High-Riding Heroes (9 page)
She was beautiful, showered in the light from the fat, round moon; the staunch shadows of the town jutted toward the black sky behind her. It was as if she had let a shield down, one she held out in front of her like a banner at all times.
“I could teach you,” he offered as he dismounted and leaned his arms on the fence.
She shook her head. “I don’t think I could do it. I don’t know if my horse could do it.”
“Sure, you both can. It’ll take practice and patience, but you’ll do fine. Why are you taking a walk this late at night? Is anything wrong?” Laying the horse’s reins over his shoulder, Wes leaned sinewy forearms on the fence.
She smiled. “I could ask you why you’re riding this late at night but I think I know. You needed to be alone with your thoughts and yourself. I guess I needed that, too.”
“To be alone with my thoughts and me?” he teased.
She was glad for the darkness and his inability to see that a warm rush of red came to her cheeks and that he was totally unaware of the way his closeness left her weak. The fence boards felt rough and splintery under her hands. The soft, almost nonexistent brush of his lips on hers was unexpected, startling, then warm and fiery and left her waiting for more.
“Every woman should be kissed when she stands in the moonlight on a night like this,” he explained, his voice whispery and skidding along her ears.
She was amazed for the second time that night. Excitement whirled its way from the pit of her stomach to fill her.
66
High-Riding Heroes
His eyes, dark in the daylight, were only shadows…but she felt their intensity. She was inclined to press forward and kiss him, not the feathery contact but hard, full, and sound. She stepped back from it.
“Why isn’t a beautiful woman like you married?”
His question was so completely off the wall, she stepped back and tilted her head. “Why?”
“Yes, why? I can’t imagine some man not scooping you up and taking you home with him. Forever.”
His voice was low and coaxing. It rode along her senses and raised her pulse beat.
Lulled by the night, amazed by his light kiss, surprised by Wes’s comfortable interest, Victoria sighed, letting her mind run backward. It was the first time she actually felt free to express her feelings. “Remember I was. Once upon a time.”
He chuckled. “Tell me about it.”
“His name is David. He’s quiet, sophisticated, and peaceful.” It was nice to be able to talk about David without having to be on the defensive. “I think I was always waiting for the superman I thought was inside him to break out. He’s handsome, charming, and loving. But he lacked something I needed. A spark, I guess. A thrill for being alive. He was a fiery lawyer in the courtroom, but a passionless man the rest of the time. He was content to watch TV. He was happy to read the Sunday paper on a beautiful bright morning that simply screamed for a long walk or a good game of tennis. He thought a ripping thunderstorm was good for the grass but never paid any attention to the power in the streaks of lightning or got a bang at the feel of thunder rumbling the earth. He could name every star in the sky but he could never simply look up and enjoy the majestic beauty of a brilliant night. Nothing excited him.”
67
Joey Light
Looking up at Wes, she was glad not to see a frown of blame, a look of impatience, one of aversion. Her mother would have looked that way and did very often. “Everything to him was just okay.
The bottom line was that I was afraid I would atrophy.”
They were walking side by side with the fence in between, headed toward the gate.
“He sounds like a real monster,” Wes bedeviled. And then thinking better of it, he asked, “How long have you been divorced?” He attempted to keep his amusement from dancing in his eyes. This lady had been suffering from a guilt put on her, and one she accepted. A little twist of anger for those who had done this to her tightened the muscles in his jaw.
“A bit over a year. Even that was civil. When I told him, he merely stood up, put the paper aside, and held me. Now that I look back on it, I think two friends got married. And it wasn’t enough for either of us. Our families were happy with the wedding and furious with the divorce. Society had labeled us as perfect for each other. The families took it as a personal failure. He helped me pack my things, stood on the sidewalk, kissed me, and waved goodbye.”
“Fool,” Wes muttered and meant it. Swinging the gate wide, he led his horse through.
