SHE LAY CURLED AGAINST HIS sweat-coated body, and an amazing sense of contentment surrounded him. He fingered the curls lying over her shoulder, their softness contrasting sharply with his hard, calloused hand.

She sighed and her warm breath caressed his chest. All doubts from earlier disappeared. She was his. His alone. He tightened his hold and she responded by pressing herself against him, hand splayed over his heart, one leg laying over his.

He wanted to ask her how it felt to be in love, but even as the thought materialized he knew the answer.

It felt like now. Under the stars, with her in his arms, her goodness and sweetness surrounding him. Is this love? Or just the afterglow of making love to a passionate woman. Several times. In one night.

“…Ty?”

Her soft question broke into his revelry. “Umm?”

She seemed to like the hair on his chest because she kept running her fingers through it. Who was he to deny her something she enjoyed?

“I meant what I said when you left earlier.”

He flinched, suddenly not ready for this conversation.

She raised up on her elbow to look at him, those glorious waves dropping over her shoulder to tickle his chest.

“I do love you. I think I loved you the first time I saw you in Ft. Worth. Don’t ask me how it happened, because I don’t know.”

“Ft. Worth?” His eyes squinted and his brow creased.

She ducked her head. “I ran into you…literally, outside the El Paso Hotel back in April.”

His head rocked back a little. “That was you?” His brows drew together. “A bonnet covered your hair and I barely saw your face.”

She nodded. “I talked to the cattle buyer, then met with Mr. Ralston about the Herefords. I was on my way to the mercantile and ran into you.” She paused for a heartbeat. “You were in my dreams every night for two weeks.” A light shrug had her hair tickling his chest. “When I saw you in my office, I nearly passed out.”

He nodded. “I thought you looked funny but couldn’t figure out why.”

She smiled. “You were the problem, but a good one.”

“You don’t know me…who I really am, what I’ve done.”

“I know you are a good and honest man. You treat my father with dignity and respect. And you treat me like an equal, not someone to be tolerated or patronized. And you’re patient with me when I don’t understand things. Nothing else matters.”

He opened his mouth to say…something, but a finger to his lips stopped him.

She paused as though choosing her words. “You told me to always say what I thought, not to hold back and that’s what I did. Well, I have a tendency to do so anyway, but this whole man-woman-married thing is different.”

She took a deep breath and fixed those captivating eyes on his. “I am discovering a lot of things I never knew before, and, well, I like it.”

Her little half smile was so damn sexy his heart skipped and stuttered.

“I know things are different for a man.”

He teased a bit to lighten the mood. “Sarah tell you that, too?”

She shook her head. “Mable. She said a man has to work up to being in love.” She lowered her head, then raised it to meet his gaze. “I know you don’t love me, but I think you care for me, and that’s enough for now. Maybe…one day something will change, but for now I’m happy.”

He didn’t know what to say, was saved from ruining the moment by saying the wrong thing when she bent down and placed a timid kiss on his lips.

“How long will it take you to get back to the herd?”

“Diablo’s had a good rest,” Unlike his master, “so an hour or so tops.”

A distant rumble of thunder had her looking to the west. “Another storm on the way.” She looked down at him and smiled. “Think there’s time…?”

He didn’t think he had another round in him since the last one nearly gave him a heart attack. And then she straddled him and he discovered he was good to go.

Sometime later, Emma stood beside him as he checked the cinch and secured the bedroll back behind his saddle. The wind had picked up, and the stars so visible earlier were now obscured by clouds. “I’ll ride with you back to the house.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be silly. The storm is probably going to catch you as it is. You should’ve left before now.”

He turned around and his breath caught at the beauty in front of him. Her hair, mussed from their busy night, hung loose around her shoulders. Her shirt now lacked a couple of buttons thanks to his hurried attempt at undressing her and that ample bosom beckoned.

He grinned. “Well, as I recall, I was about to leave when my wife delayed me.”

Even in the muted light, he saw the color fill her cheeks. “You complaining?”

