rode toward the saloon. Still, she didn't hear shouts, breaking glass, or the usual revelry that accompanied a visit from the Devil's own. But then she couldn't hear anything very well inside the house.
Even though she should remain in the cabin and hide, as she and everyone else always did when the banditos came, too much silence altered her better judgment, and Mary stepped onto her porch. She couldn't see a thing because the blasted schoolhouse was in the way. She'd always liked her little cabin, set back from the main part of town, but right now what she wouldn't give for a front-row view.
Reese might not sneak, but Mary wasn't proud. She crept along the side of the school until she could see the hotel. She peered up the street, then down. No sign of anyone—townsfolk, hired guns, or banditos—anywhere. How odd.
Before she ran across the distance separating the school from the hotel, Mary took one final glance behind her and came face to chest with a man blocking her path.
Mary screamed. Quite loudly. She was very proud. Until a hand clamped over her mouth.
Panic had her thrashing and fighting, kicking and biting. Then another set of arms yanked her from the first man's grasp, and a fist shot out, knocking Rico along the jaw. He went down like a sack of flour dropped off the edge of a wagon.
"What in hell do you think you're doing?" Reese snapped.
"He-he was just there. When I turned around. I didn't hear him, and there he was."
"Not you. Him."
Rico sat on the ground, rubbing his jaw. The four other men came running from both the front and the back of the hotel, weapons drawn. But when they saw who was making the ruckus, they put their guns away.
"Did you need to hit me, Capitan? I will have a bruise on my beautiful face."
"You'd better talk fast and make it good or you won't have a face."
Reese continued to hold Mary against him so tightly her feet dangled above the ground. Though the gun in his hand pressed just below her breasts, hard enough to bruise, Mary didn't demand to be put down, because being held felt too good.
"I am sorry, senorita. I did not mean to frighten you. I only meant to make certain the bad men had not doubled around back. Then I saw you and thought I should warn you not to be outside yet. I am quiet. Sullivan says it is my gift, like his." He glanced at Reese and rubbed his face again. "Also my curse, it seems."
"I'm gonna put a cowbell around your damn neck."
"But then I would be no good for spying, Capitan. No good at all."
"You're good for nothing that's for sure. Get lost."
"Getting lost, senor."
Rico climbed to his feet, winked at Mary, then spun on his boot and joined the other men. Together they tromped into the hotel.
Mary glanced up the street. People were coming out of their businesses and homes to check the damage. For the first time, there wasn't any, which made Mary feel a whole lot better about having brought these six men to Rock Creek.
"You can put me down now," Mary said. It wouldn't do for the townsfolk to see her being held by Reese. What would they think?
"Hmm? Oh, sure." He lowered her to the ground and released her.
Absently, she rubbed the sore spot from his gun. His cat eyes followed the movement, drifting over her bodice; then his lips tightened, and he spun away with an annoyed curse.
"Where are you going?" She hurried after him.
"To my room."
"But... but... I want to know what happened."
"I don't care what you want. I want to go to bed."
"Wait!"
He kept on walking. She hiked her skirts and ran past him, planting herself in his path. He moved to the right. So did she. He moved to the left She stepped that way too.
"Move, Miss McKendrick, or I'll make you."
She lifted her chin. "Make me."
He narrowed his gaze then threw up his hands. "What is the matter with you? What kind of woman comes to Dallas alone, searches out a man like me, then welcomes him and his down-and-dirty companions into town like royalty."
"A woman like me. And your friends
Even though she should remain in the cabin and hide, as she and everyone else always did when the banditos came, too much silence altered her better judgment, and Mary stepped onto her porch. She couldn't see a thing because the blasted schoolhouse was in the way. She'd always liked her little cabin, set back from the main part of town, but right now what she wouldn't give for a front-row view.
Reese might not sneak, but Mary wasn't proud. She crept along the side of the school until she could see the hotel. She peered up the street, then down. No sign of anyone—townsfolk, hired guns, or banditos—anywhere. How odd.
Before she ran across the distance separating the school from the hotel, Mary took one final glance behind her and came face to chest with a man blocking her path.
Mary screamed. Quite loudly. She was very proud. Until a hand clamped over her mouth.
Panic had her thrashing and fighting, kicking and biting. Then another set of arms yanked her from the first man's grasp, and a fist shot out, knocking Rico along the jaw. He went down like a sack of flour dropped off the edge of a wagon.
"What in hell do you think you're doing?" Reese snapped.
"He-he was just there. When I turned around. I didn't hear him, and there he was."
"Not you. Him."
Rico sat on the ground, rubbing his jaw. The four other men came running from both the front and the back of the hotel, weapons drawn. But when they saw who was making the ruckus, they put their guns away.
"Did you need to hit me, Capitan? I will have a bruise on my beautiful face."
"You'd better talk fast and make it good or you won't have a face."
Reese continued to hold Mary against him so tightly her feet dangled above the ground. Though the gun in his hand pressed just below her breasts, hard enough to bruise, Mary didn't demand to be put down, because being held felt too good.
"I am sorry, senorita. I did not mean to frighten you. I only meant to make certain the bad men had not doubled around back. Then I saw you and thought I should warn you not to be outside yet. I am quiet. Sullivan says it is my gift, like his." He glanced at Reese and rubbed his face again. "Also my curse, it seems."
"I'm gonna put a cowbell around your damn neck."
"But then I would be no good for spying, Capitan. No good at all."
"You're good for nothing that's for sure. Get lost."
"Getting lost, senor."
Rico climbed to his feet, winked at Mary, then spun on his boot and joined the other men. Together they tromped into the hotel.
Mary glanced up the street. People were coming out of their businesses and homes to check the damage. For the first time, there wasn't any, which made Mary feel a whole lot better about having brought these six men to Rock Creek.
"You can put me down now," Mary said. It wouldn't do for the townsfolk to see her being held by Reese. What would they think?
"Hmm? Oh, sure." He lowered her to the ground and released her.
Absently, she rubbed the sore spot from his gun. His cat eyes followed the movement, drifting over her bodice; then his lips tightened, and he spun away with an annoyed curse.
"Where are you going?" She hurried after him.
"To my room."
"But... but... I want to know what happened."
"I don't care what you want. I want to go to bed."
"Wait!"
He kept on walking. She hiked her skirts and ran past him, planting herself in his path. He moved to the right. So did she. He moved to the left She stepped that way too.
"Move, Miss McKendrick, or I'll make you."
She lifted her chin. "Make me."
He narrowed his gaze then threw up his hands. "What is the matter with you? What kind of woman comes to Dallas alone, searches out a man like me, then welcomes him and his down-and-dirty companions into town like royalty."
"A woman like me. And your friends
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