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nightdress still lay across the foot of
    the bed, and he used the sight to continue their conversation.
    "How'd your gown get torn?"
    "It snagged on something when I jumped the fence."
    "The fence around Danny J's?"
    She nodded.
    He lifted a brow. "It's close to four feet tall."
    Her gaze caught his. A bright twinkle shined in her eyes as
    she solemnly admitted, "I know."
    45

    Boot Hill Bride
    by Lauri Robinson
    A chuckled tickled his chest, but before it emitted, the
    seriousness of the night's events hit him like a tornado. Had
    he just called her his wife? Shit! She was his wife. All of a
    sudden his legs had the strength of wet leather. What the hell
    was he going to do with a wife?
    Randi held her breath. The man filled the tent from top to
    bottom. He had to be six and a half feet tall, if not seven, and
    she'd never seen someone so broad. The shoulder seams of
    the shirts she wore hung to her elbows and the bottoms went
    below her knees.
    Yet, she wasn't afraid of him. His face, besides being quite
    handsome, was kind, and didn't raise any fear. But she was
    very worried as to what he thought of her. Did he despise her
    for hiding in his tent? Hate her for the wedding that just took
    place?
    She began to tremble. The silence was more than she
    could take, and a strange desire washed over her, made her
    want to know everything about him. Her voice quivered as
    she asked, "Where were you last night?"
    He looked at her. A deep frown pulled on his brows.
    She tugged her gaze away, fluttered a trembling hand.
    "The place looked abandoned," she offered in explanation.
    "I'd gone to Wichita to order furniture and fixtures." He
    stepped away from the door and walked over to sit back down
    on the large trunk.
    "What are you building?"
    His face softened. "A restaurant and hotel."
    "Really?" Her heart began to beat erratically.
    "Yup. I plan on it being the finest establishment around."
    46

    Boot Hill Bride
    by Lauri Robinson
    "Oh, how exciting! Mama's grandfather owned a hotel and
    restaurant in New York. She talked of it often." Randi pinched
    her lips together, tried to stifle the excitement tingling over
    her skin. A sad thought sent the warmth away like a cold
    wind. "When the land run started she and her parents came
    west, and she never got the chance to go back."
    He nodded but didn't comment.
    She rubbed her feet together, unsure what to say next.
    Elongated shadows moved about outside the tent, reminding
    her they couldn't stay in here forever. "Um, Mr. Quinter?"
    He lifted his face, looked at her expectantly.
    Her heartbeat increased tenfold. "I'm, um, really sorry for
    what happened. The marriage and all..." She took a deep
    breath and forced the rest of her confession out, "But I really
    don't know what to do about it."
    "Well, Randi, I guess I don't really know what to do about
    it either."
    Deflated, she nodded, having hoped he had a plan.
    "But we'd better come up with something." He glanced
    toward the door. "Before we go out to face the mob."
    Her hand flew to her lips. A giggle threatened to erupt. It
    was stupid, she knew, the colorful group filling the tent earlier
    was certainly nothing to laugh at.
    A gentle smile covered his face, one that said he agreed
    with her giggle. "Isn't that what they reminded you of? A
    lynching mob?"
    She nodded, let part of the laugh come out. It sounded like
    a snort. Flames licked at her cheeks.
    47

    Boot Hill Bride
    by Lauri Robinson
    He laughed aloud. "I guess I should be glad they found a
    preacher. Beats the hell out of a stiff rope. Or Boot Hill."
    She gasped. "Oh, surely they wouldn't have..."
    "Guess we'll never know." He shrugged.
    Her eyes grew wide.
    He let out a low laugh, and one eye winked at her.
    The action caused her cheeks to tingle, again, and allowed
    a small sense of relief to filter over her system, but not for
    long. "What are we going to do?" she murmured.
    His face grew serious. "I have to be honest with you,
    Randi. A wife really isn't in my plans