of her bout with whiskey, he diagnosed. Nonetheless, she had gathered up the gear and climbed down from their elevated campsite to join him.
“How’s your head?” he asked without preamble.
“And good morning to you, too,” she replied. Maddie walked over to tie the gear behind the saddle. “Sleep well, Jonah?”
The casual tone of her voice provoked him to frown. She was laboring under the erroneous notion that resisting the temptation she presented wasn’t driving him crazy. Well, she was dead wrong about that, but he’d shoot himself in the foot a couple of times before he admitted it.
Jonah suspected that most men drooled over this fetching female, and he wasn’t about to join the ranks of her hopeless admirers. And for all he knew she could be a cunning crook who was using him to protect her stash of money during her getaway. Hell, there could be wanted posters out on Maddie Garret and he wouldn’t know for sure unless he visited the nearest sheriff’s office to check.
“Jonah?”
He corraled his rambling thoughts and shot her a quick glance. “I slept just fine, thanks for asking,” he replied in a clipped voice. “We’ll forgo breakfast since we’ll be at Fort Griffin by noon. Ready to ride, Garret?”
When Maddie swung into the saddle Jonah’s betraying gaze riveted on the shapely curve of her derriere. He swore ripely and mounted his horse.
Jonah circled the sandstone bluff and headed north. Although Maddie commented on the rugged beauty of the hills that were dotted with juniper and mesquite, Jonah kept a sharp lookout for unwanted company. Two hours into the journey they encountered a supply wagon. The ogling stares that the two bearded men directed toward Maddie didn’t escape him. Although she waved and smiled cordially, Jonah nodded curtly.
“Are you always this grumpy or are you having a bad day?” Maddie questioned belatedly.
“I’ve found that if you treat every stranger like a potential enemy you’re never surprised if trouble comes your way.”
When she shook her head in dismay sunlight blazed like fire in that mass of curly hair. Jonah did his damnedest not to notice how utterly appealing she was to him.
“You’ve spent entirely too much time associating with murderers and thieves. They are poisoning your outlook on life.”
Jonah didn’t reply, just headed north at a fast clip. When he spotted the flag flying on Government Hill, where the fort was located, he veered west to approach the community from the opposite direction than the two bushwhackers might have anticipated.
“Our first order of business is to find a guide,” Jonah said as they trotted into the Flat that sat at the base of the hill overlooking the river.
“I told you I’m going alone.”
“Not acceptable.” Jonah grabbed the mare’s rein, just in case Maddie decided to be contrary and tried to take off in the wrong direction.
“I am not your responsibility,” she muttered in annoyance. She reached into the pocket of her breeches for the money to pay Jonah for his services. “Here. Take this and go.”
Jonah ignored her as he weaved around the horses and wagons that filled the streets of the community. He made a beeline for the fort and rode right past the soldiers who tried to waylay him. Jonah wasn’t wasting his time with peons. He was going to speak to the highest-ranking officer at the fort.
“What’s your commander’s name?” Jonah asked the young soldier who was standing guard outside headquarters.
“Major Thorton,” the soldier informed him, though his eyes kept straying appreciatively to Maddie and the trim-fitting garments that advertised every shapely curve and swell she possessed.
“Jonah Danhill, Texas Ranger,” Jonah announced authoritatively, then flashed the badge he kept tucked in his pocket.
The soldier snapped to attention. “Yes, sir.” Turning an about-face, he preceded Jonah and Maddie through the door. After quick introductions, the soldier exited and Jonah got right down to business.
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