Read Online The Bride Wore A Forty-Four by MAGGIE SHAYNE - Free Book Online

had no idea what to say.
If she said she wanted it back, would he take that to mean she
wanted more? How could she come up with an answer that wouldn't
mislead him or hurt him? She opened her mouth, thinking she had to
say something. Anything.
    He held up a hand. "No. I shouldn't be asking
you shit like that it's not fair. I'm sorry, Kira. You've got
enough to deal with. Here." He took the chain from around his neck
and draped it carefully around hers. "You can wear it under your
blouse, or tuck it into a drawer. I'll never know the difference.
No pressure, okay?"
    She couldn't take her eyes off his face. The
conflicting emotions in his eyes, which he kept so carefully from
showing anywhere else. "Were you always this considerate of
me?"
    "When you let me be."
    "Sounds like I didn't always."
    He shrugged. "Not recently, no. You developed
an aversion to letting anyone help you with anything. Said it was a
sign of weakness."
    "Guess getting my brain scrambled in Africa
was an instant cure. I've been awfully dependent since I came out
of the coma."
    "Not on me," he said. And it sounded a little
sad.
    She lifted her brows. "I don't see anyone
else around here."
    The smile returned to his face. "I hadn't
thought of that. Does that mean you're going to let me wait on you
hand and foot while we're here?"
    She shook her head. "No. But I'll let you
show me how to use some of those weapons in that nifty little
closet over there."
    He tipped his head to one side. "You didn't
have any trouble back at the uh...wedding."
    "If you asked me how I did what I did back
there, I couldn't tell you. And I'd rather not rely on my faulty
memory or gut instinct if it comes down to life or death."
    "Your gut instinct is flawless, Kira. Always
has been. But yeah, I'll show you."
    "Good." She smiled. "Pick out something
simple. I'll go check on our pot pies."
    He lowered his head, laughing softly.
    "What?" she asked, frowning. "Did I say
something funny?"
    He met her eyes, his shining. "Pot pies. You
always loved those things."
    "I did?"
    He reached out a hand to cup her nape,
fingers brushing over her hair. "It's coming back to you, Kira.
Little by little, it's all coming back."
    "I hope so," she said, and her voice came out
soft. "I want to remember you, Michael."
    He started to lean closer to her, then
stopped himself. Kira slid her hands over his shoulders and pulled
him toward her, until his lips brushed hers. It was a light touch,
but it lit a fire inside her. She linked her hands around his neck
and pressed her mouth to his, felt him tremble, as he pulled her
tighter to him.
    The rapid-fire beat of her heart grew
louder—and when the windows blew out of the cabin, she realized it
wasn't her heart at all, but gunfire. In the next heartbeat, she
was pressed to the floor with Michael's body covering hers. "Stay
down." He growled the words into her ear. "Dammit, how did they
find us?"
    She couldn't speak, overwhelmed with the
surge of adrenalin pumping through her body, itching to get up, to do something. "Duke. It had to be goddamn Duke. I left him
alone in the car. He must have done something."
    "Stuck a tracking device on it, more than
likely," Michael said. "Come on, but stay low." He rolled off
her.
    On hands and knees, they made their way to
the little hidden room. Michael opened its door, urged her inside
ahead of him, then closed it again behind him. Only then did he get
to his feet
    She heard him moving around as she crouched
in the darkness. He never turned on a light not even a flashlight
but she knew he was gathering weapons, ammunition. She jumped
upright when she heard the cabin's front door crashing open, the
sounds of heavy steps inside the house. Michael's hands closed on
one of her arms, and he drew her body flush to his. "It's okay," he
whispered, his lips touching her ear, moving with the words. "Just
stay quiet. It's okay."
    She nodded against the side of his face, then
felt him moving, sliding a belt over her head, and around