Read Online The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance by Tammy Andresen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tammy Andresen
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did not want to be alone in this lawless land. If she were honest, Annie knew she would miss Mack and Mary Beth. Collin Mackinnon…she tried the name on her tongue again. She liked it. Even his name made her insides warm.
Her mother had always loved her and tried to help her rebellious daughter curb her temper. What would her mother want her to do? Annie smiled. Her mother would want her to stay with Mack. Frankly, her mother would want her to marry him.
That made her brow crease. What if Mack rejected her the way Garrett had?
Annie’s head snapped up at a movement off to her left. She saw several shadowy figures moving silently through the early dawn light. As they moved closer she could see the outline of several male natives. They each carried a weapon and they were heading directly for the wagons.
Annie caught her breath. She knew more and more attacks had been happening. These miners were on Indian land, using up the resources. The Indians attacked out of anger and out of need.
Whatever their reasons, she had to stop them. They might hurt the people she cared about. She let them pass and then stepped out from behind the rocks. She drew her pistol and gripped it tightly in her hand. There had to be ten men and she only had six bullets.
Her goal was to follow them without being noticed. Then, when they were close to camp, she would fire a shot in the air to alert everyone of trouble. But she had to be prepared to be discovered.
She moved quickly and quietly, watching them. They were nearing the camp and Annie sped up to make sure her shot was heard. The man at the back of the group suddenly turned and looked back. His eyes met hers and Annie stopped short in fear. He uttered a single word and four other men turned to look at her.
Trembling, Annie stopped her progress. Her hand seemed to rise in slow motion as he aimed a bow and arrow directly at her. She actually saw him release the quiver as she fired the weapon into the group of men while diving to the ground. She heard the arrow as it whistled just over her head.
Her chin hit the ground and scraped the rocks but she hardly noticed. Her head snapped up, and she saw two men running towards her. She raised the gun again and fired at one of them. She aimed for his chest and he stumbled as the bullet made contact with his shoulder.
Annie cocked the gun again but the other man was bearing down on her. She tried to aim the weapon but her hand was shaking.
She squeezed her eyes shut preparing for the worst. Suddenly the sound of another shot filled the air and then another. She clearly saw Tom and Mack on the edge of the camp, firing at the Indians.
Annie scrambled to her hands and knees and then to her feet as the natives who hadn’t fallen sprinted towards the circled wagons. They seemed hell bent on attack. She ran towards the fray; she had to help her friends. She circled around to come into the back side of the camp. As she passed by the small grouping of wagons, she saw two Indians coming out of her wagon with their arms full. She raised her gun to fire when she saw another Indian dragging Mary Beth. Her arm swung around as she pulled the trigger. The bullet missed its mark but he let go of Mary Beth and started for her.
Mary Beth reached out her arm and tripped the man, sending him crashing to the ground. Suddenly Tom was there. With one swift blow, he knocked the Indian out.
A few lay dead on the ground while the rest had disappeared back into the forest. She forgot all about their argument from the previous night. She raced toward them as Mack appeared next to Tom. Not stopping to think, she launched herself into his arms.
“What happened?” he mumbled as his arms wrapped around her, catching her up in a hug. Her hair was in a loose braid and his fingers found their way into her hair to massage her scalp.
“I was up by the river when I saw them coming. I followed to warn you but then they saw me. I fired and―“
“You followed a pack of natives
Her mother had always loved her and tried to help her rebellious daughter curb her temper. What would her mother want her to do? Annie smiled. Her mother would want her to stay with Mack. Frankly, her mother would want her to marry him.
That made her brow crease. What if Mack rejected her the way Garrett had?
Annie’s head snapped up at a movement off to her left. She saw several shadowy figures moving silently through the early dawn light. As they moved closer she could see the outline of several male natives. They each carried a weapon and they were heading directly for the wagons.
Annie caught her breath. She knew more and more attacks had been happening. These miners were on Indian land, using up the resources. The Indians attacked out of anger and out of need.
Whatever their reasons, she had to stop them. They might hurt the people she cared about. She let them pass and then stepped out from behind the rocks. She drew her pistol and gripped it tightly in her hand. There had to be ten men and she only had six bullets.
Her goal was to follow them without being noticed. Then, when they were close to camp, she would fire a shot in the air to alert everyone of trouble. But she had to be prepared to be discovered.
She moved quickly and quietly, watching them. They were nearing the camp and Annie sped up to make sure her shot was heard. The man at the back of the group suddenly turned and looked back. His eyes met hers and Annie stopped short in fear. He uttered a single word and four other men turned to look at her.
Trembling, Annie stopped her progress. Her hand seemed to rise in slow motion as he aimed a bow and arrow directly at her. She actually saw him release the quiver as she fired the weapon into the group of men while diving to the ground. She heard the arrow as it whistled just over her head.
Her chin hit the ground and scraped the rocks but she hardly noticed. Her head snapped up, and she saw two men running towards her. She raised the gun again and fired at one of them. She aimed for his chest and he stumbled as the bullet made contact with his shoulder.
Annie cocked the gun again but the other man was bearing down on her. She tried to aim the weapon but her hand was shaking.
She squeezed her eyes shut preparing for the worst. Suddenly the sound of another shot filled the air and then another. She clearly saw Tom and Mack on the edge of the camp, firing at the Indians.
Annie scrambled to her hands and knees and then to her feet as the natives who hadn’t fallen sprinted towards the circled wagons. They seemed hell bent on attack. She ran towards the fray; she had to help her friends. She circled around to come into the back side of the camp. As she passed by the small grouping of wagons, she saw two Indians coming out of her wagon with their arms full. She raised her gun to fire when she saw another Indian dragging Mary Beth. Her arm swung around as she pulled the trigger. The bullet missed its mark but he let go of Mary Beth and started for her.
Mary Beth reached out her arm and tripped the man, sending him crashing to the ground. Suddenly Tom was there. With one swift blow, he knocked the Indian out.
A few lay dead on the ground while the rest had disappeared back into the forest. She forgot all about their argument from the previous night. She raced toward them as Mack appeared next to Tom. Not stopping to think, she launched herself into his arms.
“What happened?” he mumbled as his arms wrapped around her, catching her up in a hug. Her hair was in a loose braid and his fingers found their way into her hair to massage her scalp.
“I was up by the river when I saw them coming. I followed to warn you but then they saw me. I fired and―“
“You followed a pack of natives
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