Page 29 of Wrangling Her Heart
“Saddles cost money, George. Buy your own.” Rex pulled his six-shooter from its holster and pointed it in the air. “Now git,” he said, firing a shot.
The horse took off down the lane, and George clung on for dear life as they raced forward.
“What about me?” Tillie asked. “Are you going to ask me to leave, too?”
“No. Just stay away from me.”
Chapter Eleven
Tillie gave Rex two days before she went out to see him. Thanksgiving was the next day, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him not speaking to her. He hadn’t been in the house at all. Instead, he was taking his meals with the cowhands and sleeping in the barn.
She found him in the barn, mending a bridle. He looked up as she entered, his brown eyes cool under the shadow of his hat. She noticed his hands, rough from work but gentle with the horses.
“Rex?”
He didn’t look up. “What do you want, Tillie?”
“I’m sorry,” she blurted out, her voice echoing through the rafters, “I’m sorry for what George did.”
Rex didn’t respond right away. He just kept working on the bridle, his movements slow and certain.
“I don’t want you to hate me, Rex,” Tillie added softly, her heart pounding in her chest.
Rex put down the bridle, finally meeting her gaze and the air in the barn felt thicker, charged with an emotion neither of them knew how to name.
“I don’t hate you, Tillie,” Rex said, his voice rough as rawhide. He stood up then, dusting off his hands on his wool trousers. “I’m just disappointed.”
And somehow, that hurt even more. Being hated was something she could fight against or at least accept, but disappointments... Those were harder to bear. Her chin quivered, and she desperately wished she could hide her teary eyes from him. But it was too late for pretenses. “I didn’t ask for any of this, Rex,” she said.
“I know,” he said, his voice gentler now. “I know you didn’t, Tillie.” He took a step closer to her, and she could smell the mix of leather and hay on him. It was a comforting scent. Homey.
Tillie blinked, letting a single tear escape. She hated herself for crying in front of him but found that she could not help it. Her world seemed to spiral out of control, and Rex, with his steadfastness and unwavering principles, was the only solid ground she had left.
Something shifted in Rex’s gaze then. He reached out, gently wiping away her tear with his thumb. “I know this ain’t your doing, and I’m not blaming you. It’s George I got my bones to pick with.”
Tillie looked at him, her heart fluttering at the kindness in his eyes. “I’m scared, Rex,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.
He reached out and gently took her hand, his warmthseeping into her stiff fingers. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Tillie,” he promised.
“I wanted to tell you about the horse and about the Richards gang. Petunia saw me with them.”
“Petunia?”
Tillie nodded, brushing away the tears with her fingers. “The day you came to find me, she told me I needed to tell you, or she would.”
“She has said nothing.”
“That’s probably why she hasn’t been around the past few days.”
“Hmm.” He released her hand and picked up the bridle, putting it on the workbench. Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at her with determination in his eyes. “Start talking.”
“Rex, please,” Tillie pleaded, her gaze locked onto his stormy eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but George threatened me. He met the Richards brothers back in Texas and George became their information gatherer. We skipped town after the last scheme, and George was convinced they were following us.”
“I don’t think that’s the case. They’ve had ties to this area for years.” He motioned with his hand. “Continue.”
“He’s been gathering information while he’s here. I know they are planning something terrible. They want to get revenge on someone. I don’t know who.”
“Is it a family?”
