Yellowstone Romance Series - Bundle (# 2-5) (44 page)

Kyle began to laugh.

“I don’t see what you find so amusing.” Her voice rose several octaves.

“It’s nice to see you ruffle your feathers for a change, Katelyn.  It suits you better than acting like a quiet church mouse all the time.”  His face grew serious. Kyle’s hand reached out and he brushed the backs of his fingers along her flushed cheek, sending a ripple of longing coursing through her. An involuntary shiver raced down her spine, and her skin tingled. A sudden ache gnawed at her insides, and she was sure he could hear her heart pounding in her chest.

Kate gripped and twisted the towel in her hand, afraid she might reach out and touch him if she didn’t have some kind of anchor. His tender hand left her wanting something she couldn’t define. These reactions to a man’s touch were foreign to her. Was this desire she felt?

She stepped back, out of his reach, startled by her body’s intense reaction to him. The sensations seemed to grow exponentially each time he touched her, leaving her yearning for more, and for something that could never be. Kyle’s face visibly hardened. His hand dropped, and he pulled his shirt over his head. Running his fingers through his damp hair, he expelled a puff of air.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Katelyn. I didn’t even know if you’d be awake when I came back from the river.”

His sincerity was real. Too often in Boston society, she had heard people offer apologies simply for the sake of apologizing. She doubted most of them to be heartfelt and honest. She heard only genuine honesty in Kyle’s voice.
Unlike you, Kate
.
You continue to lie to him.

The thought of lying to him suddenly reminded her of her predicament from the night before.

“When will you be taking me to Virginia City?” she asked, reaching for the coffee pot again with unsteady hands to finish pouring her cup of tea. She prayed she could complete the simple task without spilling any more.

“Can’t get away from here fast enough? Boston is calling you back, is it?” Was that disappointment she heard in his voice?

“No, I was simply wondering how much time I have to enjoy the beauty of the mountains here.” She looked at him, and held his eyes.

“I have to meet this Devereaux fellow in Helena after I deliver those horses. I thought I’d take you to stay with my folks in Virginia City before I head that way.”

Kate cringed at the sound of her last name, but expelled a sigh of relief. She had her answer. She was still safe. Her chest felt lighter all of a sudden. She lifted the towel from around her cup, and blew air onto the steaming hot liquid, then took a sip. “This is good. Unusual, but good,” she commented.

“It’s some kind of Shoshone concoction. Don’t ask me what all is in it. My mother drinks this stuff.” Kyle’s face had lightened up again. “What would you like to do today, Kate?” he asked.

She held the cup to her lips, savoring the warm brew. Rarely had anyone asked her how she wanted to spend her day. She couldn’t even think of an answer, when suddenly it came to her. “Would you show me more of these mountains?” Her eyes peered up at him.

Kyle’s mischievous grin made her nervous, and she gulped more of her tea. With a trembling hand, she set the empty cup on the counter.

“I usually get paid to guide people through here,” he said slowly. Kate’s heart sank. She was hoping to discover more of the beautiful landscape they had traveled through to get to this valley.

“I have nothing of value. I left everything behind when Ezra died.”

“You’ve got something very valuable to me, Kate.” His low, husky voice sent shivers down her spine. He took a step toward her, and his eyes had darkened.

“What could I possibly posses that you’d consider payment for your guide services?” she asked. She drew in a sharp breath. He stood much too close to her now.

“I’d consider a kiss payment enough,” he said hoarsely as he stared down into her eyes.

His answer startled her, and she shook her head. “I . . . I can’t kiss you, Kyle.” She tried to take a step back, but bumped into the wall. His jaw clenched and unclenched.

“A Montana woodsman isn’t good enough for a Boston lady?” His cold words seeped right to her heart. Nothing could be further from the truth. A small peck on the mouth couldn’t hurt, could it? She’d keep it quick and simple.

Sensing he was about to turn away from her, Kate acted on pure impulse. Her hands reached up to cup his whiskered face, and she stood on her toes as she pressed her mouth to his.

No sooner had her lips made contact with his, and his arms wound around her waist, pulling her close. The warm rush of sensations flowing through her made her knees go weak and, afraid that her legs would give out on her, she leaned into him for support, her hands gripping his shoulders.

