“What am I doing? What am I doing? What the hell are you doing in this man’s room?”
“I don’t know what you think you’re accusing me of, but I certainly don’t like your attitude.”
Rusty widened his stance and rested his hands on his hips. “My attitude? You’re just another lying, cheating woman. As soon as my back is turned, you’re in a hotel room with—”
“My brother!” Her eyes flashed and her lips tightened. She jumped up and rounded on him, poking him in the chest with her index finger. “Do you think I’m that kind of a woman? That I would allow you to take me to bed, and then hie off with another man? Is that what you think of me?”
Her brother rose and grabbed Rachel’s shoulder, pulling her behind him. “He took you to his bed?” He swung at Rusty and caught him in his jaw, knocking him to his knees. “How dare you put your hands on my sister!”
Rachel stepped between the two of them, her hand on her brother’s chest. “Stop. Both of you. This is ridiculous.”
Rusty got up from the floor and rubbed his jaw. “My intentions were honorable,” he mumbled.
“Is that right?” her brother snarled. “Well they had better be because I’ll have my aunt and uncle planning the wedding reception damned soon.”
“Michael,” Rachel snapped. “There will be no wedding. Not now, not ever.”
Michael regarded her, his stance threatening. “What does that mean? He said his intentions were honorable.” He nodded in Rusty’s direction. “And who the hell is he, anyway?”
Rachel sniffed and lifted her chin. “No one impor
tant, I can assure you. But, for your information, this is Rusty McIntyre, the foreman at Lazy Sunset Ranch.” She grabbed her brother’s arm. “And this, Mr. McIntyre, is my brother, Michael Henderson.”
The man really was her brother. Now that he had time to calm down, it was very obvious they were siblings. The snap of their eyes and the tightened jaw said it all. If there had been a hole to crawl into, he’d be long gone. “Rachel, please. Let’s just talk. I’ll drive the wagon back to the ranch.” He reached out his hand.
She ignored it and walked to the lone dresser between two windows. “How dare you even suggest that? Absolutely not. I’m getting the medicine I asked my brother, the pharmacist to mix up for Will. Then I’ll say goodbye to my brother, the pharmacist, who is staying in this room while his wife and daughter visit her parents because it’s closer to his place of business, and then I’m going home.”
Lord, the girl looked mad. Her eyes flashed and her body was rigid as a wooden fence stake. No hint of the soft, loving woman in his arms two nights ago. Had she not been a lady, he was sure she would have slugged him worse than her brother had.
If possible, he loved her more right then, every inch of that fire-breathing, righteous woman.
“Lefty and I drove the wagon here, and we will drive it home. You, Mr. McIntyre, can return to the ranch by whatever means you used to get here. Furthermore, in the future please do not talk to me, or address me, as anything except Mrs. Stevens.”
She tucked the small brown bottle of medicine into the pocket of her dress. Then she leaned up to kiss Michael on the cheek. “Thank you, Michael. I’m sorry for all the trouble. Kiss Heidi and the baby for me when she returns.”
Without another word, she stalked past Rusty, hugging her skirts close to her body to avoid touching him. The sound of the door closing broke the silence as the two men stared at each other.
“I have no idea what is going on between the two of you, but after what I’ve heard, you better get it straightened out,” Michael growled. “I meant it when I said there would be a wedding soon. My sister is a respectable woman. I won’t have her reputation ruined. She has a son to think about.”
Rusty ran his fingers through his hair. “I am aware of your sister’s reputation, and believe me, I have no intention of having it destroyed. I had planned to ask Rachel to marry me.”
Michael shook his head. “It seems to me you have a long way to go before she’ll consent to marry you. Right now I wouldn’t bet a penny on your chances of even talking to her, let alone keeping her from throwing something at your head before you can get the words out.”
He pointed his finger at Rusty. “But whatever it takes, you get her to the altar. And knowing my sister as I do, you have a long haul ahead of you.”
“I made a huge error.”
Michael grunted. “Understatement of the year.”
“She’s your sister. Tell me what I can do to make this right.”
“Sorry, buddy. You’re on your own with this one. No woman likes to think the man she’s in love with doesn’t trust her.”
“In love?”
Michael shrugged into his jacket. “I doubt very much she would have reacted that way if she had no feelings. Now if you will excuse me, it’s past time to open up the pharmacy from my lunch break.” He opened the door and ushered Rusty out.
They descended the stairs together, and once they reached the boardwalk outside the hotel, Michael tugged on the brim of his hat. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”