Ring of Fire Book Two of the McKay's (22 page)

"Out
skirting the woods with Thunder, I see," Hank said, trying to act as though he weren't relieved. As though he were shocked to see her alive.

"We had a magnificent ride." Letty smiled, and petted Thunder once more.
"He actually let me ride him, Hank. Can you believe it?"

Hank stared at her, wanting to take her into his arms and never let her go, but again realizing that it wasn't wise.

He swallowed hard. "Good for you?"

"What are you doing out here?" she asked as she slid from the horse.

"Fixing to ride fence," he replied, turning away from her.

"This time of the morning? I never realized you were up so early." She smiled. "Got any coffee."

"Not made, got some in my saddle bag."

"Great, I'll fix us some, if you've got the time that is." She paused to look at him.

He nodded, woodenly. He didn't know how to respond to her this morning. He had been so sure she was injured or dying, and to see her standing there as though nothing happened made him angry and frustrated.

"You're not a morning person I take it
." She chuckled as she went to get the coffee.

"Guess not…"

She walked to the stream and brought back water, then proceeded to make the coffee. He still hadn't said much to her.

"I became a morning person when I took that job in town. I found out if I wanted to get anything done, I had to get up and do it before I went to work
," she announced as though they were talking about the weather.

She sat down on a stump and stared at him.

"I did it, you know…" She smiled.

"Did what?"

"Rode Thunder. Something made me go down to that barn to see him. And when I walked in, I knew it was him. He was a little scary at first, but then he settled out and let me enjoy the ride," she said as though she were proud of herself. "Caleb was worried. But he finally let me go once he saw I was determined to do it. I hope he didn't tell Cade or Wade; that would be embarrassing."

"You scared the old man to death
." Hank gritted his teeth to keep his anger and frustrations from spilling out all at once.

Letty stood up
. "I did? I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to worry him."

"You ride off on a wild horse, that everyone has told you to leave alone, and you don't understand him being upset. Not to mention that if Cade or Wade
, either one found out about this the old man might not have a job any longer." Hank came towards her now, his face a storm of emotions.

Tears welled in Letty's eyes, but they didn't spill
. "I'm sorry, I guess I didn't think of anyone else."

"You sure as hell didn't." He frowned into her face.

"Let's get back. I don't want Caleb fired for this…" she insisted.

"Fine…" Hank dumped the coffee she had poured him and climbed on his horse in one fluid movement.

He looked down at the flustered woman that turned his insides to fire and for a brief moment he almost caved in and took her into his arms. Still, he couldn't do that. She had done wrong and he needed to make that clear to her.

Slowly
, she mounted and they rode in silence back to the ranch. He was so tense from not being able to hold her, love her, but she had to know how serious this was. She had to learn she couldn't run off like that. And someday maybe, she'd find out how worried he had been and how relieved…

As they rode all the way to the barn, she hopped down quickly and opened the door. Caleb was there and the minute he saw her, he took her in his arms. "Dam
n girl, you scared the death out of me."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" she began.

"I'm just so danged glad you're okay."

"You didn't tell Cade and Wade?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

"No…but I was gonna if Hank hadn't showed up when he did," Caleb informed her. "They'd need to know something like this. It's their job to know."

Letty turned to look at Hank who was putting their horses into the stalls. "Good thing Hank was riding fence, then, wasn't it
?"

"Riding fence?" Caleb coughed and looked at Hank.

"Riding fence," Hank repeated and stared into the old man's eyes.

"Guess it was…yeah, I guess it was…" Caleb tried to laugh.

Hank sent Caleb a slight smile and glanced at Letty. "Glad you were okay."

"Thanks…" Letty said, the hurt
Hank had inflicted for not showing any response was clearly mirrored on her beautiful face.

"I'm tired. I guess I'll go home now
," Letty managed in a weak voice. Touching Caleb's arm, she smiled sadly. "And thanks for not saying anything."

"Just don't do that again," Caleb scolded playfully. "Scared me out of ten years, girl."

"At least you cared…" she said and glanced one last time at Hank's retreating figure.

Hank heard her and his body slumped, carrying the burden of loving her and not being able to show it.

Caleb opened his mouth to say something but then shut it.

Chapter
Fifteen

"You just gonna let her think you don't give a darn?" Caleb fussed a few days later.

"Easier for her this way." Hank shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe she'll stop caring so much now that she thinks you don't care about her at all. Is that what you want?" Caleb nudged Hank in the ribs as he passed.

Carrying a saddle
, Hank threw it on the ground.

"Of all the people here, I thought you'd understand this. Of course I love her. Of course I want to be with her, take care of her, marry her even, but what can I offer her?"

"You can offer what every woman wants, your heart. It's downright cruel to not let her know how you really feel, Hank. Letty really loves you. I thought you would at least see that when she moved out of here. She gave up a fortune for you, don't you know that?"

"I didn't ask her to. I didn't want her to. I don't know what got into her moving away like that."

"You got into her, that's what. She loves you, you big dope," Caleb fumed. "What's holdin' you back now? She's already lost the money. She couldn't have done anything better to prove how she feels. But you…"

"Dammit Caleb, I want her more than anything in this world. But if there is any chance of her getting the money, I want her to have it. She's a McKay for God's sake. I don't want to be the man she gives everything up for. I want her so bad I can't think straight any more.
I can't do my job right. I think about her all the time, Caleb. She's got me in knots."

