Comanche Cowboy (The Durango Family) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Georgina Gentry
She almost ran to keep up with him. “Look, I’m willing to chance it if you are. If you won’t do it for money, would you do it just because you’re a Texas gentleman?”
He stopped and took a deep drag, looking amused. “You just beat this gallant Texan on the chest for helping you before. I’m going back to the Triple D, miss, and stay there until this is over. I reckon you ought to stay right here in Wichita where it’s safe ’til the cavalry gets the tribes back on the reservations.”
Could she appeal to his patriotism?
“Would you do it for a fellow Confederate?” she asked desperately, “In memory of old Jeff Davis?”
“Why, you little Rebel!” he snorted with laughter as he inhaled smoke. “The Triple D supported Sam Houston when he tried to keep Texas in the Union!”
Her mouth dropped open, unbelieving. “A Yankee! A damned Yankee! You’re an admirer of that rum-soaked old despot?”
“So much so, I intend to name my first son for that grand old gentleman!” He tossed away the cigarette and tipped his hat to her. “I think I’d better move on, miss, before this discussion goes any further. Buenos dias.”
“No, wait!” Cayenne was desperate enough for his help to even beg from a damned Yankee sympathizer. She had one last card to play, and if it didn’t work, she didn’t know what she would do. Very hesitantly, she put her hand on his arm, felt it tense, knew she affected him deeply. “If you won’t do it for money, or because you’re a Texan, or even for old Jeff Davis, just what could I offer to get you to escort me through the Uprising country?”
“What do you mean?” He half turned, looking down into her eyes. His smoldering expression betrayed how she affected him, even though she was innocent of men and their passions.
Cayenne hesitated, afraid of the way he looked down at her as if he wanted her, wanted her bad. You’ve got to say whatever it will take, she thought. You’ve got to get home as fast as you can. Papa Joe and the kids need you.
She cleared her throat, looking up at him. “Maverick, can I interest you in something else?”
She opened her lips and pressed herself against his arm so that he could feel the heat of her ripe body.
“Stop it!” he said softly. “You don’t know how to play this kind of game.”
His voice had an edge to it as if he’d been a long time without a woman, as if he were warning her. But his arm tensed in her grip.
“You think I don’t know why you were upstairs with that girl?” she challenged. “You think I couldn’t do that, too?”
“I think you’re as innocent as a Sunday school.” He tried to pull away from her but she held onto his arm.
Her desperation made her more bold than she could ever have imagined. “I need to get home, Maverick. Suppose I offered you something else to escort me across the Indian Territory? Suppose I offered to pay you with my . . . body?”
Chapter Two
She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his reaction as his gray eyes widened.
The big cowboy threw back his head and laughed. “If you don’t beat all! Rebel, you might ride safely through hostile country after all! Indians won’t harm crazy people; they think the Great Spirit protects them!”
“You mean you’re turning me down? After the way you looked at me?” She had never felt so crestfallen, so humiliated.
Maverick reached with his free hand to break her grip on his arm. “I’m sorry about your daddy, Rebel. . . .”
“Stop calling me that!” she almost screamed at him. “My name’s Cayenne! Cayenne Carol! My little sisters call me Cee Cee!”
He hooked his thumbs in his gun belt. “All right, Cee Cee. I said I was sorry your old man’s ailin’, but you getting killed gettin’ to his bedside won’t help him none. When the cavalry corrals the tribes, you can get home then.”
“You don’t think I’m woman enough, is that it?” she flared. “You don’t think I’ve got anything to offer! Or
He stopped and took a deep drag, looking amused. “You just beat this gallant Texan on the chest for helping you before. I’m going back to the Triple D, miss, and stay there until this is over. I reckon you ought to stay right here in Wichita where it’s safe ’til the cavalry gets the tribes back on the reservations.”
Could she appeal to his patriotism?
“Would you do it for a fellow Confederate?” she asked desperately, “In memory of old Jeff Davis?”
“Why, you little Rebel!” he snorted with laughter as he inhaled smoke. “The Triple D supported Sam Houston when he tried to keep Texas in the Union!”
Her mouth dropped open, unbelieving. “A Yankee! A damned Yankee! You’re an admirer of that rum-soaked old despot?”
“So much so, I intend to name my first son for that grand old gentleman!” He tossed away the cigarette and tipped his hat to her. “I think I’d better move on, miss, before this discussion goes any further. Buenos dias.”
“No, wait!” Cayenne was desperate enough for his help to even beg from a damned Yankee sympathizer. She had one last card to play, and if it didn’t work, she didn’t know what she would do. Very hesitantly, she put her hand on his arm, felt it tense, knew she affected him deeply. “If you won’t do it for money, or because you’re a Texan, or even for old Jeff Davis, just what could I offer to get you to escort me through the Uprising country?”
“What do you mean?” He half turned, looking down into her eyes. His smoldering expression betrayed how she affected him, even though she was innocent of men and their passions.
Cayenne hesitated, afraid of the way he looked down at her as if he wanted her, wanted her bad. You’ve got to say whatever it will take, she thought. You’ve got to get home as fast as you can. Papa Joe and the kids need you.
She cleared her throat, looking up at him. “Maverick, can I interest you in something else?”
She opened her lips and pressed herself against his arm so that he could feel the heat of her ripe body.
“Stop it!” he said softly. “You don’t know how to play this kind of game.”
His voice had an edge to it as if he’d been a long time without a woman, as if he were warning her. But his arm tensed in her grip.
“You think I don’t know why you were upstairs with that girl?” she challenged. “You think I couldn’t do that, too?”
“I think you’re as innocent as a Sunday school.” He tried to pull away from her but she held onto his arm.
Her desperation made her more bold than she could ever have imagined. “I need to get home, Maverick. Suppose I offered you something else to escort me across the Indian Territory? Suppose I offered to pay you with my . . . body?”
Chapter Two
She looked up at him expectantly, waiting for his reaction as his gray eyes widened.
The big cowboy threw back his head and laughed. “If you don’t beat all! Rebel, you might ride safely through hostile country after all! Indians won’t harm crazy people; they think the Great Spirit protects them!”
“You mean you’re turning me down? After the way you looked at me?” She had never felt so crestfallen, so humiliated.
Maverick reached with his free hand to break her grip on his arm. “I’m sorry about your daddy, Rebel. . . .”
“Stop calling me that!” she almost screamed at him. “My name’s Cayenne! Cayenne Carol! My little sisters call me Cee Cee!”
He hooked his thumbs in his gun belt. “All right, Cee Cee. I said I was sorry your old man’s ailin’, but you getting killed gettin’ to his bedside won’t help him none. When the cavalry corrals the tribes, you can get home then.”
“You don’t think I’m woman enough, is that it?” she flared. “You don’t think I’ve got anything to offer! Or