answered, with a confidence Holt found downright annoying. Didn’t the woman know there were outlaws on the prowl, not to mention renegade Indians, wolves, wild boars and every other kind of bad luck?
Holt remembered his hat and took it off, shoving his free hand through his hair. “This is no place for a lady.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not much of a lady,” Lorelei retorted.
The words struck Holt like a sucker punch, though he was damned if he could think why.
She chuckled at his expression, rocking a little on her heels. “Come now, Mr. McKettrick. Does that really come as such a shock to you? I’m the woman who burned her wedding dress in the town square, after all, and day before yesterday, when we met on the street, I’d just been booted out of the Ladies’ Benevolence Society.”
“So you moved out here, to the middle of nowhere?” Holt challenged, strangely exasperated. What did he care if the damn fool female wanted to make her home on this godforsaken patch of no-account ground? “Seems a mite extreme, to me.”
“I guess it is,” she allowed, obviously enjoying his discomfort. “But I’m here to stay.”
He fiddled with his hat, looked away, looked back. “Damned if you’re not serious,” he marveled.
“I certainly am,” she confirmed.
Over her shoulder, he saw a Mexican man come out of the cabin, rubbing his eyes. Seeing Holt, he ducked back inside, probably to get his rifle.
“At least you’re not alone,” Holt said, as she followed his gaze, but it was precious little comfort—to him at least.
Sure enough, here came the Mexican, rifle in hand, followed by a plump little woman moving at a fast clip. Probably his wife.
“Raul, Angelina,” Lorelei called to them, smiling. The dog was hunkered down beside her, wagging his stumpy tail and gazing up at her face with pure adoration. “I’d like you to meet Holt McKettrick—one of our neighbors.”
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