Reese Read Free Page B

looked at him like that in far too long.
    Reese stopped his horse, murmuring gentle assurances as he slipped from the saddle. He didn't want the animal spooked by Mary's flapping skirt, nor did he want Mary slashed by Atlanta's razor-sharp hooves. Nothing would have spooked Ares, the horse he'd ridden into battle. But Ares was gone, along with so many other things.
    Her scent invoked memories of rainwater and cloudy nights. Reese went light-headed with hunger and leaned against his horse for strength.
    "You came!" Surprise colored her voice.
    Ruthlessly, he pushed aside longings for a past that was dead and gone, then turned with narrowed eyes. "You thought I wouldn't?"
    Mary flinched, and her smile froze. Reese hadn't meant to sound so vicious. Sometimes the anger crept up and bubbled over when he wasn't expecting it.
    Her dark-haired little friend stepped up next to her and laid a hand on Mary's arm. "I thought you'd be in the next state by now, with Mary's money."
    "Then you're much smarter than Mary."
    Mary tilted her chin. "You're here, aren't you?"
    Someone behind him laughed. Reese turned and glared, but no one's face held even the glimmer of a smile—except for Nate, who seemed drunk enough to be happy the rest of the century.
    "I'm here," he agreed as he returned his attention to the ladies. "Appears the rest of your town is too, Miss McKendrick."
    She spun about, and her skirt touched his leg. How was it he could feel the brush of blue cotton even through the wool of his pants?
    "Humph," she muttered. "Nosy busybodies. Left the hiring to me, but now they want to know every little thing."
    "That's always the way of it," Reese observed. "I suspect if you introduce us, they'll go away."
    "Introduce?" Jed snorted. "I'll be damned if I'll stand still for introductions. Just show me where the hell I can put my horse and get me a frigging drink."
    "Here, here!" Nate agreed.
    Mary's friend frowned.
    Reese sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Excuse Jed, Miss..." He dropped his hand and glanced at the girl.
    "Clancy," she answered. "Josephine Clancy." She refused to meet his eyes; instead, she continued to stare at the men.
    "Well, Jed lives alone, Miss Clancy, and you can see why."
    "Jed would be the man of the colorful vocabulary who visited Rock Creek a few months back?"
    "So I hear."
    "I was more concerned with the man hanging by one stirrup."
    Reese cursed. Miss Clancy smirked. He spun about to discover that Nate had slipped free of his saddle, but no one had put him back.
    "Dammit, Cash, can't you do something about Nate?"
    "I could shoot him, but you'd be mad."
    "I'll take care of it." Miss Clancy walked over to Nate and set about freeing him from his horse.
    Reese rubbed at his temple. Sometimes these men were worse than children, although they fought a hell of a lot better. A flash of agony shot through his brain, and Reese gritted his teeth to stifle a moan. Best not remember what he kept trying to forget.
    "Reese?"
    Mary's soft voice, closer than before, brought his head up. He nearly bumped noses with her and took a quick step back, where he bumped into Atlanta's big behind and bounced forward. Whoever had snickered before did so again.
    "What?" Reese snarled.
    "These are the men I paid everything for?" Her voice but a whisper, she seemed skeptical, and Reese couldn't blame her. They always made a lousy first impression. Still, he knew his men, and they were worth a lot more than everything.
    "They don't look like much, but you should see them in action."
    "If you say so." She contemplated the others then smiled brightly at one of them. Rico. Reese didn't even have to look. The Kid had a way with women, though Mary should be able to see through a sly fox like Salvatore with ease. How did she manage little children if she believed every lie they spouted?
    Well, that wasn't his business, but he would have a talk with Rico. No seduction of Mary or Reese would kick the Kid's ass all the way home to San Antone.
    "If you