Diamond Read online

  Her eyes widened with shock and anger. She lifted her hands to his chest to push him away. But before she could fight him, she realized what had him spooked. In her anger she’d missed the sound of hoofbeats approaching at a run.

  She stopped struggling and went very still.

  They stood pressed together, her hands still clutching the front of his shirt, his hand still firmly over her mouth. Their stance might have been as close as lovers, but there was a matching fire born of fury in their eyes.

  “Your wranglers?” His lips were directly against her ear, and she felt a strange little shiver along her spine. It was not the nearness of this man, she told herself. It was fear, loathing. Nothing more. This dirty, unshaven trail burn was the man who had killed her father. The man who deserved only contempt.

  He stared into her eyes and felt a rush of heat that left him shaken to the core. It had been a long time since he’d held a woman against his chest. Even one as angry as an untamed mustang caught in a noose. Despite the anger and the tension that hummed through him, he couldn’t deny the feelings that pulsed. Her lips were soft beneath his palm. He felt the sexual jolt clear to his toes. The woman-scent of her touched something deep inside him. Something long-buried and half-forgotten.

  Diamond tore her gaze from him and studied the line of horsemen, then shook her head. “I don’t know those men. They aren’t my wranglers.”

  “If you’re lying...” He let the words die. Very carefully he released her. Pulling a pistol from his holster, he aimed it at the lead rider.

  “Looking for me?” he called as he stepped from his place of concealment.

  Diamond marveled at his fearlessness. Couldn’t he see that he was one against half a dozen? If it had come from some other man, she would have believed he did it to draw attention away from her. But she refused to believe there was anything noble in what this man did. Besides, she needed no man’s protection. Pulling a pistol from her boot, she stepped up beside him.

  There was a string of surprised curses from the band of horsemen.

  “Ride,” commanded a deep voice. “We’ve been spotted.”

  At once the horsemen wheeled their mounts and raced away in a cloud of dust.

  Diamond waited, expecting to see Adam Winter aim and fire at their retreating figures. If his reputation as a gunman could be believed, he would have no trouble shooting at least some of the strangers before they were out of range. But to her surprise, he merely watched until they were out of sight.

  When the riders were gone, silence settled once more over the trail.

  “They’ll come back. And when they do, Adam Winter, I hope they leave your carcass for the wolves.”

  He turned back to her, and she was surprised to see the corner of his lips curl in a hint of a dangerous smile. “I thought you said they weren’t your wranglers.”

  “They aren’t.”

  “Then what makes you think they were trailing me?”

  It took a moment before the blank look in her eyes was replaced with one of sudden realization.

  “Who knows?” he added, sending a shiver along her spine. “You could just as easily be their target.”

  “Me!” She tried not to show the fear that had suddenly sliced through her veins like an icy blade. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”

  Adam shrugged. “Why did someone kill your father?”

  She was too stunned to reply.

  “I guess when you learn why your father was killed, you’ll have all your answers.”

  His words caused a flood of questions. Could Adam Winter be right? Could her life be in danger? Could her father’s killer want her dead, too? But if that were so, it would mean that Adam Winter was not her father’s killer. And she wasn’t quite ready to accept that.

  The two stared at each other for long, silent moments.

  Adam holstered his gun, then bent to retrieve her fallen rifle. Noting that her horse had run off, he pulled himself into the saddle. “I’m heading to Poison Creek to see to my herd. You’re welcome to ride along.” He leaned down to offer a hand.

  When she hesitated he said, “Suit yourself, Miss Jewel. If you’d rather walk back to your ranch...”

  She shot him a hateful look. Damn the man for his astrogance. And damn him for knowing that he’d planted a seed of fear in her heart.

  She wrapped the whip around her arm and saw the way his eyes narrowed. It gave her a small measure of satisfaction. At least she’d managed to inflict some pain along with a warning that she would not allow her father’s death to go unavenged.

