Only 06 - Winter Fire

voice made his blood run even hotter.
    â€œSo was Eve,” he muttered, “but she learned quick enough.”
    Case looked up in time to see his words quench the laughter in her eyes.
    â€œSarah,” he began.
    This time she didn’t interrupt. She simply disappeared. The blankets seethed and rippled as she dressed beneath them. Very quickly she emerged fully dressed but for her boots.
    â€œIn the interests of keeping Conner from knowing how much you dislike me,” she said evenly, “could you try to be civil to me in front of him?”
    â€œI don’t dislike you.”
    â€œFine.” She yanked on her right boot. “Then being civil to me shouldn’t be a problem.”
    Her tone of voice told Case that she didn’t believe a word he had said about not disliking her.
    â€œMen don’t spend nights like that with women they dislike,” he said tightly.
    â€œOf course.”
    She jammed her left foot into the other boot and stood up quickly.
    â€œDamnation, listen to me!” he snarled.
    Cool gray eyes cut over to him.
    â€œI’m not only listening to you, I’m agreeing with you,” she pointed out.
    â€œBut you don’t mean it.”
    Cinnamon eyebrows arched in two elegant, disbelieving curves.
    â€œIf you say so,” she murmured.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI’m being agreeable. You should try it. Just for the practice, of course. I won’t expect it when Conner isn’t around.”
    Case took a grip on his temper. Then he took a deep breath and another, tighter grip.
    She was like nettles under his skin.
    Rather distantly he wondered where his usual discipline had gone.
    Memories of taking Sarah and being taken in turn went through him like hot black lightning, telling him just what had happened to his self-control.
    I never should have done it .
    But he had. Now he would spend the rest of his life regretting it. Winter seemed so much colder when he knew that there was a fire burning just for him.
    Just beyond reach.
    It must stay that way .
    Beyond reach .
    Â 
    â€œHave you seen Conner?” Ute asked.
    Surprised, Sarah turned from the pot of beans that was bubbling over the fire. She had just finished slicing one of her hoarded onions into the pot, along with several of Ute’s lethal green chilies.
    She hoped they would burn Case’s mouth.
    What am I complaining about? she asked herself wryly. This morning I asked him to be civil to me, and by God, he has been .
    He’s been so civil he makes my back teeth ache .
    And so distant .
    She sighed and resumed stirring the beans.
    Ute cleared his throat.
    Sarah jumped. She had forgotten that he was there, waiting for an answer.
    â€œI haven’t seen Conner since breakfast,” she said, hoping her blush would pass unnoticed. “Why?”
    At least Conner didn’t tease me about Case. Other than a grin that split his smug face, of course .
    Saying nothing, Ute looked at the pattern of sunlight cast across the dirt floor by random holes in the chinking. The light was a rich, buttery yellow.
    Late-afternoon light.
    â€œBreakfast, huh?” he asked.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” she asked sharply.
    He shrugged, but she wasn’t fooled. She had become very good at reading the older man’s weathered, falsely angelic face.
    â€œUte,” she said.
    She didn’t have to say any more.
    â€œHe was due up on the rim two hours ago. When I didn’t come in, Lola come along to see what’s what. She’s up there now, taking Conner’s turn so I can rest and eat.”
    Frowning, Sarah gave the beans a final stir and added a stick of wood to the fire.
    â€œMaybe he’s with Case,” she said. “They’ve been doing a lot of six-gun work together.”
    â€œI looked. Ain’t there.”
    Uneasiness rippled through her.
    â€œIt’s not like Conner to miss his watch,” she said.
    â€œYep. That’s what I’m thinking.”
    â€œWhere is Case?”
    â€œWith his brother, planning ways to bury Culpeppers.”
    â€œWhat about Morgan?”
    â€œSpying on Culpeppers.”
    Silently she added another piece of wood to the fire and watched the flames bite into the branch. She wiped her hands on her flour-sack apron.
    â€œI’ll look for him,” she said.
    â€œFigured you would.”
    â€œIs someone watching Lola’s goats?”
    â€œGhost.”
    â€œHope he doesn’t