The Outlaw and the Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

envision a satisfied smile on his dark face.
    “I prefer a rattlesnake,” she said curtly. At least a serpent gave warning before it struck.
    “Then why do you argue against moving to another horse?” he asked.
    Why indeed? Because for reasons she could not fathom and did not really want to contemplate, she did feel safe within the enticing circle of his strong arms.
    “I need a moment of privacy,” she announced to distract herself as much as them.
    “Again!” Roberto shouted. “You cannot possibly need time behind the bushes so soon.”
    She angled her chin defiantly. “I’m sorry, but I’ve always had to…relieve myself frequently.” The words were a lie, but she knew the blush burning her face was true. She didn’t want to speak of bodily functions, but it was the only excuse she’d been able to come up with to slow their progress.
    “It has not even been an hour,” Roberto said.
    He was obviously the complainer of the group. Raven never chastised her when she indicated that she needed time alone. She’d been able to convince him to stop six times now. The man waseither a fool or more considerate than she cared to give him credit for. She turned her head slightly so he could see her licking her lips as though she was embarrassed by and sorry for her request.
    “I really can’t wait much longer,” she said in a low voice. “I’d hate to ruin your fine saddle.”
    He brought the horse to a halt. His spurs clinked as his boots hit the ground. Bracketing her waist with his hands, he lifted her and lowered her slowly, very slowly, her body close enough to his that she was acutely aware of the heat radiating from his chest, actually heard the fabric of her dress rasping against the material of his shirt, and felt the warmth of his breath wafting across her cheek. That damned breath again. If he meant to disconcert her, he was accomplishing his goal with remarkable deftness.
    As soon as her feet were planted firmly on the ground, she stepped away, decidedly uncomfortable with the proximity of Raven’s body. Too near because somehow the fact that they weren’t on his horse made him that much more threatening.
    Just as he had each time before, he placed his hand on her back with a surety that no doubt came from knowing an abundance of women. “This way, señorita .”
    A pang of guilt shot through her as he guided her away from the others, toward what she knew would be a secluded area. Most people took her arm and walked her as though she were a favored pet, not an independent woman. It was uncanny the way Raven would subtly press on one side ofher back or the other to ensure that she sidestepped objects.
    He removed his hand from her back. Halting, she lifted her bound hands. He untied the bandanna from her wrists.
    “Am I hidden?” she asked in as meek a voice as she could muster.
    “ Sí .”
    She listened to his retreating footsteps before quickly circling the small area. She located a tree and the nearby brush. She rustled her skirts to give the impression that she was lifting them, and then she very slowly, very quietly, eased her way to the ground. With a triumphant smile, she reached into her pocket, withdrew her beloved deck of cards, and settled in to play three games of patience.
    Her goal was to slow them down until they had no choice but to leave her behind or be captured. A dangerous undertaking that carried risks…and a measure of unanticipated excitement.
    She certainly couldn’t classify the last twelve hours as dull. No, dull was sitting beside a window with only the warm sunlight for company and having her meticulous stitches earn praise from the owner of the shop where she worked.
    Now, she was being challenged as she’d never been before, striving to anticipate Raven’s goals and seeking ways to thwart him. Without a doubt, she wanted to be free of him, and yet a part of her welcomed the opportunity to outsmart him, to put him in his place atop the gallows. To prove to herself