When Lightning Strikes

Mom, I'm home.

229

He reined Captain to a stop. "This is probably a good place to make camp."

She pulled back, blinked. "Camp?

The sun just set. I want to ride as far as possible tonight."

"You have. Now, get off."

She pressed the gun more tightly against his ribs. "You've obviously forgotten that I have a gun on you."

"Sure, Lainie. Outlaws forget shit like that all the time."

"Then?"

"Then nothing. This is the last water for twelve miles. It's the end of the line for tonight."

"I'm not thirsty."

"The horse is. Now, get off before I swing my arm back and knock you off."

Lainie stared at his back again, and this time there were no thoughts about resting her head against him, no daydreams drifting through her mind. This was the moment she'd dreaded all day. It was so safe with him in front of her on the horse, the gun pressed to his side. It placed her in a position of power. But when they were both on the ground . . .

"Put your hands behind your back," she said.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

He wrapped the reins around the saddle horn and did as she asked. She untied a length of rope from the saddle's skirt and twisted it around Killian's wrists, binding them as tightly as she could.

She looked away quickly, but not before the image of bound wrists had registered in her mind. A shudder moved through her, settled as a tightness in her chest. She couldn't help feeling a twinge of regret at doing this to him. It was so demoralizing, so ... She shook the thought off, trying not to care.

230

"Is that too tight?"

"It'll make dancing difficult."

Lainie edged backward, off the skirt and onto the hairy hump of Captain's butt. "Get down."

Killian brought one booted foot over the saddle horn and twisted in his seat, sliding downward. He hit the ground with a dusty thump and turned to her. He stood directly beside her, his face tilted up to hers. The black hat cast his face in shadow, so she couldn't see anything except the jarring whiteness of his teeth.

"Move back. I want to dismount."

He didn't move. "I wouldn't want you to fall," he said in a quiet, seductive voice that filled her with longing.

Her throat felt tight. "I'm not going to fall. Now, back up."

"No."

She stared down at the shadowy lower half of his face, knowing?as he did?that if she slid off the other side, the horse would be between them. She couldn't shoot him, and if she didn't have a clear shot at him at all times, she wasn't in control.

And she shuddered to think what would happen out here if she ever lost control.

"Are you going to stay up there all night?"