Read Online Yellow Rock by Elle Marlow - Free Book Online

was placed on that stage only to have those Indians…” her gaze dropped to her hands that started shaking while her mind threatened to race away with her. Maybe she had taken her privileged life for granted, maybe she had spent most of her youth feeling sorry for herself for not having a mama. But she didn’t deserve to go through this new hell.
    A warm hand covered hers and squeezed. She lifted her gaze to Dutch and his intent stare held her just as tightly as he held her hand.
    “That ordeal is behind you now.”
    “No it’s not. It’s right on top of me. Like a dark cloud that just won’t leave.”
    “Give it some time, Willow. Nothing in this life stays the same for long. You plan on walking this way, and world shoves you in a whole new unexpected direction.”
    She nodded in agreement, obviously she’d never planned to live out in the wilderness with a gun wielding prospector, but she knew now it was a blessing. This new, greener world where just a few sickly looking pine trees dotted the landscape, looked peaceful. Like a place where a person could take a deep breath and get a hold of themselves.
    “Well, Dutchman, I guess if life is determined to shove me someplace else, this place is as good as any.”
    ***
    Someone or something was inside his cabin oblivious to their arrival and making one heck of a racket. Willow’s eyes widened like a frightened doe, so Dutch pointed his finger at Fatty and whispered for her to stand behind the animal for protection. His blood pounded past his ears as he stepped on the porch with both guns drawn. Whoever was inside, he figured was drunk judging by the sounds of things falling off the walls. With a hard kick, he opened the cabin door, ready to fire.
    In the dark, a snarl came toward him before a white raccoon bounded out between his legs and out the door like it’s tail was on fire. Dutch’s shoulders relaxed as he lowered his guns.
    He walked inside hearing Willow’s footsteps quickly come up behind him.
    “Everything’s alright, Willow. The little critter knocked the cans off the shelves. And look, he went and scattered all my flour across the floor. It looks like he might have rolled himself in it.”
    “You should have just gone ahead and shot him. He’d already gone to the trouble to bread himself, the least we could have done is fried him up like Sunday’s chicken. Now we don’t have anything to serve the ladies from the Baptist Church when they come to gather peaches for their pies,” she said, looking around his cabin with disgust.
    Her unexpected words and the serious sparkle to her eyes, struck him funny. Obviously, when he drew his guns on an unknown intruder, it had frightened her enough to shake her mind a little, but he couldn’t stop the chuckle that bubbled in his throat before he broke out in full fit of laughter. When he looked at her again, she was smiling too. A real smile that made his laughter die right then and there.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked, oblivious to how for the second time, she rendered him stupid.
    “Nothing. It’s just…”
    “What?”
    “You’re beautiful, and you should smile more.”
    “That’s why I’m here Dutchman. To figure out how to do that.”
    “Good.”
    Dutch didn’t know what to do, having a woman hanging around. The last woman he was with, lived her life under the rule of men. This woman knew no such boundaries. If she noticed there wasn’t enough wood to cook with, she’d assigned herself the task of gathering kindling. Her enthusiasm to lend a hand, would’ve made any officer proud, and he wondered if her insistence to be helpful had anything to do with being raised by a military man.
    She came into his cabin, carrying an armful of wood, wearing his clothes, and blowing a swath of stray blonde hair out of her eyes.
    “I think I’ve gathered enough to cook us a meal.”
    Just when he thought he’d seen everything about her that would surprise him, she’d gone and found some other way to