Lady of the Gun (18 page)

"Rosie, I'm not going to hurt you," he offered
. "I just wanted to see if you're all right. You looked pretty upset out there."

"I'
m fine," she said quickly, still wringing her hands.

Brett's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "Are you sure? You
seemed upset to see Ramsey Tylo." He saw her breath catch when he spoke Ramsey's name. "Do you have reason to fear Tylo?"

Rosie dropped her hands to her sides and raised her jaw
defensively. "No, sir," she answered. "Ramsey means nothing to me."

Brett could tell she was lying, but why? "You
know, if he's threatened you in any way…"

"No, sir," Rosie i
nterrupted. "Ramsey ain't ever threatened me,"

"All right. But if he ever does, or if he gives you trouble
of any kind, you can come to me with it. I'll handle it for you," he offered.

"Nobody can stop Ramsey fro
m doing nothin'," she said solemnly. "Not when he sets his mind to it. His daddy raised him to be that way."

Brett frowned.
“I'm the law, Rosie. I could stop him."

She snorted her disbelief. "Not likely. Sheriff Jackson
couldn't."

"I'm not Jackson," he responded
, wondering why she’d mentioned him.

"No, sir, you're not. But you don't know Ramsey."

"Why don't you tell me about him? Start with why you're so afraid of him," he said.

"I ain't saying a word. Please just leave me alone. I don't
want to talk about it."

Brett pondered her choice of words and the implication
in them. "You don't want to talk about what, Rosie?"

"Nothin'. Just nothin'," she answered ada
mantly. "I've got to get back to work now, Marshal." She began to look around her for something to do.

Brett watched her for a couple of seconds. It was obvious
that she was through talking to him, and whatever it was that frightened her about Ramsey was going to remain her secret. "Damn," he mouthed. Turning slowly, he left the restaurant.

"I can't imagine what got into Rosie,"
Ramsey commented to Cass.

Cass shrugged. "I wouldn't know. She's never very
friendly to me."

"She's not?"

Cass shook her head. "It's all right. It's her right to like or not like whomever she wants."

Ramsey locked his hands together
, then touched himself just under the chin with two fingers. '"Perhaps I should speak to her about it," he reflected out loud.

Cass snickered.
“I don't think that'd be a very good idea," she told him.

Turning to look at her, he asked, "Why not?"

"Because she doesn't seem to like you any better than she likes me," she explained.

"It did seem that way, didn't it? But Rosie has
a strange way about her. She rarely shows how she's really feeling," he answered.

Cass studied Ramsey's eyes
as he spoke. "You know her well?" she inquired. She'd have been willing to bet otherwise.

"We've spent time together," he answered
.

Cass raised her brows in surprise.

"I think I will speak to her." He seemed to be thinking out loud again. "But not today. I don't want to spoil today." He smiled down at Cass. "Are you about ready to go to the circus?"

"Just about," she answered. "Let me excuse myself for
just a minute. By the time I get back, Brett will probably have returned."

"Oh, joy," Ramsey grumbled.

Cass ignored his comment and stood up, straightening her skirt. Leaving him sitting there, she headed through the hotel toward the rear entrance. The outhouses were behind the hotel. As she left the lobby she met Brett. The look on his face gave her some concern. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not with me. I've got a feeling s
omething is terribly wrong with Rosie, though."

"You followed her?"

"I wanted to know what spooked her so badly in the lobby."

"What was it?"

"I don't know, she wouldn't discuss it with me."  Cass shrugged.

"I'm sure it has something to do with Ramsey," Brett
told her.

Cass remembered Ramsey had just told her he'd spent
time with Rosie. "Maybe they quarreled," she offered.

"It's more than that," he said. "Much more."

"If it's important it'll come out."

"I suppose." He then looked her up and down. "Where
were you going just now?"

"Out back. Go wait with Ramsey in the lobby. I'll hurry."

Brett grimaced.

Cass grinned. "Go on. And try to be nice," she told him
as she walked away.

Brett sighed. She was so beautiful, so desirable. She'd
given him her virginity in the most passionate bout of lovemaking he'd ever experienced, and now she was completely ignoring his wishes, keeping company with Ramsey Tylo in order to gain information about his father, the man she was certain had murdered her family. He clenched his jaw to tamp down the frustration that burned in his belly. He would never understand women if he lived to be a hundred.

Re
-entering the lobby, he sat down in a chair facing Ramsey. As he planned his next action, he stared at the blond man. "Rosie seems to be afraid of you. Do you know why?" he asked.

Ramsey lowered his eyelids a bit. "I couldn't tell you,
Marshal. Women are strange creatures."

Brett had just had similar thoughts about Cass, but Rosie's
case was different. "She wouldn't tell me anything when I asked her about it."

"That's because there's nothing to tell."

"I'm sure there is. She's just afraid to talk."

Ramsey shrugged. "You're letting your job go to your
head, Marshal."

"Because I refuse to believe a lie?"

"Because you refuse to believe the truth."

Neither man spoke again.

"Are we ready?" asked Cass a few minutes later when she returned.

