Authors: Jennifer Jakes
“Sleepy,” she mumbled, then curled into a tight ball on her side.
Rafe dropped to his knees and wrestled one of her legs free. “You can’t sleep. You’ll die.” No answer.
He unlaced and removed her boot, then slapped the bottom of her foot. She hissed in pain and bolted upright, making Moses flick and twitch.
Her eyes flew open, blue fire spitting sparks. “Damn you!” She yanked her leg free.
“When it hurts, that’s good,” Rafe reassured.
“I’m glad you enjoy my misery.”
He chuckled. “It means there’s no frostbite. A nd you’re awake now, aren’t you? Besides, I’m glad you feel like snarling at me. That’s a good sign you’ll recover.” He glanced at her as he spoke, watched the sparks die, and a hint of a wicked smile curve her full mouth.
“Mr. McBride, if that’s all it took, I’d be the picture of health.”
He laughed then, out loud, like he hadn’t since before the war. A nd it felt good. For a minute, he forgot everything that was wrong in his life and the danger surrounding them. For a minute, he imagined kissing her again, stealing the words from her sassy mouth, wrapping their naked bodies in a blanket and warming her the best way he knew how. From the inside out.
Pumping heat into her chilled body with each slide of his cock, each stroke of his hand, each long, drugging kiss.
Instead, he reeled back from her and stood.
“Sit tight while I make a fire.” He purposely frowned to erase the moment. A nd to stop the wayward path of his mind.
He strode to Moses and pulled the tinder box from his pack, calling himself ten kinds of fool. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? She never gave indication she would welcome any advance.
She wanted that kiss, the devil in him tempted.
No, she didn’t. She just wanted to go home. Though why she was so excited he couldn’t fathom. Sooner or later her abusive cousin would return, and there would be no one to protect her. Or was there?
Unexpected jealousy hit him like a punch in the gut.
Did she have a man waiting for her? He darted a glance over his shoulder to where she sat. Pink-tinged lips; long, dark, tousled hair. No doubt some man wanted her. Well, good. That made his task easy. Once he deposited her on a stage, his responsibility ended, and he wouldn’t think about her ever again. Ever.
Gathering fallen branches and pine needles, Rafe deposited a large pile near Maggie, then knelt and struck a Lucifer stick.
“We’re not going to make it to Fort Union tonight,” he told her between blowing on the embers. “I have a friend who lives north of this trail. That’s the closest—
safest—place I know.”
“But we’re headed east,” she argued. “That’s the wrong direction. We’ll be farther away.”
“We’ll be alive,” he insisted, squatting between her legs. “Now, let’s get you warm.”
Maggie’s heart jumped into her throat, sending a shot of heated desire pumping through her frozen limbs.
“W-what do you mean?” She scooted back against the tree until the bark drilled through her coat. This time her stutter had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the man running his hands over her calves.
“Rubbing your legs will restore the feeling.”
“Oh.” Of course. Why had her mind conjured such naughty images? That damned kiss, that’s why. The memory flamed through her body, momentarily erasing the cold around her. If he kissed her now, wrapped her in his strong arms, she’d be willing to freeze to death just to have his hands on her bare skin.
“We can work faster if you help.”
“What?” She flushed. Good Lord, had she been staring at his mouth, or worse, his penis?
He nodded toward her thighs. “You rub your, um,” his voice cracked, “the upper part.” He coughed, then cleared his throat. “Like this.” His hands skirted her legs.
“A nd slide your foot closer to the fire,” he grumbled.
“That flame won’t last forever.”
His sudden impatient tone made her want to put her foot elsewhere.
Instead she angled it toward the heat and imitated Rafe’s vigorous strokes circling her leg. A s she warmed, a prickly ache spread over each limb, a thousand puncturing needles. She mashed her lips together, unwilling to complain. She should have told him how cold she was hours ago. Her damn pride would be the death of her yet.
His hand slipped lower, abrading the tender skin of her foot. “Can you feel that?”
