Runabout (31 page)

}"That's right," Tulsa May said. "You just sleep a little bit and you'll feel better."

}When his head lolled onto her shoulder, she smiled and adjusted her position slightly to make him more comfortable.

}She couldn't look at him, he was too close. But she could feel his nearness, his warmth. The scent of him, earthy, masculine, and punctuated with the wickedness of corn liquor, seemed to surround her. She sighed.

}Her expression darkened slightly as she thought of the fight. She hadn't heard the words between them, but when two young men had their teeth bared and their eyes were flashing it was bound to be a fight over a woman. And Tulsa May was pretty sure that woman was Emma Dix. She was curvy and fine featured, so it was not hard to imagine how men could come to blows over a woman like Emma.

}Even while concerned for Luther, Tulsa May had noticed the look on the other woman's face. What did that look mean? Did she love Luther? And if Luther was truly calling on her, why was it a secret?

}Instinctively, Tulsa May let out the throttle on the Runabout and the little car went scurrying with unusual speed down the deserted dirt roadway.

}The wind blowing on his face revived Luther enough to realize that he had his head on Tulsa May's shoulder. He sat up a little too quickly and the blackness threatened to overcome him again. This time he managed to ward it off. He took deep gulps of the night air and the fog in his brain began to dissipate. They were almost back in town.

}"Tulsy, you can't take me to your father's house," he said. "It's bad enough that my face is smashed up worse than a sailor's at the rodeo. But we both reek of whiskey."

}Tulsa May's brow furrowed thoughtfully. She shook her head. "There isn't anywhere else to take you."

}"Pull over," he said.

}"Here?" Tulsa May asked with surprise.

}He nodded. "The river is on the other side of those trees. At least I can wash up before I take you home." Tulsa May pulled the Runabout just to the side of the road and shut off the engine.

}"Just wait here," Luther suggested as he eased himself out of the passenger seat.

}"Don't be ridiculous!" Tulsa May said. "What if you were to faint and fall into the river?"

}Luther shook his head. "Then I would be saved the ignominy of your having seen me do something so stupid."

}Tulsa May didn't argue further; she simply climbed down from the car and followed him into the woods.

}The night was clear and only slightly breezy. The moon overhead was just at three-quarters, but it shed enough light for the two to find their way to the river.

}The reddish-brown sandbar near the riverbank appeared almost silver in the moonlight. Luther walked upon the bank slightly unsteadily. He knelt at the river's edge and reached down to splash the lazily swirling, reddish Cimarron water on his face. He shook his head slightly at the chill.

}"Here," he said to Tulsa May as he undid the buttons on his shirt. "If you're going to stand here, you might as well make yourself useful."

}Tulsa May's eyes widened slightly at the sight of his bare chest in the moonlight. When he handed her the shirt, she scrupulously searched for rips or tears. Then she moved to stand behind him. Still, the sight of his naked back was strangely unsettling. She cleared her throat nervously.

}Searching for an appropriate way to help, Tulsa May removed her now bloodstained hanky from the back of his head and screwed her mouth up thoughtfully.

}"Well, you've stopped bleeding," she said. "I was really becoming concerned."

}Luther took the dirty handkerchief from her and began dunking it in the cool water. "Head wounds always bleed a lot," he said. "And it's good if they do. If you get knocked out and you don't bleed outside, you're probably bleeding inside, which is no good at all."

}Tulsa May watched as he scrubbed at the dainty piece of linen. "It's ruined already," she said. "You needn't work so hard to get it clean."

}Luther held the hanky before him in the moonlight and knew she was right. But he was sorry.

}"Tulsy, I suppose it is ruined. Funny, I keep trying to help you, and I keep making things worse." His words were quiet and sincere.

}"Worse?" Tulsa May seemed surprised. "How in the world have you made things worse?"

}The words that came to Luther's mind were not the ones that he spoke. "I've made you the object of gossip and idle speculation. I never intended that."

}"Don't be silly," she said. "Creating gossip was exactly what we
planned
to do."

}"Well, it was a stupid plan," Luther answered bitterly. "I should have had more sense. Taking you dancing in a place like that was just asking for no-accounts to cast aspersions on your name."

}Luther was so angry Tulsa May actually laughed.

}"What on earth is so amusing?" Luther asked, his jaw set stubbornly.

}Tulsa May shook her head, still smiling. "Who cares what people think? Having aspersions cast on my name is a new experience. I might even enjoy it."

}"Tulsy, this is serious," he said, turning toward her. "I can see how this must look. A fine, decent young woman like you chasing around some dance hall, alone with some punch-drunk half-breed and smelling of liquor."

}"My goodness, Luther. You make my life sound almost exciting."

}Near anger, he grasped her in his arms. "You are the most important woman in the world to me. I would rather die than do anything to distress you."

}His declaration was heartfelt and sincere, but Tulsa May paid little attention. She was staring at the wide expanse of damp, muscled flesh before her.

}"You don't have much hair on your chest," she said. Realizing the very personal nature of her comment, Tulsa May opened her mouth to apologize. But any words she might have said were swallowed up as Luther dipped his head to join her mouth with his.

