The Outlaw (4 page)

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.”

“A rich outlaws prodigal son, then?”

He grinned, Sarah saw, when she looked over
his shoulder. “No. My Pa’s a rancher. Or was. He’s not been himself
in a while though.” He grew quiet, a solemn look on his face, and
Sarah realized there was more he wasn’t telling her. She sat
quietly behind him and didn’t ask, giving him the privacy in the
matter he obviously wanted.

They rode half the morning in silence,
stopping for brief rest periods before moving on again. By midday,
sweat was rolling down Sarah’s back, her hair was plastered to her
head and her back ached. She was miserable but held her tongue. The
less she talked to Colt, the better off she was. She couldn’t
ignore him if she constantly engaged him in conversation.

Crossing over into Montana Territory, Sarah
knew the chances of William finding her were slim. He wouldn’t come
this far. He’d never been out of Wyoming as far as she knew and
never traveled far from home. Riding through the countryside to
find her would be hard on him and for some reason, she didn’t think
he would bother. He’d send someone else to look for her before he’d
do it himself. The thought saddened her. If William loved her, he’d
move hell and earth to find her himself, wouldn’t he?

A distant roar of thunder caused her to look
up. The sky was blue and cloudless and she puzzled over the fact.
The sound was muted once they descended the next hill but soon
grew. Looking behind her, her eyes widened as her fists clenched in
the material of Colt’s shirt. “We have company, Colt.”

He turned his head to look behind them. “Damn
it. Hold on.” Spurring the horse into a run, Sarah wrapped her arms
around his waist and held on for dear life. The wind whipped her
hair into a mass of tangles that obscured her vision. Lowering her
head, she buried her face into Colt’s back and hoped she wouldn’t
fall off the horse.

The rumble of horses running grew louder and
Sarah dared a glance back at them. One man had broken free of the
approaching riders. She couldn’t see him clearly but she imagined
it was Virgil. He lifted his right hand and it took Sarah a moment
to realize what he was doing. The blast from his gun forced a
scream from her throat. “He’s shooting at us!”