Authors: Maureen Child
He watched as the light of defiance dimmed in her blue-green eyes and the pistol dropped from her hand. "That's better." He motioned to her and added, "C'mon over here now."
"What about them?" She nodded at her friends.
He flicked a casual glance at the two other people and shrugged. “I got nothin' against Shelly. And as for him, hell, he's as good as dead now. Only thing to save him is a doctor… and he ain't about to get one."
"You won't do anything to them?"
He studied the worried look on her face and knew he could make good use of her concern. "That depends on you, darlin'."
“What?”
"You come with me… don't give me no trouble" — his eyes narrowed meaningfully — “and I'll leave 'em here."
"Miranda, don't!" Shelly grabbed at Miranda, but she pulled free.
"Don't you listen to that no-good —“
"You close your mouth, mister!" Forbes glared at the man almost hidden by the width of Shelly's skirt. “I said I ain't got nothin' against Shelly, but if you try me anymore, I swear I'll shoot right through her to hit you."
Buck cursed softly, but otherwise kept quiet.
"If I don't?" Miranda asked quietly. "If I don't go, with you?"
Tom Forbes's eyes widened in surprise. "Well 'course you're goin' with me, M'randa. You and me's gettin' married. Just like I told your pa two years ago." He chuckled and let his eyes rest on Miranda's heaving breasts. His tongue touched his lips before he added, “I been waitin' on you for too long to let you go now, honey. 'Sides, you know as well as me, we was meant to be together."
She pulled in a deep breath and Forbes almost shuddered at the sight. His fingers itched to touch the white flesh of her breasts. His body burned to have finally what he'd dreamed of for so long.
“Tom,” Miranda said, her voice a throaty whisper, "shouldn't we go back to the canyon first? I mean… my things are back there. You wouldn't want me to leave without taking anything with me, would you?"
His brow wrinkled, Forbes's lips twisted while he thought about what she said. He didn't think she'd be convinced so easy. Figured it'd take a while for her to get used to the idea. He frowned. Why the hell was she bein' so nice all of a sudden? Then he remembered. Birdwell. Forbes smirked down at her and shook his head. "Nah. We ain't goin' back to the canyon. Whatever you need, we'll pick up in Mexico."
Disappointment clouded her face and Forbes couldn't resist adding, "Don't you go lookin' for Birdwell to keep you from me. Nor Hogan, neither."
Miranda's eyes flew up to his. "What did you do to them?"
“Nothin'. Yet." He leaned forward, one hand on the pommel of his saddle, the other holding the pistol still aimed toward Shelly. "But I will. I promise ya. You best remember what happened to your pa, girl."
A shaft of satisfaction ripped through him when Miranda's face paled and her jaw dropped.
“What do you mean?"
“I mean" — he grinned — “last time I was here, I went to your pa… all proper and everything, and asked for your hand. He told me he'd rather see you dead than hitched to the likes of me." Forbes's grin faded as he remembered the insults Judd Perry had shouted at him. He could still see the shocked, disgusted look on the old outlaw's face at the mere suggestion of a marriage between Miranda and Tom Forbes. The sandy-haired gunman gritted his teeth together so tightly his jaw hurt. He stared at Miranda and added softly, "He didn't give me no choice."
Miranda stared at him, shocked into silence. A torrent of emotion flooded her body, leaving her hands shaking and her knees weak. Rage and pain fought for control of her and finally all she could say was, “You killed my father?"
“I said he didn't give me no choice!" He glared at the woman he'd desired for so long. Didn't she understand? He'd done it for her. Miranda's eyes, wide with pain, stared at him accusingly. "Goddammit! I didn't want to kill him! But you and me's got to be together! He wouldn't listen!"
She didn't say anything. As he watched her eyes glaze over, a cold resolve settled over Tom Forbes. It didn't matter if she understood or not. He'd waited for her. He'd come back to get her. And by God, he would have her!
