Rafael took a deep breath. He had never driven a team before, but how hard could it be? Lifting the reins, he clucked to the team, breathed a silent prayer of thanks when the horses moved out.
He tried to think of something interesting or witty to say on the way to town, but he seemed to have lost the power of speech. He was acutely aware of the woman sitting only a few inches away, of the way the dress clung to her curves, of the feminine scent of her body, the way her thigh brushed his when the wagon hit a rut in the road.
He was also keenly aware of his own body, of how quickly his nether regions responded to her nearness, the scent of her perfume. It was all he could do to keep from reaching for her hand, from leaning toward her and stealing a kiss.
He reined the team to a halt when they reached the Grange, then practically jumped off the seat. Standing in the road, he turned his back to her and took several deep breaths before lifting her down from the wagon. What was wrong with him?
Sandy looked at him oddly as he set her on her feet, but didn’t say anything as they entered the hall.
It looked as if everyone in town was there, Rafael thought, glancing around. People milled about, chatting and laughing. Children clustered together. Long tables draped with red, white, and blue bunting were set up at one end of the hall. Red, white, and blue streamers fluttered in the breeze from the open doorway. Several tables held pitchers of lemonade. A five-piece band provided music.
Sandy introduced Rafe to several of the townspeople. Rafe recognized a few of them. After chatting amiably for several minutes, Sandy excused herself, saying she needed something to drink. Rafe followed her.
A stocky man with brown hair, brown eyes, and a thick mustache called her name as they made their way toward the refreshment table. He smiled affably as he shook her hand. “Sandra, it’s good to see you, And how pretty you look.”
“Thank you, Mr. Taylor.”
“So formal?”
“It’s hard to think of you as a friend,” she replied candidly. “Since friends don’t steal cattle from friends.”
His ruddy cheeks turned redder still. “If you were a man, I’d call you out for that.”
“If I was a man,” Sandy retorted, “your cowboys would stay on their own side of the fence.”
“I was hoping we could work things out to our mutual advantage,” Taylor said, his voice cold.
“Oh?”
“I was prepared to top my last offer by ten thousand dollars. But I think now I’ll just wait for the bank to foreclose.” He glanced across the room, and smiled. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a little business to attend to with Fred.”
Sandy experienced a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she watched Taylor stride away. Fred Camden owned the bank. And the bank owned the note on the Rocking Double D.
“Are you all right, Sandy?” Rafael asked. “You look a little pale.”
“I feel a little pale.” She shook her head. “I never should have said anything. All I did was make him angry. He can buy up my loan like that!” she said, snapping her fingers for emphasis. “My mother always said you can trap more flies with honey than vinegar. When will I ever learn to keep my big mouth shut?”
Her mouth was soft, alluring, anything but big. Without conscious thought, without considering the consequences, he folded his hands over her shoulders, drew her toward him, and kissed her, right there in front of everyone.
He was totally unprepared for the riot of sensations that followed. Her lips were as warm as sunlight, smooth and silky beneath his. Heat flowed through him, pooling deep in his groin. Images of the two of them in forbidden, erotic embraces flooded his mind.
Stunned by what he had done, shocked by his lustful reaction, Rafael released her and stepped backward, his heart pounding so hard he was sure she could hear it. Such interactions between angels and mortals were strictly forbidden. Now he knew why.
Sandy blinked at him, her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed. Was she horrified? Embarrassed? Insulted?
“Sandy…” Rafael cleared his throat. “I…I’m…” He spread his hands, palms up, as words failed him, and then he turned and fled the hall.
Sandy stared after him a moment, then pressed her fingertips to her lips. She had been kissed before, but never like that. It had been amazing. Magical. Mystical. Almost… reverent.
She stood there, trying to process what had happened, wondering why he had hurried away, and then she pursed her lips. The answer was obvious. In spite of what she had felt, he obviously hadn’t felt the same.
She forced a smile when Jody Hicks, the town sheriff, asked her to dance. Jody was a good friend with a delightful sense of humor. Ordinarily, she enjoyed dancing with him, but not tonight. All she could think about was Rafe.
She apologized to Jody after stepping on his toes for the third time, excused herself, and went out the back door.
Seeking darkness and solitude, she moved into the shadows away from the light emanating from the hall. Blinking back her tears, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the sky. Stars twinkled overhead like tiny fireflies.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
Startled, she whirled around.
“Sorry,” Rafael said. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She shrugged, then turned her back to him so he couldn’t see her tears.
“Sandy…” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Are you crying?”
“Of course not.”
“Yes, you are. Why?”
“Why?” She wiped her eyes, then turned to face him. “Why? You kissed me and then you bolted like you couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“Is that what you think?”
She waved a hand in the air, as if what had happened between them was of no importance. “What else was I supposed to think?”
“Oh, Lord, forgive me,” he murmured. “Sandy, I…I was afraid I’d…that you…”
His voice trailed off.
Sandy stared at him, but she couldn’t see his expression clearly in the dark. “What? What were you afraid of?”
“I’ve never done anything like that before. I thought I’d insulted you or embarrassed you in front of your friends.”
