Texas Blue

chapter 33



LEWT TOOK THE FIRST WATCH. HE’D BEEN RESTLESS all day. Em was never out of his sight, but he felt like she was moving farther and farther away from him. He tried to think of something to say to her, but the angry words they’d yelled at each other in camp the night before still hung in the air.

She wasn’t avoiding him so much as ignoring him. It was as if he’d disappeared in her vision. Maybe in her memory as well.

He thought of going to her, but he didn’t want to frighten her. That, and the fact that she might shoot him outright if he stepped over the invisible line that stood between them like a ten-foot wall. The days at the ranch seemed a million years away, and the afternoon they’d shared under the cottonwoods seemed more like a dream.

Lewt walked the grounds for a while, then settled in a passageway where he could see both the front gate and the back wall of the mission. The rain had turned into a drizzle, tapping off the buildings into the mud like the sound of a hundred clocks ticking at once.

He leaned against the wall, feeling like his life was this passage and he had no idea which way to go. He’d saved a great deal of money during the ten years he’d been at the top of his game as a gambler. If he quit and bought some business, he’d always be that gambler who tried to go legitimate. No one would truly trust him.

Something caught the corner of his eye. Someone silently moving through the dark hallway where the women were being housed.

Lewt lifted his rifle and waited. Reason told him anyone meaning harm would come from the outside, not the inside. So he waited.

A tall woman dressed in a straight white gown moved out into the watery moonlight. Her hair was so light it looked almost white, and she moved with a grace he’d recognize anywhere.

Em.

He lowered his rifle but didn’t say a word. They’d developed a habit of not speaking since the fight, and he wasn’t sure how she’d react if he yelled. Besides, what could he say? Hello didn’t seem right for someone who’d been so close, and Give me another chance sounded too much like begging.

She moved with her head down, following the brick walkway worn smooth over a hundred years.

He’d seen her hair down so rarely, he hadn’t really thought about how beautiful it could be. Unlike when she’d pulled the braids, tonight her hair hung straight without a single wave. It flowed behind her almost like a veil.

She was within five feet of him when she looked up and saw him. He heard her sharp intake of breath, but she didn’t move. She just stood staring at him.

Lewt knew he should say something. Maybe that he was sorry for being in the way and intruding on her silent walk. Maybe he could make an attempt to say that he was sorry for what he said. Maybe he should just remain silent. The less they talked, the less he’d have to apologize for later.

She studied him without any expression. After a long minute, she moved closer.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” he finally said, guessing that she’d only begin listing all the things she hated about him, as she had last night.

“Neither do I,” she answered.

She took another step and leaned forward, her face an inch away from his. Then, without warning, she pressed her lips to his. When he didn’t move, she dug her fingers into his hair and pulled his head closer. Her kiss was simple, closed mouth, almost punishing.

Lewt wasn’t sure what she wanted, or, more accurately, what she wanted him to do.

She leaned closer, almost touching him, and began brushing her cheek against his. When her mouth touched his again, it was softer.

He was sure he was losing his mind. His body seemed to mutiny. He kissed her back.

Surprisingly, it seemed to be exactly what she wanted. She leaned against his chest, pushing his back into the wall, and wrapped her arm around his neck. The kiss caught fire. All the anger between them stood down, and passion took its place.

He felt like he’d been starving for days and she offered him exactly what he needed to survive. He moved his hands over the soft cotton of the plain gown and felt the wonder of her beneath it.

She didn’t touch him, but she sighed with pleasure as he touched her. When he broke the kiss, he turned her around and pulled her to him. Her head leaned against his shoulder as his hands moved over her body. He could feel her breathing. Tonight there were no hesitant brushes or light touches. The need to hold her was too great. He covered both of her breasts in his tight grip as he bit lightly into the curve of her neck. She cried out softly, then sighed as he continued moving his hands over her gown, getting to know the graceful body he’d watched so often.

She’d come to him. He laughed with pure joy against the soft skin below her ear. She’d come to him just as he’d told her she’d have to.

When he could wait no longer, he twisted her to face him once more and kissed her.

Her breathing was rapid and deep when he gripped her shoulders and pushed gently, putting her back against the wall and them both into shadows.

