To Kiss a Texan

TWENTY-NINE

WES HIT THE ICY WATER LIKE A DEAD MAN TOSSEDin to float downstream. He hardly felt the cold surround him and remained underwater until his lungs demanded he surface to breathe.

He’d made love to Allie four times, and it wasn’t even dawn yet. In between, she touched him and he touched her. They kissed so often and so deeply, he was sure he scraped her face raw with his stubble.

And each time he finished, Wes felt like he drained his very soul into her, and she only begged for more.

At this rate, he’d be dead within a matter of days. Wes shook the water from his head and laughed. Maybe that was why Miss Victoria had had so many husbands, if Allie was anything like her grandmother. He’d fought all day in battle and not felt this tired, or this close to heaven.

With each of their matings, a wildness grew stronger within Allie. He’d heard that women were told to lie still and endure a husband’s needs. Allie had obviously missed such a lecture. She was an active participant, wanting to know and explore. With each loving, a part of her fear vaporized until the strong woman she’d been meant to be shone through.

Wes leaned back and let the cold water rush over him. He’d found in Allie something else besides war to make him feel totally alive. He found an equal inside the frightened creature he’d thought to save. He might have delivered her from terror, but she ransomed him from a life of never feeling anything too deeply. She brought him back to life after layers of war had numbed him.

Thinking about her made a longing grow within him. He climbed from the river and wrapped himself in a blanket, suddenly in a hurry to be back by her side.

Clouds promising rain blackened the night. On his way back to the cave, he checked the animals, making sure they were beneath the cover of trees in case a storm came.

When he reached the chamber deep within, Allie lay curled in a blanket, sound asleep. Wes warmed himself by the fire before lying beside her. It didn’t matter that this was probably one of the coldest, dampest, hardest beds he’d ever slept in. Allie made it perfect.

‘‘I love you,’’ he whispered into her hair. ‘‘I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone in my life.’’ He had to say the words aloud, even if only for his ears. His love for her was greater than he thought himself capable of feeling.

As Allie slept, Wes listened to the distant drum of the rain. Occasionally, a few drops would slip through the crack in the roof of the cave and sizzle into the fire. The wind moved through the cavern in a whisper, chilling whatever part of him didn’t face the flames. He pulled another blanket over them both, but sleep eluded him.

Sometime after a gray dawn, Wes came to a conclusion. He wanted Allie as his wife forever. Not until she was safe or until she found a home. He wanted her home to be with him. He wanted to live with her every day of the life he had left. Like Maxwell and Victoria, he wanted to be buried next to her in a family plot their grandchildren would visit.

But he had nothing to offer her other than a dugout on a ranch without cattle. She deserved more. Though the frame of a fine house had been started, the wood would be rotted before he had enough money to finish building. All he’d ever been a success at in life was being a soldier, and the war was over.

Wes thought of the map. The Goliad gold. He was within a day’s ride of it. He could leave Allie and be back before she had time to miss him.

If he told her of his plan, she would want to follow, and Wes had no idea what he might encounter. She would be safer here in her cave. He’d bring in enough firewood to last a week and leave her the supplies.

But he couldn’t leave Allie without her knowing he’d be back. She had to understand that last night was the beginning, not the end. A note might work, but he wasn’t sure she could read.

Wes reached for his trousers. As he dressed, he pulled the compass his father had given him from his pocket. Turning over the largest of her baskets, he placed the compass on top. She would have no trouble seeing it when she woke up. She’d know he’d be back. He’d told her he never left his compass. She would know, and she’d wait.

He buttoned his coat and slipped from the chamber, leaving everything he loved deep within the cavern walls.

The wind seemed stronger as he lifted his saddle and moved into the rain. ‘‘I’ll be back soon,’’ he mumbled, wishing he could have awakened her before he left. But he knew her. She had a way of talking him into seeing things her way, even when she didn’t speak at all.

Wes was just crossing the river when the wind whispered through the chamber once more, blowing the basket over and sending his compass rolling into the stack of pelts.

Allie awoke slowly, as if from a long dream. For a few minutes, she was more in her dream than in reality. The damp coldness of the cave made her shiver and reach for Wes… He was gone.

An hour later, she stood and dressed in the shadowy light of the fire. There was no need to check the cave entrance. She knew his saddle would not be there. He’d been a man of his word. He said he would take her to the cave if she asked. He never said he would stay.

Allie rolled up the buffalo hide and placed it atop the stack of pelts. Light from the tiny crack in the top of the cavern told her it was day, but clouds prevented any sunbeams. She’d learned years ago to judge the time by the thin sliver of light moving across her room while the day aged.

Walking to the cave opening, she looked out at the rain. Wes hadn’t even waited for the storm to clear.

She thought of all the things she’d been called in her life. Wild, savage, creature, a throwaway woman. All names that spoke of her lack of value. But, for a few days, he’d called her darling. He’d held her with cherishing arms. And now his night of lovemaking would have to last her a lifetime.

Part of her wanted to scream,Let him go. She didn’t need him, she didn’t need anyone. She proved that when she walked away from Victoria’s ranch. And last night she proved she wasn’t afraid.

