The Long Trail (The McCabes Book 1) by Brad Dennison (microsoft ebook reader .TXT) 📗

She stepped up behind him. “Where’s Dusty?”

“He decided to take a stroll, now that we’re free to roam the canyon. He’s a restless type.” Josh turned his gaze back to her. “Where’s Loggins?”

“Vic sent him into town for supplies.”

A silence developed as they stood each looking into the other’s eyes. Then, she turned quickly away. “Loggins wouldn’t like me being here.”

“But he’s in town.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to make him mad. He’s not very pleasant when he’s mad.”

“Why? You’re a grown woman. You can talk to whoever you please.”

“He’s..,” She hesitated, as though this was difficult to say. “He’s hurt me, before. I don’t want to give him cause again.”

“If he ever lays a hand on you again, I’ll kill him.”

She looked at him suddenly. “I don’t want you fighting him.”

“Why not?”

“It’s just that..,” she shrugged and turned away. “It’s just that I don’t meet very many men who are nice to me, and I don’t want to see one of the few get hurt.”

Josh dropped the brush to the ground, and took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “I’ve been in my share of fights. And you know the only way I get hurt?”

She shook her head.

“My knuckles, when the men I’m fighting smash their faces against them.”

She smiled, despite her concern. “Are you really afraid of nothing?”

He grew suddenly serious. “Everyone’s afraid of something, Temperance.”

Her smile grew broader. “I like it when you call me that. When Loggins says it, it’s because he’s making fun of me.”

“I’d never do that.”

“I know.”

They drew closer, and Josh found his lips touching hers. Lightly. Then she pulled away.

“I was heading down to the pond for a bath,” she said, suddenly nervous, almost afraid. “I’d better get going, before I give Loggins a reason to shoot you.”

“Like I said, don’t worry about him.”

“He has a gun, and you don’t. I’ve seen him shoot a man in cold blood for less.”

She turned and hurried away, and Josh retrieved the brush and went back to brushing his horse, a sudden wave of uncertainty touching him. Not at the thought of possibly having to fight Loggins, but because he was no longer as sure of himself as he had been.

He had started this situation with Temperance partly because he thought he might be able to use her to his and Dusty’s advantage. It wouldn’t hurt to be working more than one game. Dusty was working Vic, and Josh was attempting to gain the girl’s trust. But when she spoke of Loggins hurting her, his anger had been sincere. His intention to kill Loggins was real. And the kiss had been very real.

He hadn’t intended this to happen. She was nothing more than a saloon whore and a liar, and an outlaw’s woman. But he was now discovering beneath the labels was a person. She was sensitive, vulnerable, even beautiful in her own way.

And as he tried to concentrate on the brushing down of his horse, he found his mind drifting to what she had said when she left. She was heading down to the pond at the center of the canyon, taking a bath..,

Temperance lounged in the cold mountain water, submerged to her shoulders. Her eyes were shut, and she was enjoying the heat of the sun on her face.

“Beautiful day for a swim,” came a voice from the shore of the small creek. A little coarse and gravely, and with a slight twang that was out of place here in the northwest. She looked to see Josh standing in the patch of grass where she had dropped her clothes, and the blanket she would use to dry off with.

“Where are you from?” she said. “You have the sound of Texas in your talk.”

“My pa spent some time there. I guess I picked it up from him.” Josh hoped he hadn’t just said too much.

But she was smiling. “You want to come in and join me?”

He hesitated at the appeal of her invitation, then said, “I would love to. But I’d better not.”

“Loggins and Kiowa are in town. Stew and White-Eye are at the pass outside the canyon, and Vic and Flossy are in the cabin. We have the water to ourselves, and no one will ever know.”

“I thought you were afraid Loggins might shoot me.”

“Maybe I’m just suddenly feeling brave. And the more I know you, the more I’m starting to think maybe you are as tough as you and Dusty say you are. Come on in.”

He shook his head. “Thanks, but it wouldn’t be right.”

She frowned a bit with lack of understanding, her head lilting to one side slightly. She reminded Josh comically and yet endearingly of a confused puppy, perking its ears and cocking its head to one side. “Why not?”

“It’s not the way things are done. Wouldn’t be proper. It’s not the way you treat a lady.”

Josh turned and started away from the creek, up a small incline and into a grove of pines. Why had he gone down to the water, anyway? He knew he would have been asking for trouble. But he had gone down regardless.

He leaned his back against the trunk of a pine. Damn! Why did life have to be so complicated?

“Josh.” Temperance spoke from beside him. She must have followed him up from the creek, padding softly along in bare feet.

She had wrapped the blanket about her, pulling it tightly a bit below each shoulder. He noticed the suppleness of her neck, as water beaded and rolled down. Her hair fell in a dripping tangle against her back.

He found himself being pulled toward her as if by some unseen force. Their lips touched, lightly at first, then more powerfully.

Then he pulled his mouth from her. “Temperance. This is not right.”

“Why not?”

“Because...because..,” he was having trouble focusing his mind enough to find the words.

“Josh, I’m just a saloon whore. It’s all right.”

“No, you’re not.” He took her by the shoulders. “You’re a woman. One who has had