The Rancher and the Runaway Bride and The Bluest Eyes in Texas Part 19

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to call Hector and tell him you're willing to deal for the governor's daughter." Frank continued speaking, telling Burr the details of the plan he had worked out with the other law enforcement officials who had responded to the governor's call for a.s.sistance.

When Frank had finished, Burr said, "I don't like it. I could manage better without the woman."

"She's safe with you. We'll take care of Hector."

"Hector's not going to deal unless he sees me in person," Burr said.

"You call him. Offer him the deal. Then sit tight with Miss Major."

"I think Miss Major would be happier if she went home."

"That's not an option, Burr."

"But, sir-"

"Don't waste your breath arguing. The decision has been made. Miss Major stays with you."

Burr heard someone ask for the phone.

"This is Governor Major. Who am I speaking to?"

"This is Ranger Lieutenant Covington," Burr replied.

"How is my daughter?" the governor asked. "Is she all right?"

Burr heard the emotion in the governor's voice. He's going to have my head, all right. Just like she said. "She's fine, Governor."

"She's not hurt?"

"No, sir. She's just as beautiful as the newspapers say. And just as contrary." Burr swore under his breath. Why did I say that? I'm going to get my tail kicked all the way back to Austin for insubordination.

He heard the governor chuckle. "That's my girl, all right." He gave a patent sigh of relief. "Thank you, Lieutenant Covington. Take care of her for me."

"Yes, sir. I will, sir."

"You heard the governor, Burr," the captain said. "I'll get back to you when we've taken care of Hector. Until then, you take care of Miss Major."

"Yes, sir." Burr waited for a click, then slammed the phone onto the hook. A moment later he picked it up again and began to dial.

When Hector came on the line, Burr p.r.i.c.ked him by asking, "Did you lose something?"

"Where is she?" Hector demanded.

"I've got her."

"What happened?"

Burr said nothing.

"I asked you what happened."

"They gave me no choice."

"The girl belongs to me. I want her."

"I want to make a deal, Hector."

"You bring her to me now, and I might let you live," Hector said. "Otherwise, I'll hunt you down. And kill you and the girl both."

Burr quickly gave Hector the terms Captain Rogers had outlined. When Hector arrived at the rendezvous site, there would be law enforcement officials of all kinds waiting to apprehend him.

"I'll keep the girl as insurance," Burr said. "You'll get her when you show up with the money."

"You're a dead man, Burr," Hector said.

"If you don't get the girl back, you can't negotiate with the governor for the Turk's life," Burr reminded him.

Burr hung up the phone on Hector's threat to kill him slowly when he caught up to him. After a stop to buy supplies, he was careful not to be seen leaving town and watched to make sure he wasn't being followed when he turned onto the dirt road that led to the cabin.

It was time he had a talk with the governor's daughter. He went directly to the bedroom where he had left her.

She was gone.

Chapter 3.

IF SHE HAD POSSESSED a decent pair of shoes, Lindsey thought, she could have made it to the main road. But the men's cowboy boots she had found in the closet of the cabin weren't doing the job, even with two extra pairs of socks.

She hid behind a tree when she saw the Jaguar returning along the dusty road. Burr would know in a moment or two that she was gone, and he would come looking for her. There was no sense running. Not in these d.a.m.ned boots. But she wasn't sure she wanted to give up, either. Being in Burr's custody hadn't exactly been a picnic so far.

She rubbed her shoulder where she had bruised herself falling out of the high, four-poster bed, and ran a gentle finger over the cuts at her wrists where she had used a knife from the kitchen to free herself. It had been stupid to try to escape. In all probability, her father had demanded her return, and Burr had come back to set her free.

She hadn't decided yet whether she was going to complain about what Burr had done to her. He was responsible for more than a few of the bruises she now bore. She moved her jaw cautiously. It was swollen and sore, but she was pretty sure he hadn't hit her as hard as he could have.

"Have a nice walk?"

Lindsey stiffened at the sarcasm in Burr's voice. She turned slowly to face him, gritting her teeth when she saw the amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes at the outfit she was wearing.

"You look like a little girl dressed up in her father's clothes."

Lindsey looked down at the oversize orange University of Texas sweats.h.i.+rt, men's jeans, and boots she was wearing. The jeans were held up with some of the rope that had been used to tie her hands. "This was all I could find."

"If you'd just been a little patient, I would have solved the problem for you. I bought some things for you in town."

"I won't need them, because you're going to be taking me home," Lindsey said in a firm voice.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

"My father-"

"I spoke to the governor personally. He agreed you'd be safer with me until Hector's been picked up."

Lindsey felt her chin begin to tremble. "How long is that going to take?"

"Until tomorrow, if we're lucky."

"And if we're not?"

"We'll worry about that when the time comes." Burr reached out a hand and traced the bruise on her jaw. "I'm sorry about that."

