rs giving a bloodcurdling Comanche yell.
The bandits fired their guns into the air and effortlessly surrounded Jared. He reined in on Charger so hard that the horse reared and pawed the air. Miraculously Jared maintained his seat.
Lauren’s heart pounded in her ears in pure terror. Why had Jared left her? Surely he didn’t think he could fight off all of these desperadoes single-handedly? After they killed him, what would they do to her? Flame pranced excitedly beneath her. She couldn’t concentrate on holding the horse steady, so fixed was her attention on the scene being played out before her.
Jared slid off Charger, and the leader of the gang dismounted his own horse with a similar graceful motion. The others remained in their saddles and formed a tight circle around their leader and Jared, who faced each other squarely. Everything was deathly quiet.
Lauren was terrified as she realized that Jared and the bandit were going to draw on each other. The men stood a few feet apart, their legs wide, arms loose at their sides, every muscle tense. They were much alike in build and height. They stared at each other over their bandanas. Lauren held her breath.
They moved with lightning speed, and the pistols exploded simultaneously in the silence, the blast echoing off the surrounding hills.
Chapter 10
Either the sudden crack of the pistols or Lauren’s kneejerk reaction to it startled Flame. She bolted and raced uncontrolled across the pasture. Lauren was too frightened to scream. Only instinct forced her to hold on to the saddle as the ground rushed under her in a blur. The thudding of Flame’s hooves was joined by another’s, but Lauren didn’t risk turning around for fear of unseating herself and greater fear of what she would see in pursuit.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of blond mane seconds before she felt an iron arm grab her around the waist and drag her from Flame’s back. The mare streaked out from under her. Lauren’s legs danced in midair like a puppet’s as she was held against the heaving sides of the horse. She closed her eyes tightly. Her arms closed around the waist of the man in the saddle as he hauled her up in front of him.
After what seemed like an eternity, they began to slow down, and then were completely still. The heart in the hard chest beneath her head beat loudly against her ear. Lauren raised her head and looked into amber eyes over a red bandana.
“Lauren?”
She recognized the voice and slumped against Jared in relief that they were both still alive. He tightened his arms around her. She was content to leave her head against his chest with her eyes closed. Sounds of approaching horses invaded her serenity. She had forgotten their attackers!
“Is she all right, Jared?”
“I think so. Just a little shaken up.” Jared’s reassuring voice reverberated in her head. “Lauren,” he repeated quietly. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and raised her head.
Jared lowered his bandana and looked down at her. Was it concern she saw in his face? Charger impatiently tossed his head and brought her out of the hypnotic state that this unplanned closeness to Jared had induced.
She looked at the other rider. His features were much like Jared’s, except he was darker of complexion and hair. He, too, had pulled the bandana from his face and was smiling at her congenially. Shyly her gaze traveled around the semicircle of vaqueros nearly surrounding them. They appeared not in the least malevolent, but only curious and a trifle chagrined.
“Lauren, this is Rudy Mendez and these are Keypoint’s vaqueros—some of them. Did we frighten you?” Jared’s tenderness amazed her.
She nodded dumbly; then, remembering the draw contest, said, “But I saw you shoot each other.” Her lips trembled.
Rudy laughed and white teeth flashed in his swarthy face. “Sometimes I think Jared needs shooting, but we try to miss when we’re only playing.” He winked at her. “Rudy Mendez at your service, Mrs. Lockett. Welcome to Keypoint. Jared should have warned you of our rough games. Our welcoming committee got overzealous today. Can you forgive us?”
His smile was so engaging that Lauren smiled tremulously and murmured, “Yes. I’m sorry I caused such a fuss.” Suddenly she was conscious that she must look a fright. Her hat had been torn from her head and was resting on her shoulders. Her hair had loosened from the tight braid, and wisps of it blew around her face. Worst of all, she was being held in a most unladylike way across Jared’s lap, his strong arms supporting her. When she realized she still had her arms wrapped around him, she withdrew them instantly.
But she hadn’t counted on Charger choosing that time to stamp the ground impatiently. She came close to being unbalanced most ignominiously. Grasping desperately for whatever handhold was available, her fingers groped around the tight bulge between Jared’s thighs. His expletive echoed in her ear just before he hissed unevenly, “For godsake, don’t do that. Put your arms around my waist and keep them there.” She obeyed. Luckily Charger had continued his prancing, so no one had witnessed her folly. With a flick of his wrist, Jared brought the horse around. He was unaware of the silly grin on his face that was so obvious to everyone else.
The vaqueros and Rudy stared unabashedly at Jared’s bride. She was so beautiful! When word had gotten back to the ranch that their Jared was hurriedly marrying a girl from back East, there had been some unflattering speculations on her charms. Now they saw why their boss had been so eager to get this girl into his bed.
Lauren was becoming increasingly uncomfortable under their stares, and Rudy noticed it. “Doesn’t anyone have work to do?” he asked the vaqueros. They caught his drift and one by one tipped their hats to Lauren and pulled their horses around, heading back toward the herd. “I’ll fetch your horse, Mrs. Lockett.”
“No, Rudy,” Jared said. “I’ll take her the rest of the way with me. That mare is probably into her second bag of oats by now.”
“No trouble, Jared,” Rudy taunted. Jared’s preference for the current arrangement wasn’t lost on him.
The vaqueros whistled and hooted back at them as Jared nudged Charger with his knee and they started across the pasture. “Dammit,” Jared muttered close to her ear. Oh, God, he groaned silently as she shifted her hips, looking for a more comfortable position.
Rudy rode up beside them and watched as Lauren eased herself away from Jared’s chest. His arms seemed reluctant to relieve their firm hold on her, but Rudy saw the muscles slowly relax. There appeared to be a tangible tension between these two.
Jared had cursed this Lauren Holbrook when he came to Keypoint after Ben’s funeral. He insulted her heritage, intelligence, and morality. Rudy had teased him about her then but, to his surprise, Jared informed him he hadn’t even seen the girl.
“Then how do you know she’s so disreputable? Anyway, I thought you said you had gone to Austin to pick her up.”
“I did!” Jared exclaimed angrily. “But I… oh, hell. Just drop it, will you?”