Gunslinger’s Lullaby Read online

  “Young ain’t the only problem. I mean…you’re a girl.”

  Girl. The word—or maybe it was his prejudiced implication—grated on her until she finally threw the rag down splashing the water. She jumped up, put her hands on her hips, and with a gaze as sharp as any knife, she glared at him. “All right, so I’m a girl. What the hell has that got to do with the price of eggs? In case you think I can’t pull my weight, look again, cowboy. I can ride a bucking bronco from sunup to sunset and then cook the best damned meal you ever tasted. I’ve sat up all night with sick animals, and then did my chores the next day without complaint. What man can do that?”

  “Hey, what did I say to ruffle your feathers?”

  Her green-eyed gaze narrowed on him. “The next time you call me a girl, don’t make it sound like a dirty word.” She saw Reno’s eyes rake over her body as she stood there. “What the hell do you think you’re lookin’ at?”

  “Them pants ain’t that tight because you don’t want me to look.”

  “For your information, I hate baggy pants and I also hate men who think gals were created for nothing but their pleasure.”

  “You’re sure some little spitfire, ain’t you?”

  “I’m spitfire enough to keep this ranch runnin.’ Now, are you gonna take that shirt off, or do I do it for you?”

  He looked at her with a challenge in his eyes. “Just tear it off me…uh, Easy. Think you can handle that?”

  Anger sprouted in her like spikes on a cactus. Without wasting a second, she quickly reached down, yanked it open, and then tore it off his back. “How’s that, you black-hearted bastard?”

  “First time I ever had my clothes taken off by someone named Easy,” he said as he reached for her and pulled her down on the bed.

  Before she knew what was happening, she found herself staring into his eyes with his hot breath singeing her skin. She immediately began to struggle to get away, but even wounded, he was stronger than her, so she reached for something lightning quick, gave a sudden turn, and shoved a gun in his face. “Let me go or get a bullet between your eyes.”

  “Whoa, now,” he said as he stared down the barrel of his own six gun. Without another word he quickly released her and lifted his hands up so she could see them.

  “Don’t ever do that again,” she said as she carefully moved away with the gun still aiming at his chest.

  He pointed toward the gun. “I’d advise you to put that right back where you found it, little lady.”

  “I’ll put it back when you remember a few facts. First of all, I might have a name that makes you sweat, but don’t let it give you any ideas. I’m the kind of girl that refuses to be pushed around by some foul-talkin’ gunslinger who thinks he can come into my house and put his hands on me any time he pleases.”

  Reno smiled. “You have to admit, a name like Easy—”

  With the gun still pointed at him, she said, “Not another word,” and then looked at him with disappointment. “You’re just like all the rest, ain’t you?

  “All the rest? What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean men. They seem to think just because of my name they can have their way with me. Well, it ain’t true, see. Because of my name I’ve learned how to take care of myself, and I’d advise you to believe it.”

  “My, my, saddled with a name like Easy. Yes, I can see where that might be a problem.”

  She stared closely at him. “You makin’ fun of me?”

  “No, no. I’m agreeing with you.”

  She gave a slight shrug. “Just because I enjoy a man’s attentions now and again don’t make me cheap. Of course, a lot depends on the man.”

  “I see. A fat-bellied farmer wouldn’t have a chance with you, but a black-clad gunslinger with a wound in his shoulder…?”

  “I ain’t made up my mind about you,” she said as she reached over, unbuckled his gun belt, and yanked it off. “The first thing you need to learn is that a bed is no place for guns, and if you want to stay in my bed, they have to go.”

  He smiled at the implication, and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

  * * * *

  While she continued to tend his wound, he lay back watching her. He looked at her red hair and green eyes, and lips that he’d swear was red enough to have had berry juice smoothed over them. If he kissed her, what would he taste? He had to admire her. In less than half an hour she’d managed to remove his shirt, his gun belt, and his boots while giving him a lecture on the word ‘cheap.’ He’d never met a woman that wasn’t scared spitless around him until he met a little gal named Easy. Her red hair and green eyes were bright enough to put a man’s eyes out, and her body was lush from head to toe, and felt damn good wiggling against him.

