To Tempt A Texan. Georgina Gentry

      “What?”

      “He got fired,” Blackie said with a nod. “The Texas Rangers were searchin’ for some escaped prisoners and put Lively on the trail. They tell me he disappeared and when they finally tracked down their missin’ convicts, Lively was curled up with them, sharing their food.”

      She couldn’t control her scorn. “I reckon your dog is no judge of character.”

      He took a puff of his cigar and grinned. “He’s not as judgmental as you are, sister.”

      She made a moue. “Let me guess. You were one of the prisoners.”

      “No, but my brother was one of the lawmen.”

      She blinked. “You’ve got a brother who’s a lawman?”

      “Is that so hard to believe?”

      “You have to ask?”

      Blackie knelt and patted the dog’s long ears. “He was just too friendly to hunt people. Lively’s like me; he believes in live and let live. The warden lost a hand of poker to me and he gave me the dog.”

      “Poker.” Lacey sniffed. “I might have known.”

      It was late now, almost dusk. The pair and their sleepy dog were within a few feet of the front of the line. She could see several men and an army officer sitting at a makeshift desk made from an old door out in front of the shack. The pair moved closer and closer until they were at the front of the line.

      One of the scribbling civilians glanced at the sun and then his pocket watch. “It’s late. This Land Office is now officially closed.” He stood up and yelled. “You folks will have to come back tomorrow.”

      “This is outrageous,” Lacey shouted, “we’ve been standing here all afternoon.”

      “Can’t help that,” the man yawned. “We been sittin’ here registering claims all afternoon. Time for a beer.”

      Lacey’s indignation knew no bounds. “Beer? I might have known there were spirits involved somehow. Men always have to have their whiskey.”

      The men looked at each other, their eyes lighting up. “Whiskey sounds even better. We’ll open up in the morning.”

      “But I can’t stay here all night,” she protested.

      “You don’t expect us to work without any light, do you?” growled one of the trio. “Anyway, lady, you ain’t the only one. There’s a long line behind you.”

      It was true. She was still protesting when the officials walked away. The rest of the people in line began to drift in all directions. “My word, now what do we do?”

      Blackie grinned at her. “You still have that wagon-load of chickens?”

      “Yes, I was going to deliver them when I got my claim filed.”

      “I don’t reckon the army would miss one or two.” Blackie started to walk away.

      “You’d steal the army’s chickens? That’s outrageous.”

      “I’m a taxpayer, ain’t I? I paid for some of those chickens. Come on, Lively. You comin’, sister?”

      “No,” Lacey said and set her jaw stubbornly. “I’m going to camp right here and hold this place in line.”

      “For me, too?” He grinned at her.

      “Of course not, you big lummox.” Frankly, she wasn’t sure how she would manage. Precious was squirming in her arms and meowing.

      “Your cat’s hungry and gettin’ as grouchy as you are. Reckon I could go build a campfire and roast us some chickens on a stick while you hold the place in line.”

      “I said I wasn’t going to hold your place in line.”

      He grinned at her. “You hold the place in line and I’ll share my chickens. Is that fair?”

      She felt she was losing this battle of wills. Precious meowed, squirmed and tried to get out of her arms. “I don’t know. I don’t like cooperating with you.”

      “Okay,” he shrugged, “then go hungry. Come on, Lively.”

      The bloodhound got to its feet, shook the dust from its wrinkly brown hide, and ambled slowly after his master.

      Lacey watched them go. Most of the people behind her in line had given up and gone off to get something to eat. They’d have to start all over in the morning, but darned if she would. She’d stay here until hell froze over to stake her claim. Lacey slumped down on a rock next to the Land Office shack and put the white Persian on the ground. The cat’s pink ribbon was askew and for the first time Lacey could remember, Precious’ snowy hair was dirty. Lacey was dirty, too, and she didn’t like it. She was so tired, she might have wept, but that would have been a sign of weakness.

      Around her, the night had grown dark but the spring air was warm. Ten thousand people moved about, building campfires, setting up tents. Here and there a horse whinnied or a baby cried. In the darkness she could see the glow of a hundred campfires as hardy pioneers began to cook. Across the whole land run territory, she realized suddenly, there were thousands more people than there was available land. Some of those would go home disappointed, their dreams of a free farm and a fresh start shattered. Well, she wasn’t going to be one of them. She wished she had another drink of water and something to eat. She thought she smelled chicken frying and it made her mouth water.

      After a while, Blackie and Lively came back, the dog carrying the biggest bone Lacey had ever seen. It would have been wonderful in a pot of stew, she thought with envy. Precious arched her back and spat at the dog, but the dog, having to decide between the cat and the bone, flopped down on the dirt and enjoyed his bone. Blackie himself had another cold drink in his hand and a gold toothpick in his mouth. The diamond ring on his right pinkie finger flashed in the light as he gestured. “My, that was mighty tasty.”

      “Stolen chicken probably does taste good to a thief.” She kept her voice haughty.

      “Yeah, it did.” He was incorrigible; without shame. “I also took the wagon over to the army camp and let them unload it so we can return it tomorrow.”

      “We? I don’t intend to give you a ride back.”

      “Well, I intend to give you one, so that makes me a nicer person than you, right?”

      She must remember that arguing with a scoundrel was a waste of time and reasoning. Her belly growled so loudly, that even the gambler must have heard it.

      “Sister, I’ll hold your place in line if you want to go get something to eat or I’ve got some leftovers. You want I should bring you some?”

      “I don’t need you to do me any favors. Besides, I don’t trust you.”

      “Suit yourself,” he shrugged. “I was tryin’ to be a gentleman.”

      “Ha! You don’t know what a gentleman is.”

      “I wouldn’t talk about etiquette when the first time I saw you, your skirt was above your head and your underpants was showin’.”

      Some passing soldiers looked at her curiously and grinned before walking on. “Oh, you kid!” one of them yelled and another whistled.

      “My word, can’t you lower your voice?” Lacey buried her red face in her hands. Lively lay down next to her and his long tail thumped as he laid the bone across her foot.

      “It seems Lively’s willin’ to share with you.”

      Without thinking, she reached out to pet the dog. “Nice dog,” she whispered, “how could you take up with such a scoundrel?”

      Her cat eyed the dog suspiciously and kept Lacey between them. Lacey’s tummy rumbled again.

      “Hey,” Blackie squatted down, “can