Spitfire Sweetheart: A Four Weddings and A Kiss Novella by Mary Connealy Page A

anything to make the man killing mad.
    And Maizy knew, even though Rylan seemed like a mighty cranky man, that he wasn’t the type to shoot a young woman, especially not for just being annoying.
    He fired again and again, working the levered handle on his Winchester, and she finally realized he was firing warning shots. But warning who—about what?
    She scrambled out of the little overhang and took a few running steps to make sure he saw her and wouldn’t fire in her direction.
    That’s when she heard the growl . . . and the bellow.
    Spinning around, she looked up. On the ledge that formed the roof of her little cave, standing on its hind legs, was the biggest grizzly she’d ever seen.
    Movement to her side forced her to look, though it was madness to turn away. The huge Angus bull that lorded over this part of Carstens’s herd pawed the ground, and like all bulls, guarded his herd fiercely. There were only two things between that huge bear and that angry bull.
    The shining black calf, born out of season, still wobbly.
    And Maizy.
    The bull might be threatening the bear, but the bear only had eyes for Maizy. The rest of the cow herd, save the frantic mama, turned and stampeded away.

    The bull charged.
    The bear dropped to all fours and crouched to attack.
    Pound for pound there was no meaner animal on the face of the earth than a grizzly. Maizy had a Colt in her holster, but a bullet wasn’t enough to bring one of these huge beasts down. Maybe a perfect shot right into the heart or brain would do it . . . but mostly . . . getting shot just made ’em mad.
    The bear’s beady, bloodshot eyes were riveted on Maizy.
    The bull bellowed and turned the grizzly’s attention.
    Maizy saw her chance and ran.
    A shout and another blast of gunfire sent Maizy running straight down the grassy slope for Rylan. Her eyes locked with his and she saw horror. She thought he’d seen her, but she could tell he’d been out here riding herd and seen the grizzly.
    A thud from behind told her the bear was off the ledge. Another growl seemed to blow hot breath on the back of Maizy’s neck. Or maybe that was just the hair on the back of her neck standing up in pure terror.
    The bull charged, putting itself between the bear and the calf, then stopped to paw the earth with its front feet.
    Rylan fired again and again.
    Sprinting to get out of the middle, Maizy heard the thundering hooves ahead, the scratching claws of the grizzly right behind, and the deep-throated threats from the bull.
    The calf bawled piteously. The anxious mama cow rushed to her baby and began leading it away as fast as its unsteady legs would carry it.

    Judging from the growling behind her, Maizy knew the grizzly was more interested in her than a belligerent Angus.
    Running, hoping the bear would give up, she raced straight for Rylan.
    She saw his eyes take in the danger, then go to his bull, then come back to her. He kept firing and racing forward.
    Sprinting flat out, her boots thumped out a desperate beat.
    He jammed his rifle back into its scabbard on the saddle and drew his six-gun. He couldn’t shoot the bear—Maizy was right in the way—but he kept up the gunfire, probably hoping he’d scare the grizzly into breaking off the attack.
    It wasn’t working worth a hoot.
    “Maizy,” Rylan shouted as they closed the gap, “grab my hand.”
    He kicked his foot out of one stirrup to give Maizy a place to land. He holstered his pistol and took a firm hold of his pommel. Their eyes locked. He nodded at her. She tightened her jaw in grim determination and nodded back.
    His hand extended. She slapped her hand into his and he caught her. The grip slid. He clamped onto her wrist with the other hand, leaving the horse without a hand on the reins. He swung her up and she aimed to end up behind him. In the rush, she didn’t get a good swing, and Rylan made a desperate heave to keep her from falling to the ground. She landed facedown in front of him, her belly right on the