little smile.
“Uh-huh. That and,” he looked at her, lifting his brows slightly as he held out the soap, “scrubbing my back."
She laughed and, rolling up her sleeves, moved to the side of the tub he was sprawled in. Even though his modesty was partly maintained by the soapy water, there was enough of his lean muscular body in sight to warm her blood. Antonie was more than willing to touch him. She liked his body and felt no need to hide that fact.
When playfulness grew into passion, Antonie did nothing to stop it, although she got very wet. He had touched off the wanting in her with his playful but sensual suggestion just before Marilyn had arrived, and she was more than ready to satisfy it. She also craved the forgetfulness passion created. They were surrounded by troubles, a threat or danger around every corner, and she wanted to ignore all that for a little while, to revel in the temporary euphoria of passion. It was a goal that Royal proved very willing to help her reach.
----
Seven
“It is my turn, Royal."
Cursing softly, Royal ran his hand through his hair and then looked at Antonie in pure exasperation. “I didn't know there were turns."
"Sí, there are, and this one is mine. For my two compadres I want Tomás and Jed Thayer. We will hold the fort, Captain."
“Take Oro, too. I'd feel better if he's with you as well if you insist on staying here."
"Sí, I insist, but you take Oro. One reason we came here was because we know Raoul. He is an old enemy. Oro knows what to watch for."
Nothing Royal said could change Antonie's mind about taking a turn at guarding the ranch. He was not so sure he liked her choice of the young, good-looking Jed Thayer either, but limited his jealous reaction to one long glare at his ranch hand. There was really no good reason he could give to stop her from taking her turn. He had hired her and the Degas twins together as extra guns. He had not expected her to take the job so seriously. Giving her a brief, slightly angry kiss, he decided to give up arguing and get to work.
“She's quite capable of doing the job and doing it well,” Cole said as he rode up beside Royal.
“I know that."
“Hell, she's safer at the ranch than out here with us."
“How do you figure that?"
“Lots more places to take cover if there's trouble."
“True.” Royal sighed and shook his head. “I just wish I could shake the feeling that there'll be trouble."
Antonie settled herself on the veranda rail, her back up against a post. So far, standing guard at the ranch had involved nothing more than being a chaperone for Patricia. This was the third beau to come calling on the girl and Antonie wondered a little crossly if Patricia had sent out some signal that drew all the aspirants to her hand like bees to clover.
Glancing at the young man seated at Patricia's side on the porch swing, Antonie inwardly grimaced. If that sweaty boy was the best the area had to offer, it was no surprise that Patricia was drawn to Oro. So far Antonie had not seen one of Patricia's beaus who was a quarter of the man that Oro was. Antonie feared that her hope that some young man from the area would deter Patricia from Oro was an empty one.
“Poor Hudson,” Patricia said gently as she watched the young man ride away, “will never find a wife."
Moving to stand next to Patricia, Antonie asked, “Why do you say that?"
“He's terrified of girls. He sweats and stutters when he just passes a moment's idle conversation with a girl. I think he'd just keel over in an incoherent puddle if he even thought of making a proposal.” She joined Antonie in laughing quietly.
It was after lunch that the fourth courting young man rode up to the ranch. As she watched the man's approach through the parlor window, Antonie sighed. She wondered if the young men in the area did any work. Antonie decided to return to her chaperoning when she had finished her coffee and not before. She moved away from the window.
"Señorita?
“Uh-huh. That and,” he looked at her, lifting his brows slightly as he held out the soap, “scrubbing my back."
She laughed and, rolling up her sleeves, moved to the side of the tub he was sprawled in. Even though his modesty was partly maintained by the soapy water, there was enough of his lean muscular body in sight to warm her blood. Antonie was more than willing to touch him. She liked his body and felt no need to hide that fact.
When playfulness grew into passion, Antonie did nothing to stop it, although she got very wet. He had touched off the wanting in her with his playful but sensual suggestion just before Marilyn had arrived, and she was more than ready to satisfy it. She also craved the forgetfulness passion created. They were surrounded by troubles, a threat or danger around every corner, and she wanted to ignore all that for a little while, to revel in the temporary euphoria of passion. It was a goal that Royal proved very willing to help her reach.
----
Seven
“It is my turn, Royal."
Cursing softly, Royal ran his hand through his hair and then looked at Antonie in pure exasperation. “I didn't know there were turns."
"Sí, there are, and this one is mine. For my two compadres I want Tomás and Jed Thayer. We will hold the fort, Captain."
“Take Oro, too. I'd feel better if he's with you as well if you insist on staying here."
"Sí, I insist, but you take Oro. One reason we came here was because we know Raoul. He is an old enemy. Oro knows what to watch for."
Nothing Royal said could change Antonie's mind about taking a turn at guarding the ranch. He was not so sure he liked her choice of the young, good-looking Jed Thayer either, but limited his jealous reaction to one long glare at his ranch hand. There was really no good reason he could give to stop her from taking her turn. He had hired her and the Degas twins together as extra guns. He had not expected her to take the job so seriously. Giving her a brief, slightly angry kiss, he decided to give up arguing and get to work.
“She's quite capable of doing the job and doing it well,” Cole said as he rode up beside Royal.
“I know that."
“Hell, she's safer at the ranch than out here with us."
“How do you figure that?"
“Lots more places to take cover if there's trouble."
“True.” Royal sighed and shook his head. “I just wish I could shake the feeling that there'll be trouble."
Antonie settled herself on the veranda rail, her back up against a post. So far, standing guard at the ranch had involved nothing more than being a chaperone for Patricia. This was the third beau to come calling on the girl and Antonie wondered a little crossly if Patricia had sent out some signal that drew all the aspirants to her hand like bees to clover.
Glancing at the young man seated at Patricia's side on the porch swing, Antonie inwardly grimaced. If that sweaty boy was the best the area had to offer, it was no surprise that Patricia was drawn to Oro. So far Antonie had not seen one of Patricia's beaus who was a quarter of the man that Oro was. Antonie feared that her hope that some young man from the area would deter Patricia from Oro was an empty one.
“Poor Hudson,” Patricia said gently as she watched the young man ride away, “will never find a wife."
Moving to stand next to Patricia, Antonie asked, “Why do you say that?"
“He's terrified of girls. He sweats and stutters when he just passes a moment's idle conversation with a girl. I think he'd just keel over in an incoherent puddle if he even thought of making a proposal.” She joined Antonie in laughing quietly.
It was after lunch that the fourth courting young man rode up to the ranch. As she watched the man's approach through the parlor window, Antonie sighed. She wondered if the young men in the area did any work. Antonie decided to return to her chaperoning when she had finished her coffee and not before. She moved away from the window.
"Señorita?
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