The Rebel. Jan Hudson

      “Climb up and let me check your stirrups.”

      Gabe made a step of his hands.

      “I can check my own stirrups, and I don’t need a boost.” Belle climbed into the saddle in one easy motion. “They’re fine.”

      “Good. The ground is rocky around here, so stick to the paths,” Gabe said as he mounted.

      They rode at a granny pace for ten or fifteen minutes—until Belle couldn’t stand it anymore. She resettled the red hat on her head, yelled, “Race you!” and took off like greased lightning.

      She glanced over her shoulder to find that Gabe was gaining fast. The mare wasn’t a match for the big brute he rode, so she slowed, then pulled up.

      “What the hell are you doing?” Gabe shouted when he stopped beside her and grabbed the reins.

      Her eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”

      “You could have gotten yourself killed!”

      “On a horse? I don’t think so. With equal mounts, I could ride bareback and beat you any day of the week.”

      He glared at her for a minute, then his expression softened and morphed into a grin. “You probably could.”

      Dear Reader,

      When I wrote the first three books about the Outlaw family of Naconiche, a fictitious small town in the Piney Woods of East Texas, I hadn’t planned to write more about them. Folks seemed to enjoy the stories of the three older brothers who were all named for famous outlaws and all in law enforcement—J. J. (Jesse James) Outlaw in The Sheriff, Frank James Outlaw in The Judge, and Cole Younger Outlaw in The Cop—and I received lots of e-mail urging me to give the other two siblings, Belle Starr Outlaw and Sam Bass Outlaw, books of their own. I listened. This is Belle’s book.

      Belle, the only female among four brothers, was determined to succeed in law enforcement as well, so she aimed high and became an FBI agent. After a lot of soul searching, Belle rebelled against tradition and left the FBI. She married a Colorado rancher at the end of The Cop, but things went sour quickly. She heads back to Texas to find a new life and ends up in Wimberley, a picturesque little town in central Texas, where she meets her fate among another group of characters as colorful as those in Naconiche—and an angel of a hero. Wimberley is a real town, and you can check it out on the Web. They have real market days there as I’ve described, but if you go looking for the businesses and characters I write about, you won’t find them in Wimberley. They’re all figments of my active imagination. I hope you enjoy Belle’s story.

      To love and laughter!

      Jan Hudson

      The Rebel

      Jan Hudson

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Jan Hudson, a former college psychology teacher, is a RITA® Award-winning author of thirty books, a crackerjack hypnotist, a dream expert, a blue-ribbon flower arranger and a fairly decent bridge player. Her most memorable experience was riding a camel to visit the Sphinx and climbing the Great Pyramid in Egypt. A native Texan whose ancestors settled in Nacogdoches when Texas was a republic, she loves to write about the variety of colorful characters who populate the Lone Star State, unique individuals who celebrate life with a “howdy” and “y’all come.” Jan and her husband currently reside in Austin, and she loves to hear from readers. E-mail her at [email protected].

      Books by Jan Hudson

      HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

      1017—THE SHERIFF*

      1021—THE JUDGE*

      1025—THE COP*

      SILHOUETTE DESIRE

      1035—IN ROARED FLINT

      1071—ONE TICKET TO TEXAS

      1229—PLAIN JANE’S TEXAN

      1425—WILD ABOUT A TEXAN

      1432—HER TEXAS TYCOON

      For the members of Austin RWA and my fabulous editor, Kathleen Scheibling

      With special thanks to the Pattersons for their help, and to Kit Frazier, who saved my bacon, I dedicate a special sugar dance.

      Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

      Chapter One

      Exhausted from battling the blowing snow of a late winter storm, Belle Outlaw knew that she couldn’t make it another mile. The skies had been clear when she left Colorado, but the weather had turned nasty. She’d hoped to make it to Texas but was now desperate to find a place to stop for the rest of the night. When she spotted a flickering motel sign ahead, she knew her prayers had been answered. Pulling the U-Haul trailer into the portico by the office, she stumbled out of her SUV and rented a room from the sleepy desk clerk.

      “Bad out tonight,” he said as he handed her the key to unit ten.

      She only nodded.

      Somehow