The Outlaw Read Free Page B

could
look his fill. She was finely built with a delicate bone structure
with high, pert breast shoved into the tight bodice of her gown.
Her hair was the color of honey with streaks of pale yellow mingled
throughout. It was down now, falling in waves across her shoulders,
the ends swinging around her hips, and his fingers itched to touch
it. Her lips were perfect and plump, like sweet strawberries
waiting to be tasted. His groin tightened thinking of doing just
that. Too bad he didn’t have the time. Chances are, he’d never see
her again.
     
    The thought snapped him out of his musings
and he reached for the knife in his boot. Cutting the rope tying
her hands, she slumped and he barely caught her before she hit the
ground.
     
    Her waist was tiny and she was light in
weight. A mere slip of a girl. Her hand rose to his shoulder, those
large green eyes rising to look at him before she tried to jerk
away.
     
    “Easy now. I’m not going to hurt you.” He
helped her to a nearby rock, dismissing her claims she could walk.
When she was sitting he pulled the bandana from his neck and
blotted at her lip. “It’s not the cleanest but it’ll stop the
blood.”
     
    She flinched and reached for it, giving it a
dainty sniff before scowling. “Smells like outlaw to me.” She gave
him a sardonic look before glancing past him to where the other men
were. Colt followed her gaze, seeing everyone was on their horses
and waiting.
     
    Pulling one of the pistols from the gun
holster around his hips, he handed it to her, folding her skirt
around it. “Keep that. I’m sure someone will be along for you
soon.”
     
    Her eyes widened as she stare down at the
gun. “You’re brave handing me this.”
     
    “How so?”
     
    She narrowed her eyes and leveled him with a
look that promised violence. “I could shoot you the moment you turn
your back.”
     
    Colt grinned and leaned down, bracing his
hands on his knees, to be eye level with her. “You could. Of
course, the others will probably kill you once you do. Well, after
they’ve raped you repeatedly, that is.”
     
    Her color turned a funny shade of white
before he saw her shudder. “Fine. I won’t shoot you.” She looked
toward the others again before turning her attention back to him.
“Am I to assume you’re leaving me here, then?”
     
    “Have no choice, sweetheart. You don’t want
to be around that bunch, now do you?” He glanced at the others.
“Just sit tight and shoot anything that comes near you.” He grinned
and lifted one eyebrow. “Assuming you could actually hit it, of
course.”
     
    She scowled and wrapped her hand around the
gun. “I could have hit you if I’d really wanted to.”
     
    Colt wasn’t too sure about that. “If you say
so.” He stood to his full height and stared down at her. He was
loathed to leave her there but he didn’t have a choice. What he was
about to do was too dangerous to involve her. She’d be safer there
alone than she would be with him.
     
    Giving her one last look, he turned and
walked to his horse. The others were watching him but he ignored
their stares. When he was in the saddle, he gave the order to ride
out. He waited until the others were through the opening before
turning to look back at the girl. She was standing, his gun
clutched to her chest. She looked so tiny standing there, so young.
Leaving her to fend for herself tore at his conscience but he had
no choice. He couldn’t take her with him regardless of how much he
wanted to.
     
    Tipping his hat at her, he turned his horse
and rode out, leaving her alone to find her own way back home.
     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Sarah gaped at his back as he rode away. How
could he leave her in the middle of nowhere? Sure he was an outlaw
who robbed her father’s bank but he saved her from Virgil. That
proved he had to have a heart, right? “Apparently not.”
     
    She shook her head. “What do I do now?” She
glanced around the clearing, lost. She’d been