Randee jumped when a hand nudged her and a voice whispered, “You can stop worrying, partner. I’m home without a single scratch.”
Randee lifted her head and stared into the darkness, desperately needing to see for herself that he was all right. She laughed softly to conceal her quavering voice and murmured, “How do you do that? I didn’t hear a thing.”
Marsh sat down beside her and drew her into his arms. He noticed her trembling; yet, he teased, “Probably because you were dozing, when I thought you’d be pacing the room with worry.”
Randee cuddled against him. “I was, until I realized how much noise I was making on this creaky floor. If anyone’s below me, they would think it odd, don’t you imagine? Are you sure you’re all right? I heard gunshots hours ago. And yes, I panicked.”
Marsh stroked her silky hair as he explained, “I’m fine, honestly. I was just delayed by a few helpers who decided to rob that merchant on the same night I had chosen. I barely sneaked away before they awoke the guard outside. It seems he’s been robbed lots lately and was prepared for trouble tonight. I got in and out fine, but those other fellas didn’t fare so well. That shooting rousted the sheriff and deputy, so I had to hide until they ceased their search. It would have been difficult to explain what a stranger was doing on the street after midnight, and following a robbery. I’ve got the dynamite concealed outside of town. We’ll pick it up as we’re leaving. I even left him money to pay for it, but I imagine those bumbling fools took it.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked, mystified.
He playfully tugged on a lock of tawny hair as he replied, “I’m a gunslinger, woman, not a thief..I was merely making a late-night purchase, one I didn’t want to explain to that merchant.”
“Thanks, Marsh,” she whispered, snuggling closer to him.
Marsh didn’t have to ask why. He knew. “I’m sure you’re exhausted. Do you know what time it is?”
“Past time for my loyal and talented employee to fulfill his duty to me,” she merrily quipped. “I had a nap, remember? If you’re too …”
Marsh silenced her with a ravenous kiss and tight squeeze. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He stood her beside it and removed her nightgown before laying her down. Quickly, he removed his ebony garments and joined her.
They laughed softly as the bedsprings squeaked and the floor creaked. “Sounds like we’ll have to be real careful tonight.”
“Don’t tell me you’re missing the wide open spaces and all that privacy?” he teased, kissing her ear and tickling her ribs.
While suppressing her giggles, she jerked to and fro as she tried to capture his mischievous hands. “Stop that, Marsh, or we’ll have our neighbor below complaining.”
“About squeaking bedsprings? You could be having a restless night,” he murmured, then sensuously assailed her ear and throat.
“If he’s over sixteen, he’ll recognize a certain pattern.”
“Randee Hollis, what a wicked mind you have,” he roguishly accused, then caressed her from neck to thigh.
“It’s all your fault, Marsh Logan; you’re a bad influence on an innocent lass.”
“Am I now?” he queried, tickling her again.
“Yes, you are, and I love every minute of it, except this one.”
Marsh ceased his sport and began to press kisses over her satiny skin. “How about this one?” he asked, his mouth and hands roaming her body freely and wildly.
Randee thrashed upon the bed, driven mindless by his lips and fingers. Suddenly she didn’t care how much noise the bed and floor made. She allowed Marsh to do anything he pleased, because everything he did pleased her. She felt totally uninhibited, utterly responsive, and blissfully receptive to this man whom she loved and desired passionately.
Every time Marsh made love to Randee, he enjoyed it more, even though each experience seemed the ultimate in lovemaking. In the past, taking a woman just once had satisfied his desire for that female. But with Randee Hollis, he couldn’t seem to have her enough, or have enough of her. It was as if she gave him matchless pleasure and total satisfaction; yet, each union only increased his desire for her, like some magical potion that whet his appetite for a treat he could never devour completely, for which he could never sate his hunger.
Randee’s senses spun dizzily as Marsh lovingly labored on her body, stimulating her in ways he hadn’t used before… . Every time they fused their passions, she couldn’t imagine anything feeling better than the past union of bodies and spirits; yet, each time was more wonderful than the last. How could she absorb more pleasure without bursting with joy and rapture? What Marsh was doing now with his hands and lips was causing colorful stars to dance happily before her closed eyes. She loved this man deeply, in and out of bed, and she could not imagine her life without him.