Her head snapped up and she squared off with him, forcing him to stop.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He cupped her chin with his hand and tilted it so he could see better the tears that threatened to fall. “Not you. Any man would be a fool to let you out of his life.”
It took her breath away. The quiet fierceness in his voice, the thunder in his eyes. Oh, she was a fool all right, she thought. To be standing here with this man 68
High-Riding Heroes
on what seemed a romantic night. She met his kiss full this time. But still he kept it light and left her wondering what more would be like.
Walking with him as he stabled his horse, she silently assessed what it was his light kiss was forcing her to feel. She hung the bridle on the peg. He hoisted the saddle on the rack. Flipping the light off, Victoria strolled beside him back toward the saloon.
The light, casual touch of his mouth had her heart pounding. She felt her resentment for him surface again. He was too smooth. So sure of himself. And practiced.
“Buck mentioned my folks’ ranch when he introduced us. They are having a barbecue tomorrow. Why don’t you come up with me?” Tipping his head, he moved in front of her to gauge her expression in the shadows.
“I’d love to see a real working ranch.” And she would. But she didn’t know if she wanted to spend time with this man. She sensed she could learn
a lot more about him and like him. But did she want to like him even
more? She shrugged.
She had found herself doing it again. Analyzing everything and making a problem out of it. A simple barbecue on a real working quarter horse ranch. It sounded like fun and it would be an education. Only she was making it a big deal. He had asked her so matter-of-factly that he couldn’t be considering it a date.
“Then we’ll leave at three.” They walked into the hotel, through the quiet dining room, and, still shoulder to shoulder, up the stairs. At her door he paused.
“Bathroom’s free for the rest of the night. You can indulge in one of your frothy baths without worry of being interrupted.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” she told him and pushed the door open to her room, not at all sure she wasn’t willing to take the chance of being interrupted. She caught a look at her flushed cheeks in the mirror.
69
Joey Light
Inside his room, Wes leaned against the window frame and looked out over the town. Every time he began to feel really good about himself and Victoria, a certain fact made him feel guilty. He remembered Buck coming to him, the talk they had, and what he’d agreed to. And now, despite his resolve to remain seriously uninvolved with any woman for the rest of his life, he was sinking fast.
And enjoying it. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots off. Shaking his head, he assured himself it would turn out all right. It had to.
After spending the morning with Buck, arguing and cajoling and trying to be patient and understanding, they had come to a pretty good agreement about which repairs would be started first. At times Victoria felt that Buck was afraid of her. Afraid of the changes she was attempting to make. She tried her very best to allay his fears without coming right out and saying so.
A trip to the costume trailer had Victoria happy about her outfit for the barbecue.
Sally, graying hair tied back in a no-nonsense do, clucked and smiled and fitted the new mistress of Glory Town with one of her finest outfits.
In front of the mirror, Victoria whirled, the full skirt flowing in a wide circle and then swishing to a whisper around her white boots. At the ankle of each boot was a narrow leather band adorned with silver conchoes. The outfit was done in a southwestern pattern of earth colors. Brown, beige, light green. The yellow off-the-shoulder gypsy-style blouse was threaded around the neckline and puffy sleeves with brown ribbon. Her hair was pulled back and up with barrettes.
Around her throat lay a turquoise satin ribbon. She looked festive and felt as giddy as a girl on her first date.
70
High-Riding Heroes
Wes appeared at her door dressed in a white dress shirt with stand-up collar and black jeans with wide black suspenders clipped behind the ever-present leather belt and hubcap-sized rodeo buckle. His belly-cut python boots looked amazingly real. He looked sharp and handsome. Taking her hand, he led her down the stairs. “Perfect,” he raised her hand to his lips. “Just perfect.”
That made it look like a date…and feel like a date. Her subconscious mind taunted her.
So what
if
it is a date? Is that the end of the world? Does that mean you
have to have his children? Good grief. Just go and have fun.
