Blackwolf's Redemption

He was everything she had ever dreamed a man could be. Strong. Tender. Gentle. Fierce. He was her beautiful, macho warrior.

And she adored him.

He introduced her to his men. They were true sons of the Old West, courteous and gallant in their dealings with her. At Jesse’s urging, his foreman selected a gentle chestnut mare for her; one of the younger hands brought her a hand-made bridle and shyly said he’d be honored if she’d accept it.

Jesse stood by, grinning with pride.

Mornings, they both worked, he on the ranch, she on its books. Afternoons, they rode the land together. He took her to the ancient sites shown him by his father, sites he had so recently derided. To his delight, Sienna already knew most of them. She had studied this place, learned the Blackwolf secrets.

But one secret remained. Jesse’s secret. That he loved her.

He longed to tell her, but how? Instinct told him the moment had to be right. Sienna understood the old ways. He wasn’t sure he respected them anymore, but she did….

And with that realization, he had the answer to his question.

Two nights later, he went to the safe in his office. Took out a bracelet, very old, made of braided horsehair with a sterling-silver-and-pipestone clasp. His father had given it to his mother; his grandfather had given it to his grandmother. Men of his tribe had given the bracelet to the women they loved for more generations than he could count.

Tonight, he would give it to his Sienna.

They ate supper before the living room fireplace, steaks he grilled and a salad she put together in a wooden bowl. His father had carved it, he said with pride. She smiled. It was easy to see he had loved his parents, that he loved this place, this land…

“Are you really going to sell this place?” she suddenly said, her promise not to mention the sale cast aside.

He looked at her. He’d all but forgotten the papers in the folder on his desk.

“Years from now, someone is going to turn it into a resort.”

He nodded. “Sooner than that,” he said, “but not really a resort. A group of homes on big chunks of property, maybe a ski lift.”

Sienna shook her head. “The land will remain untouched until 2010. Then a developer will fill your beautiful canyon with row upon row of houses built around a golf course.”

The muscle jumped in his jaw. A week ago, he wouldn’t have cared. At least, that was what he’d told himself. Who gave a damn for ancient rituals, for the sanctity of the land? He’d wanted to rid himself of a burdensome past filled with lies about honor, duty, history.

Now that had changed. A woman, this woman, had brought him back to himself. He could no more sell the land of his fathers than he could give her up, and he smiled as he took her into his arms.

“I won’t sell this land,” he said softly. “How could I, when it brought me you?”

Hours later, an enormous white moon began rising in the black velvet sky.

Jesse stirred, rolled on his side and stroked a gold curl from Sienna’s forehead. “A full moon,” he said softly. “Will you come out on the porch and see it with me?”

She sat up. The beautiful old quilt from the sofa dropped to her waist, revealing her breasts. He cupped one, caressed the sensitive tip, watched her eyes darken.

“The moon will be beautiful,” he said in a husky whisper, “though not as beautiful as you.”

Sienna brushed her lips over his. “Can we see it from the canyon?” She smiled. “It would be the perfect end to a perfect day.”

She was right. Still, he felt a quick sense of unease. And that was nonsense. The canyon was as much his home as this house. Hadn’t he just thought of how it had brought Sienna into his life?

“Jesse?”

He kissed her. Her mouth, her throat, her breasts. “You’ll have to pay the price when we get back.”

Her soft, sexy laughter made his body harden in anticipation.

“You drive a tough bargain, Mr. Blackwolf.”

The dark mood that had threatened to overcome him fell away. He rose to his feet, pulled on his shirt, his jeans, felt the outline of the sterling-pipestone-and-horsehair bracelet in his pocket. Smiling, he offered her his hand.

“Come on, woman,” he said in a teasing voice of command. “We’re wasting time.”

She rose in one sinuous motion. The darkness hovered over him again, but he told himself he was being an idiot, and he flashed a grin and swatted her on her naked backside.

“Hey,” she said, with mock indignation.

He tilted her chin up and dropped a light kiss on her nose.

“I’ll saddle the horses while you get dressed.”

“Perfect,” she said.

She was right. What better place to give her the bracelet than the canyon where they’d found each other?