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Authors: Sabine Starr

BOOK: Lady Gone Bad
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Chapter 27
A
s she crossed Beaver Creek at dusk in the Kiamichi River Valley, Lady wanted nothing more than to step down from Jipsey and rest her weary body. Maybe her mind was making her feel tired because she’d pondered all day what to say to Rafe, or maybe she just felt the aches and pains from the day’s journey. Either way, she still didn’t know how to begin telling all that she wanted to explain.
She’d hoped to have Crowdy on the journey to Robber’s Cave, but he’d told her that he had business in Delaware Bend. Maybe she’d see him at Stone Corral, maybe not. Now that he was free of the saloon, he’d live life on Indian time, coming and going at will. At least, he’d promised to take Ma Engle’s funeral jewelry to Manny at the livery stable, letting her friend know she was okay and still on Copper’s trail.
Without Crowdy as a fence separating her from Rafe, she had built a wall of her own as the sun slowly gave way to the moon. She adjusted her hat to keep the slanting rays off her face, thinking back to that morning.
Shortly after dawn, she and Rafe had turned east on the Fort Towson Road where it crossed the Boggy River. From there, they’d headed north on the old Military Trail that eventually led to Fort Smith, Arkansas. And Judge Parker. Not a happy thought and one she hoped hadn’t entered Rafe’s mind, but she figured he’d been stewing all day about confronting federal law officers there. She hoped he had better sense.
But that wasn’t her main concern, not now. By the light of day, she’d realized she’d lost whatever sense she had the night before when she’d fallen into a frenzy for Rafe. Not smart. Lady Gone Bad made men want her. Not the other way around. She must stay cool and detached to achieve her goals. Still, she needed Rafe’s help, and men could be touchy about rejection. If she explained her position, maybe he’d understand and not take it personally.
“I was in love once,” she finally said.
“What?” Rafe glanced over at her, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“You must have been, too.” She swallowed hard to moisten her throat, which had gone dry. “At our ages, couldn’t help but have been.”
“Only once?”
“Once was plenty.”
“What happened?”
“I’m making a point.”
“What point?” He turned Justice near her, and his black boot strafed her red boot.
“I discovered romantic love isn’t real.”
Rafe cleared his throat. “And other love?”
“For family.”
“That’s real?”
“Yes. And the love between me and my horses.”
“How do you think husbands and wives get together?” he asked.
“Bargains. One herds cattle, farms. The other cooks, cleans, raises babies.”
“Anything else bring them together?”
“Lust. You know. Like a mare in heat. Stallions can’t resist.”
Rafe chuckled, shaking his head as he glanced over at her. “You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”
Lady darted a frown at him. “It’s not funny.”
“Let me get this straight. Men and women join forces for convenience. Is that right?”
“Seems so.”
“You’re right. It can happen that way. But not always. What about your parents?”
She hesitated, considering. “Devoted to each other.”
“Love?”
“Yes.”
“But not romantic?”
“The family kind of love.” She thought back, remembering Da bringing Ma a bunch of flowers, a pail of blackberries, a shawl from town, and Ma’s delight, reaching up to pat his cheek, give him a quick kiss on his lips. “But I don’t think they count.”
“How can they not count?”
“They’re my Ma and Da.” She felt a painful burning in her chest, remembering the loss of her parents. She just couldn’t stand to ever go through that type of loss again.
“Want to talk about us?”
“No.” Lady took a deep breath. “I mean, yes. There is no us. That last night? Too many emotions rolled into one. Won’t happen again.”
“Lady,” he reached over, took hold of her hand, and squeezed.
She jerked away and turned Jipsey to force space between them.
“No, not Lady.” He urged Justice toward her, boot scraping against boot again. “After last night, you’re Sharlot.”
Frowning, she looked over at him. “No. You mustn’t use my name. You’ll forget to call me Lady when we’re at Robber’s Cave. Besides—”
“No, I won’t.” He gave her an intense look. “What’s your full name? You know mine.”
“Rafe, it’s not necessary—”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll harass you all the way to Robber’s Cave.”
She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “Sharlot Eachan.”
He smiled, gray eyes lighting up. “Lovely. Suits you.”
“My parents thought so.”
