Ask No Tomorrows (29 page)

“
You can’t do that, you’ll get
yourself
killed,” Nannette cried.
“Maybe her too.”

“
Not the way I’m feelin’ right now, they
won’t. I’ll kill them with my bare hands,” Sam said.

“
You need to get the Sheriff, Sam,” Miss
Tilda said. “He’s obviously built himself a gang; you can’t do this
single-handed.”

“
No…it’s better I go this alone. Too many
following could get her killed real easy. But I am curious, why are
all of you here?” Sam asked.

Miss Tilda seemed to reflect on that question before
answering. She smiled sadly. “Riley wanted us here. Invited us.
Said it was too lonely all by herself, and that she missed you so
bad.”

Sam
sighed. “She said that?”

“
She shore did, honey. That girl is crazy
about you, Sam.”

Sam
eyed the floor. “I’m pretty crazy about her too…”

Miss Tilda got up and grabbed him by the arms. “I knew you
was. I told her so. Now, you go get her and bring her back
here.”

Sam
nodded. “Don’t you worry none, I’ll bring her back.”

Just then, Friend sauntered into the big parlor where everyone
was. “Who’s that?” Sam asked.

“
Her dog.”

Sam
eyed the dog for a minute, as Friend came to him and smelled him.
“What’s his name?”

“
She calls him Friend,” Miss Tilda answered.
“Crazy name for a dog, I guess.”

“
That sounds like Riley alright.” Sam tipped
his hat to them all. “Look, I’ve got to get after them. Do any of
you know which way they were headed?”

“
South,” Miss Tilda cried.

“
Okay, you girls lock up and hopefully I’ll
catch up to them before the law does.” Sam smiled. “I’d kinda like
to take Friend along; maybe he can help me sniff them out. Got
anything with their scent on it?”

Miss Tilda seemed to pause for a minute to think then nodded.
“We sure do. Before they left, Riley managed to scald one of them
pretty good with some hot water on the stove; he left a rag he used
to smear butter on. Let me get it for you.”

“
Thanks, that will help.”

“
Be careful, Sam.” Nannette came and laid a
hand on him. “I know you’re sweet on Riley, but we all care about
you, Sam.”

He
stared at Nannette for a minute then smiled. “I’ll be fine. But
thanks for carin’.”

Less than a
half hour later, Sam was on their trail.

Tracking them hadn’t been easy, but as he headed south, he
figured they were headed for Mexico. With all that Harry had
pulled, it wouldn’t pay for him to stay on this side of the border.
The weather was hot and dry and Sam ate enough dust along the
way.

He
silently wished he’d come sooner, but now that he was sure of his
feelings and what he wanted to do, he had confidence he’d get Riley
back.

It was the
second night out that Sam actually caught up to their camp. And he
spent some time scouting out the entire lay of the camp and men
before making any kind of move. There were five of them and all
armed. Friend circled the shack they were in and sniffed
about.

Sam got close
enough to listen to them for a bit.

“
If she hadn’t thrown that hot water on me,
I’d be worth somethin’ right now.”

“
Jarvis, it’s okay, ain’t nobody even on our
trail yet. Quit frettin’.”

Sam
backed off, he’d seen Riley at the stove cooking. After she’d
scalded the one man, he was surprised they let her near a
stove.

Sam
couldn’t figure out how to completely best them so he figured if he
could burst in and shock them, maybe get one or two before they
figured out what hit them and with Friend maybe more.

Without
another thought he directed Friend to follow him.

He
stood in front of the door and kicked the door in. He fired shots
wildly as he went inside. Friend didn’t hesitate to jump on Jarvis
and Jarvis yelped as he bit the hand that was already
blistering.

Sam
saw Riley and couldn’t believe she clobbered the one closest to her
with the skillet.

But
Harry bested them both and now grabbed Riley’s hair and thrust her
against him. “Drop it or she’s dead.”

Sam
slowly lowered his gun, but he hadn’t dropped it. Harry eyed him.
“I said drop it. Well, now what have we got, a black buck…You’re in
the wrong place at the wrong time, mister.”

“
I don’t think so. Let go of her…” Sam grit
his teeth.

“
Not a chance…” Harry began when Riley
dipped her head and bit his hand hard.

Harry shrieked and dropped his gun. “What the
devil…?”

Sam
grabbed Harry’s gun and glanced at Riley. “You okay?” he
asked.

Riley smiled. “I am now…”

Sam
smiled too and looked at Harry. “See if you can find some rope,
we’ll tie him up and take him to the Sheriff.”

Riley
nodded.

Riley looked about but couldn’t find anything.

“
Check my horse,” Sam instructed, holding
the gun on Harry. “So you’re Harry.”

“
Who the hell are you, mister?” Harry looked
confused.

Sam
ignored him. Riley came back with the rope and handed it to Sam.
“Hold this.” Sam handed her the gun.

Riley held it, but her hands were shaking. Suddenly, Harry
bumped the gun out of her hands and Sam and Harry began wrestling
on the floor for the gun. Riley saw the gun and kicked it out of
their way. Sam hit Harry several times then Harry jarred Sam with a
left hook. They spent a good ten minutes on the floor, wrestling
and hitting, trying to escape blows. Finally, Sam knocked Harry out
and Sam got up and grabbed the gun.

Riley handed
him the rope.

“
So this is Harry, huh?” Sam asked
her.

“
Harry Stevens…” Riley announced once she
was sure he was tied down.

Sam
stared at Harry for a long time then smiled. “I don’t blame you
Riley for not marrying him. He’s not much to look at, is
he?”

