Texas Proud (Vincente 2) (8 page)

On a sudden impulse he unbuckled his gun belt
and draped it across his saddle. He then pro ceeded to remove his boots, and stripped off the
rest of his clothes, dropping them into a careless
heap. Naked as the day he was born, he took a
deep breath and plunged into the river.

The water felt cool and soothing as it closed
over him. It was peaceful and serene, so he
plunged deeper until he reached the riverbed. He
allowed the swift current to carry him downstream without ever coming up for air. He wondered what it would feel like never to come up.
His chest felt tight and his lungs begged for air.
Above him was the real world awash in sunlight
and pain-here, there was silence, forgetfulness.

Then, uninvited and unwelcome, a pair of green
eyes invaded his sanctuary eyes that had once
danced with laughter, but now reflected cold hatred. He shot upward toward the light and, gasping, dragged air into his starving lungs. His first
breath was painful and he quickly took another,
and another. When he was breathing normally, he
looked around him, determining that he'd been
swept some distance from where he'd left his
clothing. With strong strokes, he swam against
the current until he rounded a bend in the river.

As if his thinking about her made her appear,
Rachel sat upon the bank, her trouser-clad legs
stretched out before her. Her red-gold hair shimmered like fire in the sun, and her slender form
was outlined by the green shirt she wore. She balanced his pistol in her hand, casually spinning the
cylinder.

Noble treaded water, trying to stay in place because the current was pulling him downstream.
"Hello, Green Eyes. You'll excuse me if I'm less
than formally dressed. You see, I wasn't expecting
a visitor."

Rachel glanced down at Noble's clothing. "So I
see." She hoped her presence made him feel uneasy. She certainly felt tense knowing that he was
naked, but she chose not to show it. Without
meeting his eyes, she said, "Nice gun ivory and
gold handle. Hmm, England-made by WevleyFosbery." She whistled through her teeth as if impressed, then spun the cylinder. "Smooth.
Certainly not a gun of the line." She ran her finger
down the polished barrel. "A specially made instrument of death."

"It was my grandfather's."

She met his gaze. Again she spun the cylinder.
"I never did understand why a man would carry
such an ornate weapon. Of course, myself, I prefer
a rifle. I can shoot a silver dollar out of the air
before it hits the ground did you know that?"

He was growing fatigued. His legs and arms
ached from the constant paddling against the current. "If you'll turn your head so I can come out
and get dressed, we'll discuss my gun and your
marksmanship at length."

She slowly shook her head. "I like it this way."
She leveled his gun at him. "Good balance. Most
definitely a gentleman's weapon." She pulled the
trigger and it clicked on an empty chamber.

Noble didn't blink. In fact, he stared boldly back
at her without showing any emotion or any sign
of fear when she cocked the hammer and pressed
the trigger once more. Again it clicked on an
empty chamber, and she pressed the trigger again
and again, until the cylinder had advanced six
times.

She opened her other hand, displaying the bullets she'd removed earlier. "You are trusting. You
couldn't have known I unloaded the gun. I'll say
this for you you've got grit."

While his tone was cool, his voice was somewhat breathless because of his constant paddling.
"Rachel, you're the damnedest woman I've ever
met."

She arched an inquiring eyebrow at him. "How
did you know I wouldn't shoot you?"

"I reasoned that you wouldn't kill me while I'm
undressed." Humor crept into his voice. "How
would you ever explain my naked body to the voters who are considering your brother-in-law for
governor?"

Rachel slowly, deliberately, loaded the gun and
turned her attention back to Noble. "You place
your faith in such a thin hope." She pulled back
the trigger. "It's loaded this time. And I don't give
a damn if my brother-in-law ever becomes governor of Texas."

Noble merely stared back at her. He wondered
how much longer he could keep his head above
water. His arms and legs were throbbing and ach ing. "You're doing all the talking and you're holding the gun. Why don't you fire?"

And she did. Rachel fired six times in succession, hitting a branch that was suspended just
above his head.

He didn't flinch.

"I like a man who doesn't scare easily," she
purred. Grudgingly, she felt respect for his steady
nerve. Would such a man shoot someone in the
back? she wondered. She nodded to herself this
man would, and had.

"I know your game now," he said laughingly,
seemingly unruffled by her exhibition. "You intend to stay here until I am too tired to tread water, and then you'll watch me drown."

"What an appealing notion." Rachel slipped his
gun back into its leather holster. "How long do
you think you could stay afloat before the current
drags you under?"

"To tell the truth, I'm getting tired already. I'm
coming out."

"I'm not leaving."

"Suit yourself"

She watched him swim toward shore, and despite her resolve to stay calm, she scampered to
her feet and took several steps backward. "You
wouldn't dare come out."

Noble raised himself half out of the water.
"Wouldn't I?"

Rachel was momentarily mesmerized by the
water that streaked down his shoulders to his waist. She noticed that the dark hair on his chest
narrowed to a line that ran down his taut stomach
in a vee. Although she was trembling inside, she
refused to turn away. This time she would be in
control she had to be.

"Come out if you dare," she said with much
more bravado than she felt.

Noble paused with his hands on the bank. "I
have a better idea. Why don't you come in?"

The word never was forming on her lips, but she
quickly reconsidered. If she was going to defeat
Noble, she must control her emotions, at least
make him think she was in control. "Why not?"
She wanted to run away, but she planted her
booted foot against the ground. With shaking
hands, she pulled her shirt free of her trousers and
lifted it over her head, hoping that she would find
the courage to meet his challenge.

Noble eased himself back into the water. "Rachel, don't do this. The game is over. Go home."

