Moon Racer (9 page)

Moments later her father appeared in the doorway,
smiling and sober. "It's always nice to see my family
partaking of a meal together." His gaze went around
the table and stopped at the man in uniform. A broad
grin lit his face, and he extended a hand while
walking toward Jonah. "I don't need to be told who
you are-you have to be Major Tremain."

Jonah stood, shaking hands with Jack. "Mr.
Hunter. I am grateful for your hospitality. And I
have never dined better."

Frances must have heard Jack's voice, because
she returned and set a plate before him. It did her
heart good to see the family together like this. It
didn't happen very often.

The talk turned to horses, and Abby was relieved
when the meal was finally over. The men migrated
to the porch where it was cooler, while Glory and
Crystal stayed to help her with the dishes, giving
Frances a rest.

"You two go on and join the men," Abby said.
"I'll finish in here."

Glory shook her head. "That won't do, Abby.
That gorgeous man out there couldn't take his eyes
off you all during supper. Crystal and I will finish
here and you can join your brothers."

Abby draped the dish cloth over her shoulder and
lifted a stack of saucers into the cupboard. "I can
assure you that if the major was looking at me, he
was only trying to find flaws. He certainly made it
clear today that he disapproves of me."

"Maybe," Glory said, twisting a red strand of hair
that had come loose and pinning it up with the rest.
"But there was interest there, too. I have a feeling
he's never met anyone like you, and he is more than
likely intrigued by you, maybe even fascinated."

Crystal agreed with a nod. "You're at least a mystery to him-a mystery that he wants to solve. And I
saw you watching him, Abby, so don't deny it."

"I'm sure he is accustomed to women appraising
him. As for me, I have no more interest in him than
he has in me. Besides, Quince told me he is
engaged to a woman in Philadelphia."

Glory dried a glass and handed it to Abby to put
away in the cupboard. She studied her young sisterin-law closely. "Yes, but that puts her back north,
and he's here, isn't he? And... unless I miss my
guess, Major Tremain has just met a beautiful girl
he can't get out of his mind."

Abby shook her head. "What the two of you
don't seem to understand is that we don't like each
other. And furthermore, I am not even pretty, much
less a beauty."

Glory gave Crystal a calculating glance. "Let's
finish quickly so we can all join the men."

When they had finished the dishes, Abby
reluctantly went along with Glory and Crystal. She
would much rather have escaped to her bedroom
than join the family in their worship of the major.

Her brothers were sitting in cane-bottom chairs,
and Jonah was leaning against the wooden porch
post. "Where's Papa?" Abby wanted to know.

"At the stable;' Brent said, anger lacing his
words. "It seems he has a new racehorse that won
one of the races yesterday. He said something about
hand-feeding the victor."

Both brothers got up and gave their wives their
chairs, then seated themselves on the steps. Abby
wandered to the other end of the porch, where she
stood half in shadow. She was in a good position to
study their guest without his knowing it. His posture
was as erect as if he were on parade. The brass buttons on his uniform glistened from the lamplight that
spilled out the front door. His uniform was definitely
not army-issue, but had probably been tailored from quality material. At least he wasn't wearing his
sword and holster, as he had been earlier in the day.

Abby noticed that even in repose he kept his coat
buttoned; she supposed to remind everyone of his
rank. He was lean and tall, his shoulders wide, his
body beautiful. His black boots came almost to his
knees and held a high polish. She wondered how
many aides it took to keep him so splendidly clothed.

Jonah was amused by something Brent had said;
his deep laughter sent warmth throughout Abby.
She turned to look at the moon, wishing she had
gone to bed instead of joining the others. Once
again she was reminded how alone she was. Brent
looked at Crystal as if she were the only woman in
the world, and Quince couldn't keep his gaze from
wandering to Glory.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that
she was startled when Quince called out to her.
"Abby, you wouldn't mind taking Jonah around the
ranch tomorrow morning, would you?" He turned
his attention to Jonah. "I would take you myself, but
one of our mares has the colic, and she is only
weeks away from dropping her foal. Besides, Abby
will help you choose the best horse for your needs."

She moved out of the shadows and sat on the
wooden rail of the porch. Good manners and her
brothers would require that she be gracious. "If you
need me to," was all she could manage to say. She
didn't enjoy the thought of spending a whole day
with the major.

His inquiring gaze locked with hers. "I wouldn't
want to take you away from anything pressing."

She would have liked to have told him to find his
own way to the north pasture. "I have nothing that
can't wait," she said reluctantly.

His brow arched-she didn't fool him for one
moment. He knew she didn't want to go with him.
"Thank you, Miss Hunter. I'll try not to encroach
on your time any longer than necessary."

His tone had been patronizing, but Abby seemed
to be the only one who noticed, or was she? Glory
looked at her inquiringly and frowned.

"Well, if that is all 'settled," Quince remarked,
standing and reaching for his wife. "You'll be in
good hands with my sister tomorrow, Jonah. I'll
meet up with you when you get back."

Good-night wishes were exchanged, and Abby
watched her brothers leave with their wives. It took
her a moment to realize that their guest was
standing beside her. She turned, and they looked at
each other without saying a word. His breath
touched her hair, and she felt a sensation like hot
honey running through her veins.

"We should get-an early start, Major," she
managed to say, stepping away from him. "I'll meet
you at the barn at six."

He was still watching her. "Good night, Miss
Hunter," he said finally. "I believe I'll just stay out
here for a while. It's very tranquil this time of night."