Riley blushed. “Nope! What are you doin’ here? How did you
find me?”

Sam
chuckled. “Well, which question you want first? I came to see you
at the ranch, but you weren’t home. Miss Tilda was glad to fill me
in on what you were doin’.”

Riley studied him for a moment. “Guess you are wonderin’ about
that, huh?”

Sam
put his hat back on and shook his head. “Riley, when it comes to
you, I quit being surprised.”

“
Well…you see, it gets lonely out there with
no female company…” she began.

“
Uh-huh. I can see where it might,” Sam
agreed.

“
What are we gonna do with him?” Riley
asked.

“
Take him to the nearest Sheriff.” Sam
smiled.

Sam stared at
Riley as she looked up into his eyes.

Harry had caught his breath and leaned against the wall. “You
sweet on that black buck, Riley?”

Sam
took her hands and pulled them to him, placing them on his chest
then he hauled her close. “She shore is…” Then his lips were softly
persuading hers to open for a kiss he seemed to need. She moaned
aloud.

“
Sam.” She pinked when she came up for
air.

“
Dammit Riley, I’ve missed you,” Sam growled
near her ear as he continued kissing her into an almost surrender.
“I’ve got a question to ask you when we get out of here, but I
guess we should see to him first.”

Riley
nodded.

They didn’t have much of a ride as the Sheriff from Dallas met
them on the trail. They turned Harry over to him and followed him
back to Dallas; it was a three day ride and there was little rest,
but they finally made it.

“
You two better hang around until we can get
a court date. Once you’ve testified, you are free to go,” the
Sheriff informed them.

But that night
Sam and Riley got a room. Riley got the room and waited for Sam to
come see her. They had a lot to talk about.

But when Sam
came inside her room later that night, there was no talking as he
took her in his arms and kissed her hotly. She moaned the pleasure
he gave when his lips went to the button of her shirt.

Riley gulped hard. “Sam…we shouldn’t be doing
this…”

Sam
smiled against her creamy white skin. “Why not…we’re in love,
aren’t we…?”

“
Sam…” Her breath hitched and she pulled his
head up. “We are?” she questioned.

“
Hmmm. We are. I’ve missed you, Riley,” he
whispered against her cheek as his lips moved to conquer
hers.

This kiss
proved his point as he pulled at her bottom lip until she opened
for him and his tongue began to work a special magic on
her.

He
held her there in his arms for a long time before he let her
breathe again, but Riley was past the point of caring. Her arms
went around him and she pulled him even closer.

Then, without warning, he set her away from him and stared
into her heavenly blue eyes. “Riley, Riley, no matter what I did,
where I went, who I saw, nothing could replace you.”

Riley blushed. “I’ve missed you too, Sam.”

“
Look, don’t stare at me as though you want
me to kiss you some more, ‘cause I do. I want to hold you in my
arms all night. I won’t compromise you, Riley,” he said
staunchly.

“
You won’t?” She sounded as though she
wanted that compromise.

“
Not yet. I want to ask you somethin’. It’s
important. Now, I’ve told you I love you, so that means I’ve
figured out a way for us to be together…”

She
started to come back into his arms, but he held her hands at arm’s
length. “Let me finish, while I can, Riley.”

“
Okay,” she cried shakily.

“
It would be a big step for you,
Riley.”

“
Oh…tell me,” she begged.

“
If you really feel the same about me, as I
do about you, then there’s a way. But it won’t be without its
problems from time to time. We’d be blind not to know it. But…well,
I can’t live without you with me Riley, I know that now. I want
you. I want to marry you. Still, there is only one way that will
happen. We’d have to live at the Indian Village, with my sister and
her family. Now…I know that is a big…”

Riley smiled now, and grabbed herself. “Oh Sam…do you mean it?
Do you love me that much?”

Sam
sighed heavily. “I tried hard not to. But you got under my skin.
Can you live with a black man?”

“
I can live with you, Sam…” She smiled and
leaned closer. “And I know one thing for sure, I can’t live without
you and be happy.”

“
But the ranch…?” he questioned.

“
Means nothing to me, without you. I’ll let
Miss Tilda run it the way she wants…”

“
You’d do that? For me?” he asked,
swallowing the lump in his throat.

“
For us, Sam, for us,” she admitted, her
eyes shining into his.

“
It’s a lot to give up, Riley,” Sam
said.

She
smiled, and came to stand against him. “Kiss me, Sam,” she said
shyly.

“
Riley…” he whispered just as his lips
claimed hers in a kiss that sealed their bargain. His lips moved
over hers like a whisper, over and over, until they were both in a
frenzy.

“
Keeping my hands off you ‘til we’re married
is gonna be hell,” he whispered as he picked her up in his arms and
laid her on the top of the bed.

“
Married?” She gasped.

“
Oh, I forgot to tell you, Burning Tree said
he’d marry us.” Sam smiled into her eyes.

“
He can do that?” she asked with
wonder.

“
He insists. It seems he’s had an eye on us
for some time. You see, Indians have visions.” Sam
laughed.

“
I can’t wait to be your wife, Sam…it’s like
a dream come true. And…I can’t wait to have your children,” she
said again in a whisper.

“
Good Lord, Riley, I can hardly wait to make
you mine…” he said and kissed her like the treasure she’d become to
him.

Late that night after they’d satiated their love full of
kisses, Sam hung the dream catcher above her bed, kissed her gently
on the lips and looked deep into her eyes. “Ask for no tomorrows
Riley, but always ask for todays…”

Sam knew at
last what he was looking for…Riley Morgan…his woman!