Texas Heir

by Linda Warren

  Reed glanced toward the sinking sun. “We might as well try and get some rest.”

  Cari winced.

  “What?”

  “My feet hurt so badly.”

  “Lie back on my jacket and I’ll look at your feet.”

  “It’s just blisters.”

  “Lie back, please.”

  “You can be really annoying sometimes.” But she stretched out and put her feet in his lap.

  Her sneakers were a filthy dirt-brown color, as were her socks. Slipping off the shoes, he saw the socks were stuck to the sides of her heels. Definitely blisters.

  “Sit tight. I’m going to get more cactus.” Within minutes he had what he wanted. Sitting cross-legged, he lifted her feet. “I’m going to remove your socks. Take a deep breath.”

  “Oh, ouch!” She made a face.

  As he looked closely at the raw irritated spots, he saw they had rubbed through her hose. He wondered how she was walking at all.

  “Are these knee-highs?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going to remove them.” Slowly he peeled off the dirty hosiery and gently rubbed the soft, jelly-like cactus all over the sores. Then he did the same to her sunburned face and his. “Let’s leave your socks off until morning and give the sores some air.”

  “Okay.”

  He gathered her close, letting her use his body as a cushion. Luckily there was grass here, so the ground wasn’t so hard. He shook out his jacket with one hand and pulled it over them.

  The night desert sounds surrounded them. Coyotes howled, crickets chirped, the wind rustled, yet there was a quiet that was unnerving and unending.

  She snuggled closer. “My feet feel better. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Look at those stars,” she said. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

  “Like beacons guiding us home.”

  “Home,” she murmured. “That sounds so nice, but I wonder if we’re even going in the right direction.”

  “Like we decided from the start, if we keep going east, using the sun as our guide, we should come upon something.”

  “Or we could be completely lost.”

  He squeezed her playfully. “Is this the same girl who thumbed her nose at ‘Mr. Jerk’?”

  “Mr. Cool,” she corrected.

  “Mr. Jerk,” he stated emphatically.

  She giggled, a lighthearted sound that warmed his heart. “Okay, Mr. Jerk.” She was still for a moment. “Your logic about our direction sounds reasonable, but it’s so frustrating.”

  “We’ll make it. We just have to regain our strength.”

  Her hand touched his beard. “So woolly.”

  “Mmm.”

  “And sexy.”

  He looked down at her. “You think so?”

  “Definitely. If I wasn’t so tired I might…”

  He cuddled her closer.

  He might, too.

  Chapter Ten

  Cari woke up with sand in her mouth. Sitting up, she wiped her mouth on her sleeve and encountered more dirt. Damn! She wasn’t so tired though and that was a good thing. Her feet felt much better, too.

  She raised a foot to inspect her heel and heard a sound. Glancing up, she saw two wolves or coyotes with shaggy coats growling at them, teeth bared. Hair stood up on their backs. Goose bumps rippled across her skin.

  “Easy,” Reed whispered beside her.

  Cari had had enough. She wasn’t afraid. Picking up a rock, she threw it as hard as she could and screamed, “Get the hell away. We are not your breakfast.”

  The rock hit one of the animals. He yelped and sprinted away, the other one following.

  “Well, that did the trick,” Reed said, gently rubbing her neck. “Fearless Cari.”

  She leaned her head on his arm. “I’ve never been more afraid. Not of those stupid animals.” She sucked in a breath. “I’m afraid of dying. Are you?”

  He gazed into her eyes. “Cari…”

  “I’m not afraid of the actual dying part or finding out about the hereafter. I’m afraid of the things I’ve left undone or unsaid.”

  “Like what?”

  She watched the beautiful sunrise and its dazzling colors as it bathed the bleakness of the west Texas landscape with a vitality that was unique and awesome.

  “Remember when I talked about what I’d do if I had all the time in the world?”

  “Sure.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be soaking in a spa with champagne and strawberries. I’d call my mom and talk for hours. No, better yet, I’d go home and spend the day with her in her kitchen and just soak up the smell of her cooking and her loving heart. My mom is a great cook and she loves it when her girls are in the kitchen with her.”

  “My mother doesn’t know how to boil water.”

  She looked at him. “Does Daphne?”

  He frowned. “I have no idea. It wasn’t what I loved about her.”

  She wondered if he realized he’d used past tense. Any other time, any other place, she would have pointed that out and asked what it was he did love about Daphne. She realized though he had to come to terms with his own feelings about his fiancée. And Cari had to respect those feelings. She wasn’t beating herself up about it anymore. She just wanted to live.

  “What else would you do?”

  “Take my sisters and my nieces shopping. They’re always bugging me to, but I never have time. And I would ride in the cab of the tractor with my dad and sing along to the country music he has playing on the radio. Then I’d just listen to him talk about the olden days and how tough times were. Afterward I would apologize for ever being embarrassed to wear hand-me-down clothes, because he’d given me the greatest gift of all—unconditional love.”

  For a moment there was silence as she realized what a wonderful childhood she’d really had. She also realized her job wasn’t her life. She had so much more.

  She stood and stretched. “What would you do if you had all the time in the world?”

