The Touch of Sage (39 page)

Reb was
at the man instantly, punching—
smashing the man
’
s face into the dirt.
He paused long enough to stand, pulling the stranger with him.

“
That
’
s enough, Reb!
That
’
s it!
That
’
s enough!
”
Charlie shouted, trying to take hold of Reb
’
s arm.
Wrenching his arm free of Charlie
’
s grasp, Reb hit the man ag
ain, landing a fist to his ribs again and again and again.

“
I trusted you, Retch!
”
Reb growled as he punched the man again.
“
I paid you to drive them cattle, trusted you with my herd.
But you got burned by the devil
’
s purty face, didn
’
t ya, boy?
”

Sage was astonished!
She didn
’
t know what to do!
She couldn
’
t believe the scene playing out before her eyes!
Re
b was a man gone mad with anger.
Furthermore, he appeared so unkempt, as if he
’
d just gotten out of bed, hadn
’
t shaved in a week.
She worried he was
ill. She wanted to run to him,
beg him to stop beating the man, and plead for him to love her.
But the sound of Ivy
’
s voice stopped her from doing any of the things she thought.

“
Reb!
Darlin
’
!
Have you lost your mind?
”
Ivy cried.

The sound of Ivy
’
s voice seemed to penetrate Reb
’s anger—
pull him from his mad attack on the stranger.
Sage felt tears welling in her eyes as Reb looked up.
He looked to Ivy
,
ceasing his assault on the man and striding toward her.

“
I told you, Ivy,
”
he growled, seeming unaware Sage stood before him as well.
“
Get on the next stage and get out of my sight!
”

Sage
was confused—breathless—
felt an ache begin in her head so painful it threatened unconsciousness.
Had she heard him correctly?
Had he just told Ivy to leave?

“
Now Reb, honey,
”
Ivy began, reaching out and brushing at the dust on his shirt.
Reb pushed her hand away.
She continued,
“
I
’
ve told you…if you
’
ll just take some time to think on things
—”

“
You paid him?
”
Reb shouted.
“
You paid Retch Williams to send you a telegram and tell you where I was?
”
The fury on Reb
’
s face was frightening.
Sage had neve
r seen such anger in a man—
such barely restrained aggression.
“
I told you we were through, Ivy.
I told you that over and over.
Did you think your showin
’
up here would change my mind?
”

“
Now, Reb…you settle down a piece,
”
Sheriff Lambson said as he approached from across the street.
“
Settle yerself down, you hear?
”

“
Reb,
”
Ivy said.
Dropping her parasol she reached out with both hands, clutching at Reb
’
s shirt.
“
Reb!
We belong together!
I
’
ve loved you ever since I can remember!
Ever since I started walkin
’
on this earth I
’
ve loved you.
”

“
You don
’
t love me, Ivy,
”
Reb growled.
“
You love the idea of lovin
’
me.
”
Reb looked to Sage then, his eyes smoldering with anger.
Sage was trembling.
Every inch of her body trembled with fear, hurt, even desire as he looked at her.
She wanted to reach out and touch him, throw herself against him and beg him to love her.

Reb continued to stare at Sage, even though he spoke to Ivy.
“
Still, I
’
ll give you this
,
Ivy Dalton,
”
he said.
“
You didn
’
t give up easy.
”

Sage felt the tears brimming in her eyes.
Did he mean to say she did?
Was he implying she should
’
ve chased after him the way Ivy obviously had?
In truth, if she
’
d had an ounce of hope that it would
’
ve worked, she would have.

“
Simmer down, Reb,
”
Sheriff Lambson said, walking up behind Reb and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“
Don
’
t you touch me!
”
Reb shouted.
Turning around he shoved the sheriff hard, sending him tumbling backward to sit soundly on the ground.

Reb turned and faced Sage.
He was infuriated!
His eyes burned with anger and frustration. Sage leaned back
,
intimidated by his countenance.

