Page 41 of That Fateful Ride

“The moment…I…” She shrugged.

He shook his head and captured her chin in his hand. “No way, Rebecca. You don’t get to say that then run. Not from me.”

“We can’t…”

He pressed closer. “I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look. I love seeing you in a dress.”

Her eyes widened and he knew he was getting to her. He gentled his touch however, he didn’t release her. Her brown eyes were soft and large, framed by thick lashes. He could stare at them all day.

“This isn’t a good idea.”

He disagreed immensely. “Why? Do you have someone in your life to keep me away?” She frowned and he amended how it sounded. “Someone you are dating?”

“No.”

He breathed easier at her immediate response. “Then there is no problem.”

“How can you say that?”

“Easily.” He brushed his lips across hers. Shifting his leg, he grimaced.

“Is it your leg?”

He kissed her again, harder this time, gentling it when she sank into him. The siren’s call to tempting to ignore and he pulled her flush to him, his erection dug into her belly. She slipped her arms around his neck, giving him more of her weight.

The heat grew and he forgot they stood in an alley. There was no feeling like having her curved against him. Kissing the woman he wanted beyond all else took precedence.

The snort of a horse burst the world they’d created for themselves. He spun, cursing the weakness in his leg, checked both front and back of them. One hand kept Rebecca behind him.

A large bay stood at the end, street side. Seated on his back was an imposing black man in an Army uniform. He had sergeant stripes and a blank look on his face. Disappointment? No. That wasn’t it. Something else. Something that made him suddenly fear for his life.

Despite his attempt, Rebecca moved beside him. “Papa?”

Oh, shit. That was her father? Sargent Freeman. Not quite the first impression he wanted to make.

The man never smiled just looked down his nose and ran his gaze dismissively over him before returning it to his daughter. Cy waited for any sort of emotion from him. Beside him, he could feel Rebecca shaking and he grew angry.

“I’ll speak to you at home, Rebecca Ann.” A touch of his heels and the man vanished from sight.

He turned to find her with wide eyes and tears shimmering in them. Cy reached out to her only to pause when she flinched away from him. The shaft of pain was hard to bear.

She crouched and quickly gathered things back into her basket. All the while she mumbled, “I let him down. He’s so disappointed in me.”

Ignoring the throb in his leg, he hauled her up and took the items from her. “Look at me,” he ordered. No response. “Look at me, Rebecca.”

“I…I have to go.”

Never had he seen her this rattled. Not even when he’d discovered she wasn’t who she’d pretended to be. Then she’d been calm and matter-of-fact. Now, she looked ready to fly.

“We haven’t talked yet.”

Her eyes were slightly unfocused. “No…I…home…” She took the basket and bolted. Before he could dwell on that she reappeared, lower lip caught between her teeth.

“Doc Williams may be able to help you with your leg.” A shy grin filled with concern and another emotion he needed to keep focused on. Desire.

She was gone again. Cy swore and smacked his hat against his leg before plunking it on his head once more. He limped from the alley and to his mount. Using his upper body strength and a push off from his good leg, he launched into the saddle, asked a pedestrian for directions to the doc, and rode away.

After a visit to the doctor, he stabled his horse at the livery and went to the general store. He picked up two purchases there and left hoping this would play out for the good. Determined it would.

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