MacKenzie's Lady Read Free Page B

he can't resist a damsel in distress. You wouldn't believe the number of times I've had to fight for my life just because I happened to be with him when he decided someone needed to be rescued."
    The alleged knight gave his smaller companion a tolerant smile. "You're exaggerating, Ken. It must be that streak of Irish in you that can't resist embellishing every story you tell."
    Holly relaxed even more. The bantering between the two of them reminded her so much of her brother, it was impossible for her to hang on to her fear. Besides, now that she'd had a chance to catch her breath, she realized that her fear had been more of the situation than of the individuals. Despite their daunting appearance, neither of these men seemed threatening to her.
    The man called Ken gave his large companion another grin before turning back to Holly. "Are you okay, lady? Mac carried you out of there like a sack of potatoes. Any lasting damage?"
    "Only to my dignity," she answered truthfully. "And I wish you'd stop calling me lady. It makes me feel like a cocker spaniel."
    "Sure," he said obligingly. "If I knew your name, I'd call you something else."
    She hesitated only briefly, her common sense wrestling with her instincts. "Holly Reynolds."
    "Holly." Ken murmured her name and then shook his head. "I think I prefer Lady. It suits you better."
    "I'll be sure to tell my parents that you don't approve of their choice," she told him dryly.
    She ran her hands over the full skirt of her sundress, grimacing faintly as she noticed the streaks of dirt on the soft cotton.
    "So, what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" She couldn't help but smile at Ken's cheerful delivery of the hackneyed line, but Mac spoke before she could answer him.
    "You'll have to excuse him, Ms Reynolds. I'm afraid Ken is under the mistaken impression that everyone wants to tell him their business."
    Her eyes flickered over him and then away. There was something about him that disturbed her.
    "Of course she wants to tell us what she's doing here, don't you, Holly?"
    Holly was grateful to turn her attention back to Ken. She understood him. He reminded her of her brother James. She could cope with that feeling more easily than the confusing emotions the other man inspired.
    "Well, actually, it's not all that interesting. My roommate was dating a guy a couple of months ago, and when they broke up, he ended up with a watch that belonged to Maryann's grandfather. He had supposedly taken it to a repair shop run by a buddy of his. Personally, I think Jason sold it and pocketed the money. Anyway, Maryann has been trying to get the watch back ever since.
    "Jason called last week and told her that he had moved back East but he was going to be in Tijuana this weekend and if she wanted the watch, she could pick it up down here. My brother was going to come with Maryann but he got called out of the state. And then Maryann got the flu, so I volunteered to come instead. I bet Jason set this whole thing up as some kind of sick joke. It would be just like that weasel to send her to a place like that bar and then have a good laugh when he imagined her trying to cope. Maryann could never have handled that whole situation."
    Ken and Mac exchanged amused looks, but neither of them pointed out that Holly hadn't been coping too well before Mac's intervention.
    "Damn, I must have dropped my purse in the bar."
    "I'm afraid you're going to have to write off the loss," Mac told her.
    "I suppose so. It had my favorite lipstick in it and they don't make that shade anymore." She seemed to contemplate this loss for a moment before shrugging. "Oh, well, it could have been my head that got lost. Luckily I didn't have much money in my purse and I left my credit cards and driver's license in the car, so I'll be able to get home with no problem."
    "Where's home?" Mac asked the question so casually that Holly answered without hesitation. Her attention was on a newly discovered broken strap on her