Outlaw’s Bride
Authors: Joan Johnston
PRAISE FOR
OUTLAW’S BRIDE
“Intrigue and passion, combined with a tender love story, make this one delicious, and the subplots promise us closer looks at her riveting characters in future books.”
—Rendezvous
“One of the finest western romance novelists.”
—Rave Reviews
“The slow unfurling of the real villain and his motives are a subtle counterpoint to the battle of wills that play out as Patch chases her man and Ethan does his best to resist her. This novel is a highly recommended treat.”
—Affaire de Coeur
“Patch … is strong enough to stand by her man, even when he doesn’t know he’s hers. All in all, a ‘helluva good’ western with enough shoot-outs, chuckles, and mystery to draw all sorts of new fans for Ms. Johnston. Keep ’em coming, Joan!”
—
Heartland Critiques
“Readers who recall Patch and Ethan will rejoice in their return … Joan Johnston has created a charming, appealing romance destined to delight readers.”
—Romantic Times
PRAISE FOR AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
JOAN JOHNSTON AND HER OTHER NOVELS
THE BODYGUARD
“SENSUAL … POIGNANT AND SENSITIVE … a read that will tug at your heart.”
—
Romantic Times
“A STRONG AND POWERFUL TALE … would recommend this to everyone without a doubt.”
—
Romance Reviews
“Now,
this
is a ‘Bodyguard!’ Kevin Costner eat your heart out!”
—Atlanta Constitution
“FANTASTIC … a well-written, very interesting Regency romance … the story line is filled with action and vibrant characters that bring to life early nineteenth-century Scotland and England.”
—Harriet Klausner,
BookBrowser
“A sweeping story of the Scottish Highlands with an intriguing plot filled with scandal and simmering with passion.”
—Romantic Reader
AFTER THE KISS
“A MESMERIZING, MOVING AND POWERFULLY EMOTIONAL LOVE STORY.”
—Mary Balogh
“ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATING. Full of wonderful, intriguing and sinfully wicked characters. Johnston has written an excellent
Beauty and the Beast
scenario.”
—Affaire de Coeur
“EXCEPTIONAL … Ms. Johnston does a terrific job of developing unexpected events and her marvelous characters will keep you involved in every one.”
—
Rendezvous
CAPTIVE
“Captive
is guaranteed to hold you in its thrall … a lovely reminder of what romance is all about. The author’s talent brings everything to vivid life.”
—
The Romance Reader
“LIVELY AND WELL-WRITTEN … PERFECTLY ENCHANTING.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fast-paced Regency farce and a delightful change of pace from this multitalented author.”
—
Romantic Times
Dell Books by Joan Johnston
Bitter Creek Series
THE COWBOY
THE TEXAN
THE LONERCaptive Hearts Series
CAPTIVE
AFTER THE KISS
THE BODYGUARD
THE BRIDEGROOMSisters of the Lone Star Series
FRONTIER WOMAN
COMANCHE WOMAN
TEXAS WOMANConnected Books
THE BAREFOOT BRIDE
OUTLAW’S BRIDE
THE INHERITANCE
MAVERICK HEARTAnd don’t miss …
SWEETWATER SEDUCTION
KID CALHOUN
Published by
Dell Publishing
a division of
Random House, Inc.
Copyright © 1993 by Joan Mertens Johnston
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
The trademark Dell
®
is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
eISBN: 978-0-307-78949-5
v3.1
This book is dedicated to all the
readers, fans, and bookstore owners
who read
The Barefoot Bride
and asked for Patch and Ethan’s story
.
Here it is
.
I want to thank romantic suspense author Sherryl Woods for her invaluable assistance in keeping the mystery in
Outlaw’s Bride
.
I would also like to thank Mark Bledsoe, owner of the present-day Oakville Mercantile, for his helpful background history and information about the town of Oakville, Texas.
She was a lady. Ethan recognized the breed, though it had been a long time since he had seen one quite so fresh from finishing school—feathers in her hat, gloves on her hands, and a steel rod running down her spine. He was hidden from view, sitting in a high-backed chair in the lobby of the Oakville Hotel. Waiting. Every so often his green eyes flicked to the dusty street outside. Watching.
His eyes were drawn back to the lady. The soft complexion of peaches and cream and a short, up-tilted nose contrasted with a strong, determined chin. His lip curled cynically. A lady used to getting her own way, he amended. She looked up at the hotel clerk from under long, feathery lashes that concealed big blue—not quite innocent, he thought—eyes. Her voice was melodious, not demanding, but not demure, either.
“I’d like a room, please,” she said.
“For how long?” the clerk asked.
Ethan watched the lady’s brow furrow. Her black-gloved hand reached up to smooth already
perfectly arranged golden tresses bound up in a very ladylike bun at her nape. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m looking for someone who—” She cut herself off.
Ethan was distracted by something on the registration desk. The lady’s velvet drawstring purse, which exactly matched her rose red dress, seemed to be moving of its own accord. A moment later a pointed pink nose and long whiskers appeared at the center of the drawstring opening. Ethan grinned. Somehow a field mouse had gotten into the lady’s purse.
He started to call a warning but looked out the plate glass window first. He didn’t want to let them know where he was any sooner than necessary. Instead of speaking, he leaned back into the comfortable winged chair and waited for the fun to start.
To his amazement, elegant gloved hands surreptitiously poked the mouse back into the purse and once again drew the strings tight. Ethan’s brow arched in speculation. She wasn’t quite what she seemed, then. No lady in his experience had ever carried a mouse around in her purse.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” the lady repeated. “I would love to have a bath sent up to my room. It’s been a long trip.”
From where? Ethan wondered. And who had she come to find in Oakville, Texas? Lucky man. Because besides being a lady, she was also a woman. Full breasts that would overflow a man’s hands, a tiny waist—unfortunately corseted—and
long legs that he could imagine wrapped tight around him while he thrust deep inside her.
Ethan felt his body respond, felt the heavy pulse in his throat, the tightness in his groin. He reminded himself that the steel rod down a lady’s back didn’t usually bend for the finer pleasures in life. Besides, he thought bitterly, no
lady
was going to want anything to do with him—ever again.
“Hawk! Ethan Hawk! We know you’re in there. Come on out!”
Ethan rose slowly from the high-backed chair. He saw the stunned look on the lady’s face as she turned to stare at him. He grinned and tipped his Stetson to her. From the corner of his eye he saw the flash of sunlight on blue steel out on the street. He launched himself at the lady and yelled to the clerk, “Duck, Gilley!”
Ethan twisted in midair, trying to keep the lady from being crushed beneath him as he snatched her out of harm’s way. Several bullets crashed through the hotel window, sending glass flying. He landed on his shoulder and rolled several times away from the splintering glass.
The lady was a lovely package, but enough to knock the wind from him. He knew every second counted, but he lay frozen for a moment, infinitely aware of the curves lying beneath him. Her hat had come off, and her hair had come loose from its tight bun. A stray curl was tickling his nose, which was pressed against her throat. He blew it away, and felt her shiver.
Ethan lifted his head and looked into big blue eyes that seemed to swallow him in their depths.
Her hair lay like a golden nimbus around a heart-shaped face. She had her lower lip caught in straight white teeth. He surveyed that perfect complexion—now pale with fright—and realized that powder half hid a dozen freckles across her nose. So he had exposed another of the lady’s secrets. He wished he had time to discover them all. But there were men waiting outside for him. Dangerous men.