“Yes.” She winced. “I imagine rubbing a porcupine feels the same.”
His gaze dropped to his hands and he frowned.
“Sorry.” He softened the motion on her foot, then palmed and kneaded the sole.
A husky, satisfied moan escaped her throat.
Rafe froze. His gaze flicked to her mouth. A nd held.
She couldn’t look away from his hungry stare. Gray eyes, molten hot, suggested he hadn’t forgot the kiss either.
He dropped her leg like a hot rock and vaulted to his feet. “You should have worn two pair of socks.”
“I have another pair,” she insisted, glad he put some distance between them before they made another mistake. “I was saving them for tomorrow.” He scowled. “If you’re dead tomorrow, you won’t need them, will you?” He stomped to the horse.
Why did everything she do make her seem dim-witted to this man? She felt like telling him she’d get the socks herself, but with her numbed feet she’d no doubt stumble and break her leg.
Rafe turned from the saddlebags and tossed the thick wool onto her lap. “Stay close to the fire. We’re not leaving until you’re warm.”
She tugged on the heavy socks while he returned to Moses and fed him a handful of grain. He obviously cared about his horse. But he was the most temperamental, bossy, arrogant man she’d ever met. A nd she didn’t relish the thought of spending another night with him.
Liar.
“Once I’m warm, can we continue to the fort?”
“No. You’re not used to weather like this. We’ll stop at my friend’s place.”
“But how far away is it?”
“In normal weather, a half hour. In this…” He shrugged. “A s fast as we can go.”
The fire crackled and burned, spitting sparks into the darkness. Maggie scooted closer to the flame, soaking up the heat. “I’d rather continue to Fort Union.” He turned, one hand still on Moses. “I won’t risk your life. The fort will wait.”
“But—”
“I’m done talking about it, Maggie.” He gave her his back again.
“Fine. I suppose I’d rather sleep in a house than ride all night. So yes, I’ll go to your friend’s with you.” She didn’t intend for him to think he made the decision for her.
She saw him stiffen, caught his slight huff and shake of his head, but true to his word, he remained silent.
Once the flame died to embers, she pulled on her boots. Rafe smoothed his hands over the horse’s neck.
The poor beast. Icicles crusted his mane and tail, dangled from his muzzle whiskers. She prayed he had the strength to keep going.
Maggie drifted to the animal. “Will he be all right?” Rafe gave Moses one last pat. “We’ve been through worse. Haven’t we, boy?” His gaze darted to her. “Ready to go?”
She nodded, and he led the horse from beneath the protective branches.
“I want you to ride in front of me this time.”
“Why?”
Rafe groaned. “Can’t you, just once, do what I say without question?”
Maggie considered his point while gripping her hat against the wind. A fter what Michael did, she wasn’t eager to trust any man. “I’ve found following blind leads to trouble.”
Rafe stared at her for long minutes, then nodded.
“Fair enough.” He swung into the saddle and offered his hand. “I want you in front to make sure you stay awake.”
“A ll right.”
Rough fingers burned through her gloves as he pulled her between his thighs and the pommel. He shifted behind her, molding their bodies together like hot wax. His spicy scent invaded her senses as he reached for the reins, wrapping her in his embrace.
Good Lord! To handle the horse, Rafe’s arms would surround her as they rode. His thighs would cradle her hips. His penis would rub her bottom. Oh, God.
“Lean back against me. We’ll stay warmer pressed together.”
She should object, but the words crumbled on her lips. Nettie would call this a slippery slope to ruin, but Nettie wasn’t the one freezing to death. Maggie was making a choice based on survival. That was all. It had nothing to do with how good he felt.
“Damn,” he mumbled, fumbling with the reins.
“Here.” Maggie pulled the gloves from her hand and pressed them into his chilled palm.
“No.”
She craned her neck to face him. “I’ll sit here. I’ll share your warmth. I’ll even be quiet, but you wear the gloves. I have pockets.”
