Bounty Hunter's Bride by Carol Finch

Author:Carol Finch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Dressed in her ill-fitting buckskins, her hair tucked beneath her cap, Hanna descended the steps to see the stage passengers filing from the dining room to board the coach. She ignored Millie’s lethal glare, then followed the travelers outside. Her footsteps faltered when she saw Cale poised beside the wagon, staring directly at her. His face was devoid of emotion as he glanced toward the waiting stage, then at her. His muscled body was rigid, as if braced for trouble.

Hanna veered away from the passengers, noticing as she did so that Cale breathed a small sigh of relief. He was trying not to give the slightest indication, but she presumed that he’d expected her to board the stage and leave him high and dry.

“What changed your mind?” he murmured when Hanna tossed her satchel in the back of their wagon.

She pivoted to face his searching gaze. “In the middle of the night, when I should have been sleeping instead of turning and tossing fitfully, I reminded myself that we made a bargain. I like to think I’m honorable enough to keep my word.”

He looked her squarely in the eye and replied, “It wasn’t the same, Mags. Not at all.”

Which, of course, had nothing whatsoever to do with her comment. He had no idea how much she wanted to believe him, and there was no question that he seemed intent on convincing her that he’d meant what he said.

Abruptly, Cale swooped down and scooped her up in his brawny arms, then deposited her on the wagon seat. His touch triggered visions of their shared passion, and Hanna shivered helplessly in response.

Despite the number of men who’d courted her and her money, despite the confusion and uncertainty she’d suffered last night, it was this man who affected her on a dozen different levels. That was an indisputable, undeniable fact.

Hanna frowned pensively. Admittedly, she had a narrow frame of reference—a peephole, actually—when it came to passion. She wondered if Cale might have told her the truth. Could it be that he harbored a certain affection for her? Could their joining have been special for him, too? Could it be that even with her lack of experience she’d somehow touched something deep inside him? Was it possible that she had misjudged their passionate encounter because of her narrow field of reference? Had she overreacted the previous night?

“Now what’s wrong?” he grumbled.

Hanna jerked her attention to Cale, who’d climbed up beside her to grab the reins. The man was so alert and attentive that nothing got past him. “I was just thinking.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Mags. It didn’t help the situation last night.” He gestured for Skeet to hop into the wagon bed. “What are you thinking about?”

Hanna didn’t reply until Cale steered the wagon behind the stagecoach, which lurched off at a fast clip. “How many lovers have you had?” she asked flat out.

Cale nearly choked. “Damn, Magnolia Blossom. Why do we have to discuss that in order to get past last night?”

Her lips twitched when she noticed a blush creeping across his bronzed face.

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