Hostage Heart (23 page)

“No…stay….”

Matt remained motionless when he heard Lark’s husky voice. Thinking he was too heavy for her slender form, he’d started to withdraw from her wet velvet depths, but she had wound her arms around him, holding him close. He shifted some of his weight off her, his other hand protectively wrapped around her hips.

“I don’t want to hurt you, honey,” he said, resting his mouth against her damp cheek. Inhaling her special scent, Matt caressed her skin with his own cheek.

“You’re not hurting me. You would if you left.” Lark lifted her lashes, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth within his arms, his body like a blanket over her.

She reveled in her new discoveries.
So this is what it meant to be a woman
. Smiling softly, she closed her eyes, her fingers tracing the outline of his powerful shoulders. “You’re so strong and sleek. Like the bear I first thought you were.”

He nuzzled her neck, taking small nips from it, smiling. “A bear and a cougar are usually a mean combination.”

“Yes.”

“But we aren’t,” he growled, sifting his fingers lazily through her hair, marveling at its texture and color.

Lark shook her head, continuing to explore his naked form. “I never realized these feelings existed,” she confided, holding his gaze. “My heart shines like Holos.”

He understood what Lark meant. He never wanted her to change. “I like the way you think. More importantly, the way you feel.”

A hint of urgency crept into her low voice and Lark paused in exploring his back. “Was I…I mean…”

Matt caressed her lips with a featherlight kiss. “You were perfect,” he assured her, wanting to erase the doubt in her luminous eyes. “No man could have asked for a more responsive woman.” Concerned, he gently withdrew from her and brought the sheet over them, then held her against him. “You’re a very special woman, Lark,” he said. “I don’t know whether it’s the hot Apache blood in your veins or your wild Irish ancestry. Whatever it is, you’re like a thoroughbred.”

Lark traced patterns on his chest with her fingertips. In another hour, dawn would awaken the world, but for now she languished in the wonderful feelings that made her glow. “My mother, Mourning Dove, said that when a warrior claimed my heart, I would fly like an eagle toward Holos. I think I know now what she meant.”

Matt closed his eyes, never wanting to let Lark out of his embrace. “Honey, you made me fly higher and farther than any eagle ever could.”

“I felt like sunlight on water.”

“You were the earth, Lark—fertile, rich and giving. Very few women know how to give so fully.”

Lark struggled to sit up on one elbow, holding Matt’s gaze. She saw happiness for the first time in the depths of his intelligent gray eyes. It made her want to press herself to him and somehow convey that she felt the same. “Giving back to you is natural,” she murmured.

Despite his effort not to, Matt remembered Katie and how she had lain on her back in bed that first night after their wedding, tense and unmoving. When he had touched her, she had not responded. Matt still couldn’t understand it. “Some women, a lot of women, don’t enjoy what we shared.””

Fascinated, Lark sat up, no longer shy about her nakedness. She reveled beneath his inspection, feeling as if she were truly a part of him now. “How could they not?” She gestured toward the eastern window where the first rays of the morning sun stole through the lace curtains. “You gave me sunlight! I felt as if warm waves were flowing through me, like a raging river out of control. How could any woman not enjoy that?”

“I’ve often asked myself that, Lark. I don’t have an answer.”

She frowned, resting her chin in her folded hands. “Mother often said that among the Apache, this closeness was necessary. When Ria, a woman on the ranch, married last year, I wondered why she was so happy the morning after.” A glow came to Lark’s animated features. “Now I know what she was smiling about!”

“Come here, golden cougar.” Matt pulled her on top of him as he rolled onto his back. In her shining eyes he saw her surprise and then the pleasure that throbbed palpably between them. His flesh burned hotly wherever she came in contact with him. Her breasts became more firm, the nipples hard. Roving his hand across her rounded hip, he murmured, “You’re mine and I always want you to smile like that after we make love.” His voice caught as her hair pooled across his chest. “I want to always make you happy, Lark.”

She laid her head on Matt’s chest, feeling the thunderous beat of his heart beneath her ear. “I’m so happy, I’m afraid I’ll fly apart, my bear.” Savoring his firm body and feeling his shaft begin to grow beneath her belly, Lark leaned upward, kissing his mouth. This time, she tried to duplicate the motion she remembered that he’d used on her. Startled when Matt gripped her hard, his mouth claiming her hotly in return, she relaxed, sinking against him. Her blood sang and Lark felt like so much molten sunlight as he worshipped her lips. And when he caressed the corners with his tongue, she shivered.

