Free Bounty Hunter by Donna Kauffman Page B

grumbled, ignoring the slight twitch of his lips, knowing
     he’d read her hesitation correctly.
    She shifted to glance out the rear window and remembered the groceries. She reached
     for her canvas tote that sat on the bench seat between them. “I completely forgot
     about the food. Here, let me pay—”
    “No need.”
    “But I didn’t mean for you to—”
    “I know. Like I said, don’t worry about it.”
    She knew there was more in those boxes than she’d had on the list. “At least let me
     pay for—”
    “I said let it go.”
    “My half,” she finished stubbornly. “I was only trying to help. I didn’t think you
     had …” This time she let her words trail off as it occurred to her that what she’d
     been about to say probably would have offended him.
    “Money?” he finished.
    She winced. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. After all, it isn’t as if I don’t understand.”
     She tried for a tone of self-deprecating humor to take the sting out of the conversation,
     but his jawline remained rock-hard.
    “What made you think I didn’t have any money?” he said.
    She turned to look at him. “I don’t know, Iguess I assumed that finances were tight, since you were looking to trade labor for
     board.”
    “If you recall, I made the offer because of your situation, not mine.”
    “But you said yourself you’re a wanderer, that you move from place to place. So it
     wasn’t exactly unreasonable of me to think you weren’t rolling in it.”
    “Apology accepted.”
    She sputtered and turned to tell him she hadn’t said anything to apologize for, only
     to see the corner of his mouth curving slightly. She chuckled softly at having been
     played so smoothly.
    The soft sound brought his head around. The moment their eyes met, her smile faded.
     After another second, so did his. Tension filled the small cab until a jolt of the
     truck as it hit a rut brought Kane’s attention back to the road. Elizabeth turned
     to gaze out of her window, half expecting to find it steamed over.
    They rode in silence for several minutes before she gave in to her curiosity. “Are
     you really happy moving around the way you do? Do you ever dream of doing something
     else?”
    He was silent for so long, it surprised her when he answered. “I’ve never thought
     of it in terms of happiness or sadness. It’s simply the way I live.”
    She shifted sideways so she could look at him while they talked. “Yeah, but don’t
     you ever see yourself doing something else? I mean, what about when you get old? Don’t
     you want a family?”
    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his fingers tighten on the wheel.
    “I’m not exactly family-man material.”
    The pain that knifed through Elizabeth at his solemn statement was surprisingly sharp.
     She didn’t want to hurt him, but maybe the fact that he’d answered at all meant he
     wanted to talk about it but didn’t know how.
    “That’s not what I asked,” she said gently. When he didn’t respond, she switched tactics,
     not analyzing why it was suddenly so important to her to draw him out. “You named
     your horse Sky Dancer. I remember you saying your grandmother’s name was Cloud Dancer.
     Any connection?”
    “Yes, there’s a connection.”
    “She’s beautiful. I watched you work her yesterday.” She realized what she’d admitted
     to, but brazened it out when he didn’t comment. “Do you ride everywhere you go?”
    “No. I drive a truck most of the time. I have a few friends who take care of my horses.”
    “You have more than one?”
    He shot her a wry grin. “Yes, I have more than one.”
    She opened her mouth to ask another question, but he cut her off.
    “Did anyone ever tell you that there’s such a thing as being too curious?”
    She wanted to smile at his gentle sarcasm, but memories of Sam and the volatile accusations
     he’d flung at her that night in his car outside of JoeTwyler’s house flashed through her brain, stealing away any