  “Looks like I have no choice but to accept your generous offer.” Her voice rang with sarcasm.

  Accepting his hand, she pulled herself up behind him. He thrust her rifle alongside his in the boot of his saddle.

  As the horse broke into a run, Diamond had two options. Hold on to Adam Winter, or risk falling.

  Though she held herself stiffly, she was forced to wrap her arms around his waist. Her hand encountered the warmth of his flesh, and she felt a strange curling sensation deep inside.

  Then she felt the warm trickle of his blood, from a wound she’d inflicted.

  Through clenched teeth she muttered every rich, ripe curse she’d ever learned. And wondered how she would endure being this close to a man she despised.

  Chapter Four

  Adam seethed with fury at this strange turn of events. The last thing he wanted was to share the trail with the spoiled, temperamental daughter of the man he’d been accused of murdering.

  Onyx Jewel’s daughter. What a joke. She might as well be called his son. She fought like a man, dressed like a man. Hell, she even cussed like a man.

  The wind whipped around them and she hunched close, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. Despite the cowhide jacket he could feel the softness of her breasts against his back, the press of her thighs to his. Not a man, came an unbidden thought. A woman. Despite the way she looked. Despite the way she talked. Despite the way she acted, she was every inch a woman. The touch of her hands at his waist had his throat going dry. The breeze flung wisps of her hair across his face, and he had the strangest urge to catch a handful and watch it sift through his fingers. Instead he grasped the reins tightly and urged his horse into a run, reminding himself that everything about this infuriating woman was repugnant to him.

  As they came up over a rise, they looked down at Adam’s herd, contentedly grazing on the tall grass along the banks of the creek. It was the sort of peaceful scene that never failed to stir the heart. In spite of the company he was forced to endure, in spite of the pain in his shoulder, Adam felt his spirits soar.

  “Looks like they all made it.”

  Behind him, Diamond made a sound of surprise. “I didn’t realize your herd was so large.”

  “Only a couple hundred head. But within a few years that could double or triple.”

  She heard the note of pride in his tone, and was reminded of her father’s excitement each year at calving time. “Pa always took a personal interest in the calves. He used to say they were the key to a man’s growth as a rancher.”

  “Your father was right. I’m counting on the spring calving to erase my debt to the bank.”

  As they drew closer to the creek, Adam reined in his mount and climbed from the saddle, then reached a hand to assist Diamond. As his hand closed over hers she felt the jolt. What was wrong with her? Why was she allowing this man’s touch to shatter her cool control? She must be coming down with a chill. It was the only reasonable explanation.

  She slid to the ground and turned away quickly, pretending to study the last rays of the sun as it dropped below the distant mountain peaks. “It’ll be dark soon. Now that you’ve assured yourself that your cattle are back on your own land, I’d like to get back to my ranch.”

  Adam frowned. “I hadn’t expected all those... delays along the trail.” He saw the flush that touched her cheeks as he shot her a meaningful look. It gave him a measure of satisfaction. It seemed onl
y fair that she accept some of the responsibility for what had happened back there. “I’ve decided not to leave the cattle alone here tonight. Those wranglers could pay another visit. And if they do, my cows are an easy target.”

  “Are you saying you’re planning to spend the night here?”

  “It looks like I have no choice.”

  She stuck her hands on her hips in a familiar gesture of defiance. “But what about me?”

  His features never altered. But she thought she saw a flash of wicked humor in his eyes. “You’re free to go. It can’t be more than a couple of hours back to your ranch on foot.” The smile grew until it almost reached his eyes. “If you’d like to stay, you’re free to share my beans and biscuits, Miss Jewel. And my bedroll.”

  “How dare —” She bit back the angry words that were bursting to break free. When Pa had been alive, no wrangler would have dared to make a suggestive comment in her presence. He would have been fired on the spot. She’d felt so safe, so insulated, that she had been almost able to forget the fact that her sex was different from that of the other wranglers. With Pa’s protection, she’d been free to ride the range, sleep under the stars, and work among the men without fear. Now, suddenly, she had something new to worry about. Something extremely unsettling.

