Solitary Horseman (14 page)

“No, I understand I’ll have to earn that. I’m talking about how you’re treated. After watching the ranch hands acting foolish over you and that Yankee Decker trying to woo you, I just figured you were treated kindly by everyone in these parts. Now that you mention it, though, I know that’s not true. But, like I told you before, I take care of family, friends, and my partners. I won’t abide people disrespecting you.”

“Callum, I didn’t tell you that because I wanted you to fight my battles. Respect, like trust, has to be earned. It’s up to me—”

“That’s not entirely true. You haven’t done a damn thing to any of those people for them to shun you or for Sadie and Lilah to talk about you like they did.” He held up one hand to stop her from speaking. “I’m on a roll here, so you best let me talk. I understand why they do what they do. After all, I was raised to treat Paynes like vermin, but that doesn’t make it right or forgivable. And most of us were raised to not trust Yankees, to fear Indians, and to treat Negroes like beasts of burden. But now we have to learn to live with them as neighbors and friends.” He shrugged. “Live and learn, Banner. Live and learn.”

She smiled. “Well, if for nothing else, I’m glad I went with you today because we’re talking like two normal people and you smiled and laughed with me.”

A small smile poked at the corner of his mouth before he jumped down from the wagon and came around to help her out of it. His hands at her waist made her scintillatingly aware of his strength. She balanced herself by planting her hands on his shoulders and felt as if she weighed no more than a feather as he lifted her and then set her on her feet with care.

“Thank you, Callum,” she said, unable to meet his gaze.

“You’re welcome.”

Hearing the humor in his tone, she glanced up and was surprised when he winked at her. “What’s that for?” she asked, laughing a little.

“For you.” He bobbed one shoulder before letting go of her. “You go on inside and I’ll see to Pansy.” He trailed his fingers over the limp flowers hanging in her mane. “You going to church in the morning?”

“Yes, I believe I will.”

He nodded. “Good. See you tomorrow.”

She left him to change out of her fancy dress and back into her normal clothes. By the time she’d finished putting on her split skirt, old shirt, and work boots, she heard him riding away. Unable to help herself, she peeked through the window, appreciating the way he sat on the horse and the easy movement of his body.

Her thoughts scurried back to that other barn . . . in the shadows . . . his mouth hungry on hers.

Trust. Not only did she not trust him completely, she didn’t trust herself when she was with him. When he kissed her, she ached for more and more. Turning away from the window, she jerked when she saw a silhouette in the bedroom doorway.

“Hollis! You scared a year off me!” She pressed a hand over her bucking heart.

“Did you have a good time?”

She shrugged. “It was okay.”

“Altus Decker was here today.”

She sat in a chair and plucked pins from her hair. “I suppose he still wants to buy our land.”

“He says that Cal Latimer has told everyone that he’s taken over our land. That it belongs to him now.”

“Do you actually believe that?” She combed her fingers through her hair.

“He asked me if I knew that Latimer was sullying your name. Says that Latimer has told everyone he’s bedded you.”

She jumped up from the chair, propelled by indignation. “You certainly can’t believe that!” How dare Decker spout such lies about her!

“He hasn’t, has he?”

She was walking past him, but she spun around so suddenly that he backed into the door facing. “You are
not
asking me that, Hollis Payne!” She shoved a fist in front of his face and shook it. “Are you?
Are you?”

His eyes widened and he shook his head once.

The anger left her like a flame snuffed out by a quick exhale of breath and she slumped. “I’m sorry, Hollis. I just . . . I’m tired of being pointed at . . . ridiculed.”

“Were you treated like that today?”

“No. Well, some people were hateful, but not everyone.” She rested a hand on is shirtfront. “You know how it is. They need to whittle on people to make themselves feel bigger.”

Hollis looked so sad, it wrenched her heart and she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“It’s okay! We have each other.”

“I’m sorry I asked you, Banner. I shouldn’t’ve. I know you’re a good girl.”

She rubbed her cheek against the scratchy material of his shirt. “The thing is, Hollis, I’m not a girl anymore. I’m a woman and I do like Callum. I think he likes me some, too.” She felt Hollis’s heart give a kick.

