Texas Bride

Disappointed but hardly surprised, Maddie presumed Jonah had changed his mind about escorting her. His reluctance had been obvious in the way he behaved and spoke to her. And he had made no bones about the fact that he didn’t like her or trust her. Jonah Danhill was nothing if not plainspoken and straightforward.

Pushing herself upright, Maddie raked her tangled hair from her face, then stared longingly toward the stream. She needed a refreshing bath to wash the fuzzy cobwebs from her brain and a clean set of clothes to restore her sense of self.

The instant she sank into the stream a sigh of relief tumbled from her lips. She immersed herself completely, allowing the water to work its magic on her stiff neck and sore muscles. She allowed herself a few precious moments of pleasure by swimming in midstream before she brushed the matting of wet hair from her eyes and headed to shore.

Maddie gasped in shock when she noticed the towering figure on the creek bank. She instinctively sank down until nothing but her head appeared above the surface of the water. Wiping her eyes, she recognized Jonah—and not, thank goodness, one of the two men who were anxious to part her from her money.

“I thought you went back to town,” she said awkwardly.

He frowned curiously. “Why would you think that?”

His gaze was so intense that Maddie squirmed, wondering if the clear water made it as easy for him to appraise her as she had assessed him when he’d stood up in his bathtub. Modesty might not be a problem for him, but it was for her. She didn’t gad about unclothed in front of anyone.

“Why would you think I left for good?” he prompted impatiently. “Answer the question.”

“First off,” she said, reeling in her wandering thoughts, “you don’t like me. Secondly, I’m interfering with your vacation. I simply presumed that you’d changed your mind.”

“No, I went to fetch breakfast.” He gestured toward the small campfire, where a rabbit roasted on a spit. “I don’t have all day, princess. Come eat so we can hit the road.”

Maddie raised her arm and flicked her wrist in a shooing motion. “If you’re in a hurry, then turn your back so I can come ashore.”

One thick black brow arched and he grinned scampishly. “No. You’ve seen me naked. Turnabout is fair play.”

“Very amusing,” she muttered. “If I thought for one minute that I could shock you as speechless as you shocked me, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But I’m willing to bet the ransom money that nothing shocks or surprises you. And if this is some kind of test to determine my integrity or my habit of prancing around naked in front of men, you might as well know that I don’t. Ever. You aren’t going to be the first, either.”

Maddie was pretty sure that it had been a test of some sort, because Jonah stared at her for a long, pensive moment before he turned and walked uphill to the campfire. She glided sideways to come ashore near the bush where she had draped her clean clothes. Dressed in the riding breeches, boots and linen blouse that she’d hurriedly purchased in town—when it had become apparent that she’d have to make a hasty ride on horseback to outrun the two men—she hiked up to join Jonah.

When his assessing gaze flooded slowly and attentively over her Maddie’s breath jammed in her throat. This man had a unique and unsettling way of looking at her that provoked unfamiliar stirrings inside her. For reasons she couldn’t begin to explain she was attracted to this abrupt-mannered, distrustful Ranger.

It would have done wonders for her self-confidence if she thought he was the least bit attracted to her. But with Jonah it was difficult to tell, because he wore an unreadable expression. He could be coldly furious or uproariously amused and she doubted she’d ever know which.

“You gonna stand there woolgathering or are you gonna eat?” Jonah waved a skewer of meat at her. “By the way, those skintight clothes are not a good idea,” he added grouchily.

“Why am I not surprised that you object to my wardrobe?” she mumbled before tasting the tender meat. “There is very little about me that you do approve of or appreciate.”

“I would have appreciated seeing you naked,” he replied, the barest hint of a smile on his chiseled mouth.

With a bite of meat poised a few inches from her lips, Maddie glanced bewilderedly at Jonah. It seemed that he was teasing and flirting with her. He wasn’t very good at it, but it pleased her to realize that he wasn’t an accomplished womanizer whose goal in life was to charm every female out of her petticoats.

It also made her wonder about his background and upbringing. Given his heritage she imagined his life had not been easy. Maddie decided to overlook his lack of social skills, because the simple truth was that Jonah Danhill intrigued her and she wanted to get to know him better.

