bothered him that Shannon had risked her life for him and never once had hinted that he owed her anything for it. Not even so much as a thank-you or a hug.
Instead of thanking her, he had yelled at her. That bothered him, too.
No surprise there, Whip thought sardonically. Everything about that girl bothers me.
«If my brother doesn’t have the manners to thank you,» Willow said, «I do. You’re welcome to come to our ranch anytime, and to stay for as long as you like.»
«Amen,» Caleb said. «Much as I hate to admit it, I’d miss the sound of Whip’s flute calling up the dawn when he comes visiting.»
«And just who accused me of stampeding the cattle with my ‘spirit pipes’?» Whip asked instantly, grateful for the change of subject.
«Must have been Wolfe,» Caleb said.
«Huh,» was all Whip said.
Shannon hid her smile. She also tried to hide her longing as she glanced sideways at Whip. She doubted that she was successful.
She had quickly learned that not much got past Caleb’s amber eyes.
After everyone had eaten, Caleb and Whip went out to check on the ranch animals. Willow went about her chores, which Shannon insisted on doing alongside her.
The first day set the pattern for the days that followed. Shannon worked as Willow did, whether it was cooking or sewing or cleaning. When Willow protested that Shannon was doing too much, Shannon simply laughed and said it was much easier than what she would be doing if she was in Echo Basin.
After supper on the fourth day that Shannon and Whip had been at the ranch, Willow coaxed Caleb to get out his harmonica and play some of her favorite songs.
Soon the haunting strains of a waltz were floating through the house. Lanterns glowed in shades of sun- bright gold throughout the main room of the house, softening everything their light touched. The spare lines of furniture and handmade rugs were transformed into solid, gracious forms.
Smiling, Whip went up to Willow, bowed with polished grace, and held out his hand to her.
«Madam,» Whip said gravely, «as hostess, the first dance of the evening is yours.»
«I’m not as graceful as I was the last time we danced,» she warned.
Whip’s smile was haunting, almost wistful.
«You’re a beautiful woman, Willow, and never more so than when you’re carrying the child of the love you and Caleb share.»
Willow flushed and smiled and allowed her older brother to help her to her feet. She curtsied with the ease of a woman who had been raised with all the refinements wealth and natural elegance could provide.
When Willow stepped into Whip’s outstretched arms, he held his sister as though she were made of fine, very fragile crystal. Their hair was as bright and golden as candle flames, their eyes gleamed with pleasure, and their steps blended smoothly. Together Willow and Whip glided and turned gracefully through the room while Caleb’s harmonica transformed the night with music.
Shannon watched brother and sister dance with a feeling close to envy. She, too, had once known what it was to attend balls, if only by peeking through the second-floor balustrade and watching the swirls of silk and satin and music below. Too young to dance and too old to be sleepy, she had passed many an hour dreaming about the time when she would be of an age to join the laughing, silken dancers.
But before that time had come, the world had changed. Silks and gowns and balls vanished from Shannon’s life before she could enjoy them firsthand.
The final notes of the waltz quivered through the air. Shannon sighed and turned to Caleb.
«I didn’t know a harmonica could make such beautiful music,» she said in a husky voice.
Caleb smiled slightly. «You’ve lived way off in Echo Basin too long. The only music you have to compare with my harmonica is the howling of the wolves.»
«Would it surprise you to know that I enjoy the wolves’ music — as long as I’m safely inside the cabin?»
«Nothing about a girl who charged a grizzly with an antique shotgun would surprise me.»
The approval in Caleb’s eyes made Shannon flush and smile shyly up at him at the same time.
«If you can spare time from flirting with my brother-in-law,» Whip said coolly, «we could rest Willow’s feet and dance together.»
«I don’t know how to dance and I wasn’t flir —» Shannon began.
Her words stopped abruptly. The anger she saw in Whip’s eyes made her mouth too dry to speak.
«Rafael!» Willow said, shocked. «Where are your manners?»
«In his watch pocket,» Caleb suggested dryly, «along with his brains.»
Whip shot him a savage look.
Caleb smiled thinly.
«Save it for Reno,» Caleb suggested. «He’s been waiting for a chance to get even ever since you dumped him on his butt with your Chinese wrestling tricks and then took strips out of his hide for the way he was treating Eve.»
«He had it coming,» Whip said. «He was being a damn fool about not marrying her. Anybody could see it.»
«Except the damn fool involved,» Caleb pointed out. «You might think on that. You might think on it real hard. Then you can apologize to Shannon by teaching her how to waltz.»
With that, Caleb winked at Willow and picked up his harmonica. Soon haunting harmonies once again filled the room.
Shannon looked everywhere but at Whip. Her cheeks were still stained red from his accusation. And from her own anger. She had done nothing to earn the sharp edge of Whip’s tongue.
Whip’s large hand appeared in front of Shannon’s eyes. His fingers were long, tanned, oddly elegant for all their strength. The nails were clean and closely trimmed.
He smelled of peppermint.
Whip saw the accusation in Shannon’s blue eyes when she looked up at him, then the sudden flaring of her nostrils, and then her surprise.
«Peppermint,» she said.
«Willow has it planted out back. I picked some for your room while you and Willow were clearing the dinner table.»
«I — thank you,» Shannon stammered. «That was very kind of you.»
Whip held out his other hand and said softly, «Dance with me.»
Honey girl.
Though Whip didn’t say the words aloud, they were there in the silver blaze of his eyes as he looked at her.
«I d-don’t know how,» Shannon said.
«I’ll teach you, if you’ll let me. Will you let me, Shannon?»
A shiver lanced through her.
«Yes,» she whispered.
«Then come to me,» he whispered in return.
When Shannon stood up, Whip took her left hand and led her to the center of the living room floor. There he turned and faced her, lifting her hand as he did. If they had been alone, he would have kissed the center of her palm. Instead, he circled it with his thumb before pressing lightly in the very center.
Shannon felt as though her palm had been kissed. Her breath shortened and her eyes widened to luminous pools of blue.
«Put your left hand on my shoulder,» Whip said in a deep voice.
«Like this?»
«Yes. Now, rest your right hand in mine.»
A betraying shiver went through Shannon when her palm brushed over Whip’s. He shifted his hand until he could grip hers lightly with his fingers.
«Can you hear the beats of the music?» Whip asked.
