Timeless Passion: 10 Historical Romances To Savor (118 page)

He was fascinated with the seamless rhythm and flow of the work. There was no excess motion and though done quickly, the calves were not treated with undue roughness.

Absorbed in the scene before him, he almost missed Kara riding into the pen. She was guiding her horse with her knees, as she tugged on her leather work gloves, the reins wrapped around the saddle horn. Once her gloves were on, she tugged loose the rope tied to her saddle and began shaking out the loop. Hawke watched the fluid grace of her body as she stood in the stirrups and took a few practice twirls with the rope. Settling down in the saddle, she approached the calves, looking to pick one out of the group.

Her movements reminded him of a cat stalking sinuously amongst a flock of birds looking for prey.

“You watch her, Pryce, she can teach you a thing or two about working cattle,” Joe said, coming up beside him. He nodded but didn’t turn from watching the woman and the horse.

Kara raised her arm over her head, twirling the rope slowly at first, then picking up speed as she picked out a calf. Standing slightly in the saddle she let the loop fly, snagging one. Turning her horse around, the rope came taut across her thigh as her horse moved steadily forward, the reluctant calf bounced and bucked behind her.

“Case and I taught her to ride, but it was Secondino and the charros taught her how to rope. No one handles a rope better than those Mexican cowboys. Hell, there’s things that little gal can do with a rope that would amaze you.”

Hawke looked at the foreman, an eyebrow quirked up in question. Joe cleared his throat, and looked down at his tally sheet.

Looking back toward the pen, he smiled at the thought of her and her rope and a large comfortable bed, and the tricks he could teach her.

Kara’s rope had been released from the calf and she headed back towards the remaining animals to bring out another calf. One, bolder than the rest, tried to bolt; she lowered her reins to the horse’s neck, and leaned back in the saddle, gripping the horn with her other hand in a silent signal. Dropping his head, the gelding went to work moving quickly back and forth, keeping the calf where he wanted him.

Recognition struck Hawke like a thunderbolt as he watched the strange dance before him.

“She was the one we saw the day we rode in,” he stammered, shooting Joe an accusing look. “Why didn’t you mention then the rider was the owner’s daughter?”

“Would you have believed me?” The question came quietly, bringing him up short.

“I’m not sure.” Another memory stirred. “Didn’t you also say she trained the horse herself?” At Joe’s nod, he turned back, amazed.

“Okay, Kara,” Joe shouted. “Quit showing off. Hawke is suitably impressed. Get back to work.”

The stiffening of her spine told Hawke the remark did not sit well.

• • •

Kara shortened the reins, pulling the gelding up as she loosened her rope and went back to work.

“Showing off for that man,” she muttered under her breath. “Not likely.”

An accusing voice in her head argued she was doing exactly that, trying to prove to him she was every bit as capable as he had been told. She didn’t know why, but she wanted him to admire and approve of her abilities. Of her. She knew she couldn’t possibly compare to the sophisticated women he was used to. Did she want to compare? Distracted by her thoughts, she had to quickly pull her hand out of the way as a calf hit the end of her rope snapping it tight. Realizing she could get hurt if she didn’t keep her wandering thoughts under control, she forced herself to concentrate on the job before her.

• • •

The day wore on and Hawke spent time questioning the hands about their various jobs and how they contributed to the running of the ranch.

During some slack time, he asked Secondino to teach him how to rope. After several aborted attempts, he finally got a loop going and was aiming the rope at a fence post when he saw Kara watching him from the back of her horse.

Her leg was hooked loosely over the horn, mimicking a sidesaddle, her arms crossed on her knee and she was bent slightly forward watching him. She smiled at his attempts to get control over the wobbly rope.

“Not much use, is there, Mr. Pryce? Knowing how to throw a rope when you return to those fancy parties in London?”

Flashing a grin at her, his gaze raked over her body slowly, seeing the challenge in her eyes.

“Now, I don’t know.” He eyed the rope first, then her, quirking a brow. “It could save some time, should I desire some young lady’s company.” Swinging the rope back and forth, he looked at her again with a mischievous grin. “Kind of like casting a fishing line in a deep stream.”

