But after some time, she still hadn’t found him. She turned back, but when she finally got back to the place where the trail had divided, she hesitated again. Should she risk getting completely lost or take the path she knew? It was a matter of finding Lucas or spending the night alone with Slade and Billy.
She moved into the unknown. The path veered to the left, apparently straight into the heart of the mountain. But no sooner was Sharisse enclosed in darkness than she saw firelight. She ran toward it. Next she saw the horse, tied with a rope staked to the ground. There was a small round area enclosed by large boulders, a dead end unless you were agile enough to climb smooth rock.
Lucas apparently was. He lay flat on top of the huge rocks with a gun trained on her. Sharisse froze.
“Sharisse? What the hell are you doing here?”
He jumped down from the rock in one easy movement, walking to the blanket by the fire. He returned the gun to the holster lying there next to his saddlebags. The sight of him gave her pause. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. His blue pants were tucked into knee-high black moccasins, just like Slade’s.
“Lucas? Itisyou, isn’t it?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“More important than you would believe,” she said raggedly, beginning to feel all the effects of the last few hours.
“Have you met my brother?” he asked. “Is that why you’re not sure it’s me, Shari?”
Shari. That was all she’d needed to hear. Slade wouldn’t know that way Lucas shortened her name and added the French pronunciation.
“Oh, Lucas!” She ran to him and threw her arms around him, bare chest or not. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you!”
“I can see that,” he murmured, holding her tightly. “Maybe you better explain.”
She held him, marveling at the sense of safety he gave her. “It was awful,” she told him in a rush. “I hope it doesn’t distress you, but I have to tell you I don’t like your brother at all.”
He set her away from him so he could look at her face. “What did he do?”
“He…” She paused. Now that she was safe, she felt almost foolish to have been so frightened. Would he ridicule her if she told him? “Oh, must we talk about it now? I think…I’ve brought you your dinner, see?” She handed him the meat she had been clutching in her hand. “Billy wasn’t sure if you would be joining him tonight, so he sent this.”
“But how did you get here?”
“Slade brought me.”
“You mean he’s here? Why didn’t you say so?”
He moved away and doused the fire with dirt.
“Lucas, wait!” she cried, and he swung around to face her, waiting. “Must we join them? He…he’ll still be here in the morning.”
He looked puzzled. “You mean you want to stay here?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve only got one blanket.”
She missed his warning completely. Her mind was on postponing a confrontation, and she wasn’t listening carefully. “It’s not really cold,” she replied carelessly.
Lucas hesitated. Did she know what she was letting herself in for? It appeared she had transferred her fears from him to Slade. He had hoped that would happen. He owed his brother a debt of gratitude.
“You might as well make yourself at home then.” He grinned and tossed the meat back to her. “Help yourself to that, and you’ll find some biscuits in my saddlebags.”
Sharisse moved over to his blanket and settled herself. She removed her hat. Then she blushed, realizing he had probably recognized the hat and shirt as his.
“I borrowed a few of your things to get here,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“The shirt looks better on you than it ever did on me.”
He built the fire again, concentrating intently. She spread the food out beside her, hesitating only a moment before breaking off a piece of meat with her fingers. She was starved.
