Anna settled into the ride as they skirted around the edge of the herd, and Jacob pointed out a few of the most ornery cattle that had caused particular trouble at one time or another.
“See that cow with full white face and the really long horns? Last year she lost a calf in the birthing. She had a full bag of milk, and Vegas needed to milk her so it wouldn’t spoil and cause infection. You should have seen the ruckus she caused. He got the job done but had so many bruises, he couldn’t sit straight in the saddle for days.”
Anna laughed until tears sprang to her eyes. It was captivating the way Jacob’s face lit up as he talked of the cattle and the men. The ranch was so much a part of him, and passion radiated from his voice as he spoke. She couldn’t help a bit of envy at the way he seemed to know what he wanted from life. He’d been settled in one place since childhood, pursuing his dreams.
When they made it to the river and dismounted, Jacob tied the horses to a large pecan tree about twenty feet from the river while Anna strolled toward the water’s edge. She loosened her bonnet, allowing it to dangle by the strings as she relished the warmth of the sun on her face. A pair of Cardinals danced on the bare branch of a small tree down the bank. The sun glinted off the surface of the gently flowing water, giving the illusion of warmth. But she had a feeling it was ice cold from the winter nights.
Jacob joined her, and Anna was thankful he didn’t speak to disturb the beauty around them. After a few long moments, he bent down and picked up a branch from the ground then pushed the dry leaves away as if searching for something. She looked over his shoulder, curious. He rose and moved along the river’s edge, following the current but staring at the ground as he walked. His brow was puckered a bit, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle.
“What’s wrong?” Anna finally asked. But Jacob just continued plodding downstream. Anna followed at a distance. What was he doing? And why was he ignoring her? They were almost out of sight from where they’d started when Jacob squatted to examine the ground, then peered across the river. Hundreds of hoof prints molded the muddy patch of ground at the water’s edge. They were not the rounded prints of horses, but the two smaller oval prints of a cow—and there were lots of them.
“Is this where our cattle come to drink?” she asked cautiously, still not sure what to make of Jacob’s behavior.
“Not usually. There are a few tracks from horses, too, and one of the horses is wearing a bar shoe that doesn’t match what our animals wear.” He sighed, rising to stand next to her. “These prints don’t look like the cows just came to the water’s edge to drink. It looks like they walked right out into the river. My guess is they were driven into the river and came out somewhere downstream on the other side.”
Anna stared at Jacob in horror, not liking the implication of his words. “Do you think it was the rustlers the other ranchers are talking about? How many do you think they took?”
“It’s hard to say for sure, but it looks that way. There are enough tracks to be about fifty head but hard to tell for sure there, too. I guess we’ll be adding a night watch for the herd.”
Anna studied Jacob’s expression. He had a hard set to his chin and a worried look in his blue eyes. Losing fifty cows was not good for the ranch, but he was probably worried about the threat of losing even more. Still, the thought of their men running into a gang of bandits in the dark made her stomach queasy. “Who would you send out for the night watch?” Some of the older cow hands might welcome the solitude.
“We’ll all take turns, two each night.”
The nausea in Anna’s stomach threatened to bring back the plum pudding she’d eaten for dessert. “Everyone? You, too? But what if you run into the thieves and they have guns?” Then another frightening thought occurred to her. “But surely not Edward, right?”
* * *
Jacob read the near panic in Anna’s eyes and tread carefully. He turned to face her and laid a hand on each of her shoulders. “Anna, night watch is part of a cowboy’s life. We don’t usually stay with the cattle when we’re around the ranch, but if there’s a threat to them, it has to be done. We all carry guns and stay in pairs, so there’s not really much danger. Edward will be fine. He’s a man now and a smart one at that. He knows how to handle himself, and I’ll make sure he knows to head back for reinforcements at the first sign of trouble. In fact, I’ll make sure I have night duty the same time as him so I can keep an eye out for him.”
As he spoke the last words, tears pooled in Anna’s brown eyes. When one of them broke through the dam and rolled down her cheek, Jacob couldn’t help himself any longer. He pulled her against his chest and stroked her back. She felt so good against him, like coming home. After a minute, Anna’s shoulders relaxed and she drew a deep shuddering breath then took a little step back, putting space between them. Jacob loosened his arms around her but didn’t let her go completely, sliding his hands to Anna’s elbows. He immediately missed her warmth against his chest.
Anna focused her gaze on his chin, not meeting his eyes.
“Anna, look at me.”
She raised her gaze until it locked with his, those brown orbs stirring strong emotion within him. “No matter what happens, God will be with us.” He stroked her cheek. So soft, but still a little damp from her tears. “And if I can do anything about it, nothing will ever hurt you again.”
“Jacob…”
His name on her lips was more than he could stand. Jacob leaned down and covered her lips with his own. Her kiss was every bit as sweet as he’d imagined, and he pulled her closer, sliding his hands around her waist. Anna reached her arms to his shoulders, touching the nape of his neck and adding fuel to his desire. He deepened the kiss, kneading her back and pulling her even closer. Craving flooded his body. Anna moved a hand down to his chest, clutching his shirt. Jacob wasn’t sure if she was pushing him away or pulling him closer, but the movement was enough to help him reclaim some of his senses. He took one last sweet taste then ended the kiss, bringing his forehead to rest against Anna’s. He stood there for a moment to catch both his breath and his self-control. Anna seemed to be doing much the same.
“Jacob…”
“Hmmm…” He moved back a few inches to see her face and cupped her cheek with his palm. Wow, she was beautiful. Lord, I’m still not sure why You brought this incredible woman into my life, but please help me not to blow it.
“Do you think we’d better head back now? The others might start missing us, and I need to get supper started soon.”
Jacob groaned and pulled Anna’s head back to his chest. “I don’t know how you can think of food after that Christmas dinner we had.” Giving her one last gentle squeeze, he finally released her. “But I guess we’d better get back to the house, though. Knowing your brother, he’ll be ready to eat a side of beef by the time we get there.”
Anna laughed, creating a warmth that spread through Jacob’s chest. “He’s still a growing boy.”