Read Online My Desperado by Lois Greiman - Free Book Online Page A

bare chest. "Let me get this straight. You don't want me to get killed, so you're threatening to blow my brains out if I leave?"
    Katherine shuffled her feet, a bit uncomfortable with the inconsistency of her words and intentions. She bit her lip, shifted her weight, and considered her next move. "That's right," she said, deciding to go with her original statement.
    "Lady." He shook his head. "You're about one bean short of a full pot."
    He took a step forward.
    The sound of the revolver cocking seemed loud enough to blow out the windows.
    Travis froze.
    Katherine smiled.
    The door opened softly, and Lacy MacTaggart stepped in. "What's all this, now?" she asked quietly, placing her fist on well-padded hips and looking at Katherine.
    "He said he was leaving. I said he wasn't," she said matter-of-factly, her lips pursed in anger.
    For a fraction of a second Travis thought he saw the shadow of a smile on the older woman's hardened face. "So you thought you'd shoot him, Katy, lass?"
    "He's an ungrateful—"
    "Aye, I know, but most men are," Lacy shushed, then firmed her voice and turned her eyes to Travis. "You. Get back in bed."
    "I ain't got no hankering to lie around till a lynch mob shows up. Funny thing about me," Travis growled.
    "Can I shoot him?" Katherine asked grimly, wetting her lips.
    "Not yet. Listen, Ryland," warned Lacy gruffly. "I've spanked better men than you, so get back on that bed before—"
    The scream in the hallway immobilized the room for a fraction of a second, and then Travis was barreling toward Katherine in all his naked glory.
    But before she could do so much as consider shooting, the gun was in his hand and he was flattened against the wall, staring at the door with the intensity of a wolf on the prowl.
    The room was pitched into silence, then, "Bernard," Lacy called evenly, not taking her steely eyes from the naked man with the gun.
    "Yes ma'am?" Bernard answered timidly from the far side of the door.
    "Quit pinching Garnet."
    "Yes ma'am," was the meek response.
    Footsteps tiptoed down the hall. Silence came again. Lacy held out her hand, palm up. "You're under my roof only because Katy is a friend of a friend," she explained solemnly. "You make trouble and you'll find yourself out on your bare ass. Understood?"
    Travis felt the sharp dip of the room. He knew he was in trouble, but held tenaciously to consciousness by the edge of his stubborn fingernails.
    "Understand?" she asked again.
    He nodded once, the movement almost sending him to the floor as he handed her the gun.
    "Get him decent and get him to bed," Lacy ordered, holding the revolver casually as she turned toward the door. She stopped, hand on the door latch. "And next time, Katy, lass. Shoot first. Talk later."
     

Chapter 7
    "I'm sorry, lass. It's Friday. All my girls will be busy tonight."
    "Oh." Katherine stood like a small child, with her hands clasped behind her back, her collar buttoned primly to her chin. "Of course. I'll see to Mr. Ryland myself."
    Lacy MacTaggart leaned back in her padded chair and nodded. "That'll need doing, too, I suppose, Katy. But it's not what I was speakin' of. We'll be needin' the beds, lass. Unless you're considering putting yours t' profitable use."
    "Oh!" Katherine breathed, realizing the other's meaning. "No! I mean..." she sputtered, bringing her hands forward to wring them in front of her faded, borrowed gown. "It's not that there's anything wrong with what you do. I mean... what the girls do... Of course, maybe you do it too, but..." she jabbered.
    "Katy, lass." Lacy shook her brightly dyed head. "Just say what's on yer mind."
    Katherine bit her lip, drew a deep breath to steady her nerves, and nodded solemnly. "You've been so very good to me, Miss MacTaggart. I won't forget it. And I'll pay you back as soon as ever I can."
    "Sounds like you're going somewhere."
    Katherine nodded. "We'll have to leave."
    "You can't move him yet, lass. Not if you want him to keep that leg."
    "But I don't see what