Texas Proud (Vincente 2) by Constance O'Banyon Page A

before her. Her red-gold hair shimmered like fire in the sun, and her slender form
was outlined by the green shirt she wore. She balanced his pistol in her hand, casually spinning the
cylinder.

    Noble treaded water, trying to stay in place because the current was pulling him downstream.
"Hello, Green Eyes. You'll excuse me if I'm less
than formally dressed. You see, I wasn't expecting
a visitor."
    Rachel glanced down at Noble's clothing. "So I
see." She hoped her presence made him feel uneasy. She certainly felt tense knowing that he was
naked, but she chose not to show it. Without
meeting his eyes, she said, "Nice gun ivory and
gold handle. Hmm, England-made by WevleyFosbery." She whistled through her teeth as if impressed, then spun the cylinder. "Smooth.
Certainly not a gun of the line." She ran her finger
down the polished barrel. "A specially made instrument of death."
    "It was my grandfather's."
    She met his gaze. Again she spun the cylinder.
"I never did understand why a man would carry
such an ornate weapon. Of course, myself, I prefer
a rifle. I can shoot a silver dollar out of the air
before it hits the ground did you know that?"
    He was growing fatigued. His legs and arms
ached from the constant paddling against the current. "If you'll turn your head so I can come out
and get dressed, we'll discuss my gun and your
marksmanship at length."
    She slowly shook her head. "I like it this way."
She leveled his gun at him. "Good balance. Most
definitely a gentleman's weapon." She pulled the
trigger and it clicked on an empty chamber.

    Noble didn't blink. In fact, he stared boldly back
at her without showing any emotion or any sign
of fear when she cocked the hammer and pressed
the trigger once more. Again it clicked on an
empty chamber, and she pressed the trigger again
and again, until the cylinder had advanced six
times.
    She opened her other hand, displaying the bullets she'd removed earlier. "You are trusting. You
couldn't have known I unloaded the gun. I'll say
this for you you've got grit."
    While his tone was cool, his voice was somewhat breathless because of his constant paddling.
"Rachel, you're the damnedest woman I've ever
met."
    She arched an inquiring eyebrow at him. "How
did you know I wouldn't shoot you?"
    "I reasoned that you wouldn't kill me while I'm
undressed." Humor crept into his voice. "How
would you ever explain my naked body to the voters who are considering your brother-in-law for
governor?"
    Rachel slowly, deliberately, loaded the gun and
turned her attention back to Noble. "You place
your faith in such a thin hope." She pulled back
the trigger. "It's loaded this time. And I don't give
a damn if my brother-in-law ever becomes governor of Texas."
    Noble merely stared back at her. He wondered
how much longer he could keep his head above
water. His arms and legs were throbbing and ach ing. "You're doing all the talking and you're holding the gun. Why don't you fire?"

    And she did. Rachel fired six times in succession, hitting a branch that was suspended just
above his head.
    He didn't flinch.
    "I like a man who doesn't scare easily," she
purred. Grudgingly, she felt respect for his steady
nerve. Would such a man shoot someone in the
back? she wondered. She nodded to herself this
man would, and had.
    "I know your game now," he said laughingly,
seemingly unruffled by her exhibition. "You intend to stay here until I am too tired to tread water, and then you'll watch me drown."
    "What an appealing notion." Rachel slipped his
gun back into its leather holster. "How long do
you think you could stay afloat before the current
drags you under?"
    "To tell the truth, I'm getting tired already. I'm
coming out."
    "I'm not leaving."
    "Suit yourself"
    She watched him swim toward shore, and despite her resolve to stay calm, she scampered to
her feet and took several steps backward. "You
wouldn't dare come out."
    Noble raised himself half out of the water.