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probably will be in a day or two.”
    There was an uncomfortable amount of truth in that, she mused. Sighing in resignation, she gingerly picked up the clothes.
    “Now, the question is, where can I dress in privacy?” She frowned as he took her by the arm and strode towards a few closely growing trees. “You needed only to point the way.”
    “Behind those.” He gave her a gentle push towards the trees.
    “Surely you don’t intend to lurk so close?”
    “Surely I do. Hurry up. I want to head out.”
    As she stepped behind the clump of trees, she realized that they did not provide much cover. She could see his broad back through the leaves. At least he had had the courtesy to turn around, she thought crossly as she hurried to dress.
    She had often wondered what it would be like to wear men’s clothing, but what she had envisioned had been a fine coat and fashionable trousers, not worn Levis and a faded flannel shirt. Shaking her head, she yanked on the trousers and hoped she would not feel too strange or immodest wearing them. About the only thing she was sure of was how good the rawhide boots felt on her feet.
    Hunter turned to stare at her when she stepped out from behind the trees. He swallowed hard as he looked her up and down. The clothes fit her far too well. He had gained some sense of her figure when she had been beneath him briefly last night, but his estimation had been far short of reality. The worn, soft clothes hugged every slim inch of her lithe frame, delineating with discomforting exactitude the shape of her breasts and the curve of her hips. He was not sure that she was much better than naked. Even her torn, thin nightgown had seemed more modest.
    “That’ll do.” He spoke curtly as he grasped her by the arm and tugged her toward the horses.
    Leanne found his reaction a little strange. But then, nothing understandable had happened to her for what seemed like years.
    “I don’t know what your trouble is now. I did as you asked.”
    “Yeah, you did.”
    “Then why are you being such a sorehead? Does waking up on the wrong side of the law make you irritable?”
    “I would love to stand here bickering, but we have a lot of miles to cover.”
    When he tossed her onto the back of his horse, she briefly thought about bolting. However, the thought had barely formed when he swung up behind her. It was obvious that, at least for now, he did not intend to give her the slightest chance to flee. She would bide her time, she decided as they started on their way. He would have to ease his guard sometime.
    “And might I be so impertinent as to ask just where we are going?”
    “Mexico.”
    “Ah, yes, the retreat of all good desperadoes. It’s a long way. There’s a lot of land between here and there.”
    “Sure is,” he drawled as he nudged his mount into motion.
    “What are you doing all the way up here in Colorado?”
    “Emptied all the banks down that way.”
    Ignoring that sarcastic remark, she drawled, “You’ve got a long way to go before you reach home territory. That means there’s all the more chance of your being caught and hanged. There has to be at least one honest lawman between here and Mexico.”
    “I wouldn’t place any wagers on it.”
     
    By the time they camped for the night, Leanne was unable to think clearly about anything, let alone plot any escape. Her only really coherent thought as she numbly ate the beans served her was that she would have to take over the cooking. She was certain that if the constant riding did not kill her, the men’s cooking would. Promising herself she would begin in the morning, she staggered off to bed. When Hunter slid in beside her, she was too tired to do more than grunt crossly and sidle over to give him room.
    Daylight brought a new surprise. Hunter was gone.
    It was not until she had relieved herself—with Charlie lurking embarrassingly close—and washed up and begun making her breakfast that she noticed that Hunter was not the only one