Sandy frowned. “Never done what before?” she asked, her tears forgotten. “Kissed a girl in public?”
“I’ve never kissed anyone.”
“Are you serious?”
He nodded. “I probably did it all wrong,” he murmured, not meeting her eyes.
“Is that what you think?” She smiled at him. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“You’re just being kind.”
Filled with a sudden tenderness, she closed the distance between them, cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him.
Her toes curled as multi-colored lights flashed across the sky. Talk about your powerful kisses, she thought, dazed by his kiss and her reaction to it.
It took her a minute to realize that the bright lights came from the fireworks.
Chapter 6
Sandy was still on cloud nine the next morning. She and Rafe had returned to the Hall last night and danced several times. At first, she’d had to teach him the steps, but he was a quick learner and pretty soon it was as if they had danced together for years instead of minutes. Best of all, he had kissed her again on the way home, and again when they said good night. He didn’t need any instruction in that department, that was for sure.
She was humming softly on her way down the stairs to the kitchen when the doorbell rang.
Calling, “I’ll get it” to Nina, Sandy opened the door. Her good mood vanished when she saw Fred Camden standing on the porch, hat in hand.
“‘Morning, Miss Davis.”
“Mr. Camden. Would you like to come in?”
“No, thank you. I’m here on business.”
Sandy folded her arms across her chest.
She didn’t need three guesses to know why he was there.
Camden cleared his throat. “I’m giving you fair notice that Roger Taylor has submitted an offer to buy your loan from the bank. You have thirty days to come up with the amount due. Failing that, Mr. Taylor will be the owner of your note.”
She nodded, unable to speak past the growing lump in her throat.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, but he didn’t meet her gaze when he said it.
Sandy nodded again.
Camden settled his hat on his head, then touched the brim with his fingertips. “Sorry,” he repeated. Hurrying down the steps, he climbed into his fancy carriage and drove away.
She was still standing there, staring into the distance, when Rafe came down the stairs a short time later.
“Sandy? Are you all right? Sandy?”
“What?” she asked, obviously distracted. “Oh, hi.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Fred Camden was just here.” Tears stung her eyes. “I have thirty days to pay the loan or lose the ranch.”
Rafael clenched his hands tightly; then, seeing the abject misery on her face, the tears swimming in her eyes, he ignored his good sense and drew her gently into his arms.
She collapsed against him as if she was a puppet and someone had cut the strings.
Feeling suddenly helpless, Rafael patted her back. “It’ll be all right,” he said. “You’ll see.”
“No, it won’t. There’s no way I can get a hold of eight thousand dollars in thirty days.” She snorted softly. “Or thirty years.”
“Please don’t cry, Sandy,” he implored. “I’ll think of something. I promise.”
* * * * *
Later, while Sandy was busy in her office going over the books for the third time, Rafael sat outside on the front porch. It was Sunday. Most of the cowboys had stayed the night in town. But it wasn’t the cowboys he was worried about. It was the promise he had recklessly made to Sandy. He didn’t have the power or the authority to conjure up eight thousand dollars, so what was he to do?
Unable to sit still any longer, he went down the porch steps, his brow furrowing as he ambled across the yard. She needed something of value, something she could sell for a lot of money in a hurry, but what?
Moving on, he walked along the bank of the river that meandered across the back pasture. Lost in thought, he paused when he came to a jumbled pile of rocks. A faint sparkle caught his eye. Kneeling, he noticed the sun glinting on a few specks in the dirt near the rocks. There were other flecks in the water and when he stirred the sand, he found a small nugget. Gold, he thought, then frowned. If there was gold here, why wasn’t she mining it? Was it possible she didn’t know it was here?
Scooping the glistening fragments into his hand, he murmured, “Thank you,” as he glanced heavenward.
* * * * *
“Gold?” Sandy shook her head. “There’s never been any gold around here.”
Rafael held out his hand. “I found this by the river. I think there might be a mine behind that pile of rocks where the water narrows.”
Sandy frowned. “That’s impossible. If there was gold here, surely my father, or someone, would have found it before now.”
He turned one of her hands palm up, then poured the gold dust from his hand to hers. “I think it’s worth looking into.”
Sandy glanced at the dull gold flecks in her hand. “You know,” she said, smiling, “I think you’re right.”
* * * * *
In a remarkably short time, Sandy’s cowhands became prospectors. There was indeed a mine behind the rock pile and after a week of hard work, the men uncovered what promised to be a rich vein.
Word of a possible gold strike spread through the town like wildfire and soon every rancher, farmer, and shopkeeper in the area was scouring the river and the hills, hoping to get rich quick.
Sandy’s men took turns spending the night near the mine, making sure no one tried to sneak in and help themselves to whatever gold they could find.
Once the initial excitement wore off, Sandy wondered if mining was worth the effort. True, they had found gold, but it was slow going, and back-breaking work. From time to time, as the men moved deeper into the earth, trees had to be cut down to provide the timber needed to shore up the walls to prevent cave-ins.