She was here with him . . . wanting him, and nothing else mattered at this moment.

Slowly, he began unbuttoning her gown. He could feel her trembling as he moved from button to button, pulling each free and taking the time to push the material aside.

“Em,” he whispered. “My Em.”

When he shoved his hand inside and touched her flesh, she drew in a breath and held it as he moved over her bare skin. She was perfection. Her gown was open to the waist, but the shadows prevented him from seeing the heaven he felt.

“Breathe,” he whispered against her ear.

She let out her breath in a rush and began to gulp for air. He placed his hand on her abdomen to feel each breath rise and fall. “I love to feel you breathe,” he whispered, “almost as much as I love taking your breath away.”

He raised her arms above her head with one hand as the other slid down her rib cage. “Breathe,” he whispered, “while I feel you.” Spreading his hand wide, he moved over her as he kissed her face lightly. When she let out a sigh of pleasure, he covered her mouth and kissed her deeper than he’d ever kissed a woman. Her arms lowered to his shoulders as her body seemed to melt into his.

There was no hesitance in his touch, only passion. He’d wanted her all day, dreamed of her all night, and now she’d come to him. He wouldn’t pretend his hunger for her was any less. Shoving the gown off her shoulders, he let it settle on her hips as he caressed her.

When he ended a long kiss, he didn’t remove his hands from her. She was warm now to his touch. He kissed her face and throat gently until her breathing slowed, then moved his hand up to the valley between her breasts. His fingers were slowly passing over each breast when he decided to kiss her again. He cupped her face with his free hand and opened her mouth with his thumb, then began another long endless kiss.

Her arms tightened about his neck as his hands moved behind her, shoving the gown lower as he cupped her hips. He pulled her against the length of him without breaking the kiss. The day without touching her had left him hungry. He wanted to be gentle, to move slow, to be sure of his footing before he jumped into passion, but the taste of her, the feel of her, drove all rational thought away, leaving him exposed and open.

She wanted this too, he thought. She’d come to him. She was returning his kiss. If only for a moment in the shadows, she was his Em again and she wanted him.

When the kiss finally ended, they were both exhausted from wave after wave of passion. He pulled away, knelt, and lifted her gown slowly from the floor. He was so close, his breath warmed her skin as the material moved up her body. Slowly, he buttoned her gown, then kissed her forehead as if he hadn’t just been roaming his hands all over her and loving every moment of it.

For a long while, he just held her, moving his fingers in her hair, kissing her lightly now and then on the cheek, pulling her briefly into a hug. Neither said a word. She swayed slightly into his embrace and pressed against him so closely he could feel her heart beat next to his.

A thousand questions came to his mind, but for now just holding her seemed enough. He brushed his hand lazily over her hip and heard her soft sigh. She was his mate, he thought. A perfect match, if only in the shadows.

When Lewt heard footsteps, he turned and lifted his rifle. Someone was coming from the direction of the shed. He stepped out of the shadows and waited.

“You awake?” Wyatt’s low voice asked as he materialized out of the night.

Lewt glanced over his shoulder. Em had vanished. He thought he saw her nightgown caught in the blink of moonlight, but he couldn’t be sure. “I’m awake,” he said, wishing he could return to the dream he’d just experienced.

“No,” he whispered to himself. It was real. Em had been in his arms.

“Did you say something?” Wyatt asked as he stared out into the night sky.

“Only that it’s time to turn in.” Lewt headed into the darkness. “Good night. See you at dawn.”

A few minutes later he spread out on the hay and relived every moment he’d spent with Em. He could still feel her skin on his fingertips and smell the honeysuckle fragrance of her hair.

If she was mad at him and had decided to use this as a way to punish him, it was working. He’d be dead from the need for her in no time.

At dawn the men ate breakfast with the priest, then saddled the horses while the women took their meal of simple porridge and honey bread.

They were ready to leave when the women finally came out into the morning sun. Anna moved to Duncan’s side and let him help her into the wagon. The cooks kept up a steady stream of conversation, even though none of the men paid much attention.

Lewt watched Em and wasn’t surprised she didn’t look at him. She was back to ignoring him. He told himself it didn’t matter as long as she came to him at night, but he realized he wanted her . . . all of her.

