Free The Touch of Sage by Marcia Lynn McClure Page A

akin to a smile spreading across his face.
    “It would be a sight , ” Forest chuckled. With a heavy sigh , the old man finally agreed. “ All righty, then. You can take my lady and her litter out to Buck ’ s old ranch…just ’ til the litter is weaned. As long as I don ’ t have to bother with no rambunctious mess of dogs ya can have the pups , I guess. ”
    “ Thank ya, Forest , ” Reb said, shaking the man ’ s hand again. “ I can ’ t thank ya enough for doin ’ me such a favor. ”
    Forest smiled proudly , and Sage smiled too, amazed at Reb ’ s having won the old goat over.
    “ I ’ ll bring her out in a week or two when she ’ s closer to bustin ’ , ” Forest said.
    “ Oh, don ’ t worry about that, ” Reb said. “ I ’ ll come in and get her when yer ready. ”
    “Okeydokey , ” Forest said. “ Good day to ya, Miss Sage, ” the man said before turning and leaving by way of entering the general store.
    Reb released a heavy sigh once the man was out of earshot and said, “ Did I earn myself another pan of sage stuffin ’ , Miss Willows? ”
    Sage smiled at him. How chivalrous he had been, coming to her rescue as he had!
    “ Oh, I think so, ” she answered. “ I thought he was gonna eat me alive! ”
    Reb chuckled. “ Ol ’ Forest might be old and ugly, but I don ’ t think he has enough teeth left in his head to take to bein ’ a cannibal. ”
    Sage covered her mouth with one hand, but not before a rather loud, unladylike laugh escaped.
     
    Reb smiled as he watched Sage giggle. Her eyes seemed to light up with delight in a way he had never seen them light up before , and the fact caused some sort of long-absent warmth to seep into his veins.
    He had been at the smithy and just happened to glance across the way to the general store in time to see Sage come out with a basket full of goods in hand. He had also se en Forest Simmons approach her— seen the way the color drained from Sage ’ s pretty face as the cranky old goat spoke to her. Further, he suspected what Forest was chewing her out about and knew he couldn ’ t let Sage endure it any longer.
    The last thing Rebel needed was a litter of rowdy pups tearing up his ranch house and outbuildings. But for some reason, Sage Willows brought out his protective nature , and now he found himself anticipating raising half a dozen pups. Still, he didn ’ t put it past Forest to be serious about wanting to drown the litter , and that was just plain ridiculous.
    “ Thank you, Reb, ” Sage said once she had managed to stifle her delightful giggles. “ Just let me know when you want to come by for supper , and I ’ ll make sure stuffin ’ is on the table for you. ”
    “ Good deal, ” he said. Unexpectedly then, Sage reached up, brushing at something on Reb ’ s cheek. Reb was instantly unsettled by her touch. The soft, familiar scent of sage tickled his breath , and he suspected she had been pinching sage leaves again. Further, an instant pleasure welled up in his chest at the feel of her fingers on his skin , and he turned his face from her. The sensations her caressive touch had evoke d in him had long been guarded— safely dormant somewhere d eep within. She was dangerous—a threat to his resolve— and he hadn ’ t been prepared to defend himself from such feelings. Most of the time he could flirt, tease, even do a little sparking with a girl here and there without risking the slightest crack in his heart of stone. But Sage Willows was different. Reb had discovered the need to be well prepared defensively when in her presence , and at that moment he hadn ’ t been.
     
    Sage let her hand fall from Reb ’s cheek— her fingers going to her collar buttons and fiddling with them nervously.
    “ I ’ m sorry, ” she said. “ You had…you had dirt on your face. ” She felt tears welling in her eyes. It had been a natural instinct that moved her hand to his cheek, but he was obviously not in need or want of her touch.