Cole leaned his shoulder against the tree and waited. Would she be as wild in her lovemaking, or would she continue to act the authoritarian witch he’d had to put up with for over a week? The thought of her instructing him on how to make love brought a smile to his face.
When Beth came back into view she was holding her mount to an easy lope. Cole had already acknowledged that she was a capable horsewoman, but until now he’d had no idea just how good. What else was she an expert at? “Were you looking for me?” he asked when she stopped in front of him. He liked the fire that danced in her brown eyes and the flush in her cheeks from her wild ride.
“We had an agreement,” Beth snapped.
“You told me to leave.”
“You needed to be reminded who gives the orders. I’m beginning to think I’d be better off without you. So far you haven’t accomplished anything you agreed to. Now, mount up and we’ll return to camp.”
“Oh, no.” The material of her blouse was almost dry and no longer molded itself to her body. “We agreed on several things, but one of them wasn’t to give you a leisurely tour of the countryside. Just how do you plan on accomplishing anything if we can’t even average two miles an hour? We start out late morning, halt for a lengthy period every half hour or so, and set up camp early afternoon! I have no intention of spending the spring, summer and fall on this...journey. I plan to be on my way to California before winter sets in.”
Beth tossed her leg over the horse’s withers and slid to the ground. Not once did her gaze leave the outlaw. Though he hadn’t raised his voice, the precise words left no doubt that he was serious. She wanted to be prepared should he try anything.
“And just how do you think we should travel?” she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.
“You lied to me, lady.”
Beth rested her hand on the butt of her revolver. “What do you mean by that?”
“You said you wanted to learn about the real West. You’re never going to learn the way you’re traveling. I’m beginning to think you haven’t the salt for it.”
“That’s a lie!”
Cole was slowly closing the gap between them. He wanted to get his hand on her gun before she ended up harming both of them. Suddenly she pulled the weapon, pointed the barrel downward and squeezed off two shots. Both bullets hit the ground between his feet.
“That’s so you’ll know not to come any close.” Beth saw his jaw muscle twitch. He hadn’t taken kindly to being shot at. “Maybe now you’ll think twice about trying to disarm me.”
Cole stood his ground.
“Toss your horse’s reins over that branch above you.”
Cole was tempted to kick her feet out from under her, but instead he did as he was told. It galled him that a woman had actually gotten the draw on him.
“I’ll ride your buckskin and you can ride my roan back to camp. Don’t try to escape, because I would have no qualms about shooting you.” She reached out and handed him her mount’s lead rope. “You do know how to ride bareback, don’t you?”
“I think I can manage.” Cole pulled her horse to him, then taking a handful of mane, easily swung himself up on the steed’s back.
Keeping the gun pointed at Cole, Beth mounted his horse. The stirrups were too long, but that was of no consequence. “Before we go, there are a couple of things you should be aware of. If you ever come upon me again when I’m bathing, I shall have you killed. Secondly, I take an agreement very seriously. Should you try to escape I promise you’ll regret it. Have I made myself clear?”
“Quite,” Cole snapped back at her. Damn if she wasn’t making him her prisoner!
“Good. Then let’s be on our way.”
Cole turned his mount and started back to camp. This was definitely not going the way he’d planned it. The lady hadn’t even taken the bait when he’d said she hadn’t the salt needed to find out about the West.
As the copper-headed beauty rode behind him, Cole thought about what had just taken place. A grin slowly spread across his face. Things were getting interesting. He’d win out in the end, which made every order, inconvenience, gun pointing and any other undesirable situation worthwhile. He began whistling “The Bonnie Blue Flag.”
Not until their return to camp and Beth had given orders to keep an eye on Cole, did she truly feel safe. There had been a certain air about Cole Wagner that left her with the impression that he was biding his time—possibly even toying with her.
As she made her way to the big tent near the stream, she pondered what would have happened had Cole given her any trouble. It had been a miracle that she’d managed to put two bullets between his feet instead of shooting him in the boot. She was accurate with a rifle, but so far she hadn’t managed the art of drawing a revolver from the holster and shooting a target. Of course, she could never have killed him for backing out on their agreement, no matter how angry she had been. After all, only minutes before he’d ridden off, she had been thinking about replacing him.
“Did you bring him back?” Esther inquired the moment Beth stepped inside the tent.
“You need not sound so worried. Of course I brought him back.” Beth unbuckled her gun belt and tossed it onto a low table. “As soon as I get out of these dirty clothes, I’d like a cup of that tea you’re brewing.”
Beth unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall onto the huge ornamental rug. The rest of the clothes quickly followed. A heavy sigh of pleasure escaped her lips when she slipped into the ruby red silk caftan Esther handed her. “I’m surprised that all European and American women haven’t died from wearing so much clothing.”
“So you’ve said before.”
Beth lounged on several of the brightly colored pillows scattered about the floor.
“Did the outlaw give you any trouble?” Esther inquired as she handed Beth her tea.
“No, none whatsoever.” Beth sipped the delicious brew. “Mmm. Just what I needed.”
“You should have let him go. What kind of man would allow a woman to take him prisoner?” Esther moved to a low chair near Beth. “If you ask me, I think your outlaw is a coward. He’s nothing like the magnificent men you have known over the years.”
“Call it woman’s intuition, but I have a hunch we’re misjudging him. However, I still fail to understand why he doesn’t wear a gun...especially when we are in the wilds. All my people are armed.”
“And rightly so. Here’s a thought. Perhaps he doesn’t know how to shoot.”
Beth drew up her knees and wrapped her arm around them. “Then if he isn’t an outlaw in the truest sense, and if he doesn’t know how to shoot, why doesn’t he show any fear?”
“Nothing has happened to frighten him.”
“Don’t you find it strange that he’s never shown any concern for his well-being? There is a hardness...” She set her teacup on the floor beside her. “It’s difficult to explain.”
“I also mentioned to Howard the possibility that Cole is out to get your money.” It took several tries before Esther managed to pull herself to her feet. “He has to know about the money you’re carrying. How else would you be able to pay for everything?”
“Esther, you keep contradicting yourself. You say he is a coward who can’t shoot, then you turn right around and say he is planning to steal everything I own! As long as he does what I want, you can stop concerning yourself over the matter.”
“You can’t keep him a prisoner forever.”
Beth grabbed a pillow and shoved it behind her back. “Do