Read Jodi Thomas - WM 1 Online
Authors: Texas Rain
Jodi Thomas - WM 1 (24 page)
So he waited at the end of the street, where he had a clear view from two directions. His plan was that if he saw her coming, he’d fall into step with her. Maybe, if she grew frightened, he’d hold her arm until he had time to calm her. For if she ran he’d have no hope of catching her.
Like she’d told him, what she did best was run.
Travis moved to the corner where he could lean against the building and take some of the weight off his leg. He watched the sun set below a half-finished building that he’d been told would be a church. It was getting late and he guessed his fairy had missed her supper. Maybe he’d offer to take her to one of the cafés to eat. He’d like having time to look at her, talk to her. Then he’d walk her home and explain to Mrs. Vivian why she was out late. Surely Rainey would be in no trouble if she were with him.
Once they became friends, Travis decided it would be fun to continue to write her. He came to Austin enough so that they could see each other from time to time. He’d keep up with what she was doing and make sure she was staying out of trouble. She might not be the kind of woman who would ever invite him to her room, but he planned to make her heart race a few times as they strolled in the shadows.
Travis grinned. It wasn’t as if he’d have to steal a kiss; she’d already given him a few without him even asking. He’d never taken much time to notice how it worked between men and women other than barmaids, but there must be something between buying a woman by the hour and marriage. Whatever it was, he planned to discover it with Rainey.
The evening turned dark with streetlights not close enough together to offer good light. Travis’s eyes adjusted to the night. He missed little as he watched from the corner of the alley.
People moved faster now. There was no need to stroll. He noticed mostly men walking, a few delivery men running the last of their rounds, a few women of the evening talking loudly as they crossed from one end of town to the other.
If his sight hadn’t been perfected by years of scouting, he might have missed the little woman in navy blue moving in the shadows. The hood of her cape was up, but a curl at her forehead caught the glint of the streetlight for a moment before she hurried farther into the shadows.
Travis didn’t move. She was headed right toward him. For her to remain unseen, she’d have to pass within a few feet of him. He sensed she was frightened, for she was almost running.
Once he introduced himself, he’d scold her for being out so late. Didn’t she know how dangerous the streets could be? This one looked calm enough with mostly shops and offices, but one street over the town turned ugly.
She moved closer, keeping out of the light. Her cape appeared old and not heavy enough for the evening air. She had her arms crossed over her with her hands tucked away. He knew without seeing that she wasn’t wearing gloves.
There was no time to address her. She’d jump and scatter like a rabbit the moment she knew a man was near.
Without thought, Travis waited a heartbeat longer, then as she passed, swung out one powerful arm. He swept her off her feet and into the blackness of the alley before she had time to scream.
CHAPTER 19
RAINEY RAN AS FAST AS HER SKIRTS AND LONG CAPE would allow. She crossed to the last block before the Askew House. Thirty more feet and she’d be safe. She’d stayed too late again at Pearl and Owen’s place, but the orders for pies were increasing every day. She’d burned her fingers several times trying to hurry, and now the cold made them ache.
She focused on the dim lantern that marked the boardinghouse’s front porch. With luck, she’d make it in before Mrs. Vivian locked the door; if not, she’d have to use the laundry window. The landlord truly didn’t care if everyone was safely inside. She never bothered to check on anyone, either. Rainey could climb in the window, sneak up the back stairs, and claim she retired early. Mrs. Vivian would never know the difference.
But if she had to use the laundry room window, she’d have to walk alone down the alley after dark. It had been frightening enough when Dottie was with her. Rainey didn’t know if her heart could take it if she had to walk into the alley alone.
“I’ll make it before she locks the door. I have to,” she almost said aloud as she forced herself to move faster.
Suddenly, from nowhere, something slammed into her just below the chest and swung her off her feet. For a moment she thought it was a tree branch, then she felt it curl around her, holding her in a solid vise.
She opened her mouth to scream. A gloved hand slapped across her face with efficient force to halt any sound. A second later her back hit the wall of a building so hard she thought she heard her teeth rattle.
Panicked, Rainey flew into action, fighting and kicking for her life. A man’s body leaned into her, smothering her completely and making her efforts wasted. He was much taller than she, and solid. The smell of him seemed oddly familiar . . . a memory she couldn’t get thought around as she fought for freedom. The only thing she owned worth stealing was in the tiny pouch around her neck, and she’d die before she gave her grandmother’s ring up to a thief.
He leaned closer, pressing her against the building.
She froze, waiting for her chance to run or scream. One chance was all she needed, and she’d make him pay for the attack.
“Rainey,” the man said, out of breath. “Rainey. It’s me.”
She knew no one in Austin who knew her name . . . no man called her Rainey except Owen, and he’d make little more than half the giant trapping her.
She clawed into her pocket looking for the knife Owen had insisted she carry when she walked alone. He’d told her twice to keep it in hand while she hurried home. “It will do you no good,” he’d said, “if you can’t get to it when needed. A murderer isn’t going to stand around while you look for it.”
The body eased off her just enough to let her breathe. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, but you were moving so fast.”
Her hand closed around the knife.
He freed her and stepped back.
Rainey saw her chance. She pulled the knife and raised it to his chest. If she were to die in this alley, it would not be without a fight. She thrust the blade forward with all her strength aiming for her attacker’s heart.
He moved with an easy swiftness of one never off guard.
He grabbed her wrist an inch before the knife would have cut him. “Rainey . . .” He sounded less sure. “Is it you?” He released her hand. “Don’t tell me I caught the wrong woman. There couldn’t be two fairies your size roaming this part of Texas.”
She looked up at the shadow before her. Big, frightening. Tall and strong as an oak. “Travis?” she whispered.