  “Be still,” she ordered as she pressed the rag against his shoulder.

  “It hurts, dammit! You hidin’ cockleburs in that rag?”

  “No,” she said, looking him straight in his eyes, “but it’s an idea. It might be a good way to keep dangerous gunslingers in their place.”

  He smiled at her bold nature. He figured you’d have to be a real special kind of man to get in this woman’s bed. It would be interesting to know just how tough the little lady was, and just how special the man had to be. It might be just the incentive he needed to get better so he could find out.

  Chapter 2

  Her soft, full breasts rested on his chest.

  As she moved around, he could feel her welcome heaviness, a sweet smelling heaviness, a soft heaviness that caused a dribble of semen to fall from his cock.

  Oh, God, I can’t have an orgasm now when she has a razor floating in front of my face.

  He felt the pull of the sharp-edged instrument along his jaw while he lay looking into her soft green-eyed gaze and smelling lilacs. “You got lilacs growin’ in one of them window boxes?”

  “Nope.”

  “You must be wearin’ lilac water, then.”

  “Nope. Don’t have time for it.”

  “Well, it sure as hell ain’t me.”

  “It’s the soap my pa gave me. Early this morning I bathed and washed my hair in the lake.”

  “You bathed just for me?”

  “Don’t flatter yourself. I bathed because I needed bathing. It wouldn’t hurt to douse yourself with a little water either.”

  Suddenly his face grimaced, and he yelped, “Ouch! Hey, watch it, will you?”

  She looked down at him and shook her head. “I ain’t never seen such a baby.”

  “That’s enough for now, okay? I got something I need to tell you.”

  “Be still, and quit talkin,’ or I might just cut your throat.”

  He reached up and grabbed her hand. “You can finish cuttin’ me up after you hear what I have to say.”

  She leaned back with a sigh. “All right, what is it?”

  “You might be havin’ some visitors about noon today. They’ll be hungry, tired, and you with your lilac soap are gonna look mighty good to them, so don’t swish that pretty little ass of yours around too much. These men ain’t seen a female in months, and the next time you take a bath I’d advise using lye soap.”

  “Here? They’re coming here?” she asked, looking at him as if she wanted to cut out his heart with a meat cleaver. “How do they know where you are?”

  “We were in the area yesterday when I got shot. Since yours is the only ranch in these parts, I came here for help. The gang went on to Colter’s Cave in the hills.”

  “Not that I want them here, but why didn’t they come with you?”

  “A posse was hot on our heels, so we had to separate. If we hadn’t, the tracks would’ve led right up to your front door. They been hidin’ out, but as soon as the heat’s off they’ll be payin’ you a visit. I figure it’ll be about noon today.”

  “But…how many is there?”

  “Three after Honcho got killed last week.” He looked up and saw her glance across the room and followed her eyes to a shotgun leaning against the wall.

  “Hey, cut
ie, don’t get any ideas. Them boys is dangerous, and they’ll eat a little hellcat like you for breakfast, gun and all.”

  “They can try,” she retorted.

  When she moved to get up, he reached out to grab her, but his face grimaced with pain causing him to moan and fall back on the bed.

  “Look at you,” she said. “You’re as weak as a kitten.” She frowned when she saw fresh blood staining the bandage. “That shoulder is gettin’ worse. If you don’t let me go get a doctor, then I’m gonna have to get that bullet out of you myself. All I got is a little bit of laudanum for the pain, some quinine, alcohol, and a kitchen knife that ain’t been sharpened in six months. Since I don’t have anyone to hold you down, I may have to use handcuffs.”

  “I ain’t havin’ no green-eyed hell cat cuttin’ into me.”

  Irritated, she angrily threw the razor blade in the bowl of water, and said, “Die, then!”

  When she glared at him, he said, “It might help to give me something to eat. I ain’t had nothin’ since yesterday noon. What do you have in that room you call a kitchen?”

  “Ham steak, red-eye gravy, scrambled eggs, and biscuits. Take it or leave it.”

  “Got any coffee?”