He wouldn't think it was so tranquil, she thought
bitterly, if he looked beneath the facade her family
had created for others to see.

"I hope you will be comfortable. If you should
need anything, just ask Frances."

"You are more than kind, Miss Hunter."

The humor was back in his voice, and she resented
him for it; in fact, she resented everything about him.

And yet she felt reluctant to leave him.
Something vibrated through her, filling her with
such sweetness, she had to swallow twice before
she could find her voice.

"I must thank you for not telling my brothers
about this morning. They would not have approved
of what I did." She was quiet for a moment, waiting
for him to speak. When he made no reply, she
asked, "Does your shoulder bother you?"

He laughed softly. "Not so much. Rest easy, Miss
Hunter; only my pride was hurt." He turned away
from her and stared into the night sky.

The screen door creaked when she opened it. "In
the morning at six," she reminded him before going
inside.

From her bedroom, Abby could hear when her
father returned from the stable and bid Jonah goodnight. She found herself pacing between her bed
and the door, her stomach knotted. Finally, in
exhaustion, she threw herself on the bed and buried
her face in the coverlet.

Why did he have to come to the Half-Moon? She
was bewildered by him, and she didn't know why.
After she undressed and slipped between the sheets,
Abby pounded her pillow and closed her eyes.
Restlessly she wrestled with her sheet and pillow
until long after midnight, and then she fell asleep.

Abby took a quick sip of milk, staring at Frances
over the rim of the glass. She had a sinking feeling
in the pit of her stomach. "How long ago did you
say he ate?"

"It's been a good hour now. Said he wanted to
get one of the men to show him around a bit. He
said I was to tell you that he'd be waiting for you."

"He's early," Abby replied sharply. "It's just like
him to do something like this."

Frances paused in her biscuit making with dough
caked on her fingers. "I like the cut of that man. You
balked yesterday when I said he's a real gentleman,
but he is. I figured out a long time ago that there are
two kinds of people in this world: those who want
to talk about themselves all the time, and those who
listen to what others have to say. He sat right here in this kitchen and talked to me while he ate this
morning-treated me just like he was interested in
what I was saying."

Abby casty the housekeeper a disgusted look,
grabbed her hat, and picked up the canvas bag
Frances had packed with food. "You don't really
know him. It would be just like that man to be
pacing while he waits for me."

"Then you'd better get going, hadn't you?"

With boundless energy, Abby raced across the
yard to the barn. When she entered the dark interior,
the sun had just touched the eastern sky, shedding
shards of light through the cracks in the wood. It
took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lone
lantern that hung from one of the stalls, where
Navidad and Curly were deep in conversation with
Major Tremain.

Drawing an irritated breath, she took measured
steps in their direction, wishing she did not have to
be alone with the major today.

Curly must have been telling one of his yarns,
because Jonah was laughing heartily. But when
Jonah noticed her walking toward him, his
amusement faded, and he centered his attention on
her. Abby was made more aware of how
inadequately she was dressed. There was an
expression on his face that she did not understandprobably stark disapproval, which only encouraged
her to straighten her spine.

"I've been looking over the ranch," he said by
way of greeting.

"I said we'd start at six; it's fifteen till."

Abby stopped so close to Jonah that he could
smell her soft honey scent again. He struggled with
the smile that threatened to curve his lips. "I'm an
early riser-always have been."

He looked far too happy, and it galled her. "Are
you ready to go?"

He nodded. "Anytime you are."

She walked past him to the stall where she kept
her working horse, Sassy. "How much of the ranch
do you want to see?" she asked, slipping the bit
between the brown-and-white pinto's teeth.

He felt motivated to help her saddle her horse,
but instinct told him she would not appreciate the
gesture. "I'd like to see the mustangs Quince
mentioned. And he suggested you might show me a
couple of horses that could be trained to a
sidesaddle."

She paused as she tightened the cinch beneath her
horse. "You want a horse for a lady?"

"That's right. Quince said you could train one for
me. I don't doubt your ability after seeing you ride
yesterday."

"I don't ride sidesaddle."

He gave her an audacious look. "I believe I came
to that conclusion on my own."

She led Sassy out of the stall and shoved their
lunch into the saddlebags. Why did he have to make
her so mad? she wondered, as she watched the way
his midnight-colored hair fell softly across his forehead. She wanted to touch it, to touch him. He was
so male, so overpowering, that she wanted to walk
right into those arms and feel them close around her.

She tossed a rope over her saddle horn in disgust.
She could only imagine what his reaction would be
if she did such a thing.

Against his will, Jonah's attention was drawn to
the sway of Abby's hips, in spite of the baggy
trousers she wore. The heat that coursed through
him was so powerful it left him shaken. He was
stunned that this little vixen, the one woman who
was forbidden to him, could stir his passion so
fiercely, and she wasn't even trying. He was glad
she kept her distance, because he was not sure he
could resist her if she had shown him the slightest
encouragement. Even now heat swelled his need
with such an intensity it left him reeling.

He forced his attention away from her body and
watched her take a rifle off the hook, then shove it
into her saddle holster. "Are you expecting trouble,
Miss Hunter?"

"You always expect trouble out here," she told
him, swinging into the saddle. "If there is none, you
count yourself lucky."

He smiled. "I see. I hope, if the need arises, you
will protect me."

Her lips clamped together tightly as she
attempted to suppress the angry words that begged
to be spoken. Instead she guided her horse out of
the barn and waited for him to join her. With the
familiar creak of leather, he rode up beside her.