by Patty Devlin
Sighing heavily, she jumped off the stump and slapped at her arm. Darn mosquitoes. Hopefully they weren't as bloodthirsty inside the barn as they were outside. She tugged at the cuff of her pants. At least the better part of her legs were protected from the nasty bugs.
Miserable, Annie slumped against the barn and slid to the ground. She drew her knees to her chin and hugged her legs close to her chest. By this time tomorrow she'll be mottled with red marks, but bug bites were the least of her problems. She shook her head. Amazing how such a nice day had ended up with her running away and seeking solace on the Circle C.
She had risen early that morning and dressed in her usual attire, boy's pants and shirt. She had finished breakfast, and was out the door before her stepmother could make an appearance and begin a conversation that would only end up in an argument. Eva constantly nagged her about the same thing day in and day out- Annie's choice of clothing was not suitable for a young lady of eighteen.
Once outside, she hurried to the stable and to her roan, Diablo. The brown and white speckled horse had greeted her with his usual whinny and nearly knocked her over by sticking his muzzle into her pockets searching for food. She gave him the crunchy apple she had swiped from the table. Once he had finished the treat she saddled him up and they were on their way. The sadness in her heart had been lifted for the first time since her father had passed away a little over a month ago. She allowed Diablo free rein and the horse had taken the lead. Nothing else seemed to matter as they raced across the pasture - that is until Lloyd Sanders happened to come along and spoil everything.
She had to force herself to greet the annoying man in a pleasant manner and prayed he'd continue on his way, but Lloyd had other ideas. Without a word he nudged his horse alongside Diablo, closing the gap between them. He plucked her from her saddle and had her pinned in his lap. Outraged at his manhandling, Annie was quick to slap his face. His horse bucked, and as he reached for the reins to gain control, she yanked herself out of his grasp and slipped to the ground. She tossed him a heated glare before mounting Diablo and racing back to the Lazy D.
Eva often hinted to Annie about Lloyd being a good marriage prospect, but Annie had vehemently refused, which had fueled just another disagreement between her and her stepmother. But, when she revealed what Lloyd had done, she doubted Eva would bless such a union and then maybe they could live in some semblance of peace.
Upon entering the house, loud voices could be heard coming from the library. Annie had immediately recognized Eva's nasally whine and her stepbrother's occasional grunt. Curious, she tiptoed closer and listened in shock as Eva described in full detail how she planned to settle the debt Annie's father, Deke had accrued before his death. She'd drug Annie with sleeping powder and hand her over to Lloyd Sanders. They'd strip her naked and put her in his bed. Once the town found out, Annie would have no choice but to marry Lloyd or spend the rest of her life in shame. Lloyd's father was a rich cattle rancher and, as part of the family he'd surely feel obligated to help his son's wife and the Lazy D would be theirs.
The temptation to order them off the Lazy D nearly consumed Annie on the spot, but she learned long ago that Eva played dirty and since Pa was gone, she had nowhere else to turn, so the best thing she could do was hide until she came up with a plan of her own and when she did, she'd boot the two moochers off her ranch. Spinning on her heel, she had gone up to her room and packed an extra set of clothes. She wrapped some material around her breasts and cut off her long hair. She'd have a better chance at passing herself off as a boy with short hair and a flat chest. At least that was what she hoped.
Cursing fate, Annie yanked off one boot and turned it upside down. A couple of small rocks fell out and she fleetingly wondered how in the world they had gotten there. She did the same with the other boot and stifled a yawn.
She avoided the worn trail between the Lazy D and the Circle C for her own protection, but scrambling over rocks, wading through streams and getting smacked in the head by low hanging branches had taken its toll on her body. At the very least, her cunning had kept Robbie off her tail for one day. Her stepbrother only played the part of a dandy. There was a vicious side to his character when things didn't go his way. He liked to throw his weight around and the day Annie had caught him threatening their cook, Maria, with a knife, she aimed her pistol right between his eyes, warning him that she'd shoot him next time he decided to bully the hired help. She knew she made an enemy that day and she had to be extra careful. He had a sick fascination with knives and it scared her. No doubt he and Eva were fuming this very moment. Their bargaining chip had gone missing and that made the duo twice as dangerous.
