sigh, turning back to the saloon. He knew Addy was going to be
standing on the porch, even before he saw her. The woman was incapable of
doing anything he asked. He stared up at her, hating that she’d just watched
him kill someone. Hating that she saw this place for what it really was.
Hating that he was just bred to kill and defend, without the softness she
deserved.
“I
told you I was dangerous.” He said quietly.
Green
eyes were damp with compassion. “Come inside, Cade.” She whispered. “It’ll
be alright. Just come inside.”
“Someone’s
gotta dig a grave for him.” He gestured towards Werd, not meeting Addy’s
gaze. “The ground’s frozen and he’s an ass. Was an ass. Nobody else
will bother.”
“Jacobi
and Deke will do it.” Addy held out a palm to him. “You come with me, now.”
She
had the most beautiful hands he’d ever seen. Cade had been insane to ever
question the point of the frivolous purple paint on her nails. No matter what
it cost, it was worth it. Addy should have pretty things. Soft
things. She should be surrounded by nothing but peace and sunlight. She
deserved that.
A
lady this pure shouldn’t be in Shadow-of-the-Gods, where men died in the street.
The death and grime and gloom of this place would destroy her. Fuck. Had he
even for one second imagined that he might be able to keep her? That he could somehow
be worthy of such a gentle creature?
He
was such a godsdamn fool.
Cade
stepped back, away from the comfort she offered. “I’m fine.” He told her,
even though he wasn’t. “Just stay in the house. Stay away from me .”
“Cade,
wait!” She called, but he was already walking away.
Chapter Five
And don’t
think the fun ends at sundown!
Every day
wraps up with a fun-filled sing along and rousing campfire.
(Caution:
DO NOT light rousing campfires without glamping-ranger supervision.)
Brown’s
Glampling Tours Official Pocket Guide
Addy
had read somewhere that NASA had shot a recording of Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
into space. It was one of the artifacts that they thought would show the
universe the heights of human achievement.
Apparently,
Bach worked for communicating with future cowboys, too. Well, that and all the
piano lessons she’d taken, during her “musical phase.” In her continuing
search for something that clicked with her, tenth-grade-Addy had decided to be
a pianist. The phase didn’t last long, since she’d kept blowing off practice
to watch afternoon soaps, but she could still play better than your average
Shadow-of-the-Godsian. Cade’s bar didn’t have a baby grand, but it did have
that harpsichordy-violinish instrument and Addy had been glued to its bench for
over a month.
She
drew an audience every night.
The
sounds it made were lighter and sweeter than a piano, but it worked the same
way and it reminded her of home. At first, she’d only played it when she was
alone, trying to recall every song she knew. After a while, though, she stopped
worrying people watching her. She had more on her mind than some smelly
miners, so let them eavesdrop if they wanted.
Every
night, she played whatever music she could dredge from her memory banks and the
whole town seemed enthralled. It was weird to be at the center of so much
attention. In fact, it made her uncomfortable, so Addy tried to ignore the
men. She was playing the not!piano for herself not for them.
Mostly,
the men ignored her, too. Or at least they didn’t talk to her. About her sure. She could piece together bits of their fractured language (although
she usually preferred not to) and she knew they liked to discuss her hair and
body and eyes and pretty much everything else from the feet up. But, they
didn’t come close to her. Not with the Westins around.
And
they were always around.
When
she went into town, one of them was right beside her. Not that she left
standing on the porch, even before he saw her. The woman was incapable of
doing anything he asked. He stared up at her, hating that she’d just watched
him kill someone. Hating that she saw this place for what it really was.
Hating that he was just bred to kill and defend, without the softness she
deserved.
“I
told you I was dangerous.” He said quietly.
Green
eyes were damp with compassion. “Come inside, Cade.” She whispered. “It’ll
be alright. Just come inside.”
“Someone’s
gotta dig a grave for him.” He gestured towards Werd, not meeting Addy’s
gaze. “The ground’s frozen and he’s an ass. Was an ass. Nobody else
will bother.”
“Jacobi
and Deke will do it.” Addy held out a palm to him. “You come with me, now.”
She
had the most beautiful hands he’d ever seen. Cade had been insane to ever
question the point of the frivolous purple paint on her nails. No matter what
it cost, it was worth it. Addy should have pretty things. Soft
things. She should be surrounded by nothing but peace and sunlight. She
deserved that.
A
lady this pure shouldn’t be in Shadow-of-the-Gods, where men died in the street.
The death and grime and gloom of this place would destroy her. Fuck. Had he
even for one second imagined that he might be able to keep her? That he could somehow
be worthy of such a gentle creature?
He
was such a godsdamn fool.
Cade
stepped back, away from the comfort she offered. “I’m fine.” He told her,
even though he wasn’t. “Just stay in the house. Stay away from me .”
“Cade,
wait!” She called, but he was already walking away.
Chapter Five
And don’t
think the fun ends at sundown!
Every day
wraps up with a fun-filled sing along and rousing campfire.
(Caution:
DO NOT light rousing campfires without glamping-ranger supervision.)
Brown’s
Glampling Tours Official Pocket Guide
Addy
had read somewhere that NASA had shot a recording of Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
into space. It was one of the artifacts that they thought would show the
universe the heights of human achievement.
Apparently,
Bach worked for communicating with future cowboys, too. Well, that and all the
piano lessons she’d taken, during her “musical phase.” In her continuing
search for something that clicked with her, tenth-grade-Addy had decided to be
a pianist. The phase didn’t last long, since she’d kept blowing off practice
to watch afternoon soaps, but she could still play better than your average
Shadow-of-the-Godsian. Cade’s bar didn’t have a baby grand, but it did have
that harpsichordy-violinish instrument and Addy had been glued to its bench for
over a month.
She
drew an audience every night.
The
sounds it made were lighter and sweeter than a piano, but it worked the same
way and it reminded her of home. At first, she’d only played it when she was
alone, trying to recall every song she knew. After a while, though, she stopped
worrying people watching her. She had more on her mind than some smelly
miners, so let them eavesdrop if they wanted.
Every
night, she played whatever music she could dredge from her memory banks and the
whole town seemed enthralled. It was weird to be at the center of so much
attention. In fact, it made her uncomfortable, so Addy tried to ignore the
men. She was playing the not!piano for herself not for them.
Mostly,
the men ignored her, too. Or at least they didn’t talk to her. About her sure. She could piece together bits of their fractured language (although
she usually preferred not to) and she knew they liked to discuss her hair and
body and eyes and pretty much everything else from the feet up. But, they
didn’t come close to her. Not with the Westins around.
And
they were always around.
When
she went into town, one of them was right beside her. Not that she left
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