Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
He could go faster but she wasn’t sure if more lay in wait ahead. A sting tore across her arm and she said some words that would have gotten her mama to take a switch to her. To hell with this. She shot under her arm at them before making herself as small a target as possible.
“Go Polaris, run!”
Bless his heart her sweat-covered horse did just that. He flew, stretched out, and finally the cries, known to strike fear in those who heard them, fell beneath the endless pounding of hooves.
Eventually she slowed him to a walk. Sides heaving and head hanging, he plodded along. Nervous, she continued to watch the clouds that had replaced the Indians in gaining on her.
“May have to run again,” she muttered, casting a glance down to the bags on her saddle. They held her things but she wanted him to carry the least amount possible. She had close to another hour before reaching the station.
The first fat drop of icy rain fell and she knew there was no way to outrun the fury coming for her. She saw the wall of rain approaching and had but one thought—get out of it as fast as she could.
“I know you’re tired, boy, but you need to run again.” Polaris responded and they took off. The rain, however, bore down on them along with fierce wind. It tore around them, sending dirt into her skin with painful accuracy.
She nearly swore in relief when she came upon an abandoned barn. The homestead sat burnt to rubble but this remained. She swung off Polaris and struggled with the door. After guiding her reluctant horse in, she again fought to get it shut. She didn’t want to turn him loose and prayed it was only rain coming. The interior was almost pitch black; the few missing boards didn’t offer much light given how dark it was outside. Nevertheless, they were out of the worst of it.
A sudden flash of lightning had her swallowing a scream and reaching for her guns. Jumpy. She was just jumpy. Blowing out a breath, she touched Polaris’ side trying to calm down. Her arm throbbed from the slice of the arrow yet she ignored it. To dark to do anything now, plus the rain had washed it out.
Polaris whickered and she tensed again, cursing when an answering horse sounded. There was someone in here with her!
A hand snaked around her midsection while a second one covered her mouth, silencing her scream. Give up? Without a fight? No way, that wasn’t how she had been raised. She struggled and went for her closest weapon. Just as her fingers curled about the handle, a familiar deep voice murmured in her ear.
“Calm down you crazy woman. It’s me, Cy. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Cy. Now she trembled for entirely different reasons. His large hard body pressed against hers. His heat offered her warmth.
“I don’t know who’s out there, so stay quiet, okay?”
If she didn’t respond would he continue to hold her so close and tight?
“Answer me, Rebecca.”
He called her by her name, oh dear Lord. It didn’t matter it wasn’t the first time, her body reacted as if it was. And he’d done a great job of doing it when they were alone cooking together.
She removed a sodden glove, wanting to touch his skin and tapped the hand covering her mouth. He didn’t immediately release her. His fingers flexed against her flat stomach and he pressed tighter to her back.
Goodness, she felt hot. Her skin flushed and her heart pounded like a heard of stampeding cattle. One odor she could only identify as man had replaced the musty scent she’d first smelled upon entering. Cy smelled of horses, leather, the outdoors, and even rain. As well as a masculine scent. She wanted to roll in it. Soak in it. He smelled divine. A man’s man.
She tapped again and he removed his hand. Still didn’t stop the tensing she did when callused fingertips dragged teasingly along her lips. Her breaths came sharp and shallow.
“Keep your voice down.”
She couldn’t speak immediately. Her mouth was as dry as the ground around her had been before the rain. The through process of her brain was addled and slower than normal. Obviously, he meant he wanted an answer now.
His large hands were remarkably gentle as he spun her to face him. Although it was hard to make out his features, she still tilted her head back as if she could clearly see him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came looking for you.” He huffed. “This is why you shouldn’t be here. You’re a distraction.”
She drew back a bit at the venom in his voice. His fingers tightened on the flesh of her upper arms, returning her to the close proximity he’d had her at before. She bit back a moan of pain when he squeezed her injury. “No one knows I’m a woman except you. So how is it my fault you’re distracted? I never asked you to come looking for me. Nor did I expect it.”