"It won't work, you know. I'm not going back to see him."
"Suit yourself."
His facade of disinterest infuriated her.
"All this work is for nothing. You might as well give up."
He shrugged and offered her a hand up to the wagon seat.
She ignored his offer, seething inside at his betrayal. "Go find a less annoying way to earn money."
His hand dropped to his side and his eyes flashed with anger. "Shut up."
His voice was so calm that she wasn't sure she had heard him right.
She caught her breath. "What?"
"Stop nagging." He brushed past her.
After all he had done, he dared talk to her as if she were a child. She planted her hands on her hips.
"Who do you think you are, telling me to shut up? If you think you can..."
Her voice died in her throat as he turned and started for her. She gasped and turned to run, but he reached out and grabbed her. Lifting her into strong arms, he deposited her roughly on the wagon seat.
Davis watched with some apprehension, but Fritz and Royce were doubling over with laughter. Pete passed them on the way to his wagon and pointed a gnarled finger at her.
"Girl, you better watch that tongue."
She clamped her mouth shut and watched Bordeaux mount his bay. Without another word, he road away from the wagons. She picked up the lines and worked her wagon behind the rest. Today she would have to eat crow along with the dust.
Mid day they stopped for a rest. She was tending the mules when she saw a rider on top of a sand dune. Horse and rider plunged down the side of the dune toward them. She knew by the way he rode that it was Bordeaux. She lifted her canteen and allowed herself a swallow of the tepid water. She swished the water around in the bottom, glancing at the water barrel. It wasn't wise to allow a canteen to go empty in this country, but the water supply was getting low.
She glanced up as Bordeaux stopped beside her. He leaned down, handing her a canteen. She held hers up for him to see.
"I have water."
"Give me your canteen," he ordered, "And take this one."
She frowned. Why did he have to make everything an issue? She shrugged and handed him her canteen, accepting the full one he offered. It felt cool and she glanced up at him in surprise.
He grinned, the expression creating little lines around his sparkling blue eyes.
"Drink some of it. I know you've been shorting yourself."