Melinda Heads West Read Online Free PDF Page A

He crossed the distance between them in a couple of long strides, pulling a knife from his pocket and flipping it open.
    Mindy drew back and started to scream just as Boone jerked the hem of her dress out from beneath her. “Stand up,” he ordered. Meekly complying, she watched the knife draw closer.
    Boone made a cut in the lower part of her dress and then ripped off the bottom foot of material.
    “How dare you!” Mindy sputtered.
    “I’ll tell you how I dare, young lady. I’m tired of watching you fall, and I’m sick of you holding us up. This will make things easier on everyone.” He clicked the knife away in one smooth move. “Now come on, let’s get that wood.”

Chapter Seven
    Mindy wouldn’t admit it aloud for anything, but the loss of the bottom portion of her thick and dirty skirt had freed her legs considerably. Walking without the heavy encumbrance allowed her more ease of movement and enabled her to keep up with the quick moving man at her side.
    She shot him a sidelong glance. He was tall and swarthy, and exuded self-confidence. She bristled. Why did all men think that just because they had been born male it somehow made them more intelligent and important to the world? She huffed.
    “Am I going too fast for you?” Boone asked, without slowing his steps through the brush.
    “Not at all!”
    He grinned and looked at the bottom of her skirt. No doubt taking all the credit for her quickened pace.
    “I’m just happy to be off that road and out of the sun.” Mindy hopped over a fallen log.
    “I suppose so. You are a sight, though.”
    Mindy stopped. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
    “You’re a mess. Your face and arms are burned to a fine crisp. Your hair is a rat trap.”
    Mindy’s blood bubbled. “And you think you look better?” She was furious. She was witness to a man who actually did look better. The sun had added to his tan and made him look a bit more rugged.
    “Maybe not. But I figure you’re headed to greet some man. Why else would you be traveling alone? I don’t think he’ll be too pleased by what he finds at the other end of this trip.”
    Mindy hauled back to slap him, but Boone easily caught her arm and pulled her close. His eyes blazed. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, little lady.”
    “Oooh, if I only had my gun,” Mindy said. “You’d be eating those words.”
    “Well, you don’t.” He spun her away. Just like that, he dropped the subject and glanced around. “This looks like a good place to pick up some firewood. Stand still and I’ll load you up.”
    “I’ll get my own, thanks.”
    Mindy selected a spot on the ground and started choosing wood that would be perfect for building and maintaining a fire. She toted branches and twigs from the trees surrounding the two of them to her pile and was idly waiting for her tormenter to say something derogatory about her process or selections when she noticed him bent over to pick up the pile he had collected. She was overcome by an evil impulse and couldn’t help herself. Picking up a large branch, she whacked him across the back. He fell to the ground and lay there cursing.
    “Oh! I’m so sorry!” Mindy held one hand to her mouth. “Bless your poor heart! Can I help you up?”
    The devil eyed her suspiciously. “No, don’t touch me.”
    “I must have picked up a stick that was too big for little ol’ me … Oops!” Mindy turned to her task again hiding the big smile that bloomed across her face.
    They finished gathering the wood in silence and started back to the clearing by the creek. Boone was grumbling under his breath the whole way.
    • • •
    As they drew closer to the camping area, Boone suddenly threw his pile down and leapt on Mindy, knocking her to the ground. He brought one big hand around to cover her mouth. Startled, Mindy instinctively went into fight mode, sure that the man had gone crazy and intended to reciprocate for her earlier attack. What he planned to do wasn’t