Yellowstone Romance Series - Bundle (# 2-5) (36 page)

Chapter 3

Kate’s murky mind tried to focus on her surroundings, even as she refused to open her eyes. The lulling sensations of floating on waves kept her from waking fully. She moved her head, and her nose bumped soft fabric against something hard. She inhaled a musky wood scent, reminding her of the campfires she’d sat at with Ezra after he’d taken her out of Helena.

Her eyes opened as memories came flooding back. Ezra was dead. Indians! Kyle! Her eyes focused on the cotton shirt an inch from her vision. It was no longer dark. Sunlight was streaming through a canopy of tall trees, illuminating the face of the man who held her snugly to his chest. The blond hair that fell over his forehead shone like a halo in the sun’s rays. The faint trickling sound of a creek reached her ears.

“Sorry to wake you.” He grinned down at her, and she swallowed nervously. She was cradled in his strong arms, and he was carrying her! When had she gotten off the horse? Kate squirmed.

“I’ll set you down in a minute,” he said.

“I . . . I can walk,” she stammered, realizing the more she moved, the firmer his grip became, and it made her sides ache again.

“You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you. Looks like you needed the rest.” He stopped walking. “But suit yourself,” he said, and gently set her on her feet.  The world tilted momentarily, and she grabbed his shoulder for support. His hand lingered at her waist. She blinked away the dark spots swirling before her eyes, then looked at her surroundings. They stood in a small grassy clearing, in the middle of what appeared to be an endless forest. The creek she’d heard gurgled a few feet to her left, reminding her how thirsty she was.

“Where are we?” she asked slowly, releasing her hold on him. Kyle stepped away from her.

“Near as I can tell, we’re about a half day’s ride from my home,” he said over his shoulder, as he walked back toward his horse. The animal was cropping at the green grasses with vigor.

Kyle untied his blanket roll from the back of his saddle, then rummaged through one of his saddlebags. Pulling his rifle out of its scabbard, he headed back toward her. She remained silent while he spread the blanket on the ground by the creek. He knelt down and dipped a tin cup in the water.

“We’ll rest here for a while. My horse needs to eat, and then we’re heading out again.” He looked up at her. “Come sit down,” he nodded to the blanket, and held the cup out to her.

Kate stared at him. This stranger had shown her more kindness in less than one day than she’s received from anyone in months. Ezra had been kind in his own gruff way, but he was simply doing what he’d been hired to do. Kyle treated her as if he genuinely cared. She quickly blinked away the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

“Sit down, Katelyn,” Kyle ordered, his face growing serious.

She was compelled to do as he asked.  Clutching her side, she lowered herself onto the blanket, her jaw clenched tight. She took the cup he offered, and held it to her lips. Drinking every last drop, she wordlessly handed it back to him. Kyle’s expression hadn’t changed as he watched her, and her heart rate increased. He would expect answers to questions she wanted to avoid.

“Unbutton your dress,” he said after minutes of studying her.

Kate blinked, not sure she had understood him correctly. “I . . . I beg your pardon?” she stammered, and her eyes widened. Kyle hadn’t seemed the type of man who would take advantage of a woman. Had she been wrong about him?

“No begging necessary. If you won’t do it, I will,” he said, and scooted toward her. She scrambled to try and get to her feet, but his hand locked around her wrist, and prevented her escape.

“You’re going to show me your injuries, and you’re not going to argue about it.” His grip softened, but his stare did not.

“My injuries?” she asked evasively.

He exhaled loudly. “Stop playing dumb with me, Katelyn. I know you’re hurt. What I don’t know, or understand, is why you would try to hide it.”

Her gaze fell to the blanket. His penetrating eyes unnerved her. Sighing, she scooted away so her back was toward him. She didn’t even know if there were any visible signs.  She hadn’t been out of this dress since leaving Helena five days ago. She couldn’t reach the laces on her corset, and she wouldn’t have dared asked Ezra to loosen it for her.  Chances were good there was nothing to see.

Kate slowly reached for the top button on her bodice, her fingers shaking.