  “I might be able to scrounge you up some.”

  “How about some whiskey to give it a little kick?”

  “Can’t do it. It’ll thin your blood and you’ll bleed all over the bed. Besides, I never touch the stuff.”

  “You oughta try it. Might make you a little friendlier.”

  She cut her hard gaze toward him. “You lookin’ to turn me into a friend or a slut?”

  “Why don’t you take a guess?”

  “Well, I ain’t neither,” she said, and then jumped up and went to the kitchen.

  Reno lay quietly, trying not to jar his shoulder while she banged around in the kitchen. His patience was finally rewarded when she came back and set a tray down in front of him. “Hey, that looks mighty good. Smells good too.”

  “It’s the blue plate special,” she said sarcastically while watching him struggle to eat. “Here, why don’t you let me feed—”

  “Don’t even think about it,” he said, gingerly picking at his food.

  “Is your shoulder painin’ you any at all?”

  “What the hell do you think?”

  “You don’t have to bite my head off,” she said with a huff, and rose to leave. “If you need me I’ll be in the kitchen.”

  She’d been puttering around about an hour when she heard something outside. She rushed to the window and looked toward the bunkhouse thinking it might be one of her ranch hands. When she didn’t see anyone, her gaze shifted to three black-clad cowboys riding up. She knew they must be Reno’s gang and looked at the clock. She turned and ran into the bedroom. “They’re here,” she said, a frightened sound to her voice. “And it ain’t near noon yet.”

  “Who’s here?”

  “Who do you think? Your gang. I just saw ‘em ridin’ up.”

  He struggled to get up. “Something must’ve went wrong. Were there three of ‘em?”

  “What the hell do you think you’re doin’? You can’t get up with that shoulder bleedin’ all over everything.” Just then a loud knock sounded, and her blood turned to ice.

  “That must be them,” Reno said softly. “You’ll be okay as long as you keep that mouth of yours shut.”

  With halting movements, she went to the door and cracked it open. An immediate chill ran down her back when she saw the dustiest, dirtiest—and sexiest cowboys she’d ever seen gathered at her front door. The one in front was blond with a devil-may-care way about him. The two in back were darker. One had dimples and a real pretty boy smile, but the last was dark-skinned and dangerous looking. His eyes cut clear through her. He didn’t smile—didn’t have to. His movements made it clear that he owned the space he was in, and you didn’t intrude unless you wanted a bloody ride to hell. He frightened Easy. They all did. They were tough looking hombres that dressed in black—the color of danger that lurked all around them.

  “Hi, darlin,” the one in front said while leanin’ on the doorframe. “My name’s Flash. We’re here to see—”

  “Come on in, Flash,” Reno said from the doorway of the bedroom.

  Flash pushed his way in. “Hey, Reno, how you doin’?” He indicated toward Easy. “Not bad from where I stand.”

  “Never mind that, why are you here so early?”

  “Wasn’t no use to wait. The posse quit about nightfall yesterday. I mean, if them blind bastards couldn’t see our tracks in daylight, they sure as hell ain’t gonna see ‘em at night.”

  “Who was on watch?”

  “Cheyenne, and you know how Indians are. They can spot a fly on a dead dog a mile away. Naw, I think they done give up on us.”

  “That’s something, anyway.”

  Flash looked toward the stove. “That food smells mighty good. Any reason why we can’t chow down?”

  “Easy,” Reno said, “get the boys something to eat.”

  Easy looked over at him as if he’d just declared war with Russia. “Hey! I ain’t waitin’ on these gorillas. If they want food, they can get it themselves!”

  “Easy,” Reno said softly, “believe me. You don’t want these boys bangin’ around in your kitchen. By the time they got their food you wouldn’t have a blessed thing left in one piece.”

  “Well…I guess you’re right,” she said while her gaze darted to one and then the other. When she finally turned and walked over to the stove the boys followed her with their hungry gazes.

  * * * *

  Reno didn’t miss their admiring glances and turned his attention to Easy. It didn’t help any that her jeans were too tight, and her hair too red, and her lips too full, so he muttered under his breath, but loud enough for his boys to hear him. “Hands off, guys.”

