Passions Wild And Free

by Janelle Taylor

  Table of Contents

  Cover Page

  Excerpt

  Other Books By

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Copyright

  AN INTERESTING OFFER

  “I have a wicked reputation, Miss Hollis. If I lose my earnings for any reason, I’ll have to take payment out on your pretty hide.”

  Randee laughed. “What recourse do I have if you do a lousy job?”

  Marsh didn’t realize his eyes were glowing as he replied, “Same as mine; take it out on me any way you please.”

  Randee caught the provocative meaning and saw the look of desire in those enticing blue eyes. His pattern of breathing told her that he was aroused by her and his own suggestive statement. The tension between them stimulated her, and she wondered if her eyes were as telltale as his were. His large, strong hands were lying more than halfway across the table. She wondered if they could be as gentle as they were strong, if they could drive a woman mindless with pleasure. She wanted to slip her hands into his to savor his touch.

  Marsh was taken with Randee as well. He pondered how it would feel to have her in his arms, that sunny head lying against his chest or those green eyes fusing with his, his fingers drifting up and down her arms or back, their passions steadily heightening….

  ZEBRA’S REGENCY ROMANCES DAZZLE AND DELIGHT

  A BEGUILING INTRIGUE (4441, $3.99)

  by Olivia Sumner

  Pretty as a picture Justine Riggs cared nothing for propriety. She dressed as a boy, sat on her horse like a jockey, and pondered the stars like a scientist. But when she tried to best the handsome Quenton Fletcher, Marquess of Devon, by proving that she was the better equestrian, he would try to prove Justine’s antics were pure folly. The game he had in mind was seduction— never imagining that he might lose his heart in the process!

  AN INCONVENIENT ENGAGEMENT (4442, $3.99)

  by Joy Reed

  Rebecca Wentworth was furious when she saw her betrothed waltzing with another. So she decides to make him jealous by flirting with the handsomest man at the ball, John Collinwood, Earl of Stanford. The “wicked” nobleman knew exactly what the enticing miss was up to—and he was only too happy to play along. But as Rebecca gazed into his magnificent eyes, her errant fiancé was soon utterly forgotten!

  SCANDAL’S LADY (4472, $3.99)

  by Mary Kingsley

  Cassandra was shocked to learn that the new Earl of Lynton was her childhood friend, Nicholas St. John. After years at sea and mixed feelings Nicholas had come home to take the family title. And although Cassandra knew her place as a governess, she could not help the thrill that went through her each time he was near. Nicholas was pleased to find that his old friend Cassandra was his new next door neighbor, but after being near her, he wondered if mere friendship would be enough …

  HIS LORDSHIP’S REWARD (4473, $3.99)

  by Carola Dunn

  As the daughter of a seasoned soldier, Fanny Ingram was accustomed to the vagaries of military life and cared not a whit about matters of rank and social standing. So she certainly never foresaw her tendre for handsome Viscount Roworth of Kent with whom she was forced to share lodgings, while he carried out his clandestine activities on behalf of the British Army. And though good sense told Roworth to keep his distance, he couldn’t stop from taking Fanny in his arms for a kiss that made all hearts equal!

  Available wherever paperbacks are sold, or order direct from the Publisher. Send cover price plus 50¢ per copy for mailing and handling to Penguin USA, P.O. Box 999, c/o Dept. 17109, Bergenfield, NJ 07621. Residents of New York and Tennessee must include sales tax. DO NOTSEND CASH.

  Passions Wild and Free

  Janelle Taylor

  For Johanna Lindsey, a friend and a very talented writer whose works have inspired and pleasured me for years.

  And for Ellen Tanner Marsh, a lovely lady who writes wonderful and exciting tales.

  Where can Passions race wild and free,

  Except o’er lands which

  Try our souls,

  Challenge our hearts,

  And fill our dreams?

  Chapter One

  “I can’t give it up, Brody. The Epson Gang murdered everyone at my uncle’s ranch, some they even tortured. Then, they plundered his home and stole his cattle, laughing all the while and joking as if they were happy children playing a harmless game. You saw the ranch before and after their raid. No evil can surpass what those villains did. They should be beaten and tormented before they’re hung!” Randee Hollis tossed her drawstring purse on Sheriff Brody Wade’s desk and continued, “The Epson Gang destroys everyone and everything they touch. They’re terrorizing the countryside in all directions, from Fort Worth to Forts Richardson and Concho and halfway to the New Mexico Territory. To them, nothing is sacred and everyone is a target, even helpless children and dirt-poor squatters and churches of any faith. From what we’ve heard and read, that band of devils is getting bigger and stronger. and crueler each month. They must be stopped, Brody, any way necessary. If the law can’t or won’t track them down and punish them, then I will. Just as soon as my helper arrives,” Randee added.

  Brody shook his head and frowned worriedly at the lovely young woman who was standing before him attired in a fetching dark green dress. What flesh was showing was tanned a golden brown, from hours spent beneath an adoring sun. He imagined the concealed portion to be as white and soft as East Texas cotton. Her slender figure barely halted before grazing the five-feet-five-inch mark, but she was an armful of delightful pleasure, a worthy prize for any man to seize.

