“Get off your horse, Jack.""Why don't you just ride outta here, missy, and I'll forget this ever happened."Willow's voice trembled with fury. "Get off your horse," she repeated. "Slow and easy."Still grinning his contempt, he did as he asked."That's good. Now, real slow like, take your gunbelt off and toss it my way.""Like hell!" A shot rang out and nicked a chunk of leather from his boot. Cursing, he unbuckled his gun and tossed it at her mare's feet."Now,strip them britches off, underwear, too," she ordered."You little shi-" Bang! Jack's hat whizzed off his head. He dropped his pants in a puddle over his boots, trying his best to shelter his privates from her view."My,my,Jack." Willow laughed humorlessly. "Is that puny thing you're trying to hide the same thing you were threatening me with?"If looks could kill, Willow would have been dead and buried ten times over, then and there."Take them confounded boots off so's you can get your pants clear off," she ordered in mock exasperation.He wheeled around, gaining a modicum of privacy while he complied."You're puny all over, Jack. You got the boniest bee-hind I ever did see. You sure you ain't picked up a worm somewheres?""You're gonna pay for this,you little slut!""Shut your filthy mouth and pick them pants off the ground and toss 'em over here at my horse's feet. Then you can put your boots back on."He gave the pants a toss, put his boots on, and turned around to face her, cuping his privates in his hands."Okay,Jack, finish the job. You've been real generous but I'm a greedy cuss. Give me the shirt off your back, too."Cursing, he again turned around and obeyed."Oh,ah,Jack, you better reach behind you there,and get your hat. I'll let you keep it. We wouldn't want your bald spot to get sunburned."Scofield now stood in nothing but his boots, using his hat to shield his lower half. Humiliated, the gunslinger's eyes burned with bloody intent. Willow suddenly regretted her damnable quick temper and realized the folly of her reckless retaliation. No doubt,the heinous man would seek revenge. But the damage was done and the man was so mad that backing off now would be the same as signing her death warrant."Step away from your horse and start walking toward the ranch, Scofield.""You're out of your mind!""Maybe,but I bet you'll think twice before threatening to poke that puny thing at another lady.""You? A lady? Ha!"Willow's temper flared anew. "Walk, Jack. Real fast. Cuz if you don't, I'm gonna use your puny thing for target practice." Her bullet kicked up the dust at his feet and started him on his way.”

“Rider was still cursing the incident back at the ranch, when riding north, he spied an outlandish sight. As he drew closer, he realized his eyes weren't playing a joke on him. Coming toward him was Hick's gunslinger, stark naked but for his hat and boots. "Well, I'll be damned," he whispered to himself. "Even his shooting iron is burnt!"The moment Scofield heard Rider's horse, he jerked his hat off his head and covered his privates."What happened, man?" Rider asked. "Where's your clothes, your horse?"Scofield lifted rage-filled eyes to the foreman. "The Vaughn slut, she did this to me. When I get my hands on her, me and the boys are gonna have a party and she's gonna be the entertainment. After I'm done with 'er-""Hold on there, Scofield," Rider interrupted. "Are you talking about Willow Vaughn? Why would she do a thing like this?""How should I know! She just lost her temper sudden-like. Then she pulled that gun of hers and ordered me off my horse and made me strip down.”