“So you like seeing women naked,” she said belatedly. “What else do you like, Danhill?”

“Being left alone, for the most part,” he said dismissively. “Enough chitchat, Garret. Let’s hear it.”

Completely bemused, she gaped at him. “Let’s hear what?”

“Your story.” He chewed and swallowed another bite of meat. “That whole abduction, cattle rustling, thieves hot on your heels thing.”

“You said you weren’t interested in my problems.”

He shrugged indifferently. “Not interested, just curious. If I’m aiding and abetting a fugitive I want to know. So, get on with it, Garret,” he demanded in an impatient voice.

Chapter Three

M addie quickly organized her thoughts and began her explanation. “Since my father mysteriously disappeared six months ago, I’ve been responsible for running our ranch and caring for my sister. Until then I admit that I was a pampered rancher’s daughter whose only challenge was to avoid the marriage proposals that were aimed at acquiring control of my property and dowry. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with responsibilities and decision-making, and left to face the alarming realization that my father might never return, because he might have encountered the rustlers who have been stealing our livestock.”

Maddie drew in a shuddering breath, blinked back tears and picked at her food. “I formed search parties and contacted the sheriff, but to no avail. I have tried to hold on to the hope that Papa is still alive, but so much time has passed that I have had to accept the fact that I might never discover what happened to him….”

When her voice disintegrated she ducked her head and clenched her fists in an attempt to gather her crumbling composure. It was a long moment before she felt confident to speak without her voice failing her again. “Rustling has been on the rise the past few months, depleting ranch profits. A few days ago Christina vanished, very much like Papa had. But this time a ransom note was left hanging from a tree limb, demanding money for her return. I was given a week.”

Jonah assessed her carefully, trying very hard not to notice those trim-fitting clothes that accentuated her shapely physique. He could ignore her effect on him better, he decided, if she’d dress in a shapeless feed sack.

Muttering at the distraction she presented, he willfully concentrated on the tale she was pouring out to him. If her family truly had been taken from her, then he could identify and sympathize. He wanted to believe her because, despite his strong-willed resistance, he was getting attached to her. She amused, annoyed and aroused him—simultaneously. She made him feel sensations and experience emotions that he’d kept in cold storage for years. In his profession, emotion was a dangerous distraction. Jonah had to rely on sharpened instincts, hard facts and unerring logic.

And then along came Maddie….

“Two of the men who have been pressuring me into marriage offered to loan me money to pay ranch expenses and the ransom,” she continued as she stared off into space. “I refused to be beholden to either of them. My only option was to consult our family lawyer in Fort Worth and request a loan that I can repay when I gain control of my trust fund.”

Jonah wondered how much money they were discussing—or whether this was a fictitious fund that she kept harping about—but he didn’t ask. He preferred to hear her out.

“When I left the bank with the money in my satchel, I saw the same two cowboys that I had encountered twice while I was in Fort Worth,” she explained. “I had even convinced myself that I was being followed long before I arrived by stage.” She shrugged helplessly. “Wild imagination and too much stress, perhaps. In any event, the men approached me a few minutes before I caught the stage to Coyote Springs, and I managed to elude them because there were dozens of passersby on the busy streets.

“When we stopped at a stage station for lunch the men appeared on horseback, and I realized that they intended to steal my money the first chance they got.” She glanced somberly at Jonah. “And you know the rest, since I came knocking at your door.”

Jonah knew that Maddie could easily have twisted the truth, that she could have been in cahoots with the two men and tried to double-cross them. This entire tale of woe, with the addition of a few tears and a crackling voice, could have been a melodramatic performance to prey on his sympathy and gain his cooperation.

It wouldn’t be the first time, he reminded himself. He’d seen several clever scams in his day. He had also heard such convoluted and conflicting testimonies in previous cases that it was damn near impossible to sort out the truth. He had no intention of taking Maddie Garret strictly at her word, even if she did fascinate him and tug at his emotions. He did, however, intend to hear her version of the story before he confronted her two attackers.

