Jodi Thomas - The Lone Texan

Brad took the note and stared at it for a while before he said. "I can't read. Could you tell me what it says?"

Drum took the paper. "It's a deed to a square of land west of Galveston called Cedar Hills Ranch."

The big man crumpled to his knee, holding his middle as if he'd been kicked by a horse. He fought to draw a breath.

Drum gave the man time to get a handle on his breathing before he added, "It's made out in both your names. The land is yours now."

One gulping sob came from the cowboy. "I told him not to try to get it back, but he wouldn't listen. He hooked up with a gang for one job. He didn't even want any share of the money; he only wanted the deed from Shelley's safe."

Drum understood. "Problem was, the gang didn't want any witnesses. My guess is they planned to kill him the minute he signed on. They waited until the last day in case a posse caught up to them, and they needed an extra gun. That morning, just outside Skull Alley, they figured they were safe enough”

Drum handed him back the deed. "Just so you know, I would have killed your brother myself for kidnapping Sage if I'd caught up with the gang."

Brad nodded. "I thought I could help him. I'm the one who talked him into filing for the land, but ranch life was too hard a way of life for him. He couldn't have had it more than a year before he lost it gambling at Shelley's place. He claimed he was drugged. I think he was madder about that than about losing the land. I went in that day planning to pull him out if firing started. I wanted no part of the robbery."

"He probably was drugged. I've heard a few complaints about Shelley's place. If a man has anything valuable in his pockets when he walks in, he'd better keep it to himself.” Drum pulled a flask of whiskey from his saddlebags. He'd refused to drink it when he'd been shot because he wanted his head clear if trouble found them. He offered it to the cowboy.

They sat in the night and drank. Brad agreed to stay put for a day just in case Drum and Sage were being tracked. The men didn't become friends, but they respected each other.

Finally, after midnight. Drum lay down beside Sage, but he never went to sleep. He guessed Bradford was on the other side of the fire doing the same.

Drum liked the feel of her all warm and soft next to him. She was his. When she stopped fighting the idea, he planned to make love to her slow and easy. She'd never been handled right by a man, he could tell. She wouldn't take to being bossed or bullied, but once she took to him, he intended to hold her every night for the rest of her life, and when they died, they'd be buried side by side. He might not be her first lover, but he'd be her last.

An hour before dawn, while fog still hung low to the ground, Brad lifted a sleeping Sage up into Drum's arms as he straddled Satan. They rode off, leaving the cowboy alone at the camp.

After dawn, Drum looked back and noticed the smoke. Brad must have built the fire high so that anyone riding within miles would notice it.

If he wasn't careful, he'd suffer the same fate as his brother.

THEY RODE FOR FOUR MORE DAYS, STOPPING AN HOUR before dark each night so that they could cook the game they'd killed along the way. Sage slept in Drum's arms at night. He was awake when she fell asleep and awake when she woke. He didn't want to sleep. He hated missing one hour, one minute, of their time together.

Though he could think of little to talk about, she trusted him more each day, and the silence between them never seemed awkward. They made a good team, both skilled at surviving.

He enjoyed the way she teased him, claiming he was the worst cook she'd ever encountered. She seemed to be growing younger, shedding a little of the responsibility she'd worn for months. Or maybe he was growing older, Drum thought, from worrying about getting her back safely.

They fought over chores, took turns complaining about how dirty they were, and shared everything.

Though the nights were not cold, they slept side by side. He accused her of fluffing him like a pillow every night until she had him turned just the way she wanted him, and she swore he petted her in his sleep, running his hand along her leg or arm several times a night.

Drum was smart enough to deny it, but he didn't stop. His favorite pastime after she slept was to move his hand along her spine until she bowed against him, and he felt her soft intake of breath against his throat. There were other places he wanted to touch her, but he wanted her awake.

To his surprise, he slept more hours beside her than he usually slept. When he did wake in the darkness, he'd listen to make sure all was quiet around him, then he'd relax, enjoying the feel of her close. She liked to put her hand over his heart when she slept. He liked to turn her in her sleep while he whispered against her ear.

