A Promise of Roses Read Online Free Page A

Adams. She sat ramrod straight, her head held high. With any luck, he would be able to turn her in to the Leavenworth authorities by morning.
    "I'll be right back,” he said and turned for the back door of the saloon. He wasn't worried about leaving her alone. If there was any trouble, it would be in front of the saloon, not back here. And no one had seen them ride into town.
    He saw Gracie as soon as he stepped inside. He sneaked up behind her and blew in her ear. She whirled around to face him. Red tinged her complexion, and she looked like she'd just swallowed a bug.
    Lucas's stomach clenched. Something was wrong. “What is it?” he asked.
    " Me an’ the girls tried to keep him here. Poured whiskey down his gullet like water. But after he had his fill of Tilly and Priscilla, he done took off. We couldn't stop him for nothin '."
    "Damn it,” Lucas swore. He pounded a fist on the bar.
    Gracie cleared her throat. “Like I said, we tried. And even though he ain't here, you still owe us our money ‘cause we did what you asked."
    "Did he say where he was going? Did you see which way he headed?” Lucas asked as he fished into his pocket.
    Gracie flipped through the money and then tucked it between her breasts. “ Pris watched him ride out. Said he was goin ’ west. Left about two hours ago."
    "Son of a bitch. Thanks, Gracie,” he said and walked out.
    Damn. Now what was he going to do? If he took Megan to Leavenworth to hand her over to the marshal, he'd lose Scott's trail. Damn it, he couldn't let that happen. He'd been after this bastard for too long, lost him too many times.
    "There's been a slight change in plans, sweetheart,” he said to Megan as he mounted. “I hate to say it, but you're coming with me."
    Until he'd called her sweetheart , Megan didn't know who her abductor was. But that slow, textured drawl could not be mistaken; it was definitely the one named Luke. And now that she knew, she wasn't sure how to feel. Should she be happy not to be in Frank's grimy hands? Or should she be furious that handsome Luke would take her hostage?
    Before she could decide on a proper reaction, her body seemed to give out. All of a sudden her muscles ached, her hands tingled, her back threatened to snap at any moment, and she couldn't feel her legs because the weight of the box on them had long ago cut off her circulation. She let out a low moan as she swayed. With no strength left in her legs to hold on, she began to fall.
    She felt an arm grab her waist and haul her from the horse. The strongbox clattered to the ground, causing the horse to whinny and pace about. The next she knew, she sat cradled in the V of Luke's lap, the saddle horn poking into her hip.
    "Christ, why didn't you tell me you were falling asleep?” He ripped the blindfold from her eyes.
    She blinked and tried to get her bearings. Then she proceeded to answer him. It came out as a strangled bleat of grunts and groans.
    "Guess you don't need this anymore,” he said, slipping the gag down to hang around her neck.
    "—yellow-bellied son of a bitch!"
    Luke's eyes widened a fraction of an inch, then he started to untie her wrists. “I should have left the gag on a while longer. Quite a mouth you've got there, sweetheart."
    "Do not call me sweetheart , you maggot-infested, grub-eating, yellow -bellied—"
    "Son of a bitch. I believe you said that already."
    Megan clamped her teeth together. “Let go of me."
    "Gladly,” Luke said, and did just that.
    Megan hit the ground like a hundred-pound bale of hay. She groaned and looked up to see Luke grinning at her. “I can't believe you did that,” she said.
    "You wanted me to let go."
    "You didn't have to dump me on the ground."
    "I didn't dump you. I simply let you go."
    "And let me fall on my ass."
    "A pretty little ass, too, I might add."
    "No, you might not,” Megan snapped. “Help me up."
    "You wanted down,” Luke said, his smile widening.
    "I did not want down. I wanted you to let go of me."
    "I