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“Oh my God, when are they going to get you off me?”

Linc felt her muscles grow tight beneath him. It didn’t take a great mind to see this woman was about to panic.

“Easy,” he soothed. They’ll be here soon.” He looked at her for a long moment. God, she was a beauty. Linc was sure he’d never seen a woman half so lovely. Even this close, her skin glowed without a flaw. Her eyes were dark, easily as dark as his own, while her hair, having lost most of its pins, lay in a riot of curls around her face. “Jesus, you really are something to look at.”

“Would you mind not talking to me?”

Linc ignored her preference and asked, “What’s your name?”

“I can’t think of a reason why you need to know my name.”

“Maybe, we’ll meet again. If we did, I could say, ‘how do you do, Miss?’ What would I call you?”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re not going to meet again.”

Linc grinned. This lady might be of a mind to never see him again, but he had quite the opposite thoughts in mind. If he had anything to say about it, they surely would meet again.

“All right. I’ll wait on that. Why don’t you tell me where you’re going?”

“I could tell you where I’d like to see
you
go.”

He smiled again. Damn if this woman didn’t lift a man’s spirits. “You know most men find nasty-mouthed women intriguing?”

“How nice for them.”

“It wouldn’t take no effort at all to follow you.”

Abby blinked and turned to face him. Her eyes were wide with astonishment. “Haven’t you something to do? Some place to go?”

Linc nodded. He’d give her this little scuffle, knowing without a doubt in the end he’d know victory. And when he did, he’d claim this stubborn little woman for his own.

Linc’s gaze widened with surprise at his own thoughts. For his own? Did he truly want her that much? A slow smile curved his mouth as he realized he did. Damn, he’d never believed it possible to want a woman he barely knew, but he did.

A voice sounded from outside the train. “Anybody in there?”

“Yes,” they cried out in unison.

“Yes,” she said again. “We’re here. Please help us.”

Chunks of wood, lengths of metal and more wood were dragged away, and the man was lifted from her at last. For the first time in almost ten hours, Abby was able to take a deep breath. Until this moment, she’d never realized just how wonderful breathing could be.

Following their rescue, there was nothing but confusion. Dozens of people milled about. Women were crying; men looked horrified, their faces drawn and white as they searched for survivors. A dozen or more bodies were laid in a row, covered by anything handy. Luggage was searched for and found, while a horse and buckboard stood ready to bring the first group of travelers to the nearest town. There they might find a room where they might clean up, perhaps a meal or just a stagecoach that would serve as the last leg of their journey.

Abby knew only immense relief to find her obnoxious tormentor left behind as she headed for Tucson with a wagon filled with women and children. She couldn’t wait to reach a decent hotel. She desperately longed for a bath, a change of clothes and, finally, a stagecoach that would take her as far away as possible from the happenings she suffered through last night. She was on her way to Arizona City and her mother’s wedding, and she could only pray never to see that monster again.

Abby enjoyed a good meal as she waited for her bath to be readied. Moments after, she’d finished her last bite, she sank her weary body into the hot water with a grateful sigh. She was sore. The dolt had lain upon her for hours, after knocking her to the floor without the least consideration of her person. Granted, he’d had no choice. If she were completely honest, and Abby prided herself on being honest, she’d admit that the man had saved her life. Still, she couldn’t find it in her heart to grant him the truth of that fact. Not after the things he’d done, the way he’d dared to touch her, the way he’d kissed her. Abby sighed at her wayward thoughts. There was no sense in reliving last night, remembering the things she’d done, the luscious things he’d shown her. It didn’t matter that she enjoyed his touch, his kisses. He shouldn’t have done it. And she was never going to forgive his audacity.

She moaned softly and tried to find a more comfortable position. Somehow, she’d banged her head and her shoulder as well, for it ached miserably and sported a huge bruise. Judging by the degree of tenderness, her backside was probably littered with a dozen black and blues. Oh, she had many reasons to hate that monster.

She refused to think about the most obvious reason. The beast wasn’t worthy of her thoughts, and she wouldn’t, she absolutely would not, think about—

A sob suddenly rushed up and nearly escape her throat. How did he know? How did he know where to touch her and how to touch her? How many women had he touched to learn to do it so well? Oh my God, how had she allowed it? Who had taught him to kiss like that? Who had shown him to use his tongue, to sweep her mouth and leave behind his taste?

Tears ran freely over her rounded cheeks. How could she have let him do the things he’d done? Because she hadn’t known what he was about. He’d tricked her. He’d teased her into believing it was only a dream, then a sweet, lovely kiss, and when she couldn’t stop him, he took advantage. Lord but she sincerely hated the beast. Truly, she did. All she could do was pray that the Lord would protect her and never bring him near her again.

Inside of an hour, Abby, once again in control of her emotions, sat in the shade of a building, awaiting the arrival of the afternoon stage.

