To Love an Outlaw (Into the West #1) (A Wattpad Reading List Choice)

Chapter 4

  “You don’t even know why I’m here, Ma’am. I could be hankerin’ for some peach pie and charming company. Mornin’, boy.”

McQuade held Callie’s astonished gaze for a few beats before turning his attention to Noah briefly with a nod. The boy swallowed a grin with a cough. Shoot! The gunslinger was smooth!

In the meantime, struck dumb momentarily by McQuade’s cool demeanor and flippant comment, Callie recovered her voice mighty quick, erupting, “Like hell you’re here to buy peach pie! That boy went and fetched you after I fell off my horse! I know it! Why is it when a man falls off a horse, he can get back up without any by-your-leave? But when a woman lands in the dirt, oh, dear Lord, we have to bring out the rescue troops!”

The widow glared up into the gunfighter’s expressionless face, hands fisted on her hips, chest rising and falling rapidly from the force of her outburst. McQuade gazed back impassively, not moving a muscle in his study of the spitfire before him. The boy in the background remained still and utterly forgotten as the two opponents sized the other up.

At last the gunman shifted his weight slightly, licked his lips, and flicked his silver regard over Callie.

“As much as I am relieved to see you have recovered from your unfortunate mishap, Ma’am,” he tipped his head slightly toward her before continuing, “I didn’t come here to check on you.”

The widow frowned, cocking her own head in inquiry. McQuade continued.

“I came to check on the horse.”

Callie’s jaw dropped, wide eyes pinning his in disbelief, overlooking the glint of humor warming those icy orbs. A disbelieving snort of laughter cracked behind the pair.

Straightening her spine with narrowed eyes, Callie gestured toward the placidly grazing animal in the corral, snapping, “See for yourself. He’s perfectly fine. As am I. So if your curiosity is satisfied, you can head on back to town.” She bristled under the gunfighter’s calm scrutiny.

In response to her waspish reply, McQuade glanced at Second Chance, and then at the woman and the youth behind her.

“Does he still run at a gunshot?”

“He’s gettin’ better,” Callie hedged, chin in the air, even as a “Pfft!” slipped from Noah’s lips.

 The widow shot him a silencing glare before returning to her perusal of the gunslinger, who nodded slowly, thoughtfully, before suddenly blurring into motion.

One second McQuade was standing with hip cocked and hat tipped, looking for all the world as if he’d been planted there before them. The next moment he’d crouched and spun about, whipping his gun from its holster and shooting wide past the horse before spinning the weapon on his index finger and slipping it back into place at his hip. He then returned to his statue-like repose.

 Meanwhile the horse neighed and took off around its enclosure after the gunshot, wildly bucking and whinnying as both Callie and Noah, who’d stepped up beside his boss hesitantly, stared at the gunfighter.

How the hell could anyone move that fast? Even snakes took time to coil before striking, yet the gunslinger hadn’t even seemed to take aim. Now he stood in place as if he’d never moved, while the widow West and Noah stared dumbfounded at him.

McQuade’s considering gaze followed the animal’s frantic trajectory around the pen before returning to the widow’s face. He smiled humorlessly.

“Looks like he’s right ready for battle, Ma’am. Good job.”

 Eyes flaring at his sarcasm, Callie tossed her head for emphasis.

 “I don’t need your approval, Mr. McQuade! Or your censure! In fact, I didn’t even invite you out here!”