The next day, Mason stopped by the shop before lunch. His horse was loaded down with gear like he’d be traveling. She was alone in the shop, and he didn’t bother glancing around before he kissed her.
“I have to go away for a few days,” he announced.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Sheriff needs me to lead a posse, up toward Ocala. A guy over from Silver Lake killed a man, and we think he headed up that way. He’s got family up there.”
A tendril of fear rolled through her. “You be careful.”
He smiled, but it looked sad and melancholy, as if something else weighed down his soul. “I will. I promise. On my way out, I’ll stop by the sawmill and tell Joe. He’ll come pick you up tonight.”
“I am capable of driving a buggy. I told you that.” Irritation mixed with love ran through her. She’d been taking care of herself for a while now, but it was nice to have someone worried about her and trying to take care of her.
“I know you can, but I don’t want you to be alone.”
“I wouldn’t be alone. I have my shotgun.” She smiled.
“Let Joe come get you,” he firmly said. He kissed her again before putting his hat back on. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“How long?”
He shook his head. “Don’t know.” She couldn’t shake the suspicion that he was sad about something, that maybe this was more of a good-bye than he let on. “Hopefully no more than a week, or I’m gonna be right sore with the sheriff. He would’ve sent Carl, except Carl’s down with a bum ankle. He can’t get himself up in a saddle.” He mounted his horse then offered her a sad-looking smile as he tipped his hat to her.
She watched him ride off, knowing in her heart she was lost.
She loved him.
Katie tried to work, but by three thirty, with little to do and no customers, she decided to try to beat the afternoon rainstorm home. She grabbed her shotgun, gathered her things, locked the shop, and walked the three blocks to the livery stables.
Kendall Wentworth was surprised to see her instead of Joe, but he quickly readied the buggy and horse for her. In ten minutes she was on her way out of town, heading for home.
As the afternoon clouds grew so dark and angry they looked nearly purple, the winds picked up, growing cool as the storm threatened. She snapped the reins, urging the horse faster. It wouldn’t kill her to get wet, but it wouldn’t be very pleasant. The scent of impending rain filled the air as the temperature dropped.
Then she happened to glance behind her. In the distance, she spotted a lone rider, heading east from Brooksville and gaining on her fast, a cloud of wind-swept dust kicking up behind him indicating his speed.
With her heart now racing, she snapped the reins again, wishing she had a buggy whip. The horse responded. Before long she was totally focused on keeping the buggy upright and her place on the seat as the buggy bounced along on the rough washboard clay road. That’s when the sky opened.
The wind roared around her, from the storm and the speed of the horse. She didn’t dare glance behind her and prayed they didn’t hit a rut wrong and spill. She let out a terrified cry as she heard a man screaming her name behind her. Terrorizing thoughts filled her soul as she prayed the rider’s horse didn’t outrun her normally slow and gentle steed. It was only as the rider finally pulled alongside she realized it was Joe, looking angry and as sopping wet as she was.
Now crying with relief, she reined in her horse and brought the trembling beast to a stop as Joe pulled his own mount up short next to the buggy.
“Katie? What in hell is wrong with you? What do you think you’re doing?” he yelled over the storm’s fury. He jumped off and tied the reins to the back of the buggy before climbing up next to her.
She threw herself into his arms and hugged him. “I’m sorry! I finished early and thought if I came home it’d save you a trip.”
He pulled her closer. “I left the sawmill early to put in a feed order. By the time I got to the livery, he said you’d already left. Why didn’t you stop when I yelled for you? Didn’t you hear me?”
She cried harder, unable to admit the terror that she thought it was one of Dorchester’s men after her.
“Shh, it’s all right, sweetheart,” he soothed, his voice gentling. He draped his jacket over her and kept one arm around her, pulling her tightly against his side as he snapped the reins with the other to get them moving again. She felt him nuzzle the top of her head. “It’s okay, Katie. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
“I’m sorry,” she finally sobbed. “I just felt so scared. I didn’t realize it was you.”
He laughed harshly. “Obviously.” He squeezed her tighter. “Next time, listen when we tell you what to do.”
By the time they reached the house, they were both drenched through and she was shivering from the cold rain. No sooner they pulled up in front of the house that the rain petered off and the sun broke through.
She looked up at the sky. “Thank you very much for the inconsideration!”
He laughed. “If you’d waited, we would have hung around your shop and stayed dry.”
One of the stable hands ran over to take the horses. Joe climbed out then offered his hand to her. She reddened in the face when she realized even with her chemise, she was so soaked he couldn’t miss but see her body. Every inch of fabric on her was sodden and clung to her.
When he helped set her on her feet, she also didn’t miss the feel of his stiff cock through his trousers. She looked up into his blue eyes. There was no mistaking he understood she’d felt and recognized the significance.
After a moment he finally stepped back from her. “Go on inside, honey,” he hoarsely said. “I’ll bring your things. I need to clean and oil that shotgun before it rusts.”
Wordlessly she nodded and hurried inside. In her room she dropped her wet clothes to the floor where they landed with a loud splat. She threw on a housedress after drying herself. Carrying her things so not to get herself wet, she dumped everything into the kitchen sink until she could get a washtub filled on the back porch to wash and hang them out.
She heard Joe in his room and rapped on his door. “Give me your things and I’ll wash and hang them.”
Footsteps crossed the floor, and then the door opened. He stood there, a towel draped around his shoulders, dry trousers on, feet and chest bare.
Wet, his blond hair almost looked like the color of honey, and the damp golden whorls on his chest were still plastered to his skin.
When their eyes met, he pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her she didn’t want to fight and wouldn’t if she could. His body felt hot against her still-damp flesh, warm and inviting and she felt she could…
He pulled away, his face reddening. “I…I’m sorry, Katie.” He turned away from her. “That was wrong of me. I’m so sorry.”
Refusing to let him retreat, she followed him, grabbed his arm, and spun him around. “You don’t get to turn away from me like that.”
“You have every right to be angry—”
She kissed him. This time his arms slipped around her waist, holding her body tightly against his as he thoroughly explored her mouth with his.
Katie whimpered with need as the feel of his body flooded her mind and heart with long-suppressed desires. Mason made her body burn. Joe made her heart melt.
He lifted his lips from hers. “We can’t do this,” he whispered. “This isn’t right. Mason loves you.”
“You love me.”
“That’s not the point!”
“Yes, it is!” She looked into his blue eyes, her own filling with tears. “I love both of you.”
There. It was out.
He stared at her, stunned. “Both of us?”