Free Rocky Mountain Rogue (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 5) by Lee Savino

forehead. "Do as I say and we'll get along."
    Part of her stiffened at his patronizing tone, but he was already moving about the room, grabbing his bag and packing his rifle into it.
    "We're going to try to sneak out of here. I'd say we need to lay low, but I don't know how long it will be before one of the men below report a pretty blonde woman, and Doyle's men come looking for you."
    Susannah pulled out his handkerchief and threw it on the bed.
    Jesse turned and a swath of dark hair fell across his forehead, framing his masculine good looks. Pity he wasn't ugly. It would be easier to hate him.
    "Susannah," he said, and held out his hand. With a sigh, she crossed the room and took it.
    They started down the hall, Jesse carrying his bag and keeping a strong hand on her back. They'd reached the top of the stairs before their luck ran out.
    "There she is." One of the thugs from the lobby was at the foot of the stairs, pointing up at them. Two more men started to push past him, guns out. Susannah froze, but Jesse didn't.
    "Go." He pushed Susannah behind him, and fired down the stairs before turning and running with her. He pushed her past their bedroom, all the way down the hall, then kicked open a door at the end. He practically threw her into the room, waving his gun at the man on the bed who turned with a shout.
    "Just passing through," Jesse said. "Don't want any trouble."
    This bedroom had a window. Susannah hurried to the window and tried to draw up the sash; Jesse followed, and sweeping her aside again, put a boot through it.
    The glass shattered, and taking care of the shards, Jesse thrust Susannah through the open frame, keeping a hand on her arm to stop her from falling.
    Jesse climbed out behind her, gun still pointed at the surprised man. He whistled, and a horse came trotting up the alley. Susannah recognized the black stallion with a white star on his forehead.
    "Here, Jordan," he called, and the horse moved forward. "Come on." Grabbing Susannah, he lowered her from the room down into the saddle, and handed her his bag. He was settling behind her when bullets flew from the window above him.
    Pistol in hand, Jesse fired back, gaining them some cover as he finished seating himself and prodded Jordan forward.
    "Hang on, Susannah."
    The stallion shot forward and left the town in a cloud of dust.
    * * *
    They galloped for miles, stopping only briefly at a stream to get water. Jesse filled the canteen, and handed it to her to drink first.
    "You all right?" he asked when she was finished and wiping her mouth.
    "Yes." It was the truth, more or less. After two days with her rogue, she was beginning to equate a good hour with one where she wasn't being shot at or held at knife point.
    "We'll ride for a bit and sleep out here tonight. Lay low."
    Susannah took a moment to look around. 'Out here' was a harsh, rocky terrain boasting only toughened bushes, red earth, and a long range of mountains rising in the west. "Are they following us?"
    "Probably." He finished off the water before refilling the canteen. "But I'm going to keep you safe."
    * * *
    They finally dismounted at dusk. Susannah wandered around the clearing that would make their campsite, stretching and sighing. Jesse unbridled Jordan and let the horse roam to graze on the few grassy patches by a small spring. Thinking to help, she took up the water canteen and headed for the little stream.
    "Watch out for snakes," Jesse called.
    Susannah froze. Sloshing the remaining water in the canteen she decided that they had enough water to last them awhile.
    He set out the saddlebags and bedroll on a nearby rock.
    A thought struck her. "Jesse, where are my bags?"
    "Well, baggage, let me put it this way. The good news is I don't think anyone's following. The bad news is I sent your luggage to Denver, and we're going the other way."
    "What?" she shrieked.
    "I figured if Mrs. Marsh gave them your description, they'd follow your luggage north. I can put you on a stage back to