Page 31 of The Taming of a Wicked Rogue

“That gunshot? Someone is simply hunting, surely?”

He narrowed his gaze into the distance and pressed a finger to his lips to tell her to remain silent. Movement by the boulders that were clustered at the lake’s edge snared his attention, but he could not make out whether it was a person or just some wildlife.

“Leo, you are hurting me. This isn’t funny.”

He grabbed her drawn-back fist before she could connect it with his chest. “Don’t you dare.”

“Leo!” She squirmed, trying to twist her hand from his grip. “What are you doing?”

“Keep still,” he hissed. “Damn it, Rebecca.” He eased a little of his weight from her, putting more of it onto the arm used to prop him up, and focused his attention briefly on her. “Someone shot at us.” He jerked his head toward the tree where the bullet had lodged itself into the bark, splintering it around them. “Look.”

She twisted her head to eye the bullet and he saw her throat work. “Someone is a bad shot?” she asked hopefully.

He peered up again. “I do not think so.” Slowly, he eased off her, releasing her fist and keeping low.

She grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”

Another shot cracked through the air. Leo ducked swiftly, pressing himself back across Rebecca’s body. He could not see where it had hit this time, but it was too close. He swore he felt the ripple of the thing through the air. A rifle, he reckoned, and someone who was a good shot. An ex-soldier perhaps. It would be the only way the bullet could travel such distance without the shooter being seen.

Rebecca trembled beneath him. “Leo, what do we do?”

“You stay here,” he ordered firmly. “I’m going to find the bastard.”

She shook her head vigorously. “You cannot.”

“Well we cannot stay here forever. If the shooter has enough ammunition, he can shoot at us all day.”

“But you could get shot!”

He flashed a grin. “He’ll have to be quick.”

“That isnotreassuring.” She twisted her head, trying to see someone from her prone position upon the ground but gave up and looked at him. “You cannot,” she repeated.

A boom echoed across the lakes. Rebecca gave a squeak of terror. Leo’s mouth dried. Much longer and the shooter would come upon them and fire at them at close range.

“Stay here, stay on the ground,” he ordered. “Do not move or I shall come and shoot you myself.”

“Let me come with you.” She grabbed his cravat before he could slide from her. “I can help.”

“Rebecca, I know you have come to be quite the independent woman and, Lord knows, I rather appreciate it, but two of us prowling about will only draw attention and I can much better find this person alone, unhindered by damned skirts.” He plucked at the frothy gown spread about her.

“I knew I should have stayed disguised as a boy,” she muttered.

“You made a terrible boy.” He went to move off her again, however, she gripped his cravat tighter, fairly strangling him.

“Do not get hurt, Leo, or I shall hurt you myself.”

He chuckled. “I promise.” He dropped a quick, firm kiss on her lips. Whatever happened, he would not let her come to harm. He’d rather die first.

Once he had eased from her, he crawled almost on his belly until he found cover behind the sparse trees lining the lake’s edge. From there, he moved swiftly from tree to tree and made his way to the boulders. He eyed the open position where Rebecca remained, thankfully obeying his orders. He didn’t like it, though. The shooter could cross the distance quickly enough and Rebecca had nowhere to hide apart from behind that lone tree with no way to defend herself.

He had to move quicker.

Taking less caution, he ducked behind the next tree and the next, pausing to look for movement. As he moved out into the open, he spotted the rifle, propped up on one of the rocks. Jaw tight, fists clenched, Leo barreled toward the shooter.

The man spotted him, his eyes widening. He turned the rifle in Leo’s direction and shot as he neared. Leo threw himself to the ground long enough to avoid being hit, then scrabbled to standing while the man fought to reload his rifle. Leo had mere seconds. A practiced rifleman to be sure.

He flung himself forward, fist raised. Pain burst through his knuckles when it connected with the shooter’s jaw. The man toppled back, and Leo used the chance to get atop him.

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