“I won’t interfere with it,” she replied.

  “It’s dangerous business.”

  “I can handle myself.”

  He stopped his horse again and stared at her intently. “Look, you’re a good woman and I was happy to help you back there. As much as I’d like to continue dancing with you the way we have, I truly do have matters that need to be tended and I can’t bring you along. I meant what I said to Jack and I meant what I said to you. I’ll be checking in on you again, and if I hear so much as a rumor that he’s trying to get you in trouble with the law, I’ll straighten it out. If he makes one threat to you, I’ll knock his teeth down his throat. Odds are, after that wound he took, he’ll be too busy dragging himself to a doctor and learning how to get along with one arm to even consider coming after you again. After the way you stood up to him, even I’d be hesitant to cross you.”

  “He’s got friends at that ranch,” she said. “They’re a bunch of rowdy idiots who could very well get drunk and throw a bunch of torches at my home in the middle of the night. I don’t want to worry about that and I don’t want to shoot anyone else. Shooting Jack was hard enough and I had plenty of reason to do it.” A few tears dripped from her eyes, which she quickly wiped away with the back of her hand. “I didn’t even want to shoot him.”

  “What?”

  “It was an accident. I meant to shoot away from him.”

  “You were pointing toward the house,” Slocum chuckled. “You wanted to shoot your own house?”

  “Well, it was either that or aim it toward you and those other men. I didn’t want to shoot any of you either.”

  “You could have pointed it straight up.”

  Leanne looked up as if a target were still waiting for her among the clouds. Even though there wasn’t much of anything to see, she kept looking and wiped away a few more tears. “That didn’t occur to me,” she said with a tired laugh.

  For some reason, Slocum couldn’t take his eyes off her. Even as she fidgeted nervously in her saddle and self-consciously dried her eyes, the sight of her was pretty enough to make him smile. Apart from that, he couldn’t help but think how poorly suited she was to defending herself against a bunch of cowboys that were itching for some payback after one of their friends had been wounded and another had been killed. Tack on to that one man with a Spencer rifle that was desperate to prove he wasn’t as yellowbellied as he’d made himself out to be, and it added up to the possibility of a rough couple of days for a good woman.

  “If you’re worried about them burning your house, they can do it a lot easier without you there to chase them off,” Slocum pointed out.

  “If they come for that, I’m sure they know I’ll be there. Fact is, I’d rather not be there to see something like that.”

  She was right. If a bunch of angry cowboys came along to do her harm, it would probably be a lot worse than just burning her house down. There were plenty of things men could do to a woman that would make her regret being alive. He hadn’t known her for long, but she didn’t deserve something like that. He was hard-pressed to think of anyone who did.

  “So how long do you intend on following me?” he asked.

  “You say you’re going to White Pine County?”

  “Yep.”

  “Once I get as far as the county line, I should be clear of those ranch hands. Even Jack doesn’t have the tenacity to track me that long. From there, I can head to my uncle’s spread.”

  “What about your house?”

  She took one last look at the place and then turned her back to it. “That was supposed to be my and Jack’s home. It’s too close to the Double Hook for me to have any peace of mind, so I was going to move along anyway.”

  “What took you so long in deciding that?”

  “Honestly, I didn’t think there was any use in trying to get away. The way you stood up to Jack and those other two . . .”

  “We both stood up to them,” Slocum reminded her.

  “Yes, well, I never really thought I could get away no matter how much I wanted to. That must seem awfully silly to a man like you.”

  “I know what it’s like to feel trapped. Once you give in to it, things can seem pretty damn hopeless.”

  “Yes,” Leanne said as her face brightened. “That’s exactly how I felt. Hopeless. But not anymore. I just want to get away from here and start fresh. My uncle and cousins would be willing to come back here to check on the house and collect my things. If there’s nothing left when we come back, I won’t lose sleep over it. I’d rather be away from Jack, away from that damned ranch, and away from this whole mistake I made.”

  Slocum could see the enthusiasm in her eyes and hear it in her voice. Plenty of folks talked about starting a new life, but not many of them actually took steps in that direction. If someone like Leanne wanted to take those steps, he couldn’t bring himself to stand in her way. “All right then,” he told her. “If you’re coming with me, you’ve got to do what I say when I say it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m not fooling about. I’ve got serious matters to attend to that could get messy. If things get too bad, you may have to hide somewhere or even carry on without me.”

  “I understand.”

  “There may be shooting involved.”

  Leanne patted the boot of her saddle. Although it was made to carry a hunting rifle, the shotgun was wedged in there well enough to stay in place. “I’m armed and ain’t afraid to defend myself.”

  Slocum cocked his head and gave her a look that was more than enough to tell her about what he thought of that proposition.

  She was quick to add, “If things get any worse than they’ve already been, I’ll ride ahead and meet you somewhere. All I ask is that you don’t forget about me when things quiet down again.”

  “You got yourself a deal,” Slocum replied as he flicked his reins. When his horse moved along at a quicker pace, Leanne stayed right with him. “So do you think this uncle of yours might put me up for a night if the need arises?”

  Leanne chuckled and said, “Don’t push it, mister.”

