The Cutler Brothers Series
| Excerpt |
Book Two - Madoc
Shayna’s hands trembled as she hurriedly shoved
what little clothing she had into the small overnight
bag she’d brought with her when she’d left Denver.
Of all the men in the diner she could have flirted
with, she had to pick a U.S. Marshal!
Tall and broad-shouldered, not to mention ruggedly
handsome, she had noticed the Marshal the moment
he’d walked into the diner, and had been
disappointed when he had chosen a booth instead of
taking a seat at the counter. So when Madge, the
other waitress she worked with, had suggested she
serve lunch to him, she had not only jumped at the
chance, but had openly flirted with him. She’d
figured that he was probably only passing through
town, but had toyed with the idea of trying to
convince him to hang around for awhile. Little did
she know that he was there to arrest her, she thought
Shayna’s hands trembled as she hurriedly shoved
what little clothing she had into the small overnight
bag she’d brought with her when she’d left Denver.
Of all the men in the diner she could have flirted
with, she had to pick a U.S. Marshal!
Tall and broad-shouldered, not to mention ruggedly
handsome, she had noticed the Marshal the moment
he’d walked into the diner, and had been
disappointed when he had chosen a booth instead of
taking a seat at the counter. So when Madge, the
other waitress she worked with, had suggested she
serve lunch to him, she had not only jumped at the
chance, but had openly flirted with him. She’d
figured that he was probably only passing through
town, but had toyed with the idea of trying to
convince him to hang around for awhile. Little did
she know that he was there to arrest her, she thought
bitterly. And if Madge hadn’t learned that he was a U.S. Marshal from her conversation with
him earlier, then Shayna would still be at the diner obliviously going on about her business.
God, she had been so stupid! Stupid to stay in Flint Rock for so long instead of going to
Canada like she had planned. Stupid to think that a pair of ugly, non-prescription, black-
framed glasses would be enough of a disguise to alter her appearance. Stupid not to dye her
hair like her sister had suggested.
Still silently berating herself for her stupidity, Shayna grabbed her coat from the bed and put it
on. If she hurried, maybe she could catch one of the truckers down at the gas station near the
freeway and bum a ride with him. Anyone heading north would be fine with her.
She picked up her suitcase from the bed, and was just about to cross the small room she
rented at the boarding house when there came a loud banging on the door.
“Federal Marshal!” a man’s voice called. “Open up!”
Shayna froze, her hand tightening reflexively on the handle of her overnight bag as she stared
at the door. Oh God, he’d found her, she thought. She couldn’t go back to jail! She had to get
out of there!
The Marshal banged on the door, louder this time. Heart pounding, Shayna looked around
wildly for some other escape route. Her gaze immediately locked on the window on the other
side of the small room. Not having to think twice, she dashed over to it. Instead of opening
easily like it should have, however, the window didn’t budge. Dammit, the darn thing was
stuck!
Tears of frustration welling in her eyes, Shayna dropped her bag on the floor and tried to force
the window open, but it did no good. The stupid thing probably hadn’t been opened in ten
years! Spotting a heavy bookend sitting on the low shelf beside the window, she grabbed it and
was just about to use it to break the glass when the door burst open.
Still holding onto the bookend, Shayna whirled around with a startled gasp to see the
handsome Marshal from the diner standing in the doorway, his weapon drawn and pointed at
her.
“Shayna Matthews, you’re under arrest,” he told her. “Drop that and put your hands up.”
Shayna knew she should obey, especially since the Marshal had a gun pointed at her, but she
couldn’t make herself do it. “You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Jane,” she said, her
voice trembling. “Jane Cooper.”
His golden-brown eyes went to the bag sitting on the floor beside her. “Nice try,” he said
sarcastically. “Now, drop what you’re holding and put your hands up.”
She swallowed hard, but still didn’t do as he told her. “You’ve got the wrong person,” she
insisted.
The Marshal clenched his jaw. “I’m not going to tell you again,” he warned her. “Drop what
you’re holding and get your hands in the air.”
Shayna didn’t move. She couldn’t let him arrest her. Running had only made her look more
guilty, and if she went back to jail, they weren’t likely to let her out on bail this time. The
thought alone was enough to make her stomach churn.
Her gaze darted to the door and she wondered if she could somehow get past the Marshal.
Apparently, he must have read her mind because he started toward her even as she tensed to
make a run for it. Shayna’s hand tightened on the bookend and before she even realized what
she was doing, she drew back her arm and threw it at him.
Shayna just had enough time to see the Marshal’s eyes go wide before he ducked. Knowing
she would only get one chance at escape, she immediately ran for the door. But she didn’t get
more than a few feet before a strong hand closed over her arm and spun her around. With a cry
that was half frustration, half rage, Shayna balled her hand into a fist and took a swing at the
Marshal.
“What the...?!” he began, catching her arm before her fist could connect. “Dammit, take it
easy!”
But Shayna wasn’t about to take it easy. If she didn’t get away from him, she was going to be
spending a very long time in prison, maybe even the rest of her life. With that horrific thought
motivating her, Shayna savagely tried to jerk free of the Marshal’s hold.
“Stop it!” he ordered her, his grip tightening on her arms. “Dammit, I don’t want to hurt you!”
“Then let me go!” she shot back, still struggling against him.
But it was obvious that the Marshal wasn’t going to let her go, and Shayna fought him wildly.
Once she even managed to get her arm free long enough to try to scratch his face, but he
quickly captured her wrist in his hand again.
Frustrated, Shayna tried to shove him away from her. To her surprise, she actually managed to
catch the Marshal off balance long enough to knock him back onto the bed. She didn’t catch
him that unaware, however, because instead of releasing her like she hoped he would do, he
tightened his grip on her wrists and pulled her down with him.
