A Tumble Through Time Read Online Free

driving, sir.”
    Slug nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Since drivers were difficult to hang onto, Wes doubted any complaints about Slug would have an effect on him.
    Two men followed her, brushing dust from their coat sleeves. When no one else exited, Wes glanced at Slug. The driver motioned with his head toward the inside of the coach. Wes peered into the darkness. It appeared someone huddled in the corner, making no effort to leave.
    “There’s yore package, marshal.” Wes almost lost his footing as Slug slapped him on the back. Didn’t anyone in this town know how to speak to someone without causing bodily harm?
    “Come on out, now, honey. The marshal here will take good care of ya.” Slug turned from where he spoke to the reluctant passenger and winked at Wes. “Wait till ya see this one.”
    “No! I want to go back to the Indian store.” A very feminine −and angry−voice came from within the darkness.
    Slug gestured toward the coach. “She’s all yores, marshal. I gotta get this deposit to the bank.” Giving a slight salute, he gripped two canvas bags from the floor of the upper bench.
    “Now, wait just a minute here.” Wes caught Slug’s shoulder. “Who is this woman, and why is she my problem?”
    “Found her wandering around out there.” He waved in the direction he’d come from. “Doesn’t seem to know what she wants, or even where she’s at.”
    Wes cleared his throat, then stuck his head back in the coach. In the dim light from where the window shade let in a bit of sunlight, his eyes focused on a young woman, her arms folded over her chest. She had sun-darkened skin, deep brown eyes, and was dressed− oh my Lord −in men’s trousers with no more than a yellow scrap of material around her breasts. Breasts, Wes noticed, that were full, and peeking out between her crossed arms. His mouth dried up and he whipped his head around. “Who is she?”
    Slug shifted his wad of tobacco. “Don’t know. Like I said, I found her wandering.”
    Wes tried again. “Miss, can I get you to step out, please?”
    After several seconds, a deep sigh came from within the coach, and the young woman slid over on the seat, stepped down, then blinked furiously at the bright sunlight. She had a pouch over her shoulder that she hugged securely to her side.
    Now that she stood in daylight, Wes had a hard time keeping his gaze from drifting toward her breasts. A twitch in his pants, signaling the resurgence of feelings kept buried for five long years startled him, and drew his scrutiny to the woman’s face. She glared at him like a defiant child, her lips pursed. Her dark hair had been pulled back in some type of a braid, and the scattering of light freckles across the bridge of her nose gave her a look of youth and innocence. Except no innocent woman would dress so scandalously. Was she one of Miss Ethel’s new girls?
    Wes took a deep breath to quell his racing heart. “What’s your name, honey?”
    The woman gasped. “‘Honey?’ Don’t call me that. What’s the matter with you? I’ve had enough condescension from law enforcement males. I should file charges with your superior.”
    Slug and Wes stared at each other, eyebrows raised.
    Wes tugged on his hat. “I apologize, miss. I meant no disrespect. Can you please tell me your name?”
    “It’s Anna Devlin.”
    He smiled to think she looked like an Anna. “Now, where is it you’re headed?”
    “Home.”
    “And where is home, little lady?” Slug chimed in.
    “I don’t friggin’ believe this!” Anna slammed her fists on her hips, and the pouch she’d clung to slid down her arm. She rested it at her feet, then poked Wes in his chest with a very hard index finger. “I don’t know how y’all get away with this, but believe me when I tell you someone is going to hear about the way you two talk to women.”
    “Whadda I say?” Slug spat more tobacco juice, wiping his chin with an open palm. Anna wrinkled her cute little nose and threw her hands up