glowing with pleasure. “Thank you for speaking up for me,” he said softly.

  “You are right. Jenny was wrong to agree to keep Raale a secret. She should have encouraged Mesa to tell you the truth, from the beginning. But you need to find a little forgiveness in your heart.” She patted his chest with the hand that rested there. “Maybe a lot of forgiveness,” she said, casting a pointed look at Mesa. “I hate seeing you so unhappy about all this. It’s going to have an effect on that child sooner or later.”

  He shrugged. “I certainly don’t want that, but I don’t know what to do about it. Mesa took five years of my child’s life from me. How do I forgive that?”

  Uci let her head rest against his broad shoulder. “I don’t know what to tell you. You must do what your heart tells you to do.”

  When the music ended, he spotted Mesa walking off the dance floor with Hal Cartwright, one of the younger hands that worked for her, and he easily recognized the surge of anger that swept through him for what it was. He had no right to feel possessive of Mesa, but the jealousy was there and there wasn’t one damn thing he could do about it.

  He avoided the dance floor except for another dance with Uci a little later, but he didn’t miss the fact that Mesa danced every dance. He remembered that she’d always loved to dance, and he struggled with the desire to lead her around the floor just to have an excuse to hold her in his arms. Instead he sat at the edge of the darkness and his anger grew each time she danced with someone else.

  Finally he leaned over Uci’s chair. “I’m gonna load the horses and go home. Do you wanna go with me?” he asked softly.

  She shook her head negatively. “No. I’m going to spend the night at Jenny’s house. Russ’s mom and I are going to church together in the morning. It’s a Senior Breakfast Sunday. I’ve already got clothes there.”

  He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. “Love you.”

  She nodded and patted his stubbly chin. “I expect to see you there, too, at least for the main service.”

  He nodded. “Barring any emergency at work.”

  Chapter 9

  In the barn he slipped halters on Dollar and the sorrel gelding and had turned to lead them down the aisle when he saw Mesa striding toward him. He stopped and both horses followed suit.

  “You’re leaving?” she asked as she ceased her steps in front of him.

  He nodded but didn’t answer verbally.

  “Want me to bring the mare for you?” she offered.

  He shook his head. “The mare stays. She’s for you and Raale.”

  “Rafe, that’s very generous of you, bu…”

  “She stays, Mesa,” he cut in sharply. “You can’t stop me from getting my child a horse!”

  She looked down at her feet as she realized she’d hurt him yet again. “Of course I won’t. I just meant that….well, do you think Raale is ready for a roping horse?”

  He wished he’d left sooner so they wouldn’t have to have this conversation, and he wouldn’t have to feel the coil of desire that, for him, was a part of being near Mesa. “No, she’s not. But you can ride the mare and rope off her until Raale learns to throw a rope, and then y’all can share her. By the time Raale’s ready to start heeling, that mare will be ready for her to learn on, and she’s already good.”

  Mesa extended one hand and touched one of Rafe’s arms, wishing she hadn’t spoken so quickly. She had to start being more open to sharing parental rights with him.

  His eyes followed the movement as her hand settled on his forearm, before darting back to her face, shadowed by the subdued lighting in the barn. His head shook from side to side. “That’s not a good idea, Mesa,” he said softly.

  She withdrew her hand. “I’m sorry, Rafe. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  “Offend
me?” he growled. “That’s not the problem. It’s what I want….aw hell,” he dropped the lead ropes of the two horses and fastened his hands on her shoulders. “Your hand on my arm is not offensive, but it sure as hell is not enough. I want so much more of you, Mesa.” He pulled her against him and folded his arms around her.

  Mesa’s heart lurched out of control. Her arms slipped around his ribs and her hands flattened on the smooth, hard muscles of his back, their lines and heat defined by the thin black material covering them. She turned her face toward his neck and if she’d pursed her lips the slightest bit, they would be kissing that strong, bronze skin.

