After stopping for lunch in Van Horn, Texas, Jared and Sara cruised on, arriving in El Paso around two. He was getting tired. They debated spending the night, but she was anxious to get back to Wickenburg, so she offered to drive.
Jared eyed her. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”
Sara frowned. “You think I can’t drive? I have my own car back in Shreveport. I survived until now, without you chauffeuring me around.”
He laughed and held up his hands. “Alright, easy. Lemme set the satnav. All you’ll have to do is listen and follow the directions.”
She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I think I can handle it.”
He was a tad anxious. “You do understand this car has a six-speed, manual transmission, and can easily get out from under you if you’re not used to that much power?”
Sara was itching to get behind the wheel now. Six-speed manual – sweet! “This is gonna be fun,” she grinned mischievously and waited.
Jared stared at her with incredulous eyes. She could almost read his mind. “OK, I love her, but my car? My expensive, shiny, extremely fast car. If I don’t let her drive, she’s gonna think I don’t trust her. I do trust her, but not behind the wheel of my favorite, and expensive, and shiny new car.”
Sara held out a hand and tapped her foot. “Well? Are you gonna let me drive your car or not?” She paused. “If you don’t trust me….”
He looked as though someone had kicked him in the groin. “No! It’s not that.” He sighed, held out the keys and crawled into the passenger seat.
She slipped behind the wheel and buckled her seatbelt. She put on her sunshades, adjusted the seat and mirrors, and revved the engine a couple of times. She smiled. There was clearly a lot of power under the hood. She gave him a sideways glance. He looked pale and unconvinced.
“Relax,” she drew out. “I can handle your baby.” Before putting the car in gear, she put the original soundtrack to the ‘Twilight’ movie in the DVD player. ‘Super Massive Black Hole’ by Muse, blared through the sound system. “Now that’s good driving music!” She put the car in gear and turned around.
Jared checked his seatbelt and braced his hand against the dash. He grinned warily. “At least I’ve got good insurance and a real first aid kit in the trunk.”
She usually wouldn’t have done it, but she gunned the engine and spun both tires as she peeled onto the interstate. She slightly fishtailed before she straightened it up with ease.
He was so anxious the sound of his pounding heart was almost audible. He looked back to make sure his motorcycle was still there. It was, along with a wide black rubber burn on the pavement.
Jared watched her for another two or three miles, to make sure she knew what she was doing. He didn’t know this wasn’t her first time behind the wheel of a fast sports car. Neither did her mother. What Kaye didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
Sara looked across at him and smiled. “It is safe for you to take a nap, Jared. I’m fine – really.”
“I know,” he answered, too quickly and leaned back against the seat. “No one lives forever,” he muttered under his breath.
Without taking her eyes off the road, she reached across and touched his face. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He closed his eyes, his face still adorned with his sexy grin.
Sara consulted the satnav. “I’ll wake you when we get to Lordsburg, New Mexico.”
Jared nodded. “If we live that long,” he mumbled.
~ ~ ~
When they arrived in Lordsburg, Jared was sleeping so peacefully, Sara didn’t wake him. After easing out of the car, she filled the tank, went inside and picked up some snacks, paying for everything with her new black card. She was a little nervous. She half expected it to be rejected, but it wasn’t.
She got back in the car and waited for a few minutes. Jared was still sleeping. When he didn’t wake up, she eased back onto the interstate and continued on.
~ ~ ~
He put his seat up and looked out the window. “Where are we?”
“Five miles from Tucson.”
Jared’s eyes widened. “What? I thought you were gonna wake me up! You’ve let me sleep for over six hours?”
“I did give you a chance to wake up in Lordsburg, but,” her voice trailed off.
“How did you pay for the gas?”
Sara blinked in disbelief. “Black card?” she countered with a touch of sarcasm and pulled into another gas station.
He laughed sheepishly and jumped out to fill the car. “Oh, yeah, that. Sorry, I forgot. Well, I’ll take it from here.”
She made a quick trip to the ladies’ room and waited for him in the car. He started the engine again. “Let’s see if we can’t find some place to eat. I’m hungry – you?” Sara nodded. “So, what did you think about our car?”