Caleb smiled
. "Then it looks like your tellin' the wrong person…don't it."

Hank leaned against the stall
. "If you was her father, what would you think of a regular cowboy wanting her?"

"Depends on what you mean by wanting her, son."

"I want to marry her. That's what you do when you love a woman. Make her mine. I'm just scared I can't keep her happy."

"Can you be true to her, love her, and always take care of her
?"

"Of course, that part's easy."

"Then if I was her father, I'd say that's all a father can really ask of a son-in-law."

Hank pushed his hat back
. "Easy for you to say, you aren't rich like her real father."

Caleb shook his head
. "Maybe I'm not, son. But if I knew a man loved her as much as I know you love her, I'd be more than satisfied, because love…is what life is about."

Hank thought about that a moment.

Caleb put his arm on Hank's shoulder. "There's nothin' better than the love of a good woman. She just gave up a fortune for you, don't that tell you anything?"

"Caleb, we haven't even dated."

"Then I'd say it's about time you did." Caleb chuckled.

***

It was two-thirty in the afternoon; Letty walked home and couldn't wait to put her feet up. She was tired, but more than that she was hurting.

She'd given up a fortune in the gamble that Hank cared for her. Clearly he didn't. That morning she had rode into his camp, he barely acknowled
ged the danger she'd been in. If that didn't speak volumes, nothing did. So she'd tried to put him in the back of her mind forever. Only it didn't work. There wasn't a moment she didn't think about him, dream about the future they could have had.

Giving up her inheritance
really didn't bother her. She didn't need that security. She had a good education, she had new friends, and her sisters, although they didn't understand her, loved her.

At times like these she missed her father. What kind of
loving wisdom would he give her to make her heal?

She unlocked her door and without even thinking she went to get the foot bath she used every day to sooth her feet. She filled it with hot water and then put it in front of her favorite rocking chair
along with a towel. She left the front door open, at least it had a screen.

She sighed heavily as she leaned back and closed her eyes.
All she wanted to do was soak her feet and forget about love and loving.

But when someone picked her foot up and began messaging it, her eyes popped wide open.

"W-where did you come from?" she demanded as Hank stroked her foot so heavenly.

"Saw you almost limping home…" he said softly, his eyes going all over her.
"And you left your door open."

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked, pulling the uniform of her dress between her legs.

"I'm massaging your feet; don't they hurt?" he asked.

"
Yes…It feels wonderful, but you don't have to do that," she started to object. "How did you get in?"

"I guess you were so tired you left it open…" He gestured to the door.

He raised a hand. "I think I do have to do this…Now relax and enjoy it. I don't offer this kind of service very often."

"Hank, I don't understand. What are you doing here?"

"Jesus used to wash feet, you know?" He smiled at her.

"Y-yes, I know."

"I can see why," he murmured.

"Uh…
yes, so can I…" She watched him take the other foot and message it. "Why aren't you at work?"

Hank dried her foot gently. "Well, Caleb thought I was pretty useless today."

"What do you mean?" she asked, watching him dry the other foot.

"Because…all I can do is worry about you…" he said
slowly. "Worry that I almost let you walk out of my life for good. Worry that someone would come along before I got a chance to tell you how I really feel about you."

Letty got up and moved the foot
massager to the counter. She turned around to look at him. "I don't understand?"

"He says we need to date
." Hank smiled.

"Date? Why?" she asked breathlessly.

"Because when a man loves a woman, the way I love you, that's what they do." Hank came closer.

He was standing right in front o
f her, almost chest to chest. "Love?"

"Of course
. Put me out of my misery, date me. And I've got the perfect first date."

"Oh
, do you?"

"I'll take you home to grandma…"

She stared at him, her tears rolling down her cheeks now. "Oh Hank…do you mean it?"

He plopped his hat on the counter, then his arms came around her. "
It's past time you met. Even she has noticed a difference in me. But…we'll talk about grandma a lot later. We'll talk about love, and marriage in that order, when I'm done kissing you…if that's alright. It's been too long since I held my girl in my arms."

Then he bent his
head tentatively, and staring into her eyes he smiled. "I've been thinking about this for so long. Too long…"

And then he kissed her.

Letty moaned the minute their lips met. He pulled her tight against him, as he proceeded in showing her all the pent up love and desire a man could hold for a woman. His lips ravaged hers, but she wasn't complaining. Her response was a slow melt, and once again she felt a warm arousal announcing itself against her. She didn't mind, she welcomed it.

She whimpered as he kissed her face, his lips creating a trail over her nose, and to her ear. "I love you, you know?" he whispered.

"Oh Hank, I love you too…" she cried.

"We may have to date after the wedding
," he grumbled, pulling her ever closer.

"That's fine with me," she murmured.

"You want a big wedding?" he asked, pulling on her lower lip.

"I want a fast one…"
She sighed, giving herself up to his powerful kisses.

"Me too. One thing about it darlin'
, we are both of the same mind." He smiled against her mouth. "I think we have been from the start. We both knew what we wanted, just afraid to reach out and grab it."