LITMIR.BIZ

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His sister was dead because of it.

      Beautiful little Mourning Dove, she had been only eighteen. Newly married, she had been looking forward to having a family—to making Josh an uncle, which to the Crow was the same as being a father.

      Father, yeah, Josh would have liked that.

      But there’d be no children now.

      Josh was alone in the world.

      It seemed, sometimes, as though he’d always been alone. It hadn’t been easy living in two worlds, speaking two languages, being a half-breed.

      His parents had lived together on the ranch until he was nine, then his mother had chosen to return to her people. Her request hadn’t come as a surprise to Hank Colter. Looking back on it, Josh figured his father must have seen it coming for a long time.

      She hadn’t been happy in the white man’s world. She loved them both but could not stay, it was that simple.

      It was the only time Josh had ever seen his father cry, that day when he’d given his mother her freedom to go. He had loved her enough to let her go. In some ways, perhaps, it was the greatest love of all.

      They had explained it all carefully to Josh. He would stay with his father, be educated in the white man’s world, take his place in that society.

      Some had made comments about old Hank Colter’s half-breed son not being up to the job of running one of the largest ranches in Montana. Josh had proved them wrong. He’d worked hard, damned hard, and had earned his place in the community. To do less would be to let his parents down and that he wouldn’t do. Family was everything.

      So that brought him full circle. He’d taken an oath, a pledge. His vow would be complete when he found and killed David Gibson.

      His gaze drifted toward the closed door to his room. Two doors away a woman had the answers he was seeking.

      “Okay, Colter, what now?” He spoke to the empty room.

      There weren’t many options—asking, begging, threatening. None of those sat well with him. Then another idea flashed in his mind. It was an idea as old as time.

      Speaking of time…he checked his pocket watch. Seven forty-five. He closed the lid with a snap.

      Scooping up several handfuls of water, he splashed his face, relishing the cool cleansing of the chilled water as it cascaded down his face, saturating his collar. He made a quick job of shaving and running a brush through his hair. He stripped off his shirt and retrieved the last clean one from his saddlebags.

      He did up the buttons and was still tucking the shirt into the waistband of his trousers as he went out the door.

      One way or another, he was going to get what he wanted. Judging by the way the lady had responded to him this afternoon, he thought he knew just what to do.

      

      Josh paused in the doorway of the hotel dining room. Heads turned in his direction. All talking ceased, followed by the low murmur of voices. Men looked stern. He was used to that. Several women offered discreet smiles. He was used to that, too.

      But tonight he wasn’t interested in women, only one woman. His gaze swept over the ten or so people scattered at the eight round tables. Kerosene lamps flickered and reflected off the dark paneled walls. White china was in stark contrast to the bright calico tablecloths.

      He spotted her immediately, as though his gaze were instinctively drawn to her. How could he not? Dressed in blue linen the color of her luminous eyes, she was clearly the most beautiful woman there.

      The light caught in her glorious mane of blond hair, hair the color of sunshine. Then she turned toward him as though knowing he was there, watching. She favored him with a half smile.

      His body quickened.

       Careful, Colter, this isn’t a woman to get involved with. This is business.

      Yes, he knew that, had confirmed it not five minutes ago when he’d decided on his plan of action. He chose to ignore his reaction to her this afternoon. Then and now it was lust, pure and simple. He’d been a long time without a woman, after all, and a man had needs, didn’t he?

      Alex and Eddie had both turned to see what was the cause of the sudden silence in the room. Somehow Alex wasn’t all that surprised to see Josh Colter standing in the double wide doorway.

      He was dressed in a green shirt and black wool trousers, dark colors that only seemed to intensify his commanding presence. The gun he wore hardly seemed necessary to the powerful image he presented.

      So he had come after all, was her first fleeting thought. She had to admit, to herself, that she’d wondered if perhaps he’d changed his mind, made other plans. Why was it she suddenly felt relieved, exhilarated at the sight of him?

      His smile was faster than lightning and twice as hot. It pinned her to the spot.

      His boots were silent on the well-worn fabric of the braided rug that filled the center of the room. The jingle of his spurs blended with the renewed conversations.

      He angled between two tables and headed straight for her. There was a predatory gleam in his eyes that made her feel as skittish as a rabbit. She stiffened, resisting the feeling.

      That lasted about ten seconds, which was the exact amount of time it took for him to stop directly in front of her.

      She extended her hand in greeting. “Good evening, Mr. Colter.” She was pleased her voice sounded much calmer than she felt. She was anxious enough as it was, what with the contest deadline and now Davy taking off. And she did not need some sable-eyed stranger complicating her life, not now.

      Her small hand was enfolded in his larger one. His thumb swept across the back of her hand in a sensuous gesture that made her stomach do funny flip-flops.

      She blinked once against the sensation, resisted the impulse to groan. What the devil was wrong with her?

      Evidently she wasn’t as focused as she’d thought, because she’d thought about him all afternoon. Yes, shameful as it was, she’d just lain on her bed and thought about the tall, dark stranger who’d sent her pulse racing in the hotel lobby with a few words and a long, sultry look.

      Discreetly she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She forced her smile up a peg or two and looked from Josh—correction, Mr. Colter—to Eddie and back again.

      “Good evening,” he returned. His eyes never leaving hers, he took her hand and lifted it toward his mouth. The air around them charged as though in anticipation of a coming storm. Lightly, oh so lightly, his mouth touched her knuckles. His lips were moist and warm.

      Well, you could have heard a pin drop in that dining room. She gazed up at him through her lashes and the heat that sparked in his ebony eyes was hot enough to melt granite. Lord knows it was melting her.

      Still, in what was left of the rational part of her mind, she understood this was a game, more complicated than before, but a game nonetheless. Pretending a confidence she didn’t feel, she determined to play along, not wanting to end it and so give the victory to him.

      “Won’t you join us?” she asked demurely, sliding her hand free of his warm grasp.

      “I was hoping you’d ask.” His voice was husky, sensual. He dragged out the chair next to hers.’ “I never like to keep a beautiful woman… waiting.”

      “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, keeping up her end of the game, though an unfamiliar heat was stirring inside her at his nearness, at the soft tone of his voice. Where was that woman of control, of purpose?

      Fortunately Eddie was not so affected. His chair scraped back, snagging on the rug. He stood, his narrow face drawn into a frown. “Alex? Who’s this?” He still held his calico dinner napkin in his left hand, which rested lightly on the tabletop.

      Alex saw Josh look up at Eddie, eyes widening as though seeing him for

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