Authors: Phoebe Conn
Jason tried to suppress a sly smile; then he let it slide across his lips in a taunting grin. "Nonsense, he enjoyed it. He lacks Duke's skill as a mount for hunting; still, he'll learn quickly enough. He has the speed and agility required, but he shies at the sound of gunfire. Perhaps you've not had an opportunity to notice that."
"You bastard." Gabrielle mouthed that insult silently so only Jason could tell what she'd said.
"Why, Miss MacLaren, if you are truly so concerned about how I might treat Sunny why don't you come to my tent as soon as you have finished your supper tonight? We can discuss the matter of his care more fully then." Touching his hat brim lightly, Jason turned the roan stallion away before she could voice any of the stinging insults which rapidly filled her mind.
Gabrielle was furious, but as she turned back toward the others she saw Iris' petulant frown and could not resist commenting sweetly, "He is such a charming man, don't you think, and so kind to help me train my horse." She smiled then, as if she adored him, and when Iris' face filled with rage Gabrielle went to see if Paul needed any help preparing the ribs. She wished she had put the brunette in her place, but she
was afraid it would be Sunny who suffered if she did.
The buffalo ribs were as delicious as Paul had promised they'd be, and as they dined the air was filled with the savory aroma of the roasting meat. The travelers relaxed. Full of laughter and good fellowship, they were pleased to share even the brief rest they'd been given. As her friends began to coax Rebecca to play her zither, Gabrielle slipped away, intent upon meeting Jason as he'd demanded but determined to give him not so much as a kind word.
He was expecting her to come. Seated by himself, he played his harmonica softly while he waited. When he glanced up and saw her, he slipped the slender instrument into his hip pocket and stood to greet her. He'd gone to the trouble of bathing and trimming his hair since last she'd seen him. Indeed, he'd shaved for the second time that day, and while he looked devilishly handsome he seemed so genuinely pleased to see her she began to blush deeply. For an instant she forgot why he'd demanded that she meet him. His eyes shone with an admiration she was flattered to think was sincere, and her smile was as delighted as his as she bid him good evening.
*Xet's go for a walk," Jason suggested, and gesturing toward the river, he strolled along by her side not reaching for her hand until he was certain they could no longer be observed. 'We were lucky this morning, we found a sizeable herd of buffalo just after dawn. They were on their way down to the river and we just picked them off. You probably don't know it but when the Indians kill a buffalo they like to bring their children the liver as a treat. They consider it a delicacy which should be eaten while it is still warm."
Astonished, Gabrielle stopped abruptly to ask, "Raw? You mean raw?" She could barely hide her revulsion at that possibility and hoped she'd misunderstood him.
"Of course raw. They think it is superb. I should have brought one to you so you could have tried it yourself."
"I am grateful that you did not." Gabrielle shuddered slightly, appalled by the thought of little Indian children
happily gulping down raw buffalo liver.
*'Are you cold?" Jason asked softly, moving his hand to her waist to draw her near.
"No. That was just a rather gruesome picture you painted. If you know of other such quaint Indian customs, please do not relate them to me."
Jason chuckled at her request, his mood far more mellow than hers. ''I have great respect for the tribes which inhabit these lands, Gabrielle. It is a terrible tragedy that their customs clash so violently with those of the white man. The Indians have a reverence for all of God's creations which far surpasses ours."
Intrigued by his words Gabrielle gave them careful consideration as she watched his expression from beneath her long lashes. He had seldom appeared so relaxed with her, and as always, she could not help but respond to his charm. That he was so bright and introspective an individual impressed her most favorably as well. "They have every right to try to stop us from crossing their land, don't they?"
