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“Honey, I said she’d be nuts for not wanting to sleep with you but I will shoot her if she tries again,” Alicia promised with a wry smile.

  “You can’t even hit a bale of hay,” Rhea laughed as she hugged her.

  “Motivation, honey; given the right motivation I could do anything.”

  Rhea’s heart filled with emotion as she stood up and pulled Alicia out of her chair. “Come on, let’s go dance.”

  For the next hour, thoughts of Leann completely disappeared from both Rhea and Alicia’s minds as they gave themselves up to the laughter and the music. Darkness had fallen and the dancing had begun anew when Alicia found herself face to face with Leann as she was coming from the house.

  “Well, hello.” Leann allowed her eyes to travel over the Alicia’s trim figure. Leann had to admit she was one desirable woman.

  “Hello,” Alicia’s tone was cold, her face devoid of all emotion.

  “I’m Leann.”

  “I know who you are.” Alicia couldn’t find it in herself to be polite.

  “So you know I was the woman to bring Rhea out,” Leann boasted, watching the impression her words had on Alicia.

  “I know you were the woman that broke Rhea’s heart and almost destroyed her relationship with her family.” Alicia spat out the words.

  “You wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t left,” Leann responded smugly.

  “You’re right about that.”

  “You know, people are taking bets as to how long you will last here. You can’t ride, you know nothing about ranching, and you’re scared of everything. My money is on less than six months.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Alicia couldn’t help but smile. Leann didn’t know who she was dealing with. “I’ll have to place my own bet.”

  “She’s just infatuated with you. It’ll wear off when she sees how out of place you are here.”

  “I don’t need to discuss our relationship with you.”

  “I’ll have her in my bed within a month.”

  “You have no respect for Rhea, do you?” Alicia angrily shoved past Leann. “She wouldn’t sleep with you even if she wasn’t in love with me. She thinks more highly of herself than that.”

  Leann felt fury build up and she lashed out, “I promise you she will sleep with me and forget all about you!”

  Alicia was so furious, she could barely see straight as she turned and plowed right into Ted.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you, Ted.”

  “I don’t know why. You look like you could take on an army,” Ted responded knowingly. “And I see the reason why.”

  Leann strolled off in the distance, smiling arrogantly at Alicia.

  “She’s disgusting.”

  “Yes, she is, and Rhea knows it.”

  “She’s just so…”

  “Obvious.” Ted batted his eyes at Alicia. He liked her very much and didn’t want to see her worrying about Leann.

  “That too.” Alicia blew out a breath. “She is beautiful.”

  “No, she’s crass and cheap.”

  “Ted, you know just how to make me feel better,” Alicia laughed, linking her arm in his.

  “Good, come on, sister, you owe me a dance.”

  Alicia was able to ignore Leann for the rest of the evening, and she and Rhea enjoyed the rest of the festivities. They fell into bed well after three in the morning, both exhausted. Most people had left for home around midnight, and the extensive clean up had been completed without too much fuss. Everyone was taking Sunday off. Sheri and Ted planned to finish painting their nursery, Mommo was going to spend it with her sons, while August and Sophia were going to take the plane to Sydney for the day. Rhea and Alicia were going on a ride and a picnic all by themselves.

  CHAPTER 13

  Rhea’s lips tasted Alicia’s naked breasts and she was teased deliciously from sleep with warmth flowing through her body. Moaning, she arched against Rhea’s hot mouth and insistent hands stroking her body. Rhea didn’t wait until Alicia was completely awake before pushing her fingers into Alicia’s body.

  “Rhea, Jesus, oh my…” Alicia couldn’t speak as she awoke in a passion, her body writhing.

  “I love how you taste, honey.” Rhea tasted Alicia’s flavors, her tongue teasing her until Alicia thought she would melt. Waves rippled through her body, as she lay open and vulnerable to Rhea’s lovemaking. Her hands fluttered by her hips unable to hold on to Rhea’s shoulders as she rolled around on top of the bed.

  “Come for me, baby,” Rhea breathed against the very center of Alicia and drove her screaming over the edge. Rhea rolled Alicia’s body on top of hers and held her tightly while she tried to catch her breath. She placed featherlike kisses all over Alicia’s face as she wooed her again with pledges of love and commitment.

