Page 68 of Falling for the Cowgirl
Jericho climbed down behind her. When he hopped onto the rock beside her, she could feel the power of his presenceand wanted to sink against him and into his arms. As much as she longed to revel in his nearness, she clasped her hands together to keep from reaching for him. She’d already made up her mind that if he wanted to have a relationship with her, he’d do it of his own free will or not at all. That was her resolve, and she had to stick to it.
“Once we find them, I’m gonna feel bad not telling them about the treasure.” She pulled the gold from her pocket and admired it again. Even with the haze obscuring the sky, the rock sparkled in the daylight. It was stunning, and she couldn’t keep it in her pocket despite Jericho’s warning that he’d take it from her if she didn’t leave it tucked out of sight.
“Put it away.”
“Make me.”
He reached for it with a growl, but she leapt to the boulder beneath them and smirked over her shoulder, hoping he’d read her challenge to come and get her ... if he could.
His eyes took on a glint, one that made her blood race with delight, anticipation, and desire all mingled together. When he began to chase her, she was half tempted to cheat and go slow, just so he could catch her. But she was too competitive to allow him to win that easily. If he wanted her, he was gonna have to capture her fair and square.
She descended several more paces before glancing at him over her shoulder. He was still in pursuit. She released a breathless laugh and started forward only to smack into someone. The hard jolt threw her off-balance.
Fingers bit through her sleeve, pinching her arm hard, but the grip steadied her and kept her from toppling.
As she tilted up her hat, she took in Hance’s long, lean form. Relief washed through her like a flooded creek in anarrow gully. “Oh, Hance. Thank the Lord Almighty you’re alright. We’ve been searching for you. Where’s Otis?”
She glanced beyond him to find Otis standing with two other fellas a dozen paces away. In their stained trousers and scraggly shirts, the newcomers looked familiar. Had she competed against them in a cowhand contest? Or were they miners who’d come to town from time to time?
“See we’ve got some company.” She attempted to twist away from Hance, but in the next instant a cold, hard barrel pressed against her temple.
“Stop where you’re at, Bliss, or I’ll shoot her.” Although Hance was as even and calm as always, his demeanor contained a deadliness that sent a shiver up her spine.
Before she knew what was happening, he maneuvered her in front of his body so that she was acting like a shield. He dragged her backward toward Otis and the two other men. The revolver barrel against her temple didn’t budge.
She was facing Jericho now, and he had a gun in each hand, both aimed at Hance. Jericho had always carried one in a holster at his hip. Where had the other come from?
“Let her go.” Jericho’s voice was harsh and demanding.
“What’s going on, Hance?” she asked, more confused than a tenderfoot on his first day on the range.
“You’ve got my gold.” His response was low, almost pleasant, but as he spoke the last word, he jabbed the barrel harder, this time against her neck.
She couldn’t keep from crying out at the bruising pain, losing her grasp on the piece of gold as Hance wrenched it from her.
Jericho took a step down, but a bullet pinged the rock in front of him. One of the other fellas was shooting, butJericho didn’t take his aim off Hance and advanced another step. “If you release her, I’ll take you to the gold.”
Hance tugged her harder against him. “She’s staying with me. And if you don’t want me to hurt her, then you’ll do whatever I tell you to.”
“C’mon, Hance.” She wiggled to free herself. “You don’t need to be so angry about things. We’ll show you where the gold is without any threats. Alright?”
A sting against her neck stilled her. It was followed by the warm trickle of blood down her neck. Did Hance have a knife pressed against her?
“Put down your guns, Bliss,” Hance’s command rang out. “Or I’ll start carving her up.”
Start carving her up?Who was this madman? He sure as the sun rises wasn’t the doting suitor who’d danced with her only days ago.
Jericho set one gun down on the rock in front of him and then placed the other next to it. “There. Now take me instead of her.”
Hance gave a curt nod at the other fellas. They skirted close to Jericho, picked up his revolvers, and then circled him warily, their guns trained on him.
Jericho didn’t move. “Let Ivy go.”
Hance still didn’t remove the blade from where it scraped against her neck. “I’m not a fool. I know exactly how much you care about Miss McQuaid. You made that quite clear since your return. And I know you’ll do anything to keep her safe.”
Jericho’s fingers itched to snatch up his guns and put bullets into the heads of both men drawing near. But withHance’s knife already cutting into Ivy’s flesh, he couldn’t risk it. He’d have to go along with the fellow for the time being until he could find a way to free Ivy.
As one of the men grabbed his arm, Jericho tensed but forced himself not to strike. The second one latched on to Jericho’s other arm, and within an instant, the two had his wrists tied together in front of him.