“Hell no.” He pulled her to him and she flattened her hands on his chest. “But I’d feel better if I knew you were safe at home.”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Won’t be the first time I got caught in the rain.” She stepped back from his embrace. “Got your knife handy?”

“My pocket. Why?”

She held out her hand. “Let me borrow it.”

He pulled the knife and opened it, passing it to her.

She reached behind her head and pulled a thick strand of curls free, then sliced it off.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She handed him the knife, looped the strand around itself in a single knot and placed it in his other hand, closing his fingers around it. “Something to help you remember me by while you’re gone.”

A stunning sensation settled in the pit of his stomach. “There is no way in hell I’d ever forget you, Red.” He kissed the length of hair and placed it in his breast pocket. “None at all.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her, letting his actions convey what he could not. Stepping away from her was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do as he grabbed up the reins and mounted. “I’ll send you a telegram when I get to Ft. Worth and another when I am headed home.”

Home. Just saying the word made him smile.

She stuffed her hands in her pockets. “The storm’s gonna catch you for sure.”

It surprised him to realize he was a little disappointed she didn’t say she loved him again.

“I love you, Ty.”

And then she did.

“Please be careful.”

His heart rolled over in his chest.

He dismounted and walked to where she stood, a questioning look on her face.

“I’ve never been in love so I don’t rightly know what it feels like.” He took a steadying breath. “But I know the thought of not having you in my life is unbearable. I know you can smile at me and the world is perfect. I know I look forward to having you get mad at me just so I can see the fire in your eyes and then make up afterwards.”

“Oh, Ty.”

His voice was whisper soft as he continued. “If that’s what it means to be in love…”

She blessed him with a teary-eyed smile. “I’m a lucky woman, indeed.”

Another roll of thunder asserted he would be soon be drenched. “We’ll discuss this more when I get home.” He gave her a quick kiss, then remounted and headed toward the herd, filled with a unique happiness he had never before experienced.

I think I’m in love.

By the time he neared the herd, the rain slacked off to a light shower from the torrential downpour he battled since shortly after leaving Emma. He estimated the herd to be maybe a mile up ahead, trailing parallel to the creek. The banks along this stretch were steep and they would stay well away from it. And after this much rain, flash floods were a real possibility. When he picked out the sounds of bawling cattle over the waning storm, he knew was close.

He heard the sharp retort of a gunshot a split second before a bullet ripped into his thigh. “Sonofabitch!” He ducked low over the horse’s back and urged him forward. Another bullet tore into his shoulder, almost knocking him from the saddle. “Shit!” He estimated the gunman to be somewhere ahead and to the left of him, hidden by the dense foliage surrounding the creek. He pulled hard on the reins and sent his mount toward the semi-shelter of the trees. The next shot whistled by his ear, and then he was among the trees, reaching for his rifle, but unable to make his hand work.

Diablo stamped and side-stepped away from the noisy, rising waters.

“Easy boy, easy.” He tried to calm the skittish horse without much luck. Another shot dug into the tree behind him. “Where the hell is he!” He tried again to reach for his rifle but his arm was useless. He grabbed for his pistol with his good hand as the next shot came, grazing across his forehead, sending him over the bank into the now raging river. He inhaled sharply as the chilly water hit him, sucking him under. The pain of his injuries, momentarily forgotten, he struggled against the fast-moving current to get his head above water. Ears ringing, lungs burning, he at last broke the surface and pulled in air, flailing his good arm about looking for something – anything – to hold on to. A limb tickled his fingers and he grabbed for it just as something hard – his first thought was an uprooted tree — slammed against his head, pushing him back under the murky depths.

Stunned, he lost his hold on the limb as the water swept him downstream. His ears rang and his head hurt like a sonofabitch as he struggled to stay afloat. His fingers touched wood and he grabbed on, barely getting his face out of the water as darkness threatened to consume him. Weakened from his injuries and the struggle, he could only hold on and pray he didn’t pass out and drown as the flood carried him downstream.

“I love you, Red,” he whispered as darkness overtook him.