Deborah Camp (11 page)

“Yeah, I noticed.”

She frowned. “If you’re going to fume about every man who looks walleyed at me, then you’re going to be in a perpetual sod-pawin’, horn-tossin’ mood.”

He cocked his head and examined her from beneath the deep brim of his hat. “I don’t believe I ever met a woman who set a greater store on herself than you.”

“I just don’t cotton to acting like I don’t know how I look or how men look at me. Unlike some others, who pretend they don’t admire their reflection and pretend they haven’t lifted a few skirts in their time.”

“You talking about me?” He arched one brow.

“You going to keep acting like you’re stupid?”

The brow lowered to join its mate and form a dark bridge of displeasure. “Are you spoiling for a fight this morning, Cassie?”

“I’m trying to clear the air. We’re going to have to work together, and it’s plumb silly for us not to talk about us locking lips last night.”

He narrowed his blue eyes. “Call me stupid once more and…”

“And what?” she sassed, angling up her chin, making it a target.

His gaze didn’t linger on her chin but on her mouth. Memories of that mouth had cost him sleep last night and fogged his brain this morning. Kissing her had shattered his previous notion of what constituted a good kiss. Hell, kissing her was better than the sex he’d had! But he didn’t like these feelings he fostered for her because they were damned dangerous. He’d come back to stake his claim on the land, not on his old man’s young widow.

Although he badly wanted to crush her mouth beneath his, he shoved her aside with rough disregard and strode to his horse. Swinging up into the saddle, he looked down at her flushed face and fisted hands.

“Are we going to jaw all day or work?”

“Coward.” She stomped across the ground to her horse and almost sprang into the saddle.

Drew issued a grunt of derision and swung Dynamite around to follow the fence line. He heard Cassie’s horse behind him but kept his mind focused on the land and his place on it.

“It’s been so dry lately, I’m going to check the creek level,” she announced, then spurred her mount toward a thicket of trees.

Drew released a long sigh of relief. The woman was a trial. Of course, he hadn’t made things easier for himself by lovin’ up on her. But he’d suffered for it, lying awake most of the night thinking about her mouth, its heat and seduction. Lord God, the woman could kiss! He’d wanted to plunge his tongue into the simmering pool of her mouth, but he’d known he would drown there, sucked into the whirlpool of longing.

For a gal who had men lining up for her, she sure was quick to spark. Maybe she’d been waiting for the right man—

“Whoa up there, son,” he said to himself, and Dynamite stopped in his tracks. Shaking his head and chuckling at his own mutterings, he spurred Dynamite on. “Sorry, boy. I should get my mind on my work, I guess.” He focused outward instead of inward and immediately saw a wide depression in the grass ahead of him. Frowning, he examined the area, not liking the story the flattened grass told him. What the hell—?

He slid off Dynamite and walked the fence, looking for any sign of damage. He’d not taken twenty strides when he discovered a wobbly fence post. Testing it, he determined that the post was merely propped into the ground and could be lifted and set aside to make a wide gate for cattle to run through. He followed the beaten path toward the fringe of trees that bordered a creek. He found Cassie there.

She squatted at the edge of the creek and used her hat as a bucket, bringing it to her lips for a drink. Glancing toward him, she nodded at the chewed up earth around her.

“Something funny here,” she remarked.

He dismounted and examined the evidence of a herd being watered. The Square D cattle had several watering holes and didn’t converge on just one. “Back there I found a loose fence post. Somebody’s driven a herd across here.” He looked around, trying to see where the tracks led.

“The tracks go up that way,” she said, reading his mind and pointing south. “But they fade out. The ground is dry and the grass scarce the farther you get
away from the creek. The prints turn to dust. We don’t let the herd graze much in that section. At least, not until we get a rain. The soil there is too poor and needs to lie fallow this year. Maybe next. You think Roe would let a herd in here to graze?”

“Roe? Why would he?”

“Some of his grazing land is getting bad, and he doesn’t put aside sections for wheat and hay fields like we do.”

“Since when does he not have hay fields?”

“He hasn’t since I’ve been here. He told me it’s too much trouble and he’d rather buy what he needs. I think he might have one hay field, a small one.”