“You come on over here now. Enough o’ this jawin'." He waved one arm at her and straightened up in the saddle. “You're gonna have to ride with me. l was meanin' to have you use Farley's horse, but since he run off… this'll have to do."
She didn't move.
"Come 'on now." He cocked his rifle and the ominous sound cut through Miranda's pain-dulled brain.
“Set up here with me." He smiled and patted his thigh encouragingly. “We'll be right cozy here together."
Miranda threw one last glance at Shelly, then walked to his side silently.
Forbes reached down with his left hand, grasped Miranda's forearm, and lifted her up to sit astride in front of him. When she tried to push her hiked-up skirts down over her legs, he stopped her. With one eye on Shelly, Forbes ran his hand over Miranda's leg and allowed himself the surge of pleasure he'd waited for so long. Her skin was so soft. Softer than he'd ever dreamed.
It didn't matter that she cringed at his touch. That would change. With time. She would see that he was right. They belonged together. The day would come when she'd beg him to touch her like this.
His mouth dry, he moved the fingers of his left hand higher and higher up her thigh. She held herself like a statue until he began to smooth his hand over the warm center of her.
Then with more strength than he'd thought she possessed, she pushed his hand away and jammed her elbow into his chest. A rush of air shot from Tom Forbes's body and sudden, fierce anger sparked and grew inside him.
From the corner of his eye he saw Shelly take a step toward him. He halted her with a lift of his rifle. Grabbing Miranda's chin, he forced her head around until she looked up at him, then he lowered his head and ground his mouth against hers. Every twist of her body as she tried to escape only served to inflame the raw desire coursing through him. When he forced her lips apart, she sagged in defeat. Triumphantly he plunged his tongue into her mouth, eager to taste her.
Miranda bit him hard. He yanked back and held one hand to his mouth. When he lowered his fingers away, he saw the slight smear of blood and it was all he could do not to throttle her on the spot.
The glimmer of defiance was back in her eyes. "Don't you touch me, Tom Forbes, or I swear that someday I'll kill you."
He gingerly touched his fingers to his mouth again. Then, before she saw it coming, he slapped her across the face.
Miranda's head snapped to one side and she opened her eyes to look at Shelly through a blur of tears. Forbes's arm snaked around her middle and pulled her tight against him. Then he raised his pistol, pointed it straight up, and fired two quick shots.
With a frightened lunge, the buckboard horses pulled against the rickety brake until it gave way completely. Free of the last thing that held them, the animals raced off down the trail toward the distant town.
Forbes then held the pistol tight against Miranda's throat and motioned to Shelly. "Give me the gun down there."
Quickly the woman moved to obey.
Once he had Buck's pistol safely tucked away, Tom Forbes smiled down at Shelly. “Next time you see ol’ Birdwell, you be sure to tell him 'bout me and Miranda gettin' married. You hear?" Then he gave his horse a kick in the ribs and started the big animal out into the desert. Away from town, away from the canyon, away from any chance of rescue.
Shelly stood quietly crying and watched her friend fade into the distance.
#
"He all right?" Jesse pulled his horse up short beside Shelly and looked down at Buck. "He passed out a while ago. He's hurt bad, Jesse."
She walked up close to the man and leaned against his saddle.
“I figured somethin'd happened. I passed Buck's horse on the road. By now he's prob'ly at the canyon. Folks'll be comin' along soon." Jesse reached down and absently patted her hand. “Where's Miranda? Where'd Forbes take her?"
She looked up at him, relieved that she didn't have to be the one to tell him. "How'd you know?"
“Don't matter now. Where'd they go?"
Shelly turned and pointed. "There. 'Bout half hour ago, I guess."
“Damn!” He rubbed his jaw angrily and stared off at the open country that had swallowed the woman he loved and the man he hated.
