Lean Stroud is wanted for robbery and a murder he didn't commit. On the run to California with his partner-in-crime, Kenneth, he spots the relentless bounty hunter, Thomas Grady, on the train. The only way to protect Kenneth is to create a distraction, and that's what he does when he flees the train at the top of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He forces Thomas to chase him, but nothing can prepare him for what it means to be caught.<br><br>Thomas Grady always gets his man, and Leon Stroud is no exception to that rule. But almost from the moment Thomas touches Leon, he wants the outlaw for something besides his bounty. Driven by desire he doesn't understand, he repeatedly claims Leon's body on the long journey from Soda Springs to San Francisco -- and Leon only begs for more. An even bigger threat, with a larger bounty, could be the very thing they need to drive them together. Or tear them apart.

Stealing West

Others scattered, at least one woman crying out. Within yards of the tracks, Leon took back control, yanking on the reins to veer the horse in a new direction. He headed away from Verdi, away from the train. Thomas snapped his head around, scanning for any signs of another young man bolting, but everybody else had frozen in place to watch the runaway horse and rider.


His bounty. Now heading toward the ridge in the distance.


He rushed to the livestock cars. “Get me my horse!”


The boys stared at him, like he had shouted in Chinese. He didn’t let that slow him down. He hurried up the plank to the car where he knew his sorrel gelding, Max, was kept. A part of him didn’t even want to take the time to saddle him, but Thomas knew he’d regret it if he took off like a fool without proper equipment. He didn’t want to lose Leon, but the spring ground was soft enough that he was confident he could track the man.


Chapter 5