Turning away, she wished he would leave her some measure of privacy. Rafe was too attractive, too male, and too damn sure of himself. Remembering her surrender to him, she knew he had reason to be. Ignoring him became a test of will that she had lost before this.
“Well? I’m waiting for an answer, Lacey.”
With a soft, resigned sigh she began to soap the cloth only to have him take it from her. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”
He hated the note of underlying desperation in her voice that told him how she didn’t want his touch. Rafe could not reveal the pain it caused. “I’m going to help you. You seem to have a bit of difficulty moving—”
“And whose fault is that! I don’t want or need your help.” When he began rubbing her shoulder, she snapped, “Haven’t you had enough? Haven’t you done enough?”
She made a quick grab for the cloth he held high. Too late she realized by his wicked grin that she had exposed herself to his view. Knowing it was useless to keep fighting with him, she sat down and presented her rigid back to him.
Rafe began a slow circular motion over her skin to ease the tenseness from her body. Reluctantly, he was sure, she relaxed under his soothing massage, and he wondered again at the strength of spirit that made her continue to fight him. “You were planning to go to San Angela with me today, weren’t you?”
She froze. “No,” came her muffled answer as she bent her head forward to hide beneath the fall of her hair. His fingers flexed with a hint of their power against her neck, but Lacey refused to respond. He had told her enough times during the night what he expected to take place today. She was not about to be badgered again.
Rafe held the slope of her shoulder with one hand and used the other to force her head up. “Lacey,” he warned.
“I won’t be forced into marrying you. Not today. Not any day. It was a mistake on my part to demand the Reina as a price.”
“And if I’m willing to meet your price?”
“You’re not. Don’t lie, Rafe.”
“You are going to marry me, and it won’t be by force.”
She jerked her head away, defeated by his flat statement. This time he let her grab the cloth back. She needed time to think and plan, to sort out the confusion of her own emotions, and knew Rafe wasn’t about to grant her time.
“You want to keep the Reina, don’t you?”
“Don’t threaten me, Rafe.”
“I’ll do more than threaten you, princess. I’ll take the Reina, and what’s more, you can’t stop me. The men already look to me for their orders. Countermand them and you’ll find yourself without a hand. You can’t run the ranch alone. Most of the men have stayed on because they felt sorry for—”
“I pay top wages, and I’m a damn fair boss.”
“You’re a damn woman!”
“That doesn’t bother you any!”
His grin spread wickedly. “No, it sure as hell doesn’t.”
The thought burned and rankled. Lacey knew how much she wanted the land, needed it for survival, for it was a part of her, but she could not deny that it had become a part of Rafe, too. Could she have one without the other? No. She could not wrest control away from him. Rafe held the men’s respect in a way she never had, but she was the one who had foolishly given him that power.
Watching the play of emotions on her face, Rafe could almost see where her thoughts would take her. She raised one shapely leg high, lingering as she soaped it, ignoring him. He waited with studied patience to hear her answer, already aware of the devious path her mind would take. He didn’t wait long.
“Perhaps, just perhaps, you might be right. Marriage might be the answer.” She sneaked a glance and saw the teasing smile that lifted the corner of his hard, reckless mouth. Lacey gritted her teeth at the silent challenge. “If I agree to ride into town with you and stand before witnesses to become your wife, would you promise me a few things in return? But before you answer me, Rafe, I mean to have your sworn word that these are promises you’ll keep no matter what.”
“And just what do you desire for your price?” he asked sarcastically.
Reassured by the calm, thoughtful look he leveled at her, Lacey began. “First, I want us to have separate rooms.” His eyes narrowed, and he leaned over the edge of the tub. “You must listen to it all.”
“Like the devil I will!”
“If I don’t go willingly, what are you going to do? Hold a gun to my head? You’ll sit there and hear me out since you have your own reasons for wanting this damn marriage.”
Rafe nodded abruptly. He didn’t trust himself to speak.
“I will promise to appear the perfect wife—in company, that is—and won’t give you cause to complain. But we will share the running of the ranch, Rafe. That means you talk things over with me before you do them. And here in the house you stay clear of me.”
Warned by her smug look, Rafe decided to let her think she was calling the shots. She was, as long as it suited him. Lacey was going to grow up and become a woman in all ways. It was more than damned past the time for it to happen. But he wasn’t about to let her win easily, and he let her sit in the rapidly cooling water, fuming at his silence.
“And we need to decide what you’re going to do about April. I won’t have her coming on Reina land. Meet her somewhere else, Rafe, or I swear I’ll—”
“You’ll do nothing to her! She saved my life. But I forgot, you don’t want to hear what happened that day up at the line shack. Don’t worry, princess, my lips are sealed.”
Saved his life? What was he talking about? But Lacey could be stubborn and refused to ask if it had anything to do with the barely healed wound on his thigh. She flushed, remembering her murmurs over it, the kisses she pressed around the tender flesh, and Rafe’s curt dismissal.
