Gunsmoke and Gingham

by Kirsten Osbourne

  Whatever feelings she was developing for him, she’d deal with them once she was in Silver City. She only had to get through tonight. Tomorrow they’d part ways and she’d never have to see him again.

  She folded her arms across her chest, gazing absently at the flames licking at the wood.

  Suddenly, a sharp sound split the air and splinters of rock showered down on her.

  Her breath caught. Her brain stopped working.

  Somebody had shot at her!

  Kirby recognized the sound echoing in the air. A gunshot!

  What the—?”

  He’d been near the back of the cave when the sound had echoed outside. He spun around to see Hannah standing at the entrance to the cave, facing out past the fire. Her face had lost all color, her eyes wide with fear.

  His stomach clenched so tight his breath caught in his throat at the thought she might be hurt. “Hannah! Take cover!” he called out, dropping the bedroll he’d been untying from his saddle as he pulled his Colt 45 out of the holster at his side.

  She didn’t move until he grabbed her arm and dragged her into the safety of the cave. She gazed up at him, her eyes glazed with fear as if her brain was addled. Her balance faltered and she fell hard against him. Her fingers clutched at the front of his shirt, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Her scent filled his nose, and her quick shuddery breaths puffed against his neck.

  “Are you all right?” he asked. He tried to keep his voice calm, but he couldn’t quite manage to hide the fear surging through him. If anything happened to her … His stomach tumbled and his chest constricted in his own fear.

  He didn’t have time to think about his feelings right now. He had to keep her safe and then he needed to find out who was shooting at her, and why?

  She nodded, but her lips had thinned and she was trembling in his arms. He didn’t have time to sympathize with her right now, either.

  She gazed up at him, her dark blue eyes filled with fear. He gave her a gentle shove. “Get your rifle, go to the back and stay there.”

  For a moment, she didn’t move. He suspected she didn’t like taking orders from anyone but in this case, he didn’t have time to ask nicely. Then, she turned and limped away.

  With his gun in hand, Kirby stayed close to the wall of the cave and approached the entrance, ready for whatever came.

  Crouching down, he slipped out of the cave, keeping out of the firelight’s glow to stay hidden as much as possible. He melted into the trees and peered into the darkness, searching for any movement at all.

  He listened. The night was quiet, with only the sound of crickets to break the silence.

  Nothing.

  He waited, his nerves taut, his body tense.

  A bullet whizzed past his head. He ducked behind a tree trunk. At least now he knew what direction the shot had come from.

  His foot skittered on a pebble. He reached down and picked it up, then threw it into a tree a few feet away. The leaves rustled.

  Another shot burst into the night. Metal glinted in the moonlight. He fired at it.

  He thought he heard a mangled sound, but couldn’t be sure.

  He expected more shots, but none came, and soon after, he heard stones scattering in the distance.

  Instinct told him the sounds he’d heard were made by the shooter’s horse riding away. Still, he waited for what seemed like hours before he picked his way back to the cave.

  Questions tumbled through his brain. Who’d tried to kill Hannah? And why?

  The realization hit him swiftly. Hannah wasn’t the target. He was. In the shadows, with Hannah wearing his duster, the shooter had made a mistake.

  And if Kirby was a betting man, he’d bet the man holding that gun was Owen Cooper, Abel’s brother.

  He shouldn’t be surprised Owen Cooper would try to kill him. Kirby had killed one Cooper brother and was on his way to testify against the other. He should have known Owen would come after him.

  But he hadn’t thought of it, and because he hadn’t, Hannah could have died. Guilt surged through him.

  Hannah was perched on one of the rocks in the back corner of the cave, her rifle aimed at the roof. Her face was pale and he noticed she was still trembling, but she gave him a tiny smile when he approached.

  “Whoever it was is gone now,” he said softly. “You’re safe.”