Marsh was starving for her, but her responses were entreating him onward to explore bolder ground with her before feasting greedily at her banquet table. She smelled like wildflowers. She was as soft as costly silk. She tasted like honey, all over. She was driving him mad with the urge to take her wildly and freely. She was a wanton innocent, who stirred his blood more fiercely than any challenge had.
He entered her masterfully, and she locked him within the demanding embrace of her legs. With tantalizing slowness, to avoid that noisy, telltale pattern she had teased about earlier, he entered and withdrew from her beckoning paradise over and over again. She was right; he shouldn’t be jealous of other men, of Brody Wade. She could never respond to another man as she was responding to him, never. Surely this experience had to be as unique, as powerful, as overwhelming, as enchanting for her, as it was for him.
Suddenly his manhood erupted in a frenzy and he feared that his loss of concentration and self-control had denied her a similar release. He didn’t have to worry, because she was clinging to him as ecstasy consumed her from head to foot. Grasping her level of victory, he surged forward and conquered any lingering restraint. On and on they rode passion’s crest together, as if this blissful moment would never end. But, soon, the golden aftermath engulfed them and brought them tenderly back to reality, like a gentle bird returning them from paradise.
Marsh kept kissing her until she was breathless, as if he were drinking life-giving liquid from her lips. She wondered if he realized what his behavior was revealing to her. Obviously not, or he might cease it. She cuddled into his arms and sighed tranquilly.
As they rested in each other’s embrace following their blissful exertions, Marsh entreated, “Don’t write to your mother just yet. She’ll get more worried and come looking for you, or send someone to do it for her. We can’t afford any intrusion at this point. Agreed?”
Randee’s heart thumped madly as she read between the lines of his sentences: he wanted and needed more time alone with her to study his feelings. “Don’t worry, Marsh, I can’t write to my mother. If I do, my stepfather will come looking for me, and he’s the last person I ever want to see again. I have to tell you why I left home, but please don’t judge me too harshly,” she implored, then slowly related what had taken place in Kansas.
She continued in a ragged voice, “I despise him, and one day I’m going to kill him. If you’re not tired of me when this task is over, I’d like to hire you to help me rescue my mother from that beast. I’ll pay you whatever I can. I still have money left over from the Carsons.”
When Marsh remained silent and rigid, Randee worried that her story had filled him with disgust for her weakness. “Maybe I’m to blame. If I hadn’t been such a coward for so long, he wouldn’t have gotten such a grip on …”
Marsh rolled atop her and cut off her remaining words with a pervasive kiss. “Don’t you ever blame yourself again, woman. If you’d tried to battle a bastard like that, you and your mother would be dead. If we live through this mess here, I’ll get him for you, him and his men.”
Randee hugged him tightly, and tears of relief slipped from her eyes. Marsh wiped them away gently and kissed each misty eye. “The Carsons lied about my whereabouts to protect me. They took me in and treated me like their own child. I owe them, Marsh; that’s why I have to avenge their murders. It was a difficult journey to Texas alone, but I made it just fine. I used every trick my father had taught me about concealing my trail. If Payton had suspected where I was, he would have come after me before now. The trouble is, once Payton learns about the Carsons’ deaths, he’ll try to take over their ranch, or sell it. I can’t let him do that; I have to stop him. The good part is, as long as everyone in Wadesville thinks I’m the heir, they won’t go looking for another one. That gives me time to … I don’t know what.”
“Then, we have an unexpected problem,” he hinted.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Marsh told her about the stage attack by Indians. Thank goodness, he could say truthfully, “They were talking about it when I was in the stage office to mail a letter to my friend in Fort Worth. I’m sure Brody Wade knows you’re missing by now.”
“You don’t think he believes I’m dead, do you?”
“I hope not, and I doubt it. Since the women were captured and the Army’s after them, he’s probably waiting around for your rescue. He knows you’re strong and brave. When we get near Wadesville in a few days, I’ll go into town to collect those rewards and see what I can learn. I don’t want you showing your face unless it’s necessary.”
Randee hoped his highest motive was to keep her away from Brody out of jealousy. To find out, she teased, “Is that why you were so nasty at supper, afraid I’d insist on relieving Brody’s worries by riding headlong for Wadesville?”
“The thought entered my mind,” he admitted after a chuckle.
