Long after they’d crossed the river, as night began to wrap itself around her, Sam finally felt the tension easing away as she sat near the campfire. She hadn’t been frightened crossing the river, just cautious. Apprehensive. A little concerned that she’d topple off her horse.
But the crossing had gone well. No mishaps at all. Which Jake announced was rare, indeed.
What she couldn’t understand was the reason that everyone seemed to be so incredibly wary, as though they didn’t quite trust their good fortune. As though at any minute hell would be unleashed.
She studied the cards she held in her hands. Her mother would never approve of her playing poker, but the boredom that twisted its way among the men was as dangerous as any wild steer. She’d seen fights break out simply because one man’s shadow had touched another’s.
She welcomed any form of entertainment, and if she was very careful, she might not lose much of her earnings. She intended to be very cautious.
“It’s too durn quiet,” Squirrel said in a low voice, as though he feared disturbing the silence.
“It ain’t the quiet,” Slim whispered. “It’s the stillness.”
She expected someone to laugh or make a wisecrack about them worrying like little old maids. Instead, Jed and Jeb just nodded. Even Matt seemed on edge.
“Are you playin’ or jawin’?” Sam asked, feigning irritation. The night air did somehow seem different. Thick, almost—oppressive. An air of foreboding loomed over them.
“I’m out,” Matt said, tossing down his cards.
Each fella in turn did the same. Sam gathered up her winnings. All twelve pennies. “What are you fellas fretting over?”
“Stampede,” Matt said, holding her gaze.
“Why borrow trouble?” Sam asked.
“Ain’t borrowing it,” Matt said. “Just want to be ready for it.”
“How do you get ready for it?” Sam asked.
His gaze dipped to her lips before he abruptly unfolded his body and stood. “Take a walk with me, Sam, and I’ll explain it.”
She set the cards aside and rose to her feet. As he started walking away from camp, she fell into step beside him. The land was hauntingly barren. No trees to speak of. Just miles of prairie grasses.
They walked until they could no longer hear Cookie rattling pans or the murmuring of cowboys. The campfire was far behind them. Beside her, Matt was only a silhouette. Yet she could feel his intense gaze smoldering as it traveled over her.
“Thought you were going to explain things,” she said quietly.
“Yep.” He stopped walking and faced her. “I have a powerful urge to kiss you, Samantha Jane.”
Pleasure tingled through her from her head to her toes. She heard his sigh float on the gentle breeze.
“But someone with good eyes might see what I was doing—”
“And figure out that I wasn’t a boy,” she finished for him.
“Yep.”
A corner of her mouth curled up. “Is that what you wanted to explain to me?”
“I just wanted to be alone with you for a bit. I’ve never done any real courting. Not sure how to go about it properly.”
Her heart thudded against her chest. “Are you saying you want to court me?”
“I’m saying I’m thinking about it.”
She certainly hadn’t come on this drive expecting to find a beau, and she wasn’t entirely sure that she had. “Matt, have you ever looked through a window into a store and seen something that you wanted but couldn’t have?”
“Sure.”
“And the fact that you couldn’t have it makes you want it that much more.”
“What are you getting at?” he asked.
“I’m just wondering if you’re wanting to kiss me or court me because you can’t,” she said softly. “I’m like forbidden fruit. Tempting because you can’t have me.”
“You think if I could kiss you, then I wouldn’t want you anymore?” Matt asked.
The words sounded so silly to Sam coming out of his mouth. “I don’t know.”
“Then let’s find out.” He pulled her to him.
“Matt! Someone might see—”
His mouth cut off her protest as effectively as a tornado ended a Sunday picnic. He kissed her, slowly, provocatively. She actually imagined she could hear a fiddle humming, but it was just the blood thrumming between her temples. Threading his fingers through her hair, he angled her head slightly and deepened the kiss.
She heard his guttural groan and answered with a moan of her own.
Breathing harshly, he pulled back and released her. He backed up a step. “So much for your theory. I want you more now than I did a minute ago.” He spun on his heel.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To check on the cattle and get my mind off you.”
She watched his retreating shadow until he blended in with the night and disappeared. A burst of distant lightning briefly illuminated the sky, outlining him.
With his head bent, he cut such a lonesome figure. And she wondered if he’d realized what she finally understood.
Whenever he kissed her, a tiny spark of passion ignited into a flame. A flame that could be as dangerous as a brush fire burning across the prairie, destroying all in its path.
She had to stay clear of him. If she didn’t rein in the passion smoldering between them, it could destroy all her dreams.
Startled awake, Sam felt the thunder long before she heard it. The ground rumbled beneath her, trembling as though it feared at any moment it would crack open and swallow up everything that surrounded it.
“Stampede!” someone yelled.
She sat bolt upright. Beside her, Matt had already pulled on his boots.
“You stay here,” he threw over his shoulder as he took off at a run.
Everyone was scrambling around the camp; those who had removed their britches before going to sleep weren’t bothering to put them on now. They were content to run around in their long drawers.
Sam was certain that Matt’s order had meant he was getting her horse ready. She pulled on her boots and rushed to the remuda, where cowboys were quickly saddling their horses. She reached for the rope keeping Cinnamon tethered to the line.
Matt grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “I told you to stay put!”
She wrenched free. “There’s a stampede. I can get my horse ready.”
“You’re not riding. You stay by the wagon with Cookie.”
Her mouth agape, she stared at him. “What? Matt, you need every rider—”
“What I need is not to have to worry about you!”
“I can handle myself,” she assured him.
He shook his head forcefully. “Not during a stampede.”
“What’s going on here?” Jake asked, his face a mask of concern, irritation, and dread.
“Sam’s staying,” Matt told him.
“No, I’m not.”
“I don’t have time to argue, Sam,” Matt said. “You’re staying.”
“He’s going,” Jake said.
Matt jerked his gaze to Jake. “Sam has no experience handling stampeding cattle.”
“Then he’ll get it tonight. Mount up.” He spun on his heel.
“Sam’s a girl!” Matt yelled.
Sam felt her dreams come crashing around her as everyone stilled, mouths unhinged, eyes wide.
Jake twisted around so quickly that he almost lost his balance. “What did you say?”
Matt took a deep breath. “I said that Sam is a girl.”
Jake swore harshly beneath his breath. “Cookie, keep her at the wagon.” He pointed a trembling finger at Matt. “I’ll deal with you later.”
He stormed away.
She pounded her fist into Matt’s shoulder. “You betrayed me. You promised—”
“We’ll discuss it after we get the cattle calmed,” he said reaching for his horse.
“I’ll hate you until the day I die!” she yelled as he mounted up.
He looked down on her. “At least I don’t have to worry about your dying tonight.”
He twirled his horse about and galloped off into the night.
And all Sam felt was the destruction of her dreams and the shattering of her heart.