The Lover Read Online Free

The Lover
Book: The Lover Read Online Free
Author: Genell Dellin
Pages:
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if I’m walking too fast for you, Susanna,” he said, slowing his pace and flashing his smile at her. “If you want to go and get your horse, you can meet me—”
    She interrupted.
    â€œI’m not falling behind, am I?”
    It was true. Her long legs had kept up with his every step since they’d left the livery.
    â€œAnd my horse is tied near the saddle shop. I’ll get him when we’re done there.”
    Her blue eyes met Eagle Jack’s with an annoyed glance.
    Unfortunately, his charm might not work every time. At least, not on her.
    Which made her a very unusual woman, indeed.
    And it made her a challenge. He was not going to let her ruin his perfect record, especially not when she was one of the most beautiful women he’d come across in all his adventures.
    â€œYou needn’t be in such a hurry,” she said. “I bailed you out of that stinking jail to hire me a crew and I intend to see that you do it before we leave Salado.”
    Quick anger seared his nerves. She was a challenge, all right. His headache flared, its pounding worst right between his eyes.
    â€œI’ll get you a crew,” he said, through clenched teeth, “in my own good time.”
    â€œWe’ll need them tonight,” she said. “My cattle should be at Brushy Creek when we get there.”
    He stopped in front of the saddle shop and stared at her.
    â€œHow many cattle?”
    â€œI’m guessing close to nine hundred, but it’ll depend on how many more the brushpoppers can catch. My guess was around seven hundred head already gathered when I left home this morning.”
    More than he’d imagined, from the looks of her clothes. Way more. Throwing them in with his would make one of the biggest herds on the trail. He would need four more men, at least.
    But it did explain one thing.
    â€œIs that why your husband sent you to hire the crew?”
    â€œMy husband has long since gone on to his great reward,” she said, with a bitter irony in her tone, “whatever that might be.”
    Well. A widow. So she wasn’t married, after all.
    But why did he care? She’d be just as much trouble romantically as she was in every other way.
    And just as surprising, probably. He’d like that.
    â€œDid you kill him?” he said.
    She gave a little burst of laughter.
    â€œNo. But I’m glad to see I’ve got my bluff in on you.”
    He grinned.
    â€œI didn’t really take you for a killer,” he said, “but you don’t sound too sad about him being six feet under.”
    â€œI’m not. He was a bully and a brutal man in many ways. I wish I’d thought twice before I married him.”
    Eagle Jack’s headache couldn’t keep his curiosity down. He always wanted to know why a woman did what she did. Women were fascinating creatures because all of them were different from one another—except for the fact that they didn’t think one bit like men.
    â€œWhy did you?”
    For the first time, she hesitated.
    â€œI was a foolish young girl,” she said. “Too young to know better.”
    â€œDid he beat you?”
    It was a personal question that would have offended many women but she seemed to recognize the spirit in which he’d asked it.
    â€œAt the very first, he would have,” she said, seeming to think it through as she spoke, “but even though I was very young, I wouldn’t stand for it.”
    â€œWhat did you do?”
    â€œWhen he raised his hand to me, I told him if he hit me he’d better never go to sleep drunk again.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause I would sew him up in the bedsheet and beat him senseless with the broom.”
    Eagle Jack threw back his head and laughed, in spite of his pain.
    â€œI’m surprised he’d put up with that.”
    â€œWe were on the move by then,” she said. “It was too much trouble for him to stop and find somebody
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