“Is that Irish?”
“Da, yes. Ma . . . Sharlot’s a Choctaw word.”
“That’s why you’re here? Indians?”
“And the wonderful land.”
“Eachan seems familiar. I wonder where I’ve heard it before?”
“No telling.” Lady shook her head, thinking it best not to talk about her name or her parents any more. She wanted to make a point, but couldn’t seem to get there.
Ahead she saw antlers nailed to a post oak with chattering birds clustered on top among the green leaves. As the horses approached, the birds grew silent, and then rose into the air with a flutter of wings and flew away. Yellow, orange, and blue wildflowers studded the tall green grass on either side of the road, their sweet and tangy scents swirling on the breeze flowing down from the northern mountains.
Lady wished she could feel as beautiful and serene as the landscape, but she felt too much turmoil inside for peace.
“There’s the cutoff to Antlers Spring,” she said, pointing at the antlers. “It’ll make a good place to stop for the night.”
“Rest the horses before we head up into the mountains.”
Lady nodded, gazing into the far horizon where the land rose in green waves toward the north. They had some hard riding ahead of them, but unspoiled beauty to enjoy, too.
As she turned Jipsey down a narrow trail, she glanced at Rafe. “I was trying to tell you something.”
“About being in love?”
“I was nineteen. He was twenty-three.” She smiled wistfully in remembrance. “He showed up at the farm looking for work. He was good with horses. He said he wanted to stay, and marry me. That’s what I wanted. What I needed. No son, so Da required a son-in-law to help with the horses. At nineteen, I was a romantic fool.”
“You’re not the only one,” Rafe said, voice soft and gentle. “What happened?”
“Turned out he was a horse thief. That’s why he knew animals so well. Stole two of Da’s prized stock.”
“Law catch him?”
“Da didn’t want to make my pain any worse. He let it go.”
“So you became the son and daughter all rolled into one?”
“No choice. I learned my lesson well. I couldn’t let any of us be hurt like that again.”
“What happened to the rustler?”
“Shot in the back by another horse thief in the Bend. Or so I heard.”
“What’s his name? Maybe I know about it.”
“I don’t want to talk about him. It’s over and done with. Long time ago now.”
“What about your parents?”
“No more. I just wanted to explain why we aren’t going to roll around in any more springs.”
“Sharlot, I’m not like your fiancé. I respect women. I put horse thieves behind bars. And I make commitments I keep.”
“I keep my vows, too.” She glared at him. “But you’re not one of them.”
“Don’t be so sure. Miles to go before we reach Robber’s Cave.” He grinned, giving her a naughty look. ”I intend to take advantage of every one of them.”
Chapter 28
“T
his isn’t a medicine spring, is it?” Rafe asked as he rode Justice close to Antlers Spring. He eased up on the reins and sat still in the saddle as the gelding lowered his head and drank from the deep green pool of water.
“No.” Lady let Jipsey guzzle beside Justice. “You can tell by the smell. It’s just good water for travelers.”
“Looks safe enough around here.” He checked the area for danger, but saw nothing that might be trouble. Hackberry, blackjack, post oak trees. Grass, wildflowers, bugs. Somewhere nearby would be rabbits, possums, squirrels, and deer. Predators like coyotes and hawks wouldn’t be far away, not with such rich pickings.
“Unless somebody joins us by sundown, we’ll most likely have the place to ourselves tonight.”
“Glad to hear it.” Rafe had discovered at the Boggy Saloon that he didn’t like sharing Lady . . . no, Sharlot. It’d take him a while to get used to saying her given name, but he’d get there, or use both. She’d managed to go from being Lady Gone Bad, notorious outlaw singer, to Sharlot Eachan, tough but tender partner, in a short enough time to make his head spin. One thing for sure, he had to keep her on the straight and narrow, no matter how much she wanted to stray. Course, that didn’t mean him. She could stray as much as she wanted with him. And he’d be happy to help her along the way.
“Good place to fill our canteens,” Lady said, “but we’ll never be short of water in Choctaw Nation.”
“Far as I know, we don’t have to cross any big rivers up north.”
“Nothing we can’t handle.”
“Let’s build a campfire behind that rock away from the spring in case we get company. Fire will keep predators away,” Rafe said.