Kyle must have misunderstood. He tightened his hold on her, and took command of the kiss. One of his hands found it’s way to the back of her head, and he buried his fingers in her hair while his lips moved across hers.

Kate thought she might swoon. Breathing became impossible. A slow, deep moan escaped her throat, and her lips parted under his mouth. Her arms seemed to have a will of their own as they slowly crept around his neck. Never had she imagined a man’s kiss could feel like this. Hiram’s wet and sloppy advances had always repulsed her, and he’d never embraced her with any kind of tenderness.

Hiram! Dear God, what was she thinking. Kate stiffened, and she pulled her arms away from Kyle’s neck, and pushed against his shoulder.  He would have no problem overpowering her, she realized suddenly, but she felt his hold on her relax, and he drew his head back, ending the kiss that left her heartbeats pulsing in her lips. His eyes smoldered with warmth and desire, and a slow smile spread across his face. Kate drew in a ragged breath. No one had ever looked at her this way. She felt bathed in love, and she blinked, wondering if she’d imagined it.

“For a kiss like that, I’ll show you anything you want to see,” he whispered hoarsely. His hand grazed her cheek, and he brushed his lips to hers again, the contact feather light. 

Kate quickly ducked away from him. There was no telling what she might do if he kissed her again. She desperately needed some air, and headed for the door on unsteady legs. Kyle’s hand on her shoulder stayed her. The warmth of his close body radiated into her back, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Katelyn,” he said slowly, his breath tickling the back of her neck. “I . . .” He abruptly dropped his hand, and stepped away from her. Clearing his throat, he said in a firm voice, “I’ll get my gear, and we can head out in about twenty minutes.”  Without looking at her, he sidestepped around her and out the door, leaving her swaying on wobbly legs in the middle of the room.

Chapter 12

Kyle stomped out the door, kicking at dirt clods on the ground. What the hell had prompted him to do something as foolhardy as ask her to kiss him as payment for showing her the land? He’d already planned to take her out and show her around. He wanted her to see his world, watch her reactions to the beauty of the mountains. That she’d asked on her own had come as a pleasant surprise. He ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head. His mind must be completely addled.
Admit it, Kyle. That was a hell of a poor excuse to get your hands on her.
He could blame it on the fact that he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in days. Kate occupied every crevice of his mind.

That kiss, and her soft curves pressed against him, the way she clung to him, it all left him with a need to go back to the river, for a soak in the frigid Madison, and not the warmer waters of the Firehole. Not that it would do any good to quell the fire in him. Her response to his kiss only left him wanting more.

Kyle headed for the horse corral next to the dilapidated old cabin that had been his grandfather’s first home. He could sure use the old man’s advice right about now. He’d always held a deep respect for his grandfather, who’d been intimately familiar with every rock, tree, and critter in these mountains.

His father had taught him how to survive off the land, but it was different with his grandpa. Daniel Osborne had instilled in him a profound respect for the mountains and its inhabitants. Every encounter, from the fish in the waters to the birds in the sky, and all things in between, everything held some sort of spiritual meaning according to grandpa’s Shoshone upbringing. Where did Kate fit into that kind of thinking? Kyle figured if he’d go to his father now, asking for advice about a woman, he’d most likely receive a slap on the back, and be told something like, “good for you, son. About time you found yourself a woman.”

Kyle pulled a leather bridle off one of the corral posts, and opened the gate. Rosie raised her head and pricked her ears in his direction when he strode up to her.

“Hey, old girl,” he called softly to the horse. Rosie nickered, and ambled over to him, pressing her soft nose into his shirt, rooting for a treat. At least with animals, he could always tell by their body language what they were thinking or how they would react to a situation. A woman was different. Kate sent him such mixed signals, he didn’t know which way was up any more. Every time he touched her, he could feel her respond, but then she’d stiffen up and pull away. She told him she couldn’t kiss him, but had done it anyways.

She seemed sad and withdrawn at times, but he’d also seen her spunky side. Her stiff and proper Boston upbringing must have squashed her passionate side, which he knew was in there somewhere. She’d wanted to respond to his touch, to his kiss. He could feel it.

