Belle Gone Bad by Sabine Starr Read Free Book Online Page B

realized they were reluctant to separate from each other. She was so surprised by the thought that she simply stared at him. He glanced down at her mouth, then back into her eyes. She felt as if he’d brushed her lips. She slowly licked her lower lip as if to wipe away his touch or to return it. His eyes darkened to stormy gray. He abruptly turned away and headed for Manny’s Stable.
    She watched him for a moment, wondering at her reaction, but then shook her head. She didn’t have time for flights of fancy.

Chapter 9
    M ercy took a deep breath to clear his head. He wasn’t a man who was meant to give a woman a future. First, there’d been Free Love, next the curse, and finally his sickness. But Belle put him in mind of a long life filled with hot nights between cool sheets, sunny picnics reclined on soft quilts, and passionate snuggles on a bear rug before a crackling fire.
    He glanced at Main Street. Life went on as usual. Folks arrived. Folks left. And some folks stayed. He wouldn’t mind settling down in the Bend. It was a far cry from what he’d known back East, but it could be a good life if he had a woman like Belle by his side. But she wasn’t a woman to put down roots and he wasn’t a man who had any.
    He watched until he saw her safely enter the Red River Saloon. He shook his head at his need to make sure she was safe in a wild town like Delaware Bend. If ever there was a woman who could take care of herself, it was Texas Belle Thompson. For once, he wished he was fast with a gun. She’d respect that skill a lot more than his ability to draw, paint, and sculpt.
    â€œHey, Mercy, woolgathering on Main Street ain’t smart,” Manny called from the front of his livery stable.
    Mercy walked over, noticing that his friend wore his usual ragged blue jeans, faded red plaid shirt, and scuffed cowboy boots. Manny had a wild mane of ebony hair touched with bright silver to go with his grizzled beard.
    â€œI hear you and Belle are going after Diana.” Manny spit tobacco to one side and wiped his mouth with a red bandanna.
    â€œThat’s right.” Mercy stopped in the shade. “Did you find out anything helpful about Diana today?”
    â€œNo. And I’m plum worried sick.”
    â€œElmira and Lamira saw Diana carried out of the Lone Star Hotel last night and forced on the back of a horse.”
    â€œHornswoggle!” Manny drew his bushy eyebrows together in a frown. “I never thought to knock on their door and wake them.”
    â€œTurns out they don’t sleep much at night. Their window overlooks Main Street, and that provides a lot of entertainment.”
    â€œDon’t doubt it. Still, I let everybody down by not thinking of them.”
    â€œYou did fine.” He glanced across the street at the Red River Saloon, but Belle wasn’t in sight yet. “The ladies said the man was riding a pacer.”
    â€œYou don’t say.” Manny scratched his head, turning his hair wilder. “Belle can track an odd mount like that easy enough.”
    â€œThat’s what she says.”
    â€œWhere is she?”
    â€œShe’s changing clothes at the Red River.”
    Manny snorted. “Let’s see if she comes up with somethin’ that won’t draw every eye in Texas and Indian Territory.”
    â€œI believe that’s her point.”
    â€œGood’un.” He cocked his head to one side. “You gonna stand here jawin’ all day or are you gonna load up your horse and get gone?”
    Mercy grinned. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
    â€œI saddled your horse.” Manny winked, looking mischievous.
    â€œAnd I got a dark sorrel gelding with a plain saddle and bridle ready for Belle.”
    â€œShe has her own horse.”
    Mercy spit and wiped his mouth. “Last thing she needs is to ride an outfit like that into Indian Territory when she needs to keep her head