“I have four sisters, Katelyn. I know what a woman’s underclothes look like, so you needn’t be concerned about that.”

His deep voice so close behind her swept over her like a warm summer’s breeze. Her body responded with a slight shiver. She continued to work the buttons until they were all undone. Hesitating for a brief moment, she parted the bodice and pulled her shoulders back to slip out of it. The action sent a jabbing pain along her ribcage, and she winced, biting her lower lip.

Kyle’s warm, calloused hands on her bare shoulders as he slid the garment down her arms made her stiffen her spine, and she inhaled sharply. Since when did a man’s touch feel so wonderful? Turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder. She recognized the intense smoldering look in his eyes for what it was, and her heart rate increased. Quickly, she jerked her head back around.

“What the hell is this?” he asked suddenly. His hand touched the expensive whalebone corset that had come straight from Paris, France. “I thought you might be bandaged up or something, but why are you strapped into one of these contraptions?”

All modesty forgotten, Kate turned on her knees to face him. “You can’t be suggesting I walk around in public without a corset?” she asked, her eyebrows raised. The scandal it would cause. It was unheard of.

“How do you get this thing off?” he growled, his eyebrows contracted in a frown. “No wonder you’re wanting to pass out all the time. How can you even breathe in this?”

“I thought you said you were familiar with female undergarments?” Kate glared. Silently, she admitted that he was right. Her lady’s maid had tightened the laces as snug as they would go just before she left, because it was expected of her.

“My sisters never wore anything like this,” Kyle scoffed.

“Well, if you could . . . loosen the laces in the back just a bit . . . I’d be grateful.”

Kyle’s frown deepened. She turned her back to him again, giving him access to the lacings on the corset. His hands fumbled impatiently with the garment.

“To hell with this,” he growled. Before she had a chance to look over her shoulder, she felt the bindings loosen one by one with quick snapping sounds. Horrified, comprehension dawned what it meant.

“What are you doing?” She tried to spin away from him, but it was no use. He’d already sliced his knife through the lacings.

“I’m cutting this damn thing off you,” he answered. Suddenly, the corset gave way, and fell from around her middle. Instantaneously, Kate drew her first deep breath in nearly a week. Her lungs expanded, bringing a searing hot pain to her sides. She couldn’t suppress a cry this time.

“Whoever thought up the idea that a woman needs to strap herself into one of these things deserves to be shot.”

Kate shrunk back from the angry tone in his voice. She wrapped her arms around her abdomen, shivering from the sudden cool air seeping through her cotton chemise.

“Now, where are you in pain?” he asked, sounding normal again.

Kate closed her eyes. She didn’t know what to tell him. One question would lead to another, and . . .

“Here, take this, and cover up.” She opened her eyes to his impatient voice. He held her bodice out to her. Tentatively, she reached for it, her brows raised in a silent question.

“I’ll have to find the answers myself, since you’re not cooperating,” he said. “Now turn around.”

Kyle came up behind her and pushed the straps of her chemise down her arms.

“What are you doing?” she screeched, trying to scramble away from him. Once again, his hand prevented her from getting up off the blanket.

“We’re apparently doing this the hard way,” he answered. “Now, if you’d like to cooperate, stay still. And by all means, cover your front.”

Kate was too stunned to offer a reply, and her back and sides hurt too much to put up a fight. She sat fully on her haunches and slumped her shoulders in defeat. She’d endured worse than a man staring at her nude backside. With a deep sigh that made her flinch anew, she tugged on the lace string at the front of her chemise, and the straps fell down her arms. The back of the garment fell to almost her waist, her skirt preventing it from falling any further.  She clutched her bodice to her chest and hung her head.

Silence. Kyle hadn’t moved from what she could tell, nor did he speak. Kate waited, unsure whether to turn and face him, or remain still. Was he finally satisfied that she’d allowed him a view of her back? Shivering in the cool morning air, she ventured a glance over her shoulder. Kyle met her gaze. She was unable to read the expression on his face.

“Are you satisfied with your inspection?” she asked haughtily.