“
And you,
”
he growled at her.
“
You
’re as cold
hearted as she is, ain
’
t ya?
Unforgivin
’
as the devil.
”

Suddenly, Reb reached out, taking Sage
’
s face firmly between his ha
nds. His lips crushed her own—driven, hot,
angry!
He kissed her with a violent passion, willing her to meet his fevered attack on her tender mouth.
His kiss was powerful, moist, unrelenting.
The kiss exchanged between them was brief, but fre
nzied! And it was an exchange—
for Sage had longed for his touch
,
and she accepted his angry kiss, returning it as best she could, considering the aggression with which it was applied.

“
Reb!
”
Charlie shouted then.
“
Rebel!
”

The sheriff had gotten to his feet
,
and he and Charlie pulled Rebel away.
Sage gasped as Mary suddenly stepped in front of her and dumped a bucket of water over Reb
’
s head.

“
You cool off, boy!
”
she scolded.
“
You cool off now, ya hear me?
”

Reb stood dripping wet—
his
broad
chest rising and falling with the labored breathing of residual anger.

“
A night in jail oughta cool him off a bit,
”
Sheriff Lambson said.

Charlie held Reb by the shoulders as the Sheriff pulled his hands behind his back and bound his wrists to keep him from fighting any further.

Reb looked
to Sage—then to Ivy—
then back to Sage.
“
Two peas in a pod,
”
he grumbled.
“
That
’
s what the two of you are.
Just two peas in a pod.
”

“
Come on now, Reb,
”
Sheriff Lambson said.
“
Cool off now.
”

“
He
’
s just out of his mind with bein
’
angry, Miss Sage,
”
Charlie said.
“
He don
’
t mean nothin
’
by any of that.
”

“
Help me out here, will ya
,
Charlie?
”
Sheriff Lambson said, struggling to push Reb across the street toward the jailhouse.

“
I can walk on my own!
”
Reb growled, wrenching his arm free of the sheriff
’
s grasp.

Sage stood watching the sheriff and Charlie urge Reb toward the jailhouse.
Her enti
re being trembled;
her body burned with confusion and heartache.
She put a hand to her m
outh, covering her tender lips,
still able to sense Reb
’
s delicious kiss.
She felt a sharp pain in her bosom as his hurtful words echoed in her mind.
Two peas in a pod.
That
’
s what the two of you are
,
he
’
d said.

Sage looked to the stranger, still struggling to catch his breath as he stood in the street.
His face was bleeding—
he was breathless.
She recognized him then as one of the cowboys who had ridden in with the first herd Charlie had driven to the ranch for Reb.

Realization washed over her.
Reb hadn
’
t w
anted Ivy. Ivy had wanted Reb—sought him out—
and bribed the cowboy to send her a telegram telling her where Reb was. Reb had been as surprised to see Ivy as Sage had been that day at the
boarding house
.
But why then had he let everyone believe he wanted her?
What was the real reason he had a
rrived at the boarding house
that day?

Sage buried her face in her hands for a moment
,
fighting to keep the tears from spilling from her eyes.
She should
’
ve gone to him!
She should
’
ve ridden out to the ranch to see him after the attack.
If she had, perhaps
—
perhaps…

And if he loathed her so completely, if he thought she was the s
hallow, heartless woman Ivy was—
why then had he kissed her just now?
Why had she sensed a wanton desire in him like nothing she
’
d imagined?

“
He never kissed me like that,
”
Ivy said. Sage looked over at Ivy, loathing the very sight of her.

“
What?
”
Sage asked, still trying to absorb what had happened.

“
Never,
”
Ivy repeated
,
her expression that of complete astonishment.
“
He never kissed me like that.
Not even…not even when he planned to marry me.
”

“
You all right, Sage?
”
Reverend Tippetts asked as he approached.

“
I
’m
fine, Reverend,
”
Sage stammered.
“
I
’m fine. Th
ank you.
”

“
Seems to me Reb Mitchell
’
s got himself in a bit of a bind,
”
Reverend Tippetts said.

“
He
’
ll cool off, Reverend,
”
Mary said, placing a comforting arm around Sage
’
s shoulders.

“H-
he never kissed me like that,
”
Ivy repeated.
The woman seemed entirely awestruck.
But Sage didn
’
t care.
She didn
’t care about any of it—
only the fact Reb somehow thought of her in the same loathing regard as he did Ivy.