Chapter 15
As Lucky rode down Main Street, amusement warred with amazement. He could just imagine them painting him red, putting him in buckskins and a long feather headdress, then sending him on stage. They’d probably want him to perform a war dance or get shot by gunslingers.
“What are you laughing about?” Tempest asked.
“Burt and Bob. Manny, too. Have you ever heard anything so crazy?”
“That’s not a question you should ask Temperance Tempest.”
He laughed harder. “Guess you’ve got a point.”
“Do you think there’s something in the Bend’s water?”
“Maybe it’s you.”
“Not likely. But Burt and Bob are pretty impressive.”
“Natural-born showmen.”
“Do you think they might actually pull off their Wild West show?”
“Anything’s possible.” Lucky took a deep breath. “Maybe their hopes and plans are the most important part.”
“I’d hate to see everybody disappointed.”
“Maybe they won’t be.” He rode over close to her. “No way to know somebody else’s path. Best we can do is handle our own.”
“You’re right. And we’ve got plenty to handle.”
When she turned big, violet eyes on him, he felt the familiar heat blaze up. He didn’t know how he was going to keep his hands off her, not when they had so much to do and so far to go.
Maybe she felt his heat singe her, because she blushed and looked away. He couldn’t blame her. She didn’t need a man with his prick running his life. And if he wasn’t careful, that’s exactly who he’d be so long as he was with her.
“Do you know those men staring at us?”
“What men?” He didn’t look around, just in case it was trouble. He never wanted to alert another that he’d foreseen their intentions.
“We’ve passed them now. They’re standing in the shadow of that saloon on the right.”
“What makes you think they’re watching us? Maybe they’re just watching the town go by.”
“Perhaps it was my imagination.”
“Trust your instincts. If something alerted you, listen to it. What did you notice?” He dropped his hand to the .44 on his hip about the time he felt a telltale uneasiness crawl up his spine.
“Three men. Maybe more. They looked like any other men, dusty cowboys or outlaws. Hats shaded their eyes.” She hesitated. “It was their feet.”
“What about them?”
“I can’t give you a description, like plain or fancy shoes. But their feet were pointed right at us. They stood as if braced for action, weight evenly distributed. And they were too still.”
“Please look again. Open your saddlebag and take something out. As you do, glance down the street, but don’t look directly at them.”
“Are we in danger?”
“It’s best to keep a sharp eye out.”
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
While Lucky waited, now alert for trouble, he reached out with his senses. He should have done it before, but he’d been too amused by the Hayes Brothers and everything surrounding the Wild West show. He knew better. His only excuse was distraction, particularly by Tempest.
Now that he was focused, he could feel the others. Three wasn’t the right number. There were more. Felt as if they were connected by gossamer threads entwined like a spiderweb. Something about that connection was faintly familiar, but too far away or too weak or too camouflaged for him to get an accurate reading of the source. For now, it was enough that she had recognized the interest. Maybe the men weren’t dangerous, but on this mission he must consider everything a threat until proven otherwise.
Tempest turned around, holding Mama Lou’s napkin with a crumpled muffin. “These muffins are making a big mess in my saddlebag.”
“We can clean it up later. Right now, take a bite, and then offer the muffin to me.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
After she took a bite, he moved in close and leaned over. She held out the muffin, and he bit down where she’d had her lips, her tongue, her teeth. He imagined nibbling, licking, and scorching her bare flesh.
“Don’t you want to know what I saw?”
“First, give me another bite.”
“Are you trying to make a point?”
“Yes. I want everyone to see that we’re close.”
“It might not be good for my reputation.”
“But it could keep you safe.”
She held out the muffin again. When he took a bite, he gently nipped her fingers and watched her reaction. She blushed a tantalizing shade of pink. He wanted nothing more than to taste her all over. Thoughts like that made for an uncomfortable ride, what with a hard prick straining against his blue jeans.
“Go ahead, tell me now.”
“Their feet were still pointed toward us.”
“They’d moved?”
“Yes. They were definitely watching us.”
“Description?”
“You told me not to look directly at them. I only have a general impression of medium heights and lean builds. I’m sorry. That’s not much help.”
“You did well. They may have nothing to do with us, but we’ll be watching for them.”
As they rode out of town, he looked back. No way to tell anything from there, but he still felt that awareness. He didn’t like it. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was something. He’d stay alert.
“Good-bye, Texas. Hello, Indian Territory,” Tempest called out.
He glanced over and caught the glint of excitement in her violet eyes. Maybe she’d never been so far away from home.
“I bet the north side of the Red River isn’t nearly as big and bad as everybody claims.”
“Let’s hope not.”
“A few outlaws don’t frighten me.”
Lucky chuckled, shaking his head. “Fact is, you’d probably scare them.”
She joined his laughter. “Don’t worry. If any of them are bad hombres, I’ll defend you with my trusty .32.”
“Thanks. I feel safer now.”
“You’d better. I’m your secret weapon.”
He caught his breath at those words. She might be kidding, but she was right. She was his Spirit Rattler. And she was the key to everything.