Jonah knew for a fact that the men were still following like shadows because he had seen them in the distance this morning. Without his protection Maddie wouldn’t be allowed safe passage to Fort Griffin. Her ex-partners in crime—or would-be thieves—weren’t backing off.

“Now what’s your story, Jonah Danhill?” Maddie asked, jostling him from his suspicious thoughts. “I’d really like to know.”

Jonah came to his feet, kicked dirt on the fire and headed toward his horse. He wasn’t in the mood—or in the habit—of discussing his past with anyone, and he wasn’t about to start now.

“Let’s go, Garret. We’re wasting daylight and your two friends are following us.”

He hoped that would be the end of the conversation about his past, but knowing how relentless and determined Maddie Garret could be when she was on one of her crusades, he doubted it.

Maddie strode toward the horses, then reflexively ducked when she heard the crack of a rifle and felt a whizzing bullet rush past her ear to plug into the tree beside her. Wild-eyed, she tried to scramble onto the mare, which was prancing in a nervous circle.

“Give me your hand,” Jonah ordered.

Maddie flung up her hand and then winced when Jonah nearly jerked her arm out of its socket in his haste to hoist her behind him on the saddle. When another bullet whistled past them she pressed herself against the solid wall of Jonah’s back. Maddie wrapped her arms around his waist and prayed for all she was worth.

Being shot at was a new, unnerving experience for her, but it didn’t seem to faze Jonah. He leaned sideways to grab the mare’s trailing reins, then took off like a cannonball. While they rode hell-for-leather, Maddie wondered how many consecutive days of dodging flying bullets she would have to endure before she could remain as unflinching and focused as Jonah.

My God, how did he deal with this kind of fear without having the living daylights scared out of him on a regular basis?

“You okay, princess?” Jonah called over his shoulder as he set a swift pace through the trees that lined the creek.

“I’ve been better,” she mumbled against his back. “I’m sorry I’m responsible for getting you shot at during your vacation.”

When they encountered the dense underbrush that grew along the creek bank, Jonah reined the gelding to a walk, then drew the mare up beside them. Using his good arm, he grabbed Maddie around the waist and deposited her on her own horse. Her feeling of security vanished when she was no longer wrapped around Jonah’s sinewy form. She shivered as remnants of icy fear spiraled through her body.

To her stunned amazement Jonah leaned toward her to kiss her squarely on the mouth. His scorching kiss caused an explosion of her senses and sent hot sensations sizzling through her body. Maddie was still savoring the taste of his full, sensuous lips—and the delicious feelings he aroused—when he withdrew abruptly. Bewildered, she licked her lips and stared goggle-eyed at him.

“Do I have your attention now, princess?” he asked in a gruff voice that was a direct contradiction to the passionate kiss he’d just bestowed on her. When she nodded mutely, he said, “Good. I don’t care how scared you think you are, you’re still going to be fine.” He moved his horse in front of hers, zigzagging through the maze of trees and brush. “Your friends—”

“I keep telling you that they are not my friends,” she interrupted emphatically.

“—will have a hard time taking potshots at us if we use the trees as shields,” he said implacably. “They might decide to follow the road so they can be ready and waiting to confront us. But we’re going to avoid the road entirely. It will take longer to reach Fort Griffin, but at least we won’t be sitting ducks.”

Jonah picked his way northwestward and silently cursed himself for yielding to the need to kiss Maddie. She’d looked so shaken and terrified that he’d wanted to comfort and console her. He should have given her a consoling pat on the back instead. Now the sweet taste of her was on his lips and her clean scent invaded his senses—feeding his forbidden desires, tormenting him until hell wouldn’t have it.

Jonah had sworn he was about to suffer heart seizure when bullets started flying earlier and Maddie had almost been shot. He was accustomed to facing personal danger, but it had unnerved him when her safety was threatened. Jonah had accepted the inevitability of his own death years ago, but he hadn’t been prepared for the possibility of watching Maddie die while she was under his protection.

She had a lot of living left to do. She had a life and family to return to, would-be fiancés waiting in the wings—if her story was to be believed. All Jonah had to his name was a well-trained horse and an arsenal of weapons. His only connection was to a company of Rangers who were careful about getting too attached to each other for fear of losing a dear friend when a gun battle broke out.

