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Authors: Joni Keever
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her long. Dust coated her from head to toe. Her throat felt like dry, cracked leather. Grit scratched her eyes each time she blinked. She prayed they had stopped near water.
Hobbling around stiff-legged, she watched Kade from the corner of her eye. He loosened the cinch on the horse and draped the saddlebags across his shoulder. Carly decided he’d simply been trying to scare her, to shut her up, or even to punish her for being bothersome. When he turned toward her, she spun away, making a show of indifference.
She longed to remove her hat and the cloth strips beneath her shirt. With a deep sigh, she tried to redirect her thoughts. Raising her arms high above her head, she stretched long and slow, extending every muscle she could. She rolled her head from side to side, rubbing her tender bottom with the palms of her hands. Carly bent at the waist, careful not to dislodge the hat. With her hair tucked up beneath the band, it fit snugly. She folded herself in half, pressing forehead to shins, easing the tension in her legs and back. From her possum position, she noticed Kade staring at her with an odd expression. She straightened, spinning around to face him.
He appeared frozen in midstride, canteen in one hand, rifle in the other. A flood of emotions washed across his features. Carly couldn’t put a name to any of them, yet they seemed contradictory to Kade, and they made her uncomfortable.
The man blinked rapidly, focusing his gaze on her face. A dark scowl clouded his features. He growled out something about fetching water and turned to leave.
“Uh, I’ll go. I’d like to wash up a bit.” She stood her ground when his stormy expression seemed the only answer he would offer.
Finally he thrust the canteen toward her. “Don’t get lost,” he ordered. “We can make it to town by morning if we keep pushing.”
Carly didn’t dare ask which direction to go. She started off the way he had, hoping to hear running water soon. She was not disappointed. A little stream, possibly the same one they had followed earlier, tripped and tumbled over moss-covered stones. Hurrying to the water’s edge, she lowered herself to the ground, dipping into the clear liquid repeatedly. Her need to rinse away the grime burned as strongly as her thirst. She cupped her hand and lifted water to the back of her neck, taking pleasure in the cooling sensation. Though she longed to properly bathe herself, Carly knew she didn’t dare. Reluctantly, she filled the canteen and found her way back to her companion.
“There’s biscuits and jerky if you’re hungry.”
Kade didn’t bother to make eye contact. He pointed the barrel of his gun in the direction of the saddlebag that lay across a rock. Carly approached him cautiously, wondering if he was still angry over the incident that morning. She set the canteen on the ground nearby and hurried to gather her lunch. Sitting on a fallen tree, she took a deep breath and began to relax. When she looked up, Kade’s intense stare made her squirm.
She tried to glance away, but his gaze held her captive. He seemed to be searching the depth of her soul. Carly wanted to cover herself, to protect herself from his probing vision. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she finally found her voice. “What? Why are you staring at me so?”
Cocking his head to one side, Kade seemed to contemplate her for a minute longer. She fought the urge to pull her knees to her chest.
“Well, Carl, it’s just that there’s something you’re not telling me. I thought you might like to come clean . . . now.”
Chapter Seven
Carly’s heart leaped to her throat, making breathing difficult. “Wh-what?” She swallowed hard, forcing her heart back down where it belonged. It beat furiously against her ribs and binding cloths.
“I said, there’s something you’re not telling me. Perhaps you’d like to get it off your chest.” Kade crossed his arms over his torso and continued to stare.
Of their own accord, Carly’s
Hobbling around stiff-legged, she watched Kade from the corner of her eye. He loosened the cinch on the horse and draped the saddlebags across his shoulder. Carly decided he’d simply been trying to scare her, to shut her up, or even to punish her for being bothersome. When he turned toward her, she spun away, making a show of indifference.
She longed to remove her hat and the cloth strips beneath her shirt. With a deep sigh, she tried to redirect her thoughts. Raising her arms high above her head, she stretched long and slow, extending every muscle she could. She rolled her head from side to side, rubbing her tender bottom with the palms of her hands. Carly bent at the waist, careful not to dislodge the hat. With her hair tucked up beneath the band, it fit snugly. She folded herself in half, pressing forehead to shins, easing the tension in her legs and back. From her possum position, she noticed Kade staring at her with an odd expression. She straightened, spinning around to face him.
He appeared frozen in midstride, canteen in one hand, rifle in the other. A flood of emotions washed across his features. Carly couldn’t put a name to any of them, yet they seemed contradictory to Kade, and they made her uncomfortable.
The man blinked rapidly, focusing his gaze on her face. A dark scowl clouded his features. He growled out something about fetching water and turned to leave.
“Uh, I’ll go. I’d like to wash up a bit.” She stood her ground when his stormy expression seemed the only answer he would offer.
Finally he thrust the canteen toward her. “Don’t get lost,” he ordered. “We can make it to town by morning if we keep pushing.”
Carly didn’t dare ask which direction to go. She started off the way he had, hoping to hear running water soon. She was not disappointed. A little stream, possibly the same one they had followed earlier, tripped and tumbled over moss-covered stones. Hurrying to the water’s edge, she lowered herself to the ground, dipping into the clear liquid repeatedly. Her need to rinse away the grime burned as strongly as her thirst. She cupped her hand and lifted water to the back of her neck, taking pleasure in the cooling sensation. Though she longed to properly bathe herself, Carly knew she didn’t dare. Reluctantly, she filled the canteen and found her way back to her companion.
“There’s biscuits and jerky if you’re hungry.”
Kade didn’t bother to make eye contact. He pointed the barrel of his gun in the direction of the saddlebag that lay across a rock. Carly approached him cautiously, wondering if he was still angry over the incident that morning. She set the canteen on the ground nearby and hurried to gather her lunch. Sitting on a fallen tree, she took a deep breath and began to relax. When she looked up, Kade’s intense stare made her squirm.
She tried to glance away, but his gaze held her captive. He seemed to be searching the depth of her soul. Carly wanted to cover herself, to protect herself from his probing vision. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she finally found her voice. “What? Why are you staring at me so?”
Cocking his head to one side, Kade seemed to contemplate her for a minute longer. She fought the urge to pull her knees to her chest.
“Well, Carl, it’s just that there’s something you’re not telling me. I thought you might like to come clean . . . now.”
Chapter Seven
Carly’s heart leaped to her throat, making breathing difficult. “Wh-what?” She swallowed hard, forcing her heart back down where it belonged. It beat furiously against her ribs and binding cloths.
“I said, there’s something you’re not telling me. Perhaps you’d like to get it off your chest.” Kade crossed his arms over his torso and continued to stare.
Of their own accord, Carly’s
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