Kaitlin's Silver Lining (15 page)

He suddenly leaned
over and grabbed the back of her neck. With a gentle tug, he pulled her closer.
“I lied earlier.”

His breathy words
sent tingles of warning along her spine.

“How?”

“When I said I was
only worried about Charley’s feelings. I care about you, too.”

She swallowed hard.
“I—I know. Everything you do shows your concern, and I appreciate all...”

“Ask me, Katy.” He
cut her off with a husky whisper, and she knew exactly what he alluded to.

“Please, Bryce.”

“Please, what?”

“Kiss me.” It was a
secret desire she didn’t realize was there until she’d spoken the words.

“Don’t ask me.” He
dropped his hand from her neck. “Show me. Show me what you want.”

She only hesitated
for a moment before placing her hand around his neck in the same way he’d held
her. He resisted slightly as she tugged his head closer to hers. He wasn’t
going to make this easy for her, nor did she want him to. His brown eyes were
heavy-lidded with an unspoken invitation.

At her gentle
tugging, he needed no further prompting. His lips settled upon hers in a
passionate locking of two obstinate souls. Beneath her, the horse pranced
restlessly. Kaitlin tightened her grip, taking the kiss deeper. Calloused
fingers stroked the soft skin on her cheek. His tongue snaked in between her
teeth, exploring, tasting. She flinched from the foreign sensation, but quickly
absorbed the shocking invasion. She wanted him to stop. She wanted it to last
forever.
Breathe.

Having initiated this
union, she would have to end it. Slowly, she pulled away. Her lips tingled,
feeling pleasantly bruised. How should she react after such an intimate touch?

“Now what?” she
asked, not knowing what he expected of her.

“I don’t know.” He
stared ahead, not meeting her eyes. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Bryce?”

“Yeah.” His gaze
connected with hers.

“Thank you for not
laughing at me.”

“Damn, woman.” He
seemed to take offense at that remark. “You must think me an ogre. Why would I
laugh at you? If anything, I should laugh at myself for thinkin’ one taste
would do. Now that I know what kind of punch you’re packin’, I want more, and
next time, I plan to do the askin’.” He pushed his hat back into place and
pulled the horse away from hers. “Come on. Let’s get movin.’ We’re burnin’
daylight.”

He snapped the reins
and trotted off before Kaitlin could respond. She pulled her bonnet back on top
of her head and retied the strings before prodding her gelding into motion.

Gingerly, she touched
her lips, marveling at the sensations one kiss had evoked. Bryce had kissed
her, really kissed her. Inadvertently, he’d given her a new memory to help
combat the old. Would it be enough to override the dark well of emotions that
waited for her at the end of the trail?

Nineteen

They followed the
wagon road to Idaho Springs, where the waning sun made temperatures drop
several degrees below freezing. It had been an exhausting ride wrought with
tension. Since their kiss, Bryce had scarcely said two words. Silence seemed to
punctuate the treacherous road as the horses slowly picked their way forward.
Patches of snow glistened brightly, and she squinted her eyes against the glare
from the setting sun, her bonnet offering limited protection from the brilliant
light. Sore muscles in her inner thighs added to her discomfort, a sure sign
she’d overdone things a bit.

Bryce stopped in
front of a hotel, signaling her to do the same. Grateful for the chance to
stretch her legs, Kaitlin dismounted.

“Looks to be as fancy
as some of the hotels in Denver. Reckon this will do right nicely. You stay
here with the horses until I see if they have rooms available,” Bryce directed.
Kaitlin wanted to object to the way he ordered her about but felt too tired to
argue. Instead, she caught herself watching the play of muscles across his trim
backside as he sauntered toward the front doors. Disgusted with herself, she
averted her gaze.

Dusk had muted the
brightly painted building, giving it a pale lavender cast. Lanterns had been
strung in front of some of the establishments, illuminating storefronts with a
yellow glow. Many changes had occurred since her last visit.

A healthy amount of
gold had helped build the settlement into a nice sized town. Though no one had
actually found large-scale veins, there were quite a few smaller mines
scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. Like Denver, the town had
chosen to band together, and the community now offered services other than
those related to mining. It helped balance the economy, and as a result the
town had grown. Idaho Springs would not become a ghost town anytime soon.