“Don’t worry, partner, I’ll follow your orders.”
“Thanks, woman. We’ll take our chances that Brody won’t go looking for any Carson kinfolk for a while.” Marsh didn’t hesitate before adding, “In case that Payton bastard and his men come looking for you, stick real close to me. I won’t let them steal you or harm you.”
Randee was thrilled to hear that news, that he had another reason for keeping her around a long time and that he was so protective and possessive. Marsh knew she had no place to go except the ranch, and Payton could locate her there. She was glad she had revealed her past to him tonight. “I’m glad you understand what I told you and why I was keeping it a secret. I was so ashamed.”
“You have no reason to feel guilty or embarrassed, woman. You were caught in a trap, and you freed yourself as soon as it was safe for everybody concerned. I like the way you reason things out and use self-control. Frankly, I’m glad that bastard drove you to Texas so we could meet. Where would I be without my talented partner?”
Randee’s heart was touched by how easily he related his feelings. Surely. it meant he was opening up to her, softening his heart, trusting her. Surely they both realized how special they were to each other, even without commitments between them.
After his confession, Marsh’s keen mind warned him of his slip. He couldn’t let them get too close just yet, not with this hazardous mission still looming over their heads like a ravenous vulture who was waiting for them to die. Yet, it was becoming too easy to be totally relaxed around her. He had to keep his head clear! It was good to have this insight into Randee Hollis. She was strong because of all she had endured and because of what her father had ingrained in her. She could stand as tall and straight as any man, and he was proud of her. Somehow, he had to slay that bastard for daring to touch and terrify this special creature who was stealing his heart and wits!
But right now, he had to slow down this runaway relationship. He murmured in her ear, “I was born a rambling rogue with dust in my veins, so I’ll need a good challenge after this one’s over. I’ll go to Kansas with you later, and rid your home of that sorry piece of manhood. I’m sure your mother will be overjoyed to get you back home again, especially with a new baby to tend. She’ll need help with the chores, and you know a lot about ranching. You two won’t have any trouble after he’s dead. Of course, you two might prefer to take over the Carson Ranch; it is one of the best spreads in Texas.”
In her mind, Randee heard Marsh close the carelessly opened door between them as he panicked after his revelation. It wasn’t unexpected, but at least he was opening it a crack here and there, and that gave her hope that it would remain open one day. “I’ll pay you well for your time and trouble, Marsh, and I’ll be grateful for the help. But I want you to find a safe way to get rid of him; I don’t want you getting into any trouble because of me. Maybe you can use your earnings to start up your ranch again one day.”
Marsh chuckled. “Me, become a rancher or a farmer? I left that life behind long ago, Randee. I was born to wander, woman. At heart, I’m a restless man, a carefree adventurer.”
She tickled his stomach as she replied with a lightheartedness that she didn’t feel, “I know, Durango, but times change. You’ll get old and tired eventually and need a safe place to rest.”
He jested unwisely, “If I live long enough.”
Randee smacked his chest with her fist and ordered gruffly, “Don’t ever say that again, Marsh Logan! You’re too smart and fast to get killed before you get out of this dangerous existence you love.” Here was a man who thought he had everything he wanted and needed: youth, good looks, prowess, freedom, money, jobs of his choice and timing, a legendary reputation, and valuable land. Why should he want to complicate such a carefree and satisfying existence by taking on a wife, or a full-time lover? How could she prove to him that he needed one more thing to complete his life and happiness?
Marsh changed the topic by revealing, “I did get some news today. There’s a rich group in Fort Worth buying up most of those spreads, the Mid-Texas Company. My friend couldn’t find out who owns it or what they want with so much land, but he’s still working on it. A lawyer named George Light referred to the owners as “them,” so there must be more than one behind those curious purchases. That letter I sent out today asked my contact to see what he can learn about Foley Timms and Quantrill’s Raiders. Hopefully he’ll have some facts for us when we reach Fort Worth next week.”
“If we can unmask an illegal land grab, maybe we can stop these killings without having to challenge that gang face to face.”
“They still have to be killed or captured, Randee. Stopping their raids is only part of my mission. They have to pay for their crimes.”
“You sound more like a marshal than a hired gunslinger,” she jested. “But you’re right; they have to be punished, all of them.”
