Ride The Wind (Vincente 3) by Constance O'Banyon

the weather
today, but the horse is just too tired to push any
farther."
    "Will this storm be as bad as the one two
nights ago?" She glanced at the dark clouds in
the distance. "They don't look too menacing."
    "One can never tell in this part of Texas. It will
hit later this evening."
    He looked worried, and she knew his concern
was for her. Wanting to reassure him, she
touched his hand. "I have the second blanket
Alejandro gave me."
    He looked at her for a moment and then said,
"Let's eat."
    Later, they sat around the campfire, having
eaten and tended the horse. The storm still
hadn't struck, and it wasn't so cold near the fire.
    "Reese, I'm trying to picture you in a domestic
setting. Is there a woman in your life?"
    "I'm not married, if that's what you're asking."
    She made a wide sweep with her hand. "There must be someone you want to share all this
with."

    When he glanced down at her, there was smoldering fire in his eyes. Saber was caught by the
moment and could not look away. Reese didn't
have the chiseled, aristocratic looks of her
brother or the boyish good looks of Matthew.
His features were harsher, his eyes disturbing,
as if he'd lived hard and cared about
nothing and no one.
    "There is no woman I want to share my life
with." He turned away so she wouldn't see the
pain in his eyes. He'd share it with her, he
thought, chastising himself for coveting Matthew's bride-to-be.
    Saber felt sad because he seemed so alone.
"The wind has intensified," she remarked, turning her thoughts to the weather.
    "Yes, I know. Don't wander far from camp.
I've heard of people freezing to death just steps
away from their houses."
    "I know about northers. I'm from west Texas,
remember?" She shivered with a sudden chill.
"It already feels like the temperature is dropping."
    "I'm going to shelter the horse. You'd better
get under the blanket. We can't have a fire in this
wind."
    Saber rushed about, gathering supplies and shoving them into his saddlebag. Then she took
her blanket and moved against the wide trunk
of a cottonwood tree to find protection from the
bitter cold. In just a few minutes, the temperature had dropped drastically.

    Moments later, Reese joined her. Sitting beside her, he draped all the blankets around both
of them and pulled her into his arms.
    "It'll be warmer this way," he said, smiling
when she looked at him questioningly.
    That was all the encouragement Saber
needed. She curled against him, melting into his
arms. She laid her head against his shoulder,
feeling the deep intake of his breath. In that moment, something poignant and alarming happened to her. She felt as if she'd been born to be
with Reese. She knew in a rush of feelings that
this was love deep, lasting love. She wanted to
live with him, bear his children, grow old with
him.
    She loved Reese! Oh, how could this have happened? She had thought she loved Matthew, but
that hadn't been love, not like this. The powerful
feelings she had for Reese were nothing like the
young girl's affection she'd felt for Matthew. She
turned her head and rested her cheek against his
neck, allowing warmth and love to flood through
her body.
    What would Reese do if he knew what she was feeling? Would he despise her for betraying his
friend? She despised herself for being faithless.
She was going to marry Matthew-why had this
happened to her now?

    Her hand moved up his hard chest to rest
there. If this was love, it was the most painful
feeling she had yet experienced.
    His voice was deep as he pulled her tighter
against him. "You'd better get some sleep. I'll
keep you warm."
    She sighed, touching her lips to his throat and
feeling him stiffen. She turned her face away,
wanting to stay awake all night so she could savor this time. This was the last time she would
feel his arms about her. And maybe the last time
they would be alone together.
    At last she fell asleep, feeling safe and warm,
although the cold wind struck