Part 20 (1/2)
He swung around. A smile curled his lip as he leaned against the door.
”You just can't say please, can you?”
”It isn't that! My G.o.d, this isn't fair! You want thousands of dollars worth of property” -- ”If yon Heusen has his way, there won't be any property.”
”But you're unfair!”
”Because I went to the saloon?”
”Because you weren't here!”
”But I was here. I was here exactly when you needed me.” He walked toward her. She took a step back and tripped over the pile of half burned hay. He kept coming, and she reached out a hand, expecting he would help her up. He didn't.
He dropped down, half on top of her and half beside her, his arms braced over her chest so that she couldn't move.
Gray eyes looked into hers. He'd had a shave in town, she thought.
HIS cheeks were clean, and he smelled slightly of a cologne. He smelled good all over, like good clean soap and like a man. He'd had a bath, too, she realized, and her temper soared again. He had stayed at the saloon. He'd had a drink and a bath and maybe a meal and. Maybe a woman.
”Get off of me, Yank!” she said angrily. The smoke left his eyes. He stared at her with a gaze of cold steel. He leaned closer. So close that their faces nearly touched. The heat of his body was all around her, and she forgot everything, afraid, excited, wanting to ere ape him and run.
And wanting to know more of him.
”You're hurting me,” she began.
”No, I'm not,” he corrected her flatly.
”And I'm not moving a hair, because I really want your attention. Now listen. I can go, or I can stay. The choice is yours. But if I stay, we do things my way. I'll try to explain. I'm not desperate for land, cattle, a house or money. I've done all right myself, thanks, despite the war, despite everything. But tomorrow, you're going to turn over half of this place to me on legal papers.
That way you may have a chance of keeping it. Pay attention. You're a smart girl, Tess. Von Heusen thought that all he had to do was kill you and your uncle and he could have this place. You have no next of kin.
But dadin', I've got plenty. I've got brothers, nieces and nephews.
It would take yon Heusen years to find them all if he did manage to kill both of us. That might give him some serious pause. Do you understand?”
Staring at him, Tess simply nodded. He was right, and every word he was saying made such perfect sense. And she wanted to be sensible. She wanted to be dignified, grateful, strong.
She wanted to be able to fight her battles, but she could not fight alone.
If only she didn't want him as a man, if only she didn't grow jealous and angry so quickly. And yet. he still had that haunting aroma. His flesh would be slick and clean, and she wanted to know how the warmth would feel beneath her tongue.
The way he lay against her, she felt the thunder of his heart, and her own, and the beats seemed to rise together, and fall away, and rise together again, quick, wild, rampant. She felt his breath against her cheeks, and the iron lock of his thigh upon her own. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers through the sandy tendrils of hair that fell so hauntingly over his forehead, and so often shadowed and shaded his eyes, and hid his innermost thoughts.
”Yes? You do understand?”
”Yes!” she cried out.
”And it all makes sense to you? You'll do what I'm asking you to do?”
”Yes. We'll go into town. As soon as I've stopped by the paper”
”Before.”
”What difference does it make?”
”Maybe none. But the sooner von Heusen hears about this, the better things are going to be.”
”Fine!” She was nearly screaming again. She was close to tears because she was desperate to escape him and the sensual blanketing of his body upon hers.
”Please, let me up!”
He rolled to his side, and she was free.
”You do sound more like him every day, though,” she muttered heedlessly, lpache Summer 145 rolling from him to rise and dust the hay from her gown.
”Carpetbagging Yanks, all of” -- ”That's another thing we're going to get straight here once and for all!” he stated. Before she could flee as she had intended, his arm snaked around her, and she was tumbling into the hay again. He straddled her, and his hands pinned her down.
”I'm not a Yank. I'm all.S. Cavalry of- ricer now, Miss. Stuart, but I was born and bred in Missouri and I fought with Morgan for many long years in the war. As a Reb, Tess. Got that straight? Don't you ever go calling me a carpetbagging Yank again, and so help me G.o.d, I mean that!
Understand?”
She stared at him blankly. She had called him a Yank a dozen times, and only now was he telling her the truth.
”Tess!”
”Yes!” she cried. She tore at her wrists and freed them from his grasp, then shoved him as hard as she could. He didn't move.
”Either Jon or I should know where you are at all times.
All right?”
”No hiding in barns or carriage houses.”
”I wasn't hiding! I was trying to make sure the fire was really out.”
”I wouldn't have walked out of here without making sure the fire was out.”
”Maybe I needed to see for myself. The printing press is in here.”
”That d.a.m.ned press! It's everything to you.”
”Yes! The paper does mean everything! It's the only means I have to tell the truth!”
He was silent for a moment. Then he moved slowly to his feet and reached down for her. She tried to ignore his helping hands, but they were quickly upon her. He stood her up, but he wasn't ready to release her yet.
”I know what I'm doin [.”
She inhaled the scent of him.
”I do imagine that you do, Lieutenant .”