  Alicia rolled them back over and ran her hands down Rhea’s back and buttocks pulling her tightly against herself. She locked her legs around Rhea’s thighs and felt Rhea’s wet center rub against hers. Rhea’s hips rocked against Alicia’s harder and faster as her heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes closed as she welcomed the familiar feelings pulsing through her body. Reaching down she pulled Alicia’s thighs up until their bodies were sealed tightly against each other and arched her back, prolonging their connection. Alicia fingertips fluttered against Rhea’s breasts and teased her nipples, her lips kissing Rhea’s neck and jaw. Rhea gasped and shuddered as she collapsed on top of Alicia.

  Alicia’s hands stroked Rhea’s back as she held her tightly, soothing her lover with gentle touches and soil kisses. They lay quietly in bed, relishing their time together with no reason to get up. They had the whole day together by themselves and they were going to take their time enjoying it. They didn’t get up for another hour.

  “Honey, you ready?” Rhea called to Alicia who was busy kissing her colt, aptly named Gentle Runner because of his smooth gait.

  “Yes, coming.”

  Alicia strolled up to Rhea and slipped her arms around Rhea’s waist. “I love you.”

  Rhea bent down and kissed Alicia on the nose. “I love you. Now, quit stalling and get your pretty butt on this horse.”

  Alicia rolled her eyes at Rhea and placed her foot in the stirrup, pulling herself up onto the placid horse. “I’m on.”

  Rhea laughed and swung herself up onto her more spirited mount and led the way out of the barn. Both women were wearing jeans and cowboy boots, long sleeved shirts, hats to protect them from the sun, and had dusters tied to their horses. Rhea’s mount had a pack filled with food and water, and on Rhea’s hip was a fully loaded gun. She never left the house without it. She also had a rifle in a holster attached to her saddle. The only things that Alicia carried in her saddlebags were a camera, her sketchpad, and two bottles of water. She still wasn’t comfortable carrying a weapon, especially one she couldn’t seem to fire accurately at anything smaller than a barn wall.

  For two hours they rode leisurely through the brush until they came to a small hill and a ramshackle hut. Rhea dismounted and helped Alicia to the ground. She let her body slide down against Rhea’s so tightly it made them both groan.

  Hey, cowgirl, are you trying to seduce me?”

  “Trying, I am seducing you.”

  “I like a confident woman.” Alicia grinned up at Rhea as they shared a slow, lingering kiss.

  “First I’m going to show you the very first Cameron opal mine.”

  “Really, is it still being worked?”

  “No, it’s been played out for many years but it’s what started the Cameron fortune and I thought you might find it interesting.”

  The two women climbed the small hill and looked at the crumbling shack and the gaping chasm that used to be a mine. Alicia snapped pictures and then took out her sketchpad. She wanted to include some of these drawings with the

  work she was completing for the show in October. As she sal on a rock sketching, Rhea was busy preparing their picnic lunch. She had secret plans, and she was just about prepared to spring them. She smil
ed as she patted the box in her jacket pocket. She was going to ask Alicia to marry her while they were visiting the opal mine since she had a rare black opal set in a gold band burning a hole in her pocket. She’d had it for three weeks just waiting for the perfect moment to give it to Alicia.

  She climbed the rocks to get to Alicia and her heart froze in her chest as she saw her seated sketching, oblivious of the snake coiled five feet away from her. Slowly she removed her gun from the holster as she approached Alicia.

  “Honey, I need you to stop moving.” Alicia’s head jerked up to look at Rhea. “Don’t move!”

  Rhea moved a foot closer as Alicia froze in place, fear etched on her face as she watched Rhea. The sound of the gunshots and the rapid firing made Alicia jump. Rhea reached her in two strides, picking her up off of the rock into her arms in one move.

  “Jesus Christ!”

  Alicia clung to Rhea as she carried her down to where the horses were grazing unconcerned. Rhea couldn’t put her down, her arms wouldn’t release her, and the gun was still locked in her hand. Rhea had dealt with snakes before, and she had even seen one of the ranch hands get struck by a rattler, but she had never felt this clutch of fear before. She could have lost Alicia in the blink of an eye.

