Only 06 - Winter Fire

of white showed where the horses had sweated and dried, sweated and dried.
    One of the horses was a big stallion that had the same clean lines and deep chest as Cricket. The others were mustangs with a little hot blood mixed in.
    Hunter swung up on the stallion with a catlike ease that reminded Sarah of Case.
    â€œI’ll go first and warn Ute,” she said, turning abruptly toward the trail.
    â€œNo need for you to walk,” Hunter said. “Bugle Boy is a gentleman. He won’t mind carrying double.”
    â€œIf she rides with anyone, she’ll ride with me,” Case said curtly. Then, hearing his own tone, he added, “Bugle Boy looks worn out.”
    Hunter’s black eyebrows rose. It was clear that his brother felt protective of the pretty widow.
    Some might even call it possessive.
    Case’s whistle cut the air. Cricket came trotting up from his hiding place farther down the trail. Saying nothing, he untied the reins from Cricket’s neck. Then he turned around to help Sarah mount.
    She was gone.
    â€œShe took off like a scalded cat,” Hunter said. “Guess she doesn’t cotton to the thought of riding double.”
    Case shrugged and told himself that he wasn’t disappointed.
    But he was. He had been looking forward to the scent and feel and sweetness of having Sarah in his arms once more.
    His hunger didn’t surprise him.
    The hurt he felt that she had run from him did.
    We have to settle this , he decided. Tonight .
    The thought sent a shaft of sensual anticipation through him.
    Just talk. Nothing more .
    He told himself that every step of the way down the trail.
    He wasn’t sure he believed it.

18
    â€œ I ’m sorry ,” Sarah said. “Someone will have to stand. I don’t have enough chairs for everyone.”
    â€œI’ve done enough sitting lately,” Hunter said, smiling. “I’d just as soon eat standing up.”
    While she served supper, Conner looked from Hunter to Case and back, shaking his head.
    â€œTalk about two peas in a pod,” he said. “Hunter’s eyes are gray instead of gray-green, but if you shaved Case and put a smile on his face for once…”
    Hunter’s smile was almost sad.
    His brother didn’t smile at all.
    â€œMind your manners,” Sarah said.
    Conner grimaced.
    â€œUte taught your brother good gun handling manners,” Case said neutrally.
    â€œPraise be,” she muttered. “The amount of shooting that’s been going on around here lately, it’s a wonder I’m not wrapping him up like a puppy that’s been sniffing around a beehive.”
    A dull red appeared on her brother’s cheekbones.
    â€œEase up on the spurs,” Case said. “Conner is doing a man’s work and doing it well.”
    Sarah spun around and looked at Case directly for thefirst time since he had been in such a hurry to get her off him and fully dressed.
    â€œConner is my brother, not yours,” she said, biting off each word. “Stay out of it.”
    â€œNo.”
    Hunter’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t seen that stubborn look on his brother’s face since before the war.
    â€œI beg your pardon?” she asked with icy politeness.
    â€œYou heard me,” he said. “Conner is man-sized and doing a man’s work. He doesn’t need to be tripping on your apron strings every time he tries to take a step on his own. Right now we need a man, not a boy.”
    She went pale. She opened her mouth, prepared to rip a strip off his hide.
    â€œIt’s all right,” Conner said quickly to Case. “My sister and I have been through a lot together. She’s used to fussing over me and I’m used to worrying about her.”
    Swiftly she turned on him. When she saw the calm self-possession in her brother’s eyes, her anger faded. She gave him a smile that threatened to turn upside down and went back to dishing stew.
    Hunter let out a silent breath of relief.
    Case changed the subject.
    â€œHow is Elyssa?” he asked.
    A smile transformed Hunter’s face.
    â€œMore beautiful than ever,” he said. “You’ll be an uncle again before autumn.”
    The look on Case’s face was indescribable, pain and pleasure and the kind of relentless regret that wore a man’s soul thin as a shadow.
    â€œMore children?” he said neutrally. “You’re a braver man than I am.”
    â€œOr a