“You know you can quit any time you want out, Randee, and I’ll finish this task for us. I don’t want you getting hurt or slain.”
“That’s very considerate of you, Mr. Logan, but I’m along for the entire ride. You might need someone to protect your backside.”
“Right now, I’m more concerned with my frontside,” he said huskily, then began making love to her for the second time that night.
Marsh was gone when Randee awoke. She sponged,” off, using the water bowl and pitcher in her room, then. dressed. Shortly, the laundress arrived to deliver theirclean clothes. Randee placed Marsh’s things on her bed and packed her own garments. She knocked on Marsh’s door, but there was no answer. Hungry, she went downstairs to see if he was waiting there for her. He wasn’t, so she sat down to eat alone. He had probably eaten earlier and was out gathering information.
Just as she finished her meal, she noticed people gathering along the wooden sidewalk outside the restaurant windows. She paid for the food and headed for “the hotel door to check on the excitement. Her heart nearly stopped in panic. Two men were standing in the dirt street, preparing for a duel, and one was Marsh Logan… .
Randee moved back inside to the window, as she didn’t want to distract her love with her fear and presence. She glued her wide eyes to the awesome scene before her. She felt nauseous with alarm, and she was trembling. Her entire body felt cold and numb, like death. She watched Marsh closely, noting the signs of a skilled gunfighter: his agile walk, his controlled stance, his confident expression, his keen alertness, and the way he wore his guns strapped to muscled thighs. His hat was resting on his back, allowing everyone to see his ice-blue eyes, which revealed a steely calm. Marsh exuded prowess. No hint of fear showed itself in his carriage or looks. He was dressed in that snug and sexy black garb, and his jawline was dark with stubble. His body was loose, as if he didn’t have a care or worry. He was intimidating, a sight to strike terror in the heart of the bravest man. She wondered why any man would recklessly challenge him and invite certain death.
Randee glanced at Marsh’s challenger, and knew this battle could have only one ending. Even at a distance, she read fear and uncertainty in the young man’s body movements and expression. That man was nervous, and stupid to challenge the Durango Kid. She saw him finger his gun butt, as he was wearing only one pistol, whereas Marsh had two. He was wearing a hat that was slanted downward to block out the sun, which he was facing, another mistake on his part.
The tension mounted as each of the two opponents seemingly waited for the other to make the first move. The witnesses were still and quiet. An eerie silence surrounded the entire scene, perhaps because death hung heavy in the still air.
Marsh called out in a steady voice, “It doesn’t have to be this way, boy. You can step off the street as easily as you stepped onto it. This day is too pretty for dying, and you don’t stand a chance of beating me to the draw. Go home, boy; I don’t want to kill you.”
Suddenly, Randee’s heart lurched as another man stepped into the street and took his place at the challenger’s side. She wanted to race upstairs and fetch her guns to help Marsh, but there was no time. All she could do was observe the deadly drama being played out in Brownwood. Her respiration came in short, shallow gasps. Her mouth was dry, and she could, hardly swallow. Her heart was thudding so forcefully that she wondered why” it didn’t explode within her chest.
“Come on, Durango, you can take both of us, can’t you?” the second man taunted to unsettle the fearless man in black.
Randee glared at the two killers whom she recognized from the raid at the Carson Ranch. Randee stared at Marsh and wondered why he needed her along to identify the gang if he could do so … .
The confrontation came to an end. Guns were drawn and shots were fired, and the two men opposite Marsh lay dead on one end of the dusty street. Marsh casually holstered his weapons, put on his hat, and walked toward the hotel. The crowd rushed into the street and surrounded the challengers, laughing and chatting excitedly.
Randee turned and fled to her room, locking the door behind her for some reason. She sat on the edge of the sofa and stared at the floor. She had never seen a man move as swiftly and nimbly as Marsh had. Those two men had about as much of a chance at victory as an icicle beneath a blazing sun! She had heard how skilled he was, but now she had witnessed it, and was still amazed.
Reality settled in on her. The man she loved and was traveling with was a … No, her mind argued, refusing to even think the terrible word. Yet, she could still see him in her mind’s eye: poised confidently and nonchalantly as he waited to slay two men who never stood a chance against his superior skills. Would it be this way in every town they entered? How many men had he slain? How many more gunfights before Marsh was the one lying dead in the street, with insensitive people crowding around him to view his famous body? Could she hang around until that grim day?
