Tales of Western Romance by Madeline Baker Read Free Book Online Page A

boots,
grabbed her shirt, socks and bra from the back of the chair, and
ran out of the house. Gray had already thrown a saddle over the
back of a bay mare. With no word of explanation as to why they were
leaving, he shoved the rifle into the saddle boot, lifted her onto
the back of the stallion, then vaulted into the saddle of the bay,
and took off running. A gangly colt ran after the mare.
    Bonnie shoved her bra and socks in the
pockets of her jeans, tied her shirt around her waist, then grabbed
hold of the stallion’s mane as it took off after the bay. Where
were they going, and why was Gray in such a hurry?
    And why was she following him when she had no
idea who he was or where he was going? At least the rain had
stopped.
    Filled with a sudden, nameless fear, she
tugged on Relámpago’s mane, but the blasted beast refused to
stop. Praying the horse wouldn’t step into a hole, she hung on for
dear life as the big stallion raced after the bay mare.

Chapter 5
     
    It seemed like hours passed before Gray
slowed his horse to a walk and then finally to a stop.
    Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief, her grip on
the stallion’s mane easing as the horse sidled up to the bay.
    “ You all right?” Gray asked.
    “ What was that all about?” Bonnie
asked.
    “ We need to talk.”
    She stared at him. Those four words never
preceded good news.
    “ I’m a wanted man with a price on my
head.”
    She blinked at him, speechless. A price on
his head? Was he kidding? “I don’t understand.”
    He glanced at their back trial, then blew out
a sigh. “I killed a man. It was self-defense, but the jury didn’t
believe me.”
    “ Why not?”
    “ Why not? I killed a white
man.”
    “ But if it was
self-defense…”
    “ Didn’t you hear what I said? I killed
a white man.”
    “ I’m sorry, but I don’t
understand.”
    “ I’m a half-breed,” he said. “No jury’s
gonna believe me.”
    “ But…”
    He shook his head. “You’re not from around
here, are you?”
    “ No.”
    “ I didn’t think so.”
    “ So, why were you in such a hurry to
leave the cabin?”
    “ I got up before sunrise and scouted my
back trail. I found a couple of bounty hunters sacked out about
five miles southeast. I wasn’t going to wait for them to come
knockin’ on the door.”
    “ Oh. But, well, even if they caught
you, wouldn’t they just turn you in?”
    “ Yeah, right. The reward on the wanted
poster says dead or alive.”
    Bonnie stared at him. If she didn’t know
better, she’d swear she was back in the Old West, what with all
this talk about white men and half-breed’s and wanted posters…and
newspapers dated 1879.
    She took a good look at Gray. He wore a dark
blue shirt, a pair of pants that looked like they were made of
buckskin, and scuffed brown leather boots. The gunbelt that had
been hanging over the chair was now snugged around his waist and
looked at home there. Men these days didn’t go around wearing
guns.
    Her mouth went dry. It wasn’t possible. What
she was thinking just wasn’t possible. “What day is it?”
    “ I’m not sure, late August, I
think.”
    “ What year?”
    “ Eighteen seventy-nine.”
    She swayed on the stallion’s back. Eighteen seventy-nine. How was it possible?
    He frowned at her. “You okay? You look a
little pale.”
    “ I think I’m going to …”
    “ Faint,” he muttered, as she slid off
the stallion’s back and into his arms.
    She regained consciousness moments later,
startled to find herself in Gray’s arms, surprised to find she
rather liked it there.
    “ Are you sure?” she asked.
    “ Sure? About what?”
    “ The year.”
    “ Yeah. What I’m not sure of is you. Who
the hell are you, anyway?”
    “ I told you. Bonnie, from the dude
ranch.”
    “ Yeah, that’s what you said. What year
do you think it is?”
    “ Two thousand and eleven.”
    He grunted softly. “Were you in danger in
your own time?”
    “ I don’t think so.” She stared at him.
“You believe