She hated having to
stop here, but riding through the night was not an option. They were both too
weary to manage the treacherous roads ahead without the benefit of daylight.
With three days worth of traveling still ahead, they had no choice but to rest
when they could.

“I hadn’t realized
this town was so large,” Bryce commented as he returned. “Come on. I’ll walk
you to your room.”

He didn’t wait for
her reply as he started to untie her saddlebags and valise from the horse. Once
he had her personal items, he went to work retrieving his own. With both bags
draped over each shoulder and the valise in his hand, he strode toward the
front of the hotel.

“I can carry my own
bags.” Tired and saddle sore, Kaitlin needed to exert some authority.

“Yep. I s’pect you
can, but you look as limp as a possum playin’ dead. How long’s it been since
you rode a horse?” He plowed through the front door, nodding at the doorman as
he did so.

“Two years. And I
don’t think I like being compared to a possum.” She struggled to keep up with
his long strides.

Bryce chuckled,
alleviating some of the tension between them. “You’re right, ma’am. There ain’t
nothin’ bald about your tail, and your eyes are much too wide to be considered
beady. Yep, you’re not anything like a possum ’cept maybe a little around the
mouth when you get that persnickety look.”

She untied her
bonnet, rolled it up then yanked off his Stetson and swatted him over the head.

“Ouch!” He ducked and
clutched at the sliding bags that wobbled on his shoulders. “What was that
for?”

She placed the hat
back on top of his head. It rested a bit crookedly as opposed to before, but
she felt much better now that she’d retaliated. “For making things more
complicated than they need to be.”

He gave her a hard
look and inclined his head toward the stairway. “You lead. After getting’
whacked, I don’t feel comfortable with you behind me.”

Kaitlin smiled at the
way he looked, the crooked hat in direct contrast to his stern features. She
headed up the stairs, her heart less heavy with the burdens that faced her.
When she reached the top, she caught sight of two young maids dragging a copper
tub through the door of one of the rooms.

“I ordered you a
bath. Figured you’d wanna freshen up some before dinner.” Bryce followed her
inside the room where the two maids chattered like magpies.

Bryce set the
saddlebags on top of the bed. “I’ll come fetch you in an hour. That should give
you time to bathe and change clothes before we eat. I’ve gotta take care of the
horses.”

Kaitlin nodded,
distracted by the thought of a warm soothing bath, just what she needed for her
sore muscles. As soon as Bryce left, she unpacked her belongings. She laid out
the only dress she’d brought along, and shook the wrinkles free. When the maids
had finished setting out towels and soap, they inquired if she needed
assistance. Absently, Kaitlin shook her head, preferring to be alone for a
long, leisurely soak. Thank goodness she’d refrained from donning her corset,
thinking she’d be more comfortable riding without the constricting item.

Once the ladies had
left, she quickly stripped out of her riding habit and draped it over the back
of the chair. Though dusty, she would have to wear it for the rest of the ride
out to the Silver Saddle Ranch. Her undergarments landed on the floor next to
the chair.

She sighed as she
settled into the steamy water. Leaning her head back, she allowed the bath to
work its magic. Her lips curved into a smile when she thought of Bryce’s reaction
to her appearance. He’d been downright angry. Her smile quickly turned to a
frown. James Latham had tried to kill her. She shivered. The fiend would not
have acted without direction from someone, but whom? Who wanted her dead? Bryce
suspected someone from her past. Kaitlin knew differently. While she and Sarge
had their differences, her father would never conspire to murder. No—the
threats and the attempt on her life had to be politically driven. She and her
band of suffragists had riled someone in power.

She gazed about the
interior of the room, trying to take her mind off worrisome matters. Her eyes
settled on her valise then widened as they lit on Bryce’s bag.

