Free Wild Roses by Hannah Howell Page A

that my aunt will find you.”
    â€œNo. Despite all of your attempts to slow us down today,” he almost smiled at the quick flash of guilt that crossed her face, “I am not worried that she will catch us up anytime soon, if ever. She can’t ride with that foot and I don’t believe she’ll send those boys out alone. There are, however, a lot of other dangers to watch for. Bandits and Indians to name just two.” He did smile when she made a poor effort to hide a big yawn. “Go to bed, Ella.”
    â€œWhere is this bed?” She frowned as she looked around the camp and saw only one pile of blankets spread out on the other side of the fire. ”I see only one.”
    â€œThat’s all there is. We are going to be very close tonight.” He held up the shackles he had used on the train.
    â€œHas anyone ever told you what an irredeemable bastard you are?”
    â€œNot with as much feeling as you, Miss Carson.”
    It was embarrassing, but Ella managed to make her need for a moment of privacy understood. Harrigan called to George and then let her seek out a sheltered spot to see to her personal needs.
    The moment she was done, Ella walked straight to the bed, not looking or speaking to Harrigan. She needed a little time to get over her embarrassment, one she knew would be revisited on her for as long as she was with the men. They were trying very hard to respect her privacy, but she did not feel very grateful at the moment. If they had not allowed themselves to be hired by Harold, none of them would be in such an awkward position, so, she decided crossly, her discomfort was all their fault.
    Harrigan sighed as he banked the fire. He could not help but think that Harold Carson could have found a better way to retrieve his niece. In fact, although Louise was eccentric, he really saw no reason why the man could not have just left Ella with her aunt. Louise was Ella’s family, more so than Harold, and she clearly loved the girl. Some arrangement could have been made with the lawyers who controled Ella’s inheritance. It would appear that, at the very least, he had been dragged into the middle of a family squabble.
    He walked over to the bed, sat down, and yanked off his boots. When he reached over to grab Ella’s wrist, intending to shackle them together for the few hours of sleep he would be able to steal, she pulled away. He reached for her again and found himself in the middle of an undignified wrestling match. Although he tried not to hurt her, Ella obviously had no qualms about injuring him. He was panting and bruised by the time he got her pinned to the blanket, his right wrist securely manacled to her left one.
    As he stared into her angry face, he became far too aware of her slim, soft body pressed against his. Instead of moving off her, he settled himself more comfortably on top of her, smiling faintly when her eyes widened. He had been thinking about kissing her since the first time he had set eyes on her and wondered if he might have a chance to satisfy that urge now. Although he admitted there was a chance he was deceiving himself, he thought he caught a flicker of interest in her lovely face, as if she was having the same thought he was.
    â€œYou’ve chained me now,” she said, fighting to keep the huskiness out of her voice. “You can get off me.” Ella prayed that the man could not sense how much she liked the provocative position they were in.
    â€œI will in a moment,” he murmured as he leaned closer and touched his mouth to her soft, flushed cheek.
    â€œMr. Mahoney, I do not believe this is what my uncle hired you for.”
    He just smiled. “Such a sharp tongue hidden inside this soft, sweet mouth.”
    When he brushed his lips over hers she trembled, and inwardly cursed the weakness her body was so gleefully revealing. “I don’t want this,” she said.
    â€œWell, I could call you a liar, but that would be