Lewt rode point, scouting far enough ahead to make sure trouble didn’t surprise them. The land was growing rocky with bends and turns in the road. He knew they were in Texas and should feel safe, but the feeling of being hunted still hadn’t washed out of his system. He felt like he did sometimes when he walked the streets after midnight, only now it was daylight and he couldn’t just tell himself to stay in the streetlight glow to be safe.

Duncan interrupted his thoughts by riding up beside him.

“Another day and we should be far enough that we won’t have to worry about Toledo,” Duncan said, as if talking to himself. “No matter how much she wants the girl, she’s not likely to stray too far into Texas.”

“Does she have the right?” Lewt asked.

“No. Anna can make her own way now. If I hadn’t ended up at Three Forks, I have a feeling Ramon and Anna would have been married within the year. The way I see it, the girl’s life stopped when she was shipped to Three Forks. She’s small, but she’s full grown—in her body, anyway. In her mind she may always be a little kid.”

“So we can’t just drop her off at the nearest street corner. What do we do with her?” Lewt didn’t want to think about what would happen if she wasn’t protected.

“Take her to Whispering Mountain, I guess.” Duncan didn’t sound too sure.

Lewt smiled. “Well, while you’re planning, what do we do with the two little cooks? Send them to jail? Let them go? No jury will find them guilty if they can’t find the bodies.”

Duncan didn’t look like he liked dealing with a problem he couldn’t shoot to get rid of. “I don’t know. I’ve asked them for details. You know, did they hate their husbands, were they worth killing? They seem to talk about everything else. Without proof of a murder, they can’t be arrested. For all I know their husbands just had enough of their chatter, ate supper one night, and then decided to ride off.”

“So take them home with you. Rose could use some help. Near as I could see, she does the lion’s share of the cooking.”

Duncan looked at him. “I’m not sure I like you knowing all about my family. It doesn’t set right.”

Lewt laughed. “You’ve got a gang of bad guys chasing you with a leader who wants you dead, two cooks who confess to being murderers, a woman/child who won’t get two feet from you, and you’re worried about me? Duck, you’ve lost what little brains you had.”

Duncan laughed. “You have a point. But stay away from my cousins. Much as I like you as a friend, I don’t want you in the family.”

Before Lewt could say anything, Duncan kicked his horse and circled back to Wyatt riding trail.

Lewt slowed, letting the wagon and Em catch up to him. Sumner was driving the rig and didn’t look too happy about the chatter around him. For once, the cooks were riding in the back of the wagon, and Anna sat beside the driver. She didn’t appear happy about it. Her back was straight as a rod, and she held herself as far away from Sumner as she could manage.

“Everything all right?” Lewt asked.

Sumner nodded. “Watch this.”

He pulled off his gloves and laid them on the seat between him and the girl.

A few moments later Anna picked them up and slipped them on her small hands. Then Sumner handed her the reins.

“She’s not sure of herself, but she’s a good driver.” He motioned her to ease up on the lines. “I tried this a few times yesterday. It’s the only time she’s not shaking with fear.” He turned away from Lewt and instructed her in a low tone.

Lewt moved around the wagon and pulled up even with Em’s horse. “Did you see that?” he asked.

“I did,” she answered, without looking at him.

“Any chance we’re about to have a normal conversation?”

“No.”

He fought the urge to circle his arm around her, pull her onto his horse, and kiss her soundly, but with his luck she’d fight and kick and they’d both end up on the ground. He would have liked to tell her how wonderful last night had been, but she didn’t look to be in a listening mood.

An hour later Lewt was still trying to think of something to say to reach her when they heard horses riding in fast.

“Get off the road!” Duncan shouted. “We’ve got company coming.”

Sumner didn’t take the reins but directed Anna where to go. They moved onto a rocky side and down an incline to where the ground sloped into almost waist-high grass. Beyond the grass were trees growing along a gully.

As the wagon disappeared from the road, Duncan reached Lewt and Em. “Looks like men coming up fast about a mile away. I’m guessing six, maybe seven. We have little chance of outrunning them with the wagon, and if we stand and fight, we’re outnumbered.”

