Cowboy, Unbridled by Vicki Tharp

Author:Vicki Tharp
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-948798-13-6
Publisher: JPC Publishing

Taylor approached the mass of people with the same trepidation one might approach a frenzy of feeding sharks. She and Zealand were nothing more than fodder. More chum to be chewed and shaken and devoured.

Only Zealand’s hand at the small of her back and the need to fulfill her contract kept her moving forward step by cautious step.

The crowd didn’t part as Taylor and Zealand walked up to the gate. They closed in. The deputies did what they could to keep the people back, but they were no match for the mass of pissed-off humanity.

She’d never been around that much vile, naked, rage. The decibel level climbed, and her ears hummed as the crowd pushed and shoved.

She clutched her bag to her chest when a man tried to strip it from her grip. Zealand hollered at him and shoved him back. With everyone packed in tight, the man didn’t fall back more than a step.

Zealand pushed her behind him, using his body as a battering ram as he shouldered through the throng of people, body-checking a few of the more aggressive men.

Still, like fresh kill, they were swarmed, the hoard crushing and suffocating.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Her head spun, her heart jack-hammered, beating so fast and hard she wondered if her heart had started fibrillating.

The dizziness made her stumble into Zealand. He reached back and caught her arm and kept her from going to her knees.

Someone from a news crew waded through the sea of people and shoved a microphone into her face, but for the life of her, she couldn’t hear what they asked before they made it through the gate.

The deputies kept the people at bay as the gate closed behind her and Zealand. He propelled her forward with the firm grip he had on her bicep as her knees threatened to give way.

Zealand stopped abruptly in front of the admin building, and turned her to him, her bag clutched to her chest. “Are you okay?”

“Taylor?” He took her by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Her breathing became pants dotted between each word. She ducked her head, hiding under the bill of her cap. All he had to do was give her a minute, and her words wouldn’t be a lie.

He removed her cap and scrutinized her. Sparkles danced in front of her eyes and black spots floated around the edges. In the cold, her rapid breathing formed a vapor cloud of condensation.

“You’re not okay. You’re hyperventilating, and you’re going to pass out.” He dropped her cap and bag on the ground and dragged her toward the building.

“Where are…” pant, pant. “… we going?” If anything, her breathing had gotten worse, not better. She tried to slow her respirations, but it didn’t seem to help.

Shoving through the front doors, Zealand made a beeline for the reception desk. On top was a paper bag. Someone’s lunch perhaps.

“Excuse me,” he said as he upended the bag, scattered the contents on the desk, and stole the paper bag.

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