The Outlaw

by Lily Graison

  One of the savages had picked up Colt’s hat and had placed it on his head. The sight of it enraged her to the point of recklessness. She snatched it from his head and dared him to take it from her.

  She looked back at Colt. There was an intense conversation going on between the men surrounding him. She didn’t know if he understood their language or not but she saw him shake his head. Knowing Colt, he understood perfectly clear what was being said.

  Another half hour of waiting and someone turned toward her, shouted an order, and she was being dragged away. “Colt!”

  He shouted back but not to her. He advanced on the Indian with the claw marks but was jerked back by the two men holding his arms. They yelled, the noise grew and it wasn’t until a single shot from a gun was heard that the commotion stopped.

  Sarah turned to where the noise came from and stared wide-eyed at the man who stood there. He was dressed head to toe in buckskins. His horse was covered in animal hides and even though his face was covered in a grizzled beard, he stood tall and imposing. He lifted his head, barked out a command in the Indian’s strange language and Sarah thought her heart would burst with joy. He could speak their language!

  He joined the group nearest Colt, his gaze weary as he approached. The exchange of voices was rough as he began to speak and filled with harsh, clipped words. She saw him say something to Colt, watched Colt shake his head no, before his mouth tightened into a hard line.

  The sun beat down on her and she was drained of energy by the time the two men holding Colt let him go. He shrugged out of his trail coat and tossed it to the ground, followed by the holster holding his pistol.

  Their horses were gathered, Colt’s stripped of everything except the reins. She watched the Indian’s dig around inside his saddlebags, pulling things out and looking at them before shoving everything back inside. Her stolen horse was led to the Indian with the claw mark painting on his chest, Colt’s saddle laid along its back.

  When Colt started walking toward her, the look on his face caused her pulse to leap again. It was a look that dared anyone to say anything. His brows were drawn down, his mouth a hard, angry slash across his face. The moment he reached her, he picked her up, his arms like steel bands around her body as he walked to his horse, sitting her on its bare back. He jumped up behind her, grabbed the reins and took off at a gallop.

  Sarah could do nothing but hold on, her arms around his neck. She looked back over his shoulder. The Indian’s were still talking to the man in buckskins. They were hovered around Virgil’s horse, inspecting Colt’s saddle and examining the guns he’d left behind. When they grew faint in the distance, she realized they were being let go.

  Turning her head toward Colt, she noticed he still looked angry. Blood oozed from a cut below his eye, his lip was busted and his left eye was a funny shade of blue. She lifted her hand, swiping away the blood on his cheek with the back of one finger and felt the tears burning the back of her eyes again. “Am I right in assuming they’re letting us go?”

  He nodded and urged the horse to go faster. “Yes, but I want to put as much distance between us and them as I can. I don’t trust them.”

  She stared at him for long moments before placing his hat back on his head. One side looked crushed from where she'd held it so tight but under the circumstances, she didn't think he'd complain.

  A glance over his shoulder showed the Indians as colorful dots on the horizon. Her limbs started tingling as she watched them fade into the distance. She’d been numb from the moment they were caught. Now that the immediate danger was over, her body let her know she was definitely alive. Her chest ached, her throat grew tight with emotion and those blasted tears still burnt her eyes.

  Tightening her hold on Colt’s neck, she buried her face against his warm skin, inhaled the pure maleness of his scent, and thanked God things hadn’t ended up worse. They left a horse behind, along with Colt’s things, but it was of little importance, those material things. They still had their life, which was more than she’d hoped for.

  The first tear fell before she could stop it, a snuffling wheeze of breath before she bit her tongue to stop from crying. The horrifying “what ifs” played inside her head in fast motion until she was sick with the images.

  Colt’s hand at the back of her head, his fingers splayed against her scalp was all it took for the torrent to break. She cried against his neck, hot tears scalding her face until she thought she’d choke from them. His other arm wrapped around her waist, his hold on her tight, protective. “No reason to cry now.” His words were a faint whisper next to her ear. “It’s over.”

  She nodded and tried to stop the tears, snuffled again and took a deep breath. It took long minutes to calm down. When she’d gotten the fear, and those unruly tears under control, she lifted her head.

  Colt dried her face with his hand; his gaze darted across her features. His thumb swiped her bottom lip and Sarah looked up, locked eyes with him and felt her heart sing with delight. This man protected her, had been beaten bloody and strolled across the distance separating them to claim her, to carry her away like some romance hero in one of those dime novels her daddy’s cook liked to read. He swept her off her feet, literally, and carried her away.

