When Lightning Strikes

124

"Joe's not out there anymore, you know. He left right after we got here. Ask the lookout if you don't believe me."

"Then I'll find my way back alone." Keeping the gun pointed at him, she grabbed his half-full canteen and bedroll.

He frowned. "You saw it out there, Lainie. You'll die."

"Maybe." She backed to the door and opened it behind her. Slipping through, she banged it shut.

Then, as quickly as she'd appeared in his life, she was out of it.

Lainie hurtled down the road, trying to look inconspicuous and failing miserably. Men were everywhere. They slipped out of their tents and cabins and milled about, watching.

She came to the mouth of the tunnel and skidded to a stop. A shudder of fear and revulsion moved through her, made it hard to take another step. She stared into the blackness, smelling the dank odor, remembering the twisting labyrinth that lay beyond. Her heart was pounding so hard, she couldn't think or hear. She could barely breathe as she took her first step into the darkness.

Behind her, a gun clicked. Lainie froze. Cursing beneath her breath, she slowly turned around.

A bearded man stood about ten feet away. His gun was drawn. Men curled around him in a dirty, menacing horseshoe. "Hello, little lady," he said in a

scratchy voice.

She swallowed hard. "You're the lookout, I suppose."

He used his gun to tip the hat back on his head. "I am. And you ain't?"

Raucous voices cut him off. All the men started talking at once. Booming, hacking laughter spiked the air, echoed off the mesa walls.

Suddenly Killian shoved through the crowd of men. Stark naked, he strode toward her.

Lainie's knees went weak. "Oh, no ..."

He gave her a cold, predatory grin. "Never count on an outlaw's modesty."

Before she could answer, he slung her over his shoulder. Her face smacked into the hard curl of his butt. A firm globe of pale flesh filled her vision.

Male voices clamored to be heard above the laughing din.

"Hey, boss, poke her one for me!"

"Reckon that's one piece you oughta tie to the bed!"

Lainie slammed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth together.

Killian shoved through the crowd and marched back to his cabin. Lainie bounced against his back with every punishing step. He didn't stop at the door, just kicked it open and pushed through, slamming it shut behind him.

Before she'd even realized he'd stopped, he flipped her over his shoulder again. She stumbled backward and hit the cabin wall, wincing as pain bit through her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of him.

But even blinded, she felt his presence, was achingly aware of every step he took, every creaking snap of the floorboards. Heat brushed against her face, the air rustled, carrying with it the now familiar scent of dust and smoke and man.

"Open your eyes, Lainie," he whispered, and he was so close, she could feel the movement of his breath against her lips.

She cracked one eye open and immediately wished she hadn't.

126

He was a hairsbreadth in front of her, his naked body so close, she could feel the heat of him against her clothing. Arms framed her head, fists pressed against the wall on either side of it. His face was tilted down to hers, filled her field of vision so completely that the cabin faded to nothingness behind him.

"You don't learn very quickly. Where were you going?"