Ending up sprawled across his lap, Shayna was so stunned for a moment that she didn’t even
realize the Marshal had let go of her arms sometime during their fall onto the bed. As soon as
she did, though, she immediately tried to push herself upright, but a strong hand on her back
pushed her down again. She started struggling as hard as she could, anything to keep him
from grabbing her arms again. She knew the moment he did, she would end up in handcuffs.
But Shayna was surprised when the Marshal didn’t even try to jerk her arms behind her back
so that he could handcuff her. She thought for a moment that she might actually have a
chance to get away, only to gasp in surprise when she felt his free hand come down hard on
her jean-clad bottom. She stilled, her eyes going wide. Had he actually just spanked her?
What the hell did he think he was doing?
him earlier, then Shayna would still be at the diner obliviously going on about her business.
God, she had been so stupid! Stupid to stay in Flint Rock for so long instead of going to
Canada like she had planned. Stupid to think that a pair of ugly, non-prescription, black-
framed glasses would be enough of a disguise to alter her appearance. Stupid not to dye her
hair like her sister had suggested.
Still silently berating herself for her stupidity, Shayna grabbed her coat from the bed and put it
on. If she hurried, maybe she could catch one of the truckers down at the gas station near the
freeway and bum a ride with him. Anyone heading north would be fine with her.
She picked up her suitcase from the bed, and was just about to cross the small room she
rented at the boarding house when there came a loud banging on the door.
“Federal Marshal!” a man’s voice called. “Open up!”
Shayna froze, her hand tightening reflexively on the handle of her overnight bag as she stared
at the door. Oh God, he’d found her, she thought. She couldn’t go back to jail! She had to get
out of there!
The Marshal banged on the door, louder this time. Heart pounding, Shayna looked around
wildly for some other escape route. Her gaze immediately locked on the window on the other
side of the small room. Not having to think twice, she dashed over to it. Instead of opening
easily like it should have, however, the window didn’t budge. Dammit, the darn thing was
stuck!
Tears of frustration welling in her eyes, Shayna dropped her bag on the floor and tried to force
the window open, but it did no good. The stupid thing probably hadn’t been opened in ten
years! Spotting a heavy bookend sitting on the low shelf beside the window, she grabbed it and
was just about to use it to break the glass when the door burst open.
Still holding onto the bookend, Shayna whirled around with a startled gasp to see the
handsome Marshal from the diner standing in the doorway, his weapon drawn and pointed at
her.
“Shayna Matthews, you’re under arrest,” he told her. “Drop that and put your hands up.”
Shayna knew she should obey, especially since the Marshal had a gun pointed at her, but she
couldn’t make herself do it. “You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Jane,” she said, her
voice trembling. “Jane Cooper.”
His golden-brown eyes went to the bag sitting on the floor beside her. “Nice try,” he said
sarcastically. “Now, drop what you’re holding and put your hands up.”
She swallowed hard, but still didn’t do as he told her. “You’ve got the wrong person,” she
insisted.
The Marshal clenched his jaw. “I’m not going to tell you again,” he warned her. “Drop what
you’re holding and get your hands in the air.”
Shayna didn’t move. She couldn’t let him arrest her. Running had only made her look more
guilty, and if she went back to jail, they weren’t likely to let her out on bail this time. The
thought alone was enough to make her stomach churn.
Her gaze darted to the door and she wondered if she could somehow get past the Marshal.
Apparently, he must have read her mind because he started toward her even as she tensed to
make a run for it. Shayna’s hand tightened on the bookend and before she even realized what
she was doing, she drew back her arm and threw it at him.
Shayna just had enough time to see the Marshal’s eyes go wide before he ducked. Knowing
she would only get one chance at escape, she immediately ran for the door. But she didn’t get
more than a few feet before a strong hand closed over her arm and spun her around. With a cry
that was half frustration, half rage, Shayna balled her hand into a fist and took a swing at the
Marshal.
“What the...?!” he began, catching her arm before her fist could connect. “Dammit, take it
easy!”
But Shayna wasn’t about to take it easy. If she didn’t get away from him, she was going to be
spending a very long time in prison, maybe even the rest of her life. With that horrific thought
motivating her, Shayna savagely tried to jerk free of the Marshal’s hold.
“Stop it!” he ordered her, his grip tightening on her arms. “Dammit, I don’t want to hurt you!”
“Then let me go!” she shot back, still struggling against him.
But it was obvious that the Marshal wasn’t going to let her go, and Shayna fought him wildly.
Once she even managed to get her arm free long enough to try to scratch his face, but he
quickly captured her wrist in his hand again.
Frustrated, Shayna tried to shove him away from her. To her surprise, she actually managed to
catch the Marshal off balance long enough to knock him back onto the bed. She didn’t catch
him that unaware, however, because instead of releasing her like she hoped he would do, he
tightened his grip on her wrists and pulled her down with him.
Ending up sprawled across his lap, Shayna was so stunned for a moment that she didn’t even
realize the Marshal had let go of her arms sometime during their fall onto the bed. As soon as
she did, though, she immediately tried to push herself upright, but a strong hand on her back
pushed her down again. She started struggling as hard as she could, anything to keep him
from grabbing her arms again. She knew the moment he did, she would end up in handcuffs.
But Shayna was surprised when the Marshal didn’t even try to jerk her arms behind her back
so that he could handcuff her. She thought for a moment that she might actually have a
chance to get away, only to gasp in surprise when she felt his free hand come down hard on
her jean-clad bottom. She stilled, her eyes going wide. Had he actually just spanked her?
What the hell did he think he was doing?
© Paige Tyler and ABCD Webmasters, 2007
