Sweet Savage Heart

by Janelle Taylor

  Rana sensed a disturbing undercurrent in the room. From what the men had told her, Harrison Caldwell was their neighbor; yet they did not seem pleased with his daughter’s visit. An aura of mystery and hesitation filled the room, making her suspicious and apprehensive. She could not understand why a woman would come to visit Travis so near to their sleeping time and why the men would need to discuss whether or not to see her. “Do you not wish me to meet this neighbor’s daughter, grandfather? It is late and dangerous for a woman to be riding alone. Does she bring bad news?”

  Neither man spoke for a time, which increased Rana’s anxiety. Finally Travis replied, “I should have told you about Clarissa and her father before this. You’ll have to meet her one day, Rana, but not tonight. She isn’t the kind of woman you’ll like or want to be around. I’d rather not see her tonight, but we need to know a few things—if she’ll reveal them, which I doubt. Don’t worry; I’ll explain it all in the morning. You two go on to bed; it’s late, and both of you have a busy day tomorrow. Hopefully I won’t be long.”

  “If you and grandfather do not like her, why does she come to visit and why must you see her? Why do you refuse to allow her to enter our home?” she inquired, observing both men with rising suspicion. She knew that Travis and Nathan were not men to allow anyone to force them to do anything, so something was terribly amiss. Worst of all, her beloved looked nervous, and guilty of some wrong.

  “I’ll explain in the morning; just trust me,” he coaxed.

  Aware of how she would soon handle this distressing matter, Rana did not want to lie, so she chose her words carefully when she answered, “I will try to do as you say, but this matter is confusing.”

  Rana and Nathan said their good nights and went to their rooms. Travis dismissed the man who had been waiting on the front porch for further orders after delivering Clarissa’s message.

  The formidable man left the house to meet with Clarissa, who was pacing near the corral. The dark-haired, dusky-skinned woman halted to watch Travis Kincade’s approach. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with desire and eagerness. She licked her lips in anticipation of fusing them to his. Her entire body began to warm and itch with barely suppressible lust. She could hardly wait to get this virile male in her arms, in bed or anywhere he chose. Someday and somehow she would break down his resistance; then he would be hers.

  With a leisurely stride that exposed his confidence, agility, and a hint of arrogance, Travis reached her. He flashed her a devilish grin as he lazed negligently against a large post, then asked, “Isn’t it a bit late for such a lovely lady to be out calling on neighbors? Cody tells me there’s been some trouble in these parts while we were gone. I know you’re a fearless and stubborn girl, but I’m surprised your papa let you leave home with so much danger lurking.”

  As her appreciative gaze roamed his face and body, Clarissa offered him a seductive pout and throaty laugh. “No man, good or bad, would dare attack Harrison Caldwell’s daughter. Since you haven’t come over to see me since your return, I’ve cast all shame aside to visit you.”

  Travis chuckled heartily. “I’ve only been back since last night.”

  She added petulantly, “And you were busy all day. You’ve been gone for months, love, and I’ve missed you terribly. Is this any way to greet me?” she asked provocatively, stepping forward to press her body against his intimately. “You’re a cruel and selfish beast, Travis Kincade. Why do I allow you to treat me so badly?” she teased, running her fingers through his sable hair before using them to pull his head down to hers to seal their lips.

  Travis was tempted to spurn her and her kiss, but he knew the only way to extract information about her father’s insidious dealings was by faking a response. His arms went around her and tightened to expose his strength and control, and his mouth seared over hers, causing her to tremble with hunger. Lordy, he hated touching this woman and being nice to her! If there hadn’t been so much at stake, he would have sent her on her way, after telling her how he really felt about her. Yet there were limits to his game with her; he would never bed her for any reason. It was not that Clarissa wasn’t a very attractive and sensual woman, and no doubt skilled in lovemaking, but her character made her ugly and repulsive to him. During the time he had known her, he had never been tempted to accept sex from her, and she had offered it countless times. Over the years since his coming of age as a man, he had been able to separate his emotions from his sexual urges. After that perilous incident with Elizabeth Lowry, he had become very selective about whom he bedded, even on the occasions he had visited the Silver Shadow Saloon. But having taken Rana and having blended emotion with lovemaking, his feelings would never be the same. Now the only woman with whom he wanted to unite his body and share his passion was Rana Michaels. She had taught him that the act of mating was something special and that it should not be performed with just anyone, even if one’s body was screaming for release.

