An excerpt
from Texas Lightning
She should have gone around to the back door, but she
couldn’t walk another step. Weariness and sore muscles overwhelmed her and she
wanted nothing more than to shuck out of her wet things and lie in her nice
bed—if she could summon the energy to walk upstairs. She heard footsteps
approaching and raised one foot. Eyes closed, she leaned back against the
stairs.
“Had me a passel of trouble, Jake. Help me get
these danged boots off, would you? Then I’ll tell you all about it.” A dog’s
cold nose pressed against her cheek. She jumped and pushed her hair out of her
eyes. A black and white dog stared at her. “Who are you?”
“His name’s Rascal.” An
unfamiliar baritone said, “He’s mine.”
She looked up.
Whoa! The man who faced her wasn’t Jake. In spite of her
wariness, her mouth dropped open in awe. Instead of her arthritic middle-aged
cook, this man was young and tall and definitely fit. And
handsome. Unbelievably, mesmerizingly handsome.
He might be as comely as a fairy tale prince, but the regal
disapproval on his face appeared anything but friendly.
Energized by fear, she jumped to her feet and grabbed her
rifle. “Who the heck are you?”
He crossed his arms and ignored the Winchester pointed at
his middle. His dark hair glistened in light that seemed too bright. Dark blue
eyes had tiny creases at the corners, as if he laughed a lot.
He sure wasn’t laughing now.
“I might ask you the same question. And what are you doing
tracking in mud and dripping water all over my foyer?”
“Your
foyer? This is my
house, and it’s been my house since my daddy and I built it six years ago.
Don’t you think for one minute I’ll let you steal my home.”
The
dog growled, the fur of his ruff bristling.
The man snapped his fingers. “Quiet, Rascal.”
Who was this man? He didn’t look the type but maybe he was
one of the men stealing her cattle. Could he and his dog have been waiting for
her? She gripped the rifle with all her strength. Why hadn’t Jake shown up to
help her?
Oh, no, had they killed Jake?
He glared at her. “Lady, I don’t know who you are, but this
is my house, get it? I grew up here. My daddy grew up here. My granddaddy grew
up here.”
Penny’s knees trembled, but she fought fear to appear strong.
“Don’t try and trick me. The Double T ranch was started by my granddaddy in
1836. No con man is going to steal it from the Terry family, and you can take
that to the bank.”
“The Terry family hasn’t owned this since Penelope Terry
died in 1896. Knights have owned it since then.” He threw up his hands. “Hell,
why am I arguing with a crazy woman?”
“Crazy?” She was about to light into him when the first
part of his statement hit her. “Hey, what do you mean, I died? I’m as alive as
you, whoever you are.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I see you’re alive. I
said Penelope Terry died. Are you hard of hearing as well as nuts?”
Increasing fear spiraled inside Penny, knotting her
stomach. How could this man think her dead? What kind of trick was he working? Had
she been conked out long enough that Jake sent men out to look for her and they
decided she’d died?
Forcing herself to appear calm when she shook inside, Penny
stood erect. “I’m Penelope Jane Terry and you can see I’m very much alive…”