“You’ll have to find yourself an experienced guide at Fort Griffin,” Jonah said a few miles later. “A novice won’t do you a damn bit of good. Your two pistol-packing friends mean business.”

“Would you please stop referring to those bushwhackers as my friends?” She scowled at him. “And for your information, I am not going to hire another guide or take the stage. I refuse to involve anyone else in my problems or become personally responsible for causing someone else’s injury or death.”

Jonah swiveled in the saddle to stare disapprovingly at her. He wasn’t surprised to see her chin elevate a stubborn notch when she met his gaze head-on. The woman had cornered the market on stubborn and defiant.

“And furthermore, you are fired,” Maddie decreed. “You have an injured arm already. I have to get used to taking care of myself and I’m sorry I made the selfish mistake of involving you in this affair.”

“One kiss does not make an affair,” he said dryly.

Maddie flung him another irritated glance. “Don’t practice your rarely used sense of humor on me, Danhill. I am not a simpleton whose attention is easily diverted. I will not be listed as the cause on your death certificate.” To make her point she drew the mare to a halt, then hitched her thumb over her shoulder. “You’re off the hook. Go back to Coyote Springs. You didn’t want to come in the first place.”

He had expected her to stick to him like a sand burr after the ambush, but he’d forgotten to take into account her independent nature. Every mishap she had encountered since he’d met her served to stiffen her resolve about confronting her problems alone. He admired that—in a frustrated sort of way—but he’d made a promise he intended to honor.

“Damn it, Jonah,” she railed at him when he nudged his steed forward. “What does it take to get rid of you?”

“I would have left if you had walked naked from the water. That would’ve evened the score between us,” he teased, straight-faced. “Now that’s what it’ll take to get rid of me. Go ahead, strip naked and I’ll backtrack to town.”

Maddie’s disbelieving snort transformed into a chuckle. “You are, without a doubt, the most outrageous, perplexing, disagreeable and impossible man I have ever met. I swear, it seems you have made it your mission to deliberately shock and provoke me.”

“Sticks and stones, Garret,” he said with a careless shrug. “But regardless, I’m going to take the roundabout route to Fort Griffin so we can avoid your cohorts.”

“How is it that you know this area so well when you claimed you never trekked across it?”

Her question convinced Jonah that she had finally given up her objections to his friends-and-cohorts comments. “I didn’t say I wasn’t familiar with the area,” he corrected grimly. “I said that I preferred to avoid it.” He stared stonily at her. “I’m half Comanche. The half that counts. This is where I grew up. This was the Comanchería, until the army descended like hornets to slaughter Comanche warriors, old men, women and children, and march the survivors to Indian Territory.”

Maddie flinched when she noticed the hard expression that settled on his rugged features. She had unintentionally hit an exposed nerve. Quite frankly, she was surprised that he had opened up to her, since he had refused to do so earlier. Jonah was a prickly man who had built walls around himself and rarely let others close enough to know and understand him.

“I was fourteen when I watched my father die,” he muttered as he stared into the distance. “I was fifteen when I was herded onto a train with the rest of the Comanche children and shipped to Pennsylvania to a boarding school designed to train us to think and behave like whites. I was seventeen when I sneaked away, took a new name and made my way back to Texas to work any job I could get in order to survive.”

His gaze swung back to her and she could see bitter emotion shimmering in those emerald depths. “When I look across this frontier I see ghosts of the past and hear the anguished cries of a people who were forced off their sacred land. It’s like walking over graves, princess. There are too many painful memories, too much resentment.”

“All the more reason for you to turn back,” Maddie murmured as tears of compassion clouded her vision. “If this ordeal with Christina ends badly, I’ll be tempted to walk away from a host of bad memories, too.”

Maddie curled her arm around Jonah’s neck and pulled him forward to press her lips gently to his. She kissed him because her heart went out to him, because the swift taste she’d had of him earlier hadn’t lasted long enough to appease her. In addition, this rapidly developing craving to make emotional and physical contact with him overwhelmed her.