  He said nothing, made no move to touch her other than to wipe the tears from her face and the intensity of his gaze skated along her limbs until goose bumps pimpled her skin. Her chest tightened, her pulse leaping to life and the question he’d asked her earlier in the day, did she want to be his wife, whispered itself to her like a dream she’d forgotten she’d had. The answer hovered on the tip of her tongue but she didn’t dare speak it aloud.

  She realized with a start that her feelings for him had deepened, grew into something much sweeter than merely enjoying being in his company. The implications were staggering and she refused to believe it. She couldn’t love him. It would hurt too much when he let her go if she did. He didn’t mean what he’d implied and she couldn’t get her heart broken by him. She'd never survive it.

  Breaking eye contact, she shifted on the horse. Riding bareback was even more uncomfortable than being in the saddle. Every move the horse made was felt under her and sitting sideways didn’t help those uncomfortable feelings.

  She pushed away her earlier thoughts and looked at the road. “Why did you give them all our things?”

  “It was either all that stuff or you.”

  Her brows lowered. “They wanted all those things or me?” He said nothing, just nodded his head in confirmation. “Oh.” She looked toward the road, the mountains in the distance and felt lethargic. The gentle swaying of the horse, her draining ordeal with the Indians and their mad get away finally zapping the last of her energy. She thought about it all again and something snagged her thoughts and wouldn’t let go. She looked to Colt again. “Wait. Did you trade me for a horse?”

  He laughed and lifted his hand to run his fingers through her hair. “That was a damn good horse, woman.”

  She scowled. “Then why’d you give them all our stuff? We’ll starve without food.”

  His mouth curved into a salacious smile. “Cause you were too fine a prize for a mere horse. I’m lucky they let me leave with my clothes. I had to give them every thing else I owned.”

  Sarah let his words rattle around in her head. He’d given them Virgil’s horse, his own saddle, his saddlebags and everything in them, his pistols, the riffle he’d had attached to the saddle and his trail coat. The only thing they left him with was the shirt on his back, his trousers and boots and his hat.

  She frowned and focused her eyes on him.

  “I would have given them everything I own to keep you, sweetheart. Don’t make me regret it.”

  He looked so smug and Sarah bit her tongue to keep from laughing. Make him regret it. Ha! “The Indians were the ones who lost out. I’m worth exceedingly more than a horse and some guns.”

  “You think?” He grinned at her, his hand at her waist skimming her ribs before he cupped
the underside of her breast. “I’m not convinced yet. Care to prove it?”

  She gasped at his boldness and wasn’t surprised when he lowered his head and kissed her. The man seemed to have a one-track mind. When he slid his tongue into her mouth, his lips caressing hers, her shoulders sagged, that lethargic feeling infusing her limbs until she felt pliant. She leaned against him, wrapped one arm around his neck and savored the taste of him. Long minutes of his mouth playing against hers and those tingles she’d felt back at the creek returned. Visions of what he’d done to her played behind her closed eyelids until she was squirming to get closer.

  He deepened the kiss, his mouth hard and hungry against her own until she thought he’d devour her. She was disappointed when he didn’t, and broke the kiss instead. “If I knew for a fact those Indians were long gone, I’d find us a grassy spot and finish what we started earlier.”

  She smiled at his confidence. “Oh really? And what makes you so sure I’d let you get me naked again?”

  “Intuition.”

  Sarah laughed. “Your confidence is going to get you into serious trouble one of these day, Colton Avery.”

  “Probably, but not today. You want me, and the sooner you admit it, the sooner I can show you exactly how much I want you.”

  The heat in his eyes flared brighter and Sarah nearly lost her breath. He did want her. She knew that just by looking at him but what did he want exactly? Was it just to bed her or was it more? Until she found out, she’d have to keep him at arms length. The risk to her heart was too great to give him everything he wanted just to be tossed away for her trouble.

  Chapter Ten

  They reached the outskirts of Willow Creek in late afternoon. Sarah nearly bounced with excitement at the thought of food, clean water and a warm bed to lay her head on. She didn’t dare, though. Colt was in a foul mood. Had been since the previous day when they had nothing to eat, not even a drop of water to quench their thirst. Sleeping on the ground with nothing to protect them from the dirt or early morning dew hadn’t helped either and when you factored in her refusal to let him continue his exploration of her body, he was downright peevish.

  He’d yet to say a word to her today and she’d be lying if she said it didn’t bother her. It did. It proved her theory. That he wanted nothing from her but what she could provide him in the dark of night. A warm, naked body to lie beside.

  She sighed and stared out across the valley at the mountains in the distance. She’d never been to Montana before and the scenery was breathtaking. Snowcapped mountains and grasses as green as any she’d seen. Wild flowers dotted the horizon and for early fall, the air still held enough heat that she was comfortable.