“Well, I guess he knows what he’s doing.” Drew shrugged. That’s not how he liked to run a ranch, but he and Monroe had never seen eye to eye on that. Monroe spent too much money on silly things like red buggies and brass- and gold-fitted bridles. To buy all the hay needed on a cattle ranch seemed purely ignorant, but since he didn’t know how much money Monroe had, he couldn’t judge the man fairly. Maybe Roe had too many cows and not enough grazing land for them, so he had to let them into the fields he would normally use to grow hay or wheat. It was a thought.

Cassie straightened and stretched, swaying from side to side to work out the kinks. “So what should we do?”

“They must have crossed Roe’s land, too,” Drew said. “I think I’ll ride over and ask him if he knows anything about it.”

“Let me.” She replaced her hat on her shimmering hair, which she’d gathered into a tail that swung down her back. “You’ll bark at him like a mad dog.”

He stepped closer and nudged the underside of her
chin with his forefinger. “I told you before, Roe and me go way back. I don’t have to bat my eyelashes at him and make my voice like honey to get his attention, but I assure you that I can discuss this with him without riling him.”

She edged away, her eyes snapping. “Go ahead, but don’t go telling him that you’re the boss man around here.”

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“I’m not worried about nothing. I just don’t want you spreading tales behind my back.”

He mounted Dynamite again. “I don’t have to fill Roe in on my place on this ranch. He already knows I’m my father’s son and rightful heir. You’re the only one in this county who isn’t clear on that” He tugged the brim of his hat and swung Dynamite around, spurring him into a gallop to drown out any retort she might have made.

Drew returned to the ranch a couple of hours later. He had engaged Monroe in a companionable conversation but had learned little about the cattle crossing. He and Monroe had ridden to where the tracks were visible, and Monroe had been puzzled by the discovery. They had agreed to keep each other informed of any other strange activity in the area.

Reining in Dynamite, Drew caught sight of a spotted horse tethered to the hitching post near the house. He recognized it.

Giving a whoop, he leaped off Dynamite and was heading for the porch when he heard a familiar voice call out to him. Spinning about, he grinned at the long-legged, long-haired
hombre
striding toward him.

“Ice! It’s about time you got here, you ornery polecat.”
He reached out to shake the younger man’s hand and pull him close for a quick hug. “Damn, if it’s not good to see you! How’s your family in San Antonio?”

“They’re fat and fit,” Ice said, a blazing white smile splitting his dusky face. His midnight hair, brushed rakishly back from his forehead, fell to his shoulders, and his silvery gray eyes sparkled with mischievous lights. He reached out to finger Drew’s leather vest. “You didn’t get this in prison, my friend.”

“It’s one of a kind. Made by a saddle maker I know. You like it?”

“Sí, gracias
. How much you want for it?”

Drew batted away his hand and laughed. “You don’t have enough money on you, pal.” He traded grins with Ice. “Damn, if you aren’t a sight for these sore eyes!”

“This is some fine place you have here. And your papa’s widow!” Ice shook his hand as if he’d burned it. “Woowee! You lucky coyote.” Giving a wink, he added, “The young housekeeper isn’t bad either.”

“You took your sweet time getting here.”

“Ah, my mama wouldn’t let me go. She loves her youngest son.” He laughed. “One of my sisters got married, and I stayed a few extra days to attend her wedding. There was much news, too. Seems I have some relatives who are landing in prison and getting shot for stealing cattle and robbing stagecoaches and trains out by Laredo. They are giving the Perez family a bad name.” He chuckled. “I had to swear to my mama that I would not take up with them, that I would be a good little boy.”

“I envy you your family ties,” Drew said, admitting something he usually kept to himself. But he’d formed a quick and lasting relationship with Pedro “Ice” Perez since their first meeting in a saloon in Abilene a few
months before Drew had been charged with cattle rustling. When word had reached Ice, Drew had already been judged guilty and sentenced. Ice had visited him in jail only a few hours before Drew was to be transported to prison. In his hour of need, Ice had come through for Drew, taking Dynamite to his family home in Texas for safekeeping.

“And I envy you your fine taste.” He eyed Drew’s vest again. “And
your
family ties,” he added with a grin.

“Yeah, you’ve met Cassie.” Drew glanced toward the house. Oleta was standing in the doorway but ducked out of sight.