Groaning, Matt gently broke the torrid kiss and moved Lark to his side. “You’re a wild-blooded cat and if we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to say no later.” Seeing the disappointment in her shining eyes, he added, “Listen to me, Lark. You’re going to be very sore from what we’ve done this morning. As much as I want to bed you again, I don’t think it’s wise.”

She pouted for only a moment, drowning in his burning gaze. To be cherished was such an overwhelming feeling that she acquiesced with a nod of her head.

A fiercely protective feeling smothered Matt, and it took every ounce of his remaining control to get out of bed. “I’ve got to leave whether I want to or not.” In an effort to ease their parting, he discussed another subject as he dressed. “Paco and I finished breaking all those colts. In a day or two we can herd them into Prescott and pick up the money from the U.S. Army. We’ll probably be gone a few days.”

“A few days?” At that moment she couldn’t bear to think of their being separated for so long. At that moment, all she wanted was to throw her arms around Matt and hold him as he had held her: with all her heart. Sliding off the bed, she collected her nightgown and slipped back into it, retying the bows.

After dressing, Matt drew Lark into his arms. “I don’t want to leave you for that long, honey, but we’ve got to let ranch matters take precedence.”

Burying her head against his chest, Lark closed her eyes. “The ranch and the people come first,” she agreed faintly, savoring the last precious minutes within his arms.

Within half an hour, the wranglers would awake. “I’ve got to go,” Matt whispered, placing his mouth against her lips.

Reluctantly, she agreed.

Lark swallowed her surprise when Captain Frank Herter arrived late that afternoon. This time he was wearing the garb of an ordinary wrangler and not his U.S. Army uniform. Lark recalled that he had talked about retiring.

“Afternoon, Miss Lark,” he said, tipping the edge of his hat to her. “I heard that Paco was shot by Shanks. I thought I would come out and lend you a hand.”

“Thanks for the offer. Paco’s going to be fine, but we are running shorthanded, Captain—”

“I’m retired now, Lark, so just call me Frank.” He gestured to the left. “Who’s that? Another new wrangler?”

Lark turned. “That’s Matt Kincaid.”

“The man Ga’n wounded?” Frank asked, recalling their conversation the last time he was out at her ranch.

Lark avoided Herter’s penetrating gaze. “Yes. He’s helped me—all of us—so much.”

“Sounds like you’re a little sweet on him,” Frank teased gently.

Lark chewed her lower lip, heat prickling her cheeks. Frank Herter had always had startling insight into her, which kept Lark forever off balance, but she also sensed the approval in his eyes and in his amused voice. “Uh, yes, a little sweet,” she admitted.

“You never could fib well, Lark,” Frank said. “Come on, introduce me to this man of yours. He sounds like someone made of good mettle.”

Lark was eager to introduce the two men. Frank had always said he was sweet on her. Now he seemed to realize at once that she was Matt’s woman. How could he? Was it written all over her face? Stepping back so the two men could shake hands, she moved to Matt’s side.

Frank held the cowboy’s assessing gaze. “To be honest, Mr. Kincaid, I’ve just retired from the Army and am looking for a job as a wrangler. Miss Lark knows I’m good with horses, and I know you’re running shorthanded. How about it?”

Lark’s mouth fell open and she quickly shut it. “Frank, are you sure? I mean, we can’t pay you that much—at least not yet.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got my Army pension to supplement me. What do you say, Lark? Do we have a deal?” He thrust out his gloved hand toward her.

Lark looked to Matt.

“Once we get those colts to Prescott, we can afford him,” Matt told her, reading the question in her eyes.

“The budget can stand it?”

He smiled down at Lark, wanting to sweep her into his arms. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes filled with love for him alone. “It can.”

Lark gripped Frank Herter’s hand. “Thanks, Frank. You’re going to be an awful good replacement.”

“I’ve got a job for you,” Matt said, motioning to the corral. “Tomorrow morning, we’re taking those colts to town.”

“Sounds good to me,” Frank said, smiling at both of them. “I can hardly wait to see the look on Cameron’s face when we come riding in with them. Talk around Prescott is that the Gallagher Ranch is dying.”

With a snort, Lark placed her hands on her hips. She told him of the two attempted kidnappings, and Cameron’s attempt to swindle the water rights out of her.

