Between Two Worlds (21 page)

When his hand moved to her breast, she grabbed it and stopped
him.  Placing her hands on the hard muscles of his chest, she armored herself
against the pull of his vibrant eyes. Neither of them spoke for what seemed
like an eternity. His eyes assessed her so coolly, she shuddered under their
intensity.  Finally, when he raised himself off of her, the ache she felt
inside turned to a deep, agonizing burn.

“I thought this was what you wanted,” he said, breathing heavily.

“I thought it was, too, but…”

“But what? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” she answered quickly.  Sitting up, she retied the corset. “It’s
not you. It’s me. I’m sorry. I’m drunk, and I let this go too far.”

Gabriel plowed a hand through his disheveled hair, and they faced
each other on the deer rug. His face softened. “I apologize for losing
control,” he said.  He took some steadying breaths. “The truth is I’m glad you
stopped me.”

“You are?”

“Yes,” he said, appearing relieved. “I hadn’t planned on making
love to you until I knew with no uncertainty that you’re mine forever. But I’m
drunk, too. Though that’s no excuse.”  

Her mouth gaped. “I don’t understand, Gabriel. What are you
talking about?”

“I’m talking about you and this time-travel business,” he gritted.
“It’s driving me insane. If we make love now, I’m never going to want to stop.
I’m going to want you in my bed every night from this day forward. I won’t be satisfied
to love you only one night, Delaney. That’s how much I care about you. But if
you’re determined to find your way back home again…well, I don’t want either of
us to get hurt. I think it’s best if we put some distance between us. Or at
least slow down. I’m sorry for letting things get out of hand.”

She didn’t know what to say. He’d turned the tables on her, and
she wasn’t sure how to react. She should be glad he understood and was in
agreement with her. But for some reason, him beating her to the punch that way
sparked her temper. Her eyes felt illuminated as bright as lanterns. She
struggled to tamp down the building irritation, but it was no use. Later, she
could blame her unreasonable behavior on raging hormones and drunkenness. She
pointed to the small doorway. “Get out!”

“What?” Gabriel’s eyes enlarged.

“You heard me. I’d like you to leave this hogan. I don’t want you
in here tonight.”

“Where should I go?”

“I don’t care. Sleep under the stars if you want.”

“I won’t touch you again,” he began. “I promise.”

“Out!” she shrieked.

He crawled through the door on his hands and knees. Once he was outside,
she scurried to the door and saw him stand up, dust off his pants, and skulk
down the road. He vanished into the dark within a matter of moments. Delaney
closed the flap on the hogan and crawled to the rug. As she curled upon her
side, she pictured him going to the buggy, grabbing the picnic blanket out of
it, and tossing it around his shoulders. He’d probably meander to the ramada,
where drunken men would be sacked out on the ground next to the fire, disturbing
the peace and quiet with their loud chorus of snorts and snores. He’d saunter
over to a vacant spot next to the dying embers and lay down. As he’d pull the
blanket up over his head, he’d probably wonder what the heck just happened
before settling in for a long, lonely night under the stars. She wrapped her
arms around her body and peered around in the dark, wondering, too.

Sixteen

Early the next morning, Gabriel approached the hut to find Delaney
gone. He located He Who Fights Bravely fishing in the Salt River and questioned
him.

“Good morning, friend. Have you seen Delaney?”

The Indian drew back his arm and cast his long line into the water.
“Yes. Your woman travel with the sun.”

“Travel? Where’d she go?” Gabriel ran a hand through his thick
hair while glancing all around, like she might suddenly leap out of the river
or crawl out from under a rock.

“Home.” He Who Fights Bravely stared at Gabriel and then sat down
on the bank and crossed his legs.

“To Phoenix?” Gabriel asked, kneeling on the ground next to him.
“But she doesn’t know the way.”

“Donkey know way,” the Indian answered, reeling in his string.

“Donkey?”

“Shhh, you scare fish.” He Who Fights Bravely put a finger to his
lips.