"Roll over, honey," he'd say. "Your back is getting cold” She'd moan in protest, but she'd turn on her side and cuddle into his arms.

He also loved when she woke. She'd stretch against him, then pull away as if embarrassed at her boldness. He'd keep his eyes closed long enough to let her think she had to wake him.

When they reached Galveston in mid-afternoon, Drum had to fight the urge to pull the horses and turn around. He didn't want their time to end. He couldn't stand the thought of her not being in his arms when the sun went down.

Every time he groaned, she laughed, promising him everything would be grand as soon as they had a bath and food.

Sage insisted on going to the Ranger station before they took time to clean up. She was worried about Bonnie and the boys. When Drum lifted her down in front of the station, he noticed a tear running down her dirty cheek.

"They're all right," he whispered, reading her unspoken worry.

She pressed her forehead against his shoulder. "Promise me if they're missing…"

"We'll go after them. I promise."

She smiled up at him and squared her shoulders. Even trail dirty and exhausted, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and someday he'd be brave enough to tell her.

Captain Harmon met them at the door and welcomed them with coffee and questions. He wanted every detail and, as soon as he convinced her Bonnie and the boys were safe, Sage talked.

Drum had to admire her intelligence. Most women would have been scared senseless after being kidnapped, but Sage remembered details. She told about the way the men talked, pegging what part of the country they came from, and made a guess at each one's age and height. She knew their eye and hair color and that one had a scar on his arm, another rode a horse with a brand she'd never seen. She related every detail she'd seen and heard, down to what direction the houses in town faced.

Drum made notes on which men had to die. The one she called Frog would be killed right after the wiry one who wanted to use a knife, and the leader, Charlie, who she said had big hands and red hair. He took a deep breath. Sometimes he thought he was part animal, hungry for a kill, even though he knew the captain would talk him into bringing them in to stand trial. Maybe he was part animal despite all his struggle to look civilized, but if someone threatened his mate, they needed to pay.

"There are people in the camp who were kidnapped and brought there," she finally said. "You can't go in tiring without killing some of them. Knowing Hanover, I wouldn't put it past him to use them as shields.”

Harmon nodded. "We'll find a way. It'll take some planning." He looked at Drum. "Can you be ready to ride tomorrow? I'd like to get a look at the lay of the land so we can know what we're getting into. It'll take me all night to round up enough Rangers. This ride may just be scouting, but I want to be well-manned and well-armed, just in case we run into some of them."

Drum nodded, knowing what he'd be asked to do. "I'd planned to take Sage back to Whispering Mountain first.”

Harmon smiled. "No need to worry about that, her brother is here. He'll see her home."

Drum groaned. "Which one?" Not that it mattered. All of them would be thankful that he saved Sage, and not one of them would be happy that he'd spent more than a minute alone with her.

The captain winked as if he could read Drum's mind. "Travis, the meanest one. The ex-Ranger. He'll be wanting to talk to you both."

Sage stood, ready to leave. "Where is he?"

"Over at the hotel. He's got everything ready for your trip." He glanced at Drum. "McMurray was just waiting for you to bring her back. The good news is not for one second did he doubt you would; the bad news is he's fit to be tied at you taking so long. It was all I could do to keep him from going after you both."

Drum shrugged. "I'd have made it faster, but I got shot."

"Shot!" Harmon shouted. "When did that happen? How'd you manage to leave that part out of the report?" He looked Drum up and down, finally noticing the bulge of a bandage around his arm. "How are you, son?"

"I'm fine. I had a good doctor.” He winked at Sage. "It happened right after we got married," Drum added, looking no happier about being married than being shot.

"We're not married” Sage snapped. "He bought me. That doesn't count”

"Well, until you pay me back, the divorce isn't happening. You're my wife, like it or not”

Harmon fought down a laugh. "I'd like to hear all about this, but I'd better get you over to Travis. I wouldn't tell him too soon about this marriage that doesn't count. He's never had much of a sense of humor like me." He opened the door.

"We know the way." Drum stood and followed Sage out, yelling. "And in an outlaw camp, we're married."