Free Whispers of Moonlight by Lori Wick Page A

Lavena came in with the coffee. Not long after, Andrew joined them. Rebecca stayed for an hour but then retired while the men discussed the ranch.

8
    "Travis." Rebecca called his name early Saturday morning, and she could tell she had surprised him. His eyes narrowed as they looked at her, not with anger but in defense.
    They were in the upstairs hallway, and Travis knew very well that Andrew had already gone downstairs. Did she know how she looked to him? She was dressed, but there was a morning softness about her, and her hair lay loose on her shoulders.
    "What do you want, Rebecca?"
    "I just want to talk to you."
    "I have work to do."
    She sighed. "It's not the way you think," she began, but cut off when he shook his head.
    The night before, he'd actually spoken kindly to her. It had been a moment of weakness on his part, but the way he had spoken to her on his birthday had bothered him. He'd been ready to ask her for a walk when someone knocked on the front door. The shutters had gone back into place when Rebecca opened the door and Lucky stood there asking to see her. Travis hadn't stayed around to
see what the two of them did, but he did resolve not to be caught out again.
    "I won't fight Harwell for you, Rebecca," he said suddenly.
    "I don't want you to."
    "Then what do you want from me?"
    To have things the way they were. To have you take my hand and look into my eyes. But she didn't say any of this outloud. Travis was still angry, and she didn't know how to handle his anger. Hannah and Franklin had never been angry with her, and even when her father scolded her, he did so in a kind voice. Travis' biting tone and angry eyes were more than she could take.
    "Can't answer me?" Travis went on, more furious than before.
    Rebecca's hand came up in supplication. "What do you want from me, Travis?"
    "I'll show you," he bit out, and before she could guess what he might do, he pulled her into his arms. The kiss he gave her was not nice. His lips crushed Rebecca's tender mouth; his arms locked her against him with bruising strength. Rebecca couldn't cry out, and she couldn't breathe. It was awful. She felt more frightened than she'd ever been in her life, and just as black spots began to dance before her eyes, he loosened his hold. Travis' anger had deserted him.
    The hands that now put her away from him were not angry hands. They were gentle, but it didn't register with the small, frightened woman who stood trembling and feeling very cold.
    Travis looked down at his handiwork. Rebecca's hair was a snarled mess, her mouth was already swelling, and huge tears filled her eyes. He wanted to be sick to his stomach. How could he have treated her that way? He wanted to tell her he was sorry, but the words wouldn't come.
    He reached to brush the hair from her cheek, but stopped when she flinched. His hand dropped to his side.
    "Put a cold cloth on your mouth, Rebecca. Or better yet, some snow. It'll help the swelling."
    Rebecca's hand went to her lips as he said this, and it hurt her to touch them. Travis stared at her with regretful eyes before turning to go on his way. He would work the day out, but come dinner he'd tell Andrew that he had to resign. His boss had trusted him, and he'd betrayed that trust.
    Travis' plans were honorable, but no one, least of all Travis, could have predicted what the next few hours would bring.

    The doctor came from the sick room on Sunday afternoon. Andrew had suffered another spell the night before. He was flat on his back and desperate. Travis and Rebecca stood in the hall, not talking or touching. The doctor had also come Saturday when Travis had ridden into town for him, but now he came out to tell Travis that Andrew was asking for him.
    "And Rebecca?" Travis asked, not looking at the woman beside him.
    "He wants to see her afterward."
    Travis looked down at Rebecca. She seemed to have put the kiss out of her mind. She looked up at him and said in a soft voice, "Go ahead, Travis. I'll wait