Tears filled her eyes and she bit back a sob. Her Pa had been a good man, a decent man. Eva Carter was greedy and the more Deke gave into her whims, the more she had taken advantage of his generous nature. When the money ran out, Eva had turned into a veritable harridan and now she was desperate enough to use Annie as leverage to get what she wanted.
She could take the chance and explain her dilemma to Jeb, but then that would mean his son, Matt would get involved and she had done her best to avoid him ever since he had called her a nuisance some years ago. She and Matt had never seen eye to eye on a number of things and she didn't have the energy to explain her side of the story of why she was hiding in the barn. The bossy man would surely have something to say about the entire situation and the odds of him siding with her were probably not in her favor. She had pushed Matt way past his limits of patience plenty of times when she was younger with her childish pranks and she felt embarrassed at the way she had acted. Now older and much more mature, she understood why she had craved his attention so much. She'd been sweet on her handsome neighbor.
Three years had passed since the day she ruined his boots and he had thrashed her within an inch of her life and yet she still hesitated to approach him and suggest they bury the hatchet. Matt could easily bring out the 'bratty' side of her nature with his commanding presence and high-handed attitude. No one, not even her Pa had been able to deny her anything, but Matt had no problem when it came to laying down the law. He was the only man she had ever known who possessed the gumption to put her in her place and tell her 'no' point blank. So, Annie continued to stay away and busy herself building up the Lazy D with her father.
When she was younger, Matt's stern demeanor and quickness to spank had made her angry and rebellious, but now just the thought of being taken in hand by the sexy rancher made her belly quiver and the spot between her legs ache for his attention and firm hand. Her fondness had grown to love. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Matthew Caine and she knew that wasn't possible because he apparently did not return her feelings.
Matt had grown more handsome over the years and it was becoming more and more difficult to ignore him whenever they bumped into each other in town. His wealth of black hair fell past the nape of his neck and his cobalt blue eyes contrasted perfectly with his tanned rugged face. He was broad at the shoulders, narrow at the waist and his legs long. His arms bulged with muscle and his hands were big, each almost the size of a paddle. Annie's cheeks warmed as she recalled how many times he had applied those hands to her bottom. It pained her deep inside to see how the girls in town would openly flirt with him and he'd return their teasing with a smile and a wink. All she had ever gotten was a spanking accompanied by a stern lecture.
Annie doubted he'd go along with her skulking around the Circle C like a thief in the night. He'd probably insist she was overreacting and to go on back home and tell Eva exactly how she felt about marrying Lloyd. But Matt didn't know the real Eva Carter Dobbs-no one did. The woman kept her true colors hidden from the public eye behind a flawless face and fake smiles.
Annie's heart ached painfully. For ten years it had been just her and Pa. He had taught her how to shoot, ride a horse and look out for herself. They had been so close, but that all ended when he had taken a herd of cattle to Llano and met Eva. Eva had shown her loathing for A
nnie's boyish ways right from the start and had made life miserable. Annie tried to convince her Pa about Eva's dislike, but he had refused to listen, stating that it was normal for two females not to get along in the same household. He begged Annie to give the relationship time to grow and she couldn't refuse. Sadly, the only thing that had flourished was their resentment toward the other.
Annie avoided the woman whenever the chance presented itself and the days had gone by in a blur. Deke had been totally enamored with his new bride for the first year and hadn't paid much attention to Annie's complaints, but then Eva had taken it upon herself to voice her opinion about the lack of Annie's education and insisted she be sent back east and learn how to conduct herself like a lady. Heated words were exchanged between Eva and Deke. Deke wouldn't hear of being separated from his only child and soon he was spending most of his time away from the ranch leaving Annie to deal with Eva's volatile temper. After his death the situation between her and Eva had gotten worse.
