The Rancher Takes A Bride (9 page)

She stopped trying to get away, her breathing harsh and her green eyes clouded with alarm. A fear he had put there. At this moment he didn't want to see her eyes, full of apprehension.

He wanted to see a passion that would overcome them both, giving him permission to do what he really wanted. But that was impossible, and he would do well to remember that Desirée Severin was no lady.

Still holding her wrists with his fingers, he reached over and untied the rope that had held them bound together. He reached down and untied her ankles. "Do your business while I saddle the horse. We're leaving."

She rubbed her wrist and glared at him. "Don't kiss me again, cowboy. I'm not some cheap saloon girl you can use and then run out of town. Keep your hands to yourself."

He watched as she walked away, her head held high, her back straight. God, where had that saucy spirit come from and what was he going to do with this woman once he got her home?

Rose strolled away into the bushes, breathing slowly and willing her body to relax. She liked kissing Travis Burnett. She liked the warm sense of security she felt in his arms. As though nothing could ever harm her again when she was nestled in the asylum of his well- muscled embrace.

She enjoyed the touch of his lips on hers, enjoyed sparring with the arrogant man. Yet she didn't like his thinking she was a thief. He'd had her thrown in jail, for pity's sake! And still her body responded to his kisses, hungered for his touch.

Rose Severin was a lot of things, but she wasn't a common criminal who stole from people, nor was she an easy woman.

She walked deeper into the trees, leaves crunching beneath her boots. A flock of birds trilled at her invasion, swooping from the trees in a flurry. Why was she attracted to this man?

As she traveled from town to town, there had been very few men in her life. Flirtations, yes, but she never stayed in one place long enough for any serious involvement. No man had ever courted her, or ever bought her a trinket. So why had she suddenly taken an interest in a do-good cowboy who believed the worst of her?

Shaking her head, she shivered, but not from cold on this warm May morning. She didn't know why her pulse seemed to pound whenever he was around. She didn't know why the mere sight of him in his tight pants and filled-out shirts caused her breathing to quicken. She didn't understand how the touch of his lips could turn her muscles to liquid.

And even though she hadn't wanted to return to Fort Worth, even though she had no intention of staying long with Mr. Burnett, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit curious as to where these feelings were leading.

Yes, she'd told him to never kiss her again, but Lord, she hoped he ignored her pleas. Because she wanted his kisses, feared his kisses, trembled at the reaction his lips seemed to create.

Maybe she'd stick around for a little while to figure out what made this cowboy different from the rest of the hatted and gunned men she'd met. Maybe, just maybe, she'd figure out what made this man different.

***

Eugenia heard the dogs barking a greeting and knew it could only be Travis. She glanced out the kitchen window and watched Travis's Appaloosa come clopping into the yard. Desirée sat encompassed in the safety of her son's arms, the two of them nestled together upon the animal's back.

The sight of the young woman with Travis made her smile. It was a pleasant surprise that left Eugenia happy and anxious. Happy because the girl was here, anxious about the lie she'd told her son. Still, at this distance they appeared cozy together, and that did her heart good.

But what was she going to say now that he had brought the young woman back? What were Travis's plans for Desirée, and how long could Eugenia let this farce go on before she spoke up and told the truth?

She untied her apron, tossed it onto a kitchen chair, and hurried through the parlor and out the front door, letting the wooden door slam behind her. She stood waiting for the pair as they rode up to the front porch. She tried not to wring her hands, tried to keep a welcoming smile on her face. But the closer they came, the more anxious she became at the scowls on their faces. The perfect picture they presented needed a few strokes to the canvas just yet.

"Hello, son. Desirée, it's good to see you again. I trust your trip was successful?"

Travis glared at her as though she was out of her mind. "A Sunday school picnic, Mother. Desirée hasn't returned your ring." He glanced down at her. "Yet."

Their looks were like steel hitting flint. Desirée glared up at Travis, and Eugenia couldn't help but think what a handsome couple they would make. Their children—her grandchildren—would be beautiful. She was doing the right thing.

You haven't
found
it yet, cowboy." Desirée issued the challenge, a smile on her face.

"Get down and come in, children. You must be tired and hungry." Tense, Eugenia felt as if her insides were going to be wrung out Travis was clearly frustrated, and Desirée seemed to be enjoying his agitation.

"Mrs. Burnett, you know I didn't take your ring."

Travis made a sound of disbelief. He swung his leg over his horse and climbed out of the saddle.

Eugenia took a deep breath. No, the girl hadn't taken her ring, but she couldn't admit to her fabrication just yet. "Well, dear, come on in and rest from your journey. We'll talk about the ring later."

Desirée swung a leg over the top of the saddle and slid down the horse. She stepped away quickly, almost falling, her legs apparently numb from the ride. Travis reached out a hand to balance her. His eyes flashed for just a moment with what looked like desire.

Eugenia felt a surge of relief. So her son wasn't totally immune to the delectable Miss Severin. The lie Eugenia had told wasn't totally irresponsible.

"Detestable animal," Desirée spat.

Travis smiled and hooked his thumbs in his belt. "She didn't throw you now, did she? You deserved to be thrown for talking bad about Belle."

Desirée glanced at the horse and then at Travis. "She wasn't going to throw me. She knew I would call upon the spirits to haunt her if she did."

Travis rolled his eyes. "Why don't you call upon them to find my mother's ring? Or have the spirits deserted you since you left Fort Worth?"

The two squared off like gunfighters. All they needed was six-shooters. Once the shots were fired and after the smoke cleared, they would be forever entwined. And Eugenia would be a grandmother.

