White Owl by Veronica Blake Read Free Book Online Page A

enough,” he answered. He started to walk to his horse.
    As Rose watched him grab his reins, her uncertainties continued to race through her mind. “Wait,” she called out. “Don’t go—please?”
    White Owl was about to climb on the back of his horse, but now he stopped and turned slowly around to face her again. “Don’t tease me, woman,” he said flatly.
    Rose attempted to ignore his arrogant attitude and reminded herself that she should be counting her lucky stars that he hadn’t acted like the savage that he was supposed to be—a thought that made her lips throb with the memory of his kiss and her knees grow weak and shaky again. She drew a deep breath as she tried to calm the racing of her heart. She wished he would leave; she wished he would stay; she wished he would kiss her again. “I want you, too, but—,” she shrugged and exhaled sharply.
    White Owl’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not speak for a few seconds. Then he turned and pulled himself onto the back of his horse. He urged his mount forward. As he passed Rose, he said in a nonchalant tone, “You will come to me next time.”
    His smug smile made her want to scream, but her voice came out hoarse and shaky when she called out after him, “I won’t come.” She cleared her throat gruffly, and yelled out louder, “I won’t come to you.”
    But he was already halfway across the creek.
    “I won’t,” Rose repeated in barely more than a whisper.
    She watched him ride away. His long hair flowed away from his back in the gentle breeze, and his muscled body moved gracefully with his horse asthough they were one unit. An odd feeling overcame Rose as she watched him disappear from view, a strange tightness in her stomach that seemed to grow more intense once she realized that he truly was gone.
    Unconsciously, Rose rubbed her stomach and exhaled the breath that she hadn’t even known she had been holding. She swiped angrily at a teardrop rolling down the side of her face. She had no intention of going to him as he had so boldly predicted. But now, a crushing feeling of sadness washed over her at the idea that she might never see him again.
    “Rosaline! What the dickens are you doing way out here?”
    Spinning around at the sound of her father’s booming voice, Rose almost lost her footing and fell over. At the last instant, she was able to steady herself and stay upright. She glanced at her father and twin brother riding toward her, then back over her shoulder. Thank the Lord above, White Owl was nowhere to be seen.
    “I swear, girlie, you are just lookin’ for trouble,” Paddy Adair yelled as he and Tate rode up to her. He did not give her a chance to say a word before he slid down to the ground to stand in front of her and began to shake his finger in her face. “I’ve told you again and again how dangerous it is out here with them savages still thinkin’ they own this entire country.”
    “Father, I was just going for a ride.” Rose stole aquick glance up at her brother and noticed the smirk on his lips. She quickly looked back at her father. His pale complexion was flushed dark red.
    “You just don’t understand, do you?” Paddy said in a voice that barely controlled his fury. “I am trying to save your hide, and if you keep defying me every chance you get, you’re gonna end up being kidnapped and . . .” Paddy shook his head vigorously and added, “I don’t even want to say the words out loud.”
    Rose lifted the long skirt of her dress and took a step closer to her father. “I am not in any danger here. The Utes are not violent peop—”
    “You really are crazy if you believe that,” Paddy interrupted. “They’d rather slit your throat than look at you, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.” Paddy glared down at his daughter.
    Rose opened her mouth to disagree, but the expression on his face convinced her to remain silent. She lowered her head down and gave a weak nod. If they had ridden