Read Online Springer, Jan - Be My Dream Tonight [The Desperadoes 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Jan Springer - Free Book Online Page A

the sprays of golden sunshine that doused them, but Eve knew darkness would fall upon the valley in a half an hour when the sun dipped behind the mountains.
    “Yeah, you’re right. He should be there. Something’s wrong. Let’s ride in and find out,” Kayne said and quickly spurred his horse into a fast lope.
    “Careful.” Eve called out, sensing Kayne’s urgent concern and realizing herself that something was amiss down there. They’d mentioned Trader Jack didn’t like the cold and always had a fire going. The fact that no smoke uncurled from the chimney led her to believe that Kayne may be right.
    From beside her, Riley grinned at her. “Didn’t know you cared for Kayne, Eve.”
    “I care,” she blurted and urged her horse to follow Kayne. She realized instantly that yes, she cared very much for Kayne, despite not remembering him as much as the other two men.
    “Don’t worry. He’s probably out in the creek fishing or something.”
    Even though Riley threw her a reassuring grin, Eve noticed the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He looked worried.
    They picked up their pace and followed Kayne, who was now pushing his horse into a full-out lope.
    “The place looks abandoned,” Riley said several minutes later as they neared the cabin. “He’s been gone for awhile.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Look at the layout. Everything’s overgrown. He was a stickler for keeping those vines from taking over his stairs. The windows are dirt-smeared. He must have left.”
    Regret shoved through Eve. She’d been looking forward to meeting this old man. The guys had spoken fondly about him all day.
    Riley nodded toward Kayne, and she returned her focus to him also. He’d stopped short of the cabin and was facing the side veranda. His right arm was lifted in the air, signaling for them to halt. Uneasiness slammed into Eve, and she quickly slid her rifle from the scabbard, readying it in case of trouble. A gentle touch to her elbow from Riley had her easing off the trigger. He shook his head and nodded to the wraparound veranda that faced the sunset. The golden rays of sunshine shone on something that looked like a heap of clothes crumpled on the floor near an upturned white wicker chair.
    “Don’t let Eve come any closer. I don’t want her to see this.”
    “What is it?” she called out, but instincts told her she knew what the rumpled heap would be.
    Trader Jack.
    Before she could protest, Riley grabbed the reins to her horse and began leading her and her horse away from the cabin.
    “I can handle this,” she complained, but one look at the firm set of Riley’s mouth made her realize that maybe she couldn’t.
    “It’s Jack. I recognized his clothes. I’ll bring you down to the creek and come back for you, after we’ve…” He let his words trail off and didn’t say anything else.
    To her dismay, emotions, thick and raw, welled inside her. Her eyes blurred as tears sprung up. She’d really had been looking forward to meeting the old guy, and this unexpected turn of events really pissed her off.
    Damn! Why couldn’t people stay alive? Why couldn’t they learn to be careful and live off the land, like C.J. had taught her?
    “You okay?” Riley asked a few moments later when they reached the creek. It was colder down here, and she stifled a shiver as the wind wrapped around her. She inhaled a shaky breath and nodded firmly, trying very hard to push aside these unwanted emotions of sadness and loss for a guy she’d never even heard about until this morning.
    “I will be.”
    Riley grinned, and this time the smile reached his eyes. “It shouldn’t take long. Water your horse and grab a bite to eat. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
    Eve tried to return his smile, but all she could manage was a wobbly, false grin. She sat on her horse and watched him go. A couple of minutes later a gunshot echoed through the valley, making her jump. Far off, on the side of the hill Maddox had pointed to only