“They saw me, those reckless seekers of beauty, and in a night I was famous.” —Lillie Langtry
Chapter Five
Odessa winced as Zach bent and examined the bite. Tears stung the back of her eyes, matching the burn beneath her skin. Too afraid to be embarrassed at his long fingers touching her bare leg, she gulped back a sob. “Tell the truth. Am I gonna die?” Her voice trembled.
He glanced up and smiled. Sweat from the rising temperature glistened beneath the brim of his hat, but his hand felt cool against her skin. “I doubt it. The scorpion looked like a stripe-tailed one. The critter probably didn’t mean any harm. They usually burrow in the dirt, and I ‘spect you leaned on him a might too hard.”
She pressed her knuckles to her lips. “Then why does my leg burn so much?”
“Cause you’ve been stung. If the scorpion was poisonous, you’d be having breathing problems by now. You aren’t, are you?” His steady gaze assessed her.
Her hand against her chest, Odessa took a few deep breaths. Tension melted from her shoulders. “No. Other than my leg hurting, I feel fine.”
He patted her knee and inched away. “Trust me. You’re gonna live. Your leg’ll be sore for a day or two and you might even run a fever, but…”
“I can’t be sick.” She sat straighter. “We have to get to Phoenix, remember?”
He nodded. “Don’t fret. We’ll get there, but now, you need to relax. I have to cook this rabbit before the flames die out.”
* * * *
Grease from the last blackened bits of meat dripped from the spit into the fire, which hissed and crackled. Odessa licked the oily sheen from her fingertips and sighed. “That was delicious.”
“It may have to hold you until we get to Phoenix.” Zach stood and extended his hand. “Are you ready to get going?”
She lifted the hem of her skirt and peered at the tiny puncture wound on her calf, then clasped his fingers. “I suppose so. My leg has stopped throbbing and I feel fine.” Attempting to stand, she sagged back to the ground. “Whoa, I’m a little light-headed, and…” She grimaced. “This rabbit isn’t sitting too well on my stomach.”
He cast a wary eye at her. “You look a little pale.”
“I don’t feel good.” She covered her mouth and choked back her rising breakfast while gazing about for a private place. Why didn’t he go away? Be a gentleman?
“Do you want some water?” He held out a canteen.
She shook her head at his offer, scrambled to her feet and lurched away from him. Bumping against the edge of the wall she fell to her knees and vomited. She leaned against the adobe and heaved again and again, until at last her stomach muscles clenched, but found nothing left to spew. Exhausted, she closed her eyes. Humiliation welled and equaled her queasiness. Her cheeks burned hotter than the scorpion bite, but she shuddered at a sudden chill.
“Are you all right?” Zach called.
“Nothing hurt except my pride.” She took a breath and waited for her stomach to stop churning. Oh, for a pillow, a blanket and a soft bed. She needed Granny to bathe her forehead and bring her some tea and honey, but those days were long gone.
“Can I get you anything?” He stood over her, adding to her discomfort.
“No, thank you.” She took his offered hand and stood, then returned to the fireside, holding her stomach and grimacing at the vile taste in her mouth. “That meal was much better the first time around.” She feigned a smile.
“Sorry breakfast made you sick.” He kicked dirt over the waning fire, but wisps of smoke escaped and spiraled upward. Her gaze followed the white ribbon but stopped short when she noticed the broadness of his shoulders and how tall he stood. She compared herself to a filly next to a stallion. Her mind wandered to improper thoughts of having those muscular arms around her and she forgot her roiling stomach, but only for a moment. Another nauseous wave reminded her that she’d just vomited in front of him, yet here she was dreaming about ridiculous things. Had she gone mad from too much sun?
“I don’t seem to be taking very good care of you.” His voice jerked her from her thoughts.
“Goodness, you caught me daydreaming.” After smoothing her skirt, she swiped at a wisp of hair fluttering against her cheek. “No need to apologize. I probably shouldn’t have eaten something so… so heavy after being bitten. Live and learn my grandmother used to say. But, I’m fine now. We’d best get going. I don’t care to spend another night on the ground. I’ve had my fill of coyotes and scorpions.”