“You’re a good woman, though.”

“I am.” She raised her head to meet his worried gaze. “And Callum is a good man. He’s been good to us, hasn’t he?”

Hollis nodded.

“So, we won’t listen to people who talk bad about him – or about me. Let them flap their gums.” She wrinkled her nose playfully, goading him toward a more congenial mood. “We know better.”

“Folks are flapping their gums a lot lately.” He rested his callused palm against her cheek. “You be careful, little sister. Words
can
hurt you. They can cut like a knife and scar you up real bad.”

“You look quite lovely this morning, Miss Payne,” Albert Decker said as he walked from the church beside Banner. “Did your brother mention that I stopped by yesterday?”

“He did.” She edged her elbow from his grasp and put a bit more distance between them. “He told me you were gossiping about me.”

“What?” Decker gave her a shocked look she didn’t believe for a second. “I must dissuade you of that notion. I did mention what I had heard others saying, but I did so because I felt your brother should know that your honor and good name are being trampled by Callum Latimer.”

“I’m not worried. My honor and my name have been trampled by nearly everyone in these parts, so that’s nothing new.” She quickened her step. “You’ll excuse me, sir. I must get back home. Good day to you.”

“The people here haven’t embraced me, either, so I am most understanding. I thought that you might join me for a picnic and a buggy ride. It’s such a beautiful day.” He nearly trotted to keep next to her, as pesky as a blue fly.

“No, thank you. I have chores waiting for me.” She drew nearer her wagon and barely resisted the urge to sprint to it.

“As I’ve said before, a lady as fine as you shouldn’t be working so hard. You should be treasured like the rare jewel you are.”

She closed her eyes for a second to keep from rolling them. “Well, this
jewel
has hogs to slop and clothes to wash. Goodbye.” Grabbing the seat rail and placing her foot on the side of the front wheel, she hoisted herself up into the vehicle so quickly that Decker had no chance to place his hands on her to assist her. Just as she’d planned. She snatched up the reins, released the brake, and Pansy took off.

Her smile of satisfaction at leaving Decker in a cloud of dust faded as her bad mood descended on her again. She’d fully expected to see Callum at church. He’d asked her if she would be in attendance and then he didn’t show up! What really rankled was that she cared so much about it. If someone offered her twenty dollars to recite twenty words the pastor had spoken in his sermon, she’d be at a loss. All she’d been focused on was watching for Callum, waiting for him, wondering why he’d changed his mind about attending services. After a night’s sleep did he face the morning regretting the day he’d spent with her and his conduct?

She tried to shake off the feelings and silence the taunting voice in her head, telling her that he was just a man who had given in to his baser instincts, but it didn’t mean a thing to him.

Sadie had glared at her several times during services until finally Banner had glared right back, arching a brow in a silent question. With a jerk of her chin, Sadie had turned away from her to whisper something to the woman sitting beside her. The older woman had glanced at Banner and wrinkled her nose in distaste.

Oooh! Banner fumed inwardly, remembering how she’d wanted to stomp across the church and tell them that she’d had enough of their holier-than-thou attitudes. Instead, she had remained seated and wished she’d stayed home instead of coming to church, not to worship as she should have done, but to spend time with Callum Latimer. How pathetic.

Looking back over her own conduct, she was ashamed of herself. Not for kissing Callum or the need that he’d sparked inside her. No. But for all the times people had ridiculed her or turned their noses up at her and she had tried to make herself small and disappear. She’d grown up accepting the abuse, turning the other cheek, letting her brothers do the talking back and fist fighting.

“Time for you to fight for yourself,” she murmured, sitting taller and feeling her spine stiffen with resolve. “No more biting your tongue. No more not speaking your mind. And no more making excuses for other people’s behavior or your own!”

Instead of wondering why Callum wasn’t at church and worrying that he didn’t want to face her again so soon, she would, by gosh, ask him about it at her earliest opportunity!