“Sí, señor,”
Ice said, laughing a little. “She told me to wait here for you. Then I met the shy Oleta and then I scouted your bunkhouse. How many men you got working for you?”

“Two.”

Ice made a choking sound and reared back on his boot heels. “On a spread this size? You’re hiring more soon?”

“Not on the money we’ve got right now, no. I’ll have to sell some of the herd this spring before I can allow for extra men. Besides, when I was in Abilene, I was given a cold welcome. I might be a free man, but to most people around here I’m guilty. The only men who have shown an interest in this ranch are those hankering to steal it or its livestock.”

“Then it is good I have arrived to save the day, eh?” Ice laughed and wrapped a sinewy arm around Drew’s neck. He stood an inch or two shorter than Drew. Four years younger and ten times more demonstrative, he treated Drew like an older, much-revered brother.

The two tussled like boys for a few minutes, laughing and shadowboxing, trading handholds and punching each other in the ribs and arms. Out of breath, Drew pushed Ice away with a grunt of satisfaction.

“You’re just what I needed, Ice. I was feeling low as a snake’s belly, but now that I’ve got your ugly face to look at, my spirits have lifted.”

“Ugly face?” Ice glanced around. “Who are you talking about,
compadre?
Not me. Oh, not me, because I am one fine-looking man.” He puffed out his chest. “I leave ladies swooning and men cursing their bad luck for not being as pretty as me.”

Drew laughed, glad for the diversion of nonsense. His visit with Monroe had left him feeling unsettled. Roe was cordial and as helpful as he could be, but Drew sensed that Roe didn’t trust him. The feeling was mutual.

Ice leaned closer. “I have brought two fine horses,
amigo
. I bought them off my new brother-in-law, who gave me a very good price. They are fine stock.”

“Where are they?”

“In the corral,” he said, gesturing in the general direction.

“I don’t have the money now to buy them from you. I bought three mares in Abilene the other day and—”

“Did I ask for money?” Ice asked, spreading a hand over the front of his dark shirt and black, silver-studded vest. “You offend me. I have brought them to buy my way into a partnership, my friend. A partnership with you.”

Drew narrowed one eye. “What do you have up your sleeve?”

“Nothing. I have a business proposition. I will work
here for you. I will learn from you, and we will become well-known horse breeders. For this I offer the blood-red stallion and gray mare now in your corral. Good breeding stock, my friend.” A smile inched up one corner of his mouth. “Quarter horses.”

“You speak my language,” Drew said, clapping Ice on the shoulder. “Welcome to the Square D, partner.”

They shook hands, then strolled to the corral to inspect the additions to their herd.

Riding across the flat land, Cassie spotted the two men at the corral. She veered Sweet Pea in that direction. Nearing the area, she studied the dark-red stallion and big gray mare, her irritation mounting. Had Drew bought
more
horses after lecturing her about how they had to cut their spending to the bone until they had sold some of their cows?

She’d met up with Ice on the trail that led to the house. He’d introduced himself and inquired after Drew. She’d wondered then if he was bringing those two horses to Drew, and she figured he would ask a pretty price for them. Had Drew already bought them without telling her, without consulting her? Her blood began to boil. Damn his arrogant hide!

Dropping out of the saddle, she stalked to the corral, barely acknowledging Ice’s warm greeting and Drew’s quick tug on his hat brim.

“What’s going on here?” she asked, trying and failing to soften her tone.

“Just two partners building a dream,” Ice answered. “Good to see you again. Your house girl showed me your son. He is as handsome as a new rope on a thirty-dollar pony.”

Cassie couldn’t help but preen with motherly pride, although that stuff about a dream rattled her. “Thanks. He’s precious, that’s for sure.” She eyed Drew with suspicion. “Partners?” She knew she was on the right trail when Drew dropped his gaze. The skunk. She turned to Ice. “You said something about partners?”

“Yes, me and Drew. We are going to raise horses together.”

“Oh? Where?”

“Where?” Ice glanced at Drew, worry creasing his brow. “Why, right here,
señora
, on Drew’s ranch.”

“On
Drew’s
ranch,” she repeated.

“Now, hold up, Cassie,” Drew drawled. “Don’t go snorting and kicking like a—”

Sounds good to me
, Cassie thought a second before connecting her boot with his shin. She noticed that his new partner took a backward step, distancing himself, and she admired his good sense.