}His lips were warm and soft, but there was nothing gentle about his kiss. His mouth teased and lured and mastered her own until they moved as one, in sweet pursuit of pleasure.

}Tulsa May felt no shyness, no aversion. She wanted his kiss, his touch, she wanted him. And her body said those things that her words could not. She fitted herself against the contours of his body, so different from her own. His flesh was warm and slightly damp from the cool river water. The sparse swirls of hair on his chest were thin and dark, but somehow she couldn't resist running her fingers through them. The sensation beneath her fingertips was sensuous and startling. It raised gooseflesh on her arms and a shuddering thrill down her spine. She pressed herself more tightly against him.

}"Luther," she moaned as a shudder ran through her.

}"You're cold?" The question was a whisper against her lips. He pulled her more closely into his arms. She was trembling against him. But he was trembling too.

}He took several deep breaths trying to quiet the passion stirring inside him. "It's part of my Indian heritage," he whispered.

}She looked up at him curiously. "What?"

}"Not having much hair," he explained. He held her at arm's length, looking at her face in the moonlight. This was his Tulsy, he had to remember that. "I bet Doc Odie's got plenty of hair, even if it is gray."

}"I wouldn't know," Tulsa May answered. "The only shirtless man I've seen before now was my father."

}It was an intimate admission. It frightened and excited them both.

}Tulsa May was blushing, but she cleared her throat noisily and tried to recover her composure. This was Luther, her best friend. She mustn't allow him to know how much he affected her. Attempting to lighten the mood, a joke sprang to her lips. "Daddy looks a bit like an orange bear."

}Luther's laughter was a little strained. But the strange spell was broken, he told himself. He would let her go now and they would forget that they had just kissed. He would let her go now ... now ... He should let her go now. But he didn't.

}"My father was a very hairy fellow too," he said, postponing the moment of parting. "I remember taking baths with him at the creek near our place when I was a boy. He had a big thick pelt of jet-black hair all over his chest."

}Tulsa May swallowed. She couldn't imagine the father—all she thought of was a naked Luther bathing. She tried to continue the conversation. "So when people say you are
just
like your father, they don't really know the truth."

}Luther's weak smile faded. "No, I'm not just like him." He looked at Tulsa May very seriously. "And I certainly plan not to make any of his mistakes."

}Tulsa May had heard her share of rumors about Luther's father, but she knew Luther was honorable and good. "I don't see any chance of that happening."

}Luther shook his head. "It very well could." He released her and stepped away. "My father ruined a decent woman's reputation. If we don't stop this foolish game we've been playing, I might well ruin yours."

}Tulsa May didn't immediately know if the game he referred to was the pretension of courting or the kisses they had shared. She felt cold and alone without his arms around her.

}"Tulsy, I hope you know I didn't lure you down here to kiss you. Lord knows that's the last thing I should be doing."

}"I know you didn't try to lure me," she answered quietly.

}With a huge sigh, Luther gestured to the world around him. "It's just moonlight and river that makes me act this way."

}"It's all right, Luther."

}"No, it's not all right. This must stop." Luther clenched his teeth with determination. "This must stop now."

}Tulsa May. said nothing. She couldn't hear anything over the sound of the breaking of her own heart.

}"We've created enough gossip," Luther said with conviction. "There is no reason why I should call on you anymore."

}Her face paling, Tulsa May continued to just stare at him, struggling to keep herself composed.

}"I'm sure, the way gossip travels, that by tomorrow night everybody in town will have heard about the fight." He began pacing nervously across the sand. "It stands to reason that you would be appalled and disgusted by such behavior," he said. "And you certainly should be. Fighting and carrying on in a common roadhouse. It's not at all the thing for a fine woman like you."

}Still Tulsa May made no comment.

}"I'll let it slip that you gave me my walking papers. That should be enough for folks to chew upon until some new scandal comes up."

}He turned to look at her then. She seemed small and pale in the moonlight, but she nodded. "Of course you're right, Luther. We've played this game long enough."

}He grabbed her chin and lifted it to look into her eyes. They were misted with tears.

}"Tulsy?" he whispered. "Oh, Tulsy, I never meant to hurt you."

}"I'm not hurt," she insisted. "I'm just disappointed."

}Luther gazed at her closely. "This has been more than a game, hasn't it?"

}Cold fear filled Tulsa May's heart. He was looking into her eyes. Could he see it? Could he see that she loved him, longed for him, ached for the romance he could never give her? Desperately, she sought words that would give lie to the truth in her eyes.

}"I'm just thinking of how much I wanted to go dancing again," she said with a shrug. "I'll miss it."

}Luther's eyes softened and he stroked the side of her jaw tenderly. "Dancing?" he whispered. 'Tulsy, I'll always be here if you want to go dancing."

}Gently, he took her hand in his grasp and laid his palm against her waist. He snuggled up closely against her and began to lead her in a rhythmic, romantic waltz. Luther, his voice low and sweet, sang softly into her ear as
;
they turned and swirled in the moonlight near the slow, seductive sound of the running river.

}"Night and the stars are gleaming

}Tender and true;

}Dearest my heart is dreaming,

}Dreaming of you!"

}