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head, certain the snake would attack her
when she wasn’t looking.
    Matt frowned thoughtfully, wondering what he could say to
take Lacey’s mind off the rattler, and then he grinned.
    “The Apache are an interesting people,” he mused. “For
instance, they believe that any Apache who marries a Ute will turn into an owl
when he dies.”
    “An owl?” Lacey said, still watching the snake.
    “Yeah. And if an Apache marries a Navajo, he’ll turn into a
mountain lion. Worst of all would be marrying a Mexican. Any Apache who married
a Mexican would be reborn as a burro, and if he married a paleface, he’d come
back as a mule.”
    Lacey looked at Matt, a tremulous smile on her face. “You’re
making that up.”
    Matt shook his head. “No, it’s true.”
    “It’s nonsense.”
    “Maybe, but it makes the young Apache bucks and maidens
think twice about marrying out of the tribe.”
    Lacey chuckled, the snake momentarily forgotten.
    “It’s okay now,” Matt said as the snake slithered into the
underbrush.
    Timidly, Lacey placed one foot on the ground, her eyes
focused on the spot where the snake had disappeared, her whole body tense.
Perhaps the snake was only hiding, waiting for her to move so it could strike.
    “It’s okay, Lacey,” Matt assured her. “Trust me.”
    Cautiously she placed her other foot on the ground, then
stood up and ran toward Matt, who suddenly seemed like the only safe haven in
all the world. His arms closed around her, strong and supportive, and the fear
slowly drained out of her limbs. His hand lightly stroked her hair as he
quietly assured her that the danger was past.
    It felt so good, standing in the shelter of his embrace. His
voice was low and soothing, his breath warm where it brushed her cheek. She
felt so safe, so protected, as though nothing could ever hurt her again.
    Matt felt the stirrings of desire as he held Lacey in his
arms. The scent of her filled his nostrils, her hair felt like fine silk in his
hand, her breasts were warm against his chest. He felt his muscles begin to
tense as he fought off the urge to lower her gently to the ground and cover her
face with kisses. Only the throbbing ache in his arm, and the fact that she
trusted him so completely, kept him from possessing her.
    Gradually, as her fears subsided, Lacey became aware of
Matt’s ragged breathing, of the tension in his arms.
    “I…thank you,” she murmured, drawing away from him. “I’m
terrified of snakes. I saw a man die from a rattlesnake bite once. It was
horrible.”
    Matt nodded, and Lacey thought he looked suddenly pale. “You
shouldn’t be up,” she admonished, her voice sharper than she intended. “You’re
still weak.”
    “I’m all right.”
    Arms akimbo, Lacey looked at him, her eyes filled with
doubt.
    “I am a little tired,” Matt confessed. “Think you could help
me back to camp?”
    “Of course.”
    “Good.” Smiling at her, he draped his right arm around her
shoulders. It was only then that Lacey realized he had somehow managed to
remove the shackles from his hands and feet.
    Walking back to camp, she was very much aware of Matt’s leg
brushing against her own, of the length and breadth of him beside her. He was
quite tall, taller than she had imagined. Her head barely reached his shoulder.
But he was more than just tall. He was big-boned and broad-shouldered, making
her feel small and helpless.
    “You make a good crutch,” Matt remarked when they reached
his bedroll.
    “Thanks,” Lacey muttered. “How long do you think it will
take for the men from Yuma to get here?”
    “I don’t know,” Matt replied curtly. “And I don’t aim to
wait around to find out.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean I’m leaving. First thing in the morning.”
    “Leaving? Where will you go?”
    “Back to Salt Creek. I’ve got some unfinished business
there.”
    Lacey frowned at him. “You don’t mean to walk all that way?”
she exclaimed. “Not in your condition.”
    “I