down for her. She tried to ignore his helping hands, but they were
quickly upon her. He stood her up, but he wasn't ready to release her
yet.
'I know what I'm doin [.'
She inhaled the scent of him.
'I do imagine that you do, Lieutenant .'
'What does that mean?'
'You've had a nice bath, so it seems.'
'And a shave.'
'May I go now?'
He was smiling again.
'Jealous little thing, aren't you?'
'Why should I be? I had a wonderfully pleasant afternoon with Mr. Red
Feather. He's extremely well read and well traveled.'
Jamie's eyes darkened and narrowed. For an instant she hated herself;
she had no right to want to cause trouble between the friends. But she
seemed driven to try and make Jamie angry.
And then it hit her like a bolt from the blue. She was falling in love
with Jamie!
No! I am not in love with him, she thought in dismay. But maybe she was.
She wanted him. In ways she had never imagined a woman would ever want a
man. 'It's important,' Jamie repeated softly, 'that Jon or I know where
you are at all times. Did we get that one down yet?'
'Yes, thank you, I think we did. But since I do seem to get along much
better with Jori, don't you think I should report to him, Lieutenant?'
She twisted free and saluted stiffly.
He caught her shoulders and pulled her back.
'You're a minx, Tess. A tart-mouthed little m'mx with siren's eyes and
the longest claws this side of the Mississippi.'
'Lieutenant, you're' -- 'I'm not a Yank, or a carpetbagger, Tess, and so
help m ~'
'You're about to crush my shoulder blades, Lieutenant,' she said as
regally as she could manage.
'Oh.' He released her.
'Do excuse me.'
'I try, Lieutenant. Daily. Hourly.' She started for the door.
'Tess?'
She didn't turn.
'I could have made you beg, you know?'
She spun around. He was laughing. She raced forward in a sudden surge of
energy and butted him in the stomach.
Taken off guard, he fell into the singed hay. She didn't stay to hear
anything else he might have to say.
She raced from the carriage house and back to the house, not pausing
until she was inside. She leaned against the door, gasping for breath.
The dining table was clean. Jane came from the kitchen and paused when
she saw Tess.
'They've all gone to bed, Tess. Hank just went to the bunkhouse. Mr. Red
Feather suggested that the hands take a few hours apiece on a kind of a