“Coyotes?” Zach’s brow rose in a perfect arch.
She shook her head. “That’s a long story and one we can share along the way to Phoenix if you really want.” She wadded her hair into a knot and plopped on her father’s hat.
“Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“Positive.” She lied and bent to retrieve her belongings, then straightened and slung her rifle over her shoulder. “I’m ready.” Her stomach grumbled, but she’d delayed him long enough.
Zach stepped closer. “Wait.” He ran his thumb across her lip and smiled down at her. “You still had a little breakfast on your mouth.”
She tilted her head back and peered up at him. Understandably, her cheeks warmed, but she puzzled over the heat drifting down her arms and into her chest. She licked her lips and took a step back, lowering her gaze to her disheveled dress. “Thank you. I suppose I must be a total mess.” She took the canteen, walked to a break in the bricks and sparing little water, rinsed her mouth.
“Given what you’ve been through, I think you look mighty fine.”
She turned to find him hunkered and rolling up his bedding. He stood and adjusted the brim of his hat. “We can ride double for a while.”
She widened her eyes. How had she never considered they had only one horse? Her throat constricted at the thought of sitting so close to him. She trailed behind, waiting while he secured their bedding to the back of the saddle. Her fists clenched at her sides. If only the two animals pulling Papa’s wagon hadn’t run away. She released a loud breath through pursed lips.
Zach jerked his head around. “Are you feeling all right?”
“Fine.” She swallowed. “I’m fine.”
He turned back to his task, and she quickly sniffed her underarm. What she wouldn’t give for a bar of soap and tub of water. She crossed her arms and waited.
Zach checked the cinch’s tightness one last time, hooked his left toe into the lowered stirrup and hefted himself astride. He reached down. “Grab hold.”
Odessa took his offered hand, and he yanked her up behind him like she weighed no more than a bag of feathers. After adjusting her skirt to hide her exposed legs, she shifted around, trying to find a comfortable niche against the bedrolls Zach had fastened behind the saddle.
“Are you settled?” he asked.
“Yes.” She gritted her teeth, reluctant to grasp him.
“You’d better hold on.”
“Like this?” She clutched his waist, but tried to maintain space between them.
“Tighter or you’re gonna slide off.” He took hold of her hands and pulled them forward until they met on his belt buckle. “There, that’s better.”
Better? If she got any closer she’d be inside his shirt with him. She felt his every breath, each movement of his muscles. His hand rested atop hers, making it impossible to loosen her grip. “Are you sure I’m not squeezing you too tight?” Her voice muffled against his shoulder.
“As if a little gal like you could.” He laughed then nudged Storm forward.
Odessa clung to Zach, her cheek resting against his shoulder. His shirt smelled of dust, sweat and soap—a strange but enticing odor. Instead of being repulsed, the mixed blend of masculinity drew her closer. Her innards quivered in an unusual way. Everything seemed so strange, of late.
Zach sat taller in the saddle, keeping perfect unison with Storm’s gait. The shifting friction between her bosom and his back caused her skin to tingle. She finally found a matching rhythm, closed her eyes and tried to make sense of everything. The growing heat, the rocking motion, her queasy stomach… she felt so drowsy.
“Now, tell me about those coyotes,” he said.
Her mouth widened into a yawn. She’d much rather nap, but she’d promised to share the tale.
* * * *
“Luckily, I had Pa’s gun and killed the coyote before he got me.” Odessa sighed as she finished telling of her experience. The memory made the hair on her arms perk up.
Somewhere during the story, her queasiness eased, but her body ached and both arms grew numb from reaching around Zach’s middle. They hadn’t ridden very long, but she already yearned for a break. The beating sun and the heat radiating from him became unbearable. She lifted her cheek from against his back. “Would you mind if I walked a bit?”
He stiffened. “Are you feeling sick again?”