She was so deep into her thoughts and aggravated with herself that she didn’t notice what was going on in front of her house until Pansy blew out a noisy breath and tossed her head vigorously. Banner squinted against the glare of the sun at the man bent over in front of her porch, hammer in hand. Several boards were stacked on the lawn and a saw glinted on top of them. What in the world was Hollis doing now? She secretly hoped that the steps had finally broken, forcing Hollis to repair them. The sunlight skimmed over shoulders that were too broad to belong to her brother. She sucked in a quick breath. Callum! What in tarnation was he doing?

He straightened and looked around, lifting one gloved hand in greeting. “Howdy there, Miss Payne.”

She tugged mightily at the reins to get Pansy to stop instead of continuing to plod toward the barn and a feedbag. “What are you . . . Pansy, whoa!” She finally wrestled the horse to a full stop. “What, pray tell, are you doing here?” Her gaze fell on the fresh lumber comprising a set of sturdy steps leading up to her porch and shock knocked the breath and irritation out of her. “You fixed them,” she whispered, awed.

He used one thumb to push the brim of his hat back. “I surely did.”

Her gaze tracked up the porch to the front door that was no longer hanging on by one hinge. “And the door!” She blinked, wondering if her eyes deceived her. What in the world was this all about? Why would he . . ? Her hands loosened on the reins and Pansy took that as a sign for her to move on. The wagon jerked and Banner almost tumbled from the seat.

Callum was there in a flash, grabbing onto Pansy’s halter to keep her in place. “Whoa! You okay, Banner?”

“Yes.” She shook her head, baffled. “Why did you do this?”

“I didn’t feel like going to church today.” He shrugged, his green eyes dancing with sunlight.

“You never intended on going to church this morning, did you?”

He reached up a hand to her. “Get down from there. I’ll unhitch Pansy.”

She started to put her gloved hand into his, but then pulled away, confusion whirling in her brain like stirred up bees. “I’ll see to Pansy.”

“Are you angry about something?”

“I’m baffled as to why you would spend your Sunday morning repairing these steps and my front door.”

“Just being neighborly. Something wrong with that?”

“No, of course not.” She bobbed one shoulder. “Thank you.” Uncharitable, she knew, and the better part of her told her that she shouldn’t take out her bad mood on him. But he was there and she was brewing for a fight.

“You’re welcome.” He eyed her, then gripped Pansy’s halter and started walking her toward the barn.

“What are you doing?” She heard the whip-snap of her tone and tried to rein in her foul disposition.

“I’ll help you unhitch the wagon.”

“No, that’s okay. I can do it.”

He glanced back at her. “So can I.”

“Callum, I hitch and unhitch this wagon every day.”

“Yep.”

She slumped a little in defeat. “Have you seen Hollis?”

“He went fishing.”

“Did he have a pole?”

Callum scratched at his whiskered jaw, making her aware that he hadn’t shaved this morning. “Come to think of it, I don’t think he did.”

“Then he’s off somewhere reading poetry. He’ll show up at supper time.”

“Even before the war, your brothers weren’t much for repairing things around the house.”

Instinctively, she bristled and started to sass him, but stopped herself. What he’d said was the bald truth, but it still rankled. “Pa and the boys always acted like the house was my territory. They farmed, raised cattle, and hunted. I cooked and cleaned and kept up the house. But there were some things I didn’t know how to do.”

They’d reached the barn and he helped her down from the wagon. “Hollis should do more around here.”

“He does what he can. He needs time to be alone.” She brushed down her skirt. “I’ve fussed to him countless times about the steps and how I wish the door was back on its hinges.” Looking up, she felt her eyes widen when he actually rolled his at her.

“And why do I deserve that look?” She propped her hands on her hips and her sour mood bubbled to the surface again.

“Yammering on about something just makes a man’s ears plug up. Women need to tell men what they want.”

“Yammering? That’s what women do? Well, maybe we think that men should be smart enough to figure these things out for themselves! Maybe we think we shouldn’t have to ask for something that’s broken to be fixed. Nobody has to ask me to cook dinner. I’m sharp enough to realize that folks get hungry when they’re not fed.”

One corner of his mouth quirked up and lights danced in his green eyes. “You sure you’re not riled, Banner?”