Gabriel whispered, so as not to scare the fish. “Don’t tell me you
put Delaney on that sour animal?”

The Indian nodded. “Donkey know way,” he repeated in a low voice.

“Great!” Gabriel threw his hands into the air and sprang up.
“She’ll probably fall off and break a leg. I’ve no doubt that the beast will
try to throw her.”

He Who Fights Bravely said, “Donkey friend. You keep him at livery
stable. I come later. After I catch fish.”

“All right. I’ll tell Ike, but I can’t promise he’ll board that
ornery cuss.” With his mind on Delaney, Gabriel whirled to leave. As an
afterthought, he turned and asked, “How are your wife and the baby this
morning?”

He Who Fights Bravely granted him a rare grin. “Wife happy. Flying
Star strong and handsome, like father.”

Gabriel returned the smile. “Good. See you in town later.” He
jogged to the buggy and unhitched Lady Godiva. He noticed a bucket of water and
a can of feed had been set out for her. The Indian’s three children played nearby.
When they waved, Gabriel knew they had taken care of his horse. He waved back
and called out, “Thanks” then climbed into the buggy and urged his horse into a
quick pace toward Phoenix. It didn’t take long to catch up with Delaney, who
was leading the gray donkey by a thick rope hung loosely around his neck. He
pulled up beside them.“Good morning.”

“Morning.” The greeting was curt, and she didn’t look at him.

“I’m sorry about last night,” he said, determined to make amends. “I
apologize for hurting your feelings. And I didn’t mean it when I said we should
put distance between us.”

“You didn’t?” She slid a sideways glance at him.

“No.”

Suddenly, the donkey stopped dead in his tracks and refused to
budge. Delaney tugged on the hemp rope. “Come on, you…” she mumbled. The animal
twisted its head, bared it teeth, and pulled against the rope. “Stop it. Behave
yourself. We have a long way to go.”

“Give it some slack,” Gabriel suggested.

When the hemp slid through her hand and gave her rope burn, she
cried out. “Look what you’ve done, you stupid animal!” She released the rope,
apparently unconcerned as to whether the donkey would stay or trot away.”
Gabriel laid down the reins and jumped out of the buggy, running to her side.

“Let me look at your hand.” After he examined it, their gazes met,
and he sensed he was forgiven. He smiled. “I have something in my bag that will
help. I’ll get it.” Within moments, he had gently smoothed aloe onto the burn
and bandaged her hand.

“Thank you,” Delaney said.

“You’re welcome.”

“Do you have anything in your bag for a hangover? I don’t know
what was in that cactus juice we drank last night, but I’ve got a terrible
headache this morning.”

“So do I.” They smiled at each other and then the donkey
hee-hawed, startling them both.

“This animal is more stubborn than a mule,” Delaney groaned, walking
the few feet to where the animal had roamed.  She picked the rope up from the
ground. “Apparently, he doesn’t like anyone on his back, which your friend
forget to mention. He proceeded to buck me off, almost as soon as I mounted him
this morning.”

“Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?” Gabriel asked.

“I’m fine. I guess it’s not really the donkey’s fault. I know he doesn’t
like white people.”

“How do you know that?” Gabriel asked, amused by the statement.

“He Who Fights Bravely told me the day we met. Look at this
creature. He’s giving me the evil eye as we speak.” She and the donkey glared
at one another. “I should have left him back in the village. I could have
walked all the way back to town by now. Instead, I’ve been spending half my time
wrestling with him.”

Gabriel retrieved the rope from her hands.

“What are you doing?”

“The donkey can follow us to town. He Who Fights Bravely asked me
to take him to Ike’s livery.” He smacked the donkey on the hind end and led him
to the rear of the buggy. After tying the animal off, he offered Delaney his
arm. She eagerly accepted it and stepped into the buggy and onto the seat sweeping
her skirt underneath her.

“I’m glad you came by, Gabriel. My feet were starting to hurt. And
the sun is growing hot.” She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and
tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear.