* * * *

Within moments of watching Abby leave the wreckage, Linc had located his horse. Happily, the animal was none the worse for wear, for the last three cars had merely rolled to a stop and hadn’t left the tracks or suffered damage like those preceding them. Soon enough, he’d followed the next buckboard to Tucson.

He was in the restaurant across the street, downing the last of his coffee, when he saw her leave the hotel and sit on the bench before the stage office, her bag placed at her feet. Obviously, she sat waiting for the afternoon stage. Linc grinned at the thought, wondering what the lady might do once she realized he had bought a ticket on the same stage.

She wasn’t going to do a thing because she wasn’t going to find out until the very last second. He had no doubt the lady would be far from happy to see him again. Too bad. He’d made up his mind. She belonged to him. She simply didn’t know it yet.

* * * *

A half hour later, the stage with three passengers pulled out of Tucson only to stop a hundred yards or so from the town’s last building. Outside, a man showed the driver his ticket and explained, “Sorry, I’m running a little late. Mind if I tie my horse to the back?”

The driver responded, but Abby never heard his words, for the first voice sounded just like… Only, that couldn’t be. She shook her head. There was no way. Why would he take a stage? He had a horse. Why would he…

She watched a man move to the door and open it. Her entire body grew stiff. So stiff in fact that were she forced to move she hadn’t a doubt she’d shatter into a million pieces. She almost murmured aloud,
No, Oh my God, no!

He grinned as he entered the coach and sat. She closed her eyes and almost moaned in pain. He sat at her side. She didn’t care that it was the only place he could be expected to sit. She didn’t want him to sit. She didn’t want him here at all.

“Afternoon, folks,” he said amicably as if he weren’t the devil himself.

Abby stifled a groan, almost, while the lady opposite her smiled and nodded her head. Her husband at her side did much the same.

“Good weather, wouldn’t you say?” He said with a smile that encompassed all three traveling companions, making it a point to include the two opposite him in the conversation. “’Cause summer is a ways off, thank God.”

“Amen,” said the man, who as it turned out was a preacher. He and his wife were heading for a small town in southern California and a ministry awaiting them there.

“Where are you from?” he asked conversationally.

His fellow travelers didn’t hesitate to respond. At least, two of them didn’t. “St. Louis. We’ve been sent out to California. The minister there is ailing some. I’m to take his place.”

“And you, miss?” he asked, his gaze wide with supposed innocence, only Abby knew there wasn’t an innocent bone in this man’s evil body.

Still, she couldn’t think of a way to ignore his question without appearing terribly rude to the couple across from her, and this beast knew it.

“California,” she said with a smile, while her gaze glared her hatred.

“I’m heading for Arizona City, myself.”

“How nice,” Abby returned, wondering how he’d found out where she was going. How in the world had he done it? She knew she hadn’t told him. In fact, she hadn’t told anyone. Was this her cross to bear? Was she to constantly have this beast sniffing at her heels?

Again, Abby reached into her reticule and pulled out the very same dime novel that hadn’t helped her dissuade her first unwanted admirer. Her spectacles had been at her side, in perfect condition, the entire night. Abby had found them when she’d gone in search of her reticule and carpet bag. With her spectacles once again in place, she began to read, while her tormentor carried on a civil conversation with the two opposite them. “We’ll be stopping before dark, I expect. The roads hereabout aren’t safe after dark.”

The lady gasped. Her hands reached for her stomach and the small rounded protrusion found there. “What does that mean they ‘aren’t safe’?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to alarm you, ma’am. I only meant the roads are rough and the nights are dark. There’s no way a man can maneuver a stagecoach around rocks and such in the dark.”

“Oh,” the lady sighed with some obvious relief. “I hope there are decent accommodations.”

“I’m sure there’s no need to worry, ma’am. Most of these places prepare a room for the ladies, while the men find it easy enough to make do,” Linc said.

“At least, the food will be hearty,” he added. “It always is.”

“Do you travel much, Mr…”

“Knight, ma’am. Linc Knight.”

Abby hadn’t really been listening to the conversation—she didn’t want to listen to the conversation, but she couldn’t help it since it was going on around her. When she heard the name Knight, she gasped. “Knight? You say you’re Mr. Knight?”

Linc frowned as he turned toward her. “Do you know the name?”

“Have you a brother named Jebediah?”

“I have two brothers one is named Jack and an older brother named Jebediah. Do you know him?”

Abby shrugged. “You might say I know him. He’s the marshal of this Arizona territory.”

Linc nodded. “I suppose he is.”

“I understand he’s getting married.”

“Is he? We haven’t been in touch for awhile.”

“So you have no notion who he might be marrying then?”

They looked at each other for a long moment before Linc seemed to understand. Suddenly, he blurted out, “Jesus Christ! Are you telling me you’re about to marry my brother?”

The woman before him moaned an, “Oh dear,” while the preacher reminded, “Please sir, there are ladies present.”

“I’m not telling you anything. But if I’m not mistaken, I did tell you once before not to use our Lord’s name in vain.”

“Are you marrying him?” he insisted with no further pretence at civility.

“How is that any of your business?”