The circus proved to be quite entertaining, and the chicken dinner, served at long tables outside, was delicious. And as Cass tilted her head back to see the fireworks light up the night sky, she pondered the day behind her. She hadn't found an opportunity to question Ramsey, but there was still the ride home. Brett's presence during the afternoon had kept her senses on edge, his silver-gray eyes assessing her every move. And she hadn't been able to keep herself from stealing glances at him when he wasn't looking his powerful body reminding her again and again of how he'd felt as he possessed her. The tension between Brett and Ramsey had been a palpable thing, but she'd managed to referee well enough to keep them from starting an all-out brawl, though if it came down to that, she doubted Ramsey would accept a challenge from Brett.

She stole a glance at each man, standing one on either
side of her. They were both tall, but as different as night and day. It was strange that they were vying for her attention. She felt certain Brett had no ulterior motives behind his advances. He'd been very honest about his attraction to her. Ramsey, however, was another story. Her eyes narrowed as she studied his profile. She let her mind wander over the things that had happened in recent days: Jackson's murder-she was still certain it was murder- Ramsey's homecoming and his remarks about his father’s letters. Was his homecoming a coincidence? Or had her own arrival prompted Hunt to notify his son to come home?

She continued staring at Ramsey's profile in the refle
cted light of the fireworks. Did he know his father had something to do with murdering her family? Did he have something to do with it himself? No, she reminded herself, he wasn't even in town when the murders took place. She was just getting desperate. Sighing, she lowered her gaze. On the ride home perhaps she'd get some answers.

"'The fireworks seem to be about over, my dear," observed
Ramsey. "Perhaps we should start back to the buggy."

"I suppose. I just wish t
his day didn't have to end." She sighed.

Brett looked down at her, the colored reflections from the
last burst of fire in the sky glistening on her shining hair. He'd spent the entire day with her, not the way he'd threatened, following her like a shadow, but at her invitation, and despite Ramsey's protests. But now it was time to let her go, and it was killing him to think Ramsey would be alone with her on the long ride back to her ranch. He didn't trust the man, and he was sure Cass had underestimated him. "It doesn't have to end. We could go to the hotel for a nightcap."

"I think we've had enough excitement for one day, Marshal,"
Ramsey said. "I'm sure Cass is getting tired. I know I am." He raised his arm and, taking her hand, placed it in the crook of his elbow. "It's time to go."

Brett scowled at
him. "Then I'll walk you to your buggy."

"That wo
n't be necessary," Ramsey said in a slightly threatening tone.

"I insist."
Brett met the challenge.

Ramsey
looked down at Cass for a second. "All right, Marshal," he said, giving in.

The walk to the spot where they'd left the buggy was
pleasant. Passersby stopped to say hello and to welcome Ramsey home. Cass was even included in the salutations, and she enjoyed the momentary respite from their usual animosity.

"This is where I left the buggy," observed Ramsey.
"'Where the hell is it now?"

Cass looked around. The buggy was
, indeed, missing.

"The smithy probably took care of it for you," Brett
offered.

"I didn't ask
him to," complained Ramsey.

Cass looked up at him. "'He probably assumed you'd want
him to take care of the horses. You did park right outside the livery, and it was an awfully hot day to leave the horses standing outside the way we did," she commented.

Ramsey let out an impatient sigh. "I'll go see if the horses
are inside. You wait here."

Brett smiled to himself. This
would be the first time today he'd had a chance to be alone with Cass. He watched as Ramsey stalked off in search of his buggy and team. Then, touching Cass gently on the arm, he motioned for her to follow him.

Cass was suspicious of Brett, but she followed him toward
a small stand of trees not far from the livery. "I shouldn't go too far away. Ramsey will wonder where I went," she whispered as he stopped under the concealing shadow of several tall trees.

"Let him wonder," said Brett, his voice a soft growl.

Cass's pulse took a leap at the tone of his voice. "Brett, I should go back," she told him.

Brett could just
make out her features in the dark. She was so beautiful. He'd wanted to touch her all day, had suffered every time Ramsey had claimed his right as her escort. But now was his chance. Stepping forward, he raised his hands to her shoulders and slowly began to pull her to him.

Cass's heart skittered in her chest. She knew she shouldn't
let this happen. Ramsey would come looking for her at any moment. Yet she couldn't stop the tremendous attraction that gripped her every time Brett touched her. She felt drawn to him as to a magnet. Staring up into his gray eyes, she watched as he lowered his head to claim her lips. Closing her eyes at the last moment, she felt herself begin the slow burn that would turn her into a mass of liquid fire.

Brett kissed Cass possessively, opening his mouth over
hers, slipping his tongue tenderly between her lips. He heard her moan against his kiss and felt his heartbeat become erratic, sending blood charging through his body, bringing his manhood to life with a surging force. Lowering his hands to her back, he pulled her closer, thrusting his hips forward, making her aware of what she did to him.

Cass groaned at the evidence of Brett's desire, so blatant
ly pushing against her abdomen. She knew from experience what Brett could make her feel. She knew that if she didn’t end this kiss she'd be grasping and clawing at him, encouraging him to make love to her. Tearing her lips from his, she gasped for air. "I have to go, Brett."

"No, you don't. Don't let Ramsey take you home. Stay
here with me. I'll see to it you get home safely.” He said this while kissing her lightly all over her face.

Cass's breath caught in her chest. "No, Brett. I have to
go with Ramsey. I have to ..." Her words were stifled as his lips covered hers once more.

"Please, Cass?" he said against her
mouth.

Cass could barely breathe.
Her heart raced. Her senses reeled. It would be too easy to stay with Brett. Leaning away, she pushed against him with her hands. “No, I have to go. Ramsey will be looking for me soon."