The Cowboy's Reluctant Bride Read Online Free Page A

was nearby, and I haven’t heard anything.”
    She nodded, but her gaze darted around.
    He focused again on the slant of light through the trees and stepped to the left, completely concealed behind a thick pine. From here, he could see Ivy’s house clearly. Everything, including the barn, the corral, the road leading to her home. Just like the drawings.
    It was a perfect spot to observe the farm and matched the view of the illustrations.
    Nerves taut with the same instinct that had kept him alive in prison, Gideon studied the ground then bent to pick up a broken pine branch. With his boot, he cleared a spot on the soft ground then laid the branch next to the tree where they stood.
    “What are you doing?”
    “If someone does come back, they’ll likely build a fire here again.” He anchored the wood on either end with small rocks. “Not only because it’s a perfect place to watch your house, but also because I doubt they’ll risk marking another spot.”
    He checked the other side of the tree, pleased to discover the Powell farm wasn’t visible from there. “When they get in place, they’ll break the twig.”
    “That’s smart,” she murmured, “but an animal could break it.”
    “Yeah, but if a person does it, there will be some other sign of that. A boot print, marks on the tree maybe.”
    “That means you’re going to have to check here every day.”
    “Right.”
    “We can take turns.”
    “I’ll do it.”
    “I can help.”
    “Miss Ivy, your brother sent me here to do this job.”
    “I’m helping,” she said baldly.
    She might look softer than velvet and be a whole lot prettier than Smith, but she probably had every bit as much grit as her brother. And she might need it.
    The dead horse and the campfire remains proved someone had been here. To frighten Ivy? Or for something worse?
    Gideon had to find out. Which meant he wasn’t going anywhere, no matter how badly Ivy might want him to.

Chapter Two
    G ideon Black’s face had gone from blank to grim upon seeing the remains of that campfire.
    By the time they sat down to lunch, Ivy was impressed with the man, though she didn’t want to be. For whatever reason, she hadn’t thought to look in the woods for signs of the person causing her trouble.
    Maybe because she was so tired. She’d barely slept last night for replaying the night of Tom’s death over and over. She’d managed to stop the memory, but not the guilt. As a result, she had slept poorly, and she couldn’t blame that on her guest.
    Gideon gestured to the platter of ham and corn bread. “This is good.”
    “Thank you.” Sitting across from him, her skin felt prickly.
    And hot.
    The man was the size of a mountain. He dominated the space, making even the table that could seat ten people look small. His face, rugged and strong, was weathered by the sun and life. Grooves cut on either side of his mouth hinted that he must’ve smiled a lot at one time. She’d seen no evidence of it.
    Using the cloth napkin she’d laid next to his plate, he wiped his lips then took a sip of coffee. “When does your contract with the mayor end?”
    So he was still trying to figure out why someone might want to cause trouble for her. “In a year.”
    “Is there anyone who might want that?”
    “Not to my knowledge.” She sighed. “The mayor will have to be told about the horse. I’ll need to drive into Paladin.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    The thought of riding all that way in the wagon with him made her skittish. “It’s not necessary.”
    “Still, I’ll go.”
    Her own food sat untouched as he forked open another piece of corn bread and spread it with honey. Why had Gideon been in prison? Maybe it had been due to a mistake like her brother being wrongly identified as a train robber. A clerical error had incorrectly listed him as dead rather than as one of the prisoners transported to Leavenworth.
    “Mr. Black?”
    “Gideon.”
    “Gideon. How long were you in prison?”
    His head came