  When Clarissa’s hands began to wander boldly over his body, Travis grasped them to halt the wanton display. He leaned back and taunted, “Behave yourself, woman. My cowpunchers are still up and around. We don’t want them teasing their boss or thinking naughty thoughts about you. Seems a lot happened while I was gone. From what the boys have told me, it’s dangerous around here for women. You’d best get home, and I’ll see you in a few days.”

  “It’s been months, Travis. I want to spend some time with you. Besides, if it’s so dangerous out there, you should escort me home safely,” she cajoled, yearning to get him alone.

  “What about those two gunslingers your papa hired? Aren’t they supposed to guard you as well as Harry’s property?” he jested, lifting a curl with which he began teasing her nose. “Tell me, you clever vixen, how did you sneak off with your place being watched? If you can slip past them, they must not be very good at their new job.”

  Clarissa chuckled at the tickling sensation. She captured Travis’s hand and placed kisses over it, then erotically trailed her tongue over each finger and across his palm before suggestively and lasciviously sucking on several of his fingertips as her gaze seduced him. “When I want something badly enough, I find a way to get it,” she replied breathlessly, for her actions were stimulating her to feverish desire. “If I tell you or show you how to sneak through Papa’s guard line, will you use the information to visit my room tonight?” she inquired sultrily.

  Travis playfully traced his forefinger from her nose, across her lips and chin, over her throat, and down her chest, to halt at the swell of her breasts where the first button on her shirt was fastened. His roguish gaze never left hers as the finger began to slip very slowly up and down her deep cleft, visibly increasing her respiration and pulse rate. He mischievously chided, “I’ve told you before, hot-blooded lady, I don’t get involved with daughters of important or dangerous men. If Harry caught us together like that, he would skin my hide, or force me to take a wife if you were to get with child. Sorry, Clarissa, but I’m not ready to settle down or to risk getting run out of this area. I’ve put in my best years on this ranch and Nate has claimed me as his son and heir; I don’t aim to waste or spoil that by upsetting him, ‘cause you know how he feels about your papa. One of these days I’m gonna find out why those two hate each other so much. I’d bet my year’s ages you know the truth, but you ain’t talking.”

  Travis watched a telltale grin form on Clarissa’s mouth, but she held her silence. “When I do get ready to settle down with a wife and home, there’s one thing for sure, Clarissa. There’s only one tempting female around here. I still got me a few wild years and urges left. You just be patient and obliging while I tame ‘em. Now, get along. I have to get up early. Work piled up while Nate and me were on the trail. Then there’s this trouble that started brewing during our absence. Harry got any idea who’s behind all the rustling and fence cutting?”

  Deceitfully she vowed, “If I knew anything, love, I would have told you by now. Poor Mister McFarland, he got so scared he sold out and left. I su
ppose he was too old and weak to put up a fight. Did you know one of his sons asked me to marry him?”

  Travis frowned as he arched one brow and narrowed his green eyes, acting as if he were jealous. He winced inwardly as he lied to Clarissa to entrap her. “You’d best be glad you said no, woman. McFarland ain’t got no son with guts, or they would still be over at the Flying M Ranch. Even if a gang of devils and demons rode in here, I would never be pushed off my land. All of my blood would soak into this dirt before I deserted it. Besides, like me, you aren’t ready to settle down to marriage and children yet.” They both laughed. “Nate talked with the sheriff, but that fool doesn’t know anything. If you ask me, we ranchers will have to handle this matter ourselves. Maybe we should hire us some fancy gunslingers like your papa did. Except every hired gun I’ve ever met eventually turned on his boss and killed him. One person you can’t trust is a man who hires on for money, ‘cause somebody always has more money and can lure him away, or he kills you and takes more than his share of blood money. You be careful around them.”

