Free Sabrina's Man by Gilbert Morris Page B

we can talk about it, can’t we?”
    â€œSure. Come on and sit on the front porch.”
    The three sat down in front of a shack that at least had a porch with a roof on it.
    Waco brought out a bottle and three glasses. “If you’re dry, this is pretty good whiskey.”
    â€œAny whiskey is good whiskey,” Trey said. When he swallowed it, his eyes flew open, and he gasped. “That’s like liquid fire.”
    â€œYeah, the Indians like it.”
    â€œWhat are you doing out here all by yourself?” Callie asked.
    â€œThat’s what I am. All by myself. I got tired of people back East. Here I do as I please.”
    â€œYou couldn’t be making much coin selling whiskey to the Indians.”
    â€œI don’t need much.”
    â€œOf course you do. Every man needs a lot. Look, you go in with us, and in six months you’d have enough cash you wouldn’t have to sell whiskey to the Indians.”
    â€œWell, tell me about it.”
    Trey was a good talker, and for a while he outlined the plan for making money. “Robbing trains, that’s where it’s at. My boys are good at that, but like I say, we lost a man.”
    â€œYou don’t know me.”
    â€œWell, you don’t know me either. You watch me and I’ll watch you.”
    â€œI wouldn’t do it if I were you, Smith,” Callie said.
    Her remark obviously interested Waco. “Why not, Miss Callie?”
    â€œYou just look like a loner.”
    â€œThat’s what I intend to be.”
    â€œCallie, you keep out of this,” LeBeau protested. “We need some help.”
    The conversation went on for an hour, and Trey was pleased to see that Waco was interested.
    Waco said finally, “Well, I’ll come along with you, and we’ll see if I fit. If I don’t, I can always come back.”
    â€œSure. We’re not too far away from here. You can come back anytime.” As they shook hands, Trey was mentally counting all the money Waco Smith was going to help them take from all those unsuspecting trains.

    Waco had been welcomed by LeBeau’s band. Frank and Jesse James were gone, but the rest of them seemed to find him acceptable. It was not that he did anything, but they were careful in their movements around him for they had heard he was deadly with a gun. He did not have the reputation of a killer, but he had pulled and drawn on several men before they could even move.
    One interesting thing was that Callie seemed to be fascinated by him. They went on several brief hunting trips together, and on one of them she said, “You have many sweethearts, Waco?”
    â€œI almost had one once, but she didn’t love me.”
    â€œDid she say that? Tell you she didn’t love you?”
    â€œNo, she waited until I was gone to war, and then she ran off with my best friend. He was my partner in business.” A wry expression touched his face. “He took all I had.”
    She was quiet for a while before she said, “Trey is jealous of me. Haven’t you noticed how he looks at you when we go out together?”
    â€œI’ve noticed.”
    â€œAre you afraid of him?”
    He grinned. “All LeBeau can do is kill me, and he couldn’t kill me but once.”
    â€œDoesn’t that bother you?”
    â€œNo.”
    She suddenly said, “What do you feel for me?”
    â€œYou’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
    They were sitting under a tree, and he read an invitation in her eyes. He reached forward, pulled her close, and kissed her. She lay soft in his arms. Then she put her arms around him and drew him closer. Her warmth became a part of him, and her nearness brought up a constant, never-lessening want. He was conscious of her in a way he had never been conscious of any woman, not even Alice.
    The effect of the kiss worked at him. They were along the edge of the same mystery every other man and woman