He climbed back in, pleased that she seemed to be back to her old
self again. He took up the reins and commanded Lady Godiva to walk on. A couple
of miles from town, he nonchalantly presented her with an offer. It was
something he’d been thinking about since he woke this morning. Although last
night he’d suggested they take things slow between them, the truth was he
couldn’t imagine not seeing her every day. They’d grown close in a short time.
She was a woman he could care about, and in fact, his galloping heart meant he
felt something deep inside.

“Delaney, how would you feel about working for me? As a nurse in
my clinic.”

Obviously, it was the last thing she expected. Her mouth opened
and closed like a goldfish’s. “What?”

“You were a great help to me when Frank came in with that
snakebite, and then yesterday…the way you assisted me with Flying Star’s birth.
Dances With Wind trusted you. I couldn’t have delivered that baby without your
help. You’ve got a wonderful bedside manner. You’re not a bit squeamish, and
you’re smart and have a good, calm head on your shoulders. My practice has
picked up dramatically, and I’ve been considering hiring someone for some time
now. Last night when I was alone under the stars, the thought occurred to me
that you were sent here for a reason. I need someone to help me in the clinic,
and the medical field could be your calling.”

Delaney stared at him, unable to speak for a moment.  Her mind
seemed to be turning. “Nursing? I’ve never considered another career besides
advertising, and particularly not anything having to do with medicine. I never thought
I had other options growing up. Advertising was my dad’s life, so it became
mine, too.”

“I remember the conversation we had about that.”

Her forehead crinkled in contemplation.  “On one hand, this could
be my chance to start over. On the other, I live in the year 2012, not the year
1888. My life here isn’t going to last much longer. We both must be practical
and not hide from the reality of this situation.”

“Let’s not talk about that right now,” he said.

“Besides, I don’t know anything about medicine.” Before she could
outright refuse, Gabriel played his ace in the hole. It might have been unfair,
but it was all he had to bargain with. His face sobered.

“I do need an assistant, Delaney, but I also know you don’t have
any money. You need a job. You owe me, and I expect any loans I hand out to be
repaid.”

Her eyes bulged. “I owe you?”

“Yes. I bought you those clothes you’re wearing, and I paid for
your room at the boarding house. Or have you conveniently forgotten?”

“Her lip protruded. “That’s blackmail, Gabriel.”

He grinned. “Call it what you want, lady. You still owe me. And
I’m offering you the opportunity of a lifetime. Think about it. We could work
together, side by side.” The excitement in his voice grew. “I could teach you,
and you can teach me. With your knowledge about medicines, methods, and
procedures that are being used in the future, imagine the difference we could
make to my patients!”

“So that’s it!” She folded her arms across her chest in defiance.
“In other words, you want to
use
me.” She clenched her jaw.

Suddenly, Gabriel became painfully aware that his plan had
backfired. “No, no,” he moaned. “That’s not how I meant for it to come out at
all.”

Delaney glared. “If I were a dog, I’d put my fangs into your neck,
Gabriel Whitman.”

“Oh, hell.” He clucked his tongue, and Lady Godiva and the donkey
both picked up their paces. “I don’t know how I became such a bumbling idiot,”
he mumbled. “I never was this way before I met you. See what you do to me?” He hollered
“whoa” and stopped the horse again, and gazed into her eyes. His took her hand.
“The truth is, I don’t want you to leave. I’d like you to stay longer so we can
get to know one another better. I believe you care for me. And I care for you
deeply.”

She smiled.  “Are you trying to say you have a crush on me?”

He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I don’t know what a crush is.
But if that’s what you call falling in love in your time period, then yes. I
have a crush.”

Two pink suns rose in her cheeks. “Gabriel, I had no idea.”

“I believe you did, but we won’t argue that point right now. I’m
not good at hiding my feelings. Is it so wrong of me to want you to stop
fussing about going back home? I want to spend as much time with you as
possible. I thought I could make that happen if I gave you a job. It was never
my intention to use you. Not now, not ever.”