Blood of the Rainbow (56 page)

Sara enthusiastically tapped her knee in time with the music. “I
love
it!”

Jared smiled and pulled back on the main road. “Looks like we’ll have to go car shopping then.”

------------

Jared hit the center of Phoenix at around 9:00 that night, and by 10:00 they were in Wickenburg. The Thundercloud ranch was still waiting like a safe haven for Sara. Jared pulled in and parked behind his father’s Dodge Ram. He and

Sara barely got out of the car before Myra and Nadine had Sara in a chokehold. They were so glad to see them. Sara was excited too. It was pleasant to be in a place where you weren’t judged or criticized. Again, Sara wished Kaye could have been more like Nadine.

Jared and Myra grabbed the bags, and they went inside. It was so near bedtime they decided to visit in the morning.

------------

At first, when Sara woke alone, she didn’t know where she was. It took her a few seconds, to get her bearings. Then she heard the shower, and the faint sound of someone singing. Being home again, must have affected him, Jared was singing in the shower.

Sara laughed. She thought that only happened in the movies. She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand, blinking until her eyes were in focus. It read 6:30. Sara smiled and rolled over, sitting on the side of the bed. She threw her head back, yawned, and stretched her arms above her head.

Jared came back in the room, with a towel wrapped around his waist, and drying his hair on another one. He smiled at Sara when he realized she was awake. “Good morning,” he grinned as she stood and stalked toward him. Jared held her at arm’s length, drinking her with his eyes, recording each tiny feature to memory.

Sara smiled through bleary eyes. “What are you doing up so early?”

He drew her to him and slowly untied her robe. “Well… I’d planned on helping Dad with the chores,” he said, kissing the side of her neck and shoulders, as her robe slid to the floor. “I think he might have to wait a while….” he crushed his lips to hers.

Sara wrapped her leg around his, pressing the lower part of her body to his. She slid her hand between them, and unfastened his towel, letting it lay at his feet. “Tell me something Jared,” she whispered between his kisses.

Jared groaned, tracing kisses over her face, and down the sides of her neck. “What’s that?”

Sara was panting. “Am I still… dangerous?”

Jared raised Sara’s other leg and wrapped it around his waist as he pressed against her. He kissed her passionately. “No – but I am….”

She grinned. “How so…?”

“Because now I’m the hunter… and you’re the prey,” he almost growled at Sara as he gently lowered her on the bed. “You’re the one that’s in danger now,” he whispered in her ear.

Sara teased his chest with her fingernails, making him shiver and throb with desire for her. “No I’m not.”

“Really? Why is that?”

“I’m not fighting. I’m surrendering,” she whispered back.

“I guess you’re right,” Jared said, moving his hips against hers, leaving words behind, and letting their bodies do the talking.

------------

Jared already had a shower, but since things got hot and sweaty, he took another one with Sara. Then they both got dressed and went downstairs. The door to the conservatory was open. A chilly breeze blew through the house. Smells of fried bacon and onions made Sara’s stomach rumble.

“We’re out here Jared!” Nadine called out.

The table had been spread with soft scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes with smother fried onions, mushrooms and bell peppers. It smelled delicious. Sara had worked up a monster of an appetite. She didn’t complain when Nadine prepared her plate and handed it to her. She closed her eyes and sniffed, appreciatively. “Oh, this smells
so
good!”

Tom laughed, and winked at Sara. “
Some
things, can really work up an appetite, huh, Sara?”

Sara smiled and kept her eyes on her plate. “Yes, it can….”

Jared laughed. Tom glanced at Jared. “So what are your plans for today?”

Jared grinned knowingly. “Nothing specific. How about you?”

“I’ve got to repair some fencing up on the northern range. Myra’s horse didn’t come home last night. I suspect he’s found another way out. It’s been weak around the northern range for some time now….”

Jared continued with his breakfast, smiling.

“I just haven’t had the time to repair it by myself,” Tom hinted, glancing at Jared again. “And, I need to install that new auto feeder I bought that’s been sitting in the barn collecting dust, and I want to.…”

Jared held up his hand. “All right Dad, I get the picture. When do you want to get started?”

Tom laughed. “After breakfast?”

“I’ll go change….”

Sara couldn’t help but laugh at how easily Jared gave in to his father. She turned to Nadine and laughed again. “In that case Nada, What are
we
doing today?”

