Free High Gun at Surlock (2006) by Terrell L Bowers Page A

and neatly pressed.’ Her words were crisp, and she appeared poised like a deer about to spook – one foot in the air, ready to plant it for traction and sprint away.
    ‘That all you wanted to see me about?’ he asked.
    ‘Yes,’ she was again abrupt, ‘What else would I have to say to you?’
    ‘Hum-m,’ he said. ‘Sure a long way to ride just to say you’re sorry.’
    ‘I didn’t say I was sorry,’ she countered defensively. ‘I merely wanted you to know I didn’t ask my brother to pick a fight with you.’
    ‘Why should it matter what I think?’
    Jessie threw up her hands. ‘It doesn’t matter!’ she snapped. ‘Not one tiny bit!’
    He smiled at her flash-fire temper.
    ‘I was about to get some breakfast. I’d be right proud if you’d join me for a bite to eat.’
    ‘I didn’t seek you out for a social call.’
    Kyler displayed a serious mien.
    ‘You don’t have to constantly keep your guard up around me, Jessie,’ he said easily. ‘My only aim is to court you proper.’
    ‘You’re one of Huxton’s gunmen!’ She spat out the words. ‘I could never feel anything but contempt for you! Not in a million years!’
    ‘Only a million?’ He grinned. ‘At least there’s hope for the future.’
    ‘You’re an insufferable dolt, Kyler Dane!’
    He ignored the insult. ‘What would it take to impress you, Miss Yates? There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.’
    ‘You could go take a dive off of the nearest tall cliff!’
    He chuckled at her pluck. ‘Well, almost nothing I wouldn’t do.’
    She gave him another once-over, obviously taking note of the bruises on his face, the swelling around his jaw and the lump over one eye. Mike had dealt him a fair amount of punishment.
    ‘At least this is one contest you didn’t win,’ shesaid with a grim satisfaction.
    Kyler arched his brows.
    ‘Didn’t win?’
    ‘You know, you won the horse-race and you embarrassed me at the creek. You even made a fool of me when I stopped your wagon. It’s nice to know you can lose too.’
    ‘You’re here, aren’t you?’ he asked pointedly. At her scowl, he smiled. ‘What makes you think I didn’t allow Mike to pound on me some, just so you would be forced to come and express your regret?’
    ‘Don’t hand me that garbage! You had no choice about taking a beating!’
    ‘And it’s right satisfying too.’ He ignored her argument. ‘It was worth getting a few bruises, just to have you apologize.’
    ‘Apologize!’ she screeched. ‘I don’t know why I thought I had to come into town and humiliate myself. I should have known my brother didn’t do you any real harm – he kept hitting you in the head!’
    ‘It don’t change the fact you cared enough to make the ride,’ Kyler replied. ‘I sure do look forward to our having a dance together tomorrow night.’
    ‘Mike will be there, Mr Gunman. You so much as look at me wrong and I’ll have him finish what he started!’
    ‘I reckon one dance with you would make another beating worthwhile.’
    She jerked the reins of her horse loose from the hitching-rail and swung aboard like a Comanche warrior.
    ‘You’re impossible!’ she yelled down at him.‘You’re the most impossible man I ever met!’
    Before he could offer another word, she dug in her heels and dashed away on her horse. She rode out of sight within seconds and Kyler smiled at her hasty retreat.
    ‘By jingo! I do believe I’ve finally broke through the ice with that there gal.’
     
    Charles Huxton escorted Alma to the coach. He grimaced at the fact Jeff Yates was the man up on the driver’s seat.
    ‘I’ll be expecting some positive changes, Charles,’ she said. Then meaningfully, she added: ‘Thirty days.’
    ‘I’ll be in touch,’ was Huxton’s reply.
    Alma climbed aboard and shut the stage door.
    ‘I should have waited for your Concord to be in service,’ she complained, taking a seat next to the window. ‘I’m going to be stiff for a week after riding in this bucket