Because of Rebecca - By Leanne Tyler Page 0,66

pinked and he felt a jolt when she took his hand. The look she gave him made his trousers tighten. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, making love to her with his mouth and tongue.

She sighed when he reluctantly pulled away. “Forgive me for not doing this earlier, Mrs. Hollingsworth. I mean to kiss you first thing every morning for the rest of our lives.”

The flush of her cheeks deepened and she leaned into him. “I’ll have to remember that, Mr. Hollingsworth.”

Smiling, they walked to the tree line and the shade. Jared stopped abruptly when he spotted their driver lying in the tall grass about ten feet away from the trees. He couldn’t tell if the man was knocked unconscious, or if he was dead. A new carriage wheel lay near him.

Rebecca gasped and clutched his hand tighter. “Is he dead?”

“I don’t know.” He scanned the area, but didn’t notice anyone about. Their bags had still been secure to the back of the carriage, so he knew they hadn’t been robbed, yet. But if their driver was injured returning with the wheel he didn’t believe they were safe.

“Let’s walk back to the carriage slowly,” he whispered. They turned but came face to face with two masked gunmen.

“So we meet again, Hollingsworth,” one of the masked men said. “When did you start traveling with a lady? It’s so unlike you.”

Not again, Jared silently groaned. How many times was he going to be mistaken for Rory on this trip?

“Jared?” Rebecca turned to him, worry evident in her green eyes.

“He must think I’m Rory.”

“Quiet!” the man barked and jabbed the nose of his pistol into Jared’s rib cage. “I want my money back, you thievin’ horse’s ass.”

“I don’t have your money,” he gritted through clenched teeth.

“Sure you do or you wouldn’t have skedaddled out of town after I cut you.”

“I tell you I’m not the man you’re looking for. My name is Jared Hollingsworth, not Rory Hollingsworth. Rory is my cousin. We were unfortunately graced with the same looks.”

“Shut up.” The man shook his gun at them. “I don’t want to hear none of your lyin’. I heard enough of that swallow in Bixby where you swindled me out my winnings. Now hand it over.”

Jared glared at the man. Was that where Rory got the money to pay back Delaney? He took a deep breath to still his temper. He had to stay calm. Perhaps if he were rational this man would see the error he was making. “I tell you I’m not Rory Hollingsworth.”

The other gunman snorted and lifted his bandana up high enough to expose his mouth and spit tobacco juice. He wiped the excess away with the back of his hand. “Sure looks like ’im.” He spat again, repeating the process. “Same eyes, same hair.” He walked toward Jared and sniffed. “Don’t smell like ’im though. He smells too pretty, like his lady friend here, all lemony.”

“It’s verbena.” The man’s sweaty stench surrounded them and Rebecca’s nose twitched. “Do you want some?”

He laughed. “Rufus, you hear her? She wants to know if I want to smell all pretty like her.”

“Shut up you idiot. Now they know my name,” his partner roared.

The other man snickered. “If he’s Hollingsworth he should already know it. Come to think of it, why are we wearing these bandanas?”

“Get over here.”

The man loped back as ordered to stand beside Rufus, and he smacked him in the back of the head. “Now shut up.”

“I know where Rory is.” Jared silently prayed the man would take the bait. “I can take you to him.”

Rufus shook his gun at Jared. “I know where he is too and I’m lookin’ at him, ain’t I? We’re not going nowheres until I get my money. So stop your blatherin’.”

Talking to the man wasn’t working. Jared thought for a few seconds and recalled something Rufus had just said. “You say you cut Rory the last time you met. Where?”

“Your side.”

“I can prove to you I’m not Rory. Let me remove my shirt.”

Rufus shrugged and lowered the gun, but he didn’t holster it. “It won’t prove nothin’. You could be healed up by now.”

“Not if you cut Rory deep enough.” Jared took off his coat and handed it to Rebecca. He unbuttoned his waistcoat and shrugged out of it before pulling his shirt over his head and held out his arms for the man to see. He even slowly turned in a circle so Rufus could get a good look at