Lindsey jerked her head away. "You've got a lot more than that to be sorry for!"

His eyes grew cold. "I was doing my job the best way I knew how. If you had paid attention to the warnings you were given-"

"I had no warning about anything like this!"

"You were told Hector was making plans."

Lindsey bit her lip. "I didn't think-"

"Your kind never does," Burr interrupted.

Lindsey's face flamed with anger "This isn't my fault!"

"It sure as h.e.l.l isn't mine!" Burr retorted. "I spent eighteen long, lousy months undercover with the Texas Mafia, trying to get enough information to prove Hector Martinez ordered the death of a friend of mine. Thanks to you, prosecuting Hector for that crime isn't going to happen now."

There was a pause while Lindsey absorbed what he had said. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it, Blue Eyes."

"Don't call me that!"

"I have it on good authority-the news media-that you're the lady with the bluest eyes in Texas."

"My eyes have nothing whatsoever to do with who I am."

"What you are is arrogant and uncooperative."

"How dare you-"

"You ready to walk back now?"

Lindsey stuck her chin in the air and began walking back toward the cabin. Her stride was hampered by a broken blister on her left heel.

"Something wrong with your leg?"

Lindsey heard the concern in Burr's voice, but answered haughtily, "Nothing that concerns you."

She continued her determined limp toward the cabin.

Lindsey gave a cry of surprise as Burr swung her up into his arms, s.h.i.+fting her until he was holding her close, with her b.r.e.a.s.t.s crushed against his chest. Her arms involuntarily circled his neck. She sought out his face and was surprised to find his eyes hooded, his nostrils flared. She was unnerved by the male energy vibrating from the man whose arms had closed securely around her shoulders and under her knees. Her eyes came to rest on his mouth, which was partly open, the lips full, the mouth wide.

"What do you think..." Her voice was raspy, so she cleared her throat and tried again. "What do you think you're doing, Mr.-? What is your last name, anyway?"

"Covington," Burr replied. "I thought I'd give you a lift back to the cabin." He had already started walking, in fact. He kept his eyes focused straight ahead.

"Did it ever occur to you that I would rather walk than be put in the position of accepting your help?"

"There are a lot of things that occur to me when I think about you." Like how good you feel in my arms. Like how those blue eyes of yours would look if I was inside you making sweet, sweet love to you.

Lindsey didn't bother asking Burr to explain himself. She didn't want to exacerbate the situation. She held on to his neck because that eased the weight he had to carry in his arms, not because the silky hair at his nape felt good. She snuggled closer so he wouldn't drop her, not because she liked the feel of hard muscle pressing against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. And she laid her face against his throat so she wouldn't have to look at him, not because she wanted to smell the essence of him on his skin and clothes.

When they arrived at the cabin, Burr set her down on the porch and offered her an olive branch. "Look, if we're going to be stuck together for the next twenty-four hours, we may as well call a truce."

"I wasn't aware there was a war going on."

Burr snickered. "Fine, Blue Eyes. I don't mind the sniping if you don't."

"Wait!" Lindsey laid a hand on Burr's arm. She recoiled when she realized she had touched the snake tattoo.

His lips curled in a cynical smile. "Not the kind of thing you're used to, is it?"

Lindsey's eyes narrowed. "I don't understand why you're so determined to insult me. And I should mention, it isn't doing your career any good."

"Is that a threat, Blue Eyes?" Burr said in a low voice.

"That would be rather foolish under the circ.u.mstances," Lindsey conceded. "I am, after all, at your mercy for the next twenty-four hours. It would seem discretion is the better part of valor. Truce?" She held out her hand for Burr to shake.

Burr's hand enveloped hers, and she realized for the first time how big he was, and how strong, and that his palm and fingertips were callused as though he worked with his hands. Perhaps he did in his spare time. She knew little or nothing about him.

"You can change in the bedroom while I cook us something to eat."

Lindsey disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. She was surprised at how well the jeans fit, not to mention the tennis shoes. However, she decided she would rather walk barefoot until she could find a Band-Aid for the blister on her heel. She pulled on a T-s.h.i.+rt that pictured a dead armadillo on the front with the words Road Kill blazoned across it and headed back to the kitchen.

Burr was dismayed at how the jeans fit her. They outlined her legs and f.a.n.n.y too well. And the T-s.h.i.+rt was downright dangerous. She had obviously abandoned the merry widow, and he could see the soft curve of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s beneath the cotton. He frowned when he realized she was barefoot. The sight of her toes curling on the hardwood floor made her look as vulnerable as a child. Only she was a full-grown, red-blooded woman. And his body responded to her like a full-grown, red-blooded man.

"The shoes didn't fit?" He was amazed at how rough his voice sounded. He turned back to the stove to hide the bulge that was making his jeans uncomfortably snug.

"I was wondering if you have a Band-Aid."