Surrender to Love

by Julia Templeton

  "Gray, if you need anything." Shane grasped his hand. "You know where we are."

  "Thanks, I appreciate it."

  They were silent until Shane disappeared in the house and closed the door.

  "When I was in jail, the sheriff showed me something I think you might be interested in."

  Jordan's brow furrowed into a frown. Nothing the sheriff could do or say would interest her, or so she'd thought until Gray Hawk pulled out a piece of paper and unrolled it. The breath left her lungs in a rush. "Oh my God," she said, her voice sounded hollow to her ears as she stared at the picture of herself--a wanted poster. Her worst nightmare had finally come true.

  Gray Hawk had obviously gotten it from the sheriff. So why hadn't Kincaide arrested her? "Did he wire the law in Virginia?" she asked, her mind scrambling, thinking what she should do next.

  "I don't know. I just need the truth, Jordan. Just tell me the truth."

  Her gaze shifted to the hill, waiting for the sheriff, or even worse--her uncle, to come and take her away. If Frederick were to come, there would be nothing she could do but leave with him. Her stomach sank like a stone. She was desperate for a solution, yet no matter how much she wanted it, she couldn't ask Gray Hawk to marry her, especially when he didn't even love her.

  "Kari and I left Virginia when my uncle was going to marry me off to a seventy year-old man." She took a deep breath, hoping he understood. "All my life I wanted to come back to Wyoming to claim my ranch and spend the rest of my days raising horses. When I told my uncle that, he said the ranch was gone, that the taxes hadn't been paid. I couldn't stay knowing I would marry Marvin Johnson, so I left, and brought Kari with me. We've been working to get enough money to pay for the taxes, so it will be mine again."

  He watched her intently, and she knew he was searching for the truth.

  "I hated Mr. Johnson so much, I would have rather died than marry him, and if my uncle comes here, Gray Hawk, he'll make me return to Virginia and marry."

  He pulled her against him, comforting her. "He's not taking you anywhere, because we won't be here for him to take you."

  Her pulse skittered, fear working its way up her spine. She put him at arms length. "Where will we go?"

  "We can return to my village...we'd be safe there."

  A thousand emotions ran through her. To return to Gray Hawk's village would be difficult, but with her uncle breathing down her neck, she had little choice.

  FREDERICK McGuire straightened his tie and headed toward the sheriff's office, grimacing at the grime that covered his Italian shoes. He was filthy from head to toe. What he needed was a hot bath, a change of clothes, and a stiff drink. But first he needed to check with the sheriff to make sure his niece and daughter were still in town.

  The door to the sheriff's office was locked. He frowned, jerking the door handle. He was ready to turn away when he heard a muffled cry from the other side. Peering into the dark office, he saw a man in a cell, his fingers wrapped around the iron bars yelling for someone to let him out. The law in the west was definitely different than in the east, Frederick thought, lifting a brow, deciding it was best to come back later rather than deal with a drunk prisoner.

  Crossing the street to the only hotel in town, Frederick took the best room they had, which ended up being a chamber no larger than his sitting room back in Virginia, and a bed that was as hard as a board.

  Having ordered a bath to be brought up directly, he lay back on the uncomfortable bed smoking a cigar. Half-an-hour later a knock on his door provided a tub, servants with buckets of steaming water, and a bottle of the best brandy the cow town had to offer.

  After the servants had seen to his every whim, he dismissed them and sank low in the tub, letting the stress of the long trip dwindle away with the dirt. He poured himself a drink and didn't pause when he heard the door open, then close.

  He smiled hearing the sound of high heels clicking against the wood floor a second before he opened his eyes to find a blonde, complete with a gaudy purple satin dress, sitting on the bed in a very unladylike position.

  Instantly he was surprised that a place like Brogan would have a whore who looked as good as this little peach before him. He smiled like a cat ready to pounce on a mouse as she began to slowly undress, her gaze not once leaving his. His hand moved to his erection, gripping it with a firm hold as the prostitute began a nasty striptease. It had been too long since he'd slept with his wife, a woman known for her theatrics in bed, as well as her abstinence when she wanted her way. But even when they did make love, Patricia was no whore, and he was in the mood to make love until he could scarcely stand.