Why would Bryce leave
his bag beside hers on the bed? He should have taken it to his own room. A
smidgen of foreboding caused goose bumps to form. She wrapped her arms tight
about her body. Surely, Bryce had secured his own room. Of course, he had. He
was many things, but he’d always been a gentleman. Well, except for the time he
criticized her activities or the time he’d almost kissed her but hadn’t. Or the
time he’d coaxed her into asking for a kiss. She sat up straighter in the tub
and rubbed her arms. Not only that, but he’d just compared her to an ugly, old
possum. He could be a gentleman when he wanted, but she had firsthand
experience with Bryce, the rogue.

She glared at the
saddlebag, daring the inanimate object to give her the answer she sought. When
none was forthcoming, she forced herself to recline once more. Worrying about
whether or not the man secured his own room was pointless. If he hadn’t, he
could sleep in the barn with the horses.

Twenty

“So you say you left
a dead body back a ways?” A rather short man claiming to be a Colorado Mounted
Ranger scratched his head and spit brown saliva into a can. Bryce thought he
remembered the man calling himself Luck.

“Yes, sir. I believe
I’ve stated that fact more than once now,” Bryce said, frustrated with Luck’s
inability to grasp what he was saying.

“Any idea as to the
man’s identity?”

“I think he was James
Latham.”

“His name don’t ring
no bell.” Luck wiped his chin with the back of a dirty cuff. “And you say he’s
dead?”

“Yep, dead.”

“Well, I’ll ride out
tomorrow and take a look see. Ain’t no use in doing it tonight. You sure he was
dead, now?”

“Very dead. He
definitely passed in his chips.”

“Reckon if you told
me everything, we can consider it self-defense.” He rocked back on his heels
and hooked his thumbs into his pockets. “I’ll file my report that way. Where
will you be if I need to get in touch with you?”

Bryce shook his head,
not really sure. “I’m escortin’ Miss Kanatzer to Oresonville, but I’m not sure
where we’ll be once we get there.”

“Is that the young
lady that was shot at?”

Was the man dense or
cagey? He’d already told Luck about the attempt on Kaitlin’s life. Perhaps,
Luck hoped Bryce would slip up on the story. Whatever the reason, he was too
tired for this nonsense, so he merely nodded. “Yep, Latham tried to kill her.”

“Kanatzer you say?
Any relation to ole Sarge?”

He cocked his head to
the side, tipped his hat back, and gave the ranger a quizzical look. “Sarge
from Oresonville?”

“Reckon everyone
knows ole Sarge. Sarge Kanatzer owns the biggest cattle spread in these here
parts. And you say your friend is Kaitlin Kanatzer? I can’t say I remember no
Kaitlin, but then I ain’t originally from around these here parts.”

Bryce barely heard
the question. Sarge Kanatzer? Was he family? Or was he her husband? He felt a
cold knot grip his stomach. How could she kiss him like that and be married? He
refocused his gaze. “Where exactly can I find this ranch?”

“Best look out for
Sarge. You don’t want to get on that man’s bad side,” Luck warned before giving
him vague directions to Sarge’s property. “Like I said, I’ll file the report in
the morning. I wouldn’t worry none too much about it. This Latham character is
dead, so he can’t hurt your lady friend no more. At any rate, reckon we’ll
never know why he took a shot at her.”

“I appreciate all
your help,” Bryce said, shaking the man’s hand.

He doubted the ranger
would be of any further use. It was doubtful the body would still be there
tomorrow. Likely, some varmint would drag it off and make a tasty meal of it.
If the body had landed closer to the road, Bryce would have attempted hauling
him in for a decent burial, but as it was, it would have been too dangerous.
Although he was relieved that the ranger accepted his story, he wasn’t so sure
Kaitlin was safe. Too many loose ends hinted at more trouble.

After his visit to
the law, Bryce marched down to a bathhouse that advertised the full works for
just a dollar. With the strenuous day he’d had, he was more than ready for a
healthy soak in a tub full of sudsy water and a little grooming from the local
barber.

He hung his gun belt
within easy reach should he need it, and proceeded to shed his filthy clothes.
The shirt fell from his shoulders. Reaching for the fastening of his pants, he
realized he’d left his saddlebags in the room. He looked at the attendant, a
perplexed frown upon his face.

“You know where I
might buy me some clean clothes this time of night?” Bryce asked, testing the
water with his fingers.

