The Touch of Sage (30 page)

Reb shook his head, still astonished at the situation.
By rights, Sage ought to turn the widows out into the street for such a trick.
But who couldn
’
t love them all the more for their mischief?
And Reb was glad for it!
He
’
d never forget the way his pulse had quickened
—
how good his smile felt as it spread across his face when he
’d walked into
Willows
’s
Boarding House
and seen Sage dancing on the table.
He had alw
ays suspected she had it in her—a free side—
a fu
n side—
a side to her she kept hidden deep.
And she was beautiful!
Not merely because she
’
d been d
ressed all in lace and ribbons,
pretty legs show
ing all the way up to her knees—
no!
It was the sense of unguarded freedom about her
—
the sense of rebellion and the moment of casting caution to the wind.

True enough, he
’
d wanted to pull her off the table, take her in his arms
,
and truly make good on collecting his winnings.
But it was the carefree
,
happy expression on her face that attracted him most in those first moments.
Oh, certainly the
sight
of her bloomers
had been an additional benefit—
but in truth it was the joy of her countenance he would always remember.

Still, Reb knew he would have to be careful.
Sage was a tempting little pie
crust
,
and he
’
d savored the taste of her before.
Furthermore, even though he had explained to her on several occasions since she
’
d lost their bet that he was only teasing about
“
having his way with her,
”
he would have to be careful.
He
’d have to watch himself—
restrain passion if it threatened to spark between them.
Rather,
when
it threatened to spa
rk between them. And it would—
for Reb already knew there would be no way he would let Sage escape without tasting her kiss again.

Sage felt herself blush as Reb laughed out loud once more.
“
Hop up on the seat with me, girl,
”
he demanded.
“
Ain
’
t nothin
’
but cattle and coyotes to see ya now.
”

Sage did as she was told, amazed at how spirited she was feeling.
Settling into the seat next to Reb
,
she marveled at how one dress could so entirely change her disposition. The bareness of her arm brushed Reb
’s shirt
sleeve
,
and instantly her skin prickled with the delightful sensation of a million goos
e
bumps breaking over her.

“
No
w do tell me, Miss Sage Willows,
proprietress of Willows
’s Boarding House, h
ow ever did those old women get ya into that getup?
”

Sage blushed and shook her head.
She smiled, capable of seeing the humor of it all even more clearly.
She thought back on the hours prior to Reb finding her dressed like a dancehall girl, prancing about on her own dining room table.
She could clearly see the plot then, the four old widows
’
mischievous scheme taking form.

She sighed heavily and said,
“
They thought I needed some…some teasin
’
, I suppose.
They do get tired of everyday life and lonely at times.
”
Sage felt a pang of compassion pinch her heart at the thought of her dear old friends and the lovers they had each buried in the earth.
“
Miss
Rosie
said she
’
d been rummagin
’
around in some old trunks and found this dress…that it looked to fit me perfectly.
Then somehow…they all coaxed me into puttin
’
it on.
”

“
And that
’
s why I oughta be callin
’
ya Gullible Gerty from now on?
”
Reb teased.

“
It sure seems that way,
”
Sage said, trying to adjust one of her sleeves in an effort to somewhat cover her shoulder.

“
Well, don
’
t go bein
’
too awful hard on yerself, Sage,
”
he said.
“
I seem to be as easy to fool as the next cowpoke.
Remember, I got me a waltzin
’
date set with Miss
Rosie
myself.
”

“
Waltzin
’
and a kiss!
”
Sage reminded him, giggling.
Reb had bee
n as easily tricked as she had—
for she knew there was no doubt Miss
Rose
Applewhite would give Rebel Lee Mitchell an evening he
’
d not too soon forget.

“
Oh, yes,
”
Reb said, smiling.
“
That kissin
’
part is what has me a bit rattled.
What kind of a kiss do suppose she
’
s gonna have in mind?
”

Sage giggled
,
surprised that the notion of Reb
’s
kissing Miss
Rose
didn
’
t
upset
her somehow.

“
Let
’
s see,
”
Sage said, smiling at Reb.
“
As
I remember, she said she wanted
‘
a long, lickery good
-
night kiss.
’
Isn
’
t that the way she said it, Reb?
”

Reb chuckled and shook his head, saying,
“
I believe that is exactly what she said.
”

“
Maybe this
’
ll teach you about the evils of gamblin
’
,
”
Sage told him.
“
After all
,
Reverend Tippetts is always preachin
’
on the evils of it.
”

“
Reverend Tippetts ain
’
t never seen you dressed up like a dancehall girl,
”
Reb said, winking at Sage.