  It was another reason to hate Adam Winter.

  He thought he’d have his revenge, did he? Well, she would show him that he couldn’t frighten a Jewel. She would die before she’d give him the satisfaction of knowing that he held the upper hand.

  In her sweetest voice she said, “How considerate of you, Mr. Winter. But I’m sure that once my horse returns to the ranch, Cal McCabe will have a dozen wranglers out searching for me. You can keep your beans. Carmelita’s been aging a side of beef for supper. And as tempting as your bedroll sounds, I’d much prefer to sleep in my own bed tonight. Alone.”

  She spun away to escape this disgusting man, and climbed to the highest rock, eager for a glimpse of Cal and the wranglers who would be out searching for her. It would be only a matter of time until they spotted the campfire. She’d see how cool Adam Winter was when he was surrounded by dozens of her men.

  For the first hour, she studied the countryside for any sign of her men and nurtured the hope that they would arrive at any minute. As she sat alone, the realization of her dilemma grew. She couldn’t possibly spend the night here with Adam Winter. Maybe she should start out on foot, in the hopes of being picked up along the way by her wranglers. But if they didn’t spot her in the darkness, she would have a long, painful walk home. And somewhere in the darkness was that band of strangers.

  Finally, when darkness overtook the land, she was forced to concede that her wranglers weren’t coming. Defeated, she climbed down from her perch and made her way to the campfire.

  Adam was sprawled comfortably on his bedroll, his head pillowed on his saddle. He’d tied a bandanna around his shoulder to stern the blood.

  Beans bubbled over the fire, causing her mouth to water.

  “Hungry?” He didn’t bother to open his eyes, which only added to her anger.

  “A little.” She eyed a tin of biscuits. “Did you bake those?”

  “Yep. They’re not bad, if you scrape off the burned bottoms.”

  “If you weren’t planning on spending the night along the trail, how did you happen to have all this?”

  “I’ve learned to carry everything I need in my bedroll. Flour, sugar, tobacco, whiskey.” His eyes were still closed.

  “Tobacco and whiskey.” Her voice revealed her disdain. “I can see that a man like you wouldn’t need much more than that.”

  He knew that she was trying to goad him into a fight. He didn’t bother to take the bait. He was too weary.

  “Why?” she asked more softly, dropping to the ground beside him.

  “Why what?” He opened one eye and studied her.

  “Why do you carry everything with you?”

  “I’ve learned to be prepared for anything. If my cabin bums to the ground and my cattle are stolen, I’ll still have all I need right here.”

  “Sounds like a man who’s learned to expect the worst.”

  He sat up and began filling a tin plate with beans and biscuits, which he passed to her. “I’ve already seen the worst, Miss Jewel.”

  “But —”

  “You talk too much. Just eat.”

  She didn’t need any coaxing. As she took the first bite, she sighed with pleasure. She was too hungry to care that the biscuits were burned.

  “I apologize that I don’t have a side of aged beef, ma’am.” Beside her, Adam took a long pull of whiskey from a bottle.

  She ignored his barb. “You aren’t eating?”

  “You’ve got the only plate.”

  A grin touched her lips. “I thought you were prepared for anything.”

  “I guess life still has a few surprises to throw at me. I wasn’t expecting company to share my campfire.”

  With a twinge of guilt she finished quickly, then passed the empty plate to him. “Here. Enjoy. I recommend the burned biscuits.”

  He ate his fill, then handed her a cup of steaming coffee. When she returned the empty cup to him, he filled it for himself and drank.

  The sharing of plate and cup was an oddly intimate gesture. One that had her feeling awkward and self-conscious.

  If Adam noticed, he gave no indication. Content, replete, he sat back and rolled himself a cigarette. Watching his hands as he expertly shook tobacco into a paper and sealed it, Diamond felt a sudden shaft of pain around her heart.