His sudden warm hand on her lower back made her flinch. With a gentleness she’d never experienced, his fingers slid up her back and along the side of her ribcage. She sucked in a shallow breath. Wherever his fingers touched, a dull pain followed.

“What on earth happened to you?” he whispered.

“What . . . what do you mean?” Kate was sure whatever evidence remained had to be minimal.

“Katelyn, your back and sides look like an artist’s palette. You’re covered in blue and green bruises. Don’t try and lie your way out of this. What happened to you?” He scooted forward on the blanket, kneeling in front of her.

“Those old things?” she laughed. “I fell a few days ago, trying to help my guardian.”

His eyes narrowed. “Your guardian? What happened to him? Where is he now?”

“He . . . died.” Her mouth quivered. “He was setting up camp, when the ground beneath him broke through. There was a lot of hot water and steam. He . . . burned to death.” A few tears rolled down her eyes.

“You’ve been on your own for two days?”

She nodded silently.

“It was just you and your guardian traveling through this area?”

She merely nodded again.

“Where were you headed?”

“I don’t know,” Kate said softly. His eyebrows rose. Clearly he didn’t believe her. Ezra never did tell her where he intended to take her. It wasn’t important. The only thing that mattered was that she’d get out of Helena and away from
him
.

Kyle shook his head. “I’m still not clear about the bruising. Those are older than two days. If I had to guess, at least four or five days old. And as bad as they look now, you didn’t just fall.” He stood and turned toward the creek, looking out into the trees. He was silent for a while, then turned and stared down at her. “There’s a lot you’re not telling me, Katelyn. Rest assured that I will find out the truth.” He walked off toward his horse.

She swallowed nervously. She couldn’t tell him the truth. He might take her back to Helena. She would rather die than go back there.

Chapter 4

Kyle rummaged through his saddlebags. “Dammit,” he muttered under his breath. He could have handled this better. All he accomplished with his bossy attitude was to get her dander up. And on top of that, he probably scared her. That she was hiding something was crystal clear. Why the hell he even cared, he didn’t know.

Those bruises on her back and sides shocked him. He was sure they didn’t end along her ribcage. Had her guardian abused her? When he’d first suspected the night before that she might be injured, he had assumed that Laughing Badger had roughed her up, but he couldn’t put the blame on the Indian for this. These injuries had been there longer than two days. Heck, the Crow had probably saved her life by picking her up when he found her. Not that he had the best intentions, but if she had wandered in the woods much longer, she probably would have been some grizzly’s next meal.

Kyle found his wrapped jerky at the bottom of his saddlebag. He hoped she’d dressed herself by now. Touching Katelyn’s silky skin when he helped her out her dress sleeves had sent his blood and senses racing out of control. Seeing those bruises had curbed his desire faster than a winter blizzard bearing down on him. His fists curled tightly until his knuckles turned white. If the bastard weren’t dead already, the urge to do damage to her guardian blinded him momentarily.

He closed his eyes, unclenching his jaw. Then he inhaled deeply, and turned to face Katelyn again. He still intended to find out more about her, but he had to go about it differently than in his overbearing way from a moment ago. Looking up, his breath caught in his throat, and his gut tightened. She still sat on the blanket, her back turned to him. She’d pulled her chemise back on, but the bodice of her dress lay next to her. Her blonde hair hung in long waves down her back, the sun’s rays catching in some of the strands, illuminating them like golden fleece. Tilting her head to the side, she worked her fingers through the thick mass. He hadn’t realized how long her hair was when she had it pinned up in that complicated knot.  She was breathtakingly beautiful. How could anyone lay a harmful hand on her?

Kyle, what on earth are you going to do with this fancy eastern lady
? Somehow he had to find out if she had family back east, then send her home. Until then, she’d become his responsibility.

He walked toward her. “Katelyn,” he said softly, approaching her. She turned her head, and her body stiffened. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Can you blame her, Kyle?

He slowly sat down beside her, and unwrapped his bundle. He held it out to her. “It ain’t much, but I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Her eyes darted to the jerky in his hand, then back to his face, but she didn’t reach for it.