  “Honey, I’m okay,” Alicia whispered against Rhea’s face, still hanging onto her. “You saved me.”

  “I could’ve lost you,” Rhea’s face was streaked with tears as she kissed Alicia over and over.

  “You didn’t, I’m here.” Alicia was also crying as she tried to calm herself and Rhea.

  Rhea’s arms tightened around Alicia almost painfully as shed reassured herself that Alicia was really okay. Then she reluctantly let her down to stand on her own feet.

  “I can’t lose you, I just can’t.”

  “You won’t, baby, I’m staying for the rest of your life. Snake or no snake, you won’t lose me.”

  Rhea bent and placed her face against Alicia’s as she tried to calm down.

  “I want to marry you.”

  “I want to marry you.”

  Rhea reached in her jacket pocket and pulled out the tiny box flipping the lid open with one hand.

  “I love you, Alicia, more than life, and I want to be with you for the rest of ours. I will never look at another woman, and if you want to move back to San Fancisco we will leave tomorrow. Just be with me, please.”

  Alicia had never been more in love or more moved by a pledge of love than Rhea’s. “It’s a beautiful ring and I will take it from you on one condition. That you know I want to stay here on the ranch with you for the rest of our lives. I love it here.”

  Rhea sighed as she placed the thick band that Sheri had designed several weeks earlier on Alicia’s finger. The matching band was back in Rhea’s dresser waiting to be put on Rhea’s ring finger. “Sheri designed this. The opal is over fifty years old and is from our largest mine. She made two rings similar in design, one for you and one for me.”

  “I love it, and I love you.” Alicia kissed Rhea with a heart so full of love she feared it would burst.

  “Did you bring your ring?”

  “No, it’s back at the house in our dresser.”

  “When we get back, I want to place it on your finger. Promise me you’ll never ever remove it.”

  “I promise.”

  “You also promised me a picnic.”

  Rhea felt the fear drain from her body as she released Alicia.

  “I did. Come on then, let’s picnic.”

  CHAPTER 14

  “You brought the snake back with you?” Ted stared at Rhea.

  “Yes, but don’t tell Alicia. I’m going to have it made into a belt for her.” Rhea grinned at her brother.

  “Jesus, Rhea, she could have been killed.”

  Rhea’s face turned stark white. “I know. It scared the hell out of me.”

  “Good thing it was you with a gun and not Alicia. She couldn’t shoot her way out of a paper bag.” Ted smirked at his sister.

  “You know, it’s the only thing she can’t do around here.”

  “You’d think with all the practicing Dad does with her she’d show some sign of improvement. She just continues to miss everything.”

  “Ted, she’s never going to be comfortable with guns.”

  “I see you’re wearing your ring.”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought you were going to wait until your commitment ceremony to exchange rings.”

  “I couldn’t wait.” Rhea finished saddling her horse. “I love her, Ted, more than I ever thought possible.”

  “I know, sis. I feel the same way about Sheri.” Ted hugged his sister. “We’re very lucky.”

  “Yes we are, except for the fact that we have to be out on the ranch away from our nice warm beds for over a week.”

  “Did you ask Alicia if she wanted to go?”

  “I did and she would have except that she needs to spend more time with her colt. She’s following Mom’s training schedule to the letter.”

  Rhea chuckled as she spoke. “I also don’t think she’s fond of riding a horse for hours on end. She hasn’t quite mastered the saddle well enough for it to be painless.”

  “She’s good with her colt.”

  “She’s a natural. She just doesn’t know it.”

  “Come on, sis, the sooner we get on the road, the sooner we’ll get back.” Ted and Rhea swung up into their saddles and rode out of the corral. Six mounted men waited at the end of the road for Rhea and Ted to join them. There was a problem with dingoes and the sheep on the south end of the ranch, and they were going to try to solve the problem with the help of three other ranchers. Packs of dingoes could be trouble to the younger sheep and periodically had to be controlled. It was not a pleasant job but a necessary one.