She enthusiastically tapped her knee in time to the music. “I love it!”
He smiled and pulled back onto the main road. “Looks like we’ll be going car shopping.”
~ ~ ~
Jared hit the center of Phoenix at around nine that night. By ten, they were in Wickenburg. The Thundercloud ranch waited like a safe haven for Sara. He parked behind his father’s Dodge Ram. They barely got out of the car before Myra and Nadine grabbed Sara and hugged her. They were so glad to see her. She was excited too. It was pleasant to be in a place where you weren’t judged or criticized. Again, she wished Kaye could be more like Nadine.
It was so near bedtime they went inside and decided to visit in the morning.
------------
When Sara woke alone, at first, she didn’t know where she was. It took her a while to get her bearings. She heard the shower and the faint sound of someone singing. Being home again, must’ve affected him, Jared was singing in the shower.
She laughed. She thought people only sang in the shower, in the movies. She blinked a couple of times to focus her vision and read the time on her phone – 6:30!” She smiled, rolled over and sat on the side of the bed. She threw her head back, yawned and stretched her arms.
Jared came back into the room, with a towel wrapped around his waist, and one around his neck. He smiled at her when he realized she was awake. He grinned when she stood and stalked toward him. “Morning.” He held her at arm’s length, drinking her with his eyes, conscripting each tiny feature to memory.
Sara smiled bleary-eyed. “What are you doing up so early?”
He drew her to him and slowly untied her robe. “Well, I had planned on helping Dad with the chores.” He kissed the side of her neck and shoulders; her robe slid to the floor. “I think he might have to wait a while.” He crushed his lips to hers.
Sara wrapped a leg around his and pressed the lower part of her body into his. She slid a hand between them and unfastened the towel around his waist. “Tell me something,” she whispered.
He groaned and traced kisses over her face, and down the sides of her neck. “What’s that?”
“Am I still dangerous?” she gasped.
Jared lifted her other leg, wrapped it around his waist and slowly pushed into her. He kissed her thoroughly. “No, but I am!”
“How so?” she smirked.
“Because now I’m the hunter… and you’re the prey.” He almost growled at her as he lowered her on the bed. “You’re the one who’s in danger now,” he whispered in her ear.
Sara teased his chest with her fingernails; Jared shivered. “No… I’m not.”
“Really? Why’s that?”
“I’m not fighting. I’m surrendering.”
“I guess you’re right,” Jared said and moved his hips against hers. Words were no longer needed.
~ ~ ~
He’d had a shower, but since things got hot and sweaty, he took another one with Sara. They got dressed and went downstairs. The door to the conservatory was open. A chilly breeze blew through the house. Smells of fried onions and bacon made her stomach rumble.
“We’re out here, Jared!” Nadine called out.
On the table were plates of soft scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes with smothered fried onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. It smelled delicious. Sara had worked up a monster appetite. She didn’t complain when Nadine prepared her plate. She closed her eyes and sniffed, appreciatively. “Oh, this smells so good!”
Tom laughed and winked at her. “Some things, can work up an appetite, eh, Sara?”
She smiled and kept her eyes on her plate. “Yes, they can.”
Jared laughed; Tom glanced at him. “So what are your plans for today?”
He grinned knowingly. “Nothing specific, how about you?”
Tom pursed his lips. “Oh, I’ve gotta repair some fence line up on the northern range. Satan didn’t come home last night. He probably found another way out. It’s been weak around those parts for some time now.”
Jared smiled and kept eating his breakfast.
“I haven’t had time to repair it by myself,” Tom hinted and glanced at Jared again. “And, I need to install the new auto feeder. It’s been sitting in the barn collecting dust, and I want to.…”
“Alright, Dad!” he interjected. “I get the picture. When did you wanna get started?”
Tom grinned. “After breakfast?”
“I’ll go change.”
Sara couldn’t help but laugh at how easily he’d given in to his father. “What are we doing today, Nada?”
She smiled. “I’m sure I can find something for us to do. Is there anything in particular you’d like to do?”