  “But why would somebody be shooting at me? I don’t understand—”

  Kirby gently gripped her shoulders and met her frightened gaze. “It’s possible it might have been one of Abel Cooper’s gang, but I’d say it’s his brother, Owen.”

  A frown creased her forehead. “Why would he shoot at me? I have nothing to do with this trial you’re testifying at, and I don’t look at all like you.”

  Kirby let out a short laugh, his gaze drifting from her hair to the tips of her toes. “No, you don’t. He’d have to be blind to think there’s any resemblance at all between you and me. You’re a lot prettier than I am.”

  She chuckled, the soft melodic sound sending waves of heat through his veins.

  “But,” he went on, it’s dark out there and you were standing in the shadows. Not to mention you’re wearing my duster.”

  “Oh … of course … but why do you think it’s Owen and not one of the others?”

  “The Cooper boys are a close-knit bunch, and they’re the kind of men who wouldn’t be satisfied letting somebody else get revenge for them. I killed Jubel Cooper, the youngest brother, and since Abel’s in jail, it’s up to Owen make me pay for it.”

  “So he could have killed me by mistake?”

  Kirby nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

  “But he’s gone now?” she asked. Her voice trembled slightly.

  “I’m pretty sure he is,” Kirby replied. “I think I wounded him, and I thought I heard some stones and pebbles skittering off the trail. Could be he was riding away.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Don’t worry. We’re safe, at least for now.”

  Hannah nodded, but Kirby wasn’t sure she believed him. He crossed to where he’d dropped the bedroll at the first shot. He picked it up and shook it out, then spread it on the ground. “I don’t have a pillow for you, but you should be warm enough.”

  “I’m not taking your bedroll—”

  “I’m fine right here,” he insisted, sliding down the wall near the entrance to the cave. With his knees bent, he leaned against the wall, his gun in his hand draped over his knee. “You should get some sleep,” he said.

  “What about you?”

  “I’m not tired right now,” he said. “I’ll keep watch.”

  She looked as if she was about to protest, but thought better of it. “Then wake me when you get tired and I’ll take over,” she said. “I do know how to use a rifle,” she added with a tremulous smile.

  The lie slipped easily from his lips. “I will.”

  Hannah woke, the gray light of dawn seeping into the opening of the cave. The fire had died down during the night, but the embers still glowed bright red and a few persistent flames licked at the wood.

  Kirby had been right. Although the fire had been built outside, it had generated enough heat to warm the inside of the cave enough to be comfortable in Kirby’s bedroll.

  Her gaze slid immediately to Kirby. He still sat against the wall, his gun in his hand, his eyes trained on the entrance. “You didn’t wake me,” she said quietly.

  He turned his head to face her. “Good morning.”

  Hannah climbed out of the bedroll, smoothing the wrinkles in her dress as she crossed to him. “Why didn’t you wake me? I fully intended to take my turn keeping watch.”

  His lips curved in a smile. “I know that, but if you remember, I said I’d wake you when I got tired. I didn’t get tired.”

  “That’s impossible,” she sputtered. “You can’t stay awake all night and not be tired—‘

  “I’ve had lots of practice.” He climbed to his feet and brushed the dust and dir
t off his pants.

  The fire had burnt out at some point during the night, but Hannah had slept so soundly she hadn’t noticed.

  She watched as he strolled to the entrance of the cave, his gaze sweeping the surroundings outside. She noticed he was favoring one leg.

  “Are you hurt?” she asked.

  He looked at her as if he didn’t know what she meant before he saw her gaze resting on his knee. “No,” he said. “It’s an old injury. It’s a little stiff from sitting in the same position for too long, that’s all.”

  “Why? What happened to it?”

  As soon as she asked the question, she regretted it. She shouldn’t get to know him. Knowing him would make it far too easy to care about him. And caring was the last thing she wanted to do. He’d be gone from her life in a few hours, and that’s the way she wanted it.

  “A stray bullet,” he answered quietly. “I was lucky it didn’t shatter my knee completely.”

