horizon and she heaved a
relieving sigh. She reined Chessie off the path, removed her gun, wrapped the
holster around it and stuffed both in her saddlebag. With her secret hidden, she
nudged Chessie into a gallop.
A hot bath, tasty supper and a good night’s sleep was what
Ellie needed. She waved to the guard sitting on the fence rail, figuring she’d
worry about the Bryants tomorrow.
Ty walked out of the barn as Ellie entered the compound. He
had the most bothersome timing. She grimaced, hoping not to be interrogated
about her daily activities.
The rising desire to run and tell him all about Jeb’s
inappropriate behavior became overwhelming. She craved having Ty hold her and
tell her everything was all right, but she fought the urge.
Her mind boggled at such strange notions. Why the sudden
need to have him involved in her business? Maybe she wanted to feel the comfort
she imagined those muscular arms could provide
She expelled a rush of air through pursed lips. God, he was
good-looking. Why did he make her feel so… so…womanly?
Ellie gave a brief nod as she rode into the barn. Hopefully,
he would go on into the house so she could stow her weapon back in its hiding
place.
She dismounted and began to unsaddle Chessie. Her heart
still raced and she wasn’t sure of the cause.
“You were gone for quite a while.” Ty’s voice broke the
silence.
“Uh huh,” she
answered, staying focused on the task at hand. The timbre of his voice
threatened to distract her.
“Did you have a nice time?”
“Uh huh.”
“I…Ellie, I need to…”
Ellie glanced at him. Perspiration dotted his forehead. He
fidgeted with his collar, looking like he was about say something, but didn’t. Why
this sudden inability to speak? Her heart skipped a beat. Was something wrong
with Pa?
“Spit it out, Ty. For heaven sakes, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Oh, nothin’s wrong. I just wanted to ask
you…ah…”
“Ask me what?” She leaned in and, for exaggerated emphasis,
cocked her head to listen. His curious behavior made her anxious, but she
remembered him starting to question her earlier. For heaven sakes, a simple
discussion shouldn’t be this hard.
“Ah…are you hungry? Cook’s got a fine meal prepared in the
house.” Ty quickly spun on his heel and left.
Ellie rubbed the scowl puckering her brow and shook her
head. Surely food wasn’t what made him so nervous.
Always the smooth-talker, he suddenly had lockjaw. What was
really on his mind? He wasn’t one to be rushed; she knew that. If he had
something to ask, he’d do it when he was good and ready. But he’d stirred her
nosy side into a frenzy . If she was a man, she’d shake
it out of him.
Ellie stashed her gun in the hayloft, curried Chessie and
gave her some oats before leaving the barn. She stopped at the pump to wash her
hands, and on the porch stomped her boots to clean them. Three
times. She chuckled at her copycat antics as she hung her hat on the
outside wall, opened the door and entered. Her stomach rumbled.
All eyes focused on her. She grinned nervously and ran her
hands through her tousled locks. The delicious aroma of fried chicken filled
the room. Ellie inhaled deeply.
“Oh, it smells wonderful in here. I’m starved.”
She pulled out the chair next to her father, sat and
anxiously eyed the platters of food while she waited for them to reach her end
of the table.
“Well, where ya been, daughter?” Ben asked. “I’d feel much
better if you let a body know where you’re off to.”
“Oh Pa, there’s no need to fret.” The words weighed heavy on
her tongue, but she was resolute in keeping her secret. She brushed an errant
tress over her shoulder. “I can handle myself. I was out enjoying the beautiful
weather while I still can. I took a ride up in the hills.” With an inward sigh,
she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate. Life had become one lie after
another, but not because she enjoyed it.
Ben’s eyebrows joined
relieving sigh. She reined Chessie off the path, removed her gun, wrapped the
holster around it and stuffed both in her saddlebag. With her secret hidden, she
nudged Chessie into a gallop.
A hot bath, tasty supper and a good night’s sleep was what
Ellie needed. She waved to the guard sitting on the fence rail, figuring she’d
worry about the Bryants tomorrow.
Ty walked out of the barn as Ellie entered the compound. He
had the most bothersome timing. She grimaced, hoping not to be interrogated
about her daily activities.
The rising desire to run and tell him all about Jeb’s
inappropriate behavior became overwhelming. She craved having Ty hold her and
tell her everything was all right, but she fought the urge.
Her mind boggled at such strange notions. Why the sudden
need to have him involved in her business? Maybe she wanted to feel the comfort
she imagined those muscular arms could provide
She expelled a rush of air through pursed lips. God, he was
good-looking. Why did he make her feel so… so…womanly?
Ellie gave a brief nod as she rode into the barn. Hopefully,
he would go on into the house so she could stow her weapon back in its hiding
place.
She dismounted and began to unsaddle Chessie. Her heart
still raced and she wasn’t sure of the cause.
“You were gone for quite a while.” Ty’s voice broke the
silence.
“Uh huh,” she
answered, staying focused on the task at hand. The timbre of his voice
threatened to distract her.
“Did you have a nice time?”
“Uh huh.”
“I…Ellie, I need to…”
Ellie glanced at him. Perspiration dotted his forehead. He
fidgeted with his collar, looking like he was about say something, but didn’t. Why
this sudden inability to speak? Her heart skipped a beat. Was something wrong
with Pa?
“Spit it out, Ty. For heaven sakes, what’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Oh, nothin’s wrong. I just wanted to ask
you…ah…”
“Ask me what?” She leaned in and, for exaggerated emphasis,
cocked her head to listen. His curious behavior made her anxious, but she
remembered him starting to question her earlier. For heaven sakes, a simple
discussion shouldn’t be this hard.
“Ah…are you hungry? Cook’s got a fine meal prepared in the
house.” Ty quickly spun on his heel and left.
Ellie rubbed the scowl puckering her brow and shook her
head. Surely food wasn’t what made him so nervous.
Always the smooth-talker, he suddenly had lockjaw. What was
really on his mind? He wasn’t one to be rushed; she knew that. If he had
something to ask, he’d do it when he was good and ready. But he’d stirred her
nosy side into a frenzy . If she was a man, she’d shake
it out of him.
Ellie stashed her gun in the hayloft, curried Chessie and
gave her some oats before leaving the barn. She stopped at the pump to wash her
hands, and on the porch stomped her boots to clean them. Three
times. She chuckled at her copycat antics as she hung her hat on the
outside wall, opened the door and entered. Her stomach rumbled.
All eyes focused on her. She grinned nervously and ran her
hands through her tousled locks. The delicious aroma of fried chicken filled
the room. Ellie inhaled deeply.
“Oh, it smells wonderful in here. I’m starved.”
She pulled out the chair next to her father, sat and
anxiously eyed the platters of food while she waited for them to reach her end
of the table.
“Well, where ya been, daughter?” Ben asked. “I’d feel much
better if you let a body know where you’re off to.”
“Oh Pa, there’s no need to fret.” The words weighed heavy on
her tongue, but she was resolute in keeping her secret. She brushed an errant
tress over her shoulder. “I can handle myself. I was out enjoying the beautiful
weather while I still can. I took a ride up in the hills.” With an inward sigh,
she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate. Life had become one lie after
another, but not because she enjoyed it.
Ben’s eyebrows joined
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