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Sha
But the fierce thunderstorm didn’t worry her nearly as much the lone man riding out of the sunset.
Lord, that’s one big man the storm is pushing toward me.
The rider was mounted on a silver-gray horse that was the exact color of the stranger’s eyes back in Holler Creek. When the rider turned to check on the progress of his packhorse, the long leather lash coiled over his right shoulder gleamed in the twilight.
Whip.
Is it really him? Cherokee said nobody alive could handle a long lash like the man called Whip.
But what brings him here?
The answer was a memory of Whip’s clear, quicksilver glances following her, touching her like ghostly caresses.
Other men had stared at Sha
Sha
Beside Sha
«Easy, Prettyface,» Sha
Prettyface subsided, but the ruff still stood out on his powerful neck. His ears remained flat against his massive skull in blunt warning of his temperament.
Whip kept riding closer, until Sha
It haunted her still.
«That’s far enough, mister,» Sha
To her relief, Whip reined in his horse and tipped his hat politely to her.
«Evening, ma’am,» he said. «You left Murphy’s store so quickly that you forgot most of your supplies.»
Sha
She hadn’t made a mistake. She wasn’t dreaming. The stranger called Whip was here, in her clearing.
And he wanted her.
«Itisyou,» she said huskily. «Whip. That’s what they call you, isn’t it?»
«Out here, yes.»
Sha
Sha
«Are you…Did you…?» Sha
Whip smiled slowly.
Sha
«No, Sha
«You’re sure?»
«Yes.»
The breath Sha
Lightning raked the mountain peaks that rose around the clearing. Wind surged, bending delicate aspens whose branches were still bare of leaves. With the wind came a prolonged rumble of thunder and a quicksilver taste of rain.
«You shouldn’t have interfered,» Sha
Gray eyes narrowed.
«Those boys have the ma
«I tried to warn you.»
«And I tried to warn them. They didn’t listen. So as Caleb would say, I read to them from the Book. Maybe they’ll listen better in the future.»
Sha
«Caleb?» Sha
It was the only thing she could think of to say, for the smile was gone from Whip’s face. Now he was looking at her like she was food and he was a man who had gone hungry far too long.
What frightened Sha
I’m still scared after what happened in town, Sha
«Caleb Black,» Whip explained gently, «is my sister Willow’s husband. They have a ranch west of here. So does my brother Reno, and his wife, Eve.»
«Oh.»
Sha
«I’m Sha
Whip frowned as though he didn’t like the reminder that she was married.
«Is it all right if I get down and give you the supplies you left behind?»
«All right?» she asked, perplexed.
«The shotgun,» Whip said gently.
«Oh. That.»
Whip made no attempt to hide his amusement at his effect on Sha
«Yes,» he said in a deep voice. «That.»
Sha
And she kept the shotgun’s muzzle where it was, pointing just in front of Whip’s horse.
«Go ahead,» Sha
Whip dismounted with a muscular grace that did nothing to set Sha
Lord above, this is one dangerous man.
Beautiful, too.
The second thought was so startling to Sha
I must be going cabin happy. Flowers are beautiful, and butterflies, and a baby’s smile.
Whip isn’t like those things.
Lightning burned whitely across the indigo base of clouds whose towering heads were still washed in crimson light. The mountain wore the storm with the muscular ease of a man carrying a bullwhip coiled on his shoulder.
But mountains are beautiful, too. And thunderheads. And lightning burning through the storm.
Whip is like that. Lightning and storm and a mountain’s strength.
Prettyface’s rippling snarl brought Sha
Whip was walking toward her.
But instead of the small parcels of baking soda and lard she had expected, his big arms were filled to overflowing with supplies.
«Hold it, Mr. Whip.»
The shotgun was no longer pointing at Whip’s horse.
Whip stopped where he was.
«My name is Rafael Moran,» he said calmly, «but call me Whip if you’d rather.»
«It’s how I’ve been thinking of you,» she said.
«Have you?»
«What?»
«Been thinking of me?»
Sha
Whip smiled and started toward her again.