"Get your hand off of me," I hissed. I could feel how taken aback he was by being spoken to like that, particularly by a woman, but the feeling didn't last very long.
"You'll watch your mouth when you speak to me if you know what's good for you," he rumbled, his voice menacing and full of rage.
My mind drifted back to watching Travis and Rebecca in the barn, watching him discipline her, watching her submit to his dominance. There was nothing of the Travis' tenderness or affection in Sam's voice. Just a furious anger waiting to be unleashed.
"I'll make sure to watch it once I'm six feet deep in the ground," I snarled, finally turning towards him so he could see my disgust.
"Grace!" Doc cried out, his tone betraying his hope of soothing the situation. I wouldn't let him finish.
"But for the time being, you should know that I meant what I said to the Doc about marrying you. The day I do will be the day my body is dead and cold. I hate you Sam Spencer and so did my daddy and you can go straight to hell!"
I barely even knew that I'd stood up, so furious was the anger that filled my body and clouded my vision, but I couldn't spend another minute with that evil man next to me. Without saying a word to the Doc, I stomped to the door, flung it open and burst out into the dusk of evening, made darker by the clouds overhead.
I unhitched the horse and practically threw myself up its side, scrambling to get on as he was already underway.
On the horizon, the clouds had begun to break and a brilliant crimson filled the evening sky. Wasn't there a saying about a red sky at night being good for sailors? I sure as hell hoped it was good for cowgirls too, because I was running out of options. I dug my heels into the horses flanks, almost causing the poor animal to rear and shouted a loud, "Ha!" The horse burst into a gallop back towards the foothills. I had no idea what the future held. All I knew was that Sam Spencer would have nothing to do with it.
Chapter 3: Strangers on a dusty road
"Whoa!" Cole called out, cupping a gloved hand over one side of his mouth in the hopes his friend would hear over the clatter of hooves. Austin didn't seem to mind any. "Whoa, I said!" Cole called out louder. So loud, he felt the horses body jolt beneath his loins as it spooked. He quickly laid a calming palm on its neck and gave the mare a few gentle strokes, which seemed to calm her down some. This time Austin heard. Pulling gently on their reins, the men guided the two animals to a halt and Austin spun around to face his friend.
"What exactly can I help you with?" Austin grinned sarcastically, silent h's whistling past his lips as if they were meant to sound. "Tired of ridin' already?"
Cole ignored the friendly jab and pointed at the river that wound it's way lazily a few hundred feet to their right.
"I can ride all night. Certainly out ride you some. I figured your pretty little ass needed a rest anyways. What about over there?" Cole asked, pointing towards a bend in the river where the brush was low. Austin surveyed what seemed to be a perfect spot to make camp, then looked a little further down the hill at the dim lights of the tiny town of Dalton.
"You don't think it's too close?" he asked, jerking his head towards the houses in the valley below. "I don't want to end up getting pissed on by some drunk stumbling home from the saloon."
"It's well enough out of the way. We shouldn't have any problems. We'll keep the fire low," Cole replied with his usual dry, clipped sentences. "Come on. Let's pitch a tent before it gets too dark." He pulled once again on the reins of his mare and gave her a gentle nudge with the heel of his boot. The horse began to walk slowly into the low brush off the road and down the gentle incline, towards the rivers edge.
"Well I do say, this is a pretty little view you have selected for us here Cole," Austin said jumping off his horse and stretching his arms towards the sky. Cole didn't reply, but simply dismounted and began to unfasten the saddle bags and blanket to relieve his horse of its load. Austin followed suit and soon the two horses were drinking quietly at the rivers edge as the two men went about the business of preparing a modest camp.
Once the fire was burning and a pot of water had been put on to boil, to be cooled overnight for the morning, the two sat down facing the river and took in the view. Austin, never one to have tolerated silence well, managed to make it a few minutes before trying to strike up a conversation.
"So how long you think? Before we find something?" he asked, glancing at Cole and pulling a small flask from his saddle bag. Cole shrugged, staring down the river towards what seemed like a sun that had exploded just beneath the horizon sending streaks of orange and red into the sky. "I guess what I mean is, how long before we give up on someone selling us anything and head back home?" Austin asked, revealing what he was worried about most.
"I ain't ever going back." Cole said simply. Austin took a swig from the flask then passed it to his friend. Cole glanced at it, then shook his head and went back to staring at the amber sky.
"What if we don't