Earlier in the week, she had gone into town to see if Mr. Camden would give her an extension on the loan, which would be due all too soon. Even if her men worked day and night, it was doubtful they would come up with enough gold dust to pay off the loan in that amount of time. But Mr. Camden informed her that, gold or no gold, the bank was no longer interested in carrying her loan. In less than two weeks, the note would be sold to Roger Taylor. Perhaps he would grant her an extension.
And maybe Hell would freeze over, Sandy thought as she left the bank. Now that gold had been discovered, Taylor had more reason than ever for wanting her land.
She was thoroughly discouraged by the time she returned home.
Too little, too late, Sandy thought as she changed out of her work clothes and into a green shirt and calico skirt.
Heaving a sigh, she left the house and headed for the small cemetery located on a low grassy knoll behind the barn. She paused along the way to pick an armful of wildflowers, then opened the gate and stepped inside. Kneeling between her parents’ graves, she laid half the flowers on her mother’s, and half on her father’s.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” she whispered, “but it looks like we’re going to lose the ranch. I did the best I could, but I guess it wasn’t good enough. I know you would have found a way out of this mess, but I can’t think of anything. If only Roger Taylor wasn’t such a…well, you know what he is. I…”
She glanced over her shoulder at the muffled sound of footsteps.
“Am I intruding?” Rafael asked.
“No, I was just…” Unwilling to admit she had been talking to her father, she made a vague gesture with her hand. “No.”
Nodding, he stepped through the gate and hunkered down on his heels beside her.
Two neat white crosses stood at the head of the graves, markers were engraved with the names of her mother and father, their dates of birth and death. Her parents had been good, honest, God-fearing people. He longed to tell her they were together on the other side, but he was forbidden to share such knowledge.
“I wish there was something I could do.” He had been certain that finding gold would solve her problems; instead, it had just made things worse. She had more to lose now than ever. “Whatever happens…”
Sandy shook her head. “I’ll be all right.”
“Of course you will,” he said quietly.
She forced a smile and then burst into tears.
He stared at her a moment, the anguish on her face cutting into his heart like a knife. Unable to bear it, he stood, lifted Sandy to her feet, then gathered her into his arms, one hand lightly stroking her back.
“Please don’t cry…sweetheart.” Rafael grimaced. He hadn’t meant to say the endearment aloud. It had just slipped out. He exhaled a deep breath, hoping she hadn’t heard it.
The front of his shirt was damp with Sandy’s tears when she hiccoughed and slipped out of his arms. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, dabbing at her eyes with a hanky pulled from her skirt pocket. “I didn’t mean to cry all over you.”
“It’s all right.” He longed to tell her he loved her, but that, too, was strictly forbidden. Suddenly, it was all too much. He had come here to learn about human behavior, human emotions. Instead, he had fallen hopelessly in love with a mortal and now, because of a few celestial dos and don’ts, he was unable to help her on pain of…what? He had been given a list of what he could and couldn’t do while on Earth, but no one had told the whys and wherefores, or what the consequences would be if he fell in love with a mortal or raised the dead, or if he bestowed wealth or long life on a man or woman of his choosing.
And right now, he didn’t care what the penalty would be. T
hey could send him to Hades or to some planet in outer darkness, it didn’t matter. He was in love with Sandra Davis and she needed help. And, right or wrong, he was going to give it to her.
Chapter 7
Fred Camden looked up, his expression annoyed, when Rafael entered his office without knocking. Camden was a stoop-shouldered man in his late forties, with slicked-back brown hair and squinty brown eyes. He wore an expensive-looking, pinstriped suit over a crisp white shirt.
“See here,” Camden said indignantly, “that door was closed for a reason.” He fluttered his hands over his desk, indicating a pile of papers. “Please leave.”
Rafael closed the door behind him. “I have business that needs tending to, right now.”
Camden rose to his feet, then leaned forward, his hands braced on the edge of the desk. “Did you hear what I said, sir? Leave my office immediately.”
Blowing out a deep breath, Rafael upended the sack he was carrying. Stacks of greenbacks tumbled onto the desk.
Camden blinked at him. “What’s the meaning of this?”
“I’m buying up the loan on the Rocking Double D spread. There’s enough here to pay her debt in full, with enough left over to pay the taxes on the ranch for the next five years.”
Camden cleared his throat, but he didn’t take his gaze from the money. “I…uh…that is, Roger Taylor has already made an offer on the Davis place.”
Rafael nodded. “I’m aware of that. I’m offering you five thousand dollars more than he did, right here, right now.”
“I’ll want to count it.”
“Of course.” Rafael folded his arms across his chest. What he was doing was wrong on so many levels. Punishment was sure to be swift. He should have felt guilty, but he didn’t. Whatever happened to him didn’t matter so long as Sandy could keep her ranch.
Camden’s eyes were shiny with greed as he counted the last bundle of greenbacks and set it aside.
“I’ll need whatever papers are necessary to prove the loan has been paid in full,” Rafael said. “And you’ll need to open an account in Sandra’s name for the tax money.”
“To be sure, to be sure. I’ll have them sent to you as soon as possible, Mr.….?”
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