  13

  They rode for two days without incident. Despite all he’d packed into his time at Leanne’s home, Slocum hadn’t been off the courier’s trail for more than an hour. It took some hard riding at first, but he picked it up again and eventually spotted the other man in the distance. The courier must have stopped off somewhere himself, because Slocum spotted him early the day after he’d picked up his new companion.

  Leanne did a good job of keeping up with him. Her horse was a fine animal that gave Slocum’s a run for its money. Although he wasn’t interested in anything as frivolous as a race, he found himself in several competitive bursts of speed that nearly caught them up to the courier. Slocum had to pull himself out of that and remind himself about the other riders he was looking for. Whenever they reached a high ridge, he sent Leanne away so she wouldn’t skyline herself while he studied the horizon for a hint of Darrel or his boys.

  All he saw was more desert scrub.

  When Slocum rode down from the slope and put his field glasses back into his saddlebag, Leanne said, “We could probably get a lot farther if we let the horses stretch their legs again, John. We might even make it into White Pine a day early.”

  “We need to hang back,” he replied. “The man in front of us is getting closer to where he needs to go, which only means the ones behind us will be trying that much harder to catch up and I don’t aim to avoid them.”

  “Will you tell me who they are?”

  “They’re the ones I want you to stay away from. That’s all you need to know.”

  “It might help if I knew a little more,” she said.

  Leanne had been passing the time between races by trying to get information out of Slocum. Even though she hit a brick wall every time she questioned him, she continued plucking away at her task. Her questions also drifted toward his past and plans for the future, which were obviously just her way of getting closer to him.

  Every now and then, Slocum gave in and told her a story about someplace he’d been or someone he’d met. She was just an easy person to talk to and there wasn’t much better to do during the ride. On the subject of his current business, however, he remained firm. If something was to happen and Darrel or one of the others caught up to them, Leanne would be safer knowing as little as possible about what Slocum was doing out there. As far as she knew, he was just a man who was handy with a shooting iron and had been in the right place at the right time. That shouldn’t be enough to put her in harm’s way.

  For the rest of the day, they rode without giving the horses too much of a strain. By the time the sun was halfway down in the sky, Slocum slowed to a crawl and started taking in the surrounding terrain with a critical eye.

  “What’s the matter?” Leanne asked. “Did you spot those other men you’ve been watching for?”

  “No, I’m looking for a spot to make camp.”

  “Already?”

  “If you’d prefer to move on, you’re more than welcome. We should be crossing into White Pine County anytime.”

  “Actually,” she said, “we crossed the county line an hour ago.”

  Slocum looked back as if he expected to find a large red stripe painted on the ground. “Are you sure?”

  “I’ve lived in these parts a good portion of my life. I’m pretty sure.”

  “Then we definitely need to make camp. How far away is your uncle’s spread?”

  “About forty miles northeast of here. If you prefer to be on your own, I suppose I could ride on.”

  Just knowing he was in White Pine County set Slocum’s nerves to jangling with the thought of an ambush coming at any moment. The fact that he’d barely glimpsed another rider other than the courier this far along the way made that sense of impending doom even worse. “No,” he told her. “We can part ways tomorrow if it’s safe. I saw you this far, so there’s no reason to give up now.”

  “Awww,” Leanne sighed. “You’re such a good man.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  It didn’t take long for them to find a good spot to make camp. A little creek snaked its way toward what looked to be a thickly wooded area several miles to the east. The hills along the edge of the creek weren’t very big, but were tall enough to provide enough cover to keep the horses and their riders from being picked off from a distance. As Slocum gathered wood for a fire, Leanne led the horses to the creek for a spell. After half an hour without hearing from her, he got nervous.

  “Leanne?” he shouted.

  His voice carried a lot farther than he’d intended, causing Slocum to wince at the thought of alerting anyone nearby. Even though he would have spotted someone that close to the campsite, he decided against shouting again and struck out to find her. When he found the horses tied to a stand of trees, he drew his Colt and proceeded with quieter steps.

  The trees were gathered in a thick cluster that was just large enough to keep him from seeing much past them. He picked his way between them, cautiously setting one foot down in front of the other to keep from snapping a twig or rustling too many branches. The sound of flowing water reached his ears, followed by splashing.

  Slocum reached out to push aside some branches and revealed the shape of a figure standing almost directly in front of him. It gave him a start, but he quickly recognized the pattern of Leanne’s dress. The figure wasn’t even her. It was just the dress hanging from one of the thicker branches. After moving the dress aside, Slocum was able to see her in the creek wearing a plain white slip. She splashed water onto her shoulders and neck, creating the sounds he’d heard a few seconds ago.

  Slocum kept perfectly still. Leanne’s back was to him and she stooped down to splash some water onto her face. The creek came up just past her waist and the water was clear enough to reflect the blue sky on its surface. Her slip was plastered to her skin and drenched to the point that it might as well have not been there at all. When she straightened up again, she ran her hands through her hair and pulled it all so it flowed down the middle of her back in a dark blond wave.

