Surrender to Love (15 page)

    He thought these were good people. God loving men and women who were beyond bigotry. From what he'd heard from his men, they hadn't given Gray Hawk a chance. They had judged on looks alone, not bothering to get to know the man behind the dark hair and gray eyes. He inhaled deeply of the smoke, blowing it out above his head as he shifted on his feet, wondering when the yellow-bellied sheriff would be returning.
    The minutes ticked away, his temper died down, and his gaze kept straying to the dressmaker's shop across the street. So far he hadn't seen Kari, and up to this point, hadn't thought too much about her.
    Before he knew what he was about, he was walking toward the dress shop in determined strides. Hesitating at the door, he took a deep breath, when the door was opened from the other side and Mrs. Craven welcomed him with a concerned smile. "Shane, we have only just heard--is your man all right?"
    Removing his hat, he threaded his fingers through his hair, just as the back door opened and Kari came out, her face ashen and streaked with tears. "Shane, is he all right? I only just heard. I cannot believe it was Gray Hawk who was shot. A passerby said it was a drifter, and I just never imagined for a moment...if I had known it was him, I would have...how is Jordan...Mrs. Craven, I know that my cousin must need me."
    Shane's heart lurched as tears streamed down Kari's cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand.
    "Of course, dear. Go, your cousin and Gray Hawk need you far worse than I do."
    "Thank you," Shane said, holding his arm out to Kari. She quickly took it, and he could feel her trembling.
    When they were out of the store, she turned to him. "Tell me the truth, Shane. Will he live?"
    She was watching him intently. He wanted so desperately to take away her pain and reassure her, knowing that she must be reliving the death of her husband. Gray Hawk had been a big part of her life since she had become a widow. He nodded. "I'm sure he will. He lost some blood, but God willing, the bullet will have missed any vital organs."
     Glancing at the empty sheriff's office they passed by, Shane told himself there would be another time to deal with the sheriff.

Chapter 19
    GRAY HAWK woke to a horrible ache in his left side. Trying to sit up, he sucked in a breath when another pain shot through him. Grimacing, he lay back against the pillows and opened his eyes slowly. Sunlight streamed through the open window, along with a cool breeze. He turned his head, and seeing Jordan asleep in a chair, he smiled.
     It all came back to him: The sheriff, the townspeople, the crude names they had called Jordan, and then the searing pain as a bullet ripped through his side. For as long as he lived, he would never forget the look in the sheriff's eyes. The man had taken great pleasure inshooting him.
     He just vaguely remembered Jordan crying out, coming to his side, holding his head in her lap as she smoothed his hair back off his forehead. Her voice had been strong for the both of them, telling him everything would be all right, despite the horrible taunts being yelled at her as she tried to comfort him.
     But everything wasn't all right. He would recover from the gunshot. He'd been shot once before, so he knew the wound would heal, but it wouldn't be so easy to heal the wounds of his heart. The truth of the matter was he didn't belong here, and he never really would. For all that he had tried to become one of them, he wasn't--nor would he ever be. He wasn't white enough.
    "Gray Hawk."
    Jordan went to her knees beside the bed, and taking his hand within her own, she brought it to her lips. "I'm so glad you're awake. How do you feel?"
    "I'm sore, but I'll be fine."
    Her shoulders sagged with relief. "Do you remember what happened?"
    He ran the backs of his fingers against her soft cheek. She looked so tired, so worried. "Yes, I remember how you stood up for me against all those people. You're a very brave woman."
    "I love you."
    Gray Hawk's breath lodged in his throat as he stared at her, watching the emotions flash across her face. He remembered her vaguely telling him that she loved him before, but now as she watched him so expectantly, he opened his mouth, but was unable to say the words, and not because he didn't feel them, but because he feared them. How many times had he loved, only to be hurt in the end?
    He pulled her to him, kissing her softly, loving the feel of her. Though she tried to hide her disappointment, he could clearly see it in her eyes, and he knew she waited for him to profess his love to her.
    As the silence lengthened, she pulled away, embarrassed. "Do you want something to eat?"
    "No, I don't think so. Maybe in a little bit."
    That seemed to satisfy her. Running her fingers down his arm, she pressed her lips together.
    "How long have I been laying here?"
    "About six days."
    "Six days?" he said, sitting up, ignoring the pain that stabbed at his side. "I can't believe it."
    "Well, believe it. And lay back down," she said, pushing him back into the pillows. "Thanks in large part to the laudanum."
