recalled how she’d looked poised on the bank of the river, reaching up to the moon, her nude body and perfect breasts a feast for his hungry eyes. He’d seen women more shapely and beautiful. Morning Mist came to mind. But something about Dawn captured his senses. She called forth all his protective instincts.
His hands moved slowly over her bottom, spreading ointment and warmth with them. The taut mounds flexed beneath his touch, and he had the crazy urge to bend down and kiss away her hurt. With regret he set aside the ointment and pulled down her nightgown. If he touched her amoment longer he’d be tempted to do more. “There, is that better?”
“Much better,” Dawn said, rolling over onto her back. She couldn’t look him in the eye. Allowing this particular man to look upon her ugliness made her sad, and she didn’t know why.
Billy had delighted in goading her about her ugly dark skin and unattractive body. He ruthlessly called her a bag of bones, letting her know how lucky she was to have him. She’d tried to ignore his insults, but after a time she’d come to believe she truly was homely and unlovable. Not even her father had loved her.
“Get some sleep, Dawn. We’ll leave for town after breakfast tomorrow.”
Cole lay awake until he was sure Dawn had fallen asleep. Then he closed his eyes and drifted off. In that brief moment before sleep claimed him, he was shocked to realize that his fingers still tingled from touching her sweet flesh.
After breakfast the next morning Cole boosted Duke Riley onto Old Betsy’s back and waited for Dawn to come out of the cabin. She had tried to convince him to leave her behind, but Cole wouldn’t hear of it. It occurred to Cole that Dawn was unnaturally reluctant to go to town, and he blamed Cobb for her lack of confidence. If Dawn was to make her own way in the world after he left, she had to learn how to mingle with people. Taking her into Dodge was a start.
She finally appeared in the doorway. Cole was pleased to note that she wasn’t walking as stiffly as before and assumed the ointment had done itsjob. He helped her to mount and they rode off. Duke complained bitterly the entire time it took to reach Dodge. Riding the mule, his hands tied to the saddle horn, he swore so long and so loudly that Cole had to stuff a gag in his mouth. Cole had checked Duke’s wound just this morning and was pleased to note that it showed no sign of infection. Two men had been killed during the train robbery, and Cole wanted Duke to live long enough to hang for his crimes.
The closer they got to Dodge, the more nervous Dawn grew. Isolated as she’d been at the cabin, she’d never cared about her appearance, but being among people changed everything. She looked like a ragamuffin dressed in Billy’s cast-off clothing. The fact that she’d been married to an outlaw wasn’t going to endear her to anyone, she realized. The only way she could make a new life for herself was to go where no one knew her. And that took money.
The jailhouse was the first stop for the three dusty riders.
“So you got another one,” Sheriff Tayler said as he met them at the door.
“So it seems,” Cole said dryly. “This one needs a doctor. He’s Duke Riley, a member of Cobb’s gang. Showed up at the cabin looking for the money. That’s two down and two to go.”
Tayler untied Duke, locked him in a cell and sent his deputy for the doctor. Then he rummaged through his Wanted posters and found one for Duke Riley.
“There’s a two-hundred-dollar reward for Riley. The five hundred for Cobb hasn’t arrived yet, soI’ll just add this to it. The money to cover both rewards should arrive on the next mail train.”
“Give it to Cobb’s widow,” Cole said, indicating Dawn, who had tried to blend into the woodwork while Cole conducted his business.
Dawn hadn’t escaped Tayler’s notice. He couldn’t help wondering why she avoided looking at him. He admitted to being damn curious about the
His hands moved slowly over her bottom, spreading ointment and warmth with them. The taut mounds flexed beneath his touch, and he had the crazy urge to bend down and kiss away her hurt. With regret he set aside the ointment and pulled down her nightgown. If he touched her amoment longer he’d be tempted to do more. “There, is that better?”
“Much better,” Dawn said, rolling over onto her back. She couldn’t look him in the eye. Allowing this particular man to look upon her ugliness made her sad, and she didn’t know why.
Billy had delighted in goading her about her ugly dark skin and unattractive body. He ruthlessly called her a bag of bones, letting her know how lucky she was to have him. She’d tried to ignore his insults, but after a time she’d come to believe she truly was homely and unlovable. Not even her father had loved her.
“Get some sleep, Dawn. We’ll leave for town after breakfast tomorrow.”
Cole lay awake until he was sure Dawn had fallen asleep. Then he closed his eyes and drifted off. In that brief moment before sleep claimed him, he was shocked to realize that his fingers still tingled from touching her sweet flesh.
After breakfast the next morning Cole boosted Duke Riley onto Old Betsy’s back and waited for Dawn to come out of the cabin. She had tried to convince him to leave her behind, but Cole wouldn’t hear of it. It occurred to Cole that Dawn was unnaturally reluctant to go to town, and he blamed Cobb for her lack of confidence. If Dawn was to make her own way in the world after he left, she had to learn how to mingle with people. Taking her into Dodge was a start.
She finally appeared in the doorway. Cole was pleased to note that she wasn’t walking as stiffly as before and assumed the ointment had done itsjob. He helped her to mount and they rode off. Duke complained bitterly the entire time it took to reach Dodge. Riding the mule, his hands tied to the saddle horn, he swore so long and so loudly that Cole had to stuff a gag in his mouth. Cole had checked Duke’s wound just this morning and was pleased to note that it showed no sign of infection. Two men had been killed during the train robbery, and Cole wanted Duke to live long enough to hang for his crimes.
The closer they got to Dodge, the more nervous Dawn grew. Isolated as she’d been at the cabin, she’d never cared about her appearance, but being among people changed everything. She looked like a ragamuffin dressed in Billy’s cast-off clothing. The fact that she’d been married to an outlaw wasn’t going to endear her to anyone, she realized. The only way she could make a new life for herself was to go where no one knew her. And that took money.
The jailhouse was the first stop for the three dusty riders.
“So you got another one,” Sheriff Tayler said as he met them at the door.
“So it seems,” Cole said dryly. “This one needs a doctor. He’s Duke Riley, a member of Cobb’s gang. Showed up at the cabin looking for the money. That’s two down and two to go.”
Tayler untied Duke, locked him in a cell and sent his deputy for the doctor. Then he rummaged through his Wanted posters and found one for Duke Riley.
“There’s a two-hundred-dollar reward for Riley. The five hundred for Cobb hasn’t arrived yet, soI’ll just add this to it. The money to cover both rewards should arrive on the next mail train.”
“Give it to Cobb’s widow,” Cole said, indicating Dawn, who had tried to blend into the woodwork while Cole conducted his business.
Dawn hadn’t escaped Tayler’s notice. He couldn’t help wondering why she avoided looking at him. He admitted to being damn curious about the
Similar Books
