so even before you puckered up with me that very first time, she was in your life. Maybe I should do this woman a favor and make her a widow.”
How could he have betrayed the woman he was going to marry by kissing Ruby? He couldn’t be the man she’d believed he was if he had knowingly smacked his lips with hers all those years ago and then gone home to stand before a preacher man.
“No, I didn’t know we were going to marry. It wasn’t planned. I didn’t tie the knot with her until six months after I left your place.”
Ruby sighed. Thank goodness he’d never taken her up on her offer. But still, the man was attached with a ring and a vow; he shouldn’t be smacking lips with Ruby now.
“Maybe it’s time we caught some shut eye.” She climbed into her bedroll, still smarting from the fact that for once she’d felt safe in a man’s arms. She’d enjoyed his touch and hadn’t cringed until after the kiss when she’d learned he was married.
Listening, she heard him rustling around getting into his bedroll. Finally, he settled down and she began to relax.
“Just like your father dying unexpectedly, sometimes things happen to people and they have no control. I hadn’t planned on marrying Laura,” he said from across the fire in the darkness.
Years ago, she’d been so angry when he’d ridden off that afternoon after telling her no, she’d even pulled out her gun and fired at him. Then he’d gone home and married another woman. If this didn’t prove to her that men were simple-minded creatures who didn’t know what they wanted, what would? She didn’t need the heartache. Her independence was much more satisfying.
“After kissing me, you married Laura.” Not that kissing was a commitment, more like a promise.
“I had no choice.”
“Well, I do. Goodnight, Deke. As soon as we catch Rivera, we part ways forever. Do you understand?”
“Clearly.”
Hopefully after tomorrow, they would never see each other again.
Chapter Five
A s they rode into Hide Town, Ruby noticed that though the town was small, a fair amount of people bustled about. There was a hotel, a mercantile, a saloon, the sheriff’s office, a barber, livery stable, blacksmith, and a church. Several homes were on the outskirts of town, and then there were the shanties. Those tiny buildings, built of scrap, where men and women lived with barely enough room to survive.
Ruby cringed at the thought of having to live in a dwelling that was more like a cell than a home. Usually, they consisted of a kitchen and a bed. Nothing else.
“I’ve been thinking, Ruby. Maybe we should check into the hotel and pretend we’re married. That way you’ll be protected,” Deke said, glancing over at her.
She shot him her surliest look, her lungs freezing at the audacity of him. The man was married. And she wasn’t sharing a hotel room with a man who had a wife. “Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
“If I need to explain the reason why a single woman and a married man do not share a hotel room, then you’re not the man I thought you were. In fact, I’m going to check into the Hide Town Hotel and pretend I don’t even know you. I would suggest you do the same. This way we can both be scouting around town without anyone knowing we’re connected.” Though Ruby had never lain with a man before, she knew most people assumed the worst about her. They thought that because she was strong and hunted criminals for a living she’d probably slept with half of Texas. Well, surprise, she was a virgin.
And she intended to stay one for a while. There was no hurry or reason for her to lay with a man.
Their horses clip clopped along the street as they headed toward the livery stables. People stopped and stared at the two of them riding into town.
“We’ve already been spotted coming in together,” Deke said.
“That doesn’t mean we know each other.”
“No, but they’re going to wonder if we do.”
So what. This was a town filled with
How could he have betrayed the woman he was going to marry by kissing Ruby? He couldn’t be the man she’d believed he was if he had knowingly smacked his lips with hers all those years ago and then gone home to stand before a preacher man.
“No, I didn’t know we were going to marry. It wasn’t planned. I didn’t tie the knot with her until six months after I left your place.”
Ruby sighed. Thank goodness he’d never taken her up on her offer. But still, the man was attached with a ring and a vow; he shouldn’t be smacking lips with Ruby now.
“Maybe it’s time we caught some shut eye.” She climbed into her bedroll, still smarting from the fact that for once she’d felt safe in a man’s arms. She’d enjoyed his touch and hadn’t cringed until after the kiss when she’d learned he was married.
Listening, she heard him rustling around getting into his bedroll. Finally, he settled down and she began to relax.
“Just like your father dying unexpectedly, sometimes things happen to people and they have no control. I hadn’t planned on marrying Laura,” he said from across the fire in the darkness.
Years ago, she’d been so angry when he’d ridden off that afternoon after telling her no, she’d even pulled out her gun and fired at him. Then he’d gone home and married another woman. If this didn’t prove to her that men were simple-minded creatures who didn’t know what they wanted, what would? She didn’t need the heartache. Her independence was much more satisfying.
“After kissing me, you married Laura.” Not that kissing was a commitment, more like a promise.
“I had no choice.”
“Well, I do. Goodnight, Deke. As soon as we catch Rivera, we part ways forever. Do you understand?”
“Clearly.”
Hopefully after tomorrow, they would never see each other again.
Chapter Five
A s they rode into Hide Town, Ruby noticed that though the town was small, a fair amount of people bustled about. There was a hotel, a mercantile, a saloon, the sheriff’s office, a barber, livery stable, blacksmith, and a church. Several homes were on the outskirts of town, and then there were the shanties. Those tiny buildings, built of scrap, where men and women lived with barely enough room to survive.
Ruby cringed at the thought of having to live in a dwelling that was more like a cell than a home. Usually, they consisted of a kitchen and a bed. Nothing else.
“I’ve been thinking, Ruby. Maybe we should check into the hotel and pretend we’re married. That way you’ll be protected,” Deke said, glancing over at her.
She shot him her surliest look, her lungs freezing at the audacity of him. The man was married. And she wasn’t sharing a hotel room with a man who had a wife. “Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
“If I need to explain the reason why a single woman and a married man do not share a hotel room, then you’re not the man I thought you were. In fact, I’m going to check into the Hide Town Hotel and pretend I don’t even know you. I would suggest you do the same. This way we can both be scouting around town without anyone knowing we’re connected.” Though Ruby had never lain with a man before, she knew most people assumed the worst about her. They thought that because she was strong and hunted criminals for a living she’d probably slept with half of Texas. Well, surprise, she was a virgin.
And she intended to stay one for a while. There was no hurry or reason for her to lay with a man.
Their horses clip clopped along the street as they headed toward the livery stables. People stopped and stared at the two of them riding into town.
“We’ve already been spotted coming in together,” Deke said.
“That doesn’t mean we know each other.”
“No, but they’re going to wonder if we do.”
So what. This was a town filled with
Similar Books