  The blood gorged in his manhood as the prostitute flung the remainder of her dress at his head. She giggled as she sank down in the bath, the water lapping at her creamy thighs as she sat directly on his erection. Groaning with delight, she let her head fall back on her shoulders, her fingers teasing her nipples until they were as hard as diamonds.

  She bounced up and down, sending water over the edge of the tub, onto the floor. Her cries of passion were so loud he was sure servants would come running, but he didn't care. He was in the middle of this god-forsaken country, and his wife was a whole world away. He could have his way with this great piece every day if he wanted, until it was time to head back to Virginia, to his wife, who would never be the wiser.

  JORDAN'S HEART lurched seeing the tears that stained Rebecca's cheeks.

  "Honey, we'll be back soon."

  Rebecca squeezed her eyes tight. The trio that stood on the porch looked dismal at best. Shane's face was expressionless, but she saw the tension around his eyes. Even Tanner, who usually was so animated, said nothing as he stared straight ahead.

  "We'd better go," Gray Hawk said, his voice urgent.

  "Wait!" Shane said, coming toward them in long strides. "Wouldn't it be better if Kari stayed here? If the women were in different places, it would complicate things somewhat. I mean, he wouldn't leave one of you behind."

  Kari looked stricken, glancing from Shane to Jordan.

  "She can't go into Brogan," Jordan said, hating the thought of separation.

  "She doesn't have to. She can stay here. I need the help, especially now that Rebecca's with us. For all that Hank says he enjoys cooking, he'd rather be out roping cattle. And as far as her safety is concerned, I have a lot of men that live on this land. Nothing will happen to her, I promise."

  He turned to Kari, his expression imploring. "I know that at times you feel I've been unjust, and you'd be right in that," he said smiling softly. "But I want you to stay. I think it would be easier on everyone that way, especially the kids...and myself."

  Jordan looked at her cousin. She saw the indecision in her eyes. "I think he has a point, Kari. Gray Hawk and I will be fine. Shane can protect you, and it's not you they're after anyway."

  "Are you sure, Jordan? I mean if you want--"

  Jordan leaned over and hugged her. "I've never been more certain of anything." Tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them back and looked down at Shane. "I trust you to do as you say. Watch her as though your life depended on it."

  He nodded. "You can count on it."

  She managed a small smile. "I will."

  WITH THE whore asleep in his bed, Frederick left the hotel having given explicit orders not to disturb his room while he was gone.

  With a clean set of clothes and a new disposition, he set out once again for the sheriff's office. This time the door was wide open, and the man sitting at the desk looked remarkably like the man who'd been locked in the cell earlier.

  "Mr. Kincaide?"

  The man sat up taller in his chair, muttering something under his breath to the young man who stood at his side. To Frederick they appeared like a couple of dimwitted brothers, but he had expected little better from a small town like this. Apparently it was hard to get anything of quality...except for that little piece lying snug in his bed, he thought with a smug smile.

  "I'd be Kincaide, and who mig
ht you be?" the man asked, his gaze shifting up and down Frederick's form.

  "I'm Frederick McGuire."

  As comprehension set in, the sheriff's face split into an immediate smile, and he stood up, nearly upsetting his chair. "Well, Mr. McGuire, I'm mighty pleased to meet you. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow though."

  Ignoring the man's hand, Frederick nodded toward a chair. "May I?"

  "Sure, go right ahead."

  "I received the message from you in regards to my niece, Jordan. Tell me, is she still here?"

  The man sat down once again, leaning forward in his seat. "Yes, she's at a ranch not far from here."

  "And is there another woman with her?"

  "You mean, Kari?"

  Frederick nodded at the mention of his daughter, surprised the man would use her given name. "Yes, Miss McGuire."

  "Oh yes, Kari--I mean Miss McGuire lives there at the ranch as well, but you know what, she works right here in town."

