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is.
He stopped and pivoted to look at her. I don t know. You happy? I rode this trail more than a year
ago, and things change. Most times I stay put because I have a restaurant to run. I m following the tracks,
nothing more. If we find a town, then I can wire for help. If we find the bastards that took everything, I can
kill them and ride for help. He stepped close enough she could see a drop of sweat meandering down his
whiskered cheek. Anything else you need to know?
36 www.samhainpublishing.com
Devils on Horseback: Gideon
The man was bigger than life, bossy and absolutely the most impressive thing she d seen in her life,
especially when he was mad. This wasn t the place or time to be attracted to him, but it was happening
anyway. Her body was already warm from the pace Gideon had set with his long legs, and now he d set a
fire burning low and deep in her belly. Her thoughts scattered like dandelion puffs in the breeze.
She struggled to find something to say, anything to take her mind off the man. At least he had
distracted her from worrying. Do you have a weapon?
He huffed out a breath. No, I don t. My rifle and my pistols were hanging on the saddle. The knife I
normally keep on my back when I travel was in my bedroll, since I was doing heavy lifting. All I ve got are
my fists and my brain.
That s not a whole lot if we come up against the ones who stole your guns. She was only being
practical. Even the strongest man could not stop a bullet with his fists alone.
Thank you for the confidence in my ability to protect you. His tone was anything but grateful.
Chloe was insulted by the inference. I don t need you to protect me. I ve done right fine up until
now. Besides, I ve got a knife.
The frown on his face could have cut glass. Why do you have a knife, and where did you hide it?
He looked her up and down, pausing briefly on her chest.
She wanted to smack him. Why wouldn t I have a knife? I have need to protect myself too. I ve got
my fists, my brain and my knife. And it s in my boot, not my tits. She stuck her nose in the air and walked
around him.
He cursed under his breath, but the wind carried it to her clearly. She smiled grimly and kept walking.
He d follow when he was ready.
Gideon wanted to strangle her. The little snip of a woman, barely more than a girl, was deliberately
inciting his anger, didn t listen to a word he said, and she had a knife. He d been distracted by her from the
moment he realized she was a woman, and things just got worse and worse. Now they appeared to be at
rock bottom.
He was at a loss as to how to speak to her, much less be on the trail with her. If only he hadn t stopped
to help them, things wouldn t be so incredibly wrong. He could have been closer to Grayton, to visiting
with Nate and Elisa. Hell, for that matter, he could have been home in Tanger. Instead, he was horseless,
weaponless and stuck with Chloe, who happened to possess the most amazing passion he d ever seen.
She was driving him loco, and he d known the woman only a day. Granted, if he d kept his hands to
himself in the wagon last night, things might have been a bit less tense. But no, he hadn t kept any body
part to himself.
Dammit to hell.
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Beth Williamson
When he d gotten his frustration tamped down, at least temporarily, Gideon finally started walking
again. With her short legs, it didn t take him long to catch up. She wouldn t look at him, but she kept pace
with him as they walked. Perversely he didn t make his stride any shorter to be considerate of the
difference in size between them. It was a childish thing to do, he knew that, but he did it anyway. She had
to understand he was in charge, regardless of how much it annoyed her. There had to be a chain of
command or their mission would fail.
Gideon didn t like feeling out of sorts in any situation. As a captain in the army, he either controlled
situations, or they controlled him. It didn t matter how difficult things were; if he could figure things out,
then he would find the place where he was comfortable, in control.
The Ruskins had yanked him from that safe, organized existence into their chaos. Now he had lost his
horse, his pistols and the hard-won Yankee rifle he had kept by his side since the war. It was nearly
everything he valued, aside from his friends, the Devils on Horseback, named because of their
bloodcurdling yells as they performed midnight raids during the war. The five of them were closer than kin,
brothers in heart and soul. If he d lost one of them, he d be devastated. The horse and his gear, well, that
would cost him a year s profit from the restaurant he co-owned just to replace them.
It took him another ten minutes to realize he was complaining, albeit to himself, about how hard it
would be to lose his family, and Chloe had lost hers. He stopped dead in his tracks. He d been a complete
ass about the whole thing. The Ruskins didn t lure him into a situation to steal his things or make him loco.
They were a family too, as odd and unusual as his own. Now they were separated through no choice of
their own.
The Devils all survived the war, near starvation afterward, and a very lean six months of running from
an army captain who wanted to throw them in jail. They were all healthy, and aside from Gideon, happily
married, still together in heart, if not physically. He had everything that was important to him; all he loved
was safe and sound.
Not so for Chloe. Gideon felt a rush of shame at his behavior, at his petty reaction to what happened.
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