“I don’t want to risk anyone hearing gunshots, or I’d find some fresh meat,” he tried again. “I’m sure Laughing Badger is on our trail by now. Which also means we can’t stay here much longer.”

“What if he catches up?” she asked, her eyes round and fearful all of a sudden.

Kyle grinned. “The only reason that sorry excuse for a warrior caught me the other day was because I was careless. Don’t worry, Katelyn. He won’t catch us. Now will you please take some of this food and eat?” He shoved the bundle at her again. She slowly reached out a dainty hand, and picked up a piece of the dried venison. His lips curved in a smile when she held it out in front of her, rotating the strip of meat, as if inspecting a rare jewel. 

“It’s jerked venison. Dried meat. Just bite off a piece and chew,” he said, smiling broadly at her. To demonstrate, he took a piece for himself, and ripped a large chunk off with his teeth. She copied his actions.

“Just work it inside your mouth for a while. It’ll soften up,” he added. He watched her in amusement for a few minutes, as her jaw worked to chew the tough meat.

She finally swallowed, then asked, “When will we be safe from the Indians?”

“We’ll be at my cabin by afternoon. They won’t follow us all the way there.”

“How do you know?” Her eyes had turned round as a doe’s again. Kyle had to look away, or he was sure he’d drown in her blue depths. He gazed across the creek into the forest.

“My cousin Josh and I have no trouble fending off a bunch of Crow,” he answered.

“Your cousin?”

“Yeah, Josh and I share our parents’ homestead along the Madison River. We breed a few horses there.”

“Is that where you are taking me?”

Kyle heard the hopeful tone in her voice.  He turned to look at her again. “Where would you like me to take you, Katelyn?” he asked in a low tone. “The closest towns are several days’ ride away. You haven’t told me where you’re from, or where you were heading. Heck, I don’t even know your last name.”

She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. “My last name is Dev . . . Devon. I’m from Boston,” she said softly. “And I told you the truth when I said I didn’t know where Ezra was taking me.”

“Why did he bring you all the way out here from Boston? And where is your family?”

She hesitated. Kyle studied her closely. Her shoulders tensed, and she inhaled slowly. Whatever her answer, it would not be the truth. She looked up again, meeting his eyes. “I have no family. My father passed on years ago, and my mother six months ago.”

“So your appointed guardian brought you out west? A proper eastern lady like you?” Kyle’s eyebrows rose.

“Yes,” she answered, barely above a whisper. He knew it was a lie. He wouldn’t press her, at least not yet.

“Do you need help with your dress?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I . . . I am having difficulty pulling the sleeves up,” she whispered. At least this time she’d spoken the truth.

Kyle sat on his knees, facing her. “Katelyn, will you allow me to feel along your ribcage?” Her head came up slowly, and she met his stare. He read the apprehension in her eyes. “I want to be sure you don’t have any broken ribs,” he explained, and tried to sound indifferent. Tentatively, she nodded.

Kyle swallowed, and scooted just in front of her. “Sit up straight,” he whispered, surprised that she obeyed without hesitation. He kept his eyes trained just past her shoulders, watching his mare grazing contently, forcing his eyes anywhere but on her bare shoulders or the swell of her breasts. His hands almost trembled when he placed them on either side of her small waist, and inched slowly upwards. The thin cotton chemise wasn’t much of a barrier between his skin and hers.

His fingers felt along each rib for any extra give, or for any reaction from her, just like his grandma had taught him to do. At the third rib up, she flinched and sucked in a loud breath when he pushed against her left bone.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, and ventured a look at her face. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her lips drawn in a tight line. “I have to push once more here, so be prepared.” She nodded. Kyle slowly applied pressure with his thumb, and her body stiffened. The bone gave just as it should, and he breathed in relief. It appeared as if it was just bruised, and he couldn’t feel an obvious fracture.

His hands slid further up to feel the next rib. When he made contact with the underside of her soft breasts, he stopped abruptly. He couldn’t handle any more of the sweet torture of touching her. He’d already found the spot that gave her the most pain. There was no need to explore further, he told himself.
Then why are you still holding her, Kyle?
 Slowly, he worked his hands back down to her waist where he started his examination.