“I’ll make some cowboy coffee.”
“Wouldn’t pass it up.” He tossed a quick smile her way. Even tired and disheveled, maybe a little blue about her dumb-as-a-post, horse thief fiancé, she still appeared as inviting as a cool drink of water on a hot day. He was ready for that drink right now, but he knew how to bide his time.
When he’d built a fire pit with rocks ringing sandy soil, he laid on dry wood varying in size from twigs to branches to a trunk that ought to burn down and last the night. He struck a match from a tin he kept in his saddlebags and got a blaze going. That task done, he helped her unsaddle Justice and Jipsey, and then hauled their paraphernalia over to the fire.
While he set both rifles within easy reach, she unrolled the blankets they carried behind their saddles and spread them out, side by side, in front of the fire. She sat down on her blanket, then unbuckled her gun belt and set her six-shooter aside. She closed her saddlebags.
When the dying sunlight played across her auburn hair, highlighting the red, he itched to set her hair free from its neat chignon and bury his face in the long, silky tresses. He clenched his fists to control the impulse, watching as she performed the simplest of tasks with the grace she brought to everything.
She spooned coffee grounds into two tin mugs blackened with use and filled them with spring water, and then set the mugs on the fire to boil. She rummaged around in her saddlebags, and pulled out cheese, crackers, and jerky that she set on a red and white check napkin.
Glancing up, she gestured with her hand toward the meal. “All ready for you, sir.”
“Looks good,” Rafe said. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
“And chase the rider,” Lady finished, chuckling at the old joke.
“Chase you more likely.” Rafe sat down beside her, feeling heat from the fire, the day, and his desire gnawing away at him.
Lady ignored his remark, picked up some food, and started to eat.
He didn’t know when he’d seen anything so delectable as Sharlot nibbling a piece of yellow cheese. Rosy lips, white teeth, pink tongue were all meant for something much, much better. He quickly lost his appetite for anything but her.
“Aren’t you hungry, after all?” she asked, using another napkin to pick up both mugs and set them aside to cool. “Coffee’s about ready.”
He’d be a fool not to eat when he had the opportunity, so he picked up a cracker and a piece of cheese. They tasted like dust in his mouth, but he chewed anyway, gaze burning into her as the sun slowly sank and night wrapped them in a cozy cocoon. A coyote howled in the distance and was answered by another. Something rustled in the grass, and then grew still.
All his senses were on alert, heightened by her nearness. He picked up his mug to wash down the food and took a big drink of coffee. Scorched his mouth. He swallowed hard, shaking his head.
“Bet that burned.” She held up her canteen. “Cool water will help.”
He tossed back the water and felt quick relief. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, screwed on the lid, and held out the canteen. As she reached for it, their fingers touched, sending another fire burning through him.
She snatched the canteen away. “Feel better?”
“Thanks.” He nodded in agreement, but nothing helped the blaze she’d ignited inside him. The coffee was cool in comparison.
“Finished eating?”
“Thanks.” Words had pretty much left him as his body took over, his cock straining against his blue jeans at just being near her.
She tightly rewrapped what was left of the food, stored it in her saddlebags, and then got up to hang the bags over the branch of a tree. “That ought to keep out the raccoons.”
He patted the blanket beside him. “Ought to make plans for when we get there.” He tugged off one boot and sock, and then the other. He eased both feet into the cool spring water and felt a little relief. But nothing could help the ache he felt for Sharlot, except the lady herself.
Hesitating, she looked out into the night, and then sat down beside him, holding out her hands to the fire as if cold. “I don’t know how much we can plan ahead of time. Try to get a lead on Copper and that deputy marshal.”
“Lady . . . Sharlot,” he said, reaching out and pulling pins out of her chignon so that her hair tumbled down her back.
She inhaled sharply, turning to glare at him. “I told you we weren’t—”
“What if we made a bargain?”
“We already did that.”
“Personal.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed, doing his best to look miserable. “Or you could take pity on me?”
“You’re the least pitiable man I know.”
“It’s your fault.”
“My fault?”
“How long do you think I can be around a woman like you without, well, having my needs met?”
Lady’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“I’m desperate.” He reached up slowly and twined a lock of her hair around a fingertip. “It’s a long way to Robber’s Cave.”