Rubbing his lean jaw, Frank pursed his lips and exchanged a look with Kincaid. “Well, I heard tell Cameron’s going to get your water at any cost. Just watch your backside, that’s all.”

“We’ve already had a taste of Cameron’s methods,” Matt muttered. “Tomorrow, when we go into Prescott, I’m going to telegraph Phoenix and ask for a marshal to intervene up here and investigate Cameron.”

Shrugging, Frank rested his right hand on his pistol. “Won’t do any good. Prescott’s Cameron’s territory, and he backs up his brand of law with guns like Shanks. I’m sure Lark’s already told you that.”

“If we can get outside law enforcement to come in, it will help.”

“Still might be a showdown,” Frank warned.

Matt smiled grimly. “That’s fine with me. Cameron’s going to pay for all he’s done or else.”

Jud Cameron paced the length of his office, his fists clenched behind the expensive black coat he wore. Shanks lay sprawled on the floor, nursing the bloody nose his boss had just given him. Cameron’s knuckles ached, but it had given him great pleasure to punish the stupid bastard.

“Of all things,” he shouted, “you let her escape! First that goddamned Injun gets his war partner killed by Kincaid, then you lose her out of pure idiocy!”

Shank’s feet were blistered and bloodied from the long trek back from Devil’s Canyon. It had taken him nearly twenty-four hours to reach the road to Prescott. From there, he’d hitched a ride on a passing stagecoach.

“I told you, boss, she fought like a wildcat! I had to let her go!”

Breathing hard, Cameron hunkered over the gunslinger on the floor.

“You’re worthless, Shanks. Worthless. Get up!”

Eyeing Cameron warily, Shanks got slowly to his feet. He hobbled over to the chair and sat down.

Cameron glared at him. “I’m giving you one last chance to square things between us, or I’m firing you. And I’ll make damned sure no one hires you as a gun in the Tucson Indian Ring. You understand?”

Shanks nodded, burning beneath Cameron’s black gaze. “What do you want me to do?”

“Get Ga’n sobered up, then take the boys on a little ride to Bottleneck Valley. The Gallagher Ranch sits at the narrow end, and there’s a thousand acres of dry grass surrounding them.” He jabbed his finger at Shanks. “I want you to start a fire at the western end of the valley. The wind blows from west to east. The ranch sits downwind of that thousand acres and it’ll go up in smoke, just like the rest of that goddamned valley. All that will be left are the wells, and that’s all I want. That breed will sign then. She’ll have no buildings, her hay crop for the winter will be gone, and there will be no reason for her to stay.”

The plan seemed simple enough to Shanks. Most important, it would allow him to avoid Kincaid’s deadly gun. “That’s a good idea, boss.”

“While they’re fighting that fire, I want you to steal that Kentucky Stud the breed owns,” Cameron went on. “Take the horse south to Tucson. You and Ga’n will be responsible for his arrival there in good health. Deliver him to Robert McCray over at the Double Deuce Ranch. I’ve made a deal with McCray. He keeps the stud, but I get half his offspring for the next two years. That way I can improve my horse herd and get better money from the Army.”

His eyes bulging, Shanks struggled to speak. “You want me to cross that infernal desert with that stud?”

“You’ll have Ga’n as your guide. That Injun knows how to make juice leak out of rock, if he has to. Tell him I’ll pay twenty dollars if he’ll take the job. I’ll telegraph ahead and have McCray waiting with another job for Ga’n once he arrives. Money talks and Ga’n will listen.”

Rubbing his aching jaw, Shanks asked, “What if Kincaid gets wind that we stole the stud? He’s crazy enough to follow us.”

“He’s not an Injun. There’s no way in hell he’s going to try and ride across that desert in pursuit.” Cameron smiled. “Besides, he’s going to be too busy rebuilding a burned-out ranch, unless I miss my guess. Anyway, by that time Lark Gallagher will be happy to sell what’s left of her father’s holdings to me. She won’t have the gumption to start over again. It would take too much money and she hasn’t got it.”

Shanks warmed to the idea. “When do you want it done?”

“As soon as possible. Get the boys from my ranch, all ten of them. Then ride east and find Ga’n. You know where he usually stays. He’ll be nursing his hatred of Kincaid for killing his war partner. I know he’ll want revenge and will like the idea of stealing a horse. That’s what the Apache are best at—murdering and thieving.”