Nadine smiled. “I’m sure I can find something for us to do. Is there anything in particular
you’d
like to do?”

Sara stalled. “Um – well – there is one thing. And I’m a little self-conscious about asking but, Jared showed me some of the blankets and beadwork his grandmother made for him. I was wondering.…”

Nadine smiled patiently. “Yes?”

“Would there be any chance you might teach me how to…?”

Nadine stood, and started gathering the breakfast dishes. She chuckled. “It would be my pleasure. I’ll have to drag my old looms out of the attic, though. I haven’t used them in a long time.”

“We can do something else. I wouldn’t want to put you out….”

She grinned wryly. “I don’t mind Sara. I suspect I’ll need to start working on a much smaller version of the blankets soon….”

“Not if Jared has his way,” Sara mumbled under her breath. She took the little pill she’d hidden in the watch pocket of her jeans, and popped it in her mouth. Then, reluctantly, she washed it down with a handful of water from the faucet. Sara wondered how long Jared would insist she take these.

She finished loading the dishwasher, and went into the lounge, where Tom was sat, patiently waiting for Jared.

------------

Jared entered the lounge wearing a pair of faded jeans, a russet-colored tank top, his cowboy boots, and a western-style straw hat with a rattlesnake and feather hatband. He’d platted his hair in a single braid at the nape of his neck. Sara thought he looked stunning. She stood, lounging against the doorframe as she watched him walk across the floor to her. Sara bit her lower lip. She could easily see his tight muscles, struggling against the thin fabric of his tank top. Her face flushed.

Jared cradled her chin in the palm of his hand and smiled. “I love how you do that,” he said kissing her.

Sara was dazzled by the hungry look in his eyes. “How I do what?”

“When I walk toward you, your eyes dilate so much it’s hard to tell if they’re black or brown, and your cheeks go all rosy,” he said, kissing her again.

Sara smiled. “That’s because I like what I see. Yours do it too, but… they’re a little more noticeable.”

Jared shook his belt, and rearranged the front of his jeans. “I wish my eyes were the only part of my body that reacted to you, visibly,” he teased, pressing his body against hers, so she knew what he was talking about.

“I like that part too,” Sara whispered in his ear as he kissed below her jaw line, and nibbled her neck.

Tom stood, cleared his throat and nosily shuffled his feet. “If you’re ready Jared,” he said, obviously wanting to get started on the fence.

Jared sighed and kissed Sara gently on her lips. “I’ll see you later,” he cooed and followed Tom out the door.

“We’ll bring you some lunch, and something to drink later on!” Sara jumped. Nadine placed her hands on Sara’s shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. “It’s just me Sara.”

“Thanks!” Tom called back.

“It must be in your blood!” Sara said, startled.

Nadine laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Sara drew in a deep breath of relief. “It’s all right. I guess I’ll have to get used to how easily y’all can sneak up on me.”

Nadine laughed again. “Comes from years of practice Sara. Come on, let’s get those looms. We’ll take them out back before it gets too hot. When it does, we’ll move inside where it’s cool.”

Nadine and Sara spent the rest of the morning working on beading, and weaving projects – mainly Nadine. Sara tried her hand at it, but most of the time she watched Nadine in awe. She could finish a bead pattern before Sara could even get her loom threaded.

Nadine laughed, and gave Sara tips, gently introducing her to their way of life. Sara was thrilled when she finally finished a little wristband, which she later planned to give to Jared. Nadine finished three in the time it took Sara to create one. She’d also shed far less blood than Sara had. Sara was starting to think she might need a transfusion. Good thing her fiancée was a doctor.

Sara started a blanket project, but her baying coyote looked more like a tall-eared rabbit. Nadine laughed. “It’s not bad for your first try. Just keep at it. You
will
get it Sara,” she said, and went back inside to start making lunch for Jared and Tom.

Sara did another row before giving up, and going inside to help Nadine. She was slicing cold roast beef for sandwiches, when Sara walked in the kitchen. “What can I do?”

“Do you know how to make lemonade?”

Sara laughed. “Yeah, I do, but I’m better at iced-tea.”

Nadine put the sandwiches together with practiced ease. “Tell you what, why don’t you make both? Jared likes tea, and Tom prefers the lemonade.”

