CHAPTER 2
Soon the steady run became a trot as the riders realized Sweetwater was only a 10 mile or so distant away from Silver Springs. Dani led the way as Cody and Buck brought up the rear keeping each other company.
"What do you make of her?" Cody shot Buck an inquisitive look.
"Not sure what to make of her?" Buck retorted.
"Seems to me you have some interest since you decided to stick out your neck and mine for her back there. You sweet on this girl?" Buck, hoping to avoid furthering the conversation, ignored Cody's questions and rode up along side Dani.
"How's your arm doin'?" Buck continued to look ahead still avoiding Dani's eyes.
"It's still there if that's what you're askin," she sarcastically shot back at him.
"So, who are you meeting in Sweetwater?" Buck noticed the silence and turned to match eyes with her as she sternly stared him down. He quickly withdrew his gaze from hers.
"I know, none of my business." He thought to himself, "You don't trust many people do you?" Buck could have kicked himself for asking that out loud. To his surprise, he received an answer.
"Been my experience, not many people out there worth trustin'."
"Does that have anything to do with the two names?"
"Nothing gets past you," she fixed her sights on him again. "I go by Jane with strangers and people I don't trust. If anyone calls me that I know what to expect from them. Only a few people know my real name. People I trust." Dani couldn't figure it out, but for some reason she did trust the dark skinned man riding along side her. She longed for him to look back at her, but he continued keeping his eyes set in front of them. She wasn't so sure about the blonde following close behind, though Steely blue eyes and that goofy grin were signs of a joker or trouble.
"So does that mean you trust me?" Buck's intrigue grew with her every word.
"Well, I did take a bullet for you, though I still haven't figured out why. You fool headed boys had no business putting yourself in the middle of that whole mess. I been dealing with that all my life. It's probably my fate to die in a gun fight. I don't need two do-gooders followin' me down the road to hell," she exclaimed half smirking and half serious.
Pain suddenly surged through her left arm. Quickly her face went from the smirk to one of anguish and she let out a low cry as she grabbed at it. Buck noticed her shift, "You alright?"
"Fine!" She cringed again. "No, you aren't, now stop." She wanted to tell him to leave it alone, but the steady stream of pain kept her from saying much of anything other than the low shrieks. She pulled on the reins as her mount slowed to a stop. She continued to clinch her arm.
"Cody, come up here and guide my horse." Buck got down and quickly saddled up behind Dani taking the reins from her hand. He wrapped his strong arms around her from behind. His warmth covered her back. Though the pain was still intense, his touch almost calmed her. She didn't complain; she didn't have the strength or maybe she just didn't have the will to fight the handsome man behind her from taking control. His smell overtook her senses and she closed her eyes as she leaned back to rest against his shoulder.
"We need to get her to the doc, now!" was the last thing she heard before blackness took her over.