Caroline landed in a heap at his feet while Trent fired a bullet that had the revolver exploding.
Dear God, please don't let her be hurt.
Fear clutched his heart as he tried to keep his eyes on the couple and also check if she were injured.
Leaping from the ground, Caroline glanced at Trent and then back to Beau. The woman just scared ten years off Trent's life. Not because he cared, but rather, he didn't want to see her hurt. Well, and damn, she had gumption and was the prettiest woman to cross his path in years.
"Watch his wife," Trent cautioned, seeing the woman inching toward her husband's gun. Part of him felt a little angry at how Caroline had handled this extraction. They needed to learn to work together not against him, but then that made it sound like he was going to hunt with her and he wasn't. Once again, he was along for the adventure, nothing else.
With a stomp, Caroline's boot landed on the wife's wrist. "Step back or you'll be going to jail along with your husband."
Reaching down, she picked up the gun and shoved it in her waist. "Go back into the house, shut and lock the door. One more glimpse of your pretty face, you'll spend time behind bars."
Taking the man's coat, she went through the pockets, pulling out the knife and rope. "Shame on you for not being nice. Come on, Trent, let's take him to jail. Smithville is about two miles down the trail. The sheriff and I go way back. We can turn him in and find two motel rooms."
A smile lit up Trent's face. The idea of sleeping in a room with a desk, perfect. Tonight, he could write the first installment of the Bumbling Bounty Hunter. And he couldn't wait to start this newest serial.
There might have to be a kissing scene. Because that moment between them left him harder than a piece of granite and hotter than the August sun. Undoubtedly the memory of that kiss would keep him awake tonight thinking about what would have happened if Cole hadn't shown up.
Chapter 5
Riding into town in the darkness, Caroline had plenty of time to think about the shootout. Something didn't feel right. About now, she should be dead, but Trent's shooting had been right on target. Probably more accurate than her own.
Without Trent by her side, she would be pushing up daisies. A gunshot to the chest from an up close rifle. No denying it, she only lived because his bullet hit the woman's gun, causing her to miss. A trickle of fear spiraled down her spine, landing in her stomach, clenching in a knot.
With Beau's shot, if she hadn't fallen when she fired, he would have gotten her. Twice in one setup, she could have died. This business wasn't for the faint of heart and part of her was screaming go home. Marry Levy and be done with this nonsense. But she deserved a life she wanted and she refused to back down now.
Glancing at Trent, she noticed how easy he sat in his saddle, the way his body swayed with the motion. Tilting her head back, she gazed up at the stars in the skies and wondered about her father.
When she was twelve, he passed away, leaving her with her mother as the sole parent. And her mother did great as long as Caroline went along with her. Would she be in this same situation if her father still lived? Unfortunately, there was no way to know, but she thought not.
Sighing, she felt such relief that finally, when she turned in this bounty, she would receive cash. Not a large sum, but right now, everything helped when broke.
Tonight they would spend in a hotel and tomorrow start the process all over again. Another day, another bounty, while waiting to see what else Trent wanted to learn. They had gone over guns, which he seemed to catch on amazingly.
Now he would see what happened when one brought in a criminal.
"You know, I'll be out in no time," Beau said. "Then I'll come hunting you."
Caroline turned and gave him her sweetest smile. "Please, do. I always need target practice," she said in her tea time voice.
Trent roared with laughter as they rode into town. By now the streets echoed with the sounds of the saloon. Shadows lined the main road with few people out and about.
"Let's get this man in jail and sleep in tomorrow morning," Trent said. "Are we headed back to Castle Gap?"
No, she was not ready to take Trent back, and frankly, he was a grown man and if he didn't want to go on the next hunt, there was the trail home. She could go it alone. Though she enjoyed his company these last few days and would hate to see him go.
"No, I'm going to pick out a poster this evening. I thought we'd continue on. You'll get more experience and I'll make more money."
While this would help her, she really needed to make more. Until she had enough to not depend on her mother for a very long time, she wouldn't be comfortable.
"Okay," he said as they arrived at the sheriff's office.
An hour later, they were minus one prisoner and a horse and Caroline was two hundred dollars richer. Next, they went to the livery stable and boarded their horses for the night.
As they walked into the hotel, the clerk behind the counter had his head laid on the desk, sleeping.
"We need two rooms," she said.
The man looked sleepily at her and then at Trent. "Sorry, ma'am, but we only have one room available."
"Is there another hotel or inn in town?"
"Nope, we're the only one," he said.
Whirling around, she stared at Trent. He promised her. He'd given her his word and yet this afternoon he kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. In fact, that kiss left her in a sweating puddle of heat. This couldn't happen between them, she still suspected him of being an outlaw and yet she wanted more of those kisses.
The idea of staying in the same room as Trent had her chest aching, her heart pounding, and her breath coming in short little gasps.
"We'll take the room," she said.
The walk to the room was quiet. Too quiet. Neither one said a word as he put the key in the hole and opened the door. Caroline stepped into the room and glanced at the one big bed.
"I'll sleep on the floor," he said.
"No," she responded. "Your leg. You've been limping more and more as the night went on. I'm sure it's hurting."
