Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ance held out his hand to bring Audrey to a stop. She pulled her horse up beside his and swiped sweat from her brow. "Why are we stopping?" she questioned. 

Ance tilted his head toward the grove of trees on the rise in the distance. "Old man Thompson lives over that rise. I'm gonna leave Penny here with you while I go let him know we're coming."

"Does he not like company?" Audrey asked as she slid from the saddle and Ance helped Penelope down into her arms. 

"No, he doesn't." Ance replied, adjusting himself in the saddle now that he was riding alone. 

Penelope rubbed at her sleepy eyes. "Will he like us?" 

Ance glanced toward the setting sun and nodded. "Of course he will, Penny. There's not a thing about you a person wouldn't like." Penelope beamed but Ance could tell Audrey wasn't quite as easily convinced.

She told Penelope to stay beside her horse before walking several feet away and motioning for Ance to follow. With a sigh, Ance dismounted and did just that. "What's wrong, Audrey?"

"Is everything going to be okay with this man?" she whispered before nibbling at her bottom lip. 

Ance found his eyes following that movement just as they always did and he longed to take that full lip into his mouth and nip at it himself but new he couldn't with Penelope watching on. "It'll be fine. Old Man Thompson is...odd but he's a decent enough man. He doesn't much care for people so I figure I'd better warm him up to the idea that he's gonna have some around for a while before I take you ladies in there." 

"Warm him up?" she questioned skeptically. 

Ance chuckled. "He owes me a few favors. I'll just go see if he remembers that." 

"And if he doesn't?" 

Ance winked. "Then I'll remind him. Now, you stay here with Penny and keep your gun handy just in case someone happens by." Ance hooked his finger on the handle of her revolver and pulled her toward him. "I won't be gone long," he assured her, feeling that heat rushing through his veins that was getting all too familiar every time he was near Audrey.

Audrey nodded and before either could stop themselves, they were pressing their lips together. Ance moaned in the back of his throat and pulled her closer. Audrey whimpered and laid her hands on his chest. Ance breathed in her scent and lost himself. This woman had a control over him that was strong and powerful and all he ever wanted was more of her. 

"That's so romantic," Penelope giggled, her tone a mixture of amusement and exasperation. 

Ance quickly leapt back away from Audrey's whose cheeks were flushed bright red. He hopped on his horse, swallowed hard and then rode off toward Old Man Thompson's, leaving all explanations for that kiss up to Audrey like the coward that he was. 

Ance chose not to dwell on the kiss or the reason why he'd felt so compelled to taste Audrey. Ance had hoped that after being with her a few times, his desire for the woman would decrease--it seemed the opposite was happening. 

Ance topped over the rise and saw Old Man Thompson's cabin nestled within the trees. Ance slid from his mare's back and let his gaze scan the surroundings. Old Man Thompson was well known for his hostility toward visitors and his traps to keep them away. 

Ance sidestepped a clump of twigs before picking up a large rock and throwing it onto them. They gave way and collapsed, revealing the spike filled hold beneath them. 

"You've gotten worse at hiding them, old man," Ance chuckled just before he took a step, felt the snare tighten around his ankle and found himself flipped upside down and dangling from the air.