Only Hers (30 page)

“That’s why it’s such a shame that many of them have become mainstreamed into society. Much of their culture and their unique language of African-rooted Gullah dialect mixed with Seminole, Spanish, English and French Creole is in danger of being lost forever. I’d like to capture it before that happens,” Daniel said with fierce determination.

“You will. We’ll be ready to ride out at eight sharp and work straight through to get you finished,” Matt told him. “You can pull out Wednesday morning.”

“I knew I could count on you. Thanks.” Daniel left and closed the door behind him.

Shannon took a step toward the door. “I’ll be going. Oh, Daniel was on his way to see you when I pulled up and insisted I come with him to see you. I guess he wanted me to hear his good news, too.”

“You two seem to have developed quite a friendship,” Matt’s tone sounded accusatory instead of casual as he had intended.

“Daniel is a complex man,” she answered.

Her answer told him nothing and keeping her there was too dangerous. She looked too tempting and he was too hungry for her. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said dismissively.

“Good night.”

“Night,” Matt muttered, and watched her close the door.

The way he saw it, he had two choices, make love to Shannon and hope once was enough or keep on fighting the urge and let the ranch go to pot because he couldn’t think of anything else. Slowly the tension in his body
eased. He owed it to four generations of Taggarts to see that it didn’t happen.

There was something different about Matt. It wasn’t that he wasn’t ignoring her or that he and Daniel were acting like Monday had never happened, it was something more subtle. Once he caught her watching him at the breakfast table and the look he gave her all but melted her into a puddle.

Shannon was still trying to figure Matt out when she followed him to the barn for her orders. Remembering the day before, she was sure she’d be left behind to clean the stalls. Seeing Cleve sitting tall in the saddle surprised and pleased her. Matt hadn’t forgotten about the proud, older man.

“Mount up, Shannon.”

Her lower jaw became unhinged as she turned to Matt, but he was getting on his horse. She glanced at Daniel for a possible explanation and found herself staring into the lens of a camera. Praying her sudden nervousness didn’t cause her to mess up, she swung up into the saddle.

Beside her, Cleve nodded his approval.

“I’ve got the best crew in Texas. Let’s show people what ranch life is all about,” Matt said, meeting the eyes of each hand, then Shannon’s. In the next moment he was riding off. She felt so proud of him, tears pricked her eyes. He deserved to be loved.

Daniel or his cameraman kept one or both of the cameras going all day. Everyone on the ranch was captured on film. Whether the cameras were stationary or shoulder-held, they were constantly rolling. Even their short lunch break under an oak tree was recorded. After they had eaten, Matt had sent her back to the ranch. She hadn’t minded. She had her own agenda for the rest of the day.

Once she learned Octavia didn’t need her, Shannon drove into town for some shopping, then headed back to
the cabin. Near sundown, she surveyed the room with a pleased smile.

The three-legged chair had been replaced with a new one, which had a peach throw pillow for a cushion. The table remained, but its scarred surface was covered by a peach-colored twin sheet overlaid with one panel of a lace curtain. All the material pooled on the freshly scrubbed floor. On the table next to a bouquet of wildflowers in a clear vase was, according to the hardware salesman, the strongest battery-powered light made.

Her gaze strayed to the bed that now had enough nails to attract a magnet from fifty yards away. But it was sturdy enough to withstand Shannon bouncing up and down on its new six-inch-thick layer of comfort. Draped over the newly screened window was the other panel of her lace curtain. More nails on either side of the window anchored the swagged material.

She had left the stove and apple crate filled with wood once she cautiously checked both to make sure no vermin had found a home there. In the corner sat her most inspirational idea. An ice cooler, filled and waiting.

Everything was ready to carry out her plan.

After one last look, she closed the door and got in her car. A distant rumble of thunder sounded overhead. She eyed the sky apprehensively. Rain wasn’t going to make things easy for her.

When she got back to the ranch Matt and Daniel were sitting at the kitchen table. Afraid Matt might be able to read her as easily as Daniel, she concentrated on his friend. “How did everything go?”

“Fantastic. The shooting is a wrap,” Daniel said. “We’re all going out to celebrate. Including you.”

