Read Over the Barrel for Free Online Page A

early the following morning as the
sun started to rise on the horizon.   They had been out for only two hours when Blair's temper was starting to
stir.   Hungry, scared and physically
uncomfortable from riding, she swatted at biting flies and buzzing mosquitoes.
    "I swear they are making a meal of
me!   Where are they coming
from?"
    "We are paralleling a running
stream.   My guess is there are a
bunch of little offshoots of still water.   Stop fidgeting so much; you'll irritate the horse," he said,
glancing back at her.
    "I am slapping at insects, you
chowderhead."
    Sloan ignored the insult to his
intelligence, "There are no insects biting at your back end.   Plant your rump on his back before you
bruise him with your knees.   And
don't go giving me the uglies."
    "What's wrong, boy?   Are you hating him as much as I do?   I hope so," Blair said to
Skinwalker as he tensed slightly between her legs and pulled his ears back.   She leaned forward against the animal's
long neck and patted his throat.   "Maybe you can bite him later."
    "Trying to get the horse riled
against me isn't going to do you any good, Miss Farbor.   He will only sense your ire and end up
throwing you."
    "How ... I mean, what are you
talking about?"   Blair caught
herself.
    Sloan pulled his buckskin back to trot
next to her.   "The animal's got
his ears down, is side-stepping, and you are whispering in his ear.   It's not hard to put two and two
together."
    "Unless you're an illiterate
cowboy," Blair mumbled under her breath.   "Maybe he senses a snake or something."
    "I doubt it.   My horse is not reacting.   Just behave yourself and respect the
strength of that animal.   You have
no saddle, and if he rears up on you, you will go flying."
    "Who the hell do you think you are
anyway?   He likes me and is not
…" Blair screamed as Skinwalker pounced forward before raising the front
of his body off the ground and throwing his rider into a bush.   Sloan quickly jumped off his mount to
help her up.
    "Foolish girl!   Are you hurt?"
    "Just my dignity," Blair
snapped, slapping his hand away as she refused his assistance off the
ground.   She rubbed her hip as she
marched over to the grazing horse.   He whinnied, ignoring her angry countenance.   "Throw me again and I will see you
headed to the glue factory!"
    Few words were exchanged as they
continued down the uneven road.   Sloan veered his horse towards the line of reeds and willows, gesturing
Blair to join him.   They headed into
the tree line where Sloan hopped off his mount.
    "This looks like a good spot to set
up camp.   Get down and bring your
saddlebags over here.   We don't have
much daylight left."
    "It's about time," Blair said
as she gingerly sat upon a large rock and remove her boots.
    "What are you doing?   There is work to be done.   You can rest later."
    Blair looked up at his face and pursed
her lips.   "I am not so stupid
as to realize there is work to be done.   Believe it or not, the prospect of work does not disturb me.   I am not accustomed to being on a
horse's back as you are, and I merely needed to shake pebbles from my
boots.   Is that a crime, Mr.
God-fearing, clean living Adkins?"
    Sloan's eyes crinkled at the
corners.   "You're really a
sight to behold when you got your knickers in a knot, girl.   I'm gonna water the horses and fill the
kettle while you gather up firewood.   Watch out for snakes.   They
don't always warn you."
    Blair frowned at the hushed, gentle words
spoken to both horses as Sloan led them to the small, swift stream to
drink.   Thinking it would be nice if
he treated her as gently as he did the animals, Blair shoved her feet back into
her boots and stretched her body as she stood.   She scanned the ground for wood and
began to break off branches, leaving them in a neat pile before Sloan returned.   She turned to the sound of his
footfalls.
    "Very good," he praised, nodding
toward the stacks of kindling and wood.   "There are