Kara laughed out loud. “I can see it. A ballroom full of people, then, out of the dark, a rope sails over the glittering party, landing on an unsuspecting proper miss. Some well-dressed young woman bucking and tugging at the end of the rope while you pull her to you. What would you do then? Throw her and hog-tie her so she couldn’t get away?” She threw her head back, the laughter flowing freely.

Hawke was entranced with this new side of her. Gone was the wary, resentful child, replaced by a woman comfortable enough to tease him and laugh with him. She lowered her head and looked at him and he almost forgot to breathe. Her eyes were shining with laughter and her lips were full and soft, her smile showing strong white teeth. Her cheeks were flushed a delicate rose from the laughter and at that moment he couldn’t deny the desire he felt. His heart thudded in his chest and a wave of heat slammed through his body. He barely contained the groan rising from his chest. He didn’t know what it was about her, but God, he wanted this woman in a way he had never felt for another. The urge to possess her and make her completely his overwhelmed him again.

Chapter 12

The laughter died on Kara’s lips. Gone was the easy humor, replaced by a deep smoldering blaze lighting his eyes from within. They were the color of gathering storm clouds and the silver ring around the outside almost glowed. Even from the back of her horse she could feel the raw need emanating from him as he held her with his eyes.

A shiver danced down her spine as her body responded to the desire in his eyes. Her skin became sensitive to every breeze, a jangling in her belly sent waves of tingling heat skittering through her, pooling hotly between her thighs. Her shirt rubbed against too sensitive nipples, making them harden as a pleasurable ache spread through her in a primal response.

Lust. Raw and uncontrolled. She tried to corral her riotous thoughts and cool the heat dancing across her skin.
I can’t want this man. He’s everything I’m fighting against.

She closed her eyes, trying to shut out his hypnotic gaze and the sensations swirling around her. She felt a moan rising in her chest and fought to suppress it before it crossed her lips. Unable to resist the pull, she opened her eyes and was caught in the swirl of sensuous heat promised in those stormy eyes. She knew she was lost when her rebellious imagination conjured the feel of his fingers warm on her skin, caressing, arousing. Breaking eye contact, she looked around frantically, hoping no one else had noticed what was happening between them.

• • •

“Kara.” He started toward her slowly, his hand out, worried about how pale she had become, afraid she might fall from her horse. The shallow, rapid rising of her chest, and her eyes, wild with fear, had him worried.

Hawke was amazed at her response. Lord, if she responded so strongly without him even touching her, he could only imagine the fire and passion when he held her in his arms.

If he weren’t careful, every cowboy out there would know exactly what he was thinking. Feeling his growing arousal, he groaned, struggled for control, but all his traitorous body wanted to do was drag her from the back of her horse and taste the passion he felt. Looking away, he saw Joe across the pen, and the thought of being thrown to the ground, tied up, and castrated like one of the calves did much to ease his arousal.

He reached up and placed a hand over hers. He could feel her trembling, even through the heavy leather glove.

“No!” She cried, jerking her hand back. Throwing her leg back over her saddle horn, she pulled back on the reins, causing the gelding to throw his head up, almost knocking Hawke down. Jumping to the side, he tried to grab the reins to stop the horse and calm her down. Her face had gone from white to red and her eyes snapped in anger as she looked at him.

“No, I won’t.” He heard her say softly, the tension in her voice palpable. “I won’t.” He tried again to grab the reins and stop her as she turned the horse, but he couldn’t get a grip. The horse spun quickly away from the pens as Kara spurred him into a gallop.

Hawke headed for his horse determined to stop her, but was stopped by Joe.

“Leave her be, yer lordship.” Hawke could see the man’s clenched fists. He wasn’t sure if Joe was going to take a swing at him but concern about Kara overrode concern about his own safety.

“She needs the likes of you to leave her alone. You’re too worldly for a girl like her. You’ll just break her heart. Why are you trying to dally with her feelings?” Joe leveled him with an accusing stare daring him to say otherwise. “You’ll just leave, and she don’t need to know what it feels like to have someone break her heart.” Anger darkened the foreman’s face. “I think I better let Case know what happened here. Let him know you were panting after Kara like a bull in a breeding pen.”

