If she could only lift it out of the way …
She struggled to lift it, but it was too heavy. Behind her, she thought she heard a rider approaching, but she ignored it, pulling again on the rock. It was slick and it slipped out of her hands, and she sat down in the water with a big splash, her white lace hat falling off. “Damn, damn, damn.” She watched her hat float down the creek.
“Well, hello, senorita, we meet again.”
She looked up to see Rio Kelly mounted on a fine bay horse as he reined in on the other side of the creek and leaned on his saddlehorn. He watched her, an annoyed frown on his dark face.
She had never felt so foolish. “Well?”
“‘Well’ what?”
“A gentleman would help me.” She kept her voice icy.
“After the trouble you caused me last night?”
“I’m sorry about that. Perhaps the senator overreacted.”
He snorted. “I’d say so.”
She tried to stand up, but her wet skirts threw her off balance and she plopped back down in the water. “Would you please help me?”
“I don’t feel inclined.”
She felt her temper rise. “Never mind. I’ll get myself out.”
“This should be amusing.” He reached in his shirt pocket for “makins,” then began to roll a cigarette.
“Are you just going to watch me?”
“
Si.
Oh, excuse me, Miss Sanchez. I know you are really white and don’t speak Spanish, it means—”
“I known what it means,” she snapped. Maybe sheshould try another tack. “Look, I—I am sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“Embarrass me? Ending up in jail overnight was a little more than that.”
“The senator said he just had the guards throw you out in the street.”
He glared at her. “Uh-huh. The senator is a liar.”
“I don’t believe you, and he’s none of your business.”
“You’re right. None of this is my business.” He leaned back in his saddle and smoked.
“Are you just going to leave me here?”
“
Si,
senorita. Let your fancy man get his boots wet.”
“I’ve never been treated so—”
“No, I’ll bet you haven’t. You’re spoiled and snooty, missy. It’s about time you learned the whole world doesn’t dance to your tune.”
“I will have you thrashed by the senator.” She was furious.
“Tell him to bring some help.” He didn’t smile as he smoked and watched her.
“I’ve never met anyone so rude.” She staggered out of the water, her small shoes squishing as she walked up to him.
He shrugged, looking down at her. For an instant, they stared into each other’s eyes. She thought for a split second he would reach down and lift her up on his horse. He was certainly strong enough to do that. What if he did and then tried to kiss her? If he did, how should she react? His lips looked full and soft and she had never been kissed before.
The buggy horse neighed behind them and the spell was broken. She stomped over and sat down under a tree.
Rio looked over the buggy critically. “Mighty fancy rig.”
“Senator Forester offered me a ride this morning as I was going shopping.”
“And there’s so many shops out here on the creek?” He raised one dark eyebrow at her and grinned.
“I do not like what you are insinuating!” She wasfurious, both with him and herself for getting into this situation.
“Senator Forester does not have a good reputation with women,” he said. “Everyone in Austin knows that.”
“That’s just dirty gossip,” she said, flaring. “He’s been a perfect gentleman with me.”
“Perhaps he is afraid of your guardian. Trace Durango has a reputation of being the best gunfighter in Texas.”
“Senator Forester is refined. I can’t imagine him brawling in the middle of the street or carrying a gun.”
“Like the rest of us uncivilized Texans?” Now he stroked his horse’s mane. “Well, I’ve got to go.” He turned his bay stallion. “Come on, Peso.”
She couldn’t help but notice the way he handled the horse, so different from
She struggled to lift it, but it was too heavy. Behind her, she thought she heard a rider approaching, but she ignored it, pulling again on the rock. It was slick and it slipped out of her hands, and she sat down in the water with a big splash, her white lace hat falling off. “Damn, damn, damn.” She watched her hat float down the creek.
“Well, hello, senorita, we meet again.”
She looked up to see Rio Kelly mounted on a fine bay horse as he reined in on the other side of the creek and leaned on his saddlehorn. He watched her, an annoyed frown on his dark face.
She had never felt so foolish. “Well?”
“‘Well’ what?”
“A gentleman would help me.” She kept her voice icy.
“After the trouble you caused me last night?”
“I’m sorry about that. Perhaps the senator overreacted.”
He snorted. “I’d say so.”
She tried to stand up, but her wet skirts threw her off balance and she plopped back down in the water. “Would you please help me?”
“I don’t feel inclined.”
She felt her temper rise. “Never mind. I’ll get myself out.”
“This should be amusing.” He reached in his shirt pocket for “makins,” then began to roll a cigarette.
“Are you just going to watch me?”
“
Si.
Oh, excuse me, Miss Sanchez. I know you are really white and don’t speak Spanish, it means—”
“I known what it means,” she snapped. Maybe sheshould try another tack. “Look, I—I am sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“Embarrass me? Ending up in jail overnight was a little more than that.”
“The senator said he just had the guards throw you out in the street.”
He glared at her. “Uh-huh. The senator is a liar.”
“I don’t believe you, and he’s none of your business.”
“You’re right. None of this is my business.” He leaned back in his saddle and smoked.
“Are you just going to leave me here?”
“
Si,
senorita. Let your fancy man get his boots wet.”
“I’ve never been treated so—”
“No, I’ll bet you haven’t. You’re spoiled and snooty, missy. It’s about time you learned the whole world doesn’t dance to your tune.”
“I will have you thrashed by the senator.” She was furious.
“Tell him to bring some help.” He didn’t smile as he smoked and watched her.
“I’ve never met anyone so rude.” She staggered out of the water, her small shoes squishing as she walked up to him.
He shrugged, looking down at her. For an instant, they stared into each other’s eyes. She thought for a split second he would reach down and lift her up on his horse. He was certainly strong enough to do that. What if he did and then tried to kiss her? If he did, how should she react? His lips looked full and soft and she had never been kissed before.
The buggy horse neighed behind them and the spell was broken. She stomped over and sat down under a tree.
Rio looked over the buggy critically. “Mighty fancy rig.”
“Senator Forester offered me a ride this morning as I was going shopping.”
“And there’s so many shops out here on the creek?” He raised one dark eyebrow at her and grinned.
“I do not like what you are insinuating!” She wasfurious, both with him and herself for getting into this situation.
“Senator Forester does not have a good reputation with women,” he said. “Everyone in Austin knows that.”
“That’s just dirty gossip,” she said, flaring. “He’s been a perfect gentleman with me.”
“Perhaps he is afraid of your guardian. Trace Durango has a reputation of being the best gunfighter in Texas.”
“Senator Forester is refined. I can’t imagine him brawling in the middle of the street or carrying a gun.”
“Like the rest of us uncivilized Texans?” Now he stroked his horse’s mane. “Well, I’ve got to go.” He turned his bay stallion. “Come on, Peso.”
She couldn’t help but notice the way he handled the horse, so different from
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