Read Online Lone Star Lover by Debbi Rawlins - Free Book Online Page B

find out how his boss is doing.” She shook her head. “But I don’t reckon Doc is going to know anything until tomorrow. As far as the other horse, I don’t know who it belongs to, but it’s okay, honey. It’s early. The saloon’s quiet.”
    Rebecca didn’t reply, just straightened her spine and lifted her chin.
    Damn, Jake hated depending on them, or anyone. He’d checked his pocket, and his wallet and cash were still there, but his currency meant nothing. Not in 1877. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. What was worse, being crazy, or getting sucked back into time? The jury was still out on that one.
    “Wait,” he said just as Kitty was about to push open the swinging saloon doors. “This woman who runs the boardinghouse, you think she might let me stay there in exchange for doing some work around the place?”
    Kitty’s brows raised in surprise. “Sugar, you’re not well enough to be doing much of anything. Anyway, Isabella’s all full up. Come the end of the week, the hotel will be, too. Word is that we got some railroad men coming.” She looked apologetically at Rebecca. “We’ll all be mighty busy then.”
    Rebecca made a small sound of distress that Kitty either didn’t hear or chose to ignore, as she guided them through the doors of the saloon.
    Jake found Rebecca’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. He felt like crap for putting her through this. He wasn’t sure what was going on with her, and he’d been too wrapped up in his own problem to pay much attention. But he had a feeling her fear had a lot to do with the Rangers.
    Which really killed him. Modern Rangers were held in high esteem. They were an elite few, the cream that rose to the top. Not only were hundreds of applicants turned down each year, most of them were well-qualified applicants. To be a Texas Ranger really meant something. But he was also aware of the agency’s tarnished history. Corruption and brutality had blemished their name for a brief stint in time. Just his luck that’s where he ended up.
    They stepped into the dimly lit saloon, crowded with wooden tables and empty chairs, and on one wall, an oil painting of a half-naked woman. At the back was a staircase leading to a balcony and a series of doors. Only three people were in the place, the bald bartender and two customers sitting at the bar, all of whom turned their way as soon as they came through the swinging door. The disinterested bartender went back to polishing a glass. One of the two cowboys stared anxiously at Kitty while slowly pulling off his hat.
    She shook her head at him. “Sorry, Will, nothing yet,” she told the tall lanky kid not quite out of his teens. “I reckon Doc Davis will know something tomorrow.”
    As if to hide his grief-stricken face, he abruptly went back to his beer.
    The second cowboy really pissed Jake off. The older man turned away from the bar and leaned back against it, elbows up while insolently checking out Rebecca. His mouth curved in a lewd smile and he made a kissing sound as they passed him.
    She tensed, and Jake jerked away from the women, intent on facing the bastard. Kitty quickly grabbed his arm, the back of her wrist jabbing against his ribs. Pain shot through him. He struggled to catch his breath, doing everything in his power to keep from doubling over.
    “What’s wrong with you?” she snarled, and hurried them past the piano toward the stairs. “You start chasing away customers, and Captain Wade will put a bullet right between those pretty blue eyes of yours.”
    Jake muttered a curse. From the pain. But mostly from feeling so damn helpless. He knew his ribs weren’t broken, but they were badly bruised. He didn’t care, because he knew he’d heal, but he was useless to Rebecca. Unless he could get his hands on a gun.
    She looped an arm through his. “Once we get upstairs, you can stay there,” she said, her voice soft and pleading. “No one will bother you.”
    “I’m not worried about