The limb was aching, and yet, the thought of sleeping in the same bed as Caroline would have other parts of him hurting worse. Them sharing a bed was like keeping two sticks of dynamite near a hot ember. One little touch and there would be consequences.
But she was right, sleeping on that hard surface would finish the limb off and he'd be in bed for several days. No choice, but to share the only bed in the room.
"Yes," he said setting his saddlebags down beside hers. "Then let's at least roll up a blanket and put between us."
"Good idea," she said, walking away from him. "We'll turn out the lights and then we can both strip down and crawl into bed."
No, this was not a good idea. All his warning bells were going off and yet he needed this room. He needed to rest his leg and he needed to jot down his notes and even possibly write the first installment.
"Why don't I go downstairs and let you prepare for bed," he said.
She licked her lips and the simple act of her tongue swiping across her full mouth made him want to taste her again. But he couldn't. Not after this afternoon. Not after learning the effect of those lips against his.
"Okay," she said. "I just want to wash my face and get ready. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'll be asleep."
Trent knew that the night would be long for him. With his painful limb, his writing, and Caroline such a temptation, he would have a hard time sleeping. Right now, he felt more wound up than a hive full of bees.
Limping to his escape, his cane tapping along the way, he opened the door. "Goodnight, I'll be back soon."
Once out the door, he wondered if he shouldn't go over to the saloon and drink himself into a stupor. Maybe that would ease the pain and tame the beast inside.
Three drinks and an hour later...
Thirty minutes turned into an hour and finally exhausted Caroline fell asleep waiting for Trent to return. Sometime later, she woke at the sound
of Trent stumbling in through the door.
"Trent?" she called. "Are you okay?"
"Go back to sleep, I'm fine," he said as he limped to a nearby table and chair. Sinking down, he reached down to yank off his boots. The leg refused to bend any further, and frustrated, he leaned back.
Silently she rose from the bed and knelt down and tugged his boot off one foot and then the other. When she looked up, he was gazing at her in the dark, but she could feel his eyes on her. She'd slept in her pantaloons and chemise, but still they left very little to the imagination.
Where had he been all these hours?
"Are you drunk?"
He laughed. "Only on the sight of you. That gorgeous hair all tossed around your face as the moonlight shines through the window. The way your breasts...you're a beautiful woman and I'm a crippled man."
Tension filled the room with some feeling she didn't understand. A need to be held and touched by this man overwhelmed her, and yet she tried to resist. But his words were like satin sliding against her skin.
"Does the limb pain you much?"
There was silence as if he didn't want to answer her question.
"Yes," he said. "But I have no one to blame but myself for the injury."
That didn't make sense. How could he fault himself for a misfortune he couldn't prepare for?
"You were in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. "When a horse rolls on you, that can't be your failing."
He didn't respond, but reached out and ran a finger along her jaw. "What's an innocent like you doing in this harsh profession? Don't you realize it will change you, harden you to the harshness of life?"
The brush of his skin felt like fire trailing down her face. Not unpleasant, but a blaze that drew her in and she wanted more.
"Maybe," she admitted, aware she was dealing with men who would just as soon kill her as let her take them to jail. Tonight's events had proven how dangerous this business could be.
His hand cupped her chin. "Your beauty and innocence are like a flame drawing me in, enticing and luring me to you. And while the mind is telling me to stop, the body knows what it wants. You."
Leaning forward, his mouth captured hers in a kiss as he pulled her onto his lap, his lips plundered her mouth as ardor flamed through her, awakening her body. Her arms slipped around his neck, needing him closer as his hand caressed her breast sending shock waves rippling through her.
No man had ever fondled her before and an explosion of desire shot through her like an inferno.
The touch of his hand resting on her, squeezing the orb, left her squirming. His fingers pushed her chemise to the side and he broke the seal of their mouths as she watched his head descend to her chest.
His mouth encompassed her nipple as he sucked, radiating twinges of heat and hunger spiraling through her. An ache began to build in her center as her breaths grew shorter and faster.
Whatever he was doing, she didn't want him to cease. The craving he created had her gasping and clinging to him, afraid to let go. The old woman, her conscious, was screaming in her lulled brain, make him stop, and yet Caroline didn't want this to end.
His teeth nipped her nub and she moaned as she ran her fingers through his hair as he suckled her breast.
Sitting on his lap, he hardened beneath her and a need so strong built between her legs that she longed for his hard length inside her.
Like ice water, the thought shocked her, chilling her blood as she shoved his head away, finally succumbing to the warnings of her conscious.
"You promised," she gasped, knowing her will was weakening and she needed to stop him now or she'd be lost.
Leaning back, his breathing sounded sharp and loud in the darkness.
"You're right, I did," he said. "I'm such a fool."
The knowledge he wanted to continue filled her with warmth. But even more, the fact he was going to uphold his promise, built trust where once there was none.
Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek, unable to keep from touching him. "Maybe I should take the chair and you take the bed."
"No," he said. "We'll both sleep in the bed. You go ahead and then I'll follow you."
