A Family For The Holidays. Sherri Shackelford

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      He shook the unexpected thought from his head. What did he need of ladies’ attention? He’d long ago forsworn having his own family. The world was too dangerous for raising children. Especially out West. He did this job for a greater good than his own. In the beginning he’d felt the occasional twinges of loneliness. Given time, the hollow ache in his chest had eased. He was the rare man who accepted his fate. Some payments went beyond money.

      Lily touched a hand to her forehead. “Perhaps you’re right. I need a few more minutes. The room is spinning a bit.”

      “Try taking some deep breaths.” His fingers itched to ease the lock of hair from her forehead once more. The feel of the silky texture lingered on his memory. “That should help.”

      He retrieved his gloves and yanked the leather over his hands. This job was his life. He’d come to accept his craving for danger as a flaw in his character that wouldn’t be fixed. His desire for the chase was an almost physical pain if not satisfied. The lure of risk and the thrill of capture were as necessary to him as the blood running in his veins. He was a man unfettered by obligations, and happy for it.

      “Leave town,” he ordered. Lily was suspicious of him, and he’d exploit her fear to his advantage, even if it pained him. “There’s nothing for you in Frozen Oaks, Miss Winter.”

      She gaped at his sudden announcement. “I beg your pardon.”

      “You heard me.”

      Sam’s eyes widened in betrayal at the harsh tone, and Jake glanced away. He was proud of the work he’d done over the years. He was proud of his career. Though he knew what he was doing was necessary, he wasn’t experiencing that same pride this instant. Terrifying women and children went against his nature.

      He reached into his pocket and closed his fingers around the penny he’d been carrying all these years. Why carry the past around in his pocket?

      He extended his hand toward Peter. “This is for the next time you’re near the penny candy.”

      “Thanks.” Peter grinned, instantly mollified.

      He ruffled the boy’s hair. “Share with your brother.”

      Catching Lily’s gaze, he set his jaw. “Once you’ve had a decent rest and a good meal, you’d best leave this town, Miss Winter.”

      His villainous skills were rusty. He sounded as though he was asking her to tea instead of giving her a piece of advice that may very well save her life. Though he knew what he was doing was for the best, he was trapped, in that moment, into playing the villain.

      Her iridescent blue eyes grew puzzled. “Why must we leave?”

      “Emil has gotten tangled in some trouble. You’d best keep the youngsters away from that.”

      “What kind of trouble?” Lily searched the room as though Emil might spring out from behind the settee at any moment. “Why should I believe you? I don’t even know your name.”

      “Jake.” He replaced his hat. “Frozen Oaks might be a ridiculous name for a town, but it’s still a dangerous place. Don’t trust anyone, Miss Winter.”

      “Even you?”

      “Especially me.”

      She gave him a side-eyed glance that had him squirming like a schoolboy brought to the carpet. He glanced away from the curiosity in her shrewd gaze. After years on the job he’d become adept at reading character, and Lily struck him as a woman of unshakable integrity. While he admired the wholesome honesty in her striking blue eyes, this was no place for a tenderfoot.

      “Why warn me away if I can’t trust you?” She tucked the rebellious strand of hair behind a delicate, perfectly shaped ear. “Isn’t that a bit contradictory?”

      The teasing warmth in her smile whittled away at his resolve. He had to warn her away because if he was worried about her safety, he couldn’t concentrate on his job. Because if he didn’t stop Vic from selling those guns, more men would die on either side of the Cherokee war. Because simply being near her was a dangerous distraction.

      Instead he said, “If you stay in this town, you’re in danger. You were hired to keep those children safe. If something were to happen to them, could you live with yourself?”

      She blinked rapidly. “No.”

      “Then trust your gut, Lily Winter.”

      “Trust my gut, but not you.”

      He let out a gusty sigh. She had the kind of pure innocence about her that made a man think about a different way of life.

      His breath hitched. The unexpected thought shook him to the core, and he forced the weakness aside. In order to do his job, he’d erected an icy wall around his emotion. Strong feelings were a distraction. He was a man who gave one hundred percent to the job, and there wasn’t anything left over for anyone else. That sort of man was no good for raising a family.

      He wouldn’t be ensnared by the way her pale eyelashes fluttered against her soft cheeks.

      “I’m not the man for you, Miss Winter. Never forget that.”

      * * *

      “Surely there’s someone in Frozen Oaks who can be trusted,” Lily demanded. “I doubt the entire town is inhabited by thieves and brigands.”

      Nothing had gone as planned, and she was unexpectedly frustrated by the gunfighter’s insistence on frightening her. While she appreciated his profession required a good bit of intimidation for success, she wasn’t in the mood for subtle threats.

      She’d created a neat and orderly world for herself. She followed a strict schedule. She never walked alone after dark. She never spent more money than she earned. This unexpected plunge into intrigue had set her on edge.

      A humorless smile stretched across the gunfighter’s face, and he adjusted his hat over his forehead. “Be cautious with your challenges, Miss Winter. You never know who might pick up the gauntlet.”

      “I didn’t realize I was challenging you.”

      “A beautiful woman is always a challenge.”

      She flushed beneath his appraising glance. “You’ve been away from civilization for too long, Mr. Jake. The description is too generous.”

      “Look in the mirror, Miss Winter. And don’t forget to watch your back.”

      The next instant he was gone. Lily gaped at the space he’d recently vacated.

      “What’s a gauntlet?” Peter asked.

      “A glove,” Lily said. “Throughout history, challenges have been issued by throwing down a glove. The challenge is accepted when the other person retrieves the glove.”

      She pressed two fingers against her temple and shook her head. Without the distraction of the gunfighter, she took stock of her surroundings. The last thing she recalled, she’d been standing outside. Her unlikely rescuer had carried her into the hotel and an overdone parlor of some sort.

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