Lawless (6 page)

He wouldn’t ride with them by choice, or for money.

Then…why?

“Are you playing some game?” The question was spontaneous and she should never have asked it. Perched on the side of the bed, she clasped her hands in her lap and looked at him.

His face—so perfect in detail with its chiseled masculine lines—smoothed into that mask she’d seen before. Gray eyes glimmered in the firelight. “Excuse me?”

“I’m naturally curious.”

“Well, get uncurious.” He tipped the flask to his mouth again but she knew he didn’t take more than a very small swallow.

Gabe glanced first at her and then at Cal and his broad face lit with a small smile.

“You can’t fool everyone, son. Appears she’s one of those who sees through you.”

“I am going to ask you to shut up a second time, Gabe.” Cal capped the flask and thrust it back at his friend. Tall and lean, he stood and gave a small theatrical stretch, sleek muscles moving under his plain shirt. The firelight made his blond hair gleam with rich color and put shadows under his finely modeled cheekbones. “I’m going to hit my bedroll. I suggest you do the same, Miss Daniels.”

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Emma Wildes

“Call me Laurel.”

“Goodnight.” He stalked from the room in a low jingle of spurs, but not before he sent a warning look at his friend.

The door shut behind him with a soft thud and the faint drift of night air.

The older man chuckled. “You got him rattled. I haven’t seen that in a long time.”

“I don’t see how you can tell,” Laurel said with feeling. “He’s about as emotional as a rock.”

“Don’t let him trick you into thinkin’ that, miss. Cal’s deep. It’s part of his problem.

He feels everything a sight too much and it all eats at him. Considering how he stuck his neck out for you, I’m sure you at least understand a little bit what I’m saying.”

She would never forget the tone of his cool voice or the sound of the bag of money hitting the ground when he offered it for her. At the time it hadn’t seemed like a moment of salvation, but now…well, she wasn’t just sure what to think.

“He saved me from those men,” she acquiesced with a small shiver over what might have been.

“Yes, miss, it sounds to me like he did just that.”

“I’m grateful…and he says he’s going to take me home.”

“If Cal said it, it’ll happen.”

That was a relief, but she’d already reached that conclusion herself. Despite his warning, she trusted him anyway.

“Have you known him long?” She dared the question, even though her body ached with fatigue.

“Since he was little more than a boy.”

“He said he’s from Texas.”

“Not for a long time. Cal has no home. He doesn’t want one, as far as I can tell.”

She thought about her parents’ comfortable ranch and the old, stately home where her grandmother lived in Boston. “How could anyone feel that way?”

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Gabe gave her a keen look. He smoothed his shaggy beard with his fingers, the other hand holding his flask. “I doubt he’s willing to risk it. Putting down roots, now that makes a man vulnerable.”

“I could see where that would be a problem for him.” Her tone was dry. “Vulnerable is not the first word I think of when Cal Riker comes to mind.”

Her rescuer’s friend took a long pull from the flask. He swallowed and gave a small cough. “His reputation is well-earned, but take my word, miss, he has his reasons. Just know you’re safe with him. Now, get a good sleep. If I know Cal, he drove you pretty hard and you could use it. Goodnight. We’ll both be right outside if you need anything.”

If she hadn’t been about as tired as ever in her life, she might have protested taking his bed, but it felt soft and warm and after removing her shoes and stockings, Laurel crawled under the blankets, closed her eyes and sank into oblivion.

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Emma Wildes

The faint splash of water went right through him.

In a direct downward spiral, right to his unruly cock. Rifle in hand, Cal eased along the bank to his usual spot, right behind a trio of fledgling aspens, the slender stems affording him a good view but pretty decent cover, the delicate leaves fluttering in the breeze above his head. For the past three days he’d crouched in the same location and both endured and enjoyed the duty of guarding Laurel while she bathed in the small stream by the cabin. If she had any idea he was there, she’d probably die of mortification, but he was also sure she would never agree to let him openly watch, so he took the easy route. There was no way on this green earth he’d ever let her go anywhere alone, but if she was naïve enough to think so, he wasn’t going to argue. There were all sorts of dangers, from bears and cougars to the two-legged kind. The cabin was pretty secluded, but some drifter could come along and there were certainly still unfriendly Indians around.