  “I warned Papa those crude men might be trouble. If anything happens, Papa has only himself to blame for hiring such lowbred ruffians. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve ridden as outlaws or if they try to rob Papa. You don’t have to worry about me; I try to stay as far away from them as possible. But you know Papa, Travis; he thinks he can handle anyone and anything. Sometimes he’s so mean to me. He became furious when I begged him to fire those beasts. Sometimes I can’t wait until Papa is gone and our ranch is mine, and Nathan is gone and this ranch is yours. What an empire we could build together!” she exclaimed, wondering how he would react to her statements.

  “Those dreams are a long way off, Miss Caldwell. Right now, I need sleep so I can catch up with my chores.”

  “You wouldn’t need to catch up if you hadn’t been gone so long,” she scolded peevishly, finally reaching the topic that intrigued her the most. She felt she had avoided it long enough to begin questioning him without overly arousing his suspicion or annoyance. “Wherever did you go, love, and why were you away so long? Cody wouldn’t tell me anything, and I was so worried about you. I think he’s mad because Papa’s been seeing his little sweetheart. Isn’t that a laugh, Travis? A man of Papa’s age pursuing a child bride? He’s making a fool of himself.”

  “Is he really interested in Mary Beth?” Travis probed.

  Clarissa wanted Travis to warn Cody to snap up the little creature before her father did, and so she confided, “It’s a big secret between Papa and Mister Sims, but they’ve discussed marriage. That’s all I need—a stepmother younger than I am! I told Papa that Mary Beth and Cody were sweethearts, but he doesn’t care. Papa says he needs a wife, and she’s the best choice.”

  “And Sims is going along with this ridiculous demand?”

  “He’s most agreeable. Don’t you tell a soul about this, or Papa will skin me alive. He says I’ve been bossing him too much lately. I don’t know what’s gotten into him, Travis; he’s behaving like a crazy man.”

  “I take it you won’t be upset if me and Cody save Mary Beth from your father?” he teased, tugging gently on a lock of ebony hair..

  “Please do, and spare me the humiliation of this absurd marriage. Let’s talk about you. Where did you go, and why?”

  “You’ll never believe what happened in early May. Nate got news about his missing granddaughter, Rana Michaels, the one who was taken captive by Indians eleven years ago. We rode to the Dakota Territory to find this girl who favored Marissa.”

  The dusky-complexioned woman stared at Travis. “Well?” she probed anxiously when he did not continue. “Was it Marissa’s child?”

  “I’m afraid it was. She’s in the house asleep right now. It cost us five thousand dollars to buy her from the Indians, and nearly cost us our lives. Seems a chief took a liking to her and adopted her as his daughter. She’s been living as an Indian princess for ten years. Lordy, she’s a willful, spoiled little creature. The chief named her Wild Wind, if that tells you anything about her. I practically had to hog-tie her and drag her all the way home. I’ve never been more tempted to turn a girl over my knee and whack her good than I was with that little brat. She fought me tooth and nail, and I probably still have scars to prove it. But it didn’t take the little minx long to see that this ranch was a good thing. Knowing her, she’ll probably try to weasel the entire spread out of Nate. She’s a crafty little savage.”

  “I take it you aren’t too pleased with her or her return?”

  “Are you loco, woman? I’ve heard plenty of stories about her mother, and believe me, she’s just like Marissa Crandall, or worse.”

  Clarissa scoffed rashly, “You don’t know the half of it, love; Marissa was far worse than most people realized. If Nathan knew the truth, he would deny Marissa and this Rana Michaels.”

  Travis stared at her, sensing something mysterious in her tone and look. Clearly this woman knew some secret that few, if any, others knew. “What about Marissa?” he probed nonchalantly. “I thought you two became close friends before she was killed.”

