Courting the Outlaw

By Delores Fossen

What's an outlaw cowboy like Carson Slade supposed to do with Alena McKinney, the sheriff's sister who's taken a sudden interest in saving him? What else?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Delores Fossen
• Release date: Jun 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311487803

Delores Fossen

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, is a former Air Force officer who’s sold over 150 novels. She's received the Booksellers' Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and was a finalist for the Rita ®. In addition, she's had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.You can contact the author through her webpage at www.deloresfossen.com

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Courting the Outlaw

By Delores Fossen

Copyright 2014 Delores Fossen

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author.

Copyright © 2014 by Delores Fossen

Chapter One

Caldwell City, Texas, 1888

Alena McKinney gasped when she bumped into the dead stuffed thing by the door. Sweet heavens!

The rattlesnake’s well-preserved fangs went straight through her clothes and snagged her left buttock.

Miss McKinney? the man inquired.

Alena whirled away from the rattler and came face-to-face with its owner, Carson Slade. Unlike the snake, he was most definitely alive.

And practically naked.

Well, it seemed that way at first, maybe because the naked parts of him were far more noticeable than the covered parts. Bare to the waist, he wore only suspenders and trousers that weren’t buttoned. The flap of fabric dangled precariously.

Alena hoped her tongue didn’t do the same thing.

Oh. She swallowed hard, tried to look away but couldn’t quite make her eyes obey. You’re--

Changing my clothes, he provided. My house is being repaired so I’m staying here at the saloon for the next couple of days. You’ll have to talk fast. I’m supposed to be at the town council meeting in ten minutes, and I don’t want to be late.

She nodded. And tried not to notice his manly chest, his abundant and virile chest hair, his tight well-muscled stomach. Or the slender trail of hair that arrowed down from his navel and disappeared into the waist of those unbuttoned trousers.

Alena finally gave up and noticed.

The man was certainly an eye full.

You know, that’s a scary thing you’ve got there. Alena tried to smile politely. She was sure she failed.

He gave her an odd look. What, my body is strange?

Huh? No, oh, no. Heavens, no. The snake. Obviously, no traditional frills and finery for you. I can see you lean more toward the, uh, unusual.

It was a gift. Of sorts. I don’t ever remember it injuring anyone before.

Fine, but it had this time. The fang-pierced spot stung like crazy. She resisted the urge to rub it so she could try to soothe the ache. Please tell me the person who stuffed it removed all the venom.

Probably. He leaned against his desk while he pulled on his boots. If you keel over in the next couple of minutes though, I’ll locate the wound and...suck it.

Oh, my.

Alena had a much too vivid image of him doing just that. Not good. She wasn’t there to engage in some sordid form of flirtation. She had to tell Carson Slade that he was about to be killed. Of course, with his taste in frills, he might think of a death threat as an amusement.

So, you just dropped by to welcome me to Caldwell City? He reached for a crisp white shirt draped on the back of his chair. Is that right?

Alena met his gaze head-on. His dark amber eyes were narrowed. Unblinking. And obviously waiting for her to acknowledge she’d told that whopper of a fish story to the barkeep out front.

Actually I didn’t want to tell your barkeep why I’d really come here, she confessed. It’s important I speak to you about a private matter.

Keeping his gaze fixed on her, he slipped on the shirt and began to button it. You’re not here to collect for the teachers’ fund, are you?

No.

Alena glanced down at her dress. It wasn’t exactly a teacher’s dress. It was her Sunday finest--azure linen trimmed with silk ribbon. Her ostrich plume and ivory flowered bonnet was a perfect match for the garment that she’d painstakingly made.

I own the millinery shop in town, she explained. My father’s the head of the town council here in Caldwell City.

He paused a moment to give her another of those odd looks. It made Alena feel a little off, as if she’d sprouted an extra nose or something.

I’m very aware of who your father is, Miss McKinney. He came to see me three weeks ago right after I bought the saloon. I’m also aware that your brother, Hayes, is the sheriff. Your other brother, Cal, is the deputy. Did they send you to talk to me?

God, no. The cattle would wear underdrawers before that happened.

Alena shook her head.

Her father and brothers would toot rocks if they knew she was within a mile of Carson Slade. From the moment Mr. Slade had moved into Caldwell City, the McKinney men had been looking for an excuse to arrest him. Just that morning, she’d heard Cal talk about trying to have Carson’s infamous pardon overturned.

Like I said, Alena continued. I have something important to tell you, but I don’t think it’s a good idea just to blurt it out.

Blurting’s good. It saves time. I like to save time. He unbuttoned one side of his suspenders.

Alena could feel her eyes widen to the size of meat platters. You’re--

Tucking in my shirt, he said with some amusement. I’m also waiting for you to explain why you lied your way into my saloon.