She jumped up to pace the floor, unable to think along those heart-wrenching lines. Did it matter that he had tried to dissuade them from attacking? Did it matter that they wouldn’t allow Mar … the Durango Kid to leave without battling them? Did it matter that they were killers with the Epson Gang? Yes, it mattered greatly.
There was a knock on her door and she knew it was Marsh. She turned and looked at the barrier between them, realizing it wasn’t the only one, and sadness filled her. She walked to the door and opened it. Without looking at him, she turned and went to the bed to gather his clean clothes. “The laundress returned these. You’ll need to pack them.”
Marsh watched her, then asked, “You saw what happened?”
“Yes, I was downstairs eating. Are you all right?” she inquired, wanting to rush into his arms and cover him with kisses.
“As fine as anyone can be after being forced to shoot two men,” he replied, his tone sounding oddly strained.
Randee looked at him and asked, “Who were they? Why did they want to battle you?”
“Just two fools looking to increase their reputations.”
“Killing the Durango Kid would certainly accomplish that goal. It wasn’t a fair fight, two against one.”
“I knew which one would draw first. That first kid was real scared, so I knew he’d move slow. That second man was cocky, so it had to be him. If I hadn’t of taken them down today, they would have trailed us for another shot at me. I didn’t want to endanger you.”
When she didn’t speak, he tried to break the tension by adding, “A trick you maybe can use one day is knowing when a man’s ready to draw on you. His fingers will twitch and they’ll graze his gun butt nervously. Once he loosens his fingers, he’s ready to pull his pistol. If you think you’re faster and he’s stalling, wiggle your own fingers and he’ll panic and draw. Another thing to know, Randee, if a man’s wearing two guns, he’ll draw the one on the hand he favors. You can tell which one by noticing on which side he fastens his belt. See,” he pointed out. “I’m left-handed, so I run my belt through my pants’ loops in this direction. Don’t go by a man’s holsters, because they’re usually made alike.”
“That’s very clever and astute,” she remarked, impressed.
Randee walked to the window and gazed outside. If it was only a coincidence that those two men were gang members, she needed to know and not let unfair suspicions breed within her. Besides, it was time to tell Marsh she could identify the raiders, as he would see the ranch attic soon and guess her tightly guarded secret. By revealing it now, she would prove her trust in him. Too, those men whom he had been challenged to slay might have been after her ….
“Something’s troubling you, woman. Spit it out,” he coaxed.
Randee faced him and asked, “Did you know those two men?”
“Most men reveal their names after a gunfight. If they win it, they stand around in the saloon, drinking and boasting.”
“Then, your answer is no,” she pressed.
“That’s correct. What’s your point,” he asked, baffled.
Randee divulged softly, “They were members of the Epson Gang. Maybe they were sent after me and you were in their way.”
Marsh walked over to her and stared down into her face. “You’re trying to tell me something important, aren’t you?”
“My uncle’s ranch had small open spaces in the attic, just beneath the overhanging roof, for releasing heat in the summer. The coverings had just been removed because winter was over. By walking across the beams from one side to another, I could see everything that happened all around the house. After the killings, the gang members removed their hoods to search the house and finish their grim work. I saw their faces,” she confessed.
Marsh had suspected this news, but it still stunned him to hear it revealed. “Do you realize how much danger you’re in, woman?” he asked. When Randee nodded, he said, “I’m glad I got you out of Wadesville, but I doubt those men were searching for you. There was another raid below Fort Richardson yesterday, so they couldn’t have gotten here this quickly. Maybe they were advance scouts or riding on their own now. I’m glad you finally told me the truth, Randee. This means I’ll have to guard you more closely.”
“I’m sure you suspected I knew more than I was telling. That’s why you agreed to bring me along, wasn’t it?”
“You’re right,” he admitted, then grinned. “I should have known you were too smart to fool.”
“You are, too, but I was afraid you’d leave me behind if you no longer needed me for clues.”
Marsh made another admission, “I would have, if things got too dangerous for you. But now it appears as if you’re safest with me, considering you’ve got that gang and your stepfather looking for you.”
