Mountain Moonlight - By Jane Toombs Page 0,66

to do will be good for both you and the Ndee."

He gave her a crooked grin. "Glad to have you in my corner."

She bit back the words that would have told him she'd always be in his corner, no matter what. Instead, she focused on the here and now. "Do you know what time Davis will be back?"

"I've been waiting for you to ask. We don't have to get dressed until five, at the earliest. Rick is treating him to supper. Until then, fair maiden, you're my captive."

"Oh mercy me," she wailed in mock fright, "whatever shall I do? Here I am helpless and unclad in the clutches of a warrior. And not just any old warrior, but an Apache, as I, in my ignorance call them--the most feared of all warriors."

"You got that right." Bram rose and loomed over her lounge chair. "Do you come peacefully or by force?"

Giggling, in a sudden swift leap, she shot from the chair, eluded his grasp and ran across the back lawn, losing her towel on the way.

He was after her like a shot and she darted this way and that to avoid capture. Both of them naked, they raced over the grass until he lunged and caught her. Lifting her into his arms, he trotted toward the back door. As he shifted her to open it, Vala caught a glimpse of a man on the other side of the back fence. He stood on a tall ladder, apparently repairing a gutter on his house.

She carried his expression of mixed amazement and amusement with her into the house.

"Your neighbor over the fence saw us!" she cried.

"Bet he's sorry he's not me," Bram told her as he dropped her onto his bed.

This time their love-making was slow, so sweet and tender she felt she would never forget this man, this day, this moment. How could she when she knew this would be the last time they'd lay together like this.

Later, after showering, Vala put on her new Arizona clothes, tying her hair back with the scarf.

"You look so different," Bram told her. "I'm not sure we shouldn't stay right here so I can get to know the new you."

"You already know all you need to about me," she told him, pleased at his admiration.

They drove to a nearby Mexican restaurant for an early dinner, arriving back at the house shortly before Rick pulled up with Davis.

"You can park this kid with me any time," Rick told them. "Man, can he pick winners. Called 'em, six out of eight, damn good odds."

While Davis tried not to look as proud as he felt,

Rick explained that the boy had predicted, in six out of the eight bronc riders, which man would stay on his horse and which man would fail to.

Vala smiled. "Heavens, I hope this doesn't mean he'll grow up to be a bookie."

"He did watch the horses, not the riders," Rick said, "so maybe you got something to worry about."

Davis shook his head. "Naw, I'm gonna be a shaman." Rick's eyebrows rose. "Oho, so that's your secret."

He clapped Davis on the shoulder. "Hope we can get together next time you're in these parts, amigo."

After he left, Davis said. "We had a really awesome time, Rick and me. And, yes, Mom, I remembered to thank him. What'd you guys do while I was gone?"

We had a pretty awesome time ourselves, Vala thought. "We went swimming and sort of laid around," she told him, the understatement of the century.

The phone rang, Bram answered it and came back with the news that the airline had confirmed their reservations for noon tomorrow.

Davis muttered, "Bummer."

Silently, Vala echoed him.

Chapter 15

Vala slept better than she'd expected to, considering it was her last night in Arizona, the last night anywhere near Bram. When she woke in the morning, she lay quietly for a bit, thinking she might be boarding a jet at noon, but she'd be leaving her heart behind. It made no difference how Bram felt about her, she loved him. On this treasure map trip, what she'd found was a man worth loving.

After she showered, she put on the navy pants suit, but wore the bright yellow shirt she'd bought in the mall with it, instead of the plain white one. For some reason, this lightened her spirits a little.

When she went into the kitchen, through the sliding doors she noticed Bram and Davis were standing on the patio in what looked to be earnest conversation. No doubt having to do