    He didn't fight her, but instead pulled her into his arms. "Gray Hawk, your side--"
    "Is fine. I want to feel you, smell you, taste you."
    She opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly kissed her, reveling in the feel of her silky tongue against his own. As she moaned and pressed her breasts against his chest, he groaned wanting so much more than just her kiss.
    "Are you all right?" she asked against his lips.
    "Yes, except I want you."
    Gray Hawk lifted a brow as her gaze moved down the length of his body to the part of him that strained against the sheets. "I can see you're really hurting?"
    "I want you," he repeated.
    "Well, you'll have to wait," she said with a sigh.
    He pretended to look hurt as she stood up and yanked the sheet up to his neck. "You need your sleep. And when you are well, then we will talk about--that." Her cheeks turned pink and there was a twinkle in her eye as she walked to the door. "I'll get you some Laudanum to help you sleep."
    "I don't need any--"
    "Don't argue with the nurse."
    Standing there with hands on hips, looking beautiful as well as stubborn, he wasn't about to argue. "All right, nurse, I'll do anything you say. Just as long as you come back."
    "Just try and keep me away," she said, then with a quick smile, she closed the door behind her.
    But his grin quickly faded as he thought about what would happen next. A man shot him for no reason other than the fact he didn't like the color of his skin. The whole idea was absurd, yet from what he knew of whites thus far in his life, he shouldn't be surprised.
    And now Jordan was part of the problem. Here she had come to Brogan to start a new life, and he had shown up and ruined everything. It had probably been just fine for her until he'd come. But now she would no longer be accepted by the townspeople. She would be shunned, labeled a whore, for no other reason than loving him.
     Should he leave and go back to his people? He closed his eyes knowing that leaving Jordan would be the hardest thing he'd ever done. Because of her love for him she would suffer far worse then he ever had. He heard the names they yelled as they walked down the street together.
Squaw, Injun lover, whore
. And she faced them all with her head held high, not once letting his hand go.
     Should he leave and hope she would be all right?
     It wasn't a decision he wanted to make, but one that he must make--and soon.
         TWO WEEKS after the day he'd been shot, Gray Hawk lay beside Jordan, his arms crossed beneath his head, looking as though he didn't have a care in the world.
     She was so grateful to still have him with her, knowing how close she'd come to losing him forever. He had been up and around for a few days, and though she was reluctant to come to their place by the pond, she was glad when he insisted.
     They hadn't talked about what happened in town, and Jordan wasn't sure if she really wanted to. Some things were better left forgotten and this was definitely one of them.
     "What are you thinking about?" he asked, rolling to his side, pulling her against him.
    
I'm thinking how much I love you, and how much I want us to be together forever
. She wanted so desperately to say the words out loud, but instead she kissed his chest, and lay her head on his shoulder. "I'm just so glad to have you back."
    "I was never gone."
    "You know what I mean."
    He kissed her forehead. "Yes, I do."
    As his fingers moved down her back, she wondered if they could ever truly be happy. When she lived with him and his people, she'd never been at peace, and now things had come full circle. Now it was he who was going through the same thing. People's reaction to him surprised her, and most of all, disappointed her. How could he ever be happy living with such bigotry?
    And now they didn't only torment him, they tormented her. The man's harsh words came back to haunt her. Never in her life could she imagine that anyone could be so cruel. Now that she had been branded a whore by the entire town, she knew the humiliation Gray Hawk suffered firsthand. She hated every last one of those spiteful people for what they had said and done.
    His hands moved to her skirt, and with one quick motion, he yanked it up around her hips. She smiled against his mouth as his fingers moved over that part of her that was already wet and hot with desire. How she had missed him.
    Gray Hawk needed her desperately. For the last few weeks he'd seen the look on her face, the expressions of uncertainty. Did she doubt what they shared? Would she tell him to leave now that he had ruined her life?
    Pushing the thoughts away, his fingers played along the dewy folds of her womanhood, against the tiny nub of pleasure. His lips kissed a path from her forehead to her breasts that were straining against the thin material of her blouse.
    She quickly unbuttoned her shirt, then instantly freed him of his. Her head fell back as he kissed her collarbone, then took a nipple into his mouth, his teeth grazing it, sucking it as she writhed beneath him. A moment later he felt the flutter of her climax as her hips pressed against him.
