This Time for Keeps

by Maureen Child

  "Okay," she said abruptly and practically jumped to her feet. It didn't matter if she couldn't remember why they were making her so damned nervous. All that mattered, she realized suddenly, was that she defuse the situation. Now. "That's it for tonight, boys."

  Neither of them moved. They glared at each other over her head. It was as if they didn't even know she was there.

  Disgusted, she slapped a palm onto each of their chests, demanding their attention. It worked. Looking from Richard's dark amber eyes into Seth's steely blue gaze, Nora said, "Knock it off, both of you."

  “Nora-" Richard started.

  "I mean it." Her head snapped around until she was looking at him again. “I'm marrying Seth as soon as we get back to the ranch. It's settled."

  Beneath her palm, she felt some of the tension ease out of Seth's body. Now if she could just get the other one to calm down, everything would be all right.

  "As far as I'm concerned,” Richard told her, "it's not settled until you're at that church."

  "Richard…" she said his name on a disgusted sigh.

  "No," he said and grabbed her, turning her around to face him. "Until you're married, I intend to take every opportunity to change your mind.”

  "Let her go," Seth muttered in a voice that was as dangerous as it was deep.

  "It's all right, Seth," Nora said, stepping out from under Richard's grasp. Once free, she backed up until she bumped into Seth’s broad, hard chest. He dropped one hand onto her shoulder and she couldn't even manage to begrudge him that small, proprietary gesture.

  Looking up at Richard, she tried again to make the man see that whatever his hopes had been concerning her, they were over. “I'm sorry, Richard. But I'm going to marry Seth."

  His gaze moved over her face with a quiet desperation. She suddenly felt very sorry for him, but honestly, couldn't he just see that the decision was made and there wasn't going to be a change of heart?

  "Richard," Elizabeth said softly and stood up. Placing both hands on his forearm, she waited until his gaze shifted to her before continuing. "It's late, brother. Why don't we all try to get some sleep?"

  Good idea, Nora thought and almost found herself warming to Elizabeth for the suggestion. Almost. But the look the other woman shot her was icy enough to kill off any warm fuzzies Nora might have been entertaining.

  In seconds, everyone melted into the surrounding darkness, headed for their bedrolls. Seth and Nora were left alone at the edge of the overhang.

  Turning her around to face him, Seth set both hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently.

  "Well, that was fun," Nora muttered.

  "You had to know he wasn't going to be happy."

  "I guess," she admitted. "But for God's sake, why can't he just let it go?”

  Seth knew why. Even though he had no use for the other man and would just as soon plow his fist into that paleskinned face as look at it, he at least could understand the man's desperation.

  If Nora had announced that she was going to marry Bonner, Seth would have felt the same. Something inside him twisted painfully at the thought of her ever being with another man. To ease that ache, he pulled her close and she came to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her head on his chest.

  He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of the woman in his arms. He tried not to think about how he had let Nora's father down. Seth winced. How he had broken the old man’s trust.

  But had he, really? That thought brought him up short. Nora had said herself that she wasn't the real Nora Wilding. This woman wasn't the old man's daughter. That Nora was gone from all of them. So hadn't Seth's promise to her father died with her?

  He groaned inwardly as a pounding ache settled behind his closed eyes. Every time he tried to solve the puzzle of Nora, he got a headache. Was it all true? The stories? The dreams? Had they been together before only to lose each other time after time?

  Yeah, he thought, tightening his hold on Nora. True. All of it. He had felt the sense of connection, of belonging, almost from the first moment Nora had awakened from her deathbed.

  He'd fought against it, but he had continued to be drawn to her. At least now, he understood why. They were meant to be together. Destiny, fate, or— what did she call it? Karma.

  Hell, he didn't know what to call it, but they'd been brought together by some force— and if he was to be honest, at least with himself, Seth knew he’d be forever grateful.

  And this time, he would make sure the two of them had the years they were due. No matter what else happened, Nora wouldn't die this time.