“Rider's head snapped up at the sound of gravel crunching under Willow's boots. The sight of the girl in boy's garb birthed an oath. Beneath her cotton shirt, her breasts bounced freely with each step. And within the tight mannish pants, her hips swung in an unconscious rhythm, clearly proclaiming her all woman. Hell, she might as well be naked! His body's reaction was immediate.Cursing his lack of control, he turned sideways, facing her horse, and pretended to adjust the saddle straps.Willow took Sugar's reins and waited for Rider to move aside. He didn't budge an inch. Instead, he tipped his hat back on his head, revealing undisguised disapproval. "Is that the way you always dress?" he bit out.Willow stiffened, immediately defensive. Criticizing herself was one thing; putting up with Sinclair's disdain was another! "If you were expecting a dress, you're crazy!" she snapped. "It would be suicide in this country.""Haven't you ever heard of riding skirts?""Yes. I'm not as dumb as you seem to think. But fancy riding skirts cost money I don't have. 'Sides, pants are a hell of a lot more useful on the ranch than some damn riding skirt! Now, if you're done jawing about my clothes, I'd like to get a move on before dark.""Somebody ought to wash that barnyard mouth of yours,woman."Willow rested her hand on her gun. "You can try, if you dare."As if I'd draw on a woman, Rider cursed silently, stepping out of her way. As she hoisted herself into the saddle, he was perversely captivated by the way the faded demin stretched over her round bottom. He imagined her long slender legs wrapped around him and how her perfect heart-shaped buttocks would fill his hands and...Oh,hell, what was he doing standing here, gaping like some callow youth?Maybe the girl was right.Maybe he was crazy. One moment he was giving the little witch hell for wearing men's pants; the next he was ogling her in them. He started to turn away, then reached out and gave her booted ankle an angry jerk."Now what?" Icy turquoise eyes met his, dark and searing."Do you have any idea what you look like in that get-up? No self-respecting lady would dress like that. It's an open invitation to a man. And if you think that gun you're wearing is going to protect you, you're badly mistaken."Willow gritted her teeth in mounting ire. "So what's it to you, Sinclair? You ain't my pa and you ain't my brother. Hell,my clothes cover me just as good as yours cover you!" She slapped his hand from her ankle, jerked Sugar around, and spurred the mare into a brisk gallop.Before the fine red dust settled, Rider was on his horse, racing after her. Dammit, she's right.Why should I care how she dresses? Heaven knows it certainly has no bearing on my mission. No, agreed a little voice in his head, but it sure is distacting as hell!He'd always prided himself on his cool control; it had saved his backside more than once. But staying in any kind of control around Willow Vaughn was like trying to tame a whimsical March wind-impossible!”

“Willow gazed up at him, her silly grin still in place. "You know wha'? You're kinda cute when you crook your eyebrows down like tha'."Rider muttered a curse, lifted her off the floor, and tossed her over his shoulder. "Juan, you and Hicks help Mrs. Brigham to her room. I'll take care of this little hellion."Willow lifted her head from where she dangled over Rider's shoulder. "See yuh later, Mrs. B."Miriam smiled and waved."i think Mrs. B is pickled," Rider's passenger said in a loud whisper as he hauled her out the door."No thanks to you,hellion," he growled, and smacked her bottom."Ow!"As he carried Willow into the house, Rider was hard pressed to quell a sudden urge to laugh. In her bedroom, he unceremoniously dumped her on her bed, but when he turned to leave, her pitiful sounding voice halted his exit. "Rider,come here a min-it.""Oh,hell, I suppose you're going to be sick." Grabbing a basin off her dresser, he shoved it under her chin. "It serves you right, you know." He watched nervously as she knocked the bowl aside."Dun...don't be mad." She held her arms out to him. "Come closer. Gimme a kiss and we'll make up. I like your kisses so-o-o-o much."This time Rider couldn't stall his grin and inadvertently leaned closer.She was on him like a duck on a June bug. With two hearty handfuls of his shirt, she yanked him down on top of her and plastered her mouth against his.Talking against his lips, the tipsy girl had the audacity to complain, "Not like this. Do it like before. You know, with your tongue."Rider squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. This isn't fair, he bemoaned silently. He tried to rise but Willow held tight, squirming her voluptuous little body against his. Sweat broke out on his forehead. If he didn't put a stop to this soon...He lifted his mouth from hers. "If I promise to kiss you with my tongue, will you let go of me and go to sleep?""Uh-huh." Willow's eyes drooped, but the affect appeared more seductive than drunken.Lifting her shoulders slightly off the bed, he wound his arms around her and covered her mouth with his. His tongue explored hers in a long, liquid kiss, tasting of wine and desire. Rider savored its promise, wishing just this once, he could be less a gentleman.Willow wrapped one of her legs over his and shifted her hips, innocently aligning his swelling heat with hers. He started and bolted off the bed. "Holy hell! You did it again!""What?" Her voice was sluggish and sleepy now.Disgusted with himself, Rider stomped to the door. "Sleep it off, Freckles."Outside Willow's door, Rider slumped against the wall and shook his head. Willow Vaughn was a constant surprise, and he loved the girl so bad it hurt.”