“You’re in luck.” The
man talked from the side of his mouth. “My brother happens to own a general store
that’s pretty close. He lives upstairs so he won’t mind opening up for me. Tell
me your size, and I’ll have my assistant run over and get what you need.”

“For a slight fee?”

“Of course.” The fine
lines at the corners of the man’s eyes deepened when he smiled.

“Bring me a pair of
britches, a shirt, some socks, and a clean pair of long johns in the longest
pair you got. Take this dirty pair of britches to compare waist sizes.” Bryce
slipped off his pants and handed them to the man along with a couple of bills.
“Keep the change.”

The man’s smile
widened, showing a gaping hole where his left upper eyetooth had been. “Name’s
Bob. Just holler if you need anything else.”

“Thanks.” All he
needed were answers, something Bob wouldn’t be able to help him with. He
quickly divested himself of his dusty long-handled underwear and settled into
the tub with a sigh. Sarge couldn’t be Kaitlin’s husband. She’d displayed a
very unladylike enthusiasm for Bryce’s lips to be married to someone else.
Besides, Bethany’s last name had been Kanatzer. He felt more at ease. Sarge
must be a relative, but not a husband. A father? Brother? Cousin? Whoever Sarge
was, the man wanted Kaitlin back home. But did he want her home because of
family ties or to lure her to her death?

~ *
~

Kaitlin had put in
the last hairpin when Bryce pounded on her door. She took her time answering
his summons. When she finally opened the door, she was more than a little
surprised to find him handsomely dressed in clean clothes and his thick brown
hair tamed by a trim and a little oil. The rich smell of bay rum assailed her
senses, causing her heart to flutter rapidly. The man was way too handsome for
his own good.

“I began to grow
impatient, but I believe you were worth the wait. You look right handsome tonight,
Katy.”

She touched her hair,
self-consciously assuring herself everything was in order. “Thank you.”

“Shall we go eat?”

He held out his arm.
She hesitated before she looped her arm with his. She wasn’t accustomed to this
type of attention.

With the lateness of
the evening, the dining area was practically empty by the time they entered,
giving them more privacy than Kaitlin felt comfortable with. She smiled gently
to mask her unease. Her thoughts drifted, imagining they were on an outing, one
in which Bryce had gallantly asked to escort her to dinner. The fantasy seemed
more tempting than the truth, whereby Bryce was forced to endure her company
because she’d followed him here.

“This is a bit fancy
for my tastes,” Bryce commented, gazing appreciatively about the elaborately
decorated room.

“Afraid a little
culture will rub off on you?”

“Naw, more like the
other way around. I’d hate for some of my coarse ways to ruin the ambience of
the moment.”

“Ambience, eh? That’s
an awful big word for a mere cowboy. Who are you really, Bryce Stanton? I don’t
know that much about you.” She tilted her head at an angle, coyly trying to
decipher the real man behind the cowboy.

“Who wants to know?
Kaitlin, the stiff suffragist who has an independent streak a mile long? Or
Katy, the soft, alluring woman who finds herself needing my help, but won’t
accept it?” He was no longer smiling. A hardness had stolen over his features,
one she didn’t understand. What had caused his sudden change?

She blinked in
confusion. “What did I say wrong?”

“It’s not what you
said, it’s how you said it. I don’t appreciate subterfuge.” He leaned back in
his chair. “If I wanted a woman to flirt and simper, I’d have stayed in Denver
and continued courtin’ some of those empty-headed fillies vyin’ for my
attention. I’m not the most refined gentleman. Never wanted to be. What you
see, is what you get. Plain and simple.”

Kaitlin reeled from
his statement. “You think I want you?” She did want him with an intensity she
found daunting, but she sure wasn’t going to give him that kind of power. No,
she’d learned her lesson the last time she’d opened her heart to a man.

Bryce leaned forward,
capturing her gaze with eyes as rich as the polished mahogany that surrounded
them. Though his expression was solemn, his eyes were warm and inviting. She
leaned away from him, not wanting to be drawn into his magnetism, yet fearing
it was already too late.

“I hold honesty above
all else, and I’d be lyin’ to you if I said I hoped you didn’t want me. Cuz,
the hard truth is, I do want you.”