  Easy turned around and said, “What?”

  “I was just telling the guys who you were. By the way, Easy, this is Flash, Cheyenne, and Midnight. Flash there has a fast draw, like lightnin’ they say, and Cheyenne is a half-breed. Midnight there saved my life one night in a barroom brawl, so we just kind of took him in.”

  As she looked at each one, she felt overwhelmed. They were easily the handsomest men—no, not men—outlaws—she’d ever seen. The dangerous, unapologetic outlaws she read about every day in her Ten Penny Novels. She wanted to run to the nearest neighbor for help, but instead she plopped their full plates on the table. “Sit down and eat, or you’ll be sharin’ your breakfast with Rosie, my pig.”

  “What’s that I smell?” Flash said as she passed by him with the coffee.

  “Lye soap,” she answered sarcastically as her knowing gaze met Reno’s.

  “I think Easy’s got some lilacs in the window boxes.”

  Cheyenne turned and looked at her. “Say, what’s this about your name?”

  “My pa had a sense of humor.”

  Cheyenne snickered. “How’s your sense of humor…Easy?”

  She stopped what she was doing and looked at him, her gaze cutting right though him. “I ain’t laughin’ about it.”

  Cheyenne’s lustful gaze met hers and tangled. “I didn’t mean no disrespect.”

  Suddenly it seemed as if no one else was in the room. His smile was gone from his face, but the lust in his eyes pulled her to him with an intimate power. She finally pulled her gaze away at the sound of Reno’s voice.

  “Cheyenne, that’s enough. You boys hurry up and eat. We gotta figure out what we’re gonna do.”

  Easy was busy ladling food and pouring coffee when Flash said, “I think that lilac smell is comin’ from you, sweetheart.” With a sexy wink, he said, “Always did like lilacs.”

  Just then she felt him squeeze her upper thigh, and with a sweet smile, and graceful turn of her head, she turned the coffee pot over and spilled the steaming hot liquid in his lap.

  He jumped up and yelled. “Hell fire, witch, watch what you’re doin’!”


  “Sorry,” she mumbled, but met his gaze with a defiant look, and a half smile.

  As she walked away he grabbed the arm that held the coffee pot. “That half-baked apology sounded about as sincere as a grievin’ undertaker at a five dollar funeral!”

  “Careful,” she said threateningly, “or I’ll give you the rest of what I’ve got in the pot here.” Stabbing him with a piercing look, she said, “Did that sound sincere enough for you?”

  He quickly let go and turned to Reno. “She’s a little spitfire, that’s what she is. She could’ve scalded me to death. Ain’t you gonna do something?”

  “Flash, it wouldn’t have happened if you’d kept your fuckin’ hands to yourself. We don’t have time for horseplay. We got business to take care of, so sit down and be quiet.”

  Flash cut an angry look toward Easy and sat down.

  Reno leaned forward. “Here’s the picture. There’s about four cowhands that work the ranch. Right now they’re ridin’ fence, but they’ll be back in a couple of days. We gotta be gone by then.”

  “Hell, Reno,” Flash said, still mad. “I’m dead tired. If we can’t stay here, I think we oughta get a room in town. We need rest before we head out again. That trail’s gettin’ rougher by the mile.”

  “Town is the last place we need to be, Flash. You know as well as I do that as soon as I’m able to ride we gotta head out. That fuckin’ posse ain’t givin’ up that easy.”

  * * * *

  As much as Easy wanted them out of her house, the idea of Reno killing himself on horseback filled her with vinegar. “You ain’t ridin’ nowhere with that bullet inside you, for God’s sake! What the hell are you tryin’ to do, make a pet out of it? If you ain’t gonna see a doctor you’ll have to let me, or one of your men here dig it out of you.”

  “You gotta mouth on you, woman, and I’d advise you not to speak until you’re told to.”

  “This is my fuckin’ ranch you miserable, lice-infested excuse for a human being, and I can speak any damned time I want to!”

  “Whoa!” came a cry of astonishment from the guys sitting around the table. “The little filly has fire!”