“There’s something else, Marsh. The entrance to the attic is hidden behind a chest in one of the bedrooms, so those villains didn’t find it or me. If they spy on their victims beforehand like we suspect, then they knew about my existence. Obviously they must have thought I was away that morning. I heard them searching the house, and I saw the mess they made after I left the attic.”
When she halted for breath, he assumed she was finished, and ventured, “Like you said, when they couldn’t find you, they probably figured you were gone somewhere. They wouldn’t have known you were around that day if you hadn’t placed that notice in the papers. That was rash, woman, but it can’t be changed now.”
“That isn’t my point, Marsh. Remember all the raid sites we’ve visited?” He looked puzzled until she added, “Everything was destroyed. Yet, they didn’t burn the Carsons’ house. Isn’t that a bit strange?”
Marsh thought hard for a minute. “There has to be a clue there, woman. If they didn’t know you were hiding inside, then it couldn’t have been to spare you. But who would want that house?”
“I don’t know. Uncle Lee built it, and he’s been the only owner of that land besides the Indians. But it must have been left standing for a reason. I just can’t think of one.”
“I’ll put it on our list of curious clues. See there, I need to keep you around just for using your brains.”
“Among other things,” she jested seductively.
“Mercy, woman, I am a bad influence on you. I may have to wash your mouth out with soap before this week’s over.”
They laughed and embraced.
“Are you in any trouble about that shooting?”
Marsh shook his dark head. “Things like that happen in every town all the time. There’s no law against self-defense.”
“If those bandits hear about you gunning down two of their men, they’ll be after both of us. We should get moving fast, partner.”
After having slept late and being slowed down by the gunfight and long talk, it was early afternoon before they left town. They gathered their possessions and walked to the livery stable. They mounted Midnight and Rojo and left Brownwood behind.
They had planned to check out Camp Colorado, a post evacuated in ‘65, but Marsh told her it was unnecessary. He’d learned the day before that there were numerous farmers in the area, and no one had had any trouble with Epson Gang raids. In a way, that was good, because it meant that section was out of the attack area. So far, all raids had remained inside that oblong territory which Marsh had mentioned—a clue they both found intriguing, but not yet enlightening.
They retrieved the dynamite from where Marsh had concealed it the night before, and continued their steady journey northeastward. With stops here and there to check old raid sites and to rest, Marsh and Randee made it to a nice camping spot before dark, twenty-five miles beyond Brownwood.
Thursday was much the same, and they camped near the Leon River shortly before dusk. After Marsh checked out the surrounding area, they took a swim and made love by the river’s edge. Afterwards, they lay snuggled together on overlapping bedrolls and talked.
He told her about many of the odd jobs he had done since leaving home at seventeen: frontier guide, freight-wagon driver, cowhand, scout for wagon trains, and trail boss. Several positions surprised her when he added to the list: small-town deputy, guard for gold shipments and payrolls, and shotgunner for a stage line. He didn’t mention his work with Galvanized Yankees during the war, which had led to his selection as a government agent for President Grant. Nor did he tell her that many of those jobs. had been covers for secret missions.
“I can’t imagine the Durango Kid earning a living by working for the law or by holding down a steady job. You must have been countless places and seen all kinds of things.”
“Yep, I reckon I have, Miss Hollis. Maybe I’ll tell you all about them one day, if you’re real good and patient.”
“Both are near impossible for a headstrong vixen like me, but I’ll try my best,” she vowed amidst intentionally skeptical laughter. “You’ve done an awfully lot of things in less than fifteen years. Can you tell me why you left home?” she asked hesitantly.
Marsh released his hold on her and flattened his back against the ground. He folded his arms and tucked his hands beneath his head. Sighing deeply, he stared at the stars above him.
Assuming it was a touchy matter, she quickly said, “If you prefer not to talk about it, I’ll understand. I’m too nosy at times.”
Marsh slowly and painfully related most of what had happened between him and his father. “I just couldn’t look him in the face anymore. We were fighting all the time, and tearing my mother apart. I figured the best thing to do was leave home before things got worse. By the time I learned the truth and understood his side, it was too late. I was already set in my ways, and all I could bring them was trouble. Now that.they’re gone, I have no home and parents to return to, if I ever got that yearning. I’m used to being on my own. It might be selfish, but I like it that way.”
