Sneak Peek Sunday . . . Petticoats and Handcuffs?

Welcome to Sara Walter Ellwood’s Sneak Peek Sunday!  This is another peek at A Touch of Camelot, a lighthearted historical western with a Camelot twist.

Gwin and her ten-year-old brother Arthur are the only survivors of the murder of their troupe after playing a tent revival in San Francisco. They’ve fled California in fear for their lives but have since been apprehended by the authorities.

Cole Shepherd is a brand new Pinkerton detective. His first assignment? Escort the beautiful con artist and her precocious little brother across country by train to testify. His only directive? Don’t “misplace” his wily charges along the way. Simple.

Or maybe not.

It’s only been one day and Cole has already foiled two creative escape attempts. Tonight is their first night together aboard the Union Pacific Express 840. So, how can he be sure Gwin won’t fly the coop the minute he closes his eyes to catch some much-needed sleep?

*

Cole parted the curtains to their berth to find her lying on her side, a sheet pulled up over her chest, revealing the slim shoulder straps of a white chemise. Her head rested on one hand and her long-lashed eyes glimmered mischievously in the overhead lamplight. “What are you going to do now? Search me for weapons?”

Cole studied the delicate line of her jaw, the curve of her lips. Oh, she knew what she was doing to him, and he didn’t doubt for a minute she would try to use it. When Fritz Landis had warned him not to let his guard down, Cole had never foreseen this particular danger. He hadn’t known then he would be stuck traveling across the country with a sharp-witted, smart-mouthed, pint-sized temptress.

He took the handcuffs from his pocket and reached for her right hand. She jerked back. “Hey! What’s this?”

“Just taking precautions.”

“Where in heck do you think I’m going in my underclothes? Do you intend to shackle Arthur, too?”

“No, he’s sleeping with me. He can’t go anywhere without crawling over me, and, I assure you, I’m a very light sleeper.”

*

Hmmm, how do you think Cole’s plan will turn out? Will he succeed in getting the good night’s sleep he deserves?

For more fun sneak peeks, hop on over to SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY HERE!