Rachel stood before him, naked to the waist, her
gaze fixed just above his head, not quite meeting
his eyes.

Noble seemed to have no control over himself.
His gaze left her face and fell to her creamy
breasts. He sucked in his breath at the rosy circles
surrounding her nipples. His hand fisted, and he
could almost feel her creamy skin beneath his exploring fingers. He wanted to touch her so badly,
and he hated himself for wanting her. A part of
him didn't want to admit that she was grown up, while another part of him delighted in her womanhood. He wanted to scold her, to order her to
put her shirt back on he wanted her to leave so
he could catch his breath.

But most of all, he wanted to clasp her in his
arms and press her against him until his body
stopped trembling.

Heat spiraled through Rachel's body as Noble
stared at her with a pained expression. Then his
expression changed, and his dark eyes burned into
hers. She watched him turn away and she could
almost read his mind. He was troubled because
she was a woman and not the young girl he'd once
known. She heard him exhale abruptly.

"The game's over, Rachel." His voice was gruff,
with an edge to it. "You've won today."

As Noble turned away, she gazed at his profile,
which appeared to be carved of stone. The muscles in his neck were taut because of the tight control he kept over his emotions. She smiled,
enjoying his discomfort. It gave her the courage
to continue with the charade. "But you invited me to swim with you," she persisted, amazed by her
own boldness. "Have you changed your mind, Noble?"

He still wouldn't look at her. "Let's just say this
river isn't big enough for the two of us. Go home."

She merely tossed her head, acting on a daringness she was far from feeling. She summoned all
her courage as she unbuttoned her trousers and
pushed them over her shapely hips. "It's a hot day.
I'd enjoy a swim."

Noble's reluctant, hot gaze fastened on her
breasts, moving to her narrow waist to the redgold hair nestled between her long, shapely legs.
She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever
seen. But one thought kept pounding in his headthis wasn't right! She was his Green Eyes.

Rachel felt his gaze on her, and had the sensation that he'd actually touched her. She went as
far as to reach for her shirt to cover her nakedness,
paused, and then forced a smile to her lips.

"Make room. I'm coming in."

Noble wanted to look away, but he couldn't. He
tried to separate the child she'd once been from
the daring beauty who stood before him now. Seeing the blush on her cheeks, he knew she was an
innocent, and pure, and completely unnerved by
her own nudity. His lashes swept over his eyes but
he could see her in his mind, beautiful and naked.

"You don't have to do this, Rachel. It won't
prove a thing, and it might complicate matters between us even more."

He opened his eyes and watched as she poised
her body in a graceful arch and plunged into the
river, surfacing within inches of him. Water
beaded on the tips of her eyelashes and slid down
her cheeks. He was relieved that only her bare
shoulders were visible above the waterline.

"All right, Rachel, you've shown me that you are
a woman grown. And I will admit that your body
is magnificent. I'll just swim downstream now so
you can get out and put on your clothing."

She felt perplexed by his sudden detachment.
Now that most of her nakedness was covered by
water, he was the one in control. She had been so
certain he'd found her desirable. If only she were
more experienced. Her feminine instincts triumphed and she dipped her head backward, wetting her hair so it would stay out of her face.

"Isn't it too late for modesty? You have already
seen me the way God created me. And I might
remind you that this fork of the Brazos River belongs to Broken Spur as much as it does to Casa
del Sol. I have as much right to be here as you do."

He swam a safe distance away from her. "Have
it your way, Rachel. But none of this is necessary."

She lunged toward him, her naked body brushing deliberately against his side. She saw his dark
eyes dilate, and delighted in the gasp that escaped
his lips.

"Don't, Rachel," he warned, swimming backward a few strokes in a desperate attempt to escape from her. He was confused by her actions, because the last time they'd met she had wanted
to see him dead. He fought the urge to crush her
in his arms. He must not think about smothering
those sensuous lips beneath his. He doubted that
she was aware of the consequences that might
come from taunting him. There were already
complications between the two of them he
didn't need more.

Rachel gleaned his thoughts. He was dismayed
because of his desire for her. This knowledge
made her grow even more bold; she would entice
him with a promise of what he could never have
and then swim away.

"Do you want me, Noble?"

He stared past her. "I once desired a whore in
New Orleans, but I was able to resist her."

She smiled, knowing that Noble was insulting
her, hoping she would leave. "Are you afraid of
me, Noble? I'm not holding a gun on you now."

His voice deepened, his eyes fastened on her
mouth as he stared at her with fervent intensity.
"You are far more dangerous now than when you
held the gun on me." He searched her eyes. "You
have not been with a man, have you, Rachel?"

She was beginning to enjoy herself because she
was making him uncomfortable. "No. I haven't.
Do you want to be the first?"

He groaned. "Hell, yes. And therein lies the trouble, Rachel. You are the kind of girl who should
save herself for her husband."

She lunged forward, taking him by surprise. Their bodies came together, caressed by the soft
water. A shock coiled through her, and she was
momentarily stunned by the way his body welcomed hers. The hardness of his body held her as
if she were bound to him.

Noble could no longer resist her. His arms went
around her and he drew her even closer.

How foolish she'd been in thinking she could
arouse his desire and swim away unaffected. A
rush of feelings opened up inside her, and she was
too unworldly to resist. Her skin tingled and she
wanted to draw even closer to the forbidden male
hardness that pressed between her thighs. Breathless, she felt as if her body were on fire. The hair
on Noble's chest tickled her breasts, and she could
feel his every intake of breath. She felt the swollen
heat against her grow harder, and her body became liquid every fiber of rationality unraveled
all resistance gone.