by Lily Graison
Sarah scowled at him before giving him a small punch to his shoulder. “I dislike you very much, outlaw. You’ve been nothing but trouble since the moment I clapped eyes on you. What makes you think I’d want to spend five seconds in your presence, let alone hours?”
“Intuition.”
She snorted a laugh. “You are insufferable.”
“I’m a lot of things, sweetheart, but insufferable isn’t one of them. I’m the best thing that could ever have happened to you.”
Laughter came unbidden then. This man’s arrogance knew no bounds. He may have been handsome, roguish even, but she doubted he was the best thing ever to happen to her. So far, he’d been the very worst of hell.
As the riders at their back grew fainter, their shadowy figures disappearing into the dark, Sarah settled into her abductor. Her body felt fatigued and the day’s events were catching up with her. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast, her stomach grumbling as she thought it. A yawn escaped her and it wasn’t until Colt pulled her closer that she looked at him, his profile a muted outline in the darkness surrounding them.
Since walking out of that rock maze, she’d thought of nothing but going home but she had to admit, some twisted part of her enjoyed being in this man’s arms, regardless of what she told him. He was an outlaw, a gunslinger, probably, dangerous to his core, but it felt good to be held by him. She felt safe and with a gang of ruffians running loose, odds were in her favor that she’d come out all right being with this man.
If only her silly pulse would stop fluttering every time he looked at her.
His arm was still around her waist, his hold tight, and he held her close enough to his chest she could feel every muscle pressed against her as the horse jostled them. She glanced at his face, his bristled jaw line where his beard was growing in, his lips, outlined so perfectly by that dark shadowing of hair and she swallowed against the sudden thought of how those lips would feel against her own. Even though he was dirty, sweaty and downright scruffy looking, she didn’t think she’d ever seen a more handsome man.
She blinked, turned her head and mentally kicked herself for even thinking such things. Colt was a dangerous man, in more ways than one. She’d do good to remember that.
Thoughts of William invaded her mind and she wondered why thinking of him didn’t cause her heart to beat just a little bit faster. Why touching him didn’t make her think things no decent woman would dare to think but with her arms around Colt, her body flush against his, she couldn’t think of anything else.
This man was an outlaw and she’d do good to remember that. Lord only knew what atrocities he’d committed. He wasn’t the keeping kind regardless of how much her pulse leaped to think it. He was dangerous and she needed to keep her distance.
A yawn caused her eyes to water and her last thought was erased as fatigue stole the last of her strength. She’d keep her distance later, when she was on her own two feet. For now, all she had was Colt and being trapped in his arms wasn’t as unpleasant as it should have been. Laying her head on his shoulder, she snuggled closer to him, smiling to herself when his arm tightened around her waist.
Chapter Three
Colt jostled the girl awake, waiting until she sat up before climbing off the horse and reaching up for her. Her eyes were sleep groggy, her hair a wild tangle of blonde curls where it fell down her back. He noticed his bandana wrapped around her hair at the base of her neck and bit back a smile.
The dress she wore, expensive from the look of it, was dirty, the white lace around the collar dingy and the shiny blue material had a small rip in the skirt.
She was a mess but he didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more alluring.
When she was on her feet, he left her standing by the horse and cleared out a small spot by the boulders. It wasn’t the best accommodations but they’d have to do. Walking back to the horse, he grabbed his bedroll, spread it by the rocks and turned to face her. “Get some sleep. We’ll have to cut out before first light and I want to make it to the Montana border by midday tomorrow.”
She crossed her arms under her breasts. “You’ve got to be joking.”
He grinned and walked back to the horse. “Afraid not. Now either use that bedroll or I’ll use it myself.”
Pulling his saddlebags off the horse, he tossed them aside before unhooking the straps on the saddle. He unburdened his horse, running his hand over his back and talking softly to him before leading him to the spindly tree behind the rocks and looping his reins around a low lying limb.
When he walked back around to where he’d left the girl, she was still standing there, arms folded under those enticing breasts he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about. He gave them a brief glance then thumbed the front of his hat up. “What’s the matter, sweetheart?”
She raised one sculpted eyebrow. “First, I’m not your sweetheart. I have a name. It’s Sarah, if you must know. Second,” she turned and pointed at the bedroll he’d laid out. “You can’t possibly expect me to sleep on the ground like some… common criminal. I need a bed. A soft one, preferably. And food. I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Nor have any of you scoundrels offered me a thimble full of water. Who kidnaps a woman and then lets her starve to death?”
