Josie let her weary eyes skim over the parchment once more. The trail
will be long, her pa had said. Will I have the courage and strength to
follow it? Will I be able to fulfill his last wish and make my own
dreams come true?
For the first time in her life, she felt hopeful about the future as she
clutched the map tightly in her fist. Though excited, she was dog-tired,
both mentally and physically. Her eyes started to drift shut.
She had barely nodded off when the sound of snapping branches roused
her. Her head jerked and her eyes flew open.
Her spine went rigid when a low voice addressed her. “I’ll take that map
now.”
She fished around in her pants pocket for the Derringer. Her hand
touched the cold metal, and she squeezed her finger around the trigger
of the gun and stumbled to her feet.
“Stay right where you are, and take your hand out of your pockets,” the
voice ordered. “You won’t get hurt if you do as you’re told. Do it!”
She squinted at the tall figure standing in the shadows at the mouth of
the cave and heard the click of a revolver. Ragged breaths escaped her
throat. “Are you going to kill me?” she asked in a throaty whisper, as
she showed him one empty hand.
“That depends on how much trouble you decide to cause. Just hand over
that map and I’ll be on my way.”
Inhaling deeply, her eyes roamed over the parchment still clutched in
her fist. The trail will be long. Don’t give up. Her pa’s words rang in
her ears. Nothing was going to stop her from going after whatever lay at
the end of that trail. Her pa had died so she could have a better life.
No one was going to take that from her.
“If you want it, you’ll have to pry it from my cold dead fingers,” she
replied with bravado.
The man said nothing.
“Show yourself,” she challenged. Josie’s fingers twitched as she let her
hand creep back into her pocket. She gripped the pearl handle of her
Derringer again. “How do you know about this map? Who are you?”
The man took one step forward, but she still couldn’t see his face. When
he spoke again, she sensed he was someone of little patience.
“I don’t have to explain anything to a girl,” he snapped. “Walk around
that fire and lay the paper on this rock over here.” His gloved hand
pointed to a stone ledge, which jutted out from the cave wall.
“I’m not a girl,” she snapped back. “I’m nineteen and this map belongs
to me. I’m not about to give it to some coward who won’t even show his
face.”
Apparently striking a nerve, the man swiftly strode forward out of the
darkness, with his gun raised and leveled at her. The fire danced upon
his features. She gasped. It was the stranger who rode the white
stallion—the one all in black who’d been watching her in Dry Gulch. Her
heart lurched. He tilted his dusty hat up with a finger to show her eyes
the color of dark molasses. She could feel the heat radiating from those
fiery pupils as they bore into her.
“Is that better?” he asked.
“It’s you!” she exclaimed. “Why are you following me?”
“I think I already explained. I’ve come for the map. Now, hand it over.”
She gripped the parchment even tighter. She needed to distract him while
she took a minute to think this through, so she abruptly changed the
subject. “Did you set that trap back there?”
He blinked. Seemingly caught off guard, he answered, “Yeah. I did that.”
“Well, it was clever. Was the marshal and his gang your target, or was I
the one you were trying to ambush?” She didn’t give him time to respond. “I bet you didn’t count on the fact that mules can jump over six feet at
a standstill, did you?”
The man’s brow creased. “Quit your jabbering, girl, and pass that paper
to me. I’m not in the mood to play games.” He advanced, stopping in
front of her. His tall, muscular frame towered over her petite body.
Quick as a snake striking, she jammed the map in her back pocket and
thrust the double-barreled Derringer into his rib. Just as speedy, he
shoved his revolver against her temple.
“You’re fast, but not fast enough,” he drawled. “Put down the gun.”
“You put yours down first,” she countered.
Neither one moved. Josie’s chest rose and fell in erratic rhythm. The
pistol felt cold as it pushed against her skin.
“Are we going to have a Mexican standoff?” he wondered aloud.
She felt his warm breath on her face. He stood so close, his musky
smell, mixed with sweat and the faint scent of lavender made her woozy. “I know how to use this gun,” she managed. “I’ll shoot you. Don’t think
I won’t.” She cocked the Derringer to show him she meant what she promised.
The tall, dark stranger looked down into her eyes. A muscle ticked along
his jaw. After several long moments, she felt the release of pressure
from her temple.
“Toss the gun down on the ground,” she commanded, as she kept her gun
pointed at his ribcage.
“I’ll toss mine when you toss yours.”
Josie searched his face. “Are you crazy, or just stupid? You stalk me,
want to rob me of my personal possession, and you think I’m just going
to throw down my gun? Why should I trust you?”
“Because I’ve never killed a woman before,” he said without skipping a
beat. “And I don’t intend to start now.”
His response surprised her. After considering his words carefully, she
removed the gun from his rib. “On the count of three, we’ll both throw
our guns onto the ground. Do I have your word as a gentleman?” she asked.
The man in black threw his head back and laughed. “Whatever gave you the
idea I’m a gentleman?”
She rammed the Derringer into his gut again and narrowed her eyes. The
gun pressed into taut, rigid muscle. She realized he could probably
break her in half with one hand tied behind his back, but she was not
going to be intimidated. She had too much to lose to let him scare her
out of what was rightfully hers.
“I’ll kill you right now, mister. And it won’t bother me none. Believe
me. I’ll take my map and high-tail it outta here, leaving you dead as a
stone.”
The man grinned, baring a perfect row of sparkling teeth. “You’re a
tough little half-breed, aren’t you?”
“Half-breed!” she shrieked, lunging at him. She pounded on his chest
with her fists and clawed at his shirt. He grabbed her wrists and both
the pistol and Derringer flew out of their hands and clattered to the
hard ground.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Ms. Coverstone penned an emotionally filled story that allows her readers
to feel their heart beating rapidly in their chest. This is one you should definitely pick up. I assure you won't
be disappointed. It will grip you and hold onto you until the very end!
- Diana, Night Owl Romance Reviews
Ms. Stacey Coverstone has, once again, given her readers more than we could possibly expect. This book was fast-paced,
action-packed, and another hit for Coverstone. Readers, me included, have come to expect a certain level of expertise from Ms. Coverstone. This book, if possible, was better than her previous works. The sensuality was woven throughout the storyline. The chemistry between the two main characters was sizzling. Once again, Coverstone has earned her place as a top notch author. She is a must-read for me. I highly recommend that you read this book. It is definitely bound for greatness.
Each book I read just gets better than her previous ones. Kudos, Ms. Coverstone!
- Brenda, The Romance Studio
This story has everything you'd expect in a western historical including bad guys, hard riding,
deprivations and death for some at the end of a gun. Josie has sand and Grey has a vulnerability
that belies his tough guy stance. Both characters charm, and Outlaw Trail delivers a solid nugget of a romance.
- Carol, Love Western Romances Reviews
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