That first night in the Indian village, she’d brazenly stuck her hand down his britches. Was that the moment he felt the attraction to her? No, it was before that. The minute he gazed into her blue eyes just before Laughing Badger pulled her from Rosie’s back, he’d been hopelessly lost. And the feeling had only intensified over the last few days.

 Every fiber of his being wanted to tear down her walls, and find out about the real woman underneath all that big city stuffiness. Beneath all those layers was a woman ready to awaken from a deep sleep, like a beautiful glacier lily eager to push through the last of the winter snows, ready for the rays of a summer sun to warm its soft pedals.

Why her? A lady from a big city like Boston couldn’t possibly have anything in common with him. He’d never been further east than St. Louis.  Could a proper lady with a refined upbringing change her ways and learn to live the way he did?
What the hell are you thinking, Kyle
?  He was thinking about tomorrow, the years ahead. Somehow Kate had wormed her way into his heart in only a few short days, and she’d become part of his visions of his future.

 He would take her to Virginia City, just as he’d told her, while he rode off on his assignment. Would she head out on the next stage straight for Boston? He knew he’d offer to pay her fare. Dare he ask her to wait for his return? Kyle sighed, patting his mare on the neck, and slipped the bridle over her head. The horse followed willingly as he led her out of the corral.

Kyle looked up to see his cousin sauntering toward him, a wide smirk on his face. “A man only has that kind of look on his face when he’s got woman trouble.”

Kyle cursed under his breath. Josh managed to show up at the most inopportune times lately.

“Go make yourself useful and saddle Blackjack for me,” Kyle grumbled without looking at his cousin. He tossed Rosie’s bridle reins over the fence. Not that she needed to be tied. She was well trained and would stand with the reins dropped to the ground. Kyle was suddenly thankful that she’d acted uncharacteristically and tossed him in the mud the other day, which had led to his capture by the Crow. Otherwise he’d have never met Kate. He didn’t doubt for a second that Laughing Badger would have sold her off to the highest bidder.

The thought of some vile man touching her, doing unspeakable things to her, made his blood boil. Kyle clenched and unclenched his jaw. There was no need for such thoughts. She was safe. No man would lay a hand on her if he had anything to say about it.

“Why do you need two saddle horses?” Josh stood on Rosie’s other side, looking over the mare’s back. Kyle glared at him, and Josh raised his eyebrows, staring past him toward the cabin.

“How’s Miss Kate this morning? Feeling better?”

“She’s fine,” Kyle answered.

“What was wrong with her last night?”

“I didn’t ask,” he answered dismissively. “I’m taking her to see the falls along the Firehole. So if you wouldn’t mind getting Blackjack ready, she and I can be on our way.”

“Does she need a chaperone?” Josh asked, still not making a move to bring the other horse out of the corral.

Most likely.

 
”No.”

“You sure about that, Kyle?” Josh draped his arms over Rosie’s back, staring at him. “You can’t keep your eyes off her, cousin. You’d better be careful and watch your step, or you’re gonna end up in a heap of trouble.”

“What the hell kind of trouble am I going to get in for showing her around the valley?” Kyle growled. He pushed Josh’s arms out of the way with a saddle blanket that he tossed over the horse’s back. The saddle followed, and Josh had to duck to avoid the stirrup swinging through the air.

“The kind where you’re thinking long term, and wanting to get hitched.”

Kyle smiled at his cousin. “You never think about stuff like that?” He bent down and grabbed for the leather cinch under the mare’s belly.

Josh scoffed. “The only way you’ll ever see me tied to a woman is if someone points a gun at my head.” He flashed a wide grin after Kyle straightened his back, and stepped away from the horse. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing. She’s a city lady, Kyle. I’m sure she wants to get back home as quickly as possible. I doubt this is the kind of life she wants to lead, so don’t get all starry-eyed over this one. If you’re looking for a woman, you should look closer to home.”

Yeah, closer to home. He’d tried that. The only reason Madeline had been interested in him was because of his father’s name and reputation.