Eugenia watched as Desirée reached out and poked Travis in the chest. "The spirits have been protecting me from you. They know I would never steal, but they're watching you."

The air fairly sparked between the two of them; the tension swirled around them tighter than a whirlwind. Eugenia almost laughed out loud. It was working. The attraction was there just as she knew it would be.

All they needed was a shove in the right direction and they would fall wildly in love. But first they had to get past this bickering stage. Somehow she had to help them by giving them a little nudge. One that would leave them hot enough to be searching for a preacher.

Travis grinned. "Kind of them to watch over me. Tell them there's work to be done, though, and I'd rather they helped out than just stand around and watch."

Eugenia felt the urge to separate the two of them. "See your horse to the barn, Travis, while I take Desirée inside."

Desirée walked up the wooden stairs to the front porch, her calico dress rustling with her movements. She stopped just inches from Eugenia and looked her straight in the eyes.

"You know I didn't take your ring. I don't even know what it looks like."

Taking the young woman by the arm, Eugenia strolled toward the door. "Let's not worry about the ring right now. We'll have time later."

Desirée gave a quick glance behind her to see if Travis followed. But he stood talking to a man who had walked up and looked completely absorbed in the young man's words.

Eugenia led her inside the parlor and through the kitchen door. "Don't mind my son. Sometimes he can be like any other man, obstinate as they come. But once he smells the stew Cook has prepared, he'll come running. He always does."

"Mrs. Burnett, he brought me here against my will," the girl said wistfully, twisting Eugenia's heart.

"Yes. Well, dear, he's just trying to get to the bottom of our little disagreement. Think of it this way—you'll get a few days of rest while you're visiting our ranch."

Eugenia hoped the young woman would never leave again, but that was yet to be determined.

"Now then, you sit right down here in this chair and rest while I serve you some of this stew."

"Frankly, Mrs. Burnett, I'd like a moment to freshen up."

Eugenia stopped. "Oh dear, you can tell how long it's been since I've had guests. You're absolutely right. Let me show you to your room."

She took Desirée up the stairs, purposely taking her to the guest room across the hall from Travis's room. They would be so close that each of them could almost hear the other's next breath. But her son was a good man, and she wasn't concerned about any improprieties.

"I'll give you some time to rest and clean up. We'll eat, say in an hour?"

"That's fine." Desirée stood in the middle of the room, staring at the pink curtains and matching spread.

"I won't be staying long."

"Well, we won't worry about that right now. I'll send Travis up with your bag just as soon as I can. Rest, dear, and then we'll have supper."

Eugenia closed the door behind the young woman and stepped back into the hall. Well, Desirée and Travis were under the same roof. Now what should a matchmaking mother do?

***

Rose watched as the door shut, then ran over to the bedroom window. She tugged at the wooden frame until she managed to slide the pane of glass up. Quickly she stuck her head out and gazed in amazement at the orderly look of the place.

The sweet fragrance of flowers drew her attention to a wooden trellis entwined with climbing roses, their blossoms just below her window. Cattle bawled off in the distance, and occasionally she heard the snort of a horse. The Bar None was just about the biggest spread she'd ever seen. But then again, she'd never been on a working ranch, only heard about them.

And the house. Lord, this place was a mansion compared to some of the hellholes she'd been forced to live in. She stepped away from the window and glanced around the room, wondering what would it be like to grow up in a home like this. With a mother who probably baked cookies and sewed your clothes. What would it be like to sit down at a dinner table and glance across at both of your parents?

She shook her head, cleared her thoughts, and glanced around the room. She would never know, and she wouldn't be here long enough to find out. But for the short time she was here, why shouldn't she enjoy herself? After all, Eugenia seemed excited to have company, and Rose just knew that had to stick in Travis's craw. And she'd do just about anything to make this cowboy suffer. Just about anything.

An hour later Rose came back down the stairs. She had dusted off her only gown and taken a sponge bath in the water basin provided in her room. Overall she didn't think she looked too bad, for having ridden over a hundred miles on horseback. Her derriere was bruised and sore, but otherwise she'd fared pretty well, all things considered.

She walked through the parlor, her eyes taking in the splendid furniture, the classic revival-style couch, a Georgian gentleman's chair, and a lady's rocking chair. The room was elegantly furnished with a richness she'd never experienced in her twenty-one years.

Her eyes were drawn to the painting above the fireplace. The man's steely gaze caused her to stop and stare. Travis Burnett stared back at her, but he was older, more distinguished-looking. The same deep, rich brown eyes, the same arrogant nose and stubborn chin, stared back at her, and she knew this must be Thomas Burnett. Papa Burnett looked meaner than a bull in springtime. She felt as if he were returning her gaze, measuring her worth. And she couldn't help but tilt back her head and meet his gaze head on.

Strolling through the parlor, she lingered to admire the trinkets, wondering if her mother had ever owned a home as fine as this one. Finally, she reached the kitchen door and heard the raised voices. Her hand rested on the door as she listened to mother and son argue.

"Mother, Desirée is not a guest to be treated like royalty."

"Travis, I don't care what you think she's done, she is still a visitor in our home."

"You're the one who accused her of taking your ring."

"You're right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stand by and let you take her to jail. She doesn't deserve to be locked up."

Rose put her hand to her mouth to keep from crying out. Jail! He wanted to take her back to jail! The memory of sitting in that cramped cell with four other women made her cringe.

"What do you want me to do with her? Slap her on the hand and say 'don't do it again'?"

"I want you to let her stay here at the ranch until the ring is found."