  "Works?" Frederick repeated, unable to believe what he'd just heard. His daughter worked for a living? The very idea was ludicrous. Kari was not a commoner, but a lady who was used to being waited on by servants. In fact, once she saw him, she may very well beg him to take her back to Virginia.

  The sheriff looked confused. "Yes, she works at the dress shop. She sews clothes, and does a mighty good job, if I should say so myself. I own a shirt she made."

  Frederick eyed the man's ripped shirt and too small breeches. "Really?" he said, trying to at least sound surprised. "Is she working today?"

  The sheriff's brows furrowed together as though concentrating took all his energy. "Well, let me see. Naw, since today's a Saturday, she'd be off. Just comes in during the weekdays when there's school."

  "School?"

  "Yeah, the Catalono children attend the school just outside of town. Kari, I mean Miss McGuire, drops them off and picks them up every day." The sheriff lit a cigarette and exhaled. "So when do I get my reward."

  Frederick waved the smoke out of his face and watched the sheriff for a long moment. The blankness in his eyes indicated he wouldn't care if and when he took the women out of his jurisdiction.

  "Soon enough. I would like my visit to my niece and daughter to be a surprise. You see...I don't want Jordan arrested, I simply want her and Kari back home. Mind you, if she doesn't cooperate, then I'll take her by force, and I would appreciate your help if that's the case. When I have them in my carriage headed for Virginia, you'll see your money."

  "Yes, sir." The sheriff hesitated, glancing up at his deputy, before turning back to Frederick. "Oh, and just so you know, she's been hanging out with a breed."

  Frederick's eyes narrowed. "Breed? As in a half-breed--an Indian?"

  The blood roared in Frederick's ears as one side of the sheriff's mouth tipped into a confirming smile.

  "Yeah, and they've been." He wiggled his brows. "You know."

  He needed no affirmation as to what the sheriff meant. The innuendo was quite clear, and startling. "You do mean Jordan, and not my daughter?"

  When the sheriff nodded, Frederick felt vast relief, knowing it wasn't his daughter. But that did cause a problem. If Jordan wasn't a virgin...he closed his eyes. The girl had left his side no more than seven months ago and already she was spreading her legs for an Indian. Her father was no doubt rolling over in his grave. Had he taught her nothing? Then a horrible thought raced through his mind. "What about Kari? Does she have a...beau?"

  The sheriff shook his head. "No, she's a lady through and through. I kind of even liked her. Wouldn't mind her being my bride one day, but that damn Catalono--"

  "Over my dead body," Frederick said under his breath as he stood, not wanting to hear another word out of the man's mouth. Even in his worst nightmare things hadn't been this dire. "I'll be staying over at the hotel in room twenty-one. Should you need me, knock twice, then three times fast."

  He rolled his eyes when the man quickly wrote the instructions down on a piece of paper.

  "I've had a trying day, so I'm going to head back to my hotel room and have a nice dinner before retiring. I would ask that you not disturb me tonight under any circumstance. I have business to attend to." Without another word, he left the two men staring after him.

  His steps were light as he walked across the muddy road, not caring he was ruining his most expensive pair of shoes. His mind raced with his next plan of action. Hopefully, Jordan's lover was away when he visited the ranch. Having never seen an Indian firsthand, he decided he'd rather keep it that way.

  As he climbed the steps to the hotel, he felt like a young man, his blood pumping in his veins as he marched down the hall to his room. Unlocking the door, he closed it slowly behind him, smiling to see the whore was still asleep in his bed.

  Chapter 23

  JORDAN'S HEART sank with every mile she put between her and Kari. After spending so many years together, being away from her cousin for any amount of time was difficult, but now it was necessary.

  And just maybe the time apart would do them both some good, give them time to think about their futures now that they both had men in their lives.

  Jordan turned to Gray Hawk, who stared straight ahead, quiet, just as he'd been since leaving the ranch. She knew he was feeling guilty for having brought so much trouble to Shane, but she also worried that he was mad at her for not telling her the truth about who she was from the beginning.