Katelyn blinked, and opened her eyes. She stared at him in wonder. What was going through her mind? She seemed almost surprised and puzzled about something by the look on her face. Surprised at what? Did she think he planned to take advantage of her?

He cleared his throat. “I don’t think anything’s broken,” he said slowly. “You might have a deep bruise in that one spot, but it should all feel better in a few days. Hopefully you’ll avoid
falls
like the one that caused this in the future.”

“I plan to,” she nodded vigorously. “Thank you, Kyle.”  She smiled hesitantly, then leaned toward him and kissed his cheek, her face lingering next to his. His gut tightened painfully in response to her gesture, and his arms snaked around her waist, intent on pulling her closer.

What the hell are you doing, Kyle?
Just as quickly, he released her as if she’d burned him, and sprang to his feet. He ran both hands through his hair, inhaling deeply. He’d never felt this kind of intense attraction to a woman before.

“Would you . . . may I ask if you could please help me with my bodice.”

Kyle wheeled around. When had she stood up and come up next to him? If he didn’t get control of his senses, Laughing Badger would have both their scalps before this day was over. He cleared his throat and swallowed, plastering a smile on his face.

“Sure . . . uh, sorry.”

She held the garment out for him, and turned her back. He held it open so she could slip her arms into the long sleeves. Kyle couldn’t help but stare at the ivory skin of her arms and shoulders, as it slowly disappeared under the blue silk material.

“Thank you,” she said again, and began buttoning the front. Halfway done, she turned to face him, a warm smile on her face. “But I don’t forgive you for ruining my corset.” Her fingers continued to work the many buttons.

“Admit it, you feel much better without that contraption,” he grinned in response. She nodded, her smile widening.

Impulsively, he stepped closer to her, and reached his hand behind her neck, lifting her hair out of the way.  “We really need to be on our way,” he whispered, his eyes locked onto hers.

“Do I have time to put up my hair?” she asked.

He contracted his eyebrows. “Why would you want to?”

“Because . . . it’s proper,” she said softly.

Kyle smiled. “You’re in the wilderness, Katelyn. There’s no one here to judge you, or tell you what’s proper and what’s not.”

“You think I should leave it down?” Her eyes widened.

Kyle’s chest tightened.  “Yeah, you should,” he said in a low tone.

“Okay, then I will,” she smiled back at him, raising her chin.

Kyle forced his eyes away, and bent to pick up his blanket. He shook out the grass, then rolled it up, and headed to his mare. He tied it to the saddle, and tightened the cinch around the horse’s girth. He could feel Katelyn standing inches behind him.

“Ready?” he asked, turning to her again. She nodded. He bent slightly at the waist, held his arms down, and interlocked his fingers, creating a sling with his hands. She gave him a quizzical look.

“Put your foot in here,” he said. “I don’t want to lift you at the waist. It’ll only hurt you. This way I can give you a boost up, and you can swing your other leg over Rosie’s back.” He glanced up at her when she hesitated. “Put your hands on my shoulder for support.”

She placed her foot in his hands, and he swung her onto the mare’s back.  “Are you secure?” he asked. She nodded down at him with a smile. Satisfied, he grabbed the saddle horn and swung himself onto the horse’s back behind Katelyn, and took up the reins. She leaned against his chest without his prompting this time. Kyle urged his mount forward and into the creek, guiding her upstream for a while, before letting her out of the water on the same side as they’d entered.

“Where are we going?” Katelyn asked.

“I have to slow Laughing Badger down a bit,” Kyle answered. “This’ll keep him guessing for a while. He knows I’m heading home, but I’m sure he’s hoping to get to us before we reach the cabin, and he won’t know which route I’m taking from here on.”

Kyle zigzagged in and out of the creek several more times, backtracking twice, until he finally set a course through the forest heading west.

They rode in silence through the dense trees, Kyle letting his horse pick her own way through the deadfall, when Katelyn asked, “Will I get to stay with you at your cabin?”