“No!” she whirls around and stops. “I don’t know why I’m here.”
Shep sits down and stretches his long legs out and grins, “That’s easy. It’s because I’m irresistible.”
Maggie pauses and her mouth falls open. When Shep wiggles his eyebrows, she can’t help but laugh.
“The lengths I’ve gone to just to have dinner with you, should show you that I’m worth spending time with.”
A knock at the door startles them. Shep jumps and draws her behind him. Maggie is startled by the switch. Gone is the jovial, teasing, sexy man. His hand is on the pistol hidden beneath his duster.
Shepherd stands to his fullest height and looks at her. The fear in her eyes surprises him. Guilt has him longing to reach out to her, but they knock again.
He rips open the door with a dangerous look on his face, causing the Porter and his companion to step back in alarm.
“What is it?” Shep demands.
“Sir, we are having to check everyone’s tickets. For security reasons,” he glances at Maggie who is busy looking out of the train window.
“I see,” Shep draws the punched tickets from his pocket and hands them over. “Do I need to worry?” he asks.
Clint stares at Maggie and frowns. The woman he’s looking for is much smaller than this busty curvaceous one. His eyes trail over her figure, until Shep steps in front to shield her from his view.
“See something you like?” he snaps.
“I’m not sure how to answer that,” Clint grins up at the large man.
“I’d suggest carefully,” Shep snarls.
“Yes, Sir. Mr. Rose,” Clint replies.
“For security reasons we are insisting on verifying that each person is traveling of their own free will,” the porter explains.
“Is there a problem, honey?” Maggie asks and slips her hand into his.
Shep turns sideways to give them a good look at her. Her ice blue eyes have both men doing a double take. “No Ma’am. We just need to make sure that you are the passenger on this ticket,” Clint says.
“I see,” Maggie frowns. “I’m Mrs. Rose.”
“Mr. Rose we’d like to ask you to step away from the lady,” Clint insists.
“You can ask, but I’m not leaving my wife,” he quips, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes.
Maggie presses a hand against his massive chest. “Forgive him, Gentlemen. He’s territorial. We’re newlyweds headed to our holiday. Now, as he explained, I am Mrs. Rose and I am traveling of my own free will. What’s this about?” she demands.
Clint takes one last look at them. “Nothing to concern yourself about. Enjoy your journ…”
“We will,” Shep slams the door in his face and hurries to the window to glance around the station. When the first whistle sounds signaling the train will depart, he sighs with relief.
“I hope we bought them enough time,” Shep grumbles.
“Who?” Maggie asks.
“Tucker and Abbie. It’s a long story,” he smiles at her.
“It looks like we have time,” she replies and sits down.
“That we do. I’ll explain everything to you over lunch.”
Tucker smiles as the train begins to move. Abbie is busy feeding Coralie. She looks up at him and asks. “Are we safe?”
“For now. We will have an hour or more train ride. No one will be looking for us in town. Though, I can’t say the same for the train.”
Abbie glances down at Coralie. “I hope we are doing the right thing.”
“Just think, soon you will meet Mason and we will head home to begin your new life.”
Abbie smiles at him and nods, not trusting herself to speak yet.
“Let me hold her for a bit so you can rest.” Tucker offers.
“I think you’re her favorite,” Abbie teases as Coralie squeals in delight when he reaches for her.
“Maybe she takes after her Mama,” Tucker hints and Abbie laughs.
“Tucker Manning, don’t be so arrogant!”
“No, Abbs, just hopeful,” he grins at her blush and sits back to play with the baby.
Chapter 34
Clint glares around the train station as the sun starts to set and hisses in frustration. This can’t happen again! His father was clear. No more mistakes or it’s his neck.
“They were here!” he grumbles and stares from the shadows.
“What should we do?”
“Go. I’m going to wait. I have a feeling that we are close. I’ll meet you back at the hotel.”
The final train of the night pulls in and passengers begin to depart. Clint watches closely, looking for anyone that looks like the couple he met on the train.
He stiffens in surprise when he sees the giant cowboy from the train and his blue-eyed wife. They are laughing and walking back, Clint’s eyes narrow.
They don’t stop for bags, but instead, head outside. “What happened to your holiday?” Clint murmurs following them from the shadows, and watches as they wait for a carriage.
Instinct has him running for his horse. When he exits the livery, he finds them waiting for a carriage.
Something tells him these two will lead him to his prey. Following from a distance, he grins and guides his horse through the street.
His eye brows raise when they stop in front of a boarding house. Quickly, Clint slows his horse across the street and waits with a frown.
“Thank you, I think, for an interesting day off,” Maggie smiles at Shep and turns to open the carriage door.
“When is your next day off?” Shep asks.
Maggie stares at him and frowns. “I’m busy,”
Shep leans close, “I don’t like to play games, Miss Rose. I want to court you. When can I call on you?”
Her breath catches in her throat and her heart starts to pound. “Wednesday,” she murmurs.
Shep kisses her softly, desperate to show her that she can trust him. “Dream of me