  She laughed coldly, then murmured, “One day I might tell you all about Nathan’s wicked daughter. What does this Rana look like?”

  “You’ve seen the picture of Marissa over the fireplace. Let’s just say that at first glance you’ll think you’re seeing a ghost.”

  Clarissa swallowed and digested this bitter information. Hatred and alarm coursed through her body. She wondered what her father would think and do when he discovered this shocking news. And, she fretted angrily, what about Rana’s effect on Travis? Another Marissa to battle for the men she craved… “Marissa Crandall Michaels was a very beautiful woman. If Rana favors her, then why aren’t you inside with her instead of out here with me? You could have her and the ranch with one bite. No doubt her mother’s whoring blood runs through her,” she commented scornfully, watching how he took this insult.

  “No doubt it does, but not where I’m concerned,” Travis replied, having successfully concealed his fury. “She’s a little brat, Clarissa, and she nearly drove me crazy. She still expects to be treated like a princess, and I won’t bend to her wishes. I can’t count the number of fights and quarrels we had on the trail. Damn, it’s good to be home again. Facing rustlers will be a pleasant change from battling her.”

  “Why didn’t Nathan tell Papa about her this morning?”

  He scowled. “Like I said, she’s little more than a savage. Nate plans to keep her hidden in the house until that schoolteacher and the seamstress can have her looking and acting half civilized.”

  “Is she very crude? Can she speak English?”

  “Yep, the chief took a schoolmarm captive and forced her to teach the little brat English so she could question prisoners. Oh, she can look and talk white, but underneath she’s wild and vicious. She’s always trying to bite me or scratch me when she gets mad, and those little teeth and claws are mighty sharp. One hand’s bandaged now where she broke several nails attacking me a few days ago. Her Indian father died a few months back, and she was giving her Indian brother fits. He was glad to get rid of her. Now I see why. I can tell you one thing, Miss Caldwell. I’m gonna tame that wild wind for Nate.”

  “What if she tames you first, my proud and carefree wrangler?”

  “What if the sun doesn’t rise tomorrow?” he said with a sneer.

  “Tell me, love, are you really angry because she’s so beautiful and she spurns you?” Clarissa held his gaze as she sought signs of deception.

  Travis chuckled. “Would you like to know how many times I’ve kicked her off my sleeping roll? If I wanted Rana Michaels, my jealous vixen, I could have taken her plenty of times by now. Her hot blood even outblazes yours, and she has no morals or manners. She’s been raised wild and free, to take whatever she wants. She rides bareback and goes barefoot, and thinks nothing of shucking her clothes and going for a swim when the mood strikes her. Her temper is as fiery as her hair. Maybe my stinging
rejections riled her, ‘cause I ain’t sharing no bedroll with a wildcat.” A playful grin crossed his face as he added, “Maybe I should relent just to have peace in the house. ‘Course, like your papa, Nate would tie me to that little vixen if I shared her bed like she keeps inviting. Lordy, Clarissa, I can’t think of anything worse than marrying a real bitch, can you?”

  “Are you afraid Nathan might turn the ranch over to her? He did make you his son and heir. He would have to disown you.”

  “I won’t let him, and I won’t let her take it,” he replied smugly.

  “If you lose this ranch, love, you can marry me and take over the Caldwell holdings, which are increasing every year,” she offered.

  “The Caldwell empire doesn’t have my blood and sweat all over it. This ranch is mine, one way or another, after Nate’s gone.”

  “If you come home with me tonight, I’ll tell you how and why you’re Nathan’s only legal heir. If you get the right information and help, Rana Michaels can’t claim an inch of this ranch.”

  “Just what are you trying to tell me without coming right out and saying it?” Travis pulled her close against him and kissed her soundly. “If you know something that can help me, spit it out,” he entreated huskily, then nibbled at her ear.

  “You’re teasing me and tempting me unmercifully, Travis. I’m sure my lips and wits will loosen while you’re making love to me.”

  “So, that’s it, a trick to seduce me,” Travis accused wickedly.