Her Sheriff Bodyguard
‘Ladies unite. Votes for women!’Caroline MacFarlane has one mission in life. The pain she experienced at the hands of her father is numbed when she stands on stage and teaches the world that women are just as strong, rational and capable as men!But when her safety is threatened, suddenly protective Sheriff Hawk Rivera is glued to her side, day and night! This unexpected bodyguard has Caroline’s life in his hands, and she’s surprised to find that Hawk’s commanding presence is not just reassuring, but enticing too…
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“Caroline.” He scarcely recognized his own voice.
Barely aware of what he was doing, he deliberately turned her to face him, bent his head, and caught her mouth under his.
He didn’t know how long he moved over her lips, but he did know he never wanted to stop. She was sweet beyond belief, and soft. And female. So female he ached all over.
“Don’t you ever, ever do that again!” she shouted, pulling away.
He could see her body shaking; the ruffles down the front of her shirtwaist trembled.
He stared at her. Her eyes blazed into his and without thinking he reached for her arm.
“Stay away,” she warned. “Just stay away from me.”
What the—? He stepped back but couldn’t stop looking at her. He’d never misjudged a woman this badly since he was a green boy of fourteen.
Women in the Old West struggled to be treated as equals, to own property in their own names and to exercise their right to vote—things we take for granted in today’s America.
This story reminds us that such rights had to be fought for.
LYNNA BANNING combines her lifelong love of history and literature in a satisfying career as a writer. Born in Oregon, she graduated from Scripps College and embarked on a career as an editor and technical writer, and later as a high school English teacher. She enjoys hearing from her readers. You may write to her directly at PO Box 324, Felton, CA 95018, USA, email her at [email protected] or visit Lynna’s website at lynnabanning.net.
In memory of my mother, Mary Banning Yarnes,
and my grandmother, Leora Boessen Banning, both of whom quietly lived lives that enhanced the inherent rights of women.
Contents
I, Fernanda Elena Maria Sobrano, am tell you this thing from my heart, how I find this man, Hawk Rivera, and ask for his help. My lady she not know what I do, but you will understand when I tell what happen.
“Sheriff, you can’t miss this.”
Hawk Rivera tilted his head so he could see the pudgy overeager face of the mayor from beneath the broad brim of his well-worn gray Stetson. “Like hell I can’t.”
“But everybody in town’ll be there!”
Hawk winced. All the more reason he should stay away. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the townspeople of Smoke River, just that he didn’t like them in bunches. “Mingling,” his mother had called it. He hated mingling. Made the back of his neck crawl like two dozen spiders had been dropped down his shirt collar. Mayor O’Grady cleared his throat. “She came in on the afternoon train. Fine-looking woman.”
Hawk shifted his boots to a new spot on his paper-littered desk. “Save your breath, Harve. Not interested.”
“Looks kinda feisty, too.”
“Still not interested.”
Harvey O’Grady smacked his now-empty whiskey glass down on top of a Wanted poster. “Not interested in a pretty woman? Somethin’ wrong with you, Sheriff.”
Hawk snorted. “Nuthin’ wrong with me another shot of whiskey and a little peace and quiet can’t fix. Leave me alone, Harve.” He tipped his chair farther back toward the dirty wall of the jail. “Leave the whiskey.”
“Aw, hell. A little excitement’d do ya good. Sure as God made little green leprechauns, yer gettin’ morose as a randy coyote.”
“Drop it, Harve.” Pointedly he looked at the door. “See you tomorrow.”
His office door slammed and Hawk reached for his whiskey, drained the glass, then refilled it from the flask the mayor had left. Night was too damn pretty to spoil it with politics.
Down the street somewhere he heard what sounded like chanting. “Oregon women better take note, Wyoming women have got the vote!”
He snorted. Bad poem. Bad idea. If Oregon women were smart they’d leave the thinking to their menfolk and tend to the business of making love and babies. Like they did in Texas.
But that’s why you left, isn’t it? Love and a baby?
He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw cracked. He grabbed for his whiskey and shut his eyes.
* * *
Caroline MacFarlane leaned out the second floor window of her hotel room and pointed. “Just look, Fernanda. The ladies have made signboards!”
Below her in the street a dozen women marched holding up hand-lettered placards.
LADIES UNITE.
WOMEN ARE PEOPLE TOO.
VOTES FOR WOMEN!
With their free hands, the ladies gripped their straw bonnets, which the hot afternoon breeze threatened to dislodge. Caroline’s eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, Mama would have been so proud.”
Fernanda shifted her bulk beside her. “Your mama, mi corazón, work too hard.”
True. Her mother had never minded the dust, or the heat, or the rough manners of little towns like this one, out in the middle of nowhere. Evangeline MacFarlane had lived for The Cause. Caroline was doing her best to follow in her sainted mother’s footsteps.