Her life had come full circle from being alone before her capture to being alone now. Only she had changed. Somehow amidst all the nightmares and loving, she’d grown. She’d learned who she was, and who she wanted.

‘‘Wes,’’ she whispered, as if merely voicing his name could bring him back. She wanted the man who’d risked his life to save her from the cage and who’d married her to keep her from harm’s way. She needed the man whose scar added character to his face, whose rough hands could touch her so gently.

Allie lifted her chin. And… she would have the man who held her priceless in his eyes.

Her fingers closed into fists. She would have him if she had to track him down and beat sense into him. He was her husband, the only one she would ever have. He might think his worth depended on how much he owned, but she’d prove him wrong. His value lay in the way he kept his word, the way he protected her with his life,the way he loved her with his heart wide open. Words hadn’t told her he loved her; his actions had.

Allie lifted the saddle. She knew he’d gone after the gold he thought was at a place called Goliad. And without her, he’d probably get himself killed.

She’d never wanted anything in her life but to survive. Until now. She wanted Wes. She wanted him all the way to her toes, and she planned to fight for what she wanted.

Marching through the mud, half dragging the saddle, Allie formed her plan. Vincent had said the mission was in sight of the river. Well, she’d ride downstream until she saw it. If Wes wasn’t there, she’d come back to her cave and think of another plan. But one way or the other, Wes would be her husband.

It took her almost an hour to saddle the horse and move all the supplies back into her chamber. At first she tied the mule, then changed her mind for fear he might be attacked by wolves. The mule would have to go along with her.

She dressed in her leathers, knowing they’d keep her warmer in the rain and be easier to move in. The boots Nichole had given her went well with her leggings. Finally, she braided her hair in one long chain and tied it with a leather strap.

When she left her cave, she looked more Comanche than the only grandchild of Victoria Catlin.

Deep into the night, Allie finally saw the outline of the mission. The tall stone buildings pointed toward the night sky in a silent stand against all time. Several dwellings surrounded it, but the hour was late, and any fires within the houses were low.

She left her horse and the mule at the river and walked slowly toward the mission. Her leather made no sound as she neared. In a few hours it would be dawn. If Wes were here, he’d wait until morning to leave.

Slowly, she recognized the outline of a man leaning against the wall outside the mission. His hat was low, his arms and legs crossed over a slender body with wide shoulders. She felt a sadness, a sense of loss in the way he stood.Wes. Whatever he’d found hadn’t been a treasure.

She wasn’t sure what he’d do when he saw her. Or even if he’d be glad she came, but she had to try. If he didn’t want her, he’d have to tell her to her face, not disappear from her life.

Allie moved in front of him and widened her stance, preparing for whatever happened.

Wes raised his head and smiled. ‘‘I heard you coming since you left the river.’’

She tilted her head. Of all the things she’d thought he would say, that wasn’t one of them. He didn’t reach for her as she hoped he might.

‘‘Why’d you come, Allie? Didn’t you know I’d be back as soon as I could?’’

He made no sense. How could she have known he’d be back? It was time to say what she planned.

‘‘I came to be with you.’’ She moved a step closer so that she could see his face clearly in the moonlight. ‘‘If you don’t want me, you’ll have to say so face to face. I am of your tribe. I should travel wherever you travel.’’

Wes pushed away from the wall. ‘‘Daniel was right when he said I’m not much of a catch as a husband. I just played my last card inside and didn’t win the hand. There is no Goliad gold. A priest told me he has seen a dozen old maps like the one I had. They’re all worthless.’’

‘‘The gold doesn’t matter.’’

‘‘Not to you, but I can’t ask you to be my real wife when I have nothing to offer. You deserve more, far more.’’

Allie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He didn’t think himself worthy of her.

A flicker of light blinked above them from the window. The faraway sound of stone scraping against stone creaked through the air.

‘‘Someone’s in the church,’’ Allie whispered. ‘‘Should we go?’’

A thud echoed from inside, then another.

Glancing at the light, Wes shook his head. ‘‘No one should be there at this hour.’’

‘‘Maybe it’s the ghosts.’’

‘‘Maybe.’’ Wes laughed. ‘‘Come to get their own gold.’’

A rattle whispered from the church. A tapping. Someone running.

Wes grabbed Allie’s hand and headed toward the entrance. ‘‘If the map’s worthless, why would anyone be in the church so late? Those aren’t ghosts.’’

They passed huge, hand-carved doors as they entered the almost total darkness of the mission.

Allie pulled at Wes’s hand. She didn’t want to invade this place. She could feel the sorrow, the sadness, the pain of hundreds who’d once been imprisoned here.Allie knew what it felt like to be locked in when all hope of escape vanished.

‘‘Hello!’’ he shouted.

The tapping stopped.

Crossing to the lantern sitting on the floor beside a stone that had been pried away, Wes knelt and waited as he drew his Colt.

