It crossed his mind that Sage should have started with a boy, not a man. Saddler was young, maybe twenty or twenty-one, but he was a man. The Ranger might not be satisfied with innocent kisses.
Frowning, Travis realized he wasn't satisfied with just kissing Rainey. He wanted more. A lot more. He'd go slow… as slow as she wanted… as long as they were moving. He stared at the young couple, wondering if they felt even a fraction of what he felt for Rainey.
Mike didn't notice he was being watched. He seemed to have Sage blindness whenever she was in the room.
'How is he today?' Sage asked the doctor as she pretended to pay no mind to the young Ranger.
'Much better. The cold wrappings brought the swelling down, and except for the cuts I had to make on his leg, he's much recovered. He's even stopped bleeding around the stitches I made.'
'Then someone untie me,' Travis demanded.
'Tomorrow. I want another day of the oil on that leg.' The doctor packed up his supplies and left the room as if he didn't hear Travis yelling.
The rest of the day drifted by in hell. Everyone dropped by to check on him and to ask how he felt. No one untied him. He spent an hour trying to reach the knots himself, but with no luck. Finally he downed the bitter tea Sage insisted he drink, then slept the rest of the day away.
When he awoke, the room was dark with only the light of the fire from the sitting room slicing across his bed. Travis remained still for a while, letting his mind clear. He felt no pain.
He tried to move.
He was still tied, but the bandage around his leg was no longer slippery with oil.
The clock chimed eleven times and he heard someone in the shadows move.
'Who is it?' he said calmly.
'It's me,' Rainey whispered. 'I just wanted to check on you one last time before I turned in. The doc said he planned to check your bandages at midnight.'
'Where is everyone else?' Travis didn't move. He just waited for her to come closer.
'They're all asleep. I checked on you twice today, and both times you were out from the medicine doc put in your tea.'
'I thought it tasted funny,' he mumbled, silently swearing he'd never drink a drop of tea again. 'I'm thirsty now. Got anything but tea?'
'I'll be right back.'
He almost yelled for her to stop. He didn't want her to go, but in truth he felt like he hadn't had a drink in days.
Rainey was back in minutes with a large glass of milk, a plate of cheese, and bread. 'Mrs. Bailey had this left out for you. I heard her tell Mike that if you woke before morning, he was to feed it to you.'
Travis listened. He could hear Mike snoring in the other room. 'Great nurse you all left me with.'
Rainey sat the tray between them and cut him bread and cheese while he drank the milk and ate all she handed him. They didn't talk. Neither seemed to want to take the risk of waking others.
When he finished the food, she removed the tray and reached for the napkin she'd spread across his bare chest. His fingers closed gently around her arm and pulled her forward.
She made no protest as he opened the covers and drew her down next to him. When she was cuddled close, he whispered near her ear. 'I've wanted you against me all day. Stay with me, if only for a while.'
Her body shook slightly.
'It's all right, Rainey. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm never going to hurt you.' Travis pulled at the bindings that kept him in place. The need to touch her was stronger than any hunger he'd ever known. Without a word, he threaded his fingers into her hair.
Rainey lay beside him, not moving as his hand traveled down her throat and began unbuttoning her gown.
There seemed so much he had to say to her. He wanted her to know how he'd felt when he'd thought she might be in danger. How his heart had almost shattered when he'd learned she'd been kidnapped. How he'd been drunk with relief when he'd found her.
But he didn't say anything. He just unbuttoned her gown.
When the cotton lay open past her waist, he slid his hand inside and felt the flat plain of her stomach. Then, slowly so his touch had time to take in the feel of her, he moved up, passing over her breasts with great tenderness.
He stared down at her face. Her eyes were closed, but he could see the slight smile on her lips.
Moving down her body once more, he learned the curves of her. His hands seemed rough against her soft skin, but she didn't complain.
When he passed her waist, he let his fingers go lower until she shifted slightly and moaned softly. Only then, with his hand resting over her most private part, did he lean closer and cover her mouth with his.
The kiss was soft and intimate. He pressed the palm of his hand against her and felt her body respond in surprise. There was no need for words now. He knew she wanted his touch. Their kisses grew long and warm with need as she began to shift slightly as his hands caressed her.
The clock began to chime the midnight hour. A door opened somewhere in the main house. Travis raised his head to listen, but before he could speak, she was gone. Sliding from the bed and into the shadows of the room before he could stop her.
A moment later when the doctor opened the door from the hallway, Travis knew she was gone. He closed his eyes, fighting the need to roar against the void her vanishing had left.
'You awake?' the doc asked.
Travis couldn't answer.
The doc sat in the chair by his bed, stretched his feet out on a stool, and relaxed. Within a few minutes his breathing deepened and Travis knew he was asleep.
He also knew Rainey would not return tonight.
At dawn, when the doc examined him, the first question Travis asked was if he could be untied.
Dr. Bailey pointed a finger at him. 'Only if you swear to be careful. I don't want those stitches to break open. You can move around from bed to a chair for a few hours a day, but no more than that for at least a week.'
'I'll try,' Travis grumbled, thinking two days in bed was enough. 'But no more of that bitter tea.'
Bailey laughed. 'It was the only way I could get you to rest. But no more and I'll untie you. I guess you've suffered bedrest long enough.'
As Dr. Bailey pulled the sheets free from the bedding, he mumbled, 'I'll ask Miss Adams and the widow to come in to keep you company. I know Sage will need the Ranger's help giving Duck a bath this morning.'
The boy was up and across the room before the doc could turn in his direction. He climbed as far as he could into the bay window.
Sage looked puzzled. 'He doesn't need a bath again today.'
The old doc smiled. 'I know. I also know that he understands what we're saying. I thought he must when Travis said his goodbyes, but I know it for a fact now.'
Sage stomped her foot and yelled, 'That wasn't fair to scare him like that. I'm going to go bake him cookies to make up for it.'
Duck reached her side before she made it to the door. She smiled down at him. 'You're a grand boy, Duck McMurray. Fast as lightning and silent as a spring thaw.' She took his hand and disappeared out of the room.
The doc looked at Travis. 'You going to claim him?'
'The only clue about his folks we may have found was a two-year-old report a neighbor made up near Fort Worth. A young couple was killed and their farm burned. The neighbor said he thought they had a blond boy just learning to walk. I'm having the report mailed here, but it doesn't look good. No kin requested the few belongings the couple had left or their bodies. The county records had no next of kin listed for either of them on file when they married.'
'So you'll keep him?' Bailey raised an eyebrow. 'There's an orphanage here in Austin for kids like him.'
Travis shook his head. 'I think it's more that Duck claimed me, but he's not going anywhere if his parents are dead. We've already talked about it. If he has no name, he'll be a McMurray and his home will become Whispering Mountain.'
Mike helped Travis stand as the housekeeper came in to put fresh sheets on the bed. Travis was surprised how
