"I'll be right back!" "We'll never have coffee!" Dolly said dolefully.
Tess ignored her.
She was panting and breathless, and wondering what in hell had made her
rush into the den with the lion.
She caught up with Jamie at the brook. When he wanted to, he could move
quickly.
He stared at her as he filled the coffeepot, arehing one brow.
"You want acreage," she said.
"How much?"
"Well, now, I don't know. I haven't seen the property, have I?"
"Give me an idea."
He shrugged. His eyes were hard as he stared at her. "Half. Half of what
you own."
She gasped, stunned.
"You're insane!"
"I can ride back to the fort."
"But you don't even know what I own!"
"That's right. You're the one pushing the point here."
"A quarter."
"Half."
"Never!"
"Half. And that will be it. I won't ask another thing of you, Miss.
Stuart."
"Not on your life."
"We can ride right back." He stood and walked toward her. He didn't
touch her, but he was smiling still.
"Miss. Stuart, normally I don't barter at all, not without seeing what
it is I'm willing to risk my life for."
"You're in the cavalry. You risk your life daily."
"They pay me. And you" -- "I'll pay you wages."
He shook his head slowly.
"You know what I want."
Tremors swept through her. She did know what he wanted--and he kept
saying it was property. He kept smiling, and his eyes roamed up and down
the length of her. "Like I said, I usually like to see what I'm buying
with my time and my Colt. Since I trust you so, I'm willing to take a
chance in this circumstance."
"A quarter," Tess said firmly.
"Half."
He walked by her quickly. She stumbled to keep up with him, but he moved
too fast. She was still stumbling when he walked into the clearing. She
slammed into him and he turned, lifting her chin.
"Half!" he whispered.
She pulled quickly away from him.
"We'll discuss it later. I think you're insane. I think you're just as
crooked as von Heusen. Just another Yankee carpetbagger."
He stiffened, dropped her chin and turned in harsh, military fashion,
then took the coffeepot to the fire. He sank down across from Jori.
"Well, the coffee will taste much better once we've eaten that sizzlin'
sweet rabbit all up!" Dolly said cheerfully.
"It's cooked enough for me," Jon said, leaning over and ripping off a
leg.
He winced as the meat burned his fingers, then he smiled.
"Dig in!"
They all ate hungrily, and in silence. Jamie rose and brought a loaf of
hard bread from the supply pack. It didn't matter that it was hard--it
was delicious. And when they were finished eating, the coffee was done.
It did taste wonderful after all the food, just as Dolly had so
cheerfully suggested.
It grew dark as they sipped it. Velvet dark. The moon was a bare sliver
in the sky, but there were hundreds of stars out, dotting the heavens.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Dolly said.
"Very nice," Tess agreed. She yawned.
"We should take the dishes to the water and wash them now."
"Don't be absurd. It's dark as Hades," Jamie said harshly. His eyes were
smoke when they touched her. He was furious, she realized. And it wasn't
their arguing over the payment in acreage, it couldn't be. He liked to
taunt her and anger her, the silver light of challenge was always in his
eyes then.
But he wasn't feeling fondly toward her at all at the moment, she was
certain. Her heart beat too-hard as his eyes touched her, and she
thought she saw something lethal in him, something that made her shiver,
something that made her think she did not want him to be her enemy. He
was coming to fight her battle, she reminded herself.
But then why did he look as if he wanted to strangle her? "I--I can
bring a lantern," she heard herself saying.
"Dammit, you can just wait until morning!" Jamie said irritably. He
stood, tossing the last of his coffee into a bush.
Then he strode away, disappearing into the darkness. Tess cast a quick
glance toward Jori.
"What's the matter with him?"
Jon shrugged.
"I don't know. You'll have to find out yourself." He stood and
stretched.
"Ladies, I suggest an early night."
"He's gone off on his own!" Tess said indignantly. "He's taking first
guard," Jon said softly.
"I'm going to bed," Dolly announced.
"Tess, now you come, too."
Jori was dragging his saddle and blanket to the fire. He stretched out
and closed his eyes, setting his hat over his face. Dolly headed for the
wagon.
Tess hesitated, then decided to go after Jamie.
She heard Jon rise as she moved into the bushes, and she swore softly,
certain that he would follow her. He did. But before he could reach her,
a hand snaked out for her, catching her arm, swinging her around. She
tossed back her head and met Jamie's angry eyes. She wrenched free from
his grasp.
For safety's sake, she took a step backward.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Looking for you."
"I told you not to run around in the dark!"
"But you" -- "Miss. Stuart, from now on, you're taking orders from me.
And from now on, you listen. And if I hear one more crack out of you
about my being a Yank just like von Heusen, I'll tan your backside until
it's the color of a Comanche. Are we understood?"
"No!" she snapped indignantly.
He took a single step toward her. In the near darkness, his eyes seemed
to glitter with a menacing light.
She decided that she wasn't going to tempt fate any further that
evening.
She didn't think he made idle threats.
She turned and fled.
Jon was standing not far from the camp fire. He had seen her reach
Jamie.
She slowed her pace as she saw him. She smiled pleasantly and wished him
good night. "Good night, Tess," he told her.
She crawled into the wagon. Dolly was already softly snoring. Tess
unhooked her shoes. Closing the cover of the wagon, she stripped down to
her chemise and pantalets. She crawled into her bunk, closed her eyes
and made every effort to sleep. Her heart was still pounding, and she
didn't know if it was with vexation or excitement. He wanted her
property, not her person, she reminded herself. Then how could he seem
to insinuate so much that seemed sensual when they talked about dry
land? And then, of course, he could change so quickly. Lose his temper
over simple words when he could tease so long himself. She didn't
understand, but he was occupying more and more of her mind. And more and
more of her heart.
It was light when she awoke. Dolly was already up. Tess quickly slipped
into her dusty brown dress for the second day on the trail. She tied her
shoes and slipped from 115 the wagon. She could smell coffee brewing
already, and something was cooking in a frying pan.
She could hear voices by the fire. Jori and Dolly, she determined. She
started around the wagon then held Still.
Jamie, bare-chested, in only his boots and jeans, was shaving. His
mirror was leaning against the steps at the front of the wagon, his
shaving mug was on the second step, and he was wielding a straight razor
against his cheeks.
Apparently he caught sight of her in the mirror. He nicked himself and
scowled deeply at her. She should have walked by. She could not. She
smiled, enjoying the sight of him so. He had wonderful shoulders, broad
and very bronze. He was nearly as dark as Jori, with powerfully bunched
muscles in his arms and chest, and hard, unyielding ones at his lean
waist. She swallowed suddenly. She'd seen lots of men bare-chested. The