Jason wished to go no farther and turned to pull her into his arms as he whispered, "And this is my right, Gabrielle." He kissed her then, very gently, his lips barely touching hers before he drew away. He didn't care what had inspired her to meet him, she had; and he wanted only to make love to her as tenderly as he had the first time. He kissed her cheek then let his lips slowly tracethecurveof her throat. She relaxed against him, her arms encircling his slim waist to hold him close. He raised his hands to her temples, sifting the silken strands of her glorious auburn hair as his mouth returned to hers. She was so lovely, so very young and dear. He enfolded her in a tender embrace, pressing every inch of her splendid body against his lean frame and longing to enjoy the same closeness of spirit. As before, she slipped her hands beneath his soft deerskin shirt to caress his bare skin, and he wished there were some way to make her understand what he could not seem to speak in words. He wanted only to hold her in his arms, to cherish her
sweetness and savor her beauty, but his mind filled with far more erotic images and he could no longer hide his growing desire.
Gabrielle responded readily to Jason's deep, sensuous kiss. She leaned against him, drinking in his intoxicating taste with such pleasure she made not the slightest objection when he drew her down upon the soft grass at the river's edge. She was aware only of the joy of his touch as his fingertips stripped her garments away and then slid over her bare skin. As before the magic of his loving was so compelling she was lost in its spell, so completely his she no longer heard the sound of the water rushing over the rocky river bed but felt only the pounding beat of her own heart as its frantic rhythm called to his.
The twilight was deepening to darkness, and no one else would be likely to stray so far from camp. Still, Jason knew the beautiful creature in his arms deserved far more consideration than he was able to provide. He longed to make love to Gabrielle in an oversize feather bed where he would have no fear for their comfort or privacy. He held her in a fond embrace, wanting her to feel the joy of the moment as fully as he did, but soon her enchanting smile enticed him to put aside all caution and plunge deeply into the mysteries of love. Needing no more than the invitation in her sultry glance, he followed the instincts he could no longer bear to ignore. Her lissome body welcomed his far more easily this time, with a smooth, sweet rush of heat which enveloped him in a magic all her own. He was enchanted by the graceful beauty in his arms, his heart hers for the asking, but he was too lost in pleasure to speak in any language except that of love.
Gabrielle dug her fingertips into the taut muscles of Jason's shoulders as the rapture which throbbed within her slender body swelled to a shuddering peak. She called his name in a breathless moan, her passion as primitive as his. Wild and savage, it bound them together in an ecstasy which seared their souls with the blazing heat of the same brilliant fire which fused their bodies into one. The star-filled heavens seemed to
swirl about them, carrying them aloft on a cloud of pleasure so rich its memory would fill her heart forever. Cabrielle prayed the night would never end for she thought she would surely die when the light of morning burst upon them and forced them to be two polite strangers once more.
Awash upon the same turbulent tide of exquisite sensation, it was a long while before Jason could again think clearly. He was still filled with a contentment so profound he dreaded spoiling its peace by speaking. Finally, he knew he had no other option.
"I must get you back to your wagon, we've been gone far too long as it is," he whispered softly, his lips pausing to caress the smooth swell of her breast before he sat up.
Cabrielle reached for his hand, pulling him back down beside her. ''Jason, please wait. Let's not go back." Not now she longed to say, not ever.
Jason hesitated only long enough to kiss her once again before he denied her request. "I am thinking only of you, Cabrielle. I care little what gossip circulates about me but there can be none attached to your name." He brought her palm to his lips, kissing it gently. "Now do not argue. This is only the first of many such nights, I promise you. Just come with me now, for the pain of parting will be no less sharp if we delay it."
Cabrielle slipped from his arms, unwilling to argue, but the risk of gossip was the least of her concerns. She could think only of the love he gave so generously, of the tenderness of his touch, the devotion in his kiss. She did not want to have to deny what she felt in her heart. Their passion had been real, an emotion so strong she could not suppress its expression any more than she could deny its existence. She went quickly to the fresh, sparkling water, splashing it generously upon herself to wash away the fragrance that was more his than hers. She remained silent as she got dressed, neither wanting or needing his assistance this time.
As the moon rose higher in the sky, Jason could see Cabrielle's expression more clearly and his heart fell for he
knew she had not accepted his plea for prudent caution. When she was ready to go back, he laced his fingers in hers, holding her hand tightly as they walked back toward the circle of wagons. The sounds of music and laughter still floated upon the breeze. Pleased that he had not kept her away as long as it had seemed, Jason bent down to give her one last kiss, but she pulled away quickly and was gone, leaving him filled with a loneliness so overwhelming he did not even notice Clayton standing nearby until his friend spoke in a low, threatening tone.
