Captive Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

knows who did.” He fisted his hands and rubbed them on his pants. “I’ll make him talk. I promised my mother, and I always keep my promises.”
    “All right. Whatever I can do to help, you know I will. Just tell me what you want me to do.”
    “Thanks, but I don’t want you or the others to get in trouble. So if they get close to you, back off.”
    “No, you’re my friend, and I ain’t gonna run off.”
    Davy grinned. “Thanks, amigo. Did you find out who was in that poker game?”
    “Yeah. O’Sullivan, Winston, Abe Feinstein, Bud Jones, and the sheriff.”
    “The sheriff? He didn’t say anything about that when I went to see him. Said I should get out of town and leave O’Sullivan alone. Said it was most likely some drifter who killed my father.”
    Billy let out a low whistle. “And I suppose that drifter stole your father’s deed and sold the ranch to O’Sullivan?” He snorted derisively. “That’s a bit far-fetched.”
    “That’s what I told him, only not in those words.”
    “So what do we do now?”
    “Just lay low for now. I think I’ll be heading into the Llano to see my mother.”
    “O’Sullivan will follow you.”
    “Good. Then he’ll be on my home ground. Let’s get that coffee.”
    “All right. Then I’d best head back to town.”

Chapter Three
    As the first pale rays of dawn crept into the cave, Abby shoved herself up on her elbows. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. Then she remembered—the cave, the kidnapping, the long hard ride. She tried to sit up, but her muscles protested. A moan escaped her lips. She hadn’t slept on the cold ground for many years. Her lips tugged down into a grimace. With a tired sigh, she lifted her arms over her head. The blanket slipped, and she grabbed for it. After folding it tightly around her chest, she glanced around the cave.
    He was stretched out about ten feet away, his hat pulled low over his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest. His rifle lay by his side. An idea formed in her mind. A dangerous idea. If she could get the rifle, she could turn the tables, capture him, take him back to town and turn him over to the sheriff. She rose slowly, gathered up the blanket, then inched her way toward him, stepping over the pebbles. As she knelt beside him, she reached for the rifle.
    His hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. He jerked her down on top of him. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Miss O’Sullivan?”
    “I wasn’t doing anything. Let me go.” She struggled, but his arms were like iron bands holding her tightly against the long hard length of him. She’d never been in such intimate contact with a man before. Her body betrayed her, settling against him like she belonged there. She twisted away from him, but her struggles only served to bring her in more intimate contact. Hot, diffusing warmth slid up her face and spread throughout her body. “Let me go. Please.”
    “I do believe you were trying to steal my rifle, Miss O’Sullivan, and perhaps...shoot me?”
    “No, No. I was just going outside to, you know, to relieve myself.”
    “I don’t believe you.” He entwined his hands in her hair, pulled her face down to his and kissed her. At first his mouth was possessive, demanding and taking, almost angry. Then it softened, became more tender, more caressing and...searching? His tongue probed her lips, and she clamped her lips together.
    “Open your mouth to me, Abby. I want to kiss you.”
    “No, no, leave me alone.”
    His lips became gentle, caressing. His words lit a fire in her belly, and she parted her lips. Sweet sensual sensations exploded inside her, sending hot flashes of desire running amok.
    “Abby, I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”
    “Huh? What do you mean? I don’t even know you.”
    His hand moved to her breast, and he pulled the blanket down and kneaded the taut tip. Desire spiraled out of control inside her. She gasped, sucking in a deep breath of air. No man had ever touched her like