“Um, well, there is one thing. And I’m a little self-conscious about asking, but Jared showed me the blankets and beadwork his grandmother made for him. I was wondering,” her voice trailed off.
Nadine smiled patiently. “Yes?”
“Would you teach me how to do that?”
She chuckled and gathered the breakfast dishes. “It would be my pleasure. I’ll have to drag my old looms outta the attic, though. I haven’t used them in a long time.”
“We can do something else. I wouldn’t wanna put you out.”
Nadine grinned wryly. “I don’t mind. I suspect I’ll need to work on a much smaller version of the blankets soon.”
Sara frowned and forced the air from her lungs. “Not if Jared has his way,” she muttered under her breath. She took the little pill from the watch pocket of her jeans and popped it into her mouth. Reluctantly, she washed it down with a handful of water from the faucet.
She helped Nadine finish loading the dishwasher and went into the living room, where Tom sat, patiently waiting.
------------
Jared entered the living room wearing a pair of faded jeans, a russet-colored tank top, his cowboy boots, and a western-style straw hat with a rattlesnake and feather hatband. He’d plaited his hair in a single braid at the nape of his neck. Sara thought he looked stunning. She lounged against the doorframe and watched as he crossed the floor. She chewed her lower lip. His taut muscles struggled against the thin fabric of his shirt. Her face flushed.
He cradled her chin in his palm and smiled. “I love how you do that,” he said and kissed her.
Sara was dazzled by the hungry look in his eyes. “How I do what?”
“When I approach you, your eyes dilate so much it’s hard to tell whether they’re black or brown, and your cheeks go all rosy.” He kissed her again.
“That’s because I like what I see,” she smiled. “Yours do it too, but… they’re a little more noticeable.”
He shook his belt and rearranged the front of his jeans. “I wish my eyes were the only part that reacted.” He pressed his body against hers, so she understood.
“I like that part too,” Sara whispered in his ear, when he kissed below her jaw line and nibbled her neck.
Tom cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. “If you’re ready, Jared,” he said.
He sighed and gently kissed Sara. “I’ll see you later,” he cooed and followed Tom out the door.
“We’ll bring you some lunch, and something to drink later on!” Sara jumped. Nadine placed her hands on her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. “It’s just me, Sara.”
“Thanks!” Tom called back.
“It must be in your blood!” Sara said, startled.
“Sorry,” she laughed. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Sara took a slow breath. “It’s alright. I guess I’ll have to get used to how easily y’all can sneak up on me.”
“Comes from years of practice,” she smirked. “Let’s get those looms. We’ll take them out back before it gets too hot. When it does, we’ll move inside where it’s cool.”
------------
Nadine and Sara spent the rest of the morning working on beading and weaving projects, mainly Nadine. Sara tried her hand at it, but most of the time she watched in awe. Jared’s mother could finish a bead pattern before she could even get her loom threaded.
She laughed while she gave Sara tips and introduced her to their way of life. Sara was thrilled when she finished one wristband, which she later planned to give to Jared. His mother had finished three in the time it had her to create one. Nadine had also shed far less blood than she had. She was beginning to think she might need a transfusion; good thing her fiancé was a doctor.
Sara began a blanket project, but her howling coyote looked more like a tall-eared rabbit. Nadine laughed. “It’s not bad for your first try. Just keep at it. You will get it, Sara.” She went inside to put lunch together.
Sara did another row, gave up and went inside to help Nadine. She was slicing cold roast beef for sandwiches, when she entered the kitchen. “What can I do?”
“Do you know how to make lemonade?”
“Yeah, but I’m better at iced tea,” she laughed.
Nadine put the sandwiches together with practiced ease. “Tell you what, why don’t you make both? Jared likes tea, and Tom prefers lemonade. Lemons are in the fridge. If you’ll pop them in the microwave for thirty seconds, and roll them on the counter a couple of times, they’ll be juicier.”
“Hey, that’s not a bad idea. Is that a traditional Navajo way of making lemonade?”
She chuckled and held up a small cookbook. “No, but it was Loretta Lynn’s way.”
