by Sandy James
After a moment of thought, Drew quirked an eyebrow. “Perhaps ‘let you not love with words or tongue but with actions’?”
Gideon nodded.
“Another Romeo and Juliet quote? What’s it mean?” Ty asked.
When he found Cassie, he would burn her ears for a good long while—not only about her habit of running away, but also for constantly tossing around words that made little sense.
“It’s not Shakespeare. It’s a Bible verse,” Drew replied. “John, chapter three, verse eighteen. It means actions speak louder than words. If my guess is correct, it means that she has decided to return to her family.”
With a low growl, Ty clenched his hands into fists. “Why would you think she’d do something that foolish?”
“She wants to show us who she truly loves—to sacrifice herself to keep all of us safe.” Although his breathing had returned to normal, Drew’s face was still contorted. “I cannot go with you, Ty. You have to bring our girl back. This time, I shall truly marry her. I will not allow those bastards to harm her.”
“Lotta good it did pretending to marry her,” Gideon said, his eyes narrowing. “You’re lucky you’re alive.”
“A true marriage will offer her protection,” Drew countered. “No doubt the Shays found no proof of her being married and assumed it was a ruse. They came for her and punished me. I refuse to bow to them. I shall marry her and announce it in the San Francisco papers. Then they will finally leave her be.”
Gideon stood up and walked to the door. Throwing a harsh scowl at Drew, he left, slamming the door behind him.
Ty had heard enough. “Get one thing straight—Cassie ain’t our girl. She’s my girl. If anyone’s gonna marry her, it’s gonna be me. We both know you ain’t husband material.”
“My, that was blunt,” Drew drawled.
“Cassie deserves a husband, a family.”
“And you plan to give her those things?”
“Damn right.” A brusque nod punctuated Ty’s vow.
Heaving a sigh, Drew said, “I love her too, you understand. Perhaps not with the passion you feel, but I could be her husband. I could give her children.”
Even though Drew stared at him with abused eyes that stood as testament for his love for Cassie, Ty would never let another man claim her. “She’s mine.”
After a few stilted moments, Drew gave a conciliatory nod. “You damn well better be good to her.”
“I will be. Now…where do you think she’s headin’—back to California?”
“Absolutely. She will be going back to her uncle so she can offer herself in return for our safety.”
“To hell with that!” Stomping to the door, Ty stopped to glance back at Drew. “You get healed. Hear me?”
“Why, Ty… You really do care.”
“You care ’bout Cassie, and she cares ’bout you.” He shrugged. “Guess it just rubbed off.”
Gideon was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest. When Ty came down the staircase, Gideon pushed himself away and glared, his face full of anger.
“Drew’s not going,” he insisted.
“Had no intention of taking him,” Ty retorted.
All the anger seemed to drain out of Gideon. “Good.”
Done with placating the man, Ty headed to the kitchen to pack supplies for his search.
Gideon followed.
Without another word, Ty grabbed a burlap bag and filled it with jerky, cheese, crusty bread, and a few apples. His mind still whirled as he thought of where he could take Cassie that would be safe—someplace isolated. Someplace no one would think to look.
But he had to find her first.
“You good at tracking?” Gideon asked, handing Ty a canteen.
“Damn good.”
“You’ll find her?”
“I will.” Then the perfect place came to mind, and his lips twitched into a grin.
“What in the hell are you smilin’ about?” Gideon demanded.
“Tell Adam I’m getting Cassie, then we’re going to the trapping cabin.”
“What trapping cabin?”
One high enough in the mountains no one other than Adam and Jake would know to look. “Just tell him. Adam will understand.”
***
Drew was right—she hadn’t seen a real blizzard before.
Cassie huddled close to the small fire as though it would help her plight. The snow was falling at an astonishing rate, coming down so thick and blinding, she’d had no choice but to stop riding. Within an hour, the fire would be buried.
And she would freeze to death.
If only there’d been time to prepare better for her journey. When she’d made the decision to leave, she’d found herself in a panic, unsure of how quickly Ty would return. Gideon was the only person who saw her frantically donning her coat and hurrying to the kitchen to grab a few things to eat on her trip. His silence had confirmed her suspicions that the man wanted her out of Drew’s life. He’d uttered not a single word to stop her flight, merely accepting what she told him and letting her go.
She’d ridden until she feared for Duchess’s wellbeing, the snow so thick she couldn’t see past the horse’s ears. Leading her mare into a thicket, Cassie made camp by gathering kindling and starting a fire the way Ty had taught her on their trip to White Pines.
Little good it would do her now. The snow had turned it into nothing but a hissing pile of ash.
Her heart ached simply thinking of Ty. By now, he’d know she was gone. She prayed he wouldn’t come after her.
Who was she trying to fool? He wouldn’t. Just like Gideon, Ty would see her leaving as a blessing. He would no longer be burdened by her troubles, and he would be free to live a wonderful life with his family. Yes, he’d bedded her, but there had been no words of love and affection.
Ty didn’t want or need her love. The man didn’t even realize he held her heart in the palms of his hands.