“Lord,it's hot in here!" she exclaimed, waving a bedraggled towel in front of her face. "Wouldn't mind a swim myself." Paying him no mind, she unfastened a couple of buttons on her shirt, parted it, and blotted the swells of her breasts with the towel. As she bent down and reached into a cupboard, the shirt gaped.Paralysis afflicted Rider from his eyeballs down.Unaware of his stymied condition, Willow rummaged though the cupboard and asked, "Did Juan and Taylo get back yet?"No answer."Sinclair?" She found a chunk of soap and a towel and rose from her stooped position to find Rider's eyes glued to her breasts.The soap thunked Rider on his chest and broke his trance. He glanced up just in time to get a towel in his face but managed to catch it before it joined the soap on the floor. "I'm sorry. What did you say?""Never mind," She spun away to face the stove and to conceal her flaming face. Busily stirring with one hand, she nonchalantly rebuttoned her blouse with the other. "Don't tarry," she warned over her shoulder, "supper is almost ready."Tarry? Tarry? If he remained a minute longer, he was going to have dessert here and now and to hell with supper! He lowered his hat a few discreet inches to hide the evidence of his stirring desire. Then,with an ease he didn't feel, he picked up the soap. "I'll hurry, and thanks for the soap."He turned to leave, then stopped, a devilish glint in his eye. After the emotional turmoil she'd just put him through, she more than deserved a little teasing. "You're welcome to join me for a swim, if you like." His smile was wide and audacious. "I'm not shy."Willow turned to face him, fork in hand. "Let's you and me get something straight, Sinclair. I ain't shy and I don't shock easy neither. You see, I reckon you ain't got nothin' my brothers don't."Her bald remark shocked him as intended but Rider was not to be outdone. "Maybe I don't." He grinned rakishly. "But I've been told I have a rather...exceptional physique."Willow rolled her eyes. "Well, as you can see, I ain't got time to do any comparing. Now,go take your bath and get outta my hair!"Rider swung the towel over his shoulder and turned to leave again. Disappointed by his inability to rile her, he added, "Shucks, Freckles. I was kind of hoping you'd scrub my back. I've been told my back is a mighty fi-"She jabbed the air with the big fork, motioning to the door."I'm going! I'm going! This place is hazardous to a man's health." He ducked out the door,laughing."And stop calling me Freckles!" she yelled after him. Grinning and shaking her head, Willow directed her attention back to the stove. Rider Sinclair was an odd egg if ever she saw one. One minute the man was purely obnoxious, the next, teasing and charming.”

“Listen," he said still breathing hard, "I'm sorry. I have no right to lecture you." His voice warmed with a devastating smile and his voice lowered a sensual octave. Before he had a chance to stop them, his thoughts rolled off his tongue. "But, darlin', you're a mighty tempting sight in those pants. It does things to a man, things you're too innocent to know about."Willow swallowed hard, his hot look stealing her usual spontaneous wit. Dropping her gaze from his, she stammered, "I...It's getting late. We better go.”

“Willow turned her gaze from him as he sat down on the bed and smoothed her tangled hair off her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, sweetheart. Are you all right now?"Willow couldn't help flinching from his touch. "Of course I'm all right," she snapped.Rider jerked his hand back as if bitten. "Freckles, honey, is something wrong, something you're not telling me?"The angry redhead shrugged. "What could possibly be wrong?""I don't know. You just seem a little....out of sorts."Bastard, she silently cursed. But aloud she said, "I'm fine. Just tired, I guess.""Do you want me to bring your supper to you in here? I'd be happy to keep you company.""I would like to have my supper in here but don't bother yourself on my account. I'm sure you have things to discuss with Pa and the boys."Rider stood abruptly, obviously at a loss over her attitude. "Fine,Willow, if that's what you want.""It is."He opened the door to leave but halted when she called, "Rider.""Yes?""You better move your things in with one of the boys. Miriam is sharing my bed tonight.""Tonight? But I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be back until-""Really,Rider, it's only for one night and I ain't,er, am not in any shape for fooling around!""I know that," he bit out, his ire piqued now. "I just thought it might be nice to hold you."With that, he slammed out the door and Willow broke into tears. Before they stopped, her head was pounding all over again.”