  He shrugged as he rose to his feet. “I’ve always had all the time in the world except when I became CEO of Dalton’s. Fitting everything into my life became a challenge, but time has always been my own.”

  “Mmm. The old silver spoon in your mouth, huh?”

  “You could say that.” He headed for the cactus. “How about breakfast?”

  “Since coffee is out, cactus sounds yummy.”

  Reed plucked several more egg-shaped fruit. They sat and ate until they didn’t want any more, and then Reed rubbed more cacti over her blisters.

  He leaned back on his heels, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I’m thinking about that all-the-time-in-the-world thing.”

  “And?”

  “I think I would like to sit in your mom’s kitchen and watch her cook and I’d enjoy riding on the tractor with your dad.”

  She grinned. “You’ve been out in the sun too long.”

  “No. I’ve just never had that type of life filled with love and caring.”

  She didn’t bring up Daphne. It would serve no purpose. “Well, Junior, when we make it home, I’ll introduce you to a simple way of life.”

  “You’re on.”

  She made a face at her dirty socks, but pulled them on anyway and gently shoved her feet into the sneakers, trying not to wince. The damaged hose she stuffed into the backpack.

  Reed wiped dust from his boots. “I haven’t had these off in days and my feet feel fine.”

  “Yeah.” Cari stood. “Colter’s company makes you custom boots and what do I get? Wait until I see him.”

  “I don’t think cowboy boots would go with your power suits.”

  “Maybe I’ll start a new trend.”

  She wasn’t sure about the future or of what lay ahead for her. Her whole way of thinking had changed. She watched as Reed slipped on the backpack. Her feelings for him would never change and she would no longer hide them. Or deny them. Or flaunt them. She would graciously accept that he didn’t love her.
But he had to say it to her face.

  One day.

  Soon.

  “Time to go,” Reed said, putting as much of the fruit as he could in the backpack.

  She fell into step beside him. They walked in silence and Cari tried to ignore the pain in her feet. They were now in a valley of tall weeds and grasses. Several deer loped in front of them and they stopped to watch the graceful creatures until they disappeared into the vast landscape.

  As they continued, Cari’s legs grew tired again and that lethargic feeling settled over her. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep going.

  The wind tugged at her with brutal strength, but she didn’t give in. After she stumbled a couple of times, Reed finally stopped and they rested in the shade of a shrubby oak and listened to the howling of the wind. They ate more cactus.

  “Would you like to take off your sneakers?” Reed asked, finishing a fruit pod.

  “No.”

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. But she wasn’t sure. She was just bone tired and dirty. A sense of helplessness invaded her well of strength and she laid her head on his shoulder.

  “I’m supposed to be the weaker sex and I guess I’m proving it.”

  “Cari Michaels weak? That just doesn’t compute.”

  “You could make better time if you went alone.”

  “Look around you,” he said instead of answering.

  She raised her head. “What?” She saw the same old scenery.

  “The grass is getting taller and greener and there are more trees. We’re seeing lots of animals. That can only mean one thing.”

  “Water,” she murmured as she watched a couple of antelope run by with amazing speed.

  “Yes. We’re definitely getting close to something.”

  Cari pushed to her feet. “Let’s go then.”

  He pulled her back down. “We have to rest.”

  “Oh, I love a strong man.”

  “Even one who looks like the hairy man?”

  “You bet.” She rested her head on his shoulder again and closed her eyes. In her mind’s eye they were dressed to the nines as they sailed across a ballroom dance floor to a slow Texas waltz.

  He loved her.

  She loved him.

  And delirium never seemed so right.

  RICHARD AWOKE to a throbbing head. He lay on the sofa in his study fully dressed in yesterday’s clothes. An empty bottle of bourbon stood on the coffee table.

  He sat up and held his head with both hands. Getting drunk had solved nothing nor helped to ease his discontent. He was afraid nothing would.

  His son was gone.

  Today that was still true.

  The door opened and Vanessa walked in dressed in brown slacks and a peach silk blouse.

  She glared at his disheveled appearance. “Richard, for heaven’s sake, pull yourself together.”

  “Go away, Vanessa.” A composed Vanessa at this time of the morning was irritating.

  “I will not. Reporters are at the gate wanting a statement, and TV stations are calling for an interview. If you’re not up to it, I’ll write a statement for your secretary to give to the press.”

  He squinted at her, wondering if this was really his wife, the one who was consumed with her life and only her life. When did she get so damn strong? Why in the hell wasn’t she grieving like him?

  He rose to his feet gingerly and the room spun. He reached for the arm of the sofa, but Vanessa was there to give him a hand. For the first time in his life he leaned on her.

  “Go upstairs and take a shower. I’ll deal with the press.”

  “I’ll be okay in a minute,” he said, trying to maintain his balance. “I’ll handle the media.”

  She looked at him. “Are you worried I can’t do it?”

  “I’m worried about what you’ll say.”

  “Richard, just because I refuse to say my son is dead doesn’t make me crazy. I…I know Reed may never come back, but please let me have that dream no matter how erroneous it may be. I need to believe my son is still alive. For now, I need that.”