  Or maybe his silence was because of the ridicule he'd experienced in Brogan--or maybe because he was returning home.

  They had talked little about the past, aside from the fact he had been asked to leave the village, to go on a vision quest. The farther they traveled, the more silent he became.

  Despite Gray Hawk's present mood, Jordan tried to tell herself she didn't want to go back to the village, she was actually looking forward to seeing the Cheyenne again, except for one.

  But she put Running Deer far from her mind, and instead focused on her future, which she could only hope included the man at her side. He was her lover now. He'd proven that he cared, and she had to believe that he loved her--even if he refused to say it.

  Making camp, Jordan sat down next to him as he skewered a rabbit and set it over the roaring flame. She loved to just watch him, his concentration so complete as he went about any given task.

  He glanced up at her, his smile soft. "You hungry?"

  She shrugged.

  "We haven't eaten for hours."

  She sighed. "I am hungry...but not for food."

  His smile widened as he kissed her, and with a moan, took her to the ground, kissing her, his hands pulling up her dress as she fumbled with his breeches.

  "It seems like so long--"

  "It seems like forever," he said against her lips, rubbing his rigid length against her. Without bothering to undress completely, he thrust within her.

  Gray Hawk slowly moved within her, wanting to prolong the ecstasy. For days now he'd kept his hands off her, telling himself that putting some distance between them would be for the best, but it had been torture, and he was pleased she felt the same need as he did.

  Her hands moved under his shirt, gripping his back, and moving lower over his buttocks as she pulled her hips up against him. Would he always feel this way with her?

  Feeling the fluttering of her climax, Gray Hawk could no longer hold himself in check and with a satisfied groan, spent himself, collapsing on her, smiling as she kissed his shoulder.

  KARI TOOK Shane's advice to heart and never strayed from the ranch. Every day that passed she waited for the sheriff to arrive and start asking questions about Jordan.

  Having put her mind at ease for the time being, Kari watched as Shane took off on his horse. The last week he had been incredibly sensitive and kind, going out of his way to make her feel wanted and safe.

  And she enjoyed it. She liked being at the ranch, cooking, cleaning, washing...taking care of he and the kids. It was almost like having a family of her own. The kids were gre
at, asking her to tuck them in at night, and even read a bedtime story. Tanner, though hesitant at first, seemed genuinely happy to have her at the ranch, and even told her once.

  Without Jordan around there was a lot to be done, but it was better than having too much time on her hands. With all the chores, including mending the men's clothes, she didn't get a chance to miss her job as a seamstress.

  Sometimes her mind would wander and she'd worry about Jordan, wondering if she and Gray Hawk had made it back to the village by now. A part of her wished she had gone with them, yet every night when she stared across the table at Shane, she was glad she'd stayed. She belonged here for now. Along the way, something had changed in their relationship. There was no sarcasm, just warmth that radiated from him, making her feel wanted.

  Last night he'd asked her about her father and Jordan's engagement to Marvin. He also asked about her husband, and she felt her cheeks burn having to tell him she had lied to him. "When I told you that story, I hadn't realized you'd lost your wife," she said, and the sweet smile on his face said he already forgave her.

  Having come clean with the truth was a huge relief, because now there was nothing standing between them. He had yet to kiss her, or even touch her for that matter, but she could see the look in his eye when he watched her. How soft his face became. She smiled to herself. He was coming around. It was just going to take awhile.

  The sounds of pounding hooves on hard ground interrupted her thoughts. Seeing her father through the window, Kari's breath caught in her throat, and she ducked, hoping he hadn't seen her. There were a few men with him, among them was the sheriff.

  "I'll get it!"

  Before Kari could stop Tanner, she heard the door open and the sheriff say, "Hey there, boy, could you tell me if Jordan and Kari are here?"

  Kari's heart lurched in her chest, her mind racing, wondering what she would do. Shane was off in the fields along with the other hands. Rebecca was over at a friend's house, leaving she and Tanner alone.