Sara smiled. “Ok.”

“Lemons are in the fridge. If you’ll pop them in the microwave for thirty seconds, and then roll them on the counter a couple of times, you’ll get more juice out of them for the lemonade.”

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea. Is that a traditional Navajo way for making lemonade?” Sara naively asked.

Nadine chuckled and held up a small cookbook. “No, but it was Loretta Lynn’s way.”

Sara laughed with her, and finished making the tea and lemonade, pouring it in two large thermoses, used for keeping things cold. They filled two more with fresh ice water, loaded everything in the back of their jeep, and headed for the barn. Nadine parked the jeep, took out her cell and called Tom.

“Hi, it’s me…. Yeah, we’re here at the barn with your lunch. Do you want us to bring it up to you…? All right, we’ll setup here then. How’s it going – any sign of Satan…? That’s strange…. Maybe he’s gone over on the other ridge.” Nadine glanced at Sara. “You may have to saddle up a couple of the horses, go over to the other valley, and look there…. Yeah, I know. We need to try and find him before Myra gets home from college. I will…. love you too Tom…. See you in a few.” Nadine ended the call.

Sara furrowed her brow. “That’s Myra’s horse - right?”

“Yes. Tom said they hadn’t seen any sign of him. They’re coming back here, so let’s get the table setup. There are some chairs inside the barn in the door to the right, next to a fold up table. Can you get those, and put them under the shade tree over there?” Nadine pointed.

------------

Sara heard the familiar rumble of the 4x4’s engine as it came bouncing along the dirt road, swerving from side to side as Jared avoided the potholes. He parked next to the jeep, and he and Tom got out.

The perspiration on Jared’s bare-chest glistened in the sun like drops of dew. Although Sara doubted it was possible, it appeared as if the blazing sun had made his skin look even darker. Her heart flipped over just watching him, as he gracefully strolled up to her, put his arm around her, and kissed her. “Hi Angel,” he said in his low, sexy voice.

Sara smiled. “Hi….”

They sat down to eat. Nadine passed Tom a plastic cup of lemonade. “So, are you done for the day, or do you plan to work on the fence some more?”

Tom took off his hat and tossed it on the ground next to his chair. “I don’t know about you Jared, but I think we’ve done enough for today. The sun is getting too hot. Maybe we could finish up tomorrow…?”

Jared stuffed a third of his sandwich in his mouth. “Sure Dad. I think Sara, and I might saddle up a couple of the horses, and go over to the northern ridge. See if we can pick up Satan’s trail there. I have a feeling that’s the way he would have gone.”

Nadine studied his eyes. “If you do, make sure you take these two canteens of water, and this one of tea with you. I’ll not have you drying up like a piece of jerky.”

Jared grinned at Sara. “Actually, I’d planned on going back to the house, and getting some gear. We might not be back before nightfall, and I don’t want to wander around in the dark. If we see it’s going to be too late, we’ll make camp, and come home in the morning.”

Tom gave Jared a suspicious look and raised his eyebrow. “In the morning?”

Jared laughed. “Don’t worry Dad. I’ll be back in time to help you finish the fence, and the other chores.”

Tom smiled. “Make sure you take your rifle. I saw a few tracks over on the ridge a few days ago. I didn’t see any mountain lions, but it doesn’t hurt to play it safe, just in case.”

“Make sure you take your cell phones too,” Nadine added.

Sara laughed imagining a Navajo brave, covered with war paint, riding bareback, with a cell phone in one hand, and the reins in the other. Modern technology had changed things for everybody.

Jared grimaced and glanced at Sara. “I think we’ll take the bike instead. That way I won’t have to worry about Sara trying to pick another fight with a rattlesnake. She’s good at that, you know.” Jared grinned.

“Well, if you hadn’t run off like that, I wouldn’t have had to climb the mountain or share the tiny ledge with your indigenous house pets,” Sara countered, and pushed his chair over. He hit the ground, and burst out laughing.

Tom laughed. “Son, you’d better watch Sara. I think she might be harder to handle than the mountain lion.”

Jared got up, and slapped the dust off his jeans with his hat, and sat back in the chair, backwards. He grinned mischievously and winked at Sara. “Oh, I can handle her. Make
no
mistake about it….”