The Touch of Sage (29 page)

But Sage knew Reb had already had an eyeful
,
and she was close to tears because of it.

“
I take it then, Miss Sage,
”
Reb sai
d as he strode toward the table, “t
hat Miss
Rosie
forgot to tell ya somethin
’
.
”

As he walked toward her, Sage instinctively put out a hand in a gesture he should come no closer.
“
Stay…stay right there, Reb,
”
she stammered.
“
I…I…
”

“
I plum forgot, Sage,
”
Rose
said, then look
ing to her friend. The old woma
n
’
s eyes twinkled with deep mischief.
“I-
I can
’
t go with Reb this afternoon.
Remember?
Reb was due to make good on his bet with me and give me an evenin
’
of waltzin
’
and kissin
’…but I-
I made other plans
,
so I told him you and I wouldn
’
t mind switchin
’
.
I
’
ll go with Reb tomorrow
,
and you can go with him now.
”

“
That should work out just fine, Sage,
”
Livie said.
Sage noticed Livie
’
s eyes also twinkled naughtily.
“
Then you can help me with my baking tomorrow while
Rosie
is gone.
”

Sage shook her head, horrified as Reb stepped up to stand just before her.
H
e began at the tip of her boot—studied her—
his
gaze
traveling
the entire
length of her as he chuckled.

“You
definitely weren
’
t expectin
’
to see me, were ya?
”
he said.
Oh, he was handsome!
Sage held her breath for a moment, temporarily stunned by both his good looks and her compromising situation.

“
You haven
’
t got anythin
’
planned, Sage, I
’
m sure,
”
Eugenia said.
“
So why don
’
t you just run up and change and ha
ve a nice time with Reb tonight?”

“I-
I…
”
Sage stammered.
She gasped as Reb reached out and took hold of one of her ankles.
Quickly he reached up
,
grasping her wrist
, and placed
her over his shoulder.

“
Oh, don
’
t ya bother with changin
’
, Sage,
” Reb said
as he turned, Sage thrown over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
“
I
’
m more
’
n happy to take ya just the way ya are.
This is sure to be the best night of my life!
”
Again he laughed as he carried Sage toward the back door.

“
Put me down!
”
Sage exclaimed, beating on Reb
’
s back with her fists and attempting to kick her legs in an effort to escape.
“
I can
’
t be seen like this!
”
But Reb locked one powerful arm at her knees and continued to make for the door.

“
Oh, but ya have been seen, Sage Willows,
”
Reb chuckled.
“
So what
’
s the use of changin
’
yer clothes now?
”

Sage looked up to where her four supposed friends stood watching her being carried away.
They don
ned the playful smiles of imps—even Mary—
and Sage knew she
’
d been tricked.

“
How could you?
”
she cried, tears welling in her eyes.
“How
could you all do this to
—”

“
Life shouldn
’
t be all tatters and tears, Sage.
Ya need to have some fun,
” Mary told her as the old woma
n
’
s expression changed to that of earnestness.
“
And ya have it now, ya hear?
”

“
Oh, she
’
ll have fun all right, Miss Mary,
”
Reb said, kicking open the back door.
“
I promise ya that.
”

Reb closed the door behind them as he stepped out of the house.
Craning her neck, Sage watched as he strode toward his wagon.

“
Please, Reb!
”
Sage pleaded.
“
If anybody sees me…
”

“
No one will see ya, Sage,
”
he told her.
“
Just me.
” Then she heard him laugh—
felt the deep rumble of his chuckle as he said,
“
I ain
’
t never had my way with a dancehall gal before.
Should be mighty interestin
’
.
”

“
Reb!
Please!
”
she pleaded, but he lifted
her off his strong shoulder, se
tting her down none to
o
easily in the wagon bed.
Instantly Sage tried to stand, intent on escape.
But Reb took hold of her arm and pulled her to him.
Her face was only a few inches away from his
,
and she could sense the scent of him, all leather and horsehair, bacon and saddle oil.

“
I swear yer comin
’
with me now, Sage.
One way or the other,
”
he said in a low, somewhat provocative voice.
His eyes sizzled with mischief.
“
I
’
ll hogtie ya if I have to.
”

“But
I can
’
t be seen like
—”
Sage began.