She closed her eyes against the memories of their lovemaking. She’d never expected it to be so fulfilling—so consuming. Her love for him only made what they’d shared all the more bittersweet and heartbreaking. There was no way she’d ever be able to offer herself to another man in the same way—especially someone as reprehensible as Robert.
God, she was conflicted. Her prayers to keep Ty away easily changed into prayers that something—or someone—would save her from the fate she’d chosen. Even freezing to death was preferable to marrying Robert Putnam. She’d read once it was an easy way to die—a person simply fell asleep and never woke up. Rather romantic…
“I am too young to die,” she whispered. While being Robert’s wife might be a fate she despised, it was still a fate better than death at such a tender age.
Her teeth began to chatter. “But I shall if I don’t find warmth.”
And now I’m talking to no one.
Forcing herself to her feet, Cassie looked around for a way to shelter both her and Duchess—any shelter in the storm. Her poor pet shouldn’t have to suffer. While she’d assumed she could simply start a fire and camp amongst in the thicket for the night, the blizzard insured that another plan was necessary.
A scream slipped out when a rider burst through the trees. Although she quickly recognized Ty staring down at her from Duke’s back, she couldn’t seem to get her heart to settle back into a normal rhythm.
He came for me!
“Don’t you dare smile at me!” he snapped.
She couldn’t help it—the grin refused to budge.
He did care. Despite his gruff exterior and words of duty rather than love, he cared enough to hunt her down.
After dismounting, Ty left Duke next to Duchess. Then he stomped over to Cassie, grabbed her upper arms, and slammed his mouth down on hers.
Tears stinging her eyes, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, letting out a moan when his tongue invaded her mouth. His hands settled on her backside before pulling her tight against hi
m. She wanted to be surrounded by his warmth, to feel his hot skin against her own. Ty would banish the cold.
Ty couldn’t make himself end the kiss. It was possessive. Primitive. Erotic. The whimpers coming from Cassie were fuel to his fire. Had they been someplace warm, he would have had her naked in a heartbeat.
It wasn’t until she started trembling that he was able to regain some control and remembered that they were in the middle of a snowstorm.
Easing back, he was pleased to see her panting for breath until he realized he was every bit as affected by the kiss. The woman had him bewitched.
Then his anger took the reins.
“Damn it, Cassie. Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be out here all alone?”
She bowed her head, but he refused to let her off without a stern lecture.
“There’s a blizzard brewing, and here you are in the middle of the woods. Not even a blanket! You could have died, woman!”
All she did was give him a curt nod as she continued to stare at his feet.
“Do you know how selfish you are?”
Her head snapped up. “Selfish? I left to protect you!”
God, how he preferred her angry than seeing her so defeated. “You were gonna protect me by freezing to death in the wilderness?”
“I will admit I should have planned better, but—”
“Better?” Ty shouted. “You didn’t plan at all!”
The relief that had swept through him when he found her evaporated. He’d kissed her because he’d been so damned happy to find her hale and hearty, but right now he wanted to scare some sense into her.
He took her hands in his, rubbing them for warmth. “We need to get you to shelter.”
“Shelter?” Her gaze scanned the trees. “I fear there is no shelter near here. I’ve seen nary a barn or a lean-to since I left the town.”
Ignoring her protestations, he picked her up and carried her to his horse. After setting her on the saddle, he climbed up behind Cassie and grabbed her mare’s reins. “There’s a trapping cabin about two miles east of here.”
“Trapping cabin? I saw no cabin.”
“You went due south. It’s a place Adam, Jake, and I use when we’re hunting and trapping. We’ve got two of ’em.”
“Where’s the second cabin?”
“You’ll know soon enough.”
She turned her head to stare at him over her shoulder. “When?”
All he did was grunt.
They rode in silence through the snow that fell so heavy their clothes were both soaked. The chattering of her teeth and the way she shivered so violently made Ty worry, but the best he could do to help her was open his jacket, lean her back against him, and hold her close to share his heat.
He was grateful to find the cabin and its small barn still closed tight. From time to time, they’d find that someone—or something—had made a home there. Anything from simple squatters to a family of raccoons. Now, it looked exactly as it had when he and Jake had hunted before their ill-fated trip to San Francisco. The wood they’d chopped was still piled high.
Ty swung down from the saddle, lifted Cassie to the ground, and gave her a gentle push toward the door. “Go inside. Get outta those wet clothes and wrap yourself in a blanket. I’ll get the horses taken care of, then I’ll get a fire going.”
She obeyed, stumbling through the knee-deep snow.
After he bedded down Duke and Duchess, he went inside, shaking like a wet dog to get the snow off his coat. Cassie had lit a candle, but she was still shivering in her wet clothes.
“Damn it, Cassie…” Striding over, he started stripping her. “Sometimes you ain’t got the sense God gave a goat.”
Whatever response she tried to give him was lost to her chattering teeth. Only when he’d stripped her bare did he stop. Snatching a thick blanket from the trunk full of linens and spare clothes, he wrapped it around her and set her in one of the two chairs he’d pulled close to the stove. Then he went about getting a fire going.
