Chapter 10 #3
No way was he playing into that hand. There was no way he was gonna make a play for this woman or any other.
Not one who was looking for a husband and partner to set by the fire and grow old with anyway.
No, a woman like Sheila Burnett deserved better than him, and sniffing around here was only asking for trouble.
The trouble was, the more time he spent with her, the harder it became to remember all the reasons why staying away was the sensible choice.
Damn it, he couldn’t even believe he was wasting his breath arguing with her.
He turned his focus back to the board and shook his head. Besides all that, he was certain Sheila was in cahoots with her father. He had eight measly pieces left of the army he’d begun the damn game with. Thankfully, they’d made no wager on tonight’s game.
“Check.”
Doc’s knight, queen, and bishop were keeping Caleb on the run. His choices were limited, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. He moved and took a sip of his cooling coffee.
“My father has no opinion on it, but what would you think if I started wearing a vest and trousers?”
Caleb’s gaze was drawn momentarily to the fitted dress and the curves of the hips. He quickly looked away, picturing her long legs in pants and boots. He put his coffee cup down before he could spill it.
“Why would you do that?”
“So I can wear a six-shooter.”
“Of course, why didn’t I think of that?”
“I’m so glad, Marlowe. I knew you’d agree.”
She leaned over and patted her father on the arm. “I told you he’d think it was a good idea.”
“Check,” Doc responded sharply before nodding vaguely in his daughter’s direction.
“And I plan to cut my hair too.”
“Your hair?”
“To look more like a man. That way, even when I ride to Imala’s, everyone can stop fussing and worrying about me.”
“And by ‘everyone’, you mean…?”
“My father and…and whoever is worried.”
Their eyes locked. She was doing her best to distract him. The chess game was a mess. One more move by Doc would have Caleb’s king in checkmate.
She smiled at him. “I do think I could use a lesson or two in using a revolver, though. Will you be willing to spend an hour or two with me?”
“Checkmate,” Doc exclaimed triumphantly as he knocked over Caleb’s king with his queen. He sat back happily in his chair, studying the chessboard. “I don’t think I’ve ever beaten you in so few moves, my friend. What’s wrong with you tonight?”
They had him. The two of them. Caleb eyed the plate of cookies. There was one left. As Doc reached for it, Caleb snatched it first.
“I won that cookie, Marlowe. To the victor go the spoils.”
“The hell you say.” Caleb frowned at Sheila. “I was outnumbered.”
She immediately pushed to her feet, not trying hard to hide her grin. “There are plenty more in the kitchen. Even a few for sore losers. I’ll get them.”
As soon as she left the room, Doc leaned toward him, his voice low.
“Just so you know, she doesn’t ride alone to Imala’s cabin.
She’s gone twice, and I went with her. I used the excuse that I needed to check on a few miners who have claims out there.
And couple of days ago, the two women had arranged to go to the general store together. ”
“And skinning a beaver?”
Doc shrugged and smiled. “Who knows? Maybe she did. Maybe she didn’t. I couldn’t tell you. But one thing I do know…she does enjoy seeing you squirm.”
“There was no squirming.”
“You looked like a wax worm on a hook, friend.”
“If she brings back a dozen cookies, Doc, I’m eating them all. Just so you know.”
The older man laughed. “It’s all good natured fun. She enjoys teasing you.”
And she was getting pretty damn good at it.
Caleb harrumphed and finished the cookie. Rising to his feet, he looked at the rain beating on the glass. It was still falling in sheets, though the wind seemed to be easing up.
Doc started putting the chess pieces into a dark green velvet bag. The sound of dishes getting moved around drifted in from the kitchen. Caleb wandered into the front parlor to the window facing the porch and the street.
There was more than Sheila’s teasing that was playing on Caleb’s mind. After spending the day with her at the ranch, he could no longer pretend she was merely Doc Burnett’s daughter.
He’d be a fool not to see she liked him. And it would be a fat lie for him to deny that he felt something for her.
It didn’t matter, though. He wasn’t going to do anything about it.
A man could admire a sunset without believing he had any right to possess it. He was a loner with an ugly and twisted past.
The life he was building out at the ranch might suit a woman like Sheila Burnett. The man building it was another matter entirely.
Looking out the window, his gaze fixed on the deputy. His blood ran cold. The man was no longer sitting and sleeping in the rocker. He was lying on the porch. Caleb pushed the curtain back to get a better look. In the light spilling out the window, he could see the dark pool around the man’s head.
A dish broke somewhere toward the back of the house.
He whirled, snatched one of his Colts from the gun belt he’d left on a table by the door, and raced toward the sound. Sheila.
Doc looked up in alarm as he went past him.
“Someone’s in the house.”