“I can’t. I have to see a couple of patients,” Shannon told him, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Daniel stood and draped both arms over her shoulders. “I won’t take no for an answer. Matt and Octavia have already cleared things for you.” Dropping one arm,
he turned her toward Matt. “Tell her she has to come or our celebration won’t be complete.”

The tentative smile on her lips died. Matt’s face held a furious expression.

“You seem to have more influence over her than I do.” Matt stood and left the room.

“If I thought you did that on purpose, I’d hate you,” she told Daniel, her voice and body shaking.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. “Go get dressed. Wear something that will put a smile on Matt’s face.”

She didn’t move. “Don’t ruin this for me just because you don’t believe in love.”

He drew in a sharp breath. “You learn fast, Shannon. Never let anyone stand in your way. Matt is a lucky man to have a woman who will fight for him.”

“One day you’ll be just as lucky.”

His smile was as cold as his eyes. “Luck won’t have anything to do with it. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll go change. And I promise to stay out of your and Matt’s way.”

Shannon’s facial muscles ached from her forced smile.

A woman’s high peal of laughter rang out in the quiet family restaurant. Shannon flinched as if the sound were a lash across her back. Heads turned toward Shannon, not the woman. Shannon felt the pitying gaze of every person at her table. They were all witnesses to her humiliation.

She felt conspicuous in her peach-colored slip dress, auburn curls cascading from the crown of her head. She had wanted to look beautiful, wanted Matt to notice her. Instead, people had only noticed how foolish she was. Hands clenched beneath the table, Shannon blinked her eyes to keep the stinging moisture at bay.

“If I thought it would do any good, I’ve give him the fight he’s asking for,” Daniel said tightly. “I’m sorry.”

Shannon gave a slight nod to indicate she’d heard the comment. If she opened her mouth she couldn’t vouch for her control. Dessert had been served; all she had to do was hold on a little longer.

“Thank you for the party, Mr. Falcon, but I think I’ll call it a night.”

Cleve tossed his napkin on his plate and stood. One by one he was joined by the other men. Their dessert was barely touched.

“Let’s go, child,” Octavia said.

Shannon didn’t move until Daniel’s hand grasped her by the elbow and pulled her upright. She swayed. His arm circled her waist. She jerked away.

“Would you rather crumple in front of him and that bitch who’s crawling all over him?” Daniel hissed.

Shannon leaned against Daniel. Somehow she made her feet move past Matt and the woman he had gone to sit with a short time after their party was seated. He had remained there for the rest of the evening. That was the cause of her humiliation.

Outside, Daniel led her to her car. “Give me your keys.”

“N-no, I—”

“I’ll get them.” Octavia took Shannon’s purse, located the keys and handed them to Daniel. “I’ll ride back with Cleve. Don’t you worry about a thing.”

Opening the passenger door, Daniel helped Shannon inside, then went around and got in. He started the engine and took off. “I’ll say this once. I’d take you with me, but I don’t think you’d enjoy living with three men. But I have several homes around the country and friends with more property in and out of the country. In the morning tell me where you want to go and one of my jets will get you there. No strings for as long as you like.”

Shannon said nothing. It wouldn’t matter where she was, the pain would follow her, ripping her apart, killing her. She had gambled and lost.

Once at the ranch house, she went upstairs to her room, grabbed a few things, then came back downstairs. Cleve, Daniel, and Octavia were still in the living room talking softly.

“I can’t stay here.”

Cleve stepped toward her. “I’ll drive you wherever you want to go.”

Shannon fought tears. “I . . . I’m going to the cabin.”

All three protested.

“Please. I can’t be here when he returns.” She took a steadying breath and tightened her hold on her blanket roll. “I’ve worked on it all afternoon.”

“Shannon, there’s a storm coming,” Octavia said.

“I’ll be fine.” She walked past them; no one tried to stop her. She wasn’t surprised to see headlights in her rearview mirror as she drove to the cabin. Either Cleve or Daniel or perhaps both wanted to make sure she reached the place safely.

She had friends and family who loved her. She was grateful, but at the moment it couldn’t stop the pain.

