Whirlwind Bride. Debra Cowan

blinding clouds of dust had come up suddenly, while he’d been in Abilene at a horse sale. There had been no way he could warn her, nothing he could do. Hours after arriving home, he and his father had finally found her at the bottom of a shallow gully not far from the house.

      Riley had blamed himself for a while, and then he’d felt nothing. Since Maddie, he hadn’t found another woman who had been able to stir even a passing interest. The fact that Susannah Phelps stirred much more than that needled him. A woman like her was just flat-out wrong for him. He knew what kind of woman fitted him and his life. It wasn’t Susannah.

      He repeated that to himself when he saw her standing under the awning in front of Haskell’s Store. Sandwiched between the giant Baldwin brothers, with her silky hair piled atop her head, she looked like a specially wrapped package. Bright and shiny and too pretty for either one of those hairy sidewinders.

      The dainty blue parasol Matt held for Susannah looked like a twig in his large hands. Russ leaned close to point out one of the horses in the street, where the race would take place.

      She listened attentively, turned her head when Matt indicated Jake Ross on his bay. She stayed against the storefront, not even within spitting distance of the animals. She must be really terrified of horses.

      Riley dismounted in front of Haskell’s and stepped up on the boardwalk. People wove around him, moving down to the street for a place near the action. Children’s laughter punctuated the buzz of adult conversation. Hurrying feet and restlessly stomping horse hooves stirred up the smell of dirt and animals. It looked as if the whole town had turned out. Riley squinted against the glare of the sun. Occasionally a stiff breeze shot through the crowd, bringing a crispness to the sunny fall day.

      Susannah looked warm enough in a navy coat, which made her eyes even more blue than he remembered. A soft, becoming blush highlighted her cheeks, and a wisp of blond hair blew across her face. She was so pretty his whole body hummed. She looked fresh and … in the family way.

      Her condition had become evident in the week since he’d last seen her.

      “Good day, Susannah.” He touched the tip of his hat. “Russ, Matt.”

      “Hey, Riley,” Matt said.

      “Riley.” Russ grinned.

      Susannah nodded primly, her gaze on a point past his shoulder.

      “I didn’t expect to see you here today,” he said.

      Rather than look at him, she smiled at both Baldwins. “I couldn’t say no to two such charming invitations.”

      Matt switched the parasol to his other hand. “Even though I asked first.”

      “Did not,” Russ said pleasantly, arms crossed over his chest.

      “Ever been to a horse race before?” Riley asked her.

      “No.”

      “I thought you didn’t like horses—”

      “She’ll like the race,” Matt interrupted with a grin. “I promised she would.”

      Susannah’s lips curved as she glanced at the big man, who was standing a little too close to her for Riley’s liking. So far she hadn’t looked at him once.

      “They’ll start down by the church, race through town and around twice,” Matt explained. “The winner takes home a money prize, the total of the entry fees.”

      Riley was starting to feel like a spare wagon part. He glanced around. “Where’s Cora?”

      “She isn’t feeling well.” Susannah finally looked at him, her blue eyes concerned. “I think she’s missing Ollie.”

      Riley nodded, his gaze meeting hers in sympathetic understanding. “What about J.T.? Surely he’s around. He doesn’t miss a race.”

      “He’s on watch at the other end of town.” Russ hooked a thumb toward the smithy. “Your brother needed another deputy.”

      On his way into town, Riley had seen Davis Lee at the smithy, and had stopped. Since the McDougals had hit so close to town, Davis Lee wasn’t taking any chances. He’d posted a guard at either end of town for the race today.

      “Are you racing today, Riley?” Matt asked.

      “Yes.”