‘‘But Winter said-’’
‘‘Winter said I couldn’t leave alone. I wouldn’t be alone. Besides, Wyatt says he’s an excellent shot. But trouble won’t come. Wyatt and I aren’t involved in this range fight. Why would anyone want to bother us?’’
Kora watched at Logan again. The old man raised his gaze to her and shrugged once more. He was offering no help.
‘‘All right, but be careful.’’
Jamie and Wyatt left as soon as he could hitch the team and Kora could pack a lunch for them. She didn’t feel right about her sister going, but she couldn’t think of a reason to say no.
After they left, the day passed in a maze of work. She helped the doctor take care of Cheyenne, cooked, and tried not to worry. Logan talked constantly, trying to convince her that all was well, but the uneasiness in the back of Kora’s mind would not leave. The ‘‘witchin’ luck’’ Jamie always teased her about was drawing near. Every time she settled down and thought life would smooth out, something happened.
It was long past suppertime when Winter rode in, muddy and tired. He’d just stepped on the back porch when Kora met him at the door.
‘‘Jamie’s not back,’’ she said as his ‘‘evenin’ ’’ died in the air.
Winter took a deep breath. ‘‘Where’d she go?’’
Kora didn’t want to tell him. She could feel the anger in his stance rippling the air between them. He’d probably think it all her fault, as it was. Jamie might think she was full grown, but she didn’t have the common sense of a jackrabbit in a thunderstorm. Kora was always the logical one.
‘‘She left for town hours ago with Wyatt. They promised they’d be back by dark.’’ Kora twisted her hands together in near panic. Jamie was always late and unpredictable, but this was different. Someone was shooting at riders on Winter’s ranch. This time she could get hurt, and Kora had given in against her better judgment just to avoid a fight.
Suddenly his large hand covered hers, stilling them with his grip. ‘‘I’ll find her.’’
Without another word, he turned and signaled several men to follow him. Silently the tired men swung back into their saddles.
Kora stood on the porch and watched him adjust his hat as he moved toward his horse. His stride was long and powerful, filled with anger. The soft jingle of his spurs did nothing to lighten the mood as he led his men back out into the night.
The cloudy night had turned ink black without moon or stars. She watched until the last rider disappeared, then listened in the silence, straining to hear them returning.
Only the sounds of the night greeted her.
‘‘He’ll be all right.’’ Logan startled her with his words from the kitchen door. ‘‘You’ve no need to keep watch. Win’s a survivor, no matter what.’’
‘‘I know,’’ she whispered, wanting to believe. ‘‘I thought he’d yell at me for letting Jamie go.’’
‘‘He knows you did what you thought was best. And he knows Jamie.’’ Logan bit into a brown square of tobacco. ‘‘I’d be surprised if he ever yelled at you.’’
Kora tried to see the old man clearly in the darkness. ‘‘Why do you say that?’’
‘‘You’re his wife. For Winter that means you’re a part of him.’’ Logan smiled and mumbled as he moved back into the kitchen. ‘‘Like bone and blood.’’
Kora paced for an hour. Every little sound made her jump. Finally she heard horses approaching and ran for the door.
Logan stepped in her path. ‘‘Hold up there!’’ he warned. ‘‘Best let me take a look first. Might be trouble riding in for a visit.’’
But as he opened the door, Jamie stormed through kicking at invisible blockades in her path. Her hair was wild and her clothes windblown.
Before Kora could say a word, she yelled, ‘‘That wild, half crazy husband of yours ruined my evening!’’ She attacked the stairs. ‘‘I should have known he was short on brains when he introduced us to his horse. Most men introduce a bride-to-be to the family.’’ She stared down at Kora, as if blaming her for marrying Winter. ‘‘For a man promising to help me find a mate, he’s certainly doing his part to see that I become an old maid. Keep him out of my sight, or I swear, I’ll cut him up so small he’ll be good for nothing but chicken feed.’’
Kora followed as fast as she could, but Jamie’s pants made maneuvering the stairs far easier than Kora’s dress. ‘‘What happened? You said you’d be home before dark. Jamie, I was worried.’’
Jamie reached her bedroom door. ‘‘Ask that bossy bully you married what happened. I’m going to bed!’’
Slamming the door, she ended Kora’s questioning.
For a moment Kora stood at the door waiting for her sister to answer. Jamie had always been high-strung and wild, but usually she was able to talk to Kora at least. Whatever Winter did must have been pretty bad.
Suddenly the old fires flamed up. Someone was picking on her little sister. Kora couldn’t stand by and allow that to happen no matter how much Jamie had asked for it. She ran down the stairs and past Logan before the old man could say a word.
The night was cold and the wind whipped at her skirts almost knocking her down, but Kora marched straight to the barn. By the time she was inside, the weather had taken the edge off her anger.
Winter had unsaddled his horse and was putting the gear up when she found him. He’d shoved his hat far back on his head and smiled as she approached.
‘‘What happened?’’ Kora forced herself to give him the benefit of a doubt. Maybe Jamie had overreacted. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Winter looked at her closely. ‘‘I found her,’’ he said simply. He wasn’t about to tell Kora in what state he’d found Jamie and the gambler.
‘‘But she’s very upset. Did you embarrass her?’’ Kora asked as they moved to the tack room.
‘‘I reckon I did,’’ Winter answered. ‘‘But I didn’t lay a hand on her, so don’t look at me that way.’’
‘‘I didn’t say you did,’’ she countered, embarrassed that he’d guessed what she’d been thinking.
‘‘You were worried, and I brought her back. If I have any more words about tonight with anyone, I think it’ll be with the gambler.’’ He turned to Kora. ‘‘Right now all I want is a meal and bed.’’ Before she could step away, he caught her wrist and pulled her to him.
‘‘And this,’’ he whispered. ‘‘I’ve been thinking about you all day. If you’re going to be angry with me, you might as well have reason.’’
His head lowered slightly as his hand moved into her hair at the back of her neck. He cradled her head as his lips brushed hers.
Kora was so shocked she didn’t move. She’d tasted his lips before, but only when he was asleep. Now they moved against her mouth, making a kiss completely different from the ones she’d stolen.
His arm tightened around her waist as he drew her into the length of him.
Logic told her she should pull away. They were in the middle of a discussion. They’d agreed to wait. If she let him too close, he might learn her secret and hate her for the impostor she was.
But logic didn’t win the battle raging in her body. She didn’t want to stop. The hunger in his kiss fascinated her. She hardly knew this man, yet somehow she understood his need.
The kiss deepened as he met no resistance. He dropped the bridle he still carried and almost lifted her off the ground with his hug. His mustache tickled her cheek as his warm mouth moved over her lips.
A low, longing sound rumbled from his chest to his throat as if the taste of her filled a need he’d been starving for.
Hesitantly she touched his shoulders and felt the power of this man she’d married. Despite the bands of muscle around her, she had the feeling Winter was holding back. She guessed that if she pushed on his chest, he’d let her go, just as she could turn her head and break the kiss. But his lips were soft against hers and his arms felt more like protection than chains.
Her fingers slid over the soft leather of his jacket and touched his throat. Day-old stubble tickled her fingertips as she brushed her hands along his jawline.
Winter straightened slightly, ending the kiss but not the embrace. ‘‘I need a shave and a bath.’’
She timidly slid her fingers over his cheek, trying to get used to the feel of him.
He moved her an inch away, his hands firm around her waist. ‘‘That was inconsiderate of me, Kora. I’ve got a layer of trail dust on me and probably smell like my horse. I had no right to grab you and kiss you like that, but it’s