  Although her flaxen hair was covered with a fashionable bonnet today, he knew how it looked when it was hanging down her back. The nearly waist-length mane was almost straight, but very thick and carefree, an enhancement to her natural beauty. Yet, he could not imagine why she had cut the top of her hair to fall into shaggy strands over her forehead, with some of the varying lengths teasing at her dark blond brows. The words mischievous vixen came to mind and warmed his body. This afternoon, however, those bangs were neatly tucked into her bonnet and she appeared every inch the lady.

  As he mentally searched for a clever and convincing protest to her daring plans, Brody’s appreciative gaze continued to wander over Randee’s face and figure. Her large green eyes revealed determination to carry out her perilous quest to locate and capture the Epson Gang. Even her dainty chin jutted out with fierce resolve. He wanted to lean forward and nibble on it before tracing the stubbornly set angle of her jawline up to her ear and then over to her lips. He didn’t mind the two-inch scar which ran upward from her jaw before her right ear, the result of a childhood fall, from what she had told him. His tongue longed to caress the white line before lavishing attention on her mouth and neck. His body’s reaction to the fantasy warned him to. drop it.

  The lawman tried to sound tough and gentle as he reasoned, “Listen to yourself, Dee. Nobody knows better than you that those villains are more than simple outlaws; the
y torture, rape, murder, burn, and steal because they enjoy it. They don’t know the meaning of conscience, self-control, mercy, or guilt. They don’t care who they kill or how much they torture a person. You’ve seen how they treat women, young and old alike. You can’t go after such brutal beasts, with or without help. You’ll only get yourself killed.”

  Randee leaned against the cool bars of the cell and met Brody’s brown gaze. “I might not be any match for the Epson Gang, but that won’t stop me from trying to destroy them. If I hadn’t been locked in the attic during their bloody attack, I wouldn’t be alive now. I have to do something, anything, to obtain vengeance and justice. Men who murder and destroy blindly deserve to die.”

  “I hate it that Mrs. Carson was killed because she didn’t hide in the attic with you. I know this situation has you grief-stricken and mad, but you can’t go tearing off unprepared. Frankly it’s a miracle those bastards didn’t burn down the house out of pure meanness. I’d be out of my head if they’d found you that day. Don’t you see that you’re asking them to come back and try again?”

  “I outwitted them once, Brody, and I’ll do it again. They’ll pay for their crimes; I swear it.”

  When Randee lowered her head, Brody grasped her chin and lifted it to fuse their gazes. Knowing someone could enter the jail at any moment, he resisted the urge to shake her or to kiss her. He asked, “What can you possibly do without getting yourself killed?”

  “With luck, my helper and I can follow them secretly and pick off a few here and there. If their number is reduced, the law might gain enough courage to challenge them. Or we might track them after every attack until we get lucky and discover their hide-out for the authorities. Sooner or later they’ll slip up and leave some clues or tracks. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something safe and sly.” She briefly recalled how she had cunningly outsmarted her lecherous stepfather; no doubt his hirelings were still searching for her in New York. The green-eyed blonde realized there was a chance that Payton Slade might see or hear about her newspaper advertisements, but she had to take that risk. Even if he located her, she would never return to her Kansas home and bewitched mother, not while Payton was alive. Randee artfully slipped from between Brody’s frame and the confining cell.

  Sheriff Brody Wade watched her pace the small office in deep study. He had visited the Carson Ranch many times since the blonde’s arrival a few months ago to live with her maternal uncle and his wife. With a little effort, the nineteen-year-old beauty could pass for sixteen. As unconsciously as she breathed, she sent forth an odd blend of lingering innocence and simmering passion, a heady blend which he craved to enjoy. Now, he mistakenly presumed, Miss Randee Hollis was alone, but certainly not vulnerable or scared; he wished she were, so he could ensnare her for his wife. Whatever it took, Brody decided, he must have this intoxicating mixture of vixen and lady. But first, he had to halt her crazy plans before this situation got out of control.

  Brody argued in a husky voice, “You’re a woman, Dee, a very young and beautiful one. Even with help from somebody, you can’t go running after a huge band of cutthroats. And what makes you think a trustworthy soul will answer that reckless advertisement you placed in all the neighboring papers? You’d be alone out there with a total stranger. After he robs you and … there’s no telling what else, he’ll leave you stranded somewhere or make you a tasty meal for some vultures.”

  When Randee failed to relent or to show fear, the sheriff continued, “What if someone in the Epson Gang sees your tempting offer? It’s got to be causing gossip all over this area. As far as I know, you’re the only survivor to any of their raids. If you go chasing them or become a threat to them …” He grimaced. “Lord help us all, Dee. To be safe, you have to remain here and keep quiet. If they discover they left behind a witness, they’ll be swarming over Wadesville looking for you. I’m only one man, Dee. If you lure them here, how can I protect you against so many killers? And how can I defend my town’ against them? If a hired gunslinger and a large gang of killers aren’t perils enough to dissuade you, then consider the danger you’re putting others in. And what about marauding Indians and unpredictable weather? It’s no work or place for a woman. Please give this up, Dee,” he urged.