  His arms went around her and he held her tight, something he hadn’t done in a very long time. “Okay. I’ll go shower and we’ll write a statement together. Call Nancy and let her know we’ll have something soon for her to dispense, and tell Winston to call the police to get rid of the people at the gate.”

  “Will do,” she replied, and they stared at each other for endless moments. “We’ll get through this,” she added. “Our daughter and her family are having breakfast and we need to join them.”

  “Give me ten minutes.” He started for the door and turned abruptly. He walked to her and kissed her cheek. As he moved away, he saw she held her hand to the spot he’d touched.

  Maybe there was hope for redemption after all.

  CARI AND REED kept walking. He adjusted his stride to hers, but in truth he was growing weary. He had to stay strong for her. They didn’t talk. It took too much energy.

  The wind had died down and that helped. They ate the last of the cacti, but they needed water. Badly.

  They saw it at the same time and came to a complete stop. A narrow silver ribbon haphazardly threaded its way through the landscape. A creek! Water!

  “Oh my God,” Cari said and took off running. Somehow the sight had given her a burst of energy. She fell halfway there and Reed picked her up and with their arms wrapped around each other they quickly made their way to the water’s edge.

  Cari lay flat on her stomach in the weeds and scooped water into her hands and drank. “Heavenly,” she gushed. “And it even looks clean.”

  He joined her and did likewise. “Drink slowly,” he instructed.

  After a few minutes they sat up, taking deep breaths. “We made it,” he said. “Life can’t be far away.”

  She glanced at the water. “This creek is probably dry most of the time, but because of the thunderstorm that caused the crash it has water. Thank God.”

  “If we keep following it, we’re bound to come to a small town or even a ranch. Soon we’ll be rescued.”

  “I’m hoping very soon.” Cari continued to stare at the water. “What do you think is below the surface, snakes, frogs, turtles and other amphibious creatures?”

  “I’m sure there is, and ordinarily the water probably wouldn’t be safe to drink.”

  “We have no choice though.” She began to unbutton her blouse. “I’m going swimming.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re very weak and…” His voice trailed away as she pulled her blouse free and threw it on the ground. Her upper arms were blue, almost purple, and her hands, neck and face were scorched red with sunburn.

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Well, Junior, if you don’t want to see a dirty naked woman, you’d better close your eyes.”

  Next she removed her sneakers and peeled away her socks, wincing. Then she unzipped her slacks and removed them. Once again he noticed black-and-blue spots on her legs and back. It had to be from the crash, yet she had nursed him without one word of complaint about her own pain.

  When she undid her bra and removed her panties, he should have looked away, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. He had to see everything that was Cari. The lines of her body were slim yet rounded in all the right places. Her breasts were full and her hips swayed suggestively as she strolled toward the water. As he watched her naked backside, something came alive in him.

  Desire.

  As exhausted as he was, he still felt it. He remembered all the times he’d experienced the same thing working side by side with her. And denied it just as many.

  She could make him angrier than anyone. She could frustrate him to the very end of his patience, and she could lift him up in ways he’d never acknowledged before. She made him want to be a better person. A better man.

  What about Daphne?

  He had a hard time remembering his fiancée’s face.

  He pushed the thought away as Cari stepped in
to the water. It might be deep and she was exhausted. He was instantly on his feet.

  “Cari,” he shouted, but she waded in and floated around.

  “It’s wonderful.” She smiled and his breath lodged in his throat. She was so beautiful. “Join me.”

  He shook his head and watched as she splashed around, going under several times and shaking the water from her sunburned face.

  “Chicken,” she called.

  He stood there feeling all the restrictions that had been placed on him by birth. He wasn’t an ordinary child and had to maintain neatness, order and control. Reed Preston wasn’t an ordinary man. But out here, he was just like everyone else.

  An ordinary man lived life to the fullest.

  Sitting down in the grass, he removed his boots and socks and wiggled his toes in the warm air for the first time in days. Then he stripped away his shirt, jeans and briefs. He saw the bruises on his body, too, but didn’t give them a second thought.

  He jumped into the water and came up a few feet from her. The water was heavenly just as she’d said. One look into her dark eyes and he glimpsed paradise.

  He swam toward her and gathered her into his arms. Her wet naked body moved temptingly against his and any self-control he had vanished.

  “What do you think?” she asked.

  “I think you had the right idea.”

  She grinned and wrapped her legs around his waist in a provocative movement. “All we need is soap.”

  “Mmm.” He kissed the warm hollow of her neck. “I think we have all we need.”

  She wiggled and he tried to keep them both afloat. As they played around, their laughter carried on the wind. When his feet touched bottom, he swung her up into his arms and carried her to the green grass.

  He gently laid her down and was mesmerized by the passion in her dark eyes. He wanted her. It was that plain. That simple.

  Yet complicated.

  He was engaged to someone else and he didn’t take that lightly.

  “Cari, I’m sorry.” He lay beside her and knew he wasn’t an ordinary man.

  He was a saint.

  Chapter Eleven

  Cari stared up at the bright blue sky not feeling hurt at his words. She knew him well enough to know he was struggling with the dictates of his life and his choices. She wondered though if that even mattered out here.