Free Ride The Wind (Vincente 3) by Constance O'Banyon

and then
joy. "Is it really you? I have heard so much about
you from Matthew. Where is he?"
    "He's laid up with a sprained leg or else he'd
be here himself. His horse fell on him when he
was on the way to Fort Worth to meet you."
    Before Reese knew what happening, Saber
lunged forward, throwing her body against his. Her arms went around his neck, and a sob broke
from her throat.

    "Matthew has often written of you. I'm so
happy it was you who found me!" She was shaking and trembling, and his arms went around
her protectively.
    "There's nothing to cry about. You're safe
now."
    She pressed her wet cheek against his rough
one. "Thank you for what you did." Her head
moved to his shoulder. "I don't know how I
could ever have mistaken you for that awful Felton person. I knew from the moment I saw you
that you were different from other men."
    His chest expanded, and he hadn't realized
that he'd been holding his breath. "In what
way?"
    Her head still nestled against his shoulder,
and he found he liked it there. "You are everything Matthew said you were." She raised her
head and smiled at him, feeling joy in her heart.
"He thinks you are something of a hero, you
know. And I'm inclined to agree with him."
Tears sparkled in her eyes, and it took her a moment to go on. "I don't know how you found me,
but I am so glad you did."
    He'd never been good at dealing with women's
tears, and Saber's were tearing his heart out. She
hadn't cried when she'd thought he was her kid napper, but now that she was safe it seemed she
couldn't stop crying. His eyebrows came together in a frown, and he thought he knew why
she was crying. Maybe one or all of the Miller
brothers had raped her. His arms tightened
about her even more, and he cradled her body
against his.

    "Nothing can be that bad, Miss Vincente.
Please don't cry; everything will be all right
now."
    She buried her face against his neck, and he
felt his flesh come alive. His hands ran up and
down her back, and the pleasure of touching her
was so intense it alarmed him. When she drew
in a deep breath and her breasts pressed against
his chest, he could hardly breathe.
    Reese gloried in the female smell of her, and
he envisioned what she'd look like lying naked
beneath him. He'd never been dazzled by a
woman before, but there was no other word for
how he felt about her he was definitely dazzled
by Saber! Heat shot through him and settled in
his loins. He had to stop thinking about her in
that way. She wasn't his she belonged to his
friend!
    He stood up and put her away from him. Desire for her made his voice harsher than he'd intended. "You'd better get some sleep. We'll be
riding on as soon as it's dark."

    "Why at night?"
    "Because we'll be harder to track if anyone is
following us, and we'll be out of Comanche territory by dawn."
    "You wouldn't be worried if I weren't with
you, would you?"
    "Not as much," he admitted. "Now get some
sleep."
    Saber was too weary to argue, and lay back on
her blanket. She dreaded the thought of riding
all night, but she was more afraid of meeting up
with a Comanche war party. She closed her eyes
and felt Reese place a warm blanket over her.
She was safe now that Reese Starrett was looking after her!

     

It was a bitterly cold morning, but the air was
sharp and clean. Saber loved riding and always
had, but being in the open and exposed to the
cold took the enjoyment out of it. She felt guilty
again because her thoughts were not often of
Matthew, but of Reese. Her arms were clasped
about his waist, and she pressed her face against
him. She could feel his taut stomach muscles
and each intake of his breath.
    When they began backtracking she knew he
was worried that they might have been followed.
Suddenly he rode behind a thicket, cautioning
her to be quiet. His hand rested on his gun, and she knew he could have it in his hand in an instant.

    Saber laughed when a herd of deer moved
past their hiding place.