The shadow’s head jerked up. “Thank God. I thought I’d just attacked the wrong woman.”
Rainey moved toward the light. “You meant to attack me?”
He followed. “No. I only meant to stop you. The attack part sort of happened. Thank goodness it was you or I’d be explaining myself to the sheriff.”
She heard his cane tap against the walk as they moved into the light of the street. There was no doubt Travis McMurray stood before her, all six feet four, two hundred pounds of him. He might be a little thinner than she remembered him, but no less powerful.
“You frightened a year off my life,” she scolded. “I should turn you in myself. I don’t believe I know you well enough, Mr. McMurray, to be attacked without complaint. My heart stopped in fear.”
“Well, you almost stopped mine as well with that blade.” He didn’t sound like he believed his own defense.
As panic melted into anger, Rainey walked toward home. “What are you here for? To arrest me? Or did you plan to just scare me to death to save the cost of a noose?”
He tried to keep up with her. “No. I came to help you.”
She stopped so suddenly, he almost tumbled over her. “I don’t need your help. I don’t need anyone’s help. No matter what you or my father thinks I can make it on my own.” Waving her hands as she left him, she added, “Why is it men think a woman can’t make it alone?”
He couldn’t hide his smile. She looked like a toy someone had wound up too tightly.
Grabbing her hand, he whirled her around and placed her fingers on his arm. “Slow down, Rainey. Walk with me.”
She tried to pull away, but he locked her hand between his arm and his chest.
“Walk with me,” he insisted.
She had no choice unless she planned to be arrested for brawling with a Texas Ranger on the streets of Austin. “It’s not safe out after dark,” she said as her steps matched his. “No one should be alone, so I’ll keep you company if you are walking my way.”
“I’m not worried,” Travis answered. “After all, I’m traveling with someone who’s armed with a butter knife.”
“Paring knife,” she corrected. “The blade is plenty long enough to reach your heart if you ever try attacking me again.”
“I promise I’ll do my best to remember that.”
“You do that, Mr. McMurray.”
“Have you had supper?” He asked in a voice that sounded more like he was interrogating her then asking her out.
“Don’t change the subject. And no I haven’t.”
“Want to go over a few blocks and eat with me?”
“No.”
Travis laughed. “I’ve got to be the worst man in the world at asking a woman to step out. First, I frighten you to death, then you try to kill me, and now you won’t go out to eat with me even though we are both hungry. Somewhere along the line I need to work on my approach.”
“You
are
the worst.” Rainey fought down a smile. She had nothing to compare to, but he still seemed bad. “To start with right now and move backward, you are not supposed to hold a lady’s hand captive while you walk beside her.”
are
the worst.” Rainey fought down a smile. She had nothing to compare to, but he still seemed bad. “To start with right now and move backward, you are not supposed to hold a lady’s hand captive while you walk beside her.”
“But if I turn loose, you’ll bolt.”
“True.” At this rate she’d never get to her long list of what he’d done wrong. “And don’t argue with me. It’s not considered polite,” she said in her most teachery voice.
They reached the steps of the porch, and he took her hand in his. “Would it help if I said I’m sorry?”
He brushed his thumb across her fingers and felt the blisters. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.” Rainey pulled her hand away but didn’t run. “I just burned my fingers a little. They’ll be all right.”
Travis studied her, but asked no more questions. He removed his hat and leaned against the railing. “I would like to talk to you about what you overhead from your window above the alley.” He swallowed hard and she knew words did not come easy for this man. “I’d like to just talk to you before you decide to run again. I came all the way from Whispering Mountain to find you,” he finally said in little more than a whisper.
Rainey took one step up the stairs so she could see his face more clearly. There was something so strong, so hard about this man. His jaw seemed already set to take any blow the world gave him.
“Is that all, just talk?” She studied his dark eyes in the dim light. The memory of his letters made her blush slightly. Thinking of him and standing in front of him were two completely different things.
“No,” he answered. “I’d like to look at you, really look.” He shifted as if knowing he wasn’t saying what he needed to say correctly. “I won’t frighten you again, I promise.”
He straightened, widening his stance, this man of oak preparing for anything. When she didn’t answer, he slowly turned to leave.
“I am hungry,” she whispered, wondering if she was making a mistake. In her dreams he could be controlled, but in real life, she wasn’t so sure. “Can you afford pie as well as dinner?”
He grinned and put back on his hat. He offered her his arm and didn’t try to hold it prisoner. “I can.”
They walked the two blocks to one of the cafés where Rainey sold her pies. The hostess smiled at Rainey and gave them a private table by the window.
“You’ve eaten here before?” Travis asked as he pulled out her chair.
“No,” Rainey said. “But it always smells so good.”
She watched the way he studied the room and the people. Within a minute she’d bet he knew where every exit was located and how many men in the room were armed. She told herself it was just part of his job, but she couldn’t help but wonder if it were not also part of his nature.
They ordered. She asked about everyone at the ranch house and finally the boy named Duck.
“You got that letter.” He looked back from where he’d glanced out the window. “I had no idea if you would or not.”
“Four,” she answered and stared down at her plate, not wanting him to see how much they’d meant to her. “And you?”
“Three, but I mailed five.”
“So did I.” She remembered how open she’d been in her letters, how close she’d felt to him. And now . . . it was like someone else sat across from her. She almost laughed when the thought crossed her mind to run home and write Travis about the strange man she’d met tonight whom she thought of as Mr. McMurray. Travis’s letters were informative and funny. In them he’d asked honest questions and let her see a hint of his dreams when he’d talked of raising Duck. The stranger before her seemed distant, guarded.
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