“
Nobody
’
s gonna see ya, Sage.
Ain
’
t nobody along the way to the ranch,
”
he told her.
“
Nobody but me.
I
’
m takin
’
ya home for supper…which I
’
m cookin
’
up my very own self,
”
he proudly added.
“
The ha
nds are all out with the cattle, e
ven Charlie…and there
’
ll be nobody to see ya but me.
”
Sage tried to climb out of the wagon, but Reb
’
s strong arms stopped her.
“
I
will
tie ya up, Sage,
”
he repeated.
“
I ain
’
t missin
’
this chance for the world.
” He smiled,
winked at her
,
and asked,
“
So…what
’
ll it be?
Ya wanna ride in the wagon nice and easy?
Or do ya want me to tie ya up first?
”

The tone of his voice—
th
e smoldering warmth of his eyes—
combined to mesmerize her
,
and Sage was momentarily bewitched into silence.
Slowly the embarrassment and fear began to leave her, replaced by an enchanting thrill and delighted anticipation.

“
I
’
ll go easy,
”
she managed to answer.
For in truth, she wanted no
thing more than to go with him—to be with him—
to capture his attention as it appeared she had.
Sage had the odd sensation she would be grateful to the widows for their
tomfoolery
one day.

Reb smiled and nodded.
“
Good,
”
he said.
“
Now hunker down in the wagon
’
til we
’re a ways out of town. T
hen ya can hop up on the seat with me.
”

Sage nodded and sat down in the wagon.
Clas
ping her hands together, she tri
ed to calm their nervous trembling.
Reb jumped up on the wagon seat an
d slapped the lines at the team’s
backs.

“
When ya lost that last hand of rummy the other night,
”
he said to her over his shoulder
as the wagon lurched forward, “w
ell…I knew I
’
d been lucky.
Don
’
t t
hink I realized just how lucky…’
til I walked into yer dinin
’
room just now though.
”

Sage shook her head,
amazed at her gullibility where the widows were concerned, feeling guilty about how delighted she had been when she had first seen her reflection in the mirror while wearing
Rose’
s dress.
Heaven had a way of making people pay for mistakes
,
and Sage was certain she would surely pay for letting her guard down.
Yes, she was sure she would pay for enjoying a moment of liberation and
happiness. But looking at Reb—
her heart flutterin
g once more at the sight of him—
she wondered if paying for a mistake might be rather delightsome this time.

“
Reb…you…you won
’t mention this
to anyone, will ya?
”
she ventured, still certain she wanted her silly situation to be kept to Reb
’
s knowledge and only his.

He glanced over his shoulder, smiled at her
,
and said,
“
I ain
’
t the kind of man to share my winnin
’
s, Sage.
Yer secret life as a dancehall girl is perfectly safe with me.
”

Sage couldn
’
t help but smile.
His teasing manner was so charming.
Still, she closed her eyes as she thought on her reflection in the mirror only a short time before.
She was scandalously clad!
She drew her kne
es up to rest her chin on them—
folding her arms against her black-stockinged calves.
She tugged at the loose and ruffled capped sleeves, endeavoring to affix them somehow to her shoulders.
How utterly shocking she must appear!
She thought of u
npinning her hair—
of pulling it back into a knot or at least a braid
—
but the damage had been d
one. Reb had seen her already. W
hat good could come of the ridiculous notion of changing her hair?
There was nothing to be done.
She would muster the courage to pretend she was
dressed in her usual day dress—
to imagine she wasn
’
t any different in appearance than she normally was.

Sage sat silent,
her emotions tossed back and forth between humiliat
ion and delighted anticipation—
waiting until the team had drawn the wagon out of town and to a more secluded venue.
She blushed when she heard Reb chuckle to himself
.

“
Them ladies are downright naughty,
”
he said.
“
Don
’
t think I don
’
t
own some
sympathy for ya, Sage,
”
he added.
“
But with their mischief makin
’
things so good for me…how can I do anythin
’
but thank
’
em?
”