With unsteady legs, she slid off him, landing on the floor, her wobbly feet not ready to support her. Not wanting to lose contact, but realizing she must let go, she released his hand and walked to her side of the mattress.
Crawling in, she lay still, unmoving, her chest pounding, her blood rushing, certain this was not how this act ended. Never before would she have considered what the marriage bed would be like and now she partly knew. But now her curiosity was aroused.
With the right person, maybe being wed wouldn't be so bad after all.
Five minutes later, the bed sagged with his weight as he crawled onto his side the rolled blanket between them. Just the fact that he was on the other side had her heart racing.
He reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Goodnight, Caroline."
"Goodnight, Trent," she said, cognizant that something had changed. Something she hadn't seen coming. Something that intrigued her.
Chapter 6
At least once a week, the sisters tried to get together for either coffee or lunch or some other meal without their husbands. With small children, sometimes finding the time was difficult, notably when one of the babies took the croup. Thankfully, for the first time in three weeks, they were together. Since Meg was expecting her second child, they agreed to meet at her house.
"Oh," Ruby said. "You're not going to believe who came to visit me."
Meg shook her head. "Always so dramatic."
"It was interesting."
“Who?" Annabelle said.
"Our dear aunt Esther, Caroline's mother."
Ruby smiled at what was left of her family, knowing the last time Esther had come out to the homestead was the day of their papa's funeral. At that point, the woman pretty much let the girls know they were on their own. She couldn't or wouldn't help them. So much for blood.
"What did she want? We're not exactly her favorite people. Especially when Meg's marriage to Zach took away the prospect of Caroline becoming the sheriff's wife," Annabelle replied.
Everyone in town was aware Esther searched for someone, anyone, to marry her daughter and yet she made Caroline out to be such a helpless, whinny, ninny. The poor girl didn't have a chance at meeting a decent man, not with Mama on the quest for any Tom, Dick, or Harry with land or money regardless of his habits.
Meg laughed. "Zach likes Caroline, but he said he refused to marry mother and daughter. When you married daughter, you also got the mother."
"Wise man," Annabelle said.
"Caroline left town, alone without Mama's knowledge. I think she's gone bounty hunting."
"What?" Meg said, raising her voice before she quickly toned down so as not to wake the sleeping babies. "She's not strong enough. She'll be eaten alive by some criminal."
That's what everyone believed of Caroline, and Ruby was beginning to realize just how much their lack of confidence must sting. Even she had been guilty of thinking Caroline incompetent.
Yet, if Caroline was killed on this hunt, Ruby would shut down her school. The sadness would be too overwhelming to continue. As much as Caroline drove Ruby crazy, she didn't want her cousin to die. She only wanted her happiness. And right now, Caroline needed that boost of courage that capturing an outlaw brought.
"Have you ever considered how Caroline must feel at your reactions. Has anyone ever given her any encouragement or thought of her as being a tenacious, capable woman? All of us think she's a scatterbrained ninny. Why do we think that about her? Is it because of her actions or could it be her mother? Tell me the last time this woman said anything nice about her daughter?"
Her sisters looked at her and then burst out laughing. Meg shook her head, grinning. "No, she's an empty-headed little girl who doesn't have enough sense to wear a raincoat in a storm."
"That's exactly what I mean. No one gives
her any credit for any intelligence. What if we would look at her with appreciation and encourage her, she might be a different woman. A woman proficient at anything she wanted to accomplish."
Annabelle raised her eyebrows. "The girl is always getting into some kind of danger. If she's out bounty hunting, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she either gets captured, shot, or both. The woman has a penchant for trouble."
Unfortunately, it was true, but Ruby wanted her to be successful. Caroline needed to succeed.
"No matter what, men are not going to take her seriously when she tells them she's a bounty hunter. They didn't with us, so why would they with her?" Ruby said.
Now Ruby just wanted everyone to reconsider the way they approached and treated Caroline. The time had come for them to give her the opportunity to shine.
"I'm worried about her," Annabelle said quietly. "I'm so afraid she'll be hurt or worse. Then Esther is going to accuse all of us. It will be our fault that we put foolish notions in her head."
Ruby felt the same concerns, but couldn't blame her cousin for leaving.
"Esther's the reason she left," Ruby said. "The latest man Esther was trying to fix Caroline up with was Levy Mutscher."
"That stinky pig farmer," Meg cried. "Good grief, I would have run out of town too."
"The man doesn't wash up to come to church," Annabelle declared.
The women each gave a little shiver.
"I like ham," Meg said in a mischievous tone, before she erupted in a giggle. "We all know that."
"Stolen ham tastes the best," Annabelle said, smacking her lips, smiling. "I'd forgotten all about that time we were so hungry and you stole from that smoker."
Shaking her head, Ruby said, "My law-abiding sister became a thief that day."
"Those were lean times. That ham was laying out there whispering take me home. So, I did."
"Until we found out," Annabelle said.
"You invited the sheriff to dinner that night," Ruby said in disbelief.
She'd been a different girl back then. A flirt with all the boys, teasing them unmercifully and getting her way. Until the incident with Clay, and that had changed her forever.
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