Free Devils on Horseback: Nate by Beth Williamson Page B

girl just waiting to be caught by us stealthy marauders.”
    “The nets had a tripping mechanism somewhere,” Jake offered. “I felt it close around my ankle and then all hell broke loose. Lee tried to help and the second net closed on him, then Nate found the third one.”
    “Dammit, we’ve wasted another day.” Nate punched the corral fence post. Frustration raced through him, or was it a guilty conscience in addition to humiliation? He’d been caught in a simple trap by a not-so-simple girl.
    * * * * *
    Elisa watched from the tree line with a grin on her face. She knew the stupid trick wouldn’t work more than once, but it was fun to watch grown men get caught in it.
    She cupped her hand and called, “You can come back for more any time you want.”
    A few curses and grumbles met her offer. They walked away shaking off the honey and Midnight’s evening pile of shit. Next time, she knew they wouldn’t be so unsuspecting.
    Ten minutes passed before Daniel appeared behind the house with a smile and a wave. Elisa took her rifle and walked toward him, ready to start their day in earnest.

Chapter Six
    It took more than hour to get the damn sticky stuff off. The stream wasn’t deep enough so they followed it until they found a pond. Fortunately, Nate had purchased soap and the three of them could wash themselves and their clothes. Nate would never eat honey again. Cursed stuff was like glue. It would be molasses for him from now on.
    Gideon was the only one left at the pond. Everyone else had gone back to camp, their moods ranging from annoyed, to amused, to downright furious.
    Gideon, however, seemed thoughtful. “Your Elisa got the best of us today.” He held up his hand. “Don’t even bother telling me she’s not your Elisa. I can see the truth in your eyes, Nate.”
    Nate slapped at the water, spraying the bank on the other side of the pond. “I never intended on anything happening between us. She’s a girl, Gid.” He met his friend’s gaze. “And she was a virgin.”
    “That certainly complicates things.”
    “I know. Believe me, I know it.” He swam toward the grass next to Gideon. “I have trouble accepting that it even happened. It was so fast, so surprising… I lost control.”
    Saying it out loud did not make him feel any better. If anything, it made Nate feel worse.
    “We all lose control now and then. You’re human.” Gideon put a blade of grass between his thumbs and blew, a high-pitched whistle sounding from the vibration. “The question is, what do we do about it?”
    “Nothing. We can’t afford to turn down this job.” Nate rubbed himself dry with his blanket then put on blessedly clean clothes that didn’t smell of honey and horse shit.
    Gideon grabbed his arm. “Someone’s going to get hurt here, Nate, and it might be one of us or it could be one of the Taggerts.”
    “I am well aware of that fact.” Nate hadn’t slept because of it, amongst all the other things that had happened since he met Elisa.
    “Can you live with that?”
    “I have to.”
    “So be it.”
    Rodrigo appeared at their camp during the dinner meal. They’d all been lost in their thoughts, eating the simple ham biscuits and brooding. No one stood to greet him.
    “Rodrigo,” Gideon said much more casually than Nate could have managed. “What brings you by?”
    “Mr. O’Shea wanted to know what’s been happening. We hear things.” The dark-eyed man smiled at each of them. “A week has already gone by without word. Just wanted to see if you have any information.”
    Nate unlocked his tongue. “It hasn’t quite been one week. Right now we’re doing reconnaissance and determining the best method of removal.”
    “You do talk fancy, don’t you?” Rodrigo laughed. “I don’t know what half of what you said means.” His charming persona was gone, in its place the gun-toting hired man who had lurked behind his eyes.
    Nate had to force himself to hold back the anger. “I am educated, Mr.