Joe let out a loud wolf whistle as they walked through the dining room and Victoria blushed.
Instead of walking to the back lot for the truck, Wes led her to a buckboard that was waiting by the hitch rail. She let out a squeal as he hoisted her onto the seat before he walked around to jump up on the seat beside her.
A flip of the reins, and they were on their way out of town.
“This is a wonderful idea,” she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. “But won’t we be late?”
“Dinner’s actually at five.”
She narrowed her eyes, “So you planned this surprise last night.”
“It just sort of came to me.” He shrugged. “You’re always interested in seeing the real West. You’ll see it today. And from the same perch they saw it from.”
He laughed softly. She was beautiful and her eyes were shining. He was glad he had thought of it. And the advertisement on the side would be good for business.
The wagon rolled over the hill and down onto the macadam road. Wes merely watched as Victoria waved to the carloads of people that passed by. She chatted and he answered when an answer was called for. For the most part he
71
Joey Light
just sat back and enjoyed. Enjoyed as he hadn’t had a chance to in a long, long time. He had long since convinced himself that the sound of a woman’s laugh added nothing to his life. He counted himself wrong.
Two hours later, they pulled down a narrow lane. Victoria was reminded of some of the Westerns she had seen on TV and expected to hear the theme song from
Bonanza
any moment. Excitement coiled her stomach. Cars were parked on all sides of the lane, and the closer they got, the more she could smell the aroma of beef sizzling in the air.
The huge ranch house rambled off to the left, low slung and white to fend off the heat. Four barns and miles of paddocks and green fields unfolded before her.
Horses, all sizes and colors, grazed peacefully or ran and jumped.
She could hardly contain herself. It was exactly like a book or a movie…except it was real.
Wes tucked her arm through the crook of his elbow as they rode through the final set of wide, black iron gates. Guiding the wagon off to the side, he jumped down and came around to lift her to the ground. For a split second he held her in the air, her hands on his shoulders, her eyes smiling into his eyes. For a few moments, they were isolated and alone, then they were descended upon by the family and guests. Introductions and handshakes and back slaps made the full round. Victoria guessed, breathlessly, that there must have been two hundred people attending.
It was then Victoria spotted a little girl wiggling through the legs of the grown-ups, dirty white dress flying, a spoon in her hand, eyes bright and excited. As Victoria thought what a beautiful little girl she was, the child ran right smack up to Wes. Her arms stretched into the air.
“Daddy.”
72
High-Riding Heroes
Wes reached down and scooped her up, twirling her over his head and settling her on his hip. The child squealed and held on for dear life. “My darlin’
Katie. What have you been doing to get so dirty?” Always amazed at her beauty and humbled by her open and trusting love, Wes held her close. Pride swelled his heart.
Pleased, she held up her fist to show him the wide spoon. “Digging a hole.
Cook says I can find China people if I dig deep. Wanna help me?” Then she turned to Victoria and said sweetly, “I’m four.” She uncurled four fat fingers from around the spoon to show her.
“And quite a hole, I bet. I’ll help you in a little while. Right now I’d like you to meet a friend of mine.” After soundly kissing her soft little cheek, Wes turned his gaze back to Victoria and completed the introduction. “Victoria, my daughter.”
Victoria took the little hand in hers and shook it. So this was his Katie. Relief.
Victoria felt the floodgates that had been keeping her growing feelings for J.
Weston Cooper at bay swing wide.
She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“Nice to meet you, Katie. I’ll help you dig that big hole, too.” Victoria’s childhood flashed before her eyes. She had never been allowed to dig a hole or play in the dirt. If she had gotten a nice white dress like that dirty, she would have been in for a good scolding and a monumental guilt trip.
Wes’s parents, looking young and fit for their age, made a fuss over Victoria.
The guests treated her as if they had known her for years. Victoria thought she had never, even in Glory Town, seen so many Western hats and gingham blouses in one place in her life.