  Yet another instance of how being involved with a lawman was not a good idea.

  He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out the leftover cheese and bread from their meal the night before. He moved toward her and offered it to Hannah.

  “No, thank you,” she said. The less time she spent with him, the better. “I’m not hungry, and I’d like to leave as soon as possible.”

  He nodded in agreement, and they spent the next few minutes packing up what they’d used.

  “We’d better ride the rest of the way separately,” she said once the horses were saddled and they were ready to leave. She’d taken a few minutes to attend to her personal needs and to run a brush through her hair. Without the benefit of a mirror, it had been difficult to pin her hair in place, but she’d done the best she could.

  When she’d returned, Kirby had slid his gaze over her, his eyes filled with desire and … lust. Yes, lust was the word she’d use to describe his heated gaze, a gaze that had made her body tingle and warmth seep through her veins and settle low in her belly.

  “I don’t want to arrive in Silver City so early in the morning accompanied by a man,” she said abruptly, forcing her mind away from the way her heart was racing.

  She already had to deal with scorn from some people because she was unmarried and earning her own living. Her reputation could never withstand the scandal of people thinking she’d been in a compromising situation.

  “That’s not a good idea,” he told her. “Whoever shot at you last night might still be out there.”

  She considered that for a moment. “If that’s the case, then he’s going to shoot me whether you’re beside me or not.”

  “That may be true, but together—”

  “If in fact Abel Cooper’s brother is after you or it’s someone else trying to kill me, if we’re together we could both be killed. If we’re apart, only one of us will be. It only makes sense to split up.”

  Kirby took off his hat and raked his fingers through his hair. He began to pace.

  Hannah watched him. Apparently this was what he did when he was thinking. Finally, he stopped and faced her.

  “I hate to say it, but you’re right,” he said. “The more I think about it, the more sure I am that it’s me he wants. Like I said last night, if he wanted to kill you, he would have. I realize it’s best if I’m not with you. You’re safer alone than you are with me.”

  She nodded. “Then I’ll leave now.”

  “Sure,” he agreed. “No problem. I’m in no hurry, so you might as well go on ahead and I’ll follow a bit later.”

  She nodded. “Thank you. I do think that would be best.”

  She walked over to where Dixie was saddled and waiting. She paused. The truth was, she didn’t want to leave. Even knowing it was the worst thing she could do, she wanted to spend more time with Kirby. If only he wasn’t a lawman …

  But he was! She’d sworn never to end up like her mother. Was this how her mother had been caught? Had her mother loved her father so desperately that she’d been willing to wait and worry every time he left the house? Or had that come later?

  She’d never asked her mother what her father did for a living when they met. She made a mental note to ask Florence when she got home. Perhaps he’d been a store clerk or a farmer and became a lawman later, when her mother was already in love. Surely she hadn’t married her father, knowing what her future would be like – worrying every minute of every day that we wouldn’t come home. Until the day he didn’t.

  “When this is over, I’d really like to come and call on you, Hannah.” Kirby’s voice broke into her thoughts.

  She looked at him, taking in the golden flecks in his eyes, the lines and planes of his face, the way his lips moved a little crookedly when he smiled. “It’s really not a good idea.”

  “Why not?” he persisted.

  “Because …”

  “I know you don’t dislike me as much as you want to.”

  She looked away. She didn’t want to see the desire in his eyes, desire she felt as well, even if she didn’t know exactly what it was she wanted. “I didn’t say I dislike you—”

  He closed the gap between them, cupping her chin and forcing her to look up at him. “Well, that’s good to hear, because unless you tell me not to, I’m going to kiss you now.”

  She should move away, should stop him, but she couldn’t force herself to move. And what was worse, she didn’t want to.

  For a long moment, their eyes met, the golden flecks in his eyes glimmering as his face dipped to meet hers.

  She’d never been kissed before, and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do, but it didn’t seem to matter to him. His eyes darkened, a fire building in the dark brown depths.