  Colt shifted behind her and moments later he sat his hat on her head. She turned to look at him and she saw an apology on his face. He knew he’d acted like a horses ass and she could see it written across his features.

  “Your nose is burnt,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “You should have bought a bonnet to go with that ugly dress.”

  Sarah looked down at the simple calico dress she’d bought. It wasn’t very attractive. “Well, I would have picked better if I’d had enough money. I barely afforded this.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have bought you one that at least fit.”

  She opened her mouth to reply but thought better of it. When they’d reached the last town, she’d tried her best to get away from him. It wasn’t his fault she’d been cross with him. She turned back around, watching the passing scenery.

  A split-rail fence came into view long minutes later, horses beyond that fence line numbering in the hundreds. She’d never seen so many horses in one place. Colt nudged his own horse, the even gallop bringing them closer to the homestead she could barely make out in the distance.

  When she caught sight of a house, Sarah sat up straight. Smoke drifted into the air from a chimney, she could see people in the yard, a barn that looked the size of three, and more corral fences. They were headed straight for it. Was this where Colt lived?

  They rode into the dooryard a few minutes later and it wasn’t until Colt jumped down and reached up for her that she saw the joy on his face. He was home. When her feet hit the ground, all she could do was stare.

  The house was large, three stories and whitewashed with blue shudders at every window. Flowers dotted the pathway leading up to the wrap-around porch and chairs were situated in small groupings in and around the veranda. It looked so homey and comfortable, she wasn’t sure she’d ever want to leave.

  A man who was smiling broadly at them ran from the barn. He embraced Colt in a hug that looked more like back patting than anything, before welcoming him home. He took the horse, guiding it away.

  The corral by the barn held a small pony and a young boy was there. He turned and stared at them for long moments before jerking his hat off. Sarah realized then, that she’d been mistaken.

  It was a girl, her blonde pig-tail braids falling out from under her hat to lay across her shoulders. She cocked her head to one side, gave them a strange look before crawling between the fence rails. “Who’s that woman, pa?”

  Colt grinned back at her. “I aint your pa.”

  She stared at him, her brows lowering, before her eyes suddenly widened and a smile covered her face. “Uncle Colt!” She ran to him as fast as her legs would carry her and launched herself into his arms.

  Sarah thought she’d seen every expression to cross Colt’s face. The one she saw now she hoped to one-day see directed at her. Whoever this little girl was, the love Colt held for her showed on every inch of his face. His eyes held a light that made him look younger and his smile… it was breathtaking.

  The screen door slammed and Sarah turned to look behind her. The man standing on the porch caused her pulse to leap. Her mouth opened in surprise as she stared at him. She looked to Colt, saw him staring back at the man and Sarah did a double take. They looked exactly the same.

  Colt walked to her side, the little girl in his arms. “That’s my brother Holden and this,” he said, tickling the girls belly, “Is Alexandra, but don’t call her that. She’s yet to realize she’s a girl. Prefers Alex as her moniker.”

  The man Colt introduced as his brother walked down the steps, his gaze never leaving her. He was smiling and Sarah blinked before shaking her head. “You’re twins.”

  Holden grinned and nodded his head. “Yes, but I’m the better looking one.”

  Sarah wasn’t sure about that. As far as she could tell, there wasn’t much difference. Holden’s hair was a bit shorter than Colt’s, he was clean shaven as Colt had yet to scrape the whiskers off his face and they both had those same, crystal blue eyes. Beautiful. Both of them. She laughed and shook her head. How did the women in this town manage to go about their daily routines knowing these two gorgeous men walked their streets?

  She turned to Colt and saw him staring at her. Something flared in his eyes. The hunger she’d seen the day by the creek and something she couldn’t quite put a name on. If she had to guess, she’d say it looked like jealousy but what did he have to be jealous about?

  When she looked back at Holden and saw him staring at her, she grinned to herself. He was worried about his brother and if the look on Holden’s face was any indication, Colt may have reason to.

  Colt placed Alex on her feet, stood to his full height, and grinned. “So, how’s things?”

  Holden stared at him. “How the hell do you think they are? You up and left me, you no good piece of shi..” He stopped, looked at Alex and smiled. “Go get washed up, Alex. Supper will be ready in a few.”

  Alex nodded and grinned at Colt before running up the steps.

  When the door slammed behind her, Holden crossed the distance between himself and Colt and Sarah feared the outcome. Anger was etched into the lines of Holden’s face, his mouth a hard, thin line. “He thought I was you for over a month. Why the hell couldn’t you just stay? What’s it going to take, Colt? Them bringing you home in t
he back of a wagon, toes up?”