  His eyes flew open when one of Nora's hands slid down to caress his behind. His grip on her tightened. He didn't know what he'd ever done in his miserable life to deserve having this woman dropped into his lap. But he knew one thing for sure. He'd keep her safe, he swore silently. Or die trying.

  #

  "Nora, sweetheart," Richard said in a hushed tone as he came up behind her.

  She sighed heavily and leaned her forehead against the saddle she'd just finished tightening. Just inches from a clean getaway, she told herself before turning around to face him.

  Another couple of minutes and she and Seth would have been on their horses riding away from camp. It had been her idea to count as many cows as possible on the way back to the ranch. But that was just an excuse. She simply didn't want to spend the entire day in Richard and Elizabeth's company. It might not be fair, but she'd taken charge of Red's horse, leaving the young cowboy no choice but to ride in the wagon with the others.

  A small price to pay for his bringing about a hasty wedding, she thought.

  Now, looking up into Richard's whiskey-colored eyes, she asked tiredly, "What is it?"

  He reached for her, running his palm down the length of one arm. Nora stepped to one side and came up against the hard flank of Red's horse. Well, perfect. She was trapped between a horse and a hard place.

  "I can't believe you're turning your back on me this way," he said quietly.

  "Richard," she tried to be patient, but that was asking a lot. She hadn't even had coffee yet. "Let it go, okay? The decision's made. I'm marrying Seth tomorrow."

  "Seth," he said the name like a curse, low and vicious.

  Nora blinked.

  "You don't expect me to stand idly by while watching you throw yourself away on him, do you?"

  She opened her mouth to answer, but apparently, he didn't require one.

  "What about us?" he asked harshly, the veins in his neck standing out. “What about our feelings for each other?” He grabbed her shoulder in a one-handed, viselike grip. "What about me?”

  She winced, reached up, and pried his fingers loose. “There is no 'us,' Richard." Damn, she was proud of herself for not losing her patience. "Can't you understand that?"

  "No, I can't." He loomed over her, forcing her to draw back until her head was resting against the saddle.

  "Look," she said, feeling the threads of her patience beginning to unravel. "You seem like a nice enough guy, but really, there's nothing else I can do."

  "Marry me," he said in a breathless rush. "Yes, I know you were compromised," he added before she could. “But marrying me will save your reputation as well as marrying Murdoch could.”

  "But he's the one who-"

  "I know, I know," Richard said, barely repressing a shudder. “And why you should have allowed him to kiss you is beyond me, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, our marriage will serve as well as you marrying him.”

  She stared up at him. Unbelievable. Did he not get it? Had he somehow missed the implication that she and Seth had done far more than a little kissing?

  Lord, this was awkward. Nora glanced past Richard's shoulder to where his sister stood in the shadows of the overhang, watching them with an unreadable expression on her face. Then Nora's gaze shifted again when she caught a flicker of movement to one side of her. Seth was coming. And he didn't look happy.

  "Richard, I appreciate the
offer," she said quickly. The hell with being gentle, she decided, wanting to get Richard the heck out of there before Seth joined them. "But I'm afraid marrying you wouldn't be fair.”

  "Let me be the judge of that," he said hastily.

  She shot another quick look. Seth was gaining ground every second.

  "I can't do that,” she told him flatly. "There's every chance I could be pregnant with Seth's baby. Richard. And I don't think you'd be interested in raising another man's child.”

  The color drained from his face. Even his amber eyes looked paler.

  He staggered back a step, his appalled gaze locked on her. Nora almost checked the front of her shirt for a big, red A.

  "What's going on here?” Seth's quiet, hard voice came into the silence.

  Richard's gaze snapped to him and Nora saw a shadow of something dark and familiar drift across his eyes before he concealed it.

  "Not much," she said quickly, drawing Seth's gaze to her. “Are you ready to go?"

  "Yeah,” he said, as Richard moved off, headed for the overhang. "What did he want?"