A door slammed nearby, scaring Annie out of her wits and jerking her out of the past. She crawled on her hands and knees to the front side of the barn and expelled a sigh of relief. Jeb was ambling toward the ranch house not too far away in the distance. After a good night's rest she'd double back to town and ask Sally for a job. No one would think of looking for her in a saloon. Robbie wouldn't lower himself by entering that 'den of iniquity', as he so delicately put it, so she'd be safe for a while. She'd lay low for a bit and pray nobody found her.
Annie stared at the small ranch house and scowled. Matt would redden her bottom for sure if he knew of her plans to work in a saloon. She sighed. He was such a mystery to her at times, so stern and unyielding one minute and compassionate and kind the next. During her Pa's funeral, he held her close against his wide chest as she cried for the loss of the only parent she had left in this world. She felt so safe and secure in the circle of his strong arms and hoped they'd be able to come to an understanding. After all, she had stopped her childish pranks long ago, but when he caught her riding alone after dark a few days later he spanked her and that's when she knew any truce between them was lost. He'd always look upon her as a child and not a woman. He did surprise her by asking her to the church social last week, but she had stubbornly turned him down only to regret it when she found out he had taken snippy Mary Beth Wegman.
His gruff demeanor aside, Annie couldn't discount the fact Matthew Caine stirred a longing in her she could no longer deny. They had tolerated each other in the past, but ever since she had refused his invitation he wore a scowl every time they crossed paths and she did her best to stay out of his way. Annie sighed. The best thing to do was to find work and make some money. She'd rest tonight and have a chat with Sally in the morning.
Her stomach chose that moment to growl, reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast. It was time to hunt for something to chew on until tomorrow. Hopefully, Jeb still kept a basket of apples in the barn, along with a carrot or two.
Annie went inside and closed the door softly. She stood motionless until her eyes adjusted to the dimness. The sun would soon be setting for the night, but for now the narrow slits between the wood allowed slivers of light to shine through, aiding her in finding a spot to settle down. Annie had been in the stable many times before and knew the layout like the back of her hand. She took a couple of steps forward and remembered to sidestep one of the thick beams that supported the building. She moved to the left and came up against the wooden fence that led to Blaze's stall. A soft whinny reached her ears and she smiled. She followed the nickers and could barely make out the pointy ears.
Annie focused her attention on stroking Blaze, but it wasn't long before his velvety muzzle nudged her arm and he snorted. "Easy, fella, my pockets are empty. I kind of left in a hurry and was hoping you had something to share with me." Matt's horse, Linedrive, blew out a loud snort from behind her and she sighed. "I know you want some loving too." In her haste to pay equal attention to both animals, Annie turned around and slammed into another wooden support post. Dazed, she stumbled backward and fell against the wall, rattling the various farm implements hanging from hooks and sending them to the ground. Cursing her clumsiness, she flung her arms up to shield her head and winced at the loud crash that reverberated inside the barn.
Chapter Two
Matt lowered himself on the edge of the bed and yawned. Herding cattle from one end of the pasture to the other was a pain in the ass, especially when there wasn't a hint of a breeze blowing on a stifling hot day, but the result provided fresh grass for the animals to eat, adding to their weight and that meant more money at auction, which in turn kept the Circle C in the black.
He rested his elbows on his knees, tunneled his hands through his hair and scrubbed his face. Even Linedrive, his prize stallion, was doing his share by servicing the neighboring ranchers' mares and producing one winner after another. The extra income helped a lot and Matt was hell bent on making life easier for the man who had given him a name and a stable home when all he had known the first seven years of his life was the back room of a saloon.
Abandoned by his mother, Matt was raised by the other painted ladies at the Muddy Gulch Saloon. Then one summer day his life had changed for the better. Jeb Caine had passed by on his way to Flatbush and spotted Matt playing in a puddle of water in the alley next to the saloon. Jeb and his sister, Rose, had been appalled to learn that a seven-year-old boy was subject to such living conditions on a daily basis and had offered to care for him and raise him as their own. As Matt grew older and learned of his lack of parentage, he vowed that Jeb and Rose were his family and no one would ever be able to tell him different. It shamed and disgusted him to know that the two people who had given him life couldn't have cared less if he was dead or alive. No child should be treated in such a manner. If his birth parents were still alive after all these years, he didn't care. Blowing out a breath, he flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes.
