Page 74 of Double Bucked

“Oh, God. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey.” Ransom takes my face in his hands. I hate the heat that burns my cheeks. His thumb brushes my tear away. “Dammit, woman, you make me dizzy,” he sighs. His forehead drops against mine again.

For a second, we breathe together in the silence. And ache. This longing is like a third heartbeat pounding between us.

Then, beyond the bubble of our little gazebo, we hear, “Bit late to be wandering about, isn’t it?”

The presence of strangers makes my bones turn brittle. Two men walk through the maze, entering our little clearing.

What are they doing here?

It’s late. And there’s no reason for anyone to walk this way…unless you intend to neck in the gazebo.

And they don’t look like they’ve come to neck.

Something about the way they’re looking at us makes my blood go cold.

I quickly turn away. Strangers don’t get to see me cry. I lock it up, pushing back my tears.

“You’re on private property,” one of them says.

“Yes, sir,” Ransom replies, ever congenial. “Sorry about that. We’ll be on our way.”

“Is that Claire Preacher with you?”

Fuck me.

I turn and peel on a smile. “Hi. We’re just leaving.”

“Ma’am.” He tips his hat. “Where’s that fancy husband of yours?”

Nettles climb my skin.

This feels very, very off.

“We’re just having a conversation,” Ransom butts in.

“Uh-huh.” A leery grin cuts across his face. “How about that?”

My stomach is churning. Fuck them. Fuck this whole town and their puritanical mindset.

“Have a good night,” I tell them, clipped. Which is Southern for go away now.

“Actually, Ms. Preacher, we’re all about to have a very bad night.” Then he takes a pistol out of his holster and aims it at Ransom. “You’re coming with us.”

24

CLAIRE

Ican’t move.

One second, I’m spilling my secrets and kissing the man who I despise as much as I love.

The next…

We’re surrounded.

The man in the black hat steps forward, extending his spindly leg across the gazebo steps. He twists his lithe frame to a dramatic bow. He outstretches his hand and wears a smile that looks like it’s been carved into a Halloween pumpkin.

---