Before too long, a roaring fire was warming the interior, and Ty was ready to shed his own sodden clothing.
Cassie watched with wide eyes as he stripped, something he found entirely too erotic. The blanket was wrapped around her, but from where she held it together against her chest, he could see a fair amount of her breasts. Unfortunately, the cold did nothing to make him appear manly. His cock might as well have been a frightened turtle. Since there was no remedy for it except getting warm, he quickly got linens on the bed and returned to her.
Ty pulled her to her feet and then swept her into his arms. He carried her to the bed, jerked off the blanket, and waited while she scrambled under the covers. After he spread the blanket over the rest of the bedding, he slid in beside her and hauled her up against his side.
She still shivered, so he dragged her on top of his body, trapping her legs between his and trying to touch as much skin as he could to share his body heat. Before long, she let out a sleepy sigh and rested her cheek against his shoulder.
His cock had hardened, but she didn’t mention it and he didn’t think now was the time to be pawing at her.
Later. When they were both warm and rested.
“Warmer?” he asked in a soft voice in case she’d drifted to sleep.
She nodded against his chest, her breath tickling his skin. “Much. Thank you, Ty.”
He grunted and hugged her tighter. “I’m still madder than a hornet at you.”
“Be mad at me in a few minutes.”
“Why a few minutes?” he asked, straining to peer down at her face. It was tucked too tightly under his chin for him to see if that familiar, mischievous twinkle was in her eyes.
“Because I shall be asleep and won’t hear you scolding me.”
Fatigue bore down on him hard, so he let her have her way.
There would be plenty of time to scold her tomorrow. For now, he’d hold her, get some rest, and then let her know what he expected of her.
Marriage. And nothing less.
Chapter Twenty
Cassie woke with a start. Her mind took long moments to clear, and the strange surroundings did little to alleviate her confusion. She was warm, rested, and hungry according to her rumbling stomach, but the room was dark and unfamiliar.
A fire burned low, the orange embers glowing through the slits in the stove’s door. Although the fire needed stoked, she didn’t want to drag herself from under the covers. Then she heard a soft snore rising from Ty and everything came flooding back. He’d come for her to stop her from going back to San Francisco, which meant there were some tender feelings hiding behind that gruff exterior.
Memories of their encounter at her cabin brought a smile to her lips, and she realized now that the tingles spreading over her skin and filling her core with need were desire. No wonder since she was draped over him. Naked. Her passion ignited and quickly turned into an inferno that made her want to wake him and have him ravish her again.
Or perhaps this time she would ravish him.
I have turned into a wanton.
That thought pounded through her brain until she dismissed it as bothersome. Ty had shown her the joy of making love, and she would revel in that joy. She wrapped her fingers around his soft—what was the word he used?—cock. A bit bemusing how different it was in a resting state. Yet after only a few strokes, it began to grow hot and hard against her fingers and palm. With a grin, she kissed his chest and giggled when a low growl rumbled against her lips.
“Good morning,” she said from under the blanket.
He lifted the edge to stare at her.
“What are you doing?”
“This.” She answered him by giving his budding erection a caress from root to tip and then circling her thumb around the crown. His responding moan made her feel powerful.
“Cassie…”
“Hush, Ty. It’s my turn to make love to you.”
Exploring his body was the most erotic experience she’d ever known—everyt
hing about him was utterly fascinating. Thick muscle moved like knotted rope beneath his skin. Coarse hair covered him, starting at his chest and tapering until it fanned around his erection. Even his legs were hair-roughened.
His masculine scent excited her almost as much as touching him. Rubbing her nose in the hair on his chest, she shifted to flick her tongue over his nipple.
“You’re killing me,” he said with a groan.
“But I believe you shall die happy.”
She kissed his navel, loving how his stomach muscles contracted and he gulped in a breath.
“Cassie…you don’t have to—”
Flipping the blanket away from her face, she tried to give him a stern glare. “I already told you…it’s my turn to make love to you. I denied you nothing and let you touch every part of my body. Show me you trust me by giving me the same consideration.”
His lopsided grin touched her heart. “Well then… Go right ahead.”
“What would please you?”
“You. You please me.”
The compliment was most welcome, but she needed some instructions in the art of loving a man. “What do you wish me to do with…this?” She stroked him.
“Kiss it,” he said, his voice husky before he tugged the blanket back up. “Please.”
The near darkness made her bolder, and she pressed her lips against the tip of his cock before tracing the ridges of the crown with her tongue. The strangled sound he made frightened her.
“Did I hurt you?” she asked, drawing back.
“Don’t stop!”
The touch of desperation in Ty’s voice made her core clench in need. Without hesitation, she took him into her mouth.
Although she felt awkward, she hoped he enjoyed what she was doing. She swirled her tongue around the cap before swallowing him deep again, sucking hard. He responded by lifting his hips, starting a rhythm in and out of her mouth as his hands fisted in the linens before moving to tangle in her hair.
She wanted more, to discover all his secrets. Trailing her fingers lower, she cradled his soft balls in her palm.