Lewt and Em nodded as Wyatt joined the group.

“How about I face them?” Lewt said. “They saw me at the ranch, but they don’t know I’m involved with you. I could talk to them, act like I haven’t seen anything. Maybe head them off in the wrong direction.”

“I don’t know.” Duncan shook his head.

Lewt smiled his slow easy smile. “Look at it this way, all I’m doing is bluffing and we both know I’m an expert at that.”

Duncan finally agreed. “It’s not much of a plan, but it might work. Em and I will take cover between you and the wagon. If they head toward it, we’ll open fire, so make sure you stay out of the way.”

Wyatt headed down the rocky incline. “I’ll stand with Sumner at the bottom of this gully. Any man who makes it past you and Miss Em will be walking straight into our fire.”

They all moved into action. Duncan and Em climbed the rise to watch and be ready. Wyatt brushed any tracks away where the wagon had left the road, and Lewt unsaddled his horse in the grass on the far side of the road. He brushed the animal down with the saddle blanket, hoping no one would notice the sweat where the saddle had been. There was no time to build a fire, but he tossed a few things around to make it look like he’d been there for a while.

He’d just sat down on his bedroll and pulled out a deck of cards when he heard the men coming.

Lewt glanced back in the direction Em had gone. He scanned the ridge, but he saw no sign of her. The need to see her was an ache inside him. He touched two fingers to his hat in a salute, hoping she could see him.

As the riders came into sight, Lewt stood and began rolling up the bedroll he’d just tossed on the ground.

The band slowed. They were dirty and muddy and looked madder than hell. Lewt recognized the leader as one of the guards from when he’d gambled the night away. The man looked more animal than human on a good day, and this wasn’t a good day.

“Morning,” Lewt said, as if the men were in their Sunday-go-to-meeting best. He counted seven men. One man behind the leader pulled his gun, but the rest just slowed their horses and stared.

“If you’ve come by to rob me, you’re out of luck. I left all my money back at Three Forks. I’ll play you a round for any food you can spare, though. It’s a long way to Austin.”

The leader raised his hand to signal the other outlaw to lower his gun. “I remember you,” he said. “Where’s your vest with all the colors braided with gold?”

“I don’t wear it when I travel,” Lewt said with a smile. “Sun bounces off it.”

The leader laughed as one of the men behind him mumbled something Lewt couldn’t catch.

“My friend says one of the girls claims you spent the rest of the night in her bed, then shot out the window like a coward when you heard shooting.”

Lewt stood tall, facing them straight on. “Look, I’m a gambler, not a gunfighter. I don’t even carry a gun, so of course I took off as soon as the shooting started. I want to live to gamble again. I paid for my time with the rather drunk lady with my last twenty.”

Lewt was doing what he always did when being confronted. He was blending as much truth into the lie as possible.

It worked. The leader of Toledo’s band believed him.

“How long have you been here, Gambler?”

Lewt shrugged. “I had too much to drink last night. To be honest, I’m surprised I got my bedroll on the ground before I fell asleep.” Lewt scratched his head. “If I was guessing, I’d say I’ve been here since about midnight.”

“Did you see anyone pass?”

Lewt shook his head. “Who you looking for?”

“A man traveling with a child almost grown. He’ll be limping, but he’s a dead man if we catch him. He kidnapped the child. One man who thought he saw them ride away said he had two, maybe three men with him.”

Lewt shook his head. “Nobody like that has passed by here.”

Lewt was an expert at reading people, and he could tell the leader didn’t believe him but hadn’t quite found the lie in his story.

“Why don’t you saddle up, Gambler, and ride along with us for a while? We’re headed in the same direction.”

“Thanks for the offer, but . . .”

The leader smiled and added, “I insist.”

Lewt had no choice. If he made too much fuss, it would make the leader even more suspicious. Maybe if he rode along he could draw the group away from the others. So, much as he hated the odds, he saddled up and went along.

If he’d had any sense, he would have been worried or at the very least plotting his escape, but all Lewt could think about was that he wished he’d seen Em one more time before he left. He wanted to see those Texas blue eyes looking at him, and somehow that seemed to matter as much as his life at the moment.