Hannah Howell by Stolen Ecstasy Page A

woman. He half smiled as he recalled Charlie’s comment only moments ago. She did look like a cute little kid. Charlie was also right to wonder how someone who could look so sweet while sleeping could be so tart when awake. The girl was a bundle of contradictions.
    He nudged her with his foot. His eyes widened slightly at the curse she sputtered as she kicked out at him. She didn’t learn that at any fancy boarding school, he thought and chuckled softly.
    “Come on. Wake up.” He nudged her again and almost smiled at the cross look she gave him as she sat up rubbing her eyes.
    Frowning as she looked around, Leanne asked, “Where is everyone?”
    “East, west, north, and south. One each way. They’re making sure we really lost that posse.”
    “Well then, what did you wake me up for?” Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “Are you thinking of bolting with the loot?”
    “Nope.” Taking her by the arm, he gently tugged her to her feet. “We’re going to town.”
    “To town? There’s one near?”
    “Three miles to the southwest.” He watched as she used water from a canteen to dampen his handkerchief, which she had obviously cleaned and usurped for her own use, then wiped her face and neck. “You can stop plotting. It’d be a waste of time to try anything.”
    That cool voice interrupted the plan for escape she had been formulating and she eyed him crossly. “Why? No law in this town?”
    “Oh, there’s law—of a sort.”
    “Martin’s sort, huh?”
    “Not quite that low. But this man intends to retire alive, so he—well, ignores a lot. Besides, he’s a friend of mine.”
    “I begin to think it’s past time someone in authority had a good look at what passes for law out here.”
    “It’s no better or worse than what they have back east.” Taking her by the hand, he tugged her along with him as he strode to his horse. “Fact is, I think our lot is far more honest in their dishonesty.”
    “There’s an enlightened observation on human nature.”
    “Get on the horse.”
    “I don’t suppose I can walk to town.”
    “Nope,” he grasped her by the waist and hefted her up into the saddle, “I don’t suppose you can.”
    “Just what are we going to town for?” she asked as he mounted behind her.
    Collecting the reins, he started them on their way. “You need a few things before we go any further. You need a hat, some gloves, and another set of clothes.”
    “Ah, this place has a town drunk too?”
    “And you need your lips sewn together.”
    Not able to tell by his tone of voice whether or not he was jesting or furious, she decided she would take the safer course and be silent. She had begun to see that she would gain very little by needling him.
    As they rode into the small, somewhat ramshackle town she spotted a bath house. Only for a moment did she dismiss the idea of using such a place. A hot bath was a luxury she might have few chances of enjoying.
    “You know what else I need?”
    “What?”
    “A bath.”
    Glancing towards the sign she was staring at, he murmured, “You are getting a little ripe.”
    “And you, of course, are a proper bouquet of roses.”
    “A bath would be appreciated.”
    It was not until they were inside the place that Leanne realized that a moment of private indulgence was not going to be hers. Hunter ignored her hissed complaints as he ordered two tubs of hot water. What privacy he demanded was only to separate the pair of them from whoever else might decide to use the facilities. It was not until they stood by two steaming tubs of water in a blanket-curtained alcove that she was really able to voice her complaint about the arrangement.
    “I refuse to take a bath right where you can see me.”
    “Then I guess that nice hot water will go to waste.” He hung his hat on a peg and sat on a rickety chair to tug off his boots.
    “I should be allowed some privacy.”
    “I’ll turn my back.” He did so even as he started to undo his shirt. “That’s