  Even if most of his points were true, Randee knew the lawman was trying to frighten her into giving up this admittedly dangerous challenge because he wanted her to remain here and marry him. He had proposed twice after the horrifying episode, and he had been wooing her for weeks. As no other force was trying to defeat that devilish band, she had to find a way to do so. She owed her uncle, aunt, and friends that much; they had taken her in after she ran away from home, supported her, made her part of their family, returned her joy and spirit, and kept her whereabouts a secret from her wicked stepfather. To watch them being slaughtered like cattle …

  “I’ll confess I’m intimidated by this decision, but I’m not rash or stupid. You know I turned down those first two men because I didn’t think I could trust them or believe they could do the job. I promise I won’t leave here with just anyone, Brody. But I can’t allow those cold-blooded villains to go free after what they’ve done,” she vowed angrily, then gentled her tone to say, “I’ll be careful. Besides, I can protect myself—don’t forget I’m an excellent shot and rider. And I’m strong and sturdy, so I can handle the rough trails and a hired assistant. Now that the news may be out about a survivor, perhaps it’s best for everyone here if I leave quickly. I’m sorry, Brody, but I just couldn’t think of any other way to obtain help, or to shock the law into doing something. Maybe my life was spared for a special reason; maybe I’m the only one who can defeat them. That may sound cocky or crazy, but it might be true. No matter, I can’t back down, Brody, I can’t.”

  “Dee, you’re fooling yourself. No god spared you to become a vigilante who’s supposed to go traipsing after vicious bandits. You’re getting deeper and deeper into this mess, and I’m frightened for you. What’s to stop that gang leader from coming here or sending one of his men to be hired by you, just to lure you into their grasping arms?”

  Randee had considered that possibility, but had discarded it with good reason. She hadn’t told Brody she couldn’t be fooled because she had seen the faces of the bandits who, presuming everyone was dead after their bloody siege, had removed their hoods. That was the secret upon which her survival and success depended, the reason why she personally had to take on this task. She couldn’t risk anyone discovering her. secret and accidentally disclosing it. With her helper’s assistance and protection, she could travel from town to town and point them out for him to destroy. If she shared her knowledge with the authorities, the bandits might go into hiding before they could be reduced and conquered. Besides, she doubted that pictures of the criminals would imbue law officials with a sudden flow of courage, which they had been sadly lacking since this gang came into power. “I won’t allow myself to get trapped by them,” she replied confidently.

  “Your scheme is full of holes and perils. Those two men you’ve already turned down might be lurking outside town, waiting to rob you and your hired gun. A five-thousand-dollar reward is too tempting and. too -large to go unnoticed by bad men. I’m surprised that more than two greedy snakes haven’t come around to dupe you. Obviously very few of them read newspapers, or they failed to see your dangerously enticing ad. It isn’t going to work, Dee. I can’t name a single gunslinger who’s that reckless, and you can’t go riding off alone.”

  Randee realized his last sentence contradicted his earlier argument, but she didn’t point it out to him. He was worried, about her safety, and about not winning her. Brody had been too eagerly pursuing her to notice she didn’t want to be ensnared by him, at least not into marriage. Sheriff Wade was a pleasing companion, but he didn’t inflame her blood as she knew the right man would. She revealed, “If it doesn’t work soon, I’m raising my offer to ten thousand dollars. After all, I am asking him to risk his life by going up against a bloodthirsty band even the law f
ears and avoids.”

  Brody shifted and glanced away from her steady. gaze. “You understand why I can’t go after them, Dee. I’m not a coward, but I know when the odds are against my victory and survival. There’s no way I could raise a qualified posse for a shoot-out with nearly thirty expert gunmen. These people are farmers and ranchers and merchants; they can’t ride off and leave their homes and families unprotected. I wish I could do this for you, but I’m responsible for protecting this town. A dead brave man isn’t good for anything or anybody.”

  “Brody Wade! Of course I don’t think you’re a coward. You’re only one lawman and you have big responsibilities here. You can’t take the time and attention necessary to search for that gang, or risk getting townfolk killed in a one-sided battle. That gang is attacking all over the area; it could take months to track them down carefully.” Randee knew that Brody was not the man for what she had in mind, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings or wound his ego. She smiled and encouraged, “I think you’re being very wise; it must require enormous self-control to remain where you’re needed. You’re brave and a good shot, but I need a man who lives by his gun and risks his life daily. I need a man with Ranger blood and spirit, one who thinks nothing about confronting one bandit or twenty, a man who knows how villains think and work. The trouble is that ex-Rangers have settled down and aren’t interested in stalking death for a meager five thousand dollars. So, it’ll have to be a fearless, intelligent, trustworthy gunslinger.”

  “There’s no such animal, Dee. But even if one existed and answered your summons, what makes you believe you two can succeed?” Randee shrugged, but looked undaunted. “If you’ve got to do something, why don’t you use those dollars to hire a detective agency or a group of ex-Rangers? You don’t have to go along and endanger yourself.”