    Jordan's fingers threaded through his hair, pulling him close to her breasts as he suckled each while his fingers did delicious things to her. Feeling the sensations growing within her, Jordan cried out as he brought her to orgasm. And still he didn't stop. Again he brought her to climax using his fingers and tongue, but still she wanted desperately to feel his length inside her...only then would she have total release.
    "Gray Hawk," she whispered. "Please."
    Opening her eyes, he was gazing down at her, his gray eyes full of passion and wanting.
    He pulled her hips up against him and slowly entered her from behind. Jordan's breath left her in a rush as the sensations washed over her. She felt him so completely, every hard inch of his erection stretching her.
    His hands moved to her breasts, taking them within his palms, he rocked against her. It had been so long since the last time. Jordan had only dreamed that they would have another moment like this and as they climaxed simultaneously, she hoped that this was just the beginning of their days together.
         KARI'S NAILS dug into her palms as the sheriff walked through the door of the dress shop.
    "Miss Hoffman," he said, taking off his hat and running his hand through his thinning hair. "I've missed seeing your beautiful face since being away these last couple of weeks."
    She smiled tightly. "Can I help you?"
    His brow lifted. "I get the feeling you're mad at me." He leaned a hip against the counter. "Now, why would that be?"
    How she wished Mrs. Craven was back from lunch. She didn't want to be alone, or even be having a conversation with this man. He was not to be trusted, and now as he watched her with those piercing eyes, she realized she was truly afraid of him.
    "Mr. Kincaide, I have work to do. Did you wish to purchase something?"
    "What I was wanting was a lunch date, like we planned before this...unfortunate accident occurred."
    "An unfortunate accident?" she repeated. "Mr. Kincaide, you shot a man. A man who hasn't done a single thing to you."
    He had the audacity to look shocked. "I didn't shoot no one. It was an accident, that's all. And to be honest, the breed had it coming. He would have killed ol' Curly if he hadn't been stopped."
    "I refuse to argue about it, and I have no desire to have lunch with you today, or any other day for that matter." Thrusting her trembling hands in her skirt pockets, she lifted her chin. "Good day, Mr. Kincaide."
    He shook his head in disgust. "What's going on with all of you out there at the Triple T? What is that breed to you and your cousin? Your lover? Do you take turns servicing him, or do the three of you--"
    Kari slapped him soundly, her hand stinging from the contact. His expression was lethal as he grabbed her wrist, a vein standing out on his forehead. "Don't touch me, whore." Dropping her wrist as though it burnt his skin, he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
    Kari trembled, afraid that she had just made a grave mistake.
         GERALD KINCAIDE opened and closed his jaw a couple of times, surprised that a slap could hurt so much. He was disappointed and angry with Kari Hoffman. He wouldn't have thought the woman would be loyal to a breed--but apparently she was. The question was why?
    He grabbed the bottle of whiskey out of the bottom drawer of the nearby cabinet. Taking a deep swallow, he propped his feet on his desk and glanced at the wanted posters on his desk that had arrived earlier in the day. He skimmed through each, recognizing the same familiar faces of criminals who'd yet to be caught, while trying to memorize the new ones. He was ready to throw them back on his desk when a familiar depiction caught his eye. It was unusual, not because of the name, but because it was of a woman, and one he'd seen before.
    Putting the bottle down, he leaned forward, squinting down at the poster. "Wanted for kidnapping, Jordan Lee McGuire, age 18. Armed and dangerous..." His voice leveled off as a smile came to his lips. "Why if it aint' the breed's whore." The word reward literally jumped off the page. "Ten thousand dollars if returned alive."
    He whistled through his teeth. Ten thousand dollars! He'd be a rich man. He skimmed through the other images, but found none of Kari. Kidnapping? He'd always thought it was odd that all the sudden the two women and child had come into Catalono's life at the same time. He knew Shane Catalono's brother and wife had been killed in an ambush, and knew that Shane was out searching for the daughter. But that didn't explain Jordan and Kari's appearance. Sure, it was said they were Hank's nieces, but was that true? The women looked too much alike not to be related. He would just love to see the look on that little tease's face when he arrested her cousin. She wouldn't think she was so high follutin' then.
    Even one better, he could finally have his revenge on Shane Catalono for harboring a fugitive of the law. He grinned having heard that the same day he'd shot Gray Hawk, the rancher had come busting into his office with his gun drawn. Well, that Indian lover would get his just rewards--the whole lot of them would.
    Taking another long swig from the bottle, he leered at the picture. "You little whore, your days are numbered, and your breeds along with it."