Her senses filled to overflowing as his mouth moved upon hers. Sensual lightning flickered through her as she breathed him in, tasted him, savored the tantalizing sensations she had never experienced in her limited encounters with men. His darting tongue delved deeper, stealing her breath, then returning it to her in the most arousing manner imaginable. Desire intensified until her mind was reeling and her body was burning with unfamiliar need and simmering with erotic pleasure.

Suddenly he jerked away and retreated into his own space—long before she was ready to give him up. Maddie was so unprepared for his abrupt withdrawal that she nearly dived off her horse before she could regain her balance. She clutched at the pommel of the saddle and dragged herself upright.

Sweet mercy, when Jonah Danhill decided to let loose and kiss a woman senseless he could knock her world completely off-kilter!

“Why’d you do that?” he demanded in a strangled voice.

“Why’d you kiss me earlier?” she retorted promptly.

“To snap you out of your fear-induced trance and get you moving,” he said reasonably. “So why’d you do it?”

She smiled mischievously as she took the lead, though she had no idea where in the devil she was going. “Because I have seen you naked already.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe it means that, having seen all there is to see of you, I find you irresistible.”

“I doubt it. And for the record, two kisses is two too many. From now on, this is strictly a business arrangement. You’re paying me to escort you on the first leg of your journey. Simple and as temporary as that.”

“I thought you said you were tagging along, just for the chance of seeing me in the altogether.” She tossed a cheeky grin over her shoulder, finding that she enjoyed saucy flirtation—with Jonah, specifically. “I’ve got news for you, Danhill. I’m not going to bare my body and soul until long past Fort Griffin.”

“My loss, Garret. I’ll be long gone by then.”

And he would, too, Jonah promised himself as he trotted past Maddie to ensure she didn’t lead them in the wrong direction. He was not tramping deeper into Comanche territory to revisit sacred ground that might stir up another caldron of bubbling resentment.

He would convince Maddie to hire an experienced guide—or at the very least, take the stage—because she was not going to go it alone, no matter what she said to the contrary.

On that determined thought Jonah picked up the pace and headed due west. He didn’t slow down until they had galloped across a wide-open meadow and took cover in the thicket of cottonwoods and oaks that lined the meandering river. He knew of one place in particular that provided a natural fortress where they could bed down without worrying about being set upon by the bushwhacking duo.

Jonah kept a close eye on Maddie, bewildered by his sudden sensitivity and consideration of her needs. Each time her face became flushed and she squirmed uncomfortably in the saddle, he halted to let her rest and sip from his canteen. She held up well, all things considered, and she matched his relentless pace without complaining, not even once.

Her only near brush with disaster in eight hours came when her mare, spooked by a coiled bull snake, bolted and tried to run away with her. Being an experienced rider, she managed to rein in her horse before it tried to leap the creek and head for higher ground.

Maddie sent Jonah a questioning glance when he veered toward an oversize briar patch. It stood in the shadows of a rugged stone cliff beside the stream they had been following.

“As a boy, we camped here many times while hunting buffalo,” Jonah explained as he dismounted. “It doesn’t look like much—”

“I’ll say it doesn’t.” Maddie stared dubiously at the outcropping of rock on the cliff. “Looks like the perfect place to meet up with rattlers, mountain lions or wolves.”

Jonah tethered the horses, grabbed his gear and gestured for Maddie to follow him up. He climbed a winding trail that was camouflaged by the briar patch and led upward to an inconspicuous spring tucked into a deep crevice of the ridge. Setting aside his rifle, pallet and saddlebags, he waited for Maddie to make her way up the steep incline.

“You have to know where this secluded spring is or you’d never find it.” He directed her attention to the inviting pool when she stepped onto the flat stone cliff top.

Maddie sighed appreciatively as she assessed the hollowed-out basin of rock tucked beneath a jagged sandstone bluff. It resembled a gigantic bathtub. She pivoted beside him to admire the panoramic view of the lush valley below, alive with colorful wildflowers and spring grasses.

“Spectacular,” she commented as she sank down cross-legged to rest. “You could see a herd of buffalo coming from five miles away.”