“I’m not gonna throw up on you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She chuckled. “I just feel like stretching my legs.”
He reined Storm to a halt and glanced over his shoulder. “Slide off.” He held her arm to steady her.
Once on the ground, she pressed both hands to the small of her back and sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve ridden, and I fear I’m out of shape.”
He dismounted and pulled the reins over Storm’s head, stepping around to lead the horse. “I don’t feel right letting a lady walk while I ride. I’ll join you if you don’t mind. Let me know when you’re ready to mount up again.”
They walked on in silence as the morning air grew hotter. Odessa removed her hat and swiped her sleeve across her brow. With only the sound of Storm’s hoof beats on the hardened path, the silence begged to be broken. “So, tell me about the job you’re taking.”
“U-uh, I heard the stage company has openings for someone to ride guard.” He kept his gaze fixed on the ground.
“That sounds dangerous. But what if they hire someone before you get there? They could, you know. Then I’ll be at fault for delaying you.” Her mouth arched into a frown.
She expected a response, but he said nothing. A glance up at him showed determined eyes staring forward and his lips pulled into a thin line.
“Never run a bluff with a six-gun.” —Bat Masterson
Chapter Six
Zach’s jaw tensed. Did she ever run out of questions? Her nosy inquiry into his business had forced him to tell more lies. Trying not to show his annoyance, he smiled at her. “Don’t worry. The ad in the Phoenix Gazette said they needed several men handy with a rifle. They have more than one coach, you know.” He smothered a sigh with a whisk of his hand across his mouth. If only the job he described truly awaited him.
“I’m happy to hear that.” She flipped an errant hair away from her face and fell silent for a moment.
He enjoyed the quiet, but kept stealing glances at her. Those bow-shaped lips, that slight upturn to her nose, and those sky blue eyes that sparkled like a child’s at Christmas time—food for a starving man. Why couldn’t he have come upon an ugly gal?
She lifted her long locks from the back of her neck. “Whew! I don’t know which is hotter, wearing a hat or letting my hair hang free.”
Zach stopped and handed her the reins. “Wait a minute. I may have an answer.” He bent and pulled a pocket knife from his boot, then disappeared to the other side of his horse. In a moment, he returned with a piece of rawhide. “Reckon I can live with one tie on my saddlebag.”
Odessa handed back the reins and her hat, then secured her hair with the leather strip. She placed a gentle hand on his sleeve. “Thank you. That was very kind of you.”
She’s just a young girl. The reminder did nothing to halt the added warmth creeping through his thin shirt material and heating his arm. His mouth turned dry and he licked his lips. “No problem. You ready to ride a ways?”
“I think I am. The ground is burning through my shoes.” She plopped her hat back atop her head, looking more like a lady with her hair not totally hidden. Darn, she kept getting prettier and prettier.
He mounted and hauled her up behind him. As he nudged Storm forward, he glanced over his shoulder. “I have some biscuits and bacon in my bag. When you get hungry, let me know.”
She grasped him tighter around the middle and laughed. “I’m hungry right now, but I think I’ll wait a bit. I still taste that rabbit from breakfast.”
* * * *
Storm’s coarse hair chafed Odessa’s skin. The inside of her thighs burned hotter than the sun on her back. Zach had stopped only long enough for them to share a meager meal and some water before pressing on. She’d tried dozing against his shoulder, but whenever she relaxed, her arms turned limp, and the sensation of falling jerked her awake.
Like fingers of fire, ribbons of orange and red from the hovering sun appeared on the distant horizon. Cooler air raised goose bumps on Odessa’s arms. How could a person be sizzling one moment and cold the next? She snuggled closer to Zach and drew warmth from his back.
“Are we going to stop for the night?”
“I was planning on doing just that. Sorry, there’s nothing but open spaces tonight, but I’ll build us a fire and we’ll be fine.” He reined Storm off the road, onto a stretch of ground somewhat free of cactus and scrub. “This looks like as good a place as any.”