"You should not have disregarded my warning, Jason." He stood in the shadows at the back of the tent where he'd positioned himself to await Jason's return. "I make it a point to see the young ladies several times each day. I especially like to make certain they are accounted for at night, but tonight I noticed immediately that Gabrielle was missing from the group. I'm most assuredly not the only one who made that observation."
Jason raked his fingers through his curls. Were it any other man challenging his right to be with Gabrielle he would have settled the matter with his fists, but that tactic was inappropriate now. "Stay out of this. Clay, I mean her no harm."
"No harm!" The older man exploded angrily. "We are responsible for the welfare of these young women, for their health and safety to say nothing of their chastity! How far have you gone with Gabrielle, are you simply taking her for walks in the moonlight while you tell her amusing stories or have you seduced her as well?"
His expression hardening into a furious mask, Jason responded hoarsely. "That is not a question I'll answer. Now excuse me, I've got things that need to be done."
Clayton stepped forward to block his way. "Damn it, you owe me the truth and I demand you tell it right now!"
Jason took a deep breath and his gray eyes gleamed fiercely like Toledo steel. "The truth is a long and complicated tale, one
I have given my word to Gabrielle never to repeat. She regards me as gentleman enough to honor that promise even if you do not. Now stand aside or I'll walk right over you."
Jason's voice was low, his threat so convincing Clayton moved out of his way without giving him any further argument, but both men knew the issue had not been settled between them.
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Gabrielle rejoined her friends with the same ease she'd left them. Her appearance was flawless still, and when Clayton Home stopped by to remind them all how swiftly dawn would come, she returned his inquiring glance with a gaze so steady and free of guilt that he turned away without drawing her aside as he'd meant to do. He was certain if he could not make Jason see reason he would have no better luck with a young woman as confident as she.
As soon as he'd given the order to turn out, Jason rode down the line of wagons, wanting only to see Gabrielle. When he waved to her she smiled prettily, but he wanted to make certain she noticed he was alone. He'd invited each of the brides to go riding at least once, and since the practice bothered Gabrielle he would cease to do it. He did not recall that he had ridden with the others to prevent undue comment on the time he spent with Gabrielle. However, Clayton's hostile stare did not lessen, and the two men did little more than nod as they passed each other in their travels about the camp.
With only one more day's ride ahead of them until they came to the spot where they'd ford the Platte, Jason wanted to make certain Gabrielle's every thought was focused solely upon him and not upon the young man who had died there. When the wagon train began the afternoon journey, he deftly
cut her horse from the others and remarked with a wicked grin, 'This is a fine afternoon for a race. Miss MacLaren."
"Superb!" Gabrielle repHed and needing no further encouragement she sent Sunny into a long easy stride, his gallop so graceful the yards melted away beneath his flying hooves.
Jason hoped just once to beat the gorgeous pair, but although Duke gave his best, he could not overtake the spirited red horse. Fortunately, Gabrielle had no wish to defeat either Duke or his master by too humiliating a margin so she pulled her stallion to a halt as soon as they'd left the wagon train far enough behind to insure their privacy and waited for Jason to reach her side.
Weaving his fingers in her long flowing hair, Jason leaned over to kiss the lively young woman he found impossible to resist. His gesture was filled with affection despite the brevity his position in the saddle demanded.
"I have missed you," he exclaimed with a delighted smile. "I wasn't certain you would come with me today since I've had so little opportunity to speak with you in the last two days. I hope you did not perceive my desire for discretion as neglect."
''Do you think I would be here if I had?" Gabrielle asked coyly, her glance a mischievous one.
"No!" Jason cried out in mock anguish. "But you are here and let's not waste a moment of the time we have to share." He led her only a half mile farther along the trail, to a spot upon a rise where they could overlook the river but at the same time be shielded from view. Letting their mounts graze, Jason untied the blanket he'd rolled up behind his saddle. Having had no need for a tent for several days, he'd made the switch in gear, knowing no one would question the use he planned for the soft woolen spread.