the longer she held his gaze, the higher the draw rose.
He reached out and a whisper-light fingertip trailed down her cheek. “Anytime you need a partner, let me know.”
Her reactions to him were slipping past the reins of her legendary control. She covered his hand with hers and gently pressed her lips against the knuckles. “A kiss to make it feel better.”
He smiled. “If I kiss you in return, will you feed me to a bear?”
“If it’s a bad kiss, I might.”
“I’ll have to make it a good one, then, I guess.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I’m out of practice.”
“Are you going to kiss me or talk me to death?”
He leaned in, brushed his lips against hers, and murmured, “I love a woman who says what she wants.” The potency of the kiss that followed awakened her senses and kindled the embers of her lust. He was no novice at this, and before his seductive magic reduced her mind to jam, she took a step back. “Come home with me. I’ve ice and whatever else you may want.”
“Are you sure? I’ve a long list of what I want to do with you.”
Her knees went weak. “Do I impress you as being unsure?”
“A gentleman always asks.”
“I want you in my bed, McCray. That plain enough for you?”
“Yes, ma’am. It is.”
A male voice interrupted them. “Quite a display you put on back there, McCray.”
They turned to see Avery Jarvis standing there. Where he’d come from or how much he’d seen or heard, she didn’t know.
He continued, “Man like you could draw a lot of unwanted attention putting your hands on a man like Ketchum. You might want to be careful.”
“A man like me draws unwanted attention from men like Ketchum just for waking up every morning, but thanks for your concern. Good night.” He offered Spring his arm. She responded, and together they set out towards the livery to retrieve the buggy for the drive to her cabin. Neither looked back.
Led by the light of the full moon, Spring guided the buggy slowly. McCray hadn’t said anything since they’d left the livery. There wasn’t enough light to see his features clearly, but she sensed distance. “If you’ve changed your mind, McCray, that’s fine.”
“I haven’t. Jarvis has me angry at Ketchum all over again.”
She understood. She’d been angry at Ketchum for years. “Should I distract you?”
He chuckled against the night. “Your invitation is distracting enough, honestly. I’ll be better shortly.”
“Good, because when we get home, I’ll need your full attention.”
“And you shall have it.”
Garrett knew he’d placed himself in jeopardy defending her. He’d embarrassed and humiliated Ketchum. Scores of Colored men had been beaten and killed for less. Should he have chosen caution and waited for one of the other men in the room to shut Ketchum’s vile mouth? And if none had, then what? Was he supposed to ignore it and pretend the verbal taunting was deserved? Spring admitted to being gossiped about; even the sheriff said she’d been no angel back then. However, that didn’t give Ketchum the right to speak to her so disrespectfully. Garrett expected Ketchum to seek revenge but when the time came, he’d not go down without a fight.
Now, though, Spring had invited him home. Since their time together during the blizzard he’d sensed a mutual attraction. He hadn’t expected such a bold offer though. He glanced over at her in the moonlight and wondered if she’d be as fiery in bed as she was in life. The brief kiss they’d shared gave him a taste of the passionate woman hidden beneath her tough exterior, and he was anxious to explore her fully and without interruption.
Once they arrived at her property, he watched while she swapped her fancy slippers for a pair of serviceable boots she retrieved from the buggy’s backseat. “I have to unhitch the mare from the buggy and with the ground being so soft, I don’t want these shoes ruined. You can go inside and start a fire. I’ll join you as soon as I’m done.”
He countered, “How about I be the partner we spoke of and help with the buggy?”
“What about your hand?”
“It’s sore but not so much that I can’t assist you.”
He sensed she wanted to argue but seemed to think better of it and surrendered. “Okay.”
Once the mare was bedded down and the other horses seen to, they let the moonlight guide them to the house.
The interior was as cold as it was outside. While he started a fire, she pulled her shawl closer