"That's ridiculous. Flirting is the first step in a long process of finding the right man or woman. Men flirt too, you know. They just don't do it the same way women do."
"No, we don't."
Arguing with him was proving exasperating. "It's all a game, isn't it, that's played out between men and women. It's harmless too. Besides, men like women who flirt with them," she added, remembering how
Barbara had always been able to get every available man at a party to flit around her as though she were their queen bee.
"No, we don't like women who flirt with us," he insisted. "We're much more intelligent than you think we are, and we sure as certain don't like being manipulated."
"You needn't use that superior tone with me. I've patiently listened to you argue your position for the past hour, and I never once scoffed at you. Granted, I wanted to, but I didn't. Now it's my turn. It's too bad I can't prove my point to you."
"What point?"
She knew he was deliberately trying to frustrate her and refused to cooperate. She stared at the buttons on his shirt so she couldn't be distracted by his smile, and said, "If the circumstances were favorable, I'd prove to you right this minute that a delicate little flower gets far more attention than a practical one."
"You really believe a helpless little woman who flutters her eyelashes and hangs on a man's every word will get his full attention?"
"I do."
"You're as nuts as a tree full of acorns."
She ignored his criticism. "I've done a complete study on this subject, Travis."
"What makes the circumstances favorable?" he asked, latching onto an earlier remark she'd made.
" Boston," she answered. She waved her hand toward the Perkinses' house as she continued. "I'm not about to draw any attention to myself in front of a crowd of strangers here because it would be foolhardy and perhaps even dangerous to do so. The men in Boston are more refined and know how to conduct themselves as gentlemen around ladies. There are rules, after all, and they abide by them. I can't say the same for the men who live out here because I don't know any of them."
"Most of the men out here are gentlemen, but there are a few who would think nothing of trying to drag you off with them. The way I see it though, being your escort means I'm responsible for your welfare, and I don't like the notion of getting into a fight just because you acted silly.
"Furthermore, we're about to eat, and I don't want to have to shoot anyone afterwards. It's bad for the digestion."
It was such an outrageous thing to say, she struggled to force herself not to laugh.
"Indigestion is the only reservation you have about shooting someone?"
"Just about," he told her.
"I don't believe you. You're teasing me, and a gentleman would never do such a thing."
"Now, Emily, we've been though this before. I know I mentioned I wasn't a gentleman. Fact is, you should be thankful I'm your escort."
She was so surprised by his matter-of-fact remark she didn't bother to push him away when he put his arms around her waist.
"Is that so? Why exactly should I be thankful?"
"Because if I weren't escorting you, I'd probably be one of the few who would drag you off with me."
She thought that was a lovely thing to say to her. He wasn't really serious. She shook her head at him to let him know she wasn't so gullible, then began to laugh. She stopped when she noticed he wasn't even smiling.
"We both know you aren't serious. Stop tormenting me. You wouldn't really…"
"You wouldn't have to flirt with me either."
"I wouldn't want to," she admitted. "Why are you holding on to me?"
"It makes it easier."
"Makes what easier?"
He slowly bent his head toward hers. "Kissing you."
He caught her whispered "Oh," as his mouth covered hers. His tongue swept inside to leisurely explore the sweet taste of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him. The last thought that fluttered through her mind was that she was going to insist that he let go of her just as soon as she finished kissing him back.
All that mattered now was Travis. She could feel his hard muscles under her fingertips and was a little overwhelmed by the sheer strength of him, yet he was being so incredibly gentle. She loved his masculine scent too. It did crazy things to her heart. She could feel it beating frantically now.
Lord, but he did know how to kiss.
He didn't understand why he suddenly felt the need to kiss her, but once the thought came into his mind, he couldn't get rid of it. He wasn't going to let passion get the upper hand, however, and as soon as the urge to become more aggressive entered his mind, he pulled away from her. Damn, she was seductive.
Emily had a bemused expression on her face, but quickly came to her senses.
"You really can't kiss me whenever the mood strikes you."
To prove her wrong, he kissed her again. She let out a little sigh of pleasure when he lifted his head again.
"That was the last kiss you'll get from me," she announced, groaning inside over the shiver in her voice. "I mean it. You mustn't ever kiss me again." She added a frown to let him know she meant what she said.
"You were a willing participant," he said. "Or wasn't that your tongue inside my mouth?"
She turned scarlet within a heartbeat. "I was being polite."
He burst out laughing. "You are a piece of work, Miss Emily Finnegan. If I were the marrying kind, I'd give good old Randolph a run for his money."
She knew something was wrong with the comment he'd just made, but it took her a full minute to figure out what it was.
"Clifford O'Toole," she said then. " Randolph is the man who married my sister."
"Ah, that's right. The man who jilted you."
"Must you use that word?"
"No need to get in a huff about it," he told her.
Even though they were a good distance away from the barn, Travis could hear the squeak of the door as it was being opened from the inside, and he instinctively moved closer to Emily so he could shove her behind his back if he needed to. He didn't think he was being overly cautious, for he had learned from past experience that a few of the folks who visited the Perkinses' establishment lived like animals up in the high country and were a crude and uncivilized group who didn't abide by any man's laws.