Alena stiffened. She’d expected the question, but she’d let the snake bite distract her. And Carson Slade had distracted her, too.

Mercy, had he.

Of course, there was a good reason for that particular distraction. He was alarmingly handsome. Coffee hair. Rich nutmeg eyes.

And he looked pretty darn good in those snug trousers.

Alena cleared her throat, remembering that she was there on business, and business didn’t include gawking at him or his various, interesting features. I lied to your bartender because I figured it was the only way I could get in here to see you.

Finally, he did something about his flap-dangling trousers. Partly, anyway. He redid his suspenders but failed to do the buttons on the front of the garment. Should she tell him? Nope. He’d figure it out soon enough.

When he felt a draft, that is.

Just what’s so important that’d make you lie? he asked.

Garbage, Alena answered.

Only faint surprise rifled through his eyes. Garbage as in trash?

Yes.

Using his hand for a comb, he made several sweeping passes through his hair. A gold ring he was wearing on his left pinkie slipped off, plinging onto his desk before he scooped it up and put it back on. I don’t have time for this.

Trust me, this is something you’ll want to make time for. My cousin owns a dog. Sue-Sue. That’s the dog’s name, not my cousin. Her name is Tillie. Anyway, Sue-Sue has this rather troublesome habit of going through the trash pile behind the mercantile. Mr. Eidelmyer really shouldn’t leave that back there for days on end, but that’s another matter entirely.

Is there a point to all of this? He took a tie off his desk and slid it around his stand-up collar.

Yes. There’s most definitely a point. Alena tried to phrase her answer so it wouldn’t cause his heart to give out on him. It’s very likely that someone wants to harm you, Mr. Slade.

He looked at her. Paused. And he laughed.

Really laughed.

It was smoky and thick, the laugh of a man who knew how to enjoy life when it suited him. Right now, it suited him perfectly. He didn’t seem close to having his heart give out unless side-splitting laughter could cause it.

Her hands went on her hips. This is a very serious matter.

His laughter trailed off, and after a few muffled chuckles and annoying snorts, he pulled on a tobacco-colored jacket. Is my tie on straight?

Huh? Yes, I guess. Best to get this right out in the open so he could deal with it. This morning, Sue-Sue found a note in the trash. ‘Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Slade. We’ll pound him into specks of hoof grit. Understand?’

No, I don’t understand.

No, I’m not asking you if you understand. That’s what the note said. At least that’s what I think it said. There were some misspelled words and some ink blobs in places, but I think I just repeated the gist of it.

He walked closer and looked down at her. And who wrote this?

It took a few seconds to gather her breath. Alena blamed that on the lack of space between them--only a couple of inches.

She also blamed it on his soap.

He obviously used something store bought and manly. God forbid, it smelled like things that men and women did in private. It seemed to cut her breath in two.

And it sizzled parts of her that were best left at a normal temperature.

Uh, I don’t know who wrote it, she managed.

Alena backed up a step. It didn’t help much. That soapy scent was still there, whirling around her like an ardent embrace. She suddenly regretted that she’d shut the door behind her when she came in. She needed all the extra air she could get.

As I said, um, Sue-Sue took it from that garbage heap and brought it to me, she finished.

Let me see this note.

I don’t have it with me. It’s at the shop. It had some rather disgusting odors on it so I dabbed it clean as best I could and hung it up to dry. I thought maybe you’d come with me to see it. My shop’s just down the street.

I can’t. The town council meeting, he reminded her and checked his pocket watch. Besides, why didn’t you just take this to the sheriff? Since he’s your brother, wouldn’t that have been the sensible and law abiding thing to do?

Her heart practically dropped to her silk stocking-covered kneecaps. That was something she wished he hadn’t asked.

Uh, because I didn’t want Sue-Sue to get into trouble. Not a lie, exactly, but Alena wanted to handle this herself. My father’s threatened to get rid of her if she doesn’t behave, and Tillie really loves that dog.

That’s admirable, protecting Sue-Sue and your cousin. Don’t worry. I won’t take this to the sheriff, either.

That wasn’t saying much. Alena seriously doubted that he’d ever gone to a lawman with anything, including but not limited to attempted murder.

But what about the threat? she asked.

It’s not the first time someone’s threatened me, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. In the eyes of most people, I’ll always be a wanted man.

Alena swallowed hard. Unlike some of his other comments, it didn’t seem to have libidinous overtones, but for some reason her own mind colored that remark so that it was incredibly suggestive.

Yes, she could understand that he would be a wanted man in certain situations. His rugged, dangerous looks would appeal to some women.

Not her, naturally.

Definitely not her.

She was a respected business owner and was no longer susceptible to such, uh, temptations. Not after the disastrous engagements, that