Sara laughed with her and finished making the drinks. She poured it into two large thermoses, used for keeping things cold. They filled two more with fresh ice water, loaded everything in the back of the Jeep and headed for the barn. Nadine parked and swiped her phone.
“Hi, it’s me. Yeah, we’re at the barn with your lunch. Do you want us to bring it up to you? Alright, we’ll set it up here. How’s it going – any sign of Satan? That’s strange. Maybe he’s gone over to the other ridge.” Nadine glanced at Sara. “You might have to saddle up a couple of the horses, go over to the other valley, and look there. Yeah, I know. We need to try and find him before Myra gets home from college. I will. Love you too, Tom. See you in a few.”
Sara frowned. “That’s Myra’s horse - right?”
“Yes. Tom said they hadn’t seen any sign of him. They’re coming back here, so let’s get the table setup. There are some chairs inside the barn in the door to the right, next to a fold up table. Can you get those, and put them under the shade tree over there?” Nadine pointed.
------------
The 4x4 came bouncing along the dirt road. Jared swerved from side to side avoiding the potholes and parked next to the Jeep.
Sara doubted it was possible, but it appeared as though the blazing sun had made Jared’s skin even darker. The beads of moisture on his chest glistened in the sun like drops of dew. Her heart flipped over, watching him gracefully stroll up to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. “Hi, angel,” he said in his low, sexy voice.
Sara smiled. “Hi.”
They sat down to eat. Nadine passed Tom a plastic cup of lemonade. “So, are you done for the day?”
Tom took off his hat and tossed it on the ground next to his chair. “I don’t know about you, Jared, but I think we’ve done enough for today. The sun’s getting too hot. Maybe we could finish up tomorrow.”
Jared stuffed a third of his sandwich in his mouth. “Sure, Dad. I think Sara, and I might saddle up a couple of the horses, and go over to the northern ridge. See if we can pick up Satan’s trail there.”
Nadine studied his eyes. “If you do, make sure you take these two canteens of water, and this one of tea with you.”
Jared grinned at Sara. “Actually, I’d planned on going back to the house, and getting some gear. We might not be back before nightfall, and I don’t wanna wander around in the dark. If we see it’s gonna be too late, we’ll make camp, and come home in the morning.”
Tom arched an eyebrow. “In the morning?”
“Don’t worry,” he chuckled. “I’ll be back in time to help finish the fence and the other chores.”
“Take your rifle. I saw a few tracks over on the ridge a few days ago. I didn’t see any mountain lions, but it doesn’t hurt to play it safe.”
“Make sure you take your phones too,” Nadine said.
Sara laughed imagining a Navajo brave, covered with warpaint, riding bareback, with a cell phone in one hand, and the reins in the other. Modern technology had changed things for everyone.
Jared grimaced and glanced at Sara. “I think we’ll take the bike instead. That way I won’t have to worry about Sara trying to pick another fight with a rattlesnake. She’s good at that, you know,” he grinned.
“Well, if you hadn’t run off, I wouldn’t have climbed the mountain or shared the tiny ledge with your indigenous house pet,” Sara countered and pushed his chair over. He hit the ground and burst out laughing.
“Son, you better watch Sara. I think she might be harder to handle than the mountain lions.”
He got up, used his hat to brush the dust off his jeans and sat backward in his chair. He grinned mischievously and winked at her. “Oh, I can handle her. Make no mistake about that.”
------------
Sara rode back to the house with Jared in his father’s 4x4. Tom drove the Jeep back with Nadine riding shotgun. She made Jared and Sara some more roast beef sandwiches and tucked in a package of coconut macaroons, when he wasn’t looking. “They’re his favorite,” she whispered in Sara’s ear.
Sara, Tom, and Nadine waited out front while Jared got his bike. He passed Sara her helmet and put his on. She crawled in behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. He revved the engine a couple of times and looked back.
“Have a safe trip!”
“We will, Mother.”
“Take care of Sara!”
Jared turned, lifted his and Sara’s visors, and kissed her. “With my last breath, Mother. See you later,” he said and let out on the clutch. Sara waved back to Nadine and Tom.