Travis relaxed his guard as soon as he saw the man strutting toward them. It was ornery Jack Hanrahan, whom everyone called One-Eyed Jack for obvious reasons. He was a fright to look at, with long straggly brown hair that hadn't been washed in years and a permanent scowl on his face that was mean enough to make a person think Jack was going to tear him apart. He was also downright vain about his godawful appearance and didn't bother to wear an eye patch. He thought a patch made him look sissified.
Every time Travis looked at Jack, he inwardly blanched. Other men weren't quite as restrained. They let Jack see their reaction, and that, according to old man Perkins, made Jack all the more vain. He got a kick out of terrorizing people.
Travis suddenly came up with one hell of a brilliant plan to make Emily come to her senses and realize how crazy her notions about men were.
"Maybe there is a way you can prove your point to me," he told her.
"There is?"
She tried to turn so she could see what Travis was staring at, but he put his hands on her shoulders and wouldn't let her move.
"Do you really want to show me how effective acting helpless can be around a man?"
"I would if I could. I've done a complete study on this topic, and I assure you I know what I'm talking about."
"Yeah, yeah. You studied it. How about proving it with the very next man you see?"
"You don't think I can do it, do you? Well, I can, Travis."
"You're that sure of yourself?"
"Yes, but only because I've watched it over and over again. My sister Barbara could turn all the men in a ballroom into a pack of fleas hopping around her, just like that," she said and snapped her fingers.
The comparison of Barbara to a dog made Travis laugh. "God help your husband if he ever does anything wrong. You sure do know how to hold a grudge."
"And just what does that mean?"
"Never mind." He gloated with satisfaction over what was going to be a well-deserved victory for all men everywhere. "Want to make it interesting and wager on the outcome?"
Although it wasn't proper for a well-bred lady to gamble, she was so certain she would win, she couldn't resist the temptation. Granted, she hadn't had much practice turning a man's head by acting helpless or coy, but she had observed the ladies traveling on the train who had blatantly flirted with several men, and she had also watched the master, Barbara, and therefore had complete confidence that she could pull it off.
"How much would you like to wager?"
"A dollar."
"Shall we make it more interesting and wager five dollars?"
"Five dollars, it is," he agreed.
"I want you to know I wouldn't agree to this if I thought the gentleman I'm going to give my attention to would end up with hurt feelings, but what I'm about to do is harmless. Wouldn't you agree?"
The thought of Jack Hanrahan getting his feelings hurt made Travis choke on his laughter. "Yes, it's harmless. Have we got a bet, then?"
"As long as it isn't dangerous," she hastily qualified.
"I won't let it be dangerous."
"What are the rules?"
"No rules," he replied. "Just a time limit. Is ten minutes enough time to turn a man into a blithering simpleton, or do you need more time?"
"Ten minutes will be just fine. Are you sure you don't want to set some other rules? I don't want you to accuse me of not playing fair."
"No other rules," he insisted. "Just flirt with the very next man you see," he told her before he slowly turned her around.
He heard her indrawn breath and was a little surprised she didn't scream. She took a step back toward him.
"You want me to flirt with… him?"
"His name's Jack Hanrahan, and he was the next man you saw, wasn't he?"
"Yes, but…"
Her shoulders were now pressed against his chest. He leaned down close to her ear and drawled out, "Did I happen to mention Jack's an avowed woman hater?"
She closed her eyes. "No, you did not. Is he dangerous?"
"He won't hurt you, or any other female, for that matter, but he sure won't be nice to you either. Folks say he has the personality of a rattlesnake, but I think that's a rotten thing to be saying about snakes. They're much sweeter. Do you want to admit defeat now, give me your five dollars, and be done with it?"
It was the combination of arrogance and laughter in his tone that swayed her. She straightened her shoulders and her resolve. Come hell or high water, she was going to get the man who looked like a barbarian to hang on her every word.
"He will be my finest challenge," she announced. "Stay here, Travis, and observe."
"Wait a minute. How will I know you've won?" he asked with another chuckle he couldn't contain, for the possibility of Jack being swayed by a woman was downright hilarious.
"Trust me. You'll know when I've won." She adjusted the folds of her skirt, straightened the collar on her blouse, and then took a deep, God-help-me breath.
Travis kept right on grinning as he watched her drag her feet toward her prey. He knew she had to be worried. Jack did look like a hungry bear who had just come out of his cave. He usually smelled like one too, and Travis couldn't help but think Emily was actually courageous to try to win him over. She was also being foolish and stubborn, of course, because she refused to admit that men were too intelligent to be taken in by a helpless woman.
"Be sure to do that thing with your eyes, Emily," he called out, pretending to be helpful.
She turned around. "What thing?"
"That twitching thing you did when we were in Pritchard. Jack will love that."
She wasn't amused. She whirled around and hurried toward the man she was determined to tame. By the time she reached him, her heart felt as though it was lodged in the back of her throat.
Whatever it was she was saying wasn't working. Jack kept right on scowling, God love him, and Travis could have sworn he heard him growl each time he shook his head at her.
Although ten full minutes hadn't passed, Travis decided to suggest to Emily that she give up. It really was hopeless, after all. He was just about to call out to her when One-Eyed Jack did the most vile, hideous thing. He smiled.