He opened his mouth as if to argue again.
“If you say no, I’ll ride behind you.”
He frowned, but slid his hands inside the wool.
“You’re bossy. I don’t like being told what to do.” She gave him a smile. “Then we finally agree on something. I don’t appreciate your high-handedness.” If she intended to make her own life, she had stand up for herself. Might as well start now.
His brow dipped, and she braced for his anger. But the corners of his eyes crinkled, and a smile quirked his lips. “Point taken,” he conceded.
Confusion whirled through her. She had stood her ground without the repercussion of cruel taunts?
A thick moment passed while they stared at each other—until Moses danced impatiently. Maggie turned and settled herself. Rafe’s thighs squeezed against her hips as he signaled the horse into a canter. Shivers trickled down her spine, though heat exploded in her stomach. She had caught Michael once in this position.
He had their stable boy bent over a straw bale, almost the same position she and Rafe had now—except Michael had been thrusting his penis into the man’s ass. Their groans of pleasure echoed through the stable, her gasp unnoticed.
Until this moment, she’d never considered a man might take a woman in the same way, but now…The thought of Rafe’s sweaty body thrusting behind hers sent a hot jolt of desire straight to her cunny. A nd the fact that she liked it could only mean trouble.
Damn slippery slope.
The wind drove through them sideways, whipping flakes as big as flapjacks into their path. She snuggled to his chest, warm as a stovepipe against her back. The feel of his hard body made her ache, an ache much worse than her saddle-sore thighs. A nd in a much more private place.
“Why don’t you tell me how you ended up in Cougar Creek.” His breath rippled over her ear, twisting the ache tighter.
“I thought you didn’t like chatter.”
“I’m…sorry,” he whispered.
The air lodged in her throat. He apologized?
“What?” She swiveled to catch his expression, but the action pressed his lips—and his next words—to her neck.
“I don’t mind if you talk. It will keep you awake,” he continued. “So why don’t you tell me where you and your cousin were headed.”
His whiskers tickled across her skin, making her forget her name, much less where she had been going.
The soft brush of his beard was much preferable to remembering how gullible she’d been in traveling anywhere with Michael.
“California?” he prompted. “Oregon?”
“Um…Oh, California. San Francisco.”
“Why?”
“My father died a few months ago. He owned several properties along the bay. Michael and our attorney insisted one of the shipping companies be sold. I wanted to see the West.”
“A nyway,” the next words soured in her mouth,
“Father left Michael in charge of everything. Including me
—until I turn twenty-one next spring. But Michael never intended to share the inheritance. He intended for me to die.”
“You think he planned to harm you all along?” Rafe’s arms stiffened around her.
“He admitted as much in Cougar Creek.” She sucked a ragged breath. “He’ll probably tell everyone I fell ill on the trip. Then everything will be his—if he doesn’t gamble it all away before he gets home.”
“Evil sonofabitch,” Rafe muttered.
“I’ve had the same thought myself.” She shivered, remembering how much Michael hated her. “We were never close, but I had no idea what he’d become.” She let her voice trail as they rode between an outcropping of rocks.
Darkness crept around them as night stole the day.
The wind slowed to a minor howl, but the heavy flakes increased until it was near impossible to see. She didn’t want to ask him if they were lost, still, the dark silence made her nerves jump like frogs.
Rafe pulled back on the reins, slowing Moses to a stop, and Maggie heaved a sigh of relief.
“A re we there?” She adjusted her hat for a better look.
“No.” His coat rustled as he rotated in the saddle.
“I’m not sure where we’re at.”
Rafe regretted the words the minute they were out.
He should dismount now and kick his own dumb ass.
The last thing he wanted to do was scare her.
“What?” she squeaked. “We’re lost?”
Her body stiffened in his arms, then she shuddered.
“Not lost really. I meant I just need to look around for a second.” He tugged a compass from the haversack strapped beneath his coat and squinted to read the needle. He was headed the right direction, so where was the damn cabin?