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)
“I’ll do it.”
Robert. He focused on him and not the two who were too busy pretending they’d not heard him. A few inches shorter than most of the riders, Robert often made him wonder if it wasn’t hard to be so small. Straightforward brown eyes met him from beneath the brim of his hat.
“Good. As soon as you can.”
Robert stood up and buckled on his weapons over his pants. He shoved into his boots before grabbing his saddlebags. Cy wanted to object but their top priority was keeping the delivery going. With a disgusted glare at the two who refused to step up, he led the way out.
“I have another horse—”
“Polaris will do.” The interruption came immediately. Firm and definitely expecting that statement to be followed.
He slowed so Robert’s shorter stride put them even. In the stable, he took a deep breath and saddled Polaris. He attached the delivery while Robert slid his rifle into the scabbard.
“Good luck.” Cy’s gaze travelled down to where the black handle of his revolver sat against one leg. Wait a minute. I thought Robert had silver ones. Before he could think on it anymore, the dun gelding had taken off.
Right now, Cy had more important things to attend but then he’d turn his attention to what it was about Robert that bothered him so much. Gathering the medical supplies needed, he went to tend the gelding.
Chapter 2
Rebecca ate in the saddle, constantly scanning around for trouble. Fear clenched at her, as did the desire for sleep. Sure, she knew it was dangerous being a rider, but she’d not expected so much exposure to that harsh reality so much her first day.
Thankfully, Polaris seemed perfectly fine. So she ate, rode, and thought about the station manager. Cyrus Spencer. She remembered Robert telling her they had a new one, she’d just neglected to recall it what with being so concerned about hiding her identity. Nothing her brother had said however had prepared her for actually seeing him for the first time.
Her jaw almost hit the ground when she saw him. Rugged. Handsome. And for some reason apparently capable of making her forget all reason.
He had dark hazel eyes with masculine and chiseled features. He was a large man, all over his barrel-chest impressive, towering over her by at least a foot. She didn’t see a lick of fat on him. Everything she saw was muscular. Brown hair with streaks of sun lightening blond hung to his shoulders. Not a full beard but scruff covered his face.
His golden tan muscular physique was one view, which drew her eyes more than once. Broad shoulders and powerful arms strained at the seam of his long sleeve shirt, which sat tucked into denim trousers. She’d not seen many of them, heard of them but they were rare to see, a lot more expensive than her family could afford. Lean hips and long legs of corded muscle. His nose appeared to have been broken a time or two and a sensual mouth. The lower lip plumper than the top but it didn’t matter.
Never in all her nineteen years had she experienced such a strong desire to touch a man. She wondered what it would be like in his embrace. Her body had felt weird and hypersensitive just from his voice. Then when he looked at her…everything escalated.
Despite being deeply lost in her musings, she caught the flick of Polaris’ ears. Slowing him, she stared in the indicated direction. She searched the sky and frowned at the familiar outlines of scavenger birds. Worrying her lower lip, she hesitated. The delivery was already late. But she couldn’t in good conscious ignore the fact a man could be lying near possibly close to death.
“Come on, boy.” She withdrew the rifle from the scabbard and laid it across her lap as Polaris deviated off their predetermined trail.
They moved cautiously and then she saw him. A badly mangled body with blood streaming from his wounds. One final look around to ensure she was truly alone then she dismounted to land near him. She’d never been squeamish but this image turned her stomach. The sight of his chest moving—no matter how shallow—spurred her into action.
“Bill,” she said crouching by him and touching shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here.”
The sole remaining eye opened. “Wh…wh…”
“Quiet,” she ordered with calm authority. She whistled bringing Polaris and she took some water before sinking back beside him. “Can you move?”
“Yes.” Slowly he sat. She gave him the water and checked his injuries before patching him the best she could with what she had.
“Let’s go.”
“Why you?”
Carefully they stood. Bill weak from blood loss and being unprotected from the blazing sun. The man used Polaris to assist in steadying him while she tore a cloth to wrap around his head and empty eye socket.