Colt listened as she started to ramble off a list of complaints until he thought of gagging her and tying her to the horse. She may have been small and timid looking but she was anything but. Once she got going she barely even paused for breath.
He walked to the saddlebags, ignoring her tirade, and tossed the bags to her. “There’s a bit of jerky in there. Best I can do at the moment. Waters in the canteen.”
She stared at the bag near her feet for long moments before looking up. “Well, you’re just as gentlemanly as they come, aren’t you?”
Colt flashed her a smile. “When I need to be.”
Rolling her eyes, she snatched the bag up and walked to the bedroll, sitting down before digging inside. He watched her, wondering what she’d find in there. He hadn’t looked in so long, it was hard to tell.
He finished getting the horse settled then crossed to where she was and sat down, his back against the rocks. She removed everything from his bag. His extra clothes, his shaving kit, the pouch of money stuffed into the bottom and the food. She laid the beef jerky aside and shoved everything back in, wadding his clothes into a small ball before tying the flap back.
When she picked up a piece of the jerky and turned her head to him, sticking the dried meat into her mouth, she smiled and made a ‘mmm’ noise. “Delicious. Best meal I’ve had since—well, breakfast.”
Colt laughed. “You’re a sarcastic little thing, aren’t you?”
“Only to outlaws who kidnap me, neglect my basic need for sustenance and expect me to sleep on the ground with bugs, spiders and snakes.”
“I didn’t kidnap you. Virgil did.”
“Really?” She looked around her. “Because I don’t see Virgil. Do you?” When she faced him again, her eyebrows lowered a fraction. “All I see is you.”
“I could have left you back there, you know.” He shifted his weight, unhooked his gun belt, and laid it beside him. “And if I would have, you’d be with Virgil now, facing lord only knows what, instead of sitting here eating my food and berating me for something I didn’t even do.”
She opened her mouth, to spit out another round of vengeful words at him, he supposed, but closed it with a snap. She went back to chewing her jerky, ignoring him.
Colt lowered the front of his hat and closed his eyes, crossing his feet at the ankles. He hated sleeping sitting up. Killed his back but at the moment, he had no choice. Crawling onto the bedroll with her would have found him snoozing happily in a matter of moments but even suggesting it would earn him another round of biting remarks and honestly, he wasn’t in the mood to hear her talking. He was tired, his nerves still a bit frazzled, and being even this close to the girl heated his blood.
It had been too damn long since he’d had a woman in his bed
and the one sitting beside him was round in all the right places. He could only imagine how she’d feel in his arms, her naked flesh heating his own. Those sweet strawberry red lips circling his cock, her breathy moans music to his ears. His cock stirred thinking about it.
He heard her long minutes later, her skirts making a swishing noise. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She’d laid down, her head pillowed on her hands.
The moon cast a light glow over her face and caused shadows to fall under her eyes to brush her cheeks. He let his gaze roam her face, her plump lips snagging his attention before he moved on, following the line of her throat to her shoulder and down over her breasts to her plump bottom, which was pointed at him. The desire to run his hand up under those skirts caused a smile to curve his lips. He could imagine her outrage. Of course, it wouldn’t last long. There hadn’t been a woman yet he couldn’t make squirm with a few flicks of his finger.
He smiled again and shut his eyes. Soon, he thought. Before this adventure was over, she’d be eating out of his hand.
* * * *
“Let’s go, sweetheart. I want to be well to the border before the sun cooks us in the saddle.”
Sarah sat up, pushing her hair out of her face. Colt already had the horse saddled and ready to go and was checking the cinches. “My name is Sarah.” She lifted her hand to her mouth as she yawned.
“I heard.”
“Then use it. I’m not your sweetheart.”
He turned and grinned at her. “It’s just an expression. Besides, you’re too prickly to actually be sweet.”
The sun was barely up and he was bathed in shadows but Sarah could see the mischief in his eyes. Outlaw or not, he at least had a sense of humor. “I’m not prickly.”
“You don’t look like a Sarah, either.”
She shot him a confused look. Standing, Sarah grabbed the bedroll and shook it out before attempting to fold it. “How does someone with the name Sarah look?”
He finished with the horse and turned to take the bedroll from her, unfolding it. “Sweet. Mild tempered and accommodating. Forgettable, for the most part.” He bent, refolded the blankets and rolled them before tying it into a bundle. When he stood, tucking the roll under his arm, he shot her a look that caused her pulse to race. “And you, sweetheart, are far from forgettable.”