  They rode for four hours before joining another eleven riders a little after noon. Rhea swore under her breath when she saw that Leann was with her father’s crew. She was a crack shot, but Rhea didn’t want to have any contact with her, especially after their last encounter. The only gesture Leann made was a nod of her head before the riders continued on.

  They didn’t stop riding until close to dusk and then they efficiently set up camp. Their work was just beginning. Dinner was quiet and most of the men sat around the fire, smoking and telling tales of previous ride-outs. Rhea pulled the radio out of her saddlebags and prepared to call Alicia and Sheri. It was their only contact while they were out on the ranch land away from the main house. Sheri was staying at the house while Ted and Rhea were gone.

  “Rhea to base, over.”

  “Rhea, this is Alicia, over.”

  “Hi, sweetie, we made it to just south of Adavale. Ted says hello to Sheri, over.”

  “Be safe, we love you, over.”

  “Will call tomorrow night, over and out.”

  Before Rhea could turn off the radio, Leann came out of the shadows and spoke loudly enough for the radio to pick it up. “Hello lover.”

  Rhea swore loudly as she flipped the radio off hoping that Alicia hadn’t heard Leann’s voice. She would tell her about Leann when she got back. “Goddamn it, Leann, go away.”

  “Honey, you don’t mean that. You want me, I know that.”

  “You’re crazy. Why would I want you when I have a beautiful, smart partner waiting for me at home?”

  “Because, she is waiting at home, probably frightened to death. She can barely ride a horse, she can’t shoot a gun, and you know how much you love to fuck out here in the bush.” Leann started to touch Rhea.

  “Don’t even think about it!” Rhea barked, moving back into the light of the fire. She wanted to get as far away from Leann as possible.

  Ted’s eyes didn’t miss the anger on Rhea’s face nor the satisfied look on Leann’s. He stood up and moved over to stand next to Rhea speaking quietly to her. “Everything okay?”

  “Everything’s just fine.” Rhea all but spit the words out.

  “Did you speak to Alicia and Sheri?”


  Rhea’s face softened as she smiled. “Alicia told me to tell you Sheri loves you. God knows why, you’re so ugly.”

  Ted just laughed and poked his sister in the arm. “Get some sleep.”

  “You too.”

  Alicia wasn’t quite so lucky. She’d heard Leann’s voice over the radio and she wasn’t very happy. Very rarely did Alicia lose her temper but once she did there was hell to pay. “If she thinks she’s going to go after my girlfriend she’s got another thing coming. Goddamn bitch, she knew I wasn’t going on the trip. God damn it!”

  Sheri and Sophia watched Alicia stomp out of the house in the direction of the barn, and they followed her as she muttered and fumed all the way inside. Instead of checking on her foal as she usually did at night, Alicia paced back and forth kicking over and over at a hay bale. Her fifth god damn it made Sophia and Sheri burst out laughing.

  “If you kick that hay bale any harder you might hurt your foot,” Sophia commented as she walked up to Alicia, a grin on her face. “I take it Leann has joined up with Ted and Rhea?”

  “God damn her, she knew I wouldn’t be there. I know she planned it!”

  “Are you worried about Rhea being interested in Leann?”

  “Of course not, it just pisses me off that Leann is there.”

  “So if you aren’t worried about Rhea, what is the problem?”

  “Leann can ride a horse, she can shear a sheep, and she can shoot a gun.” Alicia continued to pace back and forth as Sheri and Sophia grinned at her. “She belongs here.”

  It was the last comment that set Sophia’s teeth on edge. Up until that moment she had been thoroughly entertained. “And you don’t?”

  Alicia’s head snapped up when she heard Sophia’s tone of voice. She had heard about Sophia’s legendary temper from August but she had never seen it displayed until this moment. “I didn’t mean that!”

  “What did you mean? Are you not in love with my daughter?” Sophia’s glacial voice cut into Alicia’s heart.

  “Of course I am.”

  “Are you not training your own Arabian stallion?”

  “You know I am.” Sheri was just about to laugh as she watched Sophia tear into Alicia. She’d been on the receiving end a couple of times, and her money was definitely on Sophia.