  He inhaled deeply, his nostrils savoring the fragrance that belonged only to Mesa. The slightly sweet, crisply clean scent that he’d never smelled except on her. His body tightened at the feel of her full breasts against his chest, her hips meeting his, her breath against his neck. “I don’t understand why I still want you so damn much,” he groaned, his hands wandering over her back, pulling her closer, reveling in the feel of her against his body, wrapped in his arms.

  She stiffened slightly at his words but even as she did, she couldn’t remember why and simply relaxed in his embrace again. She’d wanted to feel those arms around her so many times. She dreamed it most nights, hoping that someday forgiveness would make it possible.

  One of his hands came up and fastened at the root of the long ponytail on the back of her head. Pulling her head back, he looked down into her face losing himself in the amber flashes in her mesmerizing green eyes. “Tell me to stop,” he whispered, “and I might be able to.”

  She looked back at him steadily. “Maybe I don’t want you to.” Her voice was soft, breathy, and sent his blood temperature shooting up into the danger zone.

  “Damn you, Mesa,” he groaned as his head dropped toward hers slowly.

  She knew the kiss was coming and wanted it more than she could believe. It had been so very long.

  His breath warmed her face as he paused, their lips almost touching. “You don’t have any idea how many times I’ve wanted to do this.”

  She smiled, the heat in her body already raging down from her stomach. “Probably no more than I’ve wanted you to.”

  His lips brushed hers lightly, up, then down, pushing her lips apart as his mouth settled in with more pressure.

  Mesa’s breathing juddered roughly as he sucked her bottom lip in and held it between his teeth. His tongue traced across it, stroking it suggestively, and she moaned at the fire he was fueling in her.

  Releasing her lip, he slipped his tongue between her teeth and found hers, twining with it seductively, stroking it, persuading it, seducing it into his mouth. She whimpered as he captured it with a hunger she’d remembered in her dreams, and then he was in her mouth again and she was pulling him in deeper.

  His hands wandered down across her fanny, lifting and pulling her against the rigidity behind the zipper of his Wrangler jeans. His knees almost buckled when her legs parted and wrapped around him, the heat of her like a fire against him.

  He tore his mouth from hers and trailed hot, wet kisses down the cord of her soft neck. “Mesa, baby,” he whispered in her ear, his tongue tracing the shell like opening. “What are we gonna do?”

  “Hey, you two should get a room,” Russ spoke from the entrance of the barn.

  Mesa’s legs dropped and Rafe pulled his hand from her fanny up onto her back, but he kept her against him. “You need to get lost, Barnett,” he growled, unable to disguise the huskiness in his voice.

  Russ chuckled. “It’s a little late for that. I’ve already seen what I’ve already seen. Can’t change it.”

  Rafe was quickly regaining control of his voice and his breathing. “Did you come in here for a reason?”

  Again Russ chuckled. “Yeah, but damned if I remember what it was.”

  “Then get out,” Rafe growled, one of his hands holding Mesa’s head in the crook of his neck.

  Russ laughed again and turning, retreated the way he’d come.

  Reluctantly, Rafe loosened his hold on Mesa and she stepped back. His arms were still around her and as he looked down at her, he dropped his head and covered her mouth again with a long deep kiss that left them both breathless once more.

  “I don’t know where this is going,” Rafe whispered, “but I do know it’s not over.”

  Mesa nodded. “But we have to make sure Raale doesn’t get hurt.”

  He turned and reclaimed the lead ropes that he’d dropped earlier and then turned to look at her again. “Wanna go home with me? Uci’s staying over at Jenny’s tonight.” He didn’t hide the fact that it was an invitation for a night of eager, hot activity between the sheets of his bed. He wanted Mesa anyway he could get her, and he was tired of fighting it.

  She hesitated and when she did, he nodded. “Alright, I get it. When you find a solution for this let me know what it is.” He started walking and she stepped out of his way and watched him lead the two horses to his rig. A few minutes later she heard his sharp whistle to summon Spur, then in only a short time his truck and trailer were fading in a wake of dust as he turned onto the highway headed home.

