criminals; they probably suspected everyone who rode into town. The townspeople would want to protect themselves and their families from people like her and Deke. “Well, good for them.”
“Ruby, don’t be difficult.”
“Difficult? You think I’m being difficult?” A surge of red hot anger spilled into her bloodstream, and she could almost hear the sizzle pulsing through her veins. She turned and slanted her eyes at him. “You haven’t begun to see difficult. I don’t kiss married men.”
She wondered what his wife looked like. And if they were in love, why was he smooching with Ruby? Where did she live? There was more to this story than Deke was telling, and if she ever met his spouse, she would fill the woman’s ears full of information on the cad she’d tied her wagon too.
Passing through town, Ruby ducked her head, so her hat covered her face, yet she tried to peer at the people along the sidewalk. Was Rivera here? She spurred her mustang toward the livery stable. Once she dropped him off, she’d search the town, do some investigating.
And no, Mr. Married Deke Culver was not going with her. She needed some time away from him. Some distance to clear her head and remind her body that yes, she was attracted to him, but he was strictly off limits as in wedding band restrictions.
“I’m going to check into the hotel, and then I’m going exploring,” she informed him as they rode down Main Street.
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, I’m doing this alone,” she said, turning in the saddle and glaring at him. Sometimes a girl needed some solitary time. They’d been together for three days. Enough.
“Why? Why can’t I go?”
“Because people don’t talk to me as easy if you’re around. I want them to open up and tell me what I need to know. If you’re near, they’re uneasy, glancing over my shoulder watching you, waiting for you to pounce.”
When another man looked at Ruby, Deke’s stare could scare a buzzard off a dead animal. Since he wasn’t responsible for Ruby, he had no right, and at the moment, she wanted to make herself familiar with the town and the people who lived here.
“I don’t know why. I’m not going to pounce on anyone,” he said.
“Well, let’s see. Could it be the guns on your hips or the way your black hat sits low on your forehead or the chaps you wear on your thighs? Or the scowl on your face?” She put a finger to her mouth and pretended to concentrate. “I just don’t know which one stands out more.”
“Smart ass.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Where are you going?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not certain.” Oh, she knew exactly where she was headed, but he didn’t need to know. She didn’t want to listen to his lecture on her personal safety.
She pulled up in front of the livery stable and slid down from her horse. She began to unfasten her saddle, pulling the straps free.
An eager young man came running out. “Can I help you, miss?”
“Why, thank you. I need to board my horse.”
“Sure. I can take care of that for you. Do you want us to feed him?”
“No, she wants you to starve him,” Deke replied.
The boy shot him a look that had it been a bullet, Deke would be dead. Just what she didn’t need, Deke alienating the livery boy. They were some of the best resources of knowledge for the comings and goings of just about everyone in town. This was why she refused to pretend they were husband and wife. Their association had to be kept to a minimum, starting right now.
“Don’t mind him. He’s a cranky old man I met on the trail. We’re parting ways right here,” she whispered to the stable boy.
“Oh,” the kid said kind of surprised. “I thought you were together.”
She looked at Deke. “No, I’m alone.”
“Are you visiting someone in town?” the boy asked.
A horse neighed in the background, and she glanced over to see Deke wandering over to the animal. He put his hand on
“Ruby, don’t be difficult.”
“Difficult? You think I’m being difficult?” A surge of red hot anger spilled into her bloodstream, and she could almost hear the sizzle pulsing through her veins. She turned and slanted her eyes at him. “You haven’t begun to see difficult. I don’t kiss married men.”
She wondered what his wife looked like. And if they were in love, why was he smooching with Ruby? Where did she live? There was more to this story than Deke was telling, and if she ever met his spouse, she would fill the woman’s ears full of information on the cad she’d tied her wagon too.
Passing through town, Ruby ducked her head, so her hat covered her face, yet she tried to peer at the people along the sidewalk. Was Rivera here? She spurred her mustang toward the livery stable. Once she dropped him off, she’d search the town, do some investigating.
And no, Mr. Married Deke Culver was not going with her. She needed some time away from him. Some distance to clear her head and remind her body that yes, she was attracted to him, but he was strictly off limits as in wedding band restrictions.
“I’m going to check into the hotel, and then I’m going exploring,” she informed him as they rode down Main Street.
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, I’m doing this alone,” she said, turning in the saddle and glaring at him. Sometimes a girl needed some solitary time. They’d been together for three days. Enough.
“Why? Why can’t I go?”
“Because people don’t talk to me as easy if you’re around. I want them to open up and tell me what I need to know. If you’re near, they’re uneasy, glancing over my shoulder watching you, waiting for you to pounce.”
When another man looked at Ruby, Deke’s stare could scare a buzzard off a dead animal. Since he wasn’t responsible for Ruby, he had no right, and at the moment, she wanted to make herself familiar with the town and the people who lived here.
“I don’t know why. I’m not going to pounce on anyone,” he said.
“Well, let’s see. Could it be the guns on your hips or the way your black hat sits low on your forehead or the chaps you wear on your thighs? Or the scowl on your face?” She put a finger to her mouth and pretended to concentrate. “I just don’t know which one stands out more.”
“Smart ass.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Where are you going?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not certain.” Oh, she knew exactly where she was headed, but he didn’t need to know. She didn’t want to listen to his lecture on her personal safety.
She pulled up in front of the livery stable and slid down from her horse. She began to unfasten her saddle, pulling the straps free.
An eager young man came running out. “Can I help you, miss?”
“Why, thank you. I need to board my horse.”
“Sure. I can take care of that for you. Do you want us to feed him?”
“No, she wants you to starve him,” Deke replied.
The boy shot him a look that had it been a bullet, Deke would be dead. Just what she didn’t need, Deke alienating the livery boy. They were some of the best resources of knowledge for the comings and goings of just about everyone in town. This was why she refused to pretend they were husband and wife. Their association had to be kept to a minimum, starting right now.
“Don’t mind him. He’s a cranky old man I met on the trail. We’re parting ways right here,” she whispered to the stable boy.
“Oh,” the kid said kind of surprised. “I thought you were together.”
She looked at Deke. “No, I’m alone.”
“Are you visiting someone in town?” the boy asked.
A horse neighed in the background, and she glanced over to see Deke wandering over to the animal. He put his hand on
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