It was habit to scan the surroundings—an ingrained sense of safety he didn’t think about—even with the distraction of the naked woman waist-deep in the water. Everything was quiet, the morning growing warm for early fall, though he knew from experience the water in the stream was pretty damned cold. Laurel shivered, and there was no way he could keep his avid gaze from fastening on her bare breasts as they swayed with her movements.

The young lady had a set of very gorgeous tits—that was for sure. Not too large, beautifully shaped and firm with pink nipples that at the moment were tight and pointed from the chilly water. Cal stifled a groan and shifted position uncomfortably when she soaped her hands and ran them over those luscious curves. The throbbing of his erection, confined by the material of his pants, was pretty hard to ignore.

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She was hard to ignore in general. Gabe had ridden off the morning after they’d arrived as planned and it would probably be a good two weeks before he came back. The enforced time alone with her in a remote place and the close quarters of the cabin was taking its toll on his self-control and this was just the third day.

God help me.

Since he was pretty sure he was undeserving of divine aid of any kind, that seemed unlikely, he thought with sardonic humor. The sooner he delivered the tantalizing Laurel Daniels to her father’s ranch, the better.

She soaped her hair and let out a low gasp as she stood after sinking into the water to rinse it. Wet gold strands clung to her slim shoulders that now trembled from the chill of the stream. When she turned to wade out, he got a perfect view of her enticing backside as she bent over to retrieve the cloth she used to dry off. It was just as perfect as the rest of her, the mounds of her buttocks smooth and pale and made to be cupped in his hands.

The dainty triangle of curls between her thighs was a darker gold than her blond hair, and her legs long and slender. As far he could tell, and he was
really
paying attention, every inch of her from the top of her head to her toes was made to make a man think about things he shouldn’t. Like having her beneath him, naked and moaning…

He certainly was having impure thoughts, at any rate, and it was getting to him.

His preoccupation had him not paying attention when she screamed and stumbled backward. Instinctively, he shot out of his hiding place, rifle at the ready, though he couldn’t see what caused such alarm. As he crashed through a small thicket of thorny bushes in his haste, she whirled around, the cloth clutched to her chest.

“Cal!” Her blue eyes were wide as she took in the gun in his hand.

There was still no particular menace he could see. “What’s wrong?”

“S-snake.” She pointed at the rock where she’d set her clothes. “It startled me. I didn’t see it.”

Relief washed through him as he saw, indeed, a nice size rattler had decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and was sunning itself, comfortably situated on one of her petticoats. He thrust his fingers through his hair. “Jesus, girl, you scared me to death.”

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Emma Wildes

“I almost touched it,” she shot back, her voice choked, “and I hate the darned things.”

“They aren’t my favorite,” he admitted. “But I’ll take care of it. He doesn’t look all that happy to see us either.”

She shuddered, trying to wrap the towel around herself. “Just get rid of it, please. I only have one set of clothes as it is. I’m not sharing it with a snake.”

He couldn’t help it, he laughed. She looked delectably wet, tousled and indignant.

Not to mention still very naked since the cloth wasn’t all that big. “I’ll coax him to give it back.”

“And right after that maybe you can explain what you were doing hiding in the bushes.”

He figured that was coming but just lifted a brow. “I’m not in the habit of explaining myself to anyone, but if there was one person on this earth who could bribe me to do so, it would be a very beautiful naked woman.”

Bribe him?

Laurel stared at the man in front of her, recognizing after the last week in his presence that flare once again of tension between them. Not antagonism, but something else entirely, an unspoken challenge in a battle she’d never fought before. His eyes, pure steel gray and so hard to read, held a heavy look, his dark lashes lowered just a fraction.

Without saying another word, he walked over to the rock, managed to skillfully scoop up the rattlesnake with the tip of his rifle, and tossed it a few feet away. It slithered into the bushes and disappeared from sight.