He had shown Shannon he didn’t care about her, so why did he feel like someone had kicked him in the gut? Matt’s hands clamped and unclamped on the steering wheel as he pulled over the cattle guard to his ranch and stopped.

Because you sent her straight into Daniel’s arms.

Matt hadn’t missed how closely Daniel held Shannon or how she leaned into him. They could be in Daniel’s motor home now. Rage swept through Matt as he pressed on the gas and took the road to the left.

He couldn’t see the two of them together. Daniel wasn’t the type to trespass on another man’s territory. Matt could have set Daniel straight, but pride and uncertainty had kept him quiet.

Now Shannon was in the arms of another man.

And Matt felt like someone was tearing out his insides. He hit a rut without slowing. When the truck stopped bouncing, he noticed a light where there shouldn’t have been one. He frowned. Where could the light be coming—the cabin.

His frown deepened as he saw Shannon’s car reflected in his headlights. She didn’t like the darkness. She hadn’t
mentioned sleeping in the cabin since Sunday before last. Why would she suddenly decide to come up here at night?

Only one answer came to him. The same reason his wife had gone to motels. Rage swept through him. Matt stopped in front of the cabin and slammed out of the truck.

The pounding of the door mixed with the rumble of thunder. “Daniel, you have five seconds to get out here or I’m coming inside.”

“Go away,” came the shaky sound of Shannon’s voice.

“I’m not leaving until I see Daniel.”

“Daniel isn’t here.”

“Then you won’t mind opening the door.”

“Go back to that woman in the restaurant and leave me alone,” Shannon told him, her voice oddly muffled.

“I’m not going to ask you again.”

The door jerked open. Shannon, her quilt wrapped around her shoulders, stood in the doorway, tears glistening in her eyes. “All right, come in and look, then get out.”

Matt’s gaze never left Shannon’s. “I thought you were through crying.”

Shannon looked away. “Leave.”

“Not until you tell me why you’re crying.” Automatically he dug his handkerchief out of his back pocket and handed it to her.

She flinched from the white cotton square as if it were a snake. “I want nothing else from you.”

The words sliced him to his very soul. “Shannon, talk to me. Is . . . is it Daniel? Are you crying because of him? I saw you two leaving the restaurant.”

Fire flashed into her eyes. “So naturally you assumed we’d run to the nearest bed.”

“Shan—”

“Don’t touch me,” she shouted, jerking away from him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Not after you let that woman touch you. Did you enjoy humiliating me?”

“Shan—”

“Did you?” she interrupted sharply. “If you had really wanted her, you wouldn’t have stayed in the restaurant. I finally figured that out. You stayed to punish me because you thought I liked Daniel.” She shook her head. “Didn’t you realize you could hurt me only if I cared about you?”

Stunned, Matt tried to understand what Shannon was saying.

“Somehow, someway, I’ll get over it, though. That’s a promise. I’m leaving in the morning and I never want to see you again.” She shoved the door closed.

The flat of Matt’s hand kept the door from closing. “You’ve had your say, it’s time for me to have mine.”

“What could you possibly have to say that I’d want to hear?” she cried, her eyes blazing again.

“I don’t want you to leave.”

Shannon went still.

Matt closed the door. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t even know I could. I was trying to protect myself, not hurt you.”

“Protect yourself from what?”

“From you, what else,” Matt shouted and yanked off his hat. “You started to disrupt my life the moment I found you asleep in the meadow looking so damned innocent and beautiful.”

“You really think I’m beautiful?”

He meant to glare at her idiotic question, but she looked so unsure of herself it was all he could do not to drag her into his arms. “I can’t think of anything more beautiful.”

“Matt,” she whispered.

Unable to resist he took her into his arms. His lips found hers, and her mouth opened, welcoming him. Her arms slid around his neck. The quilt fell to the floor.

Faintly, he heard the patter of rain against the asphalt
roof, felt the rain-cooled air coming through the open window. His arms tightened as he drew her closer, his lips moving to the curve of her cheek, her slender neck. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her, he wanted to fulfill his fantasy and taste her everywhere. Before the night was over, he promised himself he would.

Shannon couldn’t get close enough. He had come to her. He really cared—she sniffed and almost choked at the cloying perfume. She stiffened. He had come straight from that woman!