Texas Bluff

His parents had given him a new Mustang for graduation. Afterward he was bragging to his buddies how fast it could go. He went a step further and told them he could make it fly. They called his bluff. After that there was no stopping him. When his friends realized he was stone drunk and serious, they tried to talk sense into him, to no avail.

The Mustang sailed off a rocky crevice into the Medina River. The river broke his fall, and he had minor cuts and bruises. He spent three days in the hospital and Becky never came to see him. That hurt more than his battered body.

When he was released, he knew he had to leave River Bluff or he was going to kill himself with stupidity. So he’d enlisted, and he often wondered why he felt a need to live life on the edge—in a danger zone.

“I’d better go tell my mom and Grandpa.” Shane’s words brought him back to the present.

“Come on, kid.” Luke grabbed Cochise’s reins. “I’ll give you a ride.”

“On the paint?” Shane’s eyes grew big.

“You bet.”

“Wow.”

Luke swung into the saddle, reached out his hand to Shane and pulled him up behind him. “Hold on.” Luke dug in his heels and Cochise sped away.

The horse covered the ground to the Parker place in minutes and Luke braced himself for another confrontation with Becky.

BECKY CAME OUT the back door, looking at her watch. “Dad, have you seen Shane? He needs to start his homework.”

Hub Parker glanced up from putting tools away. At seventy, he was still a tall, big man, but his muscles now sagged and his face was etched into a permanent frown. As a child and young girl, she’d done everything to please her father. He’d been bigger than life. Since her mother had died, he’d been the center of her world—until Luke. She’d disappointed her father in a way no girl should, but he’d been there for her when she’d needed him the most.

Hub wiped his hands on a rag. “We got the four wheeler running and he’s giving it a spin.”

Becky looked to the east. “I hope he’s not riding on Chisum land. Hank doesn’t like him to frighten the cattle.”

“Shane knows better.”

The words no sooner left her dad’s mouth than they saw the horse and riders.

“Oh, no,” slipped from her throat.

Hub touched her shoulder. “Stay calm, girl.”

Becky ran to the horse, knowing something was wrong. Shane slid to the ground and she saw his skinned face and hand. “What happened?” Pushing back Shane’s hair, she examined his face.

Shane pulled away. “I’m fine, Mom.”

“What happened?”

“Now don’t have a cow. I wrecked the wheeler.”

Fear turned her stomach. “Are you okay?”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

Luke stood beside her and a familiar heat emanated from his body. Instinctively she moved away, closer to her son. “Were you riding on Chisum land?”

Shane shifted his feet. “Yeah. Now you can have a cow.”

She gritted her teeth and managed to keep her cool. “Go to the house.”

“Mo-o-om.”

“Go. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Shane hung his head and slowly made his way to the house. Her father met him.

“Boy, you just never learn.”

“I’m sorry, Grandpa.”

Shane glanced toward Luke and a look passed between them. What did that mean? Her son didn’t even know Luke. Did he? For the first time, Becky felt her parental control slipping.

Shane disappeared inside and her father said, “I’ll go get the four wheeler.” He headed for his truck.

Taking a breath, she turned and faced Luke. “Thank you for bringing him home. I’ll make sure he stays off Chisum property.”

He frowned. “Is that a hard, fast rule around here? I remember a time when you rode freely from one property to the other.”

Unable to answer, she swung toward the house. Luke caught her arm. Don’t touchme, her inner voice screamed. Outwardly she stared down at the strong fingers closed around her skin. Fingers she remembered well. Fingers that had stroked, caressed and taught her about love. For months she’d been fighting this very thing, but with just a touch, his touch, the past connected to the present.

And she didn’t know what to do.

She raised her eyes to his. The warmth she saw there made her feel as if she were wrapped in brown velvet.

“Are you going to hate me forever?” Luke asked.

With more strength than she thought she possessed, she pulled her arm away. “I don’t hate you.”

“Well, it sure feels like it. Every time I get within ten feet of you, your eyes are like heat-seeking missiles directed straight at me.”

“It’s just your imagination.”

“It’s not, Becky, and you know it. It happened so long ago and we were teenagers. Why can’t we get beyond that? Why won’t you let me explain?”

“Because it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It does to me.”

The tone of his voice sent a ripple of awareness through her and something happened she swore never would—she weakened in her stance to never listen to Luke again. That teenage love had been the strongest she’d ever felt and his betrayal had hurt all the more because of it. But she still wasn’t able to let it go.

She looked him square in the eye. “I meant nothing to you. I was a dare. You wanted to prove you could sleep with the sheriff’s daughter. It became a challenge for you. I’m sure your poker buddies waited for the news.”

“Neither my poker friends nor your father had anything to do with our relationship. That was between you and me. If you can believe such things, then I guess we never had much of anything. I’m tired of beating my head against your stubborn pride. I won’t bother you again.” In an angry movement, he swung into the saddle. He looked down at her, his eyes as dark as the secret in her soul. “I guess I knew that when I wrecked the Mustang and you never even came to the hospital.”

He galloped away, the hooves of the paint kicking up dust.