“You go on after her." Shelly pushed away from Jesse's side and smiled grimly up at him. “Don't worry about us. The others'll be along. You go fetch Miranda. They're ridin' double, so you should catch up to 'em mighty quick."
Jesse nodded. He knew she was right. He had to go. He had to leave immediately. The longer he stayed with her, the greater the chance of losing all trace of Miranda and Forbes. But Buck looked like hell and he hated leavin' Shelly alone like that.
“I said don't worry about us."
He glanced over to her and saw her half smile.
“I can see you ain't anxious to leave us here. But we'll be fine. Just leave some water if you can and go get Miranda."
Jesse nodded and lifted the strap of one of a pair of canteens. He held it out to her, and after she took it, he half turned, dug into his saddlebags, and pulled out his extra pistol. He handed it to her butt first, and as she took it, he was already turning his horse in the direction Forbes had taken. He hadn't gone more than a few feet when Shelly's voice stopped him. He turned in the saddle to look at her.
“Jesse, you go careful with Forbes. That man's crazy as a bedbug. Said he killed Judd Perry to get Miranda and that he wasn't about to let you have her."
Jesse nodded, turned back around, and urged his already tired horse to run once more. Deliberately he pushed everything but Miranda out of his mind. Her eyes, her smile, her voice, the soft strength of her in the night when only the two of them existed.
He would get Miranda back. And when he did, he never let her out of his sight again.
Chapter 20
More horses! Keeping her body in front of the still unconscious Buck, Shelly spun around, her grasp tight on the borrowed pistol.
Relief rushed through her body so quickly, she thought for a moment she might fall over. Instead she let her arm drop to her side and her fingers uncurl from the walnut pistol butt.
Birdwell raced up to her, his huge horse snorting and shaking its great head. Right behind him came Dave, and she used the last of her strength to walk to meet him. Both men leaped from their moving horses and ran across the few feet of desert sand that separated the two parties.
While Dave folded Shelly in his arms, Birdwell dropped to one knee and examined Buck's wound.
"He all right?" Dave asked, his hands moving reassuringly up and down Shelly's back.
“Will be prob'ly. If we get him to a doctor." Birdwell turned his head and looked at Shelly. "Where's Miranda?"
"Gone." Tears coursed down her face as she lifted her head from the comfort of Dave's broad chest “Tom Forbes took her."
"Goddamned bastard," Birdwell muttered, and pushed himself to his feet “What about Jesse? He been here?"
She nodded and gulped noisily. "A while back. He left us some water and took out after 'em."
Birdwell grunted and headed for his horse. He didn't make it.
“Hold it, Birdwell." Dave faced the bigger man steadily. With one hand he pushed Shelly away from him. The other hand held a pistol aimed at Birdwell. Legs spread wide apart, his hat down low over his eyes, Dave waited.
“What the hell?" The big man pushed his hair back from his face and glared at Dave. “What's goin' on here?"
“I don't want to shoot you, Birdwell, but you ain't goin' after Jesse and them."
“The hell I ain't." He shoved one foot in his stirrup.
Dave cocked his pistol. The sudden click stopped Birdwell in his tracks.
"You'll have to shoot me to stop me, son."
“Don't you think I won't"
"Dave…"
"Stay outta this, Shelly." Dave didn't even glance at her. “I won't kill ya, Birdwell, but I will make you some miserable."
“Why? What do you care?" Birdwell jerked his head in Shelly's direction. “If Forbes had her, wouldn't you want to go?"
“Hell yes. But if the law told me no, I'd prob'ly listen."
Shelly sucked in her breath.
"The law?" Birdwell's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Dave nodded abruptly. “Texas Rangers. Me and Buck. We came here lookin' for Tom Forbes. And you nor anybody else is gonna stop me from takin' him back to Texas to hang."
Birdwell's hand tightened on the saddle horn. Slowly, reluctantly he pulled his foot free of the stirrup. “That don't mean spit to me! Law or no, you ain't so good you couldn't stand some help!"