Free Carol Finch by The Ranger's Woman Page B

waiting to happen—and if he weren’t careful he would land right smack dab in the middle of it with her.
    If he were lucky enough to locate the stronghold without being spotted, he might be able to spare the time to escort Piper to Fort Davis, then rejoin his battalion so they could lay siege to the outlaws’ stronghold.
    That was the best-case scenario. Which rarely ever happened in his line of work.
    When Quinn reined toward the edge of the rocky cliff, forcing the horses to sidestep downhill, Piper stared warily at him, her face losing all color. “Where are we going?”
    Another rush of pleasure shot through him when she plastered herself against him, as if seeking reassuring support while they sidestepped down the steep hillside.Quinn battled tooth and nail to prevent his lusty response to the feel of her curvaceous body pressed to his.
    “You said you needed a drink. My canteen is dry and the spring is tucked in a lower valley. The only way to reach it is to pick our way down the footpath to Sunset Springs.”
    Piper huddled against the solid wall of his chest, comforted by the feel of his arms holding her securely in place. She refused to glance sideways, knowing she wouldn’t be comfortable peering over bluffs anytime soon without feeling as if she were about to plunge to her death.
    “If you can hold out for an hour you’ll have more water than Moses,” Quinn assured her.
    Frowning, she glanced back at him. “What has Moses got to do with this?”
    “He had forty days and nights of rain, didn’t he?”
    Piper smiled. “No, that was Noah and his ark of animals,” she corrected. “You have your stories mixed up.”
    Which was no surprise, considering his unusual upbringing.
     
    A long hour later, feeling drained and light-headed, Piper glanced toward the spring-fed pool that glittered in the sunlight. A sense of relief rippled through her, overriding the nagging nausea and throbbing headache. The moment Quinn drew the horse to a halt she swung her right leg sideways and slid to the ground. Her legs buckled immediately.
    If Quinn hadn’t snaked out a hand to grab her by the nape of her blouse she would have collapsed. Steadying her with one hand, he dismounted, then propelled her to the edge of the inviting pool. Piper cupped her hands together to scoop up a sip of water.
    Her thirst finally quenched, she splattered water on her face and neck. A sigh of pleasure tumbled from her lips while she bathed her face again and again.
    When a shadow fell over her, she glanced up to see Quinn looming over her. There was a squint in his golden eyes and a questioning expression on his bronzed face.
    “Can you handle a firearm?” he asked out of the blue.
    “No. That was just a bluff earlier. I’ve never fired a pistol before.”
    “Figured as much.” With practiced ease he slid the Colt from the holster and handed it to her. “You can stay here to rest while I scout ahead. Most likely I won’t be back until dark. Varmints gather here to drink so keep your guard up and the pistol close at hand.”
    He showed her how to cock the trigger and informed her that there were five rounds in the chamber. “Use this weapon only if absolutely necessary,” he cautioned. “Sound carries for miles in these stone valleys. We don’t want to alert unwanted guests to the fact that we’re here.”
    “That’s it?” she chirped incredulously as he pivoted on his heels to amble toward his horse. “You’re just going to leave me alone indefinitely?”
    Piper was sorry to say that she had become shamefully dependent on him. Blast it, part of the reason for fleeing from her father was to establish her independence and regain her sense of self. Unfortunately, being held at gunpoint by bandits and dangling over a cliff hadtaken most of the starch out of her. Humiliating though it was to admit, she felt secure and comforted by Quinn’s presence—even when she knew she was an unwanted inconvenience to him.
    He gestured his