Thank the Lord. She loathed the creatures and always had.

Cal reached over and scooped up her clothes. “Here you go. All yours again.”

The cloth she held in front of her barely covered her breasts and upper thighs. She could feel the blush in her neck and cheeks but wasn’t going to make matters worse by trying to dress in front of him. “Thank you.” She snatched the garments from his hand and refused to turn and run, though that was her first impulse.

He gave her one of his devastating smiles. “My pleasure.”

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“Turn your back, please.”

“Now, I’m sorry, but that happens to be something I never do. Too many people would like to put a bullet in it.”

“Including me right now. Why were you watching me?”

His handsome face was enigmatic. “I think you can figure that one out on your own, Miss Daniels. This isn’t the safest country for a woman by herself, much less a naked one.”

At least with her dress and petticoats held in front of her he couldn’t see as much exposed skin. His refusal to use her first name was also symbolic of something, but she wasn’t sure what. “Why didn’t you tell me you were lurking around?”

He shrugged, his wide shoulders lifting the plain material of his shirt. “It would have made you uncomfortable, for one. Now, why don’t you just get dressed?”

“Not with you watching me.” Her cheeks felt on fire.

“Well, I’m not leaving you here alone, so maybe you’d better face the fact you’re going to lose this argument.” His tone was infuriatingly nonchalant, his well-shaped mouth just slightly tilted at one corner in indication of his amusement over her discomfort. Tall and lean, his muscular body reminded her of the power of his strength as compared to hers, and she couldn’t decide if she felt hunted or protected.

Well, maybe both.

“I’ve already seen it all,” he informed her in a mild tone. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, believe me. My compliments, ma’am.”

Speechless, Laurel stared at him, part of her wanting to slap his face for that audacious comment, another part of her traitorously pleased he found her attractive.

Pleased a wild outlaw wanted her? The notion was just insane.

Worse than that, she was afraid maybe she felt just the same way about him. It didn’t make sense, but it just…was.

With effort, she gathered her scattered wits. “It’s different knowing you’re standing right here.”

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Emma Wildes

His crystalline eyes narrowed and he shook his head. In the dappled sunlight, his thick hair shone with amber streaks, just curling over his collar. “I warned you, Miss Daniels. I don’t do well with debate if there’s a faster way.”

“Warn me all you like, but I’m not going to dress in front of you,
Mister Riker.
”

“Fine with me, I like you naked better. But I’m not interested in a big standoff either, so…”

A gasp escaped her lips as he stepped forward and leaned down, grabbing her and suddenly tossing her facedown over his shoulder. One arm wrapped around her thighs, the other holding his rifle, he started to walk back toward the cabin with calm measured steps.

Appalled, her bare backside in the air, Laurel squirmed in furious protest, still clutching her precious clothing. “Put me down, damn you.”

He clucked his tongue. “You’re a lady, Miss Daniels. Your mother would faint to hear you talk like that.”

One brawny shoulder was pressed against her diaphragm and made it hard to retort, but she managed to croak, “You lowdown, despicable, highhanded desperado. Put me down right now.”

“Can you be lowdown and highhanded at the same time?” He walked across the small clearing. “Despicable might fit, and I’m not going to argue the desperado label, but you might want to keep that in mind before you keep slinging more names my direction. I can be patient, but I don’t like it.”

“I’m…not…a…sack of flour.”

She couldn’t see it, but she had the feeling he turned his head to look at her exposed bottom. “No, ma’am, you sure are not.”

“You…you…”

“Careful what you decide to come up with. I might just want to live up to it.”

Considering what happened the last time she pushed him, Laurel held her tongue.

Her current state of naked humiliation was bad enough. God alone knew what he might do next.

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He crossed the space and his boots rapped sharply on the boards of the small porch before he shoved open the door to the cabin. A moment later she was deposited on the bed in a flurry of fabric, wet towel and damp hair. Cal leaned over her, one arm braced on either side of her body, and effectively trapped her. He was warm, solid and all intimidating male. His gaze was direct, his face inches from hers. “I am about to be very straight with you, got it?”