His beguiling grin cooled her temper and smoothed her rough edges. “Maybe a little.” She shrugged. “But I believe in what I said.”

“You sure you’re not sore at me about something? Maybe about yesterday?”

“I didn’t enjoy church this morning is all.” Fiddling with her bonnet to keep from looking at him, she added, “But I do very much appreciate what you’ve done around here this morning.”

“I was pleased to do it.” He took over and within a few minutes the wagon was unhitched and Pansy was chomping on oats and hay. Banner shut the stall door and turned, thinking Callum was still in the barn, but he was out by the house, hoisting lumber he hadn’t used onto one shoulder before heading back in her direction.

“I’ll put this in here. I might need if for another project.”

“What project?”

He stacked the milled boards against the barn wall and straightened. “You could use some deeper shelves in your kitchen.”

“I could, but it’s not your place to do such things for me.” She joined him out in the sunlight. “So, what made you decide to do all of this?”

“We’re partners.” He thumbed back his hat, pushing it farther up his forehead. “Neighbors.”

“Or maybe you’re feeling a mite ashamed of yourself and you’re trying to set things right.”

He blinked his thick, spikey lashes at her. “Come again?” What would I be ashamed of?”

“Of what we . . .” She pressed her lips together, exasperated at him for making her say it. “Kissing the way we did.”

“The day I’m ashamed of kissing a pretty woman is the day hell will freeze over.” He poked his index finger at her. “I’ll have you know, Miss Payne, that I decided to fix your steps and front door to show you some kindness. I appreciate how you’ve treated my father, especially since he’s been so hateful toward you. He’s getting around better and I know that’s because of you bullying him and hounding him.
That’s
why I decided to do a bit of work around here.” He stalked away from her, but after a few long strides, he stopped and spun back around. “You’re the one having regrets about yesterday.” Then he headed for the house again.

She stomped after him, lifting her skirts a little to clear her pounding feet. “I do not! I was at church today because you asked me to be there and you didn’t show up.”

“I didn’t ask you to be at church,” he flung over his shoulder. “I asked if you were going to church. I wanted to surprise you.” He straightened suddenly as she skidded to a halt in front of him. “Generally, people go to church to worship the Lord.” One corner of his mouth twitched. “Did I just hear you say that you were at church for some other reason?”

She tipped back her head to look up at his sparkling eyes and half-smile. Her heart tripped over itself. The dark stubble shadowing his jawline made him seem even more virile. Everything soft and feminine in her curled and purred. The tart words melted on her tongue.

“You’re making fun of me,” she accused even as she felt a smile spread across her lips.

“Maybe.” He swept his hat off and ruffled his black hair. “Maybe I just can’t seem to help myself when I’m around you. And maybe, just maybe you want me to do this as much as I want to do it.” Before she knew what he was about, his free hand curved at her waist and he tugged her forward as his mouth descended. His lips brushed against hers softly, questioningly. A mewling sound emerged from her throat and he answered it with a deep growl as her lips parted and his warm tongue sought entrance.

Kissing him was a revelation that never seemed to lose any of its power and wonder. Banner opened to him like a flower to the sun and his tongue slid carnally against hers, stealing her breath and her restraint. His hand slipped around to her back, pressing her against him so that she was achingly aware of his hard, muscled body.

“I can’t keep my hands off you, Banner Payne,” he whispered against her lips. “Why is that?”

She didn’t know. She couldn’t speak. All of the confusion and spite she’d been feeling disappeared and she wanted only for his mouth to claim hers again. She snaked one hand up his chest, his neck, and his whisker-dotted jaw until she could grab a fistful of his inky hair and bring his wicked lips back to hers. She felt his hesitation, wondered if she were being too bold, too brash, but then his mouth covered hers in a deep, drugging kiss. A yearning seared through her like a flame-tipped arrow and she wanted him. Oh, how she wanted him! She wanted him in a way she’d never wanted a man before – completely, carnally, passionately.

“What are y’all doin’?”

Banner nearly jumped out of her skin in contrast to Callum. He slowly straightened from her and turned slightly toward Hollis, who stood a few feet from them, wearing a thunderous expression.