“Want me?” she
whispered, not sure how she should react.

“Well, don’t look so
surprised.” He reached for her hand and toyed with her fingers. “You look as
startled as a doe caught in a hunter’s sights.”

The waitress chose
that moment to interrupt, placing plates heaped with a variety of food before
them. Kaitlin retracted her hand and welcomed the intrusion. It gave her the
opportunity to gather her thoughts.

From that point on,
the conversation became light. Bryce talked about the weather, the food, the
growth of the town they were in. He even regaled her with stories from cattle
drives he’d been on. It was as if he’d never told her those four, gut-wrenching
words:
I do want you.
She, too, tried to put those words from her mind,
opting to keep the conversation centered around mundane issues.

When they were both
sated, the waitress brought them each a steaming cup of coffee. Bryce folded
his lips around the cup rim and sipped. The sudden silence unnerved her. He
continued to study her, quietly drinking. When he was halfway through, he set
the cup down.

“Reckon we have a
long day ahead. If you’re done, I’ll escort you upstairs.”

She nodded, afraid
her voice would alert him to her nervousness. Once she was alone, she would
relax. The events of the day and the circumstances of his company must be
responsible for the sudden jitters.

Bryce pulled out her
chair and presented his arm. She took it, allowing him to guide her through the
dining hall, across the lobby, and up the winding stairway.

“Hand me the key,”
Bryce said and held out his hand. She dropped the key in his calloused palm. He
unlocked the door and pushed it open. She preceded him inside. Turning, she
planned to retrieve the key, thank him for the evening, and firmly shut the
door in his face. But when she turned, he was already inside with the door
firmly locked behind him.

He strode over to the
bed and found a stack of bedding the hotel staff had left for him. Without
asking permission, he made a palette on the floor. She should argue over the
issue, but she knew it wouldn’t matter. If Bryce had made up his mind to stay,
she wouldn’t be able to change it.

He paused, looking at
her with skepticism. “Well? No argument?”

“Why should I argue?
If you’d rather sleep on the hard, cold floor instead of getting your own room
with a soft, feather mattress to yourself, then who am I to complain?” She
shrugged.

“Well, now. I could
sleep on the feather mattress beside you.” He waggled his brows. “It’s wide enough.”

“Bryce, go downstairs
and get your own room. I’m not going to be compromised because of your stubborn
streak.”

“It’s about time. I
figured you were going to cheat me out of a fight.” He knelt on the floor,
rearranging blankets, and glanced at her with a wicked grin. “Until I know why
that man wanted you dead, you’re stuck with me. I’m not leavin’ your side.”

“Fine.” She refused
to be baited.

“You sure are givin’
up easy.”

“I know how pointless
it is to debate semantics with you,” Kaitlin said, removing pins from her
unruly hair. She then realized how small the room appeared. How was she going
to change into her nightgown with him in the room? “Perhaps, you’ll leave so I
might have some privacy. I need to change clothing and perform my ablutions for
the evening.”

Bryce stretched out
on his palette and folded his arms behind his head. “And have you lock me out?
I’ll just turn my back, and you can pretend I’m not here.”

“I can’t believe I
ever thought you were a gentleman.”

He got up from the
floor and straddled a chair with his back to her. “There. You can do what you
need to now.”

She made sure he
couldn’t peek by looking in the mirror. Satisfied, she pulled out her only
nightdress and began to ready herself for sleep.

“I’d be more than
happy to watch, if you’d rather I act more like a scoundrel, though.” He
chuckled.

“You wouldn’t dare.”
She hurried her preparations.

“No, ma’am. I’m only
teasin’ you. You’re safe with me.”

Oddly, she did feel
much safer with Bryce in the room. She would never admit it, but being shot at
had scared her, and being alone right now didn’t sound like a good idea. His
presence gave her peace of mind.

She finished changing
clothes and padded barefoot to the dresser. She washed her face in the basin of
fresh water then attacked her hair with the brush, trying to tame some of the
frizzy curls. A tug here and a yank there finally saw the tangles brought to a
minimum. With that chore completed, she crept into bed and pulled the coverlet
up to her chin.