Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) (15 page)

"Are you going out through the back door?"

"It's best that way."

"I'll meet you there."

Crystal couldn't remember ever being so excited
about seeing anyone before. Outwardly she appeared
calm as she made her way to her dressing room, but
as soon as the door was closed, she rushed to strip off
her red satin gown and don her sedate street clothes.
She didn't want to make Brent wait too long. Once
she'd finished changing, she let herself out the
saloon's back door to find Brent standing patiently
outside.

"I hope I didn't take too long," she said
apologetically.

"You're worth the wait."

"Why, thank you, sir." She grinned at him.

"I'm just speaking the truth, ma'am." He
chuckled. "Where are you staying?"

She told him the address of the boardinghouse,
and they started off in that direction.

The streets of Diablo were dark and deserted, and
that was fine with Brent. He wanted to enjoy the
pleasure of Crystal's company without worrying
about interruptions. He was completely aware of her
beside him as they made their way to the
boardinghouse.

"Do you come into town often?" she asked,
wondering when she might see him again.

"No, but now that you're here, I'll make a special
effort."

She smiled and glanced up at him. "Oh-look at
the moon," she said in a quietly awed voice.

Brent looked up. The night sky was clear and starstudded, and there high above them was a silvery
half moon.

"It's beautiful," Crystal told him. "I can see why
your father chose that name for the ranch."

"You'll have to come for a visit. We'll be riding
out late in the morning. Would you like to go with
us?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. You don't work on Sunday, do you?"

"No. I'd love to go."

"Good. We'll plan on it, then. I'll come for you
around noon."

They reached the boardinghouse, and Brent
escorted Crystal up the porch steps. A low-burning
lamp in the sitting room window cast the only light
on the porch.

Crystal looked up at Brent as they stopped before
the front door, her eyes aglow with the pleasure of
seeing him again. He was every bit as wonderful as
she'd remembered him to be.

"Thank you for bringing me home."

"My pleasure," he assured her, "but I didn't get to
play the hero for you tonight." 11 -

She gave him a shy smile. "In my book, once a
hero, always a hero."

Unable to resist the temptation, Crystal rose up
on tiptoe and pressed her-lips-to his.

Brent responded immediately. He needed no further
invitation to deepen the kiss. He took her in his arms and held her close as his mouth moved hungrily
over hers.

Excitement coursed through Crystal. Instinctively
she linked her arms around his neck and moved even
closer to him. It felt so right to be kissing him and
holding him.

It took a serious effort, but Brent managed to end
the embrace and set her from him.

"I'd better go. I'll see you tomorrow," he said
gruffly, and moved away.

Crystal had been caught up in the pleasure of
his kiss. She looked up at him in confusion. She
didn't understand why he was leaving so quickly.
"Brent..."

"I'm being your hero again," he said, smiling gently.
"Good night, Crystal." Brent leaned toward her and
gave her one more quick, gentle kiss. He didn't trust
himself to do more than that. "Sweet dreams."

With that he left her, disappearing into the night.

Crystal stood on the porch a moment longer, then
turned and let herself into the house. She went to
her room and got ready for bed. As she lay beneath
the covers, the memory of Brent's passionate
embrace stayed with her. She knew her dreams
would be sweet indeed.

Brent took extra care to be quiet as he entered the
hotel room and bedded down for the night. He
didn't want to wake his father. He just wanted to enjoy
the peace of the moment. He lay quietly star ing up at the ceiling, thinking about all that had
happened.

Opal... Ruby... Crystal...

Brent smiled into the night.

Whatever name she went by, Brent found her
delightful. He didn't know how he'd been lucky
enough to meet up with her again, but he was glad
he had. Crystal was every bit as beautiful as he'd
remembered, and her kiss... There had been an
innocent sweetness about it, mixed with undeniable
passion. He smiled into the darkness at the memory
of holding her in his arms.

As he went over the evening) ust past in his mind,
Melinda slipped into his thoughts. Holding her in
his arms had been nice enough, but nothing like the
excitement of Crystal's embrace.

Crystal....

Brent had been drawn to her in some elemental
way from the first moment they'd seen each other.
She was every man's fantasy, and she was proving to
be his, too.

Brent was looking forward to spending the day
with her tomorrow. He hoped morning came
quickly.

It was almost time for the morning service to begin,
and the First Street Church was crowded.

Brent followed Abby and their father down the
aisle. Because they were attending church, Abby was
wearing a dress this morning. Brent thought she
looked pretty, but he realized for the first time that
the dress was a little snug on her. They would have
to see about buying her some new clothes soon, now
that they could afford them.

Brent saw Edmund and Iona sitting in the very
front, but there were no seats available near them.
Abby stopped at the first row they could find that
had enough space for all three of them.

Brent was aware of the sidelong glances that were
cast their way, but he ignored them. There was
nothing he could do to change things. He just had to deal with everything the best he could.

As Brent took his seat, Melinda caught his eye.
She was sitting across the aisle from them, with her
mother and father. She gave him a brilliant smile.
Brent managed a quick nod of acknowledgment in
her direction, but respectfully turned his attention
toward the front of the church to await the
minister's entrance. He hadn't expected to see
Melinda this morning and really didn't want to
spend any time with her. There was only one woman
he wanted to be with, and that was Crystal.

"I hope Reverend Crawford isn't too longwinded," Jack muttered to Brent. His head was
pounding viciously from all his drinking the night
before. He wanted nothing more than to get away
from town and back to the Half-Moon.