“I don’t want to hurt her. I … we just need to talk.” Hawke tried to reason with the older man. “I’m not completely sure what just happened. I know we both felt something neither one of us understand or are ready to deal with. I want to make sure she’s all right, and that she makes it back to the house safely.”

“Don’t you worry ’bout that none.” A wad of tobacco juice landed next to his boots. “She can find her way home blindfolded in the middle of the night. She won’t do anything to hurt that horse of hers neither. She’ll run him out for a bit, slow down, and then amble on home. You let her father and Consuelo take care of her. She don’t need the likes of you upsetting her more.”

Grumbling about interferin’ foreigners, he turned and yelled at the men in the pen.

Hawke was taken aback at the boldness of the man. It truly was a different world out here. The only person who had ever talked to him that way was his father. He knew he had told Alec that titles didn’t matter out here, and he’d just had it proven to him. He watched Joe mount his horse, and continue to direct the other men to put out the branding fire, and turn the cattle loose.

Joe spun his horse around and trotted back over. “I think I’ll talk to Case about you spending some time working fence … ” His eyebrows lowered beneath the brim of his weathered hat. “Away from Kara.”

Chapter 13

Kara had given Gally his head as they left the pens, trying to outrun the frightening feelings. Slowing the gelding to a walk, she took several deep breaths and tried to slow the pounding of her heart.

Leaning over the saddle, she wrapped her arms around his neck, inhaling the warm, musky, horsy scent that always made her feel better. “What is wrong with me, Gally? He looks at me, and I feel like liquid fire is running through my veins. Bah! I’m a fool.” She straightened back in her saddle, trying to work out these new and unsettling feelings.

“He’s doing this so he can have the whole ranch!”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew she was wrong. He’d never acted in any way other than honestly with her and her father. She had to trust her father’s instincts.

Except for the secret he and his friend had. Her brow knit in concentration, trying to fathom what it was about. Did Papa know? Maybe he could tell her.

The more she pondered, the calmer she felt. She wasn’t going to let what happened at the pens take control of her.

Taking a deep breath of the warm early evening air, she looked out at the land she loved. To the south lay the Mal Pais
,
the bad country;
long flows of ancient volcanic rock cutting across the grasslands like a jagged black scar. The grass, tall and green, waved gently in the breeze. The colors of the grasslands changed as the waves of green flowed and rippled restlessly in front of her, matching her own unease.

Thinking on what had happened, she realized that Hawke had been as surprised as she.
What is happening? He makes me feel, makes me want, and makes me forget I don’t like him. He worked hard today to make me laugh. But then, he touched me, and Lord, what am I going to do?

Taking a deep breath, she looked around. Spring was her favorite time of year. Everything was new and fresh. By summer, the land would begin to bake in the intense heat and the grasses would fade to a brownish-green, dry and die. Before long, working in the middle of the day would be a test of endurance. Cattle, horses and people alike would do what they could to avoid excessive movement in the midday inferno. By midsummer the heavy afternoon rains would alleviate the heat, but the danger of flash floods increased.

Will he still be here?

She rode into the yard, dismounted, and led Gally into the barn where she unsaddled and brushed him down, giving him a generous measure of oats and hay. Patting him affectionately on the neck, she walked out of the stall.

In the shadow of the doorway she saw a figure. Thinking Hawke had followed her, she sucked in her breath, a combination of excitement and irritation; then, realizing the person was too small to be him, released a long, ragged breath.

As the figure moved further into the barn, she was unnerved once again.

“Is there something you need from the barn, Mr. Black?” She tried to keep her voice steady while her skin crawled in unease.

He stared at her from under the rim of a battered hat, pulled low on his brow, brown eyes unblinking for a long moment before replying, his voice low and oily, “I was looking for you … Miss.” Contempt curled through the air.

“What did you want, Mr. Black?”

A leer twisted Black’s face, as he looked her up and down, “Well, now … if you want to know that … . ”