Where would he go then? He was tired of looking for a place to light. Longings for permanence rumbled in his chest-a home all his own where he could live out his days in peace.
Old memories of what had been ripped from him nagged.
He’d stop by the horse trough and dip himself to get off some of the stink before he bedded down in the bunkhouse. That’d keep a lid on his secret until he could figure how to sweet talk Amanda.
Chapter 12
Payton struggled to keep his thoughts on his job the next day. He saw Amanda’s face in the short prairie grass, in the lazy clouds that drifted overhead, and strangely in the patterns ingrained in the longhorns’ hides.
She totally absorbed him. He couldn’t remember what his life was like before she entered it.
No one had said a word about where he’d been yesterday, although the boys did give him some curious stares. They might suspect, but if so they put a lid on any speculating. That they were capable of keeping their mouths shut surprised Payton.
“Will you be back tomorrow?” Amanda had asked.
“Can’t promise when, but I’ll be here,” he’d replied. “Might be late afternoon. Can’t say.”
Rounding up strays with some of the other range riders far out toward the property line, Payton straightened in the saddle and cast a casual glance toward Amanda’s property as he’d done a million times since breakfast.
An uncomfortable jolt traveled the length of him.
A wisp of smoke rose from where her house stood. A brief play of light on some object? Had to be either that or some dirt had blown in his eyes. He blinked but it didn’t go away. In fact, the smoke grew thicker.
Maybe she decided to burn some brush. But with the wind gusting this way? Even standing directly over the flame, deliberately lighting dry tinder would be foolhardy.
On her worst day no one would call Amanda anything but careful and smart. Alarm skittered up his spine. Trouble brewed in the air. Thick, black trouble.
Payton spurred Domino and raced toward it, vaguely aware of the shouts behind him. He didn’t waste precious seconds to explain. The valiant, sensitive, captivating woman who clung to the small section of land by her fingernails stood to lose everything. Just like him.
The closer he got the angrier and grayer the sky became. He didn’t dare think of her lying still and lifeless.
Lord, give Domino more strength to run.
He rode from the ravine near the adobe structure and saw flames leaping from the bales of hay in the corral. A quick glance located Amanda in front of her home with legs firmly planted. Fraser poised beside her, prepared to battle to the last drop of blood for his mistress. Amanda pointed the rifle in her hands at a group of undesirables- Payton counted four. He slowed up and slid to the ground, yanking his Winchester from the scabbard.
They hadn’t seen him yet, which fit into his plan.
No one had better hurt his beautiful lady. Payton guaranteed that. He gritted his teeth and sneaked forward.
“You can’t shoot us all, Miss Lemmons. Besides, there’s more left to take up the fight than you can get rid of,” one man shouted. “And we have the Association to back us up. What do you have but a bunch of scraggly mutton, a worthless hound, and a shack? We oughta put you out of your misery. It’d be the humane thing to do.”
If they did it’d be the last thing they’d remember before he blew them off the face of the earth.
Answering the threat, Fraser lunged, aiming to take a chunk out of the attacker’s leg. The man kicked at the dog, missing.
Amanda squeezed off a shot, barely missing the assailant’s toes. “You hurt my dog and I’ll send you back to town dragging a bloody stump.”
They might not believe her capable, but Payton knew she delivered no idle threat. The scrappy woman was tough as rawhide.
“Your mangy sheep are ruining land meant for cattle,” yelled another varmint. “We aim to take it back.”
“You won’t take back a God-blessed thing,” Amanda answered with steel in her voice. “This rifle will make sure of that. Who gives you the right to trespass onto the property of a law-abiding citizen and give me orders? I want a name.”
Payton crept behind the foursome. If one sneezed it’d be too bad. He’d gladly bury them at Boot Hill.
“We have a long list of people who want you gone by whatever means. Maybe we’ll just hafta kill you,” the ringleader sneered.
“Kill her and get ready to kill me, too.” Payton pumped a cartridge into the rifle with an abrupt up and down motion. The men whirled and Payton recognized them as skunk bait from the Amarillo Belle saloon. “You’ll discover you have a big job in doing either.”
“McCord, you cross to her side now? Thought you stood with the cattlemen.” The man Payton knew as George Anders glared.
“The only sides here are right and wrong. I’m proud to say I’m on the right one at last.” He met Amanda’s brown, liquid gaze and winked. Relief and happiness shone back, though she had the situation under control. Except for the bales of hay that were too far gone to save. They didn’t pose a risk to the house, thank goodness.
The mob exchanged shiftless glances, revealing their change of heart before George started sniveling. “We was only having some fun. Didn’t mean to cause no harm.”
Amanda’s features remained stone cold. “Pitch your weapons to the ground. Now!”
“What’re you gonna do?” George whined, obeying.
She stalked to a satchel leaning against the stone corral and pulled out the leg irons, manacles, and handcuffs. Payton grinned at the fear on the trespassers’ faces. She’d finally found a use for the devices after all-and they weren’t going to keep the men bound to her, but to tote them to jail.
He helped shackle the scoundrels to the fence and left Fraser to stand guard. “Can I have a word with you, darlin’?”
Amanda wore a questioning scowl, but followed him into the small shed that housed the wagon. Once inside, he turned on his heels and captured her face between his palms. With tender passion, he drank his fill of the wild determination that was his to claim.
The arms that stole around his neck bore no hint of a woman who’d almost given up on life on one moonlit night. His lady had strength to fight for what she wanted. He only prayed she wanted an old, broken-down cowhand with two cents to his name.
They were meant for each other, her with a past riddled with disappointment and misery and him…Well, he figured she might just need someone around to remind her occasionally that life goes on no matter if a person gets busted and bruised all to hell. He was an authority on that subject.
“Marry me,” he whispered against her mouth when he caught his breath. “I want to spend my days and nights loving everything about you.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I absolutely do. There are givers and takers, lovers and leavers.” Payton leaned back so he see clearly eyes the color of rich cocoa. Questions in her stare made it hard to form the words. “I have a heart bursting with love for you. I’m a giver and a lover. I want to give you so much love I don’t know where to start. And I damn sure will never leave. When I pledge something, it’s for good.”
“I’ve trusted before and lived to regret it.”
His thumb caressed the hollow in her cheek. “Darlin’, I wish I could take away every bit of hurt people have dealt you. I’d be lying if I said I could. I reckon we just have to live by faith, one day at a time, until each festering sore heals.”
“You have any other reasons to give up your freedom? Seems you’re pretty set in your ways to think of change.”
If he mentioned getting naked and exploring every curve, hill, and valley, would she cart him to jail along with the trespassers? Bold excitement filled him. He’d better save that for later.
“The next time someone comes gunning for you I want to be here. It’s the only way I can keep you safe-the