Neither Brent nor Abby said anything in
response, but each privately agreed with him. Abby
wanted to change clothes and go home, and Brent
was eager for the services to be over so he could see
Crystal.

It grew quiet as the organist began to play a soft
melody that signaled the beginning of the service.

"We'd better hurry, Ruby," said Anne Pals, the
owner of the boardinghouse, as they came up the
street, heading toward the church. "The music's
already started."

Crystal quickened her pace to keep up. Anne had
invited her to go along to the service this morning, and she had gladly accepted. Crystal glanced at
the church, and she was impressed by the white
wooden structure with its tall steeple. She followed
Anne up the few steps that led to the double front
doors.

As Crystal entered the church, a sense of peace
filled her. Though the interior was starkly decorated,
she found beauty in its simplicity. The walls were
painted pristine white. Simple wooden benches
provided seating for the worshipers. In front, off to
the side, was the organ, and centered before the
main aisle was the podium from which the minister
would give his sermon, trying to save the souls
entrusted to him. Crystal didn't envy the man his
job. It had to be a most difficult calling.

It had been a long time since Crystal had
attended church services, and she needed to pray.
She realized some in the congregation might not
approve of her being there, but she tried not to
let that knowledge bother her. She had come to
offer up her thanks to the Lord. It didn't matter
what other people thought of her. It only
mattered what God thought.

Anne led the way down the aisle, looking for a
place where they could sit. Crystal followed. The
older woman found two seats for them on a bench
close to the front. Crystal gave Anne a warm smile as
she settled in beside her. The peaceful atmosphere,
coupled with the organ music, filled her with a quiet
sense of serenity.

Brent sat silently, thinking about the day to come.
He didn't pay a lot of attention to what was going
on around him, until he caught sight of Crystal as
she walked by on her way down the aisle with Anne
Pals. A jolt of awareness shot through Brent as he
watched Crystal take a seat just three rows ahead of
him. She appeared every bit the lady this morning in
her day gown, with her hair pinned back in a sedate
bun. He let his gaze trace over her, studying the
graceful line of her neck and the soft curve of her
shoulders as she sat with her back to him.

"Is that Ruby?" Jack whispered to him, surprised
to see the singer there.

"Yes."

They both fell silent and turned their attention to
the front as the music stopped.

Reverend Crawford appeared before the
congregation. The minister walked slowly to the
pulpit. He had a reputation as a fire-and-brimstone
preacher, and Brent wondered what the topic of his
sermon would be today.

He found out quickly.

"Judge not, lest ye be judged!" the reverend
roared, wanting to make sure everyone was awake
and paying attention. He waited a moment in
silence as he let his sharp-eyed gaze sweep over the
congregation. He went on, "Who here has led a
perfect life? Who here has never sinned? Stand up! I
want to see you now!"

A low murmur went through the crowd, but no
one dared to rise.

"You're still sitting," he said. "Are you telling me
you're sinners?"

"Amen, Reverend," a man called out from the
back.

Others echoed his sentiment.

Reverend Crawford smiled, and the smile
transformed him. He no longer appeared cold
and condemning. He was now warm and
welcoming.

"So you have sinned..."

"Amen, Reverend."

There was a long, quiet pause. Then he spoke
again.

"You are forgiven," he said softly as he looked out
over the congregation. "Jesus died for our sins, so
that we might live. Think about the power of his
love. How many of us would willingly sacrifice
ourselves for another? How many of us love so
deeply and so profoundly? Love is God's greatest gift
to us. Always remember His words-`Love one
another as I have loved you.'"

Melinda listened to the preacher's words and
smiled to herself as she took a quick look in Brent's
direction. He was sitting there looking so handsome
that her heartbeat quickened.

She wanted to "love one another," all right. She
wanted to love Brent.

Melinda wished the minister would hurry up and end his sermon, so she could go practice what he'd
been preaching.

Jack listened to the sermon, but doubted the truth
of Reverend Crawford's words. Had his sins been
forgiven? Considering how he'd been treated at the
social the night before, he didn't think his "friends"
in town had forgiven him. He scowled, thinking of
the night before and trying to remember all that had
happened. He remembered leaving the dance and
drinking at the Lone Star, but not much else. The
pain of his hangover pounded at him. He closed his
eyes for a moment, wishing that the sermon were
over so he could leave.

Crystal was deeply moved by the minister's
profound remarks. She needed to believe that she
could be forgiven for what she'd done. She had only
been defending herself, but even so, she had taken a
man's life....

She suppressed a shudder and tried to forget that
fateful night. She was in Diablo now, starting her life
anew. There were many things to be thankful forand having the opportunity to spend the rest of the
day with Brent was one of them. Crystal wasn't
going to let anything ruin these next hours. It had
been so long since she'd had the chance to just relax
and try to enjoy herself, she wondered if she even
knew how anymore.

Reverend Crawford spoke a little longer, then
dismissed the congregation with a blessing and the
admonition to love as Jesus had loved.

Everyone filed from the church, greeting one
another and making smalltalk.

"I thought we'd never get out of there," Jack
complained as they started down the steps. "Let's
go.

No, not yet. There's someone I have to speak
with first." Brent moved off to the side.

"Who? Melinda?" Jack asked.

Abby offered up a silent prayerful plea that it
wasn't Melinda.

"No, Ruby." He used her working name to avoid
confusion. He planned to tell his father her real
name later.