She told herself it was the thought of his being in debt to April that made her ask him what had happened. Rafe, without embellishment, answered her. Lacey was swamped with a rush of guilt. She stopped herself from voicing an apology or showing concern, reminding herself that like his father, Rafe used any weakness to his ruthless advantage. And to her surprise, he made no comment about her silence.
He trailed his fingers in the water. “Are you sure that’s all of it? If it is, you win. Marriage on those terms.” He cut off her beginning smile with his own ruthless one. “Be warned, princess, the door between these rooms didn’t stop me before.”
“And I warned you to stop threatening me.”
“Ah, but, princess, I don’t make threats. Remember? I make promises. Ones that I intend to keep. But even if I foolishly made this one, you couldn’t hold me to it.”
“Then we have no agreement. Hence, no marriage.”
Rafe’s lips compressed as he ran his hand roughly through his hair. How far did she think to bend his pride? It took him a few minutes to realize the kind of marriage she intended they have. Didn’t Lacey know him after all this time? He almost laughed at her resort to such a childish refuge.
“All right. We try it your way. I’ll give you my promise that once we are married, I’ll never set foot in your room again. Outside of it you’re fair game. But answer me this,” he demanded over her furious sputtering, his own voice ruffled with anger, “is keeping the Reina worth selling yourself like a puta?”
The scorn in his eyes made her breath catch. What was she doing? “Rafe, wait. I need time. I—”
“Answer me. Is it?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “Yes, it’s worth everything.”
“That’s what I thought.” His grin was deadly. “The promise is made. I won’t be the one to break it.”
Lacey nodded, but the taste of victory was bitter. She wasn’t prepared for his mocking laughter or his abrupt move. Before she realized what he intended to do, Rafe grabbed up two buckets of clean water and dumped
them over her.
“Seems to me that you still need cooling, princess.” He scooped her up into his arms, grabbed a towel, and ignored her outraged shrieks.
“You arrogant bas—” Lacey stopped at the look of thunderous fury lighting his eyes and muttered sullenly, “You gave me your word just moments ago, and you can’t keep it.”
“Just remember, Lacey mine, the sweet term of, shall I say endearment, that you’re so fond of calling me belongs to you as well.” Having effectively silenced her, Rafe carried her into her room, set her down in front of him as he sat on the bed, and kept her pinioned between his legs. “Be still,” he muttered darkly.
“No. You promised you wouldn’t come into my room. I won’t go through with it if you can’t keep your word. Do you hear me?”
“How can I help but hear you, you’re screaming in my ear. But love,” he whispered tauntingly, “you will admit you were very clear on the promise you forced from me, weren’t you? I am not to set foot in your room once we are married. But we aren’t married yet.”
Lacey swore under her breath, fighting to ignore the way he lingered over drying her body. She was desperate to reclaim some measure of pride. “Will you stop? Must you glean more satisfaction by punishing me?” When he didn’t respond, she demanded, “How can you swear you love me and then threaten me like some—”
His black forbidding look silenced her. An involuntary shudder swept over her, hearing his softly voiced question.
“So, you finally admit that I do love you?”
“I admit nothing of the kind. You proved I can’t fight you. But I won’t let you continue to humiliate me, Rafe. I won’t stand here and let you handle me as if I were a damn possession of yours. And I—”
“…and I have heard enough!” He tossed aside the towel in a careless heap on the floor and held her captive. “What is it that you think I’m doing to you? You call this humiliation? You were, are, exhausted from last night and this morning,” he stated without pride and caught himself before he said he was sorry. Why bother when she wouldn’t believe him. “If you let your wild, hot temper simmer down, you would realize that I would never deliberately hurt you. The only one who can do that is you, Lacey. Is it too much to ask you to do a little sensible reasoning?”
Lacey was weary of the arguing. She didn’t know her eyes reflected weariness as well as sorrow for what had come to pass.
Rafe ruthlessly cast aside the instant softening he felt. “Lacey, you forced a promise from me that no man who calls himself one would give to a woman he wants for his own. Don’t—I’m warning you now—don’t dare push me for more.”
He released her, and Lacey stared woodenly at him for a moment before she snatched up the towel and wrapped it around herself. It was a mistake to think she could control him. Rafe was never malleable. This had to stop, now.
“I can’t do it, Rafe. I never wanted you to be a part of my life from the first day. You order me around … oh,” she wailed in despair, gesturing wildly, “why can’t you understand what you’ve done to me?”
His eyes stalked her like a hunter, and his voice coldly rejected her words. “You gave your word to me. I’m holding you to it. The only thing I understand after listening to you is that you’re still afraid to be a woman. My woman, Lacey. Last night—”
“Last night! You dare to remind me about that when I want so desperately to forget?”
“I’ll dare that and more for what I want!”
Once again he silenced her with a look so coldly forbidding that Lacey backed away from him. Rafe towered over her, following her steps until she was backed up against the edge of the dresser, warning himself not to touch her.
Cornered, the defiance in her eyes shifted to a look of fear when he placed his hands on either side of her.
“You’re a liar, Lacey. I’ve wasted all the time I can trying to reason with you. Willing or not, you’re getting dressed and coming with me. I’ll warn you again, love,” he bit off with rippling fury, “if you don’t come peaceably, I’ll swear to take you as you are.”
