Rafe’s quickness with fabrication impressed Helen. It was probably taught in freshman law classes, “Lying Through Your Teeth 101.”
But she wasn’t complaining. Anything to keep those grubby bandits away from her.
“And, besides, you wouldn’t deny a bride and groom their wedding night together, would you?”
Little tingles of suspicion rippled through Helen. She looked closer at Rafe, whose roguish eyes gleamed with triumph. “What are you suggesting?”
“Now, precious, don’t be shy. You and I are going to consummate our marriage tonight. You know that, darling.” He put an arm around her shoulders again and squeezed her close.
Ignacio’s beady eyes swept them both. “Consummation? Elena has not corkscrewed you yet? I know at least two dozen men who have dipped their wicks in her honey, and you are saying she denies you?”
“No, no, no,” Rafe announced in a loud stage whisper, “Elena wants to pretend she’s a virgin. It’s a game we like to play.” He winked at her.
“Aaaargh!” she snarled.
“Aaaahhh!” the bandits sighed in manly understanding.
“Can we watch?” Pablo asked.
“Sure,” Rafe agreed.
Helen pulled out of his embrace and stuttered incoherently.
“Now, honey, he’s just looking for a little menage a trois.” Rafe smiled broadly at the bandits then. “Don’tcha just love it when you stun the little woman speechless?”
Chapter Five
Rafe tried sending silent signals to Helen, hoping she would play along with his plan. He had told her they would make their move to escape after nightfall, but he was thinking now that he might be able to tackle Ignacio and wrest his pistols away from him since the three men had relaxed their vigilance.
He might not be able to ride a horse worth a damn, but one thing Rafe did know from his years in L.A. gangs was guns. If he could get a revolver, the rest would be easy street.
But first, Helen would have to cooperate.
And he saw immediately that cooperation was the last thing on her mind. In fact, as she jerked on her pants and zipped the fly, her brown eyes threw off sparks of fury. And a hint of hurt at his betrayal.
Guilt pricked his conscience.
He wanted to tell her that he hadn’t meant to offend or embarrass her, but their captors stood nearby. He yearned to pull her into her arms and assure her that he’d never deliberately hurt her. And, hell, didn’t she see how much he wanted to make love with her — had wanted to all these years — and that having an audience would be the last thing he’d countenance?
But there was no time for all those explanations now. He had to get her immediate cooperation in his plan. Maybe he could pretend he’d been joking, without the men hearing. Then, later, he’d explain to Helen what his intent had been all along.
“Gotcha!” he said through the side of his mouth, knowing the bandits wouldn’t understand the word even if they did overhear.
“Gotcha? Gotcha? Is that all you can say?”
“Now, Helen, lighten up. Don’t you have a sense of humor? Hah, hah, hah. Now’s no time for a Prissy-hissy fit.”
“Don’t even talk to me. One more word and, I swear, I’ll put a knot in your tongue.”
“A kung fu knot?” he jibed.
“Drop dead.”
Good Lord, she was so steamed she practically had smoke coming out of her ears. He cringed at the daunting task of smoothing her ruffled feathers.
Keeping an eye on the three bandits, who were watching them intently, Rafe reached out an arm for Helen. If he could get her closer, he would whisper a quick explanation in her ear.
She eyed his outstretched arm with loathing, then smiled enigmatically, seeming to change her mind.
He relaxed.
A big mistake.
In a mere instant, she took his hand, twisted around so her back pressed against his chest, bent, and flipped Rafe’s body over her shoulder — all 200 pounds of him. He landed ignominiously with a huge splash on his back in the water. A sharp rock dug into his sore blister.
As he came up, shaking his hair back, he saw Helen swagger out of the water and do a flying side kick, yelling, “Hee-yah!” He figured “hee-yah” must mean something like, “Take that, bozo.” Meanwhile, her foot connected with Pablo’s poor battered groin, knocking the screeching young man to the ground.