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her a small safety net, which she gladly accepted. At this point, she'd take any protection she could get. Skeeter and the other brother sat in the driver's seat. Jessie swallowed and pressed a hand to the churning in her stomach.
    "You boys come right home now, I'll be timing ya," Stephanie hollered as the wagon began to roll. The sheriff made small talk from his horse beside the wagon as they began to ramble along. Jessie didn't try to listen. Too many thoughts already roamed her tired mind. Using every ounce of his weight, Kid tried to keep the chair from bouncing. The loose ropes holding the chair legs to the wagon seat had him rocking in every direction. His brothers couldn't even tie right. There had to be a good hundred and fifty feet of rope wound around him, yet his wrists and ankles were the only things tied tight. He'd lost feeling in them some time ago.
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    Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
    by Lauri Robinson
    Turley continued to rattle on. Kid made a comment in answer now and again, not really paying attention to the man. His eyes stayed focused on the woman huddled in front of him. He didn't want a chair leg to come down on one of her tiny feet. It wouldn't do any good to tell Skeeter to slow down; the ride was rough either way.
    Thin arms wrapped around the bent knees pulled tight against her chest. Her chin bounced across her kneecaps as the wagon bounded over the rough terrain. An unbelievable amount of hair fluttered around her face and shoulders like the boughs of a weeping willow tree. He'd never seen so much hair and imagined it to be as soft as rabbit fur. He leaned his head back and tried to gather his wandering thoughts. Streaks of morning light filtered the sky. A full day of work lie ahead sorting the cattle he'd brought back from Dodge. He sighed and brought his gaze back to the tiny creature. One cheek rested on the knees covered by the faded blue dress. The wind flipped the hair off the other, twisting the long tendrils as it blew past. Would she be safe at the house without him? The main reason he'd married her was because he knew if he didn't, one of his brothers would have, and no one deserved that type of torture. Her clothes alone made it apparent the poor thing had been neglected the better part of her life. If only he could have stalled the ceremony, at least long enough to assure her everything would all be all right. But he damn sure couldn't do it in front of his brothers or Turley, no reason on earth would make him display that kind of compassion in front of them. They'd use it against him. Letting them all think he was 47
    Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
    by Lauri Robinson
    a hard ass was much better, normally it guaranteed he had the upper hand.
    The wagon slowed a mite, taking the corner around calving pens and down the road to the house. Kid sat up straight and pressed his weight onto the chair, preparing for the sudden halt. As usual, Skeeter brought the wagon to a stop so abrupt everyone bounded about. The girl fell against his legs. Jessie, he had to try and think of her as Jessie instead of the girl.
    "Sorry," she murmured and righted her body.
    "Couldn't be helped. Skeeter hasn't learned how to drive yet," he said. "If this chair wasn't tied down I'd have flown out."
    There was enough light to see a slight smile cross her face. It was a delightful sight, one that tugged at his heart. Poor little thing, she'd probably had a nastier night than he. He knew first hand how frightening his brothers and mother could be when they set their minds to it. The boys tugged, twisted, and pulled to the point Kid seriously considered doing each of them bodily harm when he was finally cut loose. Jarred until even his teeth ached; they eventually sat his bound frame onto the top step of the front porch. He squirmed against the ropes, and keeping his balance by planting his boots on the wood of the stairs below, glared at the boys.
    "None of this was my idea, Kid. Please