“Why do you want to marry me? We can’t even talk civilly to each other.”
“Por Dios, bruja, it should be plain enough. I want you, and if marriage will give me what I want, you and the Reina, I’ll risk anything to have it.”
How softly he spoke, but she knew he was raging inside. She could feel the tautness of his body, see his nostrils flare before his eyes became hooded, and she knew he had controlled his fury. Lacey felt safe then. She stared contemptuously, taking deep breaths to steady the turmoil churning inside her. The full realization of what she had agreed to hit her.
“You’ll end up hating me, Rafe. I’ll hold you to every letter of that promise no matter what you try to do. Even if…” Her courage deserted her at the sneer twisting his lips, but Lacey forced herself to finish. “Even if I end up killing you.”
His laugh was sudden and mocking. “I’ll accept the challenge. At least, princess, neither one of us will ever be bored. Will we, sweet witch?” He stepped back from her. “You have fifteen minutes to get dressed.”
Lacey shook with repressed anger, but she grabbed a shortened camisole and pulled it on. He was mad! And she was crazy to go through with this! She felt him watching her as she reached for a pair of black twill pants, knowing she was partly to blame for things reaching this impasse. But let him dare say one word about what she chose to wear … just let him dare!
When she finally turned around, Rafe was gone. For some inexorable reason she realized the shirt she wore was the one she had on the first time Rafe kissed her. And now there was so much bitterness between them, Lacey didn’t believe there could ever be peace.
She had barely finished brushing the tangles from her damp hair when he returned with her boots. He tossed them to her, and she managed to catch them, sitting down on the floor to put them on. She risked a quick glance at him, taking in the sight of his totally black-clad figure, including a leather vest that fitted him snuggly to perfection. She suddenly realized they were Sy’s clothes, new ones, but still his. Rafe gave no indication that he heard her soft cry as he stood calmly buckling on his gunbelt.
Lacey sat there, on the floor, watching his strong hands, gentle with insistence to arouse her, tie the rawhide thongs around his muscled thigh. For some reason the sight of the gun made her harden her own faltering resolve to go through with this mockery of a marriage. Her head lowered, and she admitted she couldn’t keep the Reina any other way. Whether Rafe used the sight of the gun as a subtle reminder of that fact, Lacey heeded it.
Standing, reconfirming her thought that the Reina was all that mattered, she took a quick look in her mirror. Outwardly she was presentable, if not suitably dressed for a bride. Shrugging her shoulders, she didn’t care, yet moisture blurred her eyes. Some wedding day, she thought. All she needed to do was to strap on her own gun. What a loving couple they would appear. Self-mockery brought no smile of satisfaction to her taut mouth.
The house was deserted as she followed him out to the corral. “I suppose you told Maggie what you planned.”
“Sure. I told Fletcher and Bo to spread the word to our men when they reached town. I don’t want anyone to miss this wedding, Lacey.”
She glanced at the saddled bay stallion. “Where’s my horse?”
“You’re not riding one.”
He was already mounted when she faced him, muttering to herself and heading for the barn. “What does he intend for me to do? Walk all the way like some damn trophy of war? If he thinks—”
She never finished, for his arm caught her easily around the waist as he swung her in front of him. “I think it’s best if you ride with me. This way, witch, I’ll be sure you don’t leave me standing at the altar.”
“The idea never crossed my mind, Rafe. Marriage may prove to be the sweetest revenge of all.
”
“There are times when you tempt me sorely to show you whose revenge, as you call it, will be the sweetest.”
“You mean you haven’t?”
“No,” he stated through gritted teeth as she shifted her weight so her buttocks nestled tight against his thighs.
The light but unmistakably deliberate move of his hand brushing her breast made her stiffen. “Stop it. If we must get this done today, Rafe, there’s no further need to prove your point.”
“A truce, so there’s no question in anyone’s mind that you’re not being forced into this?”
Dispiritedly she nodded. She would go through with the sham. She couldn’t forget the terms of Sy’s will. If Rafe married someone else, someone like April, she would lose more than her pride. Rafe would have his title to half the ranch. And April would be living right under her nose. Damn Sy for putting those impossible terms in his will!
He would never allow her to buy him out even if she could raise the money. And there were the outstanding notes to be paid. Why had Sy mortgaged the land?
She was getting what she wanted: the Reina. It had to be enough to make her happy. Then why wasn’t she?
Lacey ached as the hours passed before the first wooden buildings came into view. Sy’s friend, Bartholomew De Witt, had built his trading post here before Permanent Camp was established. He named it after his sister. She could hear the faint sounds of men’s voices shouting wildly, punctuated with gunshots. Rafe had gone out of his way to try and talk, as they had so many times before, of his plans for the ranch. Lacey maintained her silence, unable to talk about her growing fear.
“I guess the races aren’t over yet,” Rafe murmured as a noisy roar came from the far side of town.
“I wonder if Ragweed won. I hope with both of us gone nothing happens with one man short.”
“Those aren’t thoughts for a lovely bride.”
Western Winds Page 21