  “Pa always rolled a smoke after supper. Then we’d just sit and...”

  Adam could hear the catch in her voice, and remained silent, respecting her grief.

  After a long pause he said, “It sounds like you and your father were closer than most.”

  She nodded, grateful that he’d given her time to compose herself. “From the time I was just a kid, Pa always took me with him on the trail. With a spread this size, we spent as much time in the saddle as we did at home. He never made me feel like I was in the way, or that I was too little to help. He always assigned tasks for me, and always praised me when I did them the way he wanted. Oh.” A sigh welled up from deep inside her. “Those were the best times.”

  Adam stared into the flames of the fire, a pensive look on his face. He drew deeply on his cigarette and held his silence.

  Diamond drew in a long breath. “I wish I’d told him,” she said softly.

  Adam turned his head.

  She glanced at him, then away, but not before he saw the glitter of a single drop of moisture on her lashes. She blinked it away fiercely, embarrassed by this weakness.

  “Fathers don’t have to be told. They know.” Adam took one last drag on his cigarette, then tossed the remains into the fire.

  Standing, he shook out his bedroll. At once, an uneasiness came into Diamond’s eyes.

  Seeing it, he handed her the blankets and said, “Looks like your wranglers aren’t coming to your rescue. Since you’re stuck here, you’d best stay close to the campfire. From the bite of that wind, I’d say it’s going to freeze tonight.”

  “What about you?”

  He drew on his jacket and lifted his rifle. “I think I’ll keep an eye out for visitors.”

  “I —” She swallowed and forged ahead, determined to say what was on her mind “— want you to know that just because you shared your food and bedroll with me, nothing has changed between us.”

  He pinned her with a look. “I didn’t realize there was anything between us, Miss Jewel.”

  She chose to ignore the dry edge of humor in his tone. “Oh, but there is. Unfinished business. Even though the judge dismissed the charges against you, I still don’t believe you. And until I’m convinced otherwise, I’ll go right on believing that you killed my father.”

  He said nothing in his own defense. But she saw a hardness come into his eyes.

  She watched as he strode into the darkness. For
a few minutes she sat, staring into the flames. All she could hear echoing in her mind were his words meant to soothe. Fathers don’t have to be told. They know.

  The depth of Adam Winter’s understanding had been unexpected. And disturbing. After all, he was still the only suspect in her father’s murder. And if he was the one who’d pulled the trigger, he had no right to go on living. But if he wasn’t...

  “Oh, Pa,” she whispered. “I’m so confused. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to tell me what to do.”

  Rolling herself into Adam Winter’s bedroll, she listened to the sounds of the night. For as long as she could remember, she’d been comforted by these sounds. The lowing of cattle. The occasional howling of a coyote. The cry of a night bird. It was the music of Texas. A melody that stirred her heart and soothed her pain.

  She found herself thinking about Adam Winter. What a strange man he was. Despite all her misgivings, he’d been as comfortable as a pair of old boots. Well, not exactly, she corrected herself. Whenever he got too close, she felt a distinct, uneasy stirring deep inside. An unsettling feeling that had her palms sweating, and her heart beating overtime. Maybe it was because he was a killer. Or maybe it was... something else. Something she couldn’t quite put a name to.

  She checked her rifle to be certain it was loaded, then placed it beside her in the bedroll. Just in case.

  At last, tired in mind and body, lulled by the food and the warmth of the fire, she slept.

  Diamond smiled at the lovely images in her dream. Pa was holding her hand, telling her it was all a mistake. He’d only left her for a little while. But now he was back. And she’d never be alone again. He’d help her work her way through the puzzle. He’d give her all the answers.

  Without warning his image faded, and instead of Pa, she was staring into the smoldering eyes of Adam Winter. His lips were moving but the words made no sense. He seemed to be furious and out of control.

  “No,” she called out, rolling to one side, fumbling for her rifle. “Leave me alone.”