  Turning while shifting her hair toward one shoulder, she said, “I know you’re there, John.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I just came along to check on you.”

  “I figured.” She turned around to face him. The front of her slip was just as wet as the back. The main difference being that the view from that angle was a whole lot more interesting. It clung to her like a fresh coat of paint, allowing him to see the shape of her soft, rounded breasts and the dark skin of her nipples. She moved her hands slowly along the front of her body, and when she was done, her nipples stood fully erect. “Took you long enough,” she said.

  Slocum stepped out from the trees and stood at the edge of the creek.

  “I think we both could spare a few moments to wash off all that trail dust,” she said as her hands began to wander self-consciously back up to her exposed breasts. “Don’t you agree?”

  Having thought it over for all of two seconds, Slocum unbuckled his gun belt and put it on the ground. “That sounds real good,” he said.

  Within moments, he was undressed and climbing into the water. Leanne’s eyes never left him, and when he stood naked before her, she watched intently as he moved to her side. The water was cold and Slocum reacted with a shudder.

  “Here,” she said with an easy laugh. “Let me help you.”

  Her hands were tentative at first, although she obviously wanted to touch him. Slocum didn’t have any such reservations. He stepped right up to her, pulled Leanne close, and kissed her deeply on the mouth. She kissed him back without hesitation and wrapped her arms around him while pressing her body against his. The moment Slocum’s body responded to her touch, she reached down to stroke his hardening member.

  It didn’t take long to acclimate to the water. In fact, with her so close and her hand vigorously stroking him, Slocum felt anything but cold. He ran his hands up her back and around to brush against the sides of her breasts. Leanne moved her leg up and down along his thigh, groaning as he reached between her thighs. When his hand became ensnared within the material of her slip, he hiked the flimsy garment up around her waist so he could stroke the lips of her pussy.

  Leanne leaned her head back and let out a long, satisfied moan. The instant Slocum moved his hand away, she gripped his cock and guided it between her legs. He cupped her backside in both hands, pumped his hips forward, and buried every inch of his erection inside her.

  “Yes!” she cried. “Just like that!”

  The bottom of the creek was jagged and uneven beneath Slocum’s feet. He slowly moved her toward the edge until she bumped against solid ground. As soon as she felt that behind her and Slocum’s hands holding her up, Leanne wrapped both legs around him and began grinding her hips in time to his thrusts. She was timid at first, but every time he drove into her, she seemed to want him there even more. Soon, she grunted loudly and clawed at his shoulders as though she was never going to let go.

  Slocum buried his face against the base of her neck, pulling in the sweet, musky scent of her skin. Her hair brushed against his face and her breasts rubbed against his chest. Grabbing her even tighter, Slocum pumped into her deeper than before. She snapped her eyes open as her pussy tightened around him and her muscles tensed. Knowing her climax was swiftly approaching, Slocum watched her face as he thrust into her with long, powerful strokes.

  She couldn’t take much of that before arching her back and digging her nails into his skin. When she finally did let out a breath, Leanne shuddered and moaned until she no longer had the strength to hold her head up. Looking at him again, she giggled softly and said, “Sorry about the noise. I don’t know what came over me.”

  “I think I do.”

  When Slocum shifted between her legs, Leanne sighed, “Yes, I believe you’re right.”

  He didn’t let go of her. Instead, Slocum lifted her from the water and carried her onto the shore. Setting her down so she was lying on the ground with one foot dangling into the creek, he climbed on top of her and said, “But I’m not through with you yet.”

  Leanne’s eyes widened again and she opened her legs wide to accommodate him. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and kissed him hungrily. When she felt his cock slide between her legs, she moaned softly and ground her moist lips up and down against his shaft. All it took from there was a slight adjustment for his tip to settle in the right spot so he could enter her once more.

  This time, Slocum went slow and easy. He slid in and out of her, savoring the wet warmth of her pussy and the feel of her body beneath him. Running one hand along her leg, he pushed in as far as he could and stayed put for several heartbeats. Leanne writhed slowly under his weight, rubbing his shoulders and tracing the muscles along his back while gazing up at him with wide blue eyes.

  Slocum stared down at her as he grabbed her knee, and shifted her leg a bit higher so he could pump into her more freely. She enveloped him perfectly with every part of her body. One leg hooked around his waist while the other stretched out to brush against his calf. When she closed her eyes, Leanne turned her head to one side as if she was savoring every moment. Slocum quickened his pace, which widened her smile. As he approached his climax, he could see a change in her expression as well.

  “Oh, John,” she moaned. “You’re going to make me . . .” But she could no longer speak. Instead, her words and even her next few breaths were swallowed up by another orgasm that swept through her entire body.

  Burying his face against her once more, Slocum pumped into her with building urgency. Every inch of him, every muscle in his body and every fiber of his being, was set on one goal. He held her tightly and built his rhythm. He felt her gripping him as well, but she was no longer moaning. Leanne strained for every breath and trembled until it seemed she was about to burst. He crossed that threshold first and exploded inside her. It was a powerful climax that left Slocum weakened for several moments.

  After a brief silence, Leanne whispered, “I’ve been waiting for that for too long.”