The Outlaws: Sam Read Online Free PDF Page A

lips.
"Liar."
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    Sam's fierce frown betrayed his anger. His
eyes narrowed into slits and a muscle twitched along the strong
line of his jaw.
    "I'm not a liar," he growled, pushing her
away. "You killed the love I once felt for you. You're nothing to
me."
    "I'm glad!" Lacey said with equal venom. "The
feeling is mutual."
    Whirling on his heel, Sam slammed out of the
house. He couldn't recall when he'd been so damn angry, except
maybe for that day Lacey had betrayed him to the Yankees. Why in
the hell did he have to kiss her? What exactly did he hope to
gain?
    He ran his tongue over his lips, tasting her
essence on them. He could still feel her soft mouth moving beneath
his, still feel her body melting into him. He shook the stirring
memory from his head. What in the hell was wrong with him? By the
war's end he'd been so sure he had banished Lacey from his mind and
heart that he'd never mentioned her to his brothers. Fate must be
conspiring against him, bringing Lacey into his life at the worst
possible time.
    What would Lacey say if she knew he was
wanted by the law? Would she turn him in, hoping he'd hang so she
could marry Cramer? Didn't she realize Andy would be miserable if
she married Cramer? Did the ranch mean more to her than her own
son's happiness?
    The moment Sam entered the bunkhouse a hush
fell over the room. He called out a greeting, ignoring the
inquiring glances directed at him. Sam knew they were curious about
his relationship with Lacey but he wasn't about to reveal the
truth...yet. He didn't even know himself what he was going to do or
how this would play out. He was still too stunned at finding Lacey
in Texas to think this through.
    "We're having a friendly game of poker,"
Lefty said, "shall I deal you in?"
    "Why not?" Sam answered, settling in the
empty chair Rusty pulled out with his foot.
    Sam lost the first hand and won the next two.
Dimly he wondered how long it would be before someone brought up
his invitation to eat supper with Lacey and Andy.
    He didn't have long to wait. "You missed a
mighty good supper," Rusty said. "Luke's beef stew is the best I've
tasted. Even better than Rita's."
    Sam merely grunted.
    Rusty cleared his throat. "I don't mean to
pry, but I'd swear you and Miz Lacey met before today. Thinking
back on it, you both seemed shocked to see one another."
    The card game came to an abrupt halt. All
attention was centered on Sam and his answer to Rusty's question.
Sam realized he had to say something to satisfy their curiosity
without telling the whole truth. He wasn't prepared to do that
yet.
    "Lacey and I knew one another a long time
ago."
    A weighted silence followed his
announcement.
    "Did you know Miz Lacey's husband?" Lefty
asked.
    "Yeah, I reckon you could say that."
    When nothing more was forthcoming, the card
game continued, but it didn't stop the speculative glances aimed in
his direction the rest of the evening.
    After the game folded, Sam found his bunk.
Sleep eluded him. He was plagued by thoughts of Lacey. Lacey had
been right. He had been lying when he said he'd felt nothing when
he'd kissed her. He'd felt and tasted and remembered...too damn
much. She had been a virgin the first time they made love. Sweet,
untouched and innocently passionate. He recalled their stolen
kisses, their frantic groping, before they finally indulged their
youthful lust for one another.
    Once they had made love they couldn't seem to
get enough of one another and had become incautious. One night Tom
Peters had walked in on them while they were making love and a
shotgun wedding immediately followed. Not that Sam regretted their
marriage, not at first, anyway. He had been so in love he had
welcomed the wedding. Sam knew old man Peters wasn't thrilled about
having a Rebel for a son-in-law, but the thought of Lacey bearing a
child out of wedlock was even more repugnant to him.
    Then Lacey had betrayed him. She hadn't even
stuck around to see the result of her betrayal. She had