  Hannah’s heart thundered against her ribs, and she sucked in a breath, holding it as his mouth closed in on hers. Her body trembled with anticipation.

  His lips gently touched hers so gently, yet it seared her to her core. He released her chin, moving his hand until she felt it on the nape of her neck, his fingers threading through the strands of hair she hadn’t been able to contain with her hairpins.

  His other arm wrapped around her and drew her firmly against him. Her soft curves fit perfectly against his hardness, and she couldn’t tell if the heartbeat she felt was his or her own.

  His scent washed over her, and her senses reeled as he deepened the kiss. She heard herself let out a soft moan.

  Her body was on fire, and she didn’t care. All she knew was that she didn’t want it to ever end.

  A crow squawking overhead broke the spell.

  She pulled away, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. She gazed up at him, wondering if she held the same expression in her eyes.

  “I’d like to take you to supper tonight,” he said. “Please say you will.”

  “I thought you were riding straight to Denver today,” she said.

  “I can stay in Silver City overnight and still reach Denver in time for the trial tomorrow,” he replied. “So, will you have supper with me?”

  She wanted to refuse, but the words stuck in her throat. Because, God help her, she was falling in love with the one kind of man she’d sworn to herself to stay away from.

  Kirby watched Hannah ride away. His brain told him he’d done the right thing by letting her go on alone. But his insides clenched at the possibility he was wrong, and that Hannah was the target.

  If something happened to her … No! She’d be fine! Owen Cooper was after him, not her. Once Hannah was out of sight, he left Gypsy tethered to a tree and headed into the woods where the shots had come from the night before. It was cool and damp, the smell of decay filling his nose.

  He had a general idea of which direction to look, and he slowly wove his way through the underbrush, looking for a sign that he’d reached the spot.

  The search was painstakingly slow, and he had to squint to see clearly in the dim light. He was about to give up, thinking he must have gone off track or that he’d been wrong when he noticed what looked like dried blood on a
tree branch.

  He entered a small clearing, and when he parted two branches, he had a clear view of the mouth of the cave. The ground there had been disturbed and he saw footprints in the damp earth.

  Looking closer, he noticed a few drops of blood on the ground leading away from the clearing. He followed, eventually exiting the woods where footprints and hoofprints had trampled the dirt.

  Owen Cooper was gone. But for how long?

  Kirby retraced his steps until he reached the spot where Gypsy was waiting. He mounted and rode off at canter, scanning his surroundings, searching for a flash of metal glinting in the morning sunshine.

  He was exhausted, his body ached from sitting in the same position for hours, and he couldn’t wait to reach the hotel in Denver for a hot meal and a real bed.

  Where was Owen Cooper?

  As he rode, his gaze drifted to the foothills at the base of a stand of mountains in the west. His land was just over the ridge. Rich pasture and with ample water. Waiting for him.

  Waiting for him to finally decide he’d had enough of chasing after outlaws, breaking up saloon fights, and waiting for one gunslinger or another to call him out.

  His family, what was left of it, was there, too. Every time Kirby stopped to visit, Shane, his older brother, asked him to stay. He always refused.

  Today, for some reason he couldn’t explain, the temptation to forget about Denver and the Coopers was almost too hard to resist.

  But if he didn’t testify at Abel Cooper’s trial, Abel might be set free and they’d continue to rob and kill.

  No, he had no choice. He’d testify at the trial tomorrow, and his testimony would either keep Abel in prison for the rest of his life or see him hang.

  But tonight … tonight he’d call on Hannah, take her to supper and see if the strange feelings that filled him whenever he thought about her were more than just lust. His body made it clear every time they touched that he wanted her in his bed. But somehow, he sensed there was something much stronger, much deeper.

  Was this what love felt like? His brother had warned him that one day, some woman would make him want more than a quick roll in the hay. He’d find a woman he wanted to talk to, a woman he wanted to make happy, and woman who made him happy when they were together and who made him miserable when they were apart.