“I suppose just any woman would do, so we’d better find a willing one.” She jerked her hair away from him.
“You’ve been teasing and tormenting men for a long time.”
“They deserve it.”
“Payback for that fiancé?”
“You don’t know anything about it.”
“I think I do.” He gently took hold of her hand and slowly, repeatedly stroked the palm with his thumb. “You can hurt me. I won’t break. I’ll take the fury you’ve wanted to unleash for so long.”
She jerked her hand away and jumped to her feet. “I can’t tell you anything.”
“You can tell me everything.” He slowly got up, so as not to spook her, and stood in front of her. “Want to slap me? Hit me?”
“No!” She spun around and presented her back to him.
“Want to kiss me?”
“No!” She was breathing hard, as if from running, maybe wanting to run away, but she stood still.
He placed both hands on her shoulders and gently massaged the way he would a spooked animal. “I need you. You can tease and torment me, hurt me any way you want, but take mercy on me and, at least, let me kiss you.”
She shrugged off his hands and turned around to face him. “Why won’t you let me be? You came to the Bend to capture me. Is there no end to what you want of me?”
“No,” he said on an exhale of breath. “You caught me first. Handcuffed me. Rescued me. Doesn’t that make me yours?”
“You’re not a horse! Yet you sound like you want to be broken to my saddle.”
“Worse things I can think of.”
“Rafe, stop it,” she said, voice trembling. “Remember why we’re together. This doesn’t help achieve our ends.”
“I told you, I want another bargain.”
“Oh, what is it?” she snapped, turning from him and taking several steps away closer to the fire.
“You’re not a cold woman.”
She kept her back to him, picked up a stick, and poked at the fire.
“You’re not a bad woman, no matter your song.”
She poked the fire harder.
“But you’re a needy woman.”
She threw the stick in the fire and whirled around to face him.
“Need makes you weak. I know. I’m needy, too,” he said, desperate to find the words to reach her.
“I’m not weak!”
“Vulnerable then.”
“No!”
“Sharlot, we’re sparking off each other all the time. Desperados will notice and use it against us. That makes us both weak.”
She took a deep breath, inhaling sharply.
“We can take care of each other’s needs. Nobody else has to know. Then we finish our other business.”
“And go our separate ways?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“No love?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“You said a bargain.”
“Right. We already have one. Why not another?”
She glanced back at the fire, body stiff, back straight. “I can’t take a chance on—”
“No need.” He kept his voice gentle, hardly able to believe she was actually listening to him, considering his offer. And yet, it was like her to get what she wanted on her terms, and he wouldn’t have gone this far if he hadn’t thought she wanted him as much as he wanted her. “I carry French caps.”
“What?” She swiveled to face him.
“I’d never endanger a woman. Caps are made from the gut tube of a sheep.”
“Oh!” She put both hands to her cheeks and stared at him in embarrassment, blushing a pretty shade of pink. “I see. Deputy U.S. Marshals are always prepared. Colt .45. Ammunition. French caps.”
Rafe didn’t say anything. Maybe he’d gone too far. She wasn’t as knowledgeable as she’d led the world to believe. Maybe he wasn’t handling the situation right at all. He’d thought she wouldn’t want romantic. She’d said so. He thought she’d like making another bargain. She’d done it before. Now, he feared he’d lost his chance at wooing her.
She put her hands on her hips and looked him up and down. “You think you’re man enough?”
Hope leaped in his chest, but he wouldn’t get cocky, not with unpredictable Lady Gone Bad. “If you’re woman enough.”
“What kind of bargain did you have in mind?”
For a moment his mind went blank. Had he actually talked her into it? His body caught on fire at the thought. “Equal. I take care of you. You take care of me.”
“No strings attached. Either one of us can walk away from the deal whenever we want.”
“Wait. We must complete our first bargain before either one of us can end this one. Fair?”
She hesitated, cocked her head to one side as if considering the bargain, and then held out her hand for an agreement shake.
He simply stared at her in amazement, unable to believe the moment. When reality hit him, he felt weak in the knees, but he quickly rallied. He gently shook her hand, and then lifted it to his lips and seared her palm with a kiss.

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