“Grandpa married Grandma, and she was from a big city.” Kyle fed the leather saddle strap through the girth ring, and pulled the cinch tight.  Rosie pinned her ears and swished her tail in protest at the sudden rough tug around her belly. He gave her a pat on the neck as an apology. He didn’t know why he felt the need to justify anything to his cousin.

Josh gave him a hard stare. “Grandpa would tell you to tread lightly, Kyle.” What seemed as almost an afterthought, he added, “but he’d also say to listen to what your heart tells you.” He turned and headed for the corral. 

My heart wants Kate. 
Kyle watched his cousin’s retreating form, wondering how he was going to make his feelings known to Katelyn, and what she would say if she knew what he was thinking. Even if she didn’t know about his famous father, would she look down her Boston nose at a woodsman from Montana?

Josh returned with Blackjack, a big dark brown gelding, and tied him next to Rosie. The smaller bay mare pinned her ears at the other horse, and moved her hindquarters in his direction, ready to strike out if the gelding moved too close.

“Now, see,” Josh said, stepping between the two animals. “A mare will always let you know when you’ve overstepped your bounds. If only women were as easy to understand. Has Kate pinned her ears at you yet, Kyle?”

“Who says I’ve overstepped my bounds?” Kyle asked, and avoided looking at his cousin. He checked the girth to make sure it was snug, then adjusted the stirrups on the saddle to accommodate Kate’s shorter legs.

“That cabin window is mighty big. A person can see in as well as out.”

“Damn you, Josh. Are you checking up on me now?” Kyle advanced on his cousin. Josh grinned, and stood his ground.

“You sure you want to take me on right now and make a fool of yourself?” Josh asked casually. “The object of your affection is headed this way.” He glanced over Kyle’s shoulder, and gestured with his chin toward the cabin.

Kyle ran his hand through his hair, and turned. Kate was walking in their direction. He stepped away from his cousin, and moved out from between the horses.

His gut tightened as he watched her approach. She held her head high, and her back straight, her posture and gait too stiff  to be natural. She was nervous about facing him after what happened in the cabin. He noticed she’d also pinned her hair to the back of her head.
Time to lasso the skittish filly, Kyle
.

“You ready?” he asked with a smile, meeting her half-way between the cabin and the corral. He reached his hand up to touch her arm, but thought better of it, and dropped it again. 

She only nodded her head to his question, and avoided looking directly at him, her eyes darting to the horses.

“Do I get to ride Rosie?” she asked tentatively, and headed for the corral.

“Yeah. She’s surefooted and won’t give you any trouble.” Kyle fell in step beside her. She was doing her damnedest to dodge eye contact with him.

“Mornin’, Miss Kate,” Josh called, grinning broadly. “It’s a nice day for a ride.”

“Good morning, Josh,” Kate said. “And please, it’s Kate, or… Katelyn. No need for formality. Are you going to join us?”

Kyle shot his cousin a warning glare and moved past him to pull Rosie away from the fence. He cursed under his breath. She didn’t want to be alone with him now.
It’s your own damn fault, Kyle.

Josh cleared his throat.  With a wide grin directed at Kyle, he said, “Afraid I can’t. I’ve got some things to do around here. Maybe some other time you’ll let me show you the sights.”

Kyle led Rosie to stand between Kate and Josh. He heard his cousin cough loudly on the other side. Kyle ignored him.

“Are you well enough to get on by yourself?” he asked. “Or are your bruises still too sore?” He placed his hand at the small of her back, ready to assist her into the saddle. As he expected, her spine stiffened and her muscles tensed.

“I can try getting on myself,” she said, and reached for the saddle horn while placing her left foot into the stirrup. Kyle’s hands framed her waist to lift her up.

“There, that was a lot better than a few days ago. Looks like you’re healing just fine.” He grinned up at her, and handed her the reins after she adjusted her dress around her legs. His hand lingered on hers. She inhaled a quick breath, and looked down at him.

“Yes, thank you,” she said softly.

Kyle held her eyes for another moment. Her reserved politeness graded on his nerves. He wished she’d at least give him a tongue lashing for his request of a kiss, and tell him he’d been out of line. But no, she just pretended it hadn’t happened, and acted in her usual agreeable manner. He tore his eyes away from her and stepped to his own horse. Pulling the reins free of the fence, he swung into the saddle.