Randee did not take offense at his last few sentences, as she had known his feelings from the beginning, and now she understood them even more. Just because they differed from hers, that didn’t make either one of them right or wrong. She had to stop hoping and believing he would change for her; she had to accept him for the way he was— which had to be wonderful since she had fallen in love with him. To this man, home represented anguish, disappointment, betrayal, weakness, entrapment, and resentment. As with her, he had felt as if he could never return. He had made a life for himself elsewhere, nowhere, and it suited his current emotional needs. “It’s a shame you and your father couldn’t have worked out your differences before you were forced to leave home, but I understand your reasons and feelings. If you hadn’t left home and learned the skills you possess today, you wouldn’t be alive to use them for justice. And without them, Marsh, you couldn’t have saved your home and parents. Don’t you realize that? Please, stop challenging death to prove you’re stronger and smarter than it is. Fate chooses the moment for us to be born and to die. All we can do is fill the time between them with as much happiness as we can find. It isn’t a fatal flaw to grasp as much of life as you can hold.”
He turned his head to look at her. She had sat up while speaking and was stroking his bare chest as if to comfort him. Moonlight sifted through her tawny hair, bathing it and her body in a silvery glow. If she realized she was nude and uncovered to the waist, it didn’t show on her lovely face. Her breasts were firm and supple, and her skin invited his touch. She looked like an angel sitting there, one come to save him from himself. How could he not want her, take her?
“Come here, Randee,” he entreated huskily. “I need you.”
The request was a simple one, a stimulating one, a revealing one. Randee went into his arms and sealed their lips. They made love passionately, as if battling unseen ghosts and cleansing their souls of them.
As she watched him sleep afterwards, she recalled how he had said need, not want. She smiled happily and joined him in slumber.
Friday evening, they reached the town of Granbury, which was beautifully situated on a tranquil lake. In 1854, Thomas Lambert had united his settlement with another one called Stockton and made it into a thriving little town. In ’59, a man named Jacob de Cordova had accumulated land scrip— certificates indicating the right of the holder to receive payment later in cash— for more than a million acres. Billing himself as the “Publicity Agent for an Empire,” he had lectured throughout the East to promote interest in Texas.
Marsh and Randee had dressed as simply as possible and registered as a couple, hoping to go unnoticed in this town so close to Wadesville.
As they prepared to go downstairs to eat supper, Marsh said, “I felt naked coming into town wearing that Colt of yours just to keep from attracting attention to us. We shouldn’t have come here tonight.”
“How else will we gather information if we stay out in the wilds?” she teased to calm his unusual tension. “You couldn’t leave me alone out there while you rode in alone. I may be a nuisance, Logan, but you’ll have to endure me for as long as we’re partners.”
Randee was gazing out the window as Marsh retorted, “You’re anything but a nuisance, woman. You’re more like— “
“Marsh, come here quick,” she told him. When he joined her, she pointed to three men standing outside the saloon talking. “There’s three more of them. What’ll we do? You can’t take on three men.”
“Not fairly,” he replied, a cold edge to his voice as he eyed the half-Indian, the gaunt Mexican, and the burly black man.
“Either the gang’s nearby, or those men are resting between raids.”
“For certain we can’t ask questions with them in town. I’ll fetch you some supper to eat up here, then I’ll take a look around.”
“What if you’re recognized?” she asked worriedly.
“I should have said sneak around, woman. I won’t take any unnecessary risks, so stop fretting. This has to be done, Randee. And, no, you can’t tag along. Stay put so I can concentrate.”
“Damn you, Marsh Logan, if you get hurt out there alone …”
Marsh silenced her with a heady kiss. When their lips parted, she warned, “That trick won’t work every time, Mr. Logan.”
“I know, but it’s fun trying it,” he jested mirthfully.
“You are a vexing devil,” she accused.
He kissed her again before replying, “And you are a beautiful angel. Relax, woman, haven’t you heard I’m indestructible?”
“No one is, not even the Durango Kid. Please be careful.”
Marsh brought her meal back within fifteen minutes, changed into his ebony garments and left the room.
It was too dark and Marsh was too skilled to be visually followed outside. Randee picked over her food to pass the time. She had waited for Marsh Logan all of her life; now she was waiting to see if he was lost to her forever ….