  "Nothing now," she answered, throwing one last look at the blond man. From the stiff set of his shoulders, it was clear that Richard was coldly, quietly, furious.

  Well, hell.

  Apparently, they'd have to deal with him again later. But at least for the moment, she'd managed to separate the two men. And for some reason, that seemed very important.

  “You all right?" Seth asked.

  "Yeah." She turned her head to look at him and forced a smile she didn't feel. "Can we go now?"

  #

  Hours later, Nora was ready to call a halt. She'd seen and counted enough cows to last a lifetime. She didn't really care if she never saw another one… unless it was on a bun and served with fries.

  The man ahead of her sat his horse as he had all day.

  Easily. Comfortably. He'd hardly shifted in the saddle while she twitched and twisted almost constantly, looking for a comfy position. Finally, it dawned on her that she’d only truly be comfortable off the damn horse.

  But her discomfort wasn't due solely to the animal she felt as though she'd been glued to. There was something else as well.

  Her gaze moved over Seth's broad, muscular back down to that magnificent butt. Warmth sizzled through her bloodstream, heating her skin so that she hardly felt the cool breeze slipping past her, lifting her hair from the back of her neck.

  Beyond the pains and miseries from too many hours in the saddle, there was another, deeper ache throbbing low in Nora's body. She couldn't look at Seth without remembering the night before— and the incredible sensation of becoming one with him. And each time she remembered, she wanted it again.

  Nora twisted in the saddle, groaning quietly to herself.

  From not too far away, she heard the urgent rustle of a nearby river. Immediately, she pictured the two of them, lying on the grass beside the cool, lovely water, their naked bodies entwined in the sunlight. Heat flashed through her at the deliciously wicked thought of making love in the open, in broad daylight.

  As if Seth could read her mind, he turned his horse toward the sound.

  Nora smiled to herself, hoping he was feeling what she was. In minutes, she spied the river, a long, twisting ribbon of wet, winding its way through the valley. The closer they came, the more enticing was the music of the water rushing across its stony bed. A lovely meadow swept down to the banks of the river, blue and red wildflowers already dotting the spring grass. Across the river, a thick copse of pine stood sentry duty, tossing heavy shade on both banks.

  Nora's heartbeat quickened. A thready curl of anticipation unwound inside her, spiraling out of control as she watched Seth swing easily down from his horse, then walk toward her.

  He reached for her and Nora slid from the saddle, safe in the grip of his hands at her waist. Slowly, he lowered her to her feet, brushing the length of her body along his.

  Her breathing shallow and fast, Nora stroked the palm of her hand down his chest and watched the blue of his eyes darken with want.

  Thank God.

  He reached up, caught her hand, and gave it a quick squeeze before releasing her. "It's hot," he said thickly. "Thought you might want to cool off a bit in the river."

  “Cool off?" Had she read him wrong? Was he actually planning on taking a swim instead of making love?

  "It's a hot day."

  Her gaze swept over him. "Gettin' hotter all the time."

  He stared into her eyes. His features tight, harsh with strain, he said, "Nora. I want you so bad, I don't know if I can wait ‘til we're married to have you again."

  Yippee!

  “Who said we have to wait?" she asked, lifting one hand toward him.

  Seth shook his head. "It'd be the proper thing to do."

  Nora gave him a small, slow smile. "And were we proper yesterday?”

  He sucked in a gulp of air like a drowning man. “No ma'am, we weren't."

  She struggled to breathe. "Then let's not start worrying about that now, huh?"

  He nodded abruptly, half-turned toward the horses, then looked back at her. "Let me get the animals settled."

  "Hurry," she whispered.

  Doing just that, he untied her bedroll from behind her saddle and handed it to her. "Take this and mine too. Go on down by the river. I’ll be right along."

  Nora nodded, her fingers clutching at the tightly rolled wool blankets. Her knees weak, she stumbled toward the riverbank, amazed that she could walk at all.

