Love's Sweet Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page B

she knows what we’re up to?” he asked, kissing her breasts.
    â€œOf course she does.”
    â€œGood Lord, she’s going to tease me something awful when Mom has us all over for Sunday dinner.”
    â€œNo more than we’ll tease your parents about riding the line alone all this time.”
    Lloyd leaned down and kissed her hungrily again, grasping her face in big, strong hands that could so easily break her, yet gently adored her instead. “You’re one wild woman, Katie Harkner.”
    â€œAnd I love a wild man,” she answered.
    Before they could act on their desire to make love a second time, someone yelled to Lloyd from outside the barn.
    â€œLloyd! You in there cavorting? Your parents might need you!”
    Lloyd wilted a little and sighed. “Now what?” He moved off Katie and leaned down to give her one more quick kiss. “I’m sorry, honey.”
    They both sat up. “Go see what he wants,” Katie told him. “Here.” She handed him a towel she’d brought with her, and he cleaned himself as best he could.
    â€œLloyd!” one of the men shouted again.
    â€œJust a minute!” Lloyd yelled, frowning with irritation. He stood up and pulled on his long johns. “Sounds like Pepper,” he told Katie. He buttoned his long johns and hurried over to the loft door, swinging it open to see three ranch hands on horseback waiting below. He directed his words to the one called Pepper. “What the hell do you want?”
    Pepper grinned. “What’re you doin’ in your underwear, boy?”
    â€œNone of your goddamn business, you dirty-minded old sonofabitch. What’s going on?”
    Pepper looked over at Cole Decker and Vance Kelly, and all three men chuckled. Pepper, whose real name no one knew, looked back up at Lloyd. “Well now, I hate to interrupt, but Vance here has a message some special courier from Denver brought out and gave to your sister a few minutes ago. She looked kind of upset when she read it—said to give it to you. And that ain’t all. The courier—that fella called Jason Hawk from Denver—he said he’s pretty sure some rustlers might be headed toward the western edge of the J&L. Your pa is in that area. Anybody knows Jake Harkner can handle a few rustlers, but your mother is with him, so between that and whatever is in this message, we didn’t have much choice but to come and get you.”
    â€œShit,” Lloyd grumbled. “Wait up!” he yelled down to them. He turned to Katie. “I’m sorry, but I’d better go see about this. And here you had things all set up for us to spend some time together.”
    â€œIt’s okay.”
    Lloyd saw the anxious look on her face, like the one she used to get when he had to ride away for days or weeks at a time as a marshal, never knowing if he’d make it back. “This is different, baby. It’s just a few rustlers, and we have extra men. If my mother wasn’t out there—”
    â€œI understand. We’ll pick up where we left off when you get back and the kids are sleeping.” She gave him a weak smile.
    â€œSure we will.” Lloyd hurriedly dressed, then strapped on his gun belt. Katie sat there wrapped in a blanket, and he leaned down to give her a quick kiss. “I love you, Katie-girl. I should have said it sooner.”
    â€œAnd I love you. Be careful, Lloyd.”
    â€œHey, it’s me and Pepper and Cole. I’ll tell Vance to stay here and keep a lookout. We’ll be fine. If there are rustlers out there, they will definitely regret trying to steal from us.” He put on his wide-brimmed hat. “And if Jake gets to them first, they won’t live long enough to regret any thing.”
    He scurried down the ladder and, needing a fresh horse, quickly saddled a roan gelding in a nearby stall. He led the horse to the door and removed the board that kept it closed, then