If stopping meant she didn’t have to ride for a while, any place suited her. She slid off Storm’s back, wincing when her feet touched the ground. Every part of her ached, and not just from chafing. She rubbed her backside. “I never had plans of becoming a horsewoman, but now I’m certain I won’t.”
“Ah, you get used to riding after a while.” He laughed and gathered the bedrolls from behind the saddle.
She shook her head. “I’m riding as far as Phoenix, and then it’ll be a wagon or buckboard for me.” She meant what she said.
The setting sun changed daylight to hues of pink. Zach pitched the bedrolls to her. “Here, make yourself useful. Find a clean spot and spread these out while I gather up some fodder for a fire. It’s gonna be dark pretty quick.”
Hobbling on stiff legs, Odessa inspected the ground for a place free of stones and debris. She settled on a site then realized the need to relieve herself—quickly. Her gaze scanned the distance, searching for some sort of privacy, but she saw none—only Storm, grazing in the distance.
God, she couldn’t hold her bladder any longer. Here was a chance to find out if her companion was a true gentleman. She swallowed. “Uh, Zach, I need to…” She gazed around and truly realized her options.
He turned. “Need to what?” The question made his brow rise.
She released a huge breath that fluttered her lips. Her cheeks heated. “Need to relieve myself, and I require some privacy. Given that there is absolutely nothing to hide behind, I wonder if you might be so kind as to give your word to keep your back turned while I do my business.”
“Is that all? You might be interested to know I take no delight in watching a person pee. If you’ll garner any sense of privacy, feel free to hunker on the other side of Storm. I’m sure he’d rather eat than peek at you.” Zach laughed.
Any embarrassment fled and anger surged through her veins. Her jaw tensed. “Go ahead. Make fun of me. I’m not used to dropping my bloomers in front of a complete stranger. Men seem to have things so much simpler than we ladies. You sir, are rude and uncouth.” She turned and stomped across the loose sandy soil toward Storm.
* * * *
The last embers of the fire crackled and died. Zach made no move to stoke the flames and pushed his blanket down around his waist. He laced his hands behind his head and stared at the sky.
He should have been more considerate of Odessa. But heck, he’d never been around females much, other than the painted floozies he generally ignored in the local saloon. Rolling to his side, he gazed across the smoking fire pit. Her back was to him. He meant to apologize, but he’d wait until morning. Boy, she’d been madder than a coiled rattlesnake earlier. He’d found not peeking at her when she squatted behind Storm quite hard to resist.
A stone jabbed at Zach’s hip. He grumbled and rolled to his other side, fighting the blanket wrapped around his feet. He kicked free and stretched out on his back again. Earlier, he’d felt chilled, but the cooling breeze had died down and allowed the air to warm again—overly warm if the sweat forming on his brow was any indication.
Sleep evaded him. He sat up and stared into the shadowy distance. His thoughts swept from Odessa to the job waiting for him in Charleston. If he hadn’t been saddled with her, he would have reached his destination and…
And what? Been killed? Robbed the stage and headed home with money to save the ranch? He blew a breath through pursed lips and splayed his fingers through his hair. If only he could travel back in time and take back the agreement he’d made with the fellow in the saloon. His drink must have been laced with loco weed to have agreed to hook up with strangers and rob a stagecoach. Hell, he couldn’t even remember the name of the man with whom he’d struck the deal.
Zach stretched out on his blanket again, then rolled to his side and tucked his arm beneath his head. As he started to close his eyes, Odessa released a soft snore that drew his attention. She rolled over.
He snared a quick breath. His habit of alluding to her as a child diminished at the sight of her profile. This was no youngster just a few feet away. Her pert nose, full lips, and even more, the ample breasts straining against the confines of her dress, belonged to a young woman. After all she’d been through—a mature young woman, at that. He propped himself up on his elbow and studied her face.
As if his gaze woke her, she opened her eyes, turned and fixed her stare on him. “What are you looking at?”
Odessa Page 4