Sage smiled, flattered and delighted. The knowledge Reb found her attractive dressed as she was had begun to sink in
,
and it made her more comfortable about the entire affair.

“
Reverend Tippetts has never had to kiss Miss
Rosie
either,
”
Sage reminded him.
“
She won
’
t let you get away without it, Reb,
” she added.
“
Miss
Rosie
will have her kiss.
”
Sage laughed.
Reaching out
,
she placed a hand on Reb
’
s cheek for
a moment, needing to touch him—
wanting to assure herself he was real and not just a dream.
Touching him was too stimulating to her senses. The manner in which her palm seemed to tingle from the feel of him unnerved her greatly.

Dropping her hand quickly,
she added,
“
And she
’
ll have it right on the mouth.
”

It seemed her touch had rattled Reb somehow as well.
The amused smile owning his face only a mom
ent before dissolved instantly—
a slight frown puckering his brow.
Immediately Sage began to inwardly scold herself for such a brazen act.
She was reminded of the last time she had touched him in such a casual, yet somewhat affectionate
,
manner.
The day his herd had arrived, when she
’
d touched him in the barn, simply wiped at the thick layer of dust on his chest
,
he
’
d been instantly angry.
And yet, he
’
d been instantly
something else as well,
for he
’
d
kissed her in that next moment—
kissed her as Sage could never have imagined being kissed.

“
Well then,
”
Reb rather growled.
Sage held onto the wagon seat as Reb abruptly
pulled
the team to a stop.
“
I ain
’
t gonna let ya get away without it neither. The w
ay I figure it,
if losin
’
a bet is gonna cost me…then it
’
s gonna cost you too.
”

Sage
’
s heart began to hammer as she watched Reb climb down from the wagon.
He held his hand up to her, gesturing she should take it.
“
Come on down then,
”
he said.

“
Why?
”
Sage asked, tentatively placing her hand in his and climbing down from the wagon.

“
I said I
’
d have my way with ya, didn
’
t I, Sage Willows?
”
he asked, placing his hands at Sage
’
s waist and pushing her back against the wagon.

“But
you were only teasin
’
,
”
she reminded him.
“
Only teasin
’
me.
Remember?
”

He smiled and chuckled, but only for a moment before his expression went serious once more as he said,
“
I wasn
’
t teasin
’
.
”

Instantly his mouth took hers in a deep and driven kiss that threatened to draw her breath so completely from her lungs as to find her fainting.
The fiery flames of instantaneous passion seared within her bosom!
His hands at her waist, his mouth melded with hers, the feel of his mustache and goatee again
st the tender flesh of her face—
all of it blended instantly, bearing Sag
e away in dreams of owning him—
of belonging to him completely.
She
fancied his body was trembling—
sensed he yet restrained himself.
For several moments his kiss was so determined it was nearly painful.
Bound fast in the power of his arms, Sage wondered at her ribs being crushed to dust. Sage imagined h
er fingers and hands were numb—
and her feet.
Her knees threatened to weaken and give way beneath her.

She gasped as hi
s mouth left hers for a moment,
his breathing heavy and labored as he pressed his lips
to the hollow of her throat—as
Sage allowed her hands to travel to the back of his neck, losing her fingers in his hair.
This simple gesture seemed to encourage Reb even further
,
and Sage gasped as he took her face between his powerful hands.
Th
e smoldering flame in his eyes—his labored breathing—
told her he was struggling to restrain an even greater passion.

“
Here and now,
”
he said, his voice low, alluring, thick, and warm like maple syrup.
“
Let
’
s you and me decide what kind of a kiss I
’
m gonna give Miss
Rosie
tomorrow night. Do ya think I should kiss her sweet…like this?
”
Reb asked as he kissed Sage
’
s cheek.
His thumb caressively traveled over her lips.
“
Or sweeter even…like this?
”
Sage could not withhold the soft sigh of pleasure
that
escaped her as Reb placed a soft, lingering kiss on her tender lips.
“
Maybe I should tease her a bit,
”
he whispered.
He kissed her neck, lightly
—slow—
three times in succession.
“
Ya know what I mean?
See if she truly wants me to kiss her,
”
he added.