Rocky Mountain Rose (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 3) by Lee Savino

through and broke their camp, the game was up. You saw me shoot some of them. And here’s where fortune really smiled: as I was routing them, the stagecoach they were waiting for came through, and it had its own shooters. ‘Course, by then, most of the bandits had turned tail and run. Then it was just a matter of rounding them up. It was easy to pick them off, one by one.” Jesse sounded like he was talking about a game at a church picnic, not shooting down outlaws. Rose peeked through her hair and saw the satisfaction on the young man’s face. With his cheeks flushed with excitement and green eyes sparkling, his rough face looked almost as handsome as his older brother’s.
    “Any bounties?” Lyle asked.
    “Perhaps. At any rate, stage couch owner is grateful, and wants to pay me to escort them on. I said I’d camp here tonight with you, then give my answer. If I go with them, I’m looking at double a day’s wage for a ride back to town. And I have a few of the bandit’s horses I can sell. I know I said I’d ride on with you…”
    Lyle slapped his brother on the back. “Go on, you rascal,” he said without rancor. “Won’t hurt you to get paid for this venture. Rose and I will get on to the homestead tomorrow. Shouldn’t have any more trouble.”
    Jesse grinned back, then lowered his voice. “How is your wild Rose?”
    “She got a lesson she won’t soon forget.” It was Lyle’s turn to sound satisfied, and Jesse’s to slap his back.
    “I bet. You’ll make her ride a horse with a whipped behind?”
    “We’ll camp here tonight; take it slow tomorrow.”
    “Well, then all’s well that ends well, I guess. If it had to happen, at least she had perfect timing.” Ducking his head, Jesse caught Rose peeping at him, and winked at her. He didn’t seem upset by the forced attack. At all. The younger brother turned his grin to Lyle. “I’ll go now, give my answer to the coach master, then circle round the butte, make sure we don’t got any more surprises.”
    “Be back by sunset, or miss dinner.”
    “All right, brother,” Jesse drawled. “But I may make my bunk on the other side of the river. Less chance of over hearing a lover’s spat.”
    Rose glared at him.
    Lyle called him a name, affectionately, and the rugged brother loped off.
    As they approached nightfall, Lyle built up the fire and started drawing out supplies. True to his word, Jesse returned, and after they supped together, he took his bedroll far out of sight of the two newlyweds.
    Rose undressed down to her chemise, but couldn’t bring herself to lie down. Drawing a blanket around her shoulders, she paced around the fire, watching it die. Lyle left to picket the horses, and when he returned, she stared at him across the camp. Shadows danced across his face, resting in the hollows of his cheekbones and accentuating his full lips. She felt a pang at his incredible beauty. How was such a man married to her?
    Before she knew it, he’d prowled around the campfire and was standing right in front her: real, solid, made of flesh and blood and not spirit. Not an angel, or if he was, one fallen to earth. Probably sent to haunt her.
    “What’s wrong, Rose?” His head tilted as he studied her.
    She drew a ragged breath and pushed a hand through her hair. “I don’t know what I’m doing here.”
    He took a step closer. “Do you need to know?”
    “Yes.” Her hands flew out to emphasize her feelings. “I’ve been fending for myself for a long time. I’m not used to being out of control.”
    His grin rewarded her honesty. “Well, then, I’ll tell you. I’m taking you home.”
    Home. The word hit her like a cannonball.
    Lyle didn’t seem to notice. He put his arms around her and continued. “If we ride hard tomorrow, we can be at the homestead by dusk. I’m to trade the gelding for a cow my neighbor Miles has for us. He and his wife live close by, and helped build the cabin.” Rose didn’t move, didn’t speak, just listened to