  She stepped into the dappled shade and drew a long, shuddering breath. The clean, damp scent of the pines washed over her, sweeping through her tightly strung nerves and easing the anxiety that had been eating at her all day.

  The sound of the water pulsed through her mind. A brief, cool wind sifted through the line of trees, lifting her hair and dusting her skin, leaving a trail of gooseflesh behind.

  Then another shiver traced along her spine, one that had nothing to do with the breeze. Smiling to herself, she dropped one of the blankets, untied the strings on the other, and spread it out on the ground. Hands shaking, she grabbed the second bedroll and shook it out atop the first.

  Not exactly the Ritz, but not bad, either. Maybe there really was something to say for the back to nature movement.

  “Nora?”

  She spun around to face him, her heart in her throat.

  He looked at her, hunger etched into his features, but hesitation in his eyes. Apparently he was waiting, giving her the opportunity to change her mind about this if she wanted to.

  Talk is cheap, she thought. And a picture is worth a thousand words.

  She reached for the top button on her shirt, keeping her gaze locked on him. Her fingers fumbled at their task in her eagerness. Nora watched the emotion in his eyes shift and change, darkening with a passion they had been denied for centuries.

  Tenderness, desire, and an all-consuming hunger for him swept through Nora. Sudden realization slammed into her brain, numbing her for a heartbeat or more. Over hundreds of years, several lifetimes, she had loved this man. She had been a fool ever to think that she could avoid loving him again.

  She swayed unsteadily on her feet. Though it terrified her to admit it, she loved Seth Murdoch. How that emotion had sneaked up on her, she had no idea. But there it was. It was too late to change anything— even if she wanted to, which she didn't.

  At last, they had found what they'd both been searching for for so long. And if that loving came with a price she had paid before, she would do it again.

  But this time, she would die complete.

  He came to her, gathering her close and she slid her arms around his waist, luxuriating in the solid, warm strength of him.

  His chin atop her head, he whispered, "You know, folks are going to say that I married you for your money."

  She grinned into the curve of his neck. "I'll just tell 'em I compromised you.”

  He chuckled, drew his head back, and looked
down at her. Moving one hand, he smoothed his fingers through the thick mass of her hair. “You don't care if folks talk, do ya?"

  "Not one damn bit."

  "Then why'd you agree to marry me tomorrow?"

  She reached up and cupped his cheek in her palm. "Because you care. And because I didn't want to spend the next seventy some years living like a vestal virgin. And because…"

  "What?" his voice was so soft, the rustle of the river almost smothered it.

  She met those blue eyes of his and paused for a long moment before finishing, "Because I love you," she said, hoping to hell it was the right time to say it.

  "Thought you said you wouldn't love me."

  "Thought you said we couldn't have sex if we weren't married."

  Twin dark eyebrows lifted. He tightened his hold on her and admitted, "Okay, I lied."

  One corner of her mouth twitched. "So did I."

  Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, then drew his head back again to look at her. "I love you too, Nora," he said, releasing the words on a long sigh. “Just as I have before."

  A chill raced down her spine at the mention of their shared lifetimes. Fear rose up inside her and was quickly shoved into a dark corner of her heart. She didn't want these moments with him ruined by shadows of the past.

  "But this time," he went on, capturing her attention with the steel in his voice. “I'll keep you safe. I swear it. I won't let you die this time. I won't lose you again."

  She believed him. Looking into those determined eyes, it would have been impossible not to. Then he lowered his head to hers and she closed her eyes as he kissed her, staking a claim on her heart and soul.

  She opened her mouth to him and took his breath as her own. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held him tightly, offering him all she had to give. Nora felt his fingers tugging at her shirt buttons and frantically hurried to help him.

  In seconds, they were naked in the sunlight, just as she'd imagined. A soft breeze whispered past them, caressing them with a cool touch. He laid her down on the blankets, but when she reached for him, he shook his head. "Seth?"