After a while, the priest he’d given what he thought to be a worthless map crawled from the opening. Dust clung to him like a second skin. ‘‘You were right!’’ he shouted at Wes with an almost wicked laugh. ‘‘The map was true. There is a tunnel beneath this stone.’’

Wes moved closer, not believing the man’s words. If the tunnel existed, the gold must also exist.

The priest pulled off his robe and tossed it away. The clothing slid across the floor of the mission. Beneath the robes he wore the clothes of a wrangler, not a man of the cloth. ‘‘We’ve been looking for months and hoping the map hadn’t disappeared in that stampede. I’ve grown weary of wearing those robes every night and pretending. We almost gave up hope that anyone with a true map would show up.’’

Wes braced himself for a fight. ‘‘You laid a trap tonight.You don’t belong here at the mission. You’re one of the men who tried to kill Vincent.’’

The accusation did nothing to lesson the man’s joy as he pulled a box of tools and explosives from the shadows. ‘‘What if I am? Who will you tell? The gold is mine. All you provided was the last key to the puzzle.’’

Wes raised his gun. ‘‘I don’t think so.’’

The man glanced up from his work, as though Wes were no more than a gnat bothering him. ‘‘Go ahead, shoot me. But you’ll have to watch your lady friend die.’’

Glancing behind him, Wes saw a short man with massive, hairy arms holding a long knife to Allie’s throat. She stared at him, paralyzed in the stranger’s grip.

‘‘Choose!’’ the imposter priest shouted. ‘‘The woman or the gold.’’

Without hesitation, Wes lowered his weapon.

Laughter echoed as the wrangler sneered. ‘‘Now get out. I’m too excited to have you both killed tonight. And don’t come back, McLain. You see, there’s a difference between you and me. I’ll do anything, including kill, for this gold. You don’t want it that badly. It’s not worth your life.’’

‘‘You’re right.’’ Wes pulled Allie beneath his arm. ‘‘I’ve found something far more valuable.’’

As he walked away, he heard the two men talking as they scrambled to haul dynamite into the opening. One said a section about ten feet down had collapsed, but the map showed it was another five feet to the gold. They had no time to dig. They had to reach the gold and be gone before dawn, when the real priest arrived.

Wes no longer cared if they found the treasure or not. Allie was safe. In a blink of time, he’d made his choice.

They walked down to the river in silence. When they reached the shadows of aging cottonwood trees, he pulled her close and held her against his heart.

‘‘You gave up the gold for me,’’ she whispered when he pulled away.

‘‘It doesn’t matter,’’ he answered. ‘‘I couldn’t allow any harm to come to you, you’re my wife.’’ He caressed her gently. ‘‘I didn’t want you to come with me tonight because you might be in danger, but you made me realize I already have a treasure.’’

Allie stared at his chest, unable to look into his eyes. ‘‘When I told Jason he was of my tribe,’’ Allie told him, closing her eyes as she remembered the words, ‘‘he said, ‘I love you too.’ ’’

Wes raised her head. ‘‘Are you saying you love me, Mrs. McLain?’’

‘‘I am.’’

Wes kissed her nose and pulled away. ‘‘Then there’s something that needs doing.’’ He lowered to one knee and held her left hand in both his. ‘‘Allie, will you marry me? Will you have me, rich or mostly poor? Will you sleep beneath my blankets for the rest of your life?’’

A sudden blast shattered the night. The ground beneath them shook. For a second, Wes thought it was his heart. A light bright as day blinked from inside the mission.

‘‘Stay here!’’ Wes shouted as he ran across the field.

Allie heard shouts from the buildings around as people emerged in their nightclothes to see what had happened. She couldn’t wait. She ran to catch Wes.

When she reached the huge doors, she saw him turn away from the opening in the floor.

‘‘What happened?’’

‘‘The dynamite must have gone off before they could get out. The whole tunnel’s caved in. If they weren’t blown to bits, they’re buried ten feet down.’’

Allie pushed past him and grabbed the loose square of stone that the men had removed. ‘‘Help me,’’ she whispered, ‘‘before others get here.’’

Wes lifted the other side of the stone. ‘‘Why?’’

‘‘Let the gold stay with the ghosts of Goliad. It’s wrong for anyone to take it.’’

Wes helped her slide the stone into place. ‘‘So we leave a fortune buried along with the men who tried to take it?’’

Allie straightened and nodded. People were already filling the church, asking questions and trying to figure out what caused such an explosion.

She remained silent.

A real priest hurried in, trying to look around as he calmed his flock. Seeing the two strangers, but nothing amiss with the building, he demanded to know why they were in the mission at this hour.

Wes took Allie’s hand and said simply, ‘‘We want to get married.’’ He glanced in her direction. ‘‘If she’ll have me? I’d like to do it right this time,’’ he leaned close and whispered, ‘‘without you holding a knife.’’

‘‘But all the ghosts?’’

‘‘I don’t think they’ll mind.’’

The priest let out a long breath and straightened his robes. Quick weddings and fast funerals were a way of life in this country. ‘‘Do you want to marry this man, young lady?’’

Allie smiled. ‘‘I do.’’