Wildfire in His Arms by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online

of the old lantern. He managed to make the light a little brighter.
    â€œThere’s not much fuel left in that,” Dawson warned.
    â€œWe’ll survive if it goes out. You can sit up now.”
    Max did so and dusted leaves off his shirtfront before he bent his head and buttoned his leather vest. Other than the vest, he was wearing exactly what Degan had seen him wearing four days ago, including the white bandanna. He looked as if he’d just wallowed in the mud since then. Well, it had rained yesterday as Degan recalled, so the boy might have slipped in the mud up here. It was caked on one of his cheeks, down one sleeve, and on both knees. Some was even in the boy’s ash-blond hair, which made it spike up in places.
    Noticing the uneven length of the boy’s hair, Degan asked, “Where’s the knife you butchered your hair with?”
    â€œDon’t have it no more.”
    â€œIf I have to ask again, I’ll have to strip you to find it.”
    Max dug the knife out of his boot and tossed it angrily toward Degan’s feet before he glanced up with a scowl. The scowl disappeared and the dark eyes rounded, but not with fear. Fear was easy to recognize, but so was surprise, and that’s all that was on the kid’s face now.
    â€œNever seen a bounty hunter dressed like you.” Max dropped his eyes again.
    Degan tucked the knife in his own boot. “I’m not a bounty hunter.”
    â€œNever seen a lawman dressed so fancy neither.”
    â€œI’m not a lawman, just doing a favor for one.”
    â€œYou couldn’t pick some other time to be so damn generous?” Max spat out.
    Degan actually laughed. God, he really was tired to let that slip out. He couldn’t afford to show emotions in his line of work. A smile could be misleading. A laugh could remove fear when he might not want it removed. A scowl could prompt someone already afraid to draw his gun. And Dawson hadn’t looked fearful yet, just mad. But then Dawson was a kid, appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen. Boys this young could be bold beyond good sense. And this one was staring at him again in owl-eyed surprise because of that laugh.
    Degan kicked the coil of rope toward Dawson. “Tie the end of that around your ankles. If it’s loose, you probably won’t like how I tighten it.”
    Another flare of anger across the brow, tight across the lips, and the boy was taking his sweet time in getting a knot tied. Degan was too tired to push it. As soon as Dawson was hog-tied, he’d be getting some sleep.
    â€œWhy did you stick around Helena, kid? Because of the girl?”
    â€œWhat girl?” Dawson asked without glancing up.
    â€œYou visit more than one in town?”
    Bristling, Max tried to stand up, but couldn’t manage it with his feet already tied. “If you hurt Luella—”
    â€œDo I look like a man who would hurt a woman?”
    â€œHell yeah, you do!”
    â€œWhen I can find out what I need to know without half trying?”
    â€œBecause you look dangerous?” Max snorted. “Looking like it don’t mean much out here.”
    Degan shrugged. “I merely had words with her. She didn’t volunteer much. In fact, she tried to mislead me about where I could find you.”
    Dawson grinned at that. “She’s a good friend—and she knows I’m innocent.”
    â€œShe doesn’t know any such thing, simply believes what you tell her.”
    â€œBut I am innocent.”
    No belligerence was in the boy’s voice, just a sad tone that struck Degan oddly. But then he guessed this was probably how the boy had convinced Luella and anyone else who might recognize him that he wasn’t guilty. He should save the performance for the jury.
    â€œInnocence doesn’t show up on wanted posters. Is your lady­love the only reason you stuck around here too long, or were you planning to rob another bank in the