chin up. “I think I’ve finally figured it out.”
At Mike’s confident tone her pulse slowed to a manageable run. Her heart still jumped around like a jackrabbit and a shiver did a waltz down her spine. “How?”
“I know one of them. Miguel works for my neighbor, Hawkins. Back in Dodge, he saw us bump into each other and insinuated I was cheating on Sally.”
A cold fist slammed into her stomach. “Who’s Sally?”
“My fiancée.”
Kathleen yanked her chin out of Mike’s grasp and stepped back. “You despicable leach.”
Kathleen slapped a hand over her mouth, pivoted, and ran. How could she have so misjudged Mike? How could he flirt with her? How could he kiss her? And have the audacity to ask for another if he was spoken for?
Heavy footsteps followed her. “Wait. It’s not what you think.”
She stopped and swung around. “Really?” She crossed her arms and glared at him.
“I’m not going to marry her.”
Kathleen arched both brows and snorted. “So you just go around asking girls to marry you with no intention of following through? Sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation to me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Ha. You conveniently forgot to mention a fiancée. And you.” She stabbed a finger into his face. “Kissed me. Not the actions of an engaged man. Or at least not one I have any respect for.”
Mike grabbed her arm. “Spending the night in my room isn’t the behavior of a respectable woman either. So don’t go all righteous on me.”
Words spiraled in her throat but her tongue twisted in to many different directions to get them out in any coherent form. She marched to the coach, climbed inside, and slammed the door.
A hard shudder struck her as she stared at the empty seat across from her. All this time, her proximity to Mike had put her in danger. Much as she hated to admit anything he said was true, Mike’s assessment of the events did make some sense. She didn’t have any enemies.
A rival for a girl’s hand could resort to killing. Or at least attempt to scare Mike off. She blew out a breath. They must not realize he had no intention of marrying the poor girl. A twinge of sympathy for Sally pricked her.
Damn it . Weren’t there any nice men in the world or did she just have the misfortune to meet all the those only interested in using a woman for a good time with no thought of good intentions?
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Great, just great . A slick, muddy trail was going to make the trip slow. If Mike chose to ride inside, she had every intention of riding up there with the driver. And that meant a good soaking. Neither appealed to her.
Mike glanced up at the storm clouds, dark as his mood, scuttling across the sky. Queasiness bubbled in his gut as he helped load the two dead bodies onto horses. The necessary self-defense didn’t ease the sickness welling up inside him, or curb the anger.
Marriage to Sally offered land, cattle, and money. Men killed for less. But to involve an innocent young woman in their greed induced plot festered like an open wound.
“Let’s get a move on before that rain slows us down.” The driver led the horses to the back of the coach and tied them.
Mike scowled at the closed door of the stagecoach. Getting in there would be like crawling into an angry bear’s den. He climbed up top.
“Ain’t you gonna ride with the lady?”
“I figured it’d be better to have a second pair of eyes scouting the trail.”
“You better pull out your slicker. Those clouds look heavy.”
The driver’s prediction proved true and Mike huddled under his slicker as water pelted from the sky. He could be inside and dry if he’d only managed to keep his big mouth shut about Sally. And not lost his temper and accused Kathleen of inappropriate behavior. She’d only sought a safe place to pass the night and he had refused to lend her his gun.
He’d also kissed her under false pretenses. Then suggested another as the stakes for the poker
At Mike’s confident tone her pulse slowed to a manageable run. Her heart still jumped around like a jackrabbit and a shiver did a waltz down her spine. “How?”
“I know one of them. Miguel works for my neighbor, Hawkins. Back in Dodge, he saw us bump into each other and insinuated I was cheating on Sally.”
A cold fist slammed into her stomach. “Who’s Sally?”
“My fiancée.”
Kathleen yanked her chin out of Mike’s grasp and stepped back. “You despicable leach.”
Kathleen slapped a hand over her mouth, pivoted, and ran. How could she have so misjudged Mike? How could he flirt with her? How could he kiss her? And have the audacity to ask for another if he was spoken for?
Heavy footsteps followed her. “Wait. It’s not what you think.”
She stopped and swung around. “Really?” She crossed her arms and glared at him.
“I’m not going to marry her.”
Kathleen arched both brows and snorted. “So you just go around asking girls to marry you with no intention of following through? Sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation to me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Ha. You conveniently forgot to mention a fiancée. And you.” She stabbed a finger into his face. “Kissed me. Not the actions of an engaged man. Or at least not one I have any respect for.”
Mike grabbed her arm. “Spending the night in my room isn’t the behavior of a respectable woman either. So don’t go all righteous on me.”
Words spiraled in her throat but her tongue twisted in to many different directions to get them out in any coherent form. She marched to the coach, climbed inside, and slammed the door.
A hard shudder struck her as she stared at the empty seat across from her. All this time, her proximity to Mike had put her in danger. Much as she hated to admit anything he said was true, Mike’s assessment of the events did make some sense. She didn’t have any enemies.
A rival for a girl’s hand could resort to killing. Or at least attempt to scare Mike off. She blew out a breath. They must not realize he had no intention of marrying the poor girl. A twinge of sympathy for Sally pricked her.
Damn it . Weren’t there any nice men in the world or did she just have the misfortune to meet all the those only interested in using a woman for a good time with no thought of good intentions?
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Great, just great . A slick, muddy trail was going to make the trip slow. If Mike chose to ride inside, she had every intention of riding up there with the driver. And that meant a good soaking. Neither appealed to her.
Mike glanced up at the storm clouds, dark as his mood, scuttling across the sky. Queasiness bubbled in his gut as he helped load the two dead bodies onto horses. The necessary self-defense didn’t ease the sickness welling up inside him, or curb the anger.
Marriage to Sally offered land, cattle, and money. Men killed for less. But to involve an innocent young woman in their greed induced plot festered like an open wound.
“Let’s get a move on before that rain slows us down.” The driver led the horses to the back of the coach and tied them.
Mike scowled at the closed door of the stagecoach. Getting in there would be like crawling into an angry bear’s den. He climbed up top.
“Ain’t you gonna ride with the lady?”
“I figured it’d be better to have a second pair of eyes scouting the trail.”
“You better pull out your slicker. Those clouds look heavy.”
The driver’s prediction proved true and Mike huddled under his slicker as water pelted from the sky. He could be inside and dry if he’d only managed to keep his big mouth shut about Sally. And not lost his temper and accused Kathleen of inappropriate behavior. She’d only sought a safe place to pass the night and he had refused to lend her his gun.
He’d also kissed her under false pretenses. Then suggested another as the stakes for the poker
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