  Mesa was slow in rejoining the group beneath the machine shed, and when she did, she wasn’t surprised to see most of them gathering their belongings in preparation of leaving. It was late and it had been a long day. The sounds of weary horses scrambling up into the trailers, eager to be home again in their quiet stalls, sounded through the darkness, announcing that it was time to go home.

  In less than an hour she watched the last of them leave. She was tired, but there was little hope of sleep for this night. She had too much on her mind.

  She knew her first concern had to be Raale. She had no doubt that the child cherished the hope that somehow, her parents would unite and the three of them could be the happily-ever-after family that lived in all the fairy tales she knew. But in spite of the undeniable attraction that she shared with Rafe, Mesa was sure he’d never forgive her for not telling him about their child, and without forgiveness that could never happen. She shook her head from side to side, her long hair swishing behind her head. It wasn’t smart to let something intimate develop between them. She knew that, but just the thought of being in his arms made her legs weak. Her eyes closed and she could see the heated hunger in his chocolate eyes just before those generous lips had settled on hers with such devastating effect.

  She walked to the cabin slowly. It was a lot to think about, she decided as she strode across the porch and went inside. The cabin was quiet and she knew that Raale and Uncle Rance were both down for the night. She slipped up to her room for a quick shower, pulled on her robe and went back down to the den. She found Jory sitting in a comfortable chair watching his favorite reality show on television. Mesa heard one of the cast shouting, “Choot ‘em, choot ‘em,” and looked at the television to see one man pointing a gun at an alligator that was churning the muddy water beside a boat. She walked over and settled into the padded swivel rocker. She tried to watch the television, but after only a minute, she stood up and walked to the book case against the back wall. Nothing there sparked any interest and when she turned around again, she found Jory watching her.

  “Feeling a little restless, are you?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

  He picked up the remote and switched the television off. “Want to talk about it?”

  “I dunno,” she replied. “I don’t know what the problem is. I guess I’m just over tired.”

  He laughed softly. “I’d call it over stimulated. You’ve hardly taken your eyes off him all day.”

  She frowned. “Off who?”

  He stood up and walked across the floor and slipped his arms around her. “Off Rafe. You knew who I meant.”

  “Yeah, I knew. I just didn’t know I was that obvious.” She sighed and rested her head against his powerful chest.

  “He’s probably just as restless as you are, for the same reason.” Jory st
roked the back of her shoulders gently. “I don’t know which one of you is the most pitiful, but right now, I’m leaning toward him. He almost lost it when you were singing Desperado.”

  She nodded. “I saw him go to the barn.”

  “Did the two of you ever talk?” Jory asked.

  Mesa snorted softly. “I’m not sure it was much of a conversation.”

  He patted the back of her head. “Too many sparks flying?”

  She nodded. “He told me Uci’s spending the night with Jenny and invited me to go home with him.”

  “And you refused?”

  “I didn’t answer. He took it as a refusal.” She sighed.

  “I doubt if he’s any more able to settle in than you are,” Jory said softly.

  She lifted her head. “You think I should go?” She sounded a little surprised.

  He smiled down at her. “Your heart is already there. I know you still love him, and I’m sure he still loves you. He may not like it, and he may not be willing to admit it, but he can’t keep his eyes off you. That’s a strong indication of how he feels.”

  “How will this affect Raale?” She couldn’t help asking.

  Jory curled a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look into his eyes. “Honey, Raale is a child. You can’t live your life just for her or when she grows up and leaves the nest, where will you be?”

  She smiled sadly. “Right here with you.”

  He shrugged. “I might have a life of my own by then.”

  “Suppose things don’t ever work out for Rafe and me. I’ll still have to deal with him for Raale’s sake.” She stepped away a couple of steps. “Are you interested in my mama?”

  Jory smiled and shrugged. “Shirley is a work in progress. She’s still struggling, but she gets a little stronger every day. Who knows what the future holds and as for you and Rafe, how would a failed relationship be any different than what you’re dealing with now?”

  Mesa frowned. “My mama was the biggest tramp in the county, Jory. You deserve someone better.”