Sarah wasn’t able to do anything but stand there and blink at his back for long minutes after that. He thought she was unforgettable? Her cheeks heated at the thought. When he stowed the bedroll and turned toward her, that wicked smirk was on his face again.
“You coming or not?”
Taking that first step toward him took effort. It was hard to look at him and think about a task as simple as walking. Especially when he looked at her like he was thinking naughty things. His gaze lowered to her breasts and her nipples tingled just thinking of him looking at her like a man who wanted a woman. William certainly never looked at her that way. Thinking of William, she gasped. “William!”
Colt raised an eyebrow at her. “Names Colt, not William.”
“I know that.” She looked across the desert in the direction she thought home was. “William is my fiancé.” She saw Colt move toward her out of the corner of her eye and looked over at him. The smirk was gone, replaced with a look of distaste. “He’s the town marshal. The one you supposedly tied up.”
He stared at her for long moments before he laughed, only stopping when the horse shied. When he looked back at her, he shook his head. “You’re going to marry that cowardly troll of a man?”
Sarah lifted her chin. “He’s not a coward. And he’s of average height.”
Colt snorted. “Yes, to a child.” He shook his head and chuckled again before turning and jumping onto the horse. He sat looking down at her, grinning, holding out his hand. “Let’s go, sweetheart. I don’t think you’re rescue party will ride this far out looking for you, so you only have two choices. Stay here and wait for Virgil, who will come this far, or come along with me. You can wire a telegraph home once we get to the next town.”
Her options weren’t many, Sarah knew that, but staying with this man wasn’t a very smart thing to do. He made her uneasy and he was far too handsome. There probably wasn’t a woman between here and Mexico he hadn’t charmed out of her bloomers. Would she be next?
If she were honest with herself, she’d know she wanted to be. She couldn’t help being drawn to him. He made her think things she couldn’t even put a name on. Just a sly look from him and her traitorous pulse leaped and danced under her skin like a trapped bird fluttering for release.
Staying with him would be dangerous in more ways than one. Her virtue may not survive it.
The thought caused her stomach to clench. She was twenty-one years old and had only shared one brief, sloppy wet kiss with a man, but looking at Colt, Sarah wanted more than kisses from him. She wanted what his heated glances promised. She wanted his arms around her, to be surrounded by him and feel his skin next to hers. She wanted the bliss she knew waited wrapped in that devilish package and knew she’d crave it until the day she died.
Looking toward home, she debated on what to do. She could always hide if Virgil came this way but then what? She had no food, no water and what if William never made it this far, just as Colt said. What would she do then? Walk home? It could take days to do that, assuming she even walked in the right direction.
Seeing Colt shift in the saddle out of the corner of her eye, she knew if she stayed with him, it would be no less than an adventure. Just being in the man’s presence was more exciting than anything she had waiting for her at home. Long days of working in the bank to have something to do. Talking to strangers to keep from going crazy while directing the house servants in their daily chores. The chance of seeing William, while he ignored her in favor of asking where her father was.
Shaking her head, she turned and walked to the horse and let Colt swing her up to sit behind him. She’d stay with him and distance herself the best she could. As long as Colt never found out how being near him affected her, he’d more than likely be a gentleman. He had so far.
She scooted her bottom on the horse, trying to find a comfortable position, before laying her hands at his hips and looked up at him. “Just so you know, when we get to the next town, I’m turning you in. Are there any bounties on your head?”
Colt chuckled. “Probably.”
“Good. After all the torment this ordeal has caused me, I deserve some sort of compensation. Seeing you behind bars will do wonders for my spirit.”
He nudged the horse into a trot before looking over his shoulder at her. “You are one spiteful little shrew. Does William know of this character flaw?”
Sarah bit back a smile and hoped her tight hold on him didn’t give her away. “I’ve no reason to be so shrewish with him. He’s a perfect gentleman at all times.”
“And boring, too, I’d imagine.” He turned his attention back to where they were going. He moved his shoulders a bit, settled onto the horse, and sat for long minutes in silence before clearing his throat. “What’s so special about the marshal that you’d agree to spend the rest of your life with him?”
Sarah wasn’t about to read things into his voice but if she didn’t know any better, she’d swear he sounded almost jealous. She stashed that bit of information away for later examination. “He’s kind,” she said, answering his question. “Earns a decent living, unlike some people I know, and he owns his own home.”
“I’ve my own home.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m also kind when I need to be and I make more money than that potbellied marshal of yours.”
Sarah barked out a laugh. “By stealing it! That’s not the same thing at all. Did you steal your home as well?”
“Nope. That’s mine by birth.”