A loud crash jolted him upright and he looked around in a daze. What the hell? He pulled on his pants, shoved his feet into his boots and grabbed his gun from the dresser on the way out of his bedroom.
He met Jeb in the hallway. "Sounds like it came from the stables," he remarked as they went down the stairs.
"What's going on?" Rose called anxiously from her room. She was pulling on her robe and voicing her concerns at the same time. "You both be careful in case it's some wild animal."
"I doubt that, Rose, the horses ain't making a ruckus. Just stay inside until we know for sure," Jeb replied and joined Matt outside. They stepped off the porch and peered into the dark.
"I don't hear anything, Pa. Maybe something just toppled over. Whatever it was sure made a racket." Moonlight filtered through the cluster of redwood trees, casting enough light to guide them along the worn path to the barn. If they were lucky, they'd be able to get a jump on the intruder without being seen.
The two cautiously made their way to the barn. Matt shot Jeb a sideways glance and nodded toward the opposite side of the barn door. He held a finger to his mouth and they shared a look of understanding. Once Jeb was in position Matt reached out and opened the door.
* * * * *
A sliver of moonlight shone near to where Annie knelt, huddled on the floor. She pressed her hand to her mouth and willed her heart to stop thumping so wildly against her rib cage. The left side of her face throbbed relentlessly. So much for watching where she was going. There were four of the support posts throughout the barn and, of course, she had to walk right smack into one of them. She scowled and winced when pain sliced her cheek. How many times had she been in here?
If Matt found her, he'd turn her over his knee and spank her for sure. But, then again, she'd rather a spanking than get sent back to the Lazy D. She hesitated for a moment. The adult thing to do was to make herself known and explain her situation, but then she remembered Robbie's temper and tossed the idea. She may be at odds with Matt most of the time, but she didn't want to get him or his P
a involved in her troubles.
Annie felt around for her hat and plopped it on her head. Slowly, she got to her feet and sidled toward the more shadowy area of the barn. The closer she got to the door without being seen, the easier it'd be to make a run for it. Hopefully, she wouldn't get a bottom full of lead on the way out. Matt rarely missed his target.
Squinting, she was able to make out two dark silhouettes moving further inside the barn. Judging by the difference in height it had to be Jeb and Matt. The ranch hands were most likely sound asleep. The bunkhouse was further on down the road from the house and they probably weren't aware of any commotion. As she moved closer to freedom she whispered a quick prayer, then dove out the door and into the night. She ran as if the devil was nipping at her heels. She let out a squeak when she tumbled down a small embankment and landed on her back. She lay on the ground, pressed her hand to her mouth and listened intently. Matt couldn't be far behind. As if on cue, pounding footsteps stomped past her hideaway, but Annie didn't move a muscle until she heard them again. She waited a few more minutes, then made her way back to the barn.
* * * * *
Matt swore as he retraced his steps. "Whoever it was is long gone by now. We may as well go back to the house and check things again in the morning when it's light." He slapped his arm. "Damn bugs."
"Do you have any idea who it was?" Jeb asked as they neared the wooden porch.
"I only got a glimpse out of the corner of my eye. It wasn't an animal, I can guarantee that, but whoever it was snuck by me pretty quick." Matt rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. There had been something very familiar about the figure, though. He couldn't put his finger on it, but for some oddball reason Annie popped into his head. He hadn't spoken to her since the day he asked her to the church social and she had turned him down flat. He should have expected her refusal. Hell, he had been surprised that she hadn't spat in his face. He did, after all, spank her just a few days before for riding Diablo so late in the day without a chaperone. Who knew what kind of vermin lay waiting to pounce on a lone woman?