want to vomit. “Doncha wanna spend some time with ol’ Beau?”
“Let her go, Canady, or no one will be spending time with ol’ Beau.” The click of the hammer being drawn back on a pistol accompanied the harsh words.
Kathryne recognized the voice and turned her head slightly. Chase stood in the street, not five feet away, a pistol trained on Beau. Relief surged through her, so fierce in its power, her knees buckled. If it hadn’t been for Beau’s tight grip on her arm, she would have melted to the sidewalk.
Beau released her, but not before he dug his fingers into her soft skin. Kathryne stumbled, but saved herself from falling as Beau raised his hands slowly and took a step back. His companions dropped the bowl of beef stew. The ceramic broke, scattering the contents on the sidewalk and the men scurried into the darkness rather than tempt fate.
Chase held out his free hand toward her, but his gaze never left Beau Canady’s face. “Katie.”
Kathryne needed no second invitation. She stepped off the raised sidewalk and walked to his side on legs that trembled. She slipped her hand into his, already comforted by his presence, by the fact that he’d saved her once again.
“Say goodnight to the lady, Beau.”
“This ain’t over, Hunter,” the man mumbled as his hands slowly dropped to his sides and the pistols resting in his holster.
Chase grinned and his hand tightened around hers. The gun in his other hand didn’t waver. Kathryne knew if he pulled the trigger, the bullet would strike Beau between the eyes. “It could be. I could just shoot you where you stand. Your choice. I haven’t killed anyone in a while and my finger’s getting a bit itchy on this trigger.”
Beau’s hands moved away from the holster but his eyes glittered with rage. “Watch yerself, Hunter.” With that growled warning, he disappeared into the alley.
“Are you all right?” Chase uncocked the pistol and slipped it into the holster slung low around his hips.
Kathryne nodded though tears formed in her eyes. She rubbed her arm where Beau’s fingers had cruelly dug into her skin. Tomorrow she’d have bruises, but for now, she remained grateful Chase had come along when he did. Her voice shook, indeed, her entire body shuddered. “I’m all right. Just a little scared. Who were those men?”
“Willow Creek ranch hands. The one with the missing eye is Beau Canady. The other two are Shep Turner and Roy Benedict.” He studied her in the moonlight, the gleam in his eyes missing nothing. He reached out and smoothed his thumb along her cheek, as if he couldn’t stop himself from touching her.
Kathryne leaned into his caress. “Thank you. I don’t know what would have…” The words died in her throat. She knew exactly what would have happened if he hadn’t come along when he did. “I—I…”
In an instant, she was in his arms, her face pressed against the hard planes of his chest as a torrent of tears wet his shirt. He held her, his strong arms tight around her, offering comfort. “You’re all right, Katie. Those men will never accost you again. You have my word.” He pulled away and gazed into her face. “Let’s get you home.”
He released her then, picked up the pieces of Laurel’s bowl from the raised wooden sidewalk and placed them all in the napkin. “What are you doing out so late?”
“I stayed too long at Laurel’s.”
“I see.” He placed her hand in the crook of his arm. Kathryne fell into step beside him as they strolled through the sleepy town toward the schoolhouse and her little cottage on the hill. Despite his presence, her stomach still twisted with fear and she couldn’t help studying the shadows.
“What are you doing out so late?” she asked as she stole a glance in his direction. Moonlight struck his face. The smile parting his lips nearly took her breath.
“Taking a walk,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
“Why is it you suddenly appear just when I need you the most? I
“Let her go, Canady, or no one will be spending time with ol’ Beau.” The click of the hammer being drawn back on a pistol accompanied the harsh words.
Kathryne recognized the voice and turned her head slightly. Chase stood in the street, not five feet away, a pistol trained on Beau. Relief surged through her, so fierce in its power, her knees buckled. If it hadn’t been for Beau’s tight grip on her arm, she would have melted to the sidewalk.
Beau released her, but not before he dug his fingers into her soft skin. Kathryne stumbled, but saved herself from falling as Beau raised his hands slowly and took a step back. His companions dropped the bowl of beef stew. The ceramic broke, scattering the contents on the sidewalk and the men scurried into the darkness rather than tempt fate.
Chase held out his free hand toward her, but his gaze never left Beau Canady’s face. “Katie.”
Kathryne needed no second invitation. She stepped off the raised sidewalk and walked to his side on legs that trembled. She slipped her hand into his, already comforted by his presence, by the fact that he’d saved her once again.
“Say goodnight to the lady, Beau.”
“This ain’t over, Hunter,” the man mumbled as his hands slowly dropped to his sides and the pistols resting in his holster.
Chase grinned and his hand tightened around hers. The gun in his other hand didn’t waver. Kathryne knew if he pulled the trigger, the bullet would strike Beau between the eyes. “It could be. I could just shoot you where you stand. Your choice. I haven’t killed anyone in a while and my finger’s getting a bit itchy on this trigger.”
Beau’s hands moved away from the holster but his eyes glittered with rage. “Watch yerself, Hunter.” With that growled warning, he disappeared into the alley.
“Are you all right?” Chase uncocked the pistol and slipped it into the holster slung low around his hips.
Kathryne nodded though tears formed in her eyes. She rubbed her arm where Beau’s fingers had cruelly dug into her skin. Tomorrow she’d have bruises, but for now, she remained grateful Chase had come along when he did. Her voice shook, indeed, her entire body shuddered. “I’m all right. Just a little scared. Who were those men?”
“Willow Creek ranch hands. The one with the missing eye is Beau Canady. The other two are Shep Turner and Roy Benedict.” He studied her in the moonlight, the gleam in his eyes missing nothing. He reached out and smoothed his thumb along her cheek, as if he couldn’t stop himself from touching her.
Kathryne leaned into his caress. “Thank you. I don’t know what would have…” The words died in her throat. She knew exactly what would have happened if he hadn’t come along when he did. “I—I…”
In an instant, she was in his arms, her face pressed against the hard planes of his chest as a torrent of tears wet his shirt. He held her, his strong arms tight around her, offering comfort. “You’re all right, Katie. Those men will never accost you again. You have my word.” He pulled away and gazed into her face. “Let’s get you home.”
He released her then, picked up the pieces of Laurel’s bowl from the raised wooden sidewalk and placed them all in the napkin. “What are you doing out so late?”
“I stayed too long at Laurel’s.”
“I see.” He placed her hand in the crook of his arm. Kathryne fell into step beside him as they strolled through the sleepy town toward the schoolhouse and her little cottage on the hill. Despite his presence, her stomach still twisted with fear and she couldn’t help studying the shadows.
“What are you doing out so late?” she asked as she stole a glance in his direction. Moonlight struck his face. The smile parting his lips nearly took her breath.
“Taking a walk,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
“Why is it you suddenly appear just when I need you the most? I
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