Texas Heart by Ruth Langan

Author:Ruth Langan [Langan, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Cowboy
ISBN: 9780373286317
Google: yp3jAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0263816591
Goodreads: 2789675
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1989-09-30T11:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Hey, Jess. Wake up. What’s wrong with you?

” Through layers of sound and shadow Jessie struggled to respond to

Danny’s voice. But her mind couldn’t seem to focus.

“Jessie.”

Strong arms wrapped around her, and she buffed her face against a

scratchy shirt and hung on, feeling oddly safe and happy.

“Jessie. Are you all right?”

At the sound of Cole’s deep voice, she nodded and sighed, wishing they

could remain like this until she could pull her scrambled thoughts

together.

As if reading her mind, Cole lifted her in his arms and began carrying

her back to their campsite, all the while cradling her against his

chest.

he found herself weeping and didn’t know why.

But when he whispered words of comfort, she only cried harder until,

concerned, he knelt down and set her on her bedroll.

“Are you hurt?”

She shook her head and looked away, embarrassed to be caught blubbering

like a baby.

“Then what is it?”

“I thought I’d killed you.”

He smiled then, and she thought her heart would burst from the sweet

pain that smile caused.

“I’m still alive.”

He placed her small hand in his as if to prove that he wasn’t just her

imagination playing tricks.

“Without a scratch, thanks to you.”

His voice sounded oddly gruff.

“You saved my life, Jessie.”

“But I was almost too late. I thought…”

She was mortified to realize she was crying again.

“Hey, Jessie. Are you crying?”

Little Thad looked concerned.

“Of course not.”

She wiped furiously at her tears with the back of her hand.

“I never cry.”

“Did you see what you shot?”

Thad was standing over her, a smile splicing his face from ear to

ear.

“Cole says it’s a javelina.”

In imitation of Cole he gave it the Mexican pronunciation, havaleena.

“Cole said that’s like a wild pig, only meaner.”

Jessie watched numbly as Thad pointed toward the carcass of the dead

animal, which he and Danny had straggled to carry back to their camp.

“That was some shooting, Jess.”

Danny knelt beside her, his eyes wide with respect.

“I never thought you could handle Pa’s rifle like that.”

She gave a weak laugh.

“Neither did I.”

Cole continued to study her closely, noting the pallor that left her

skin the color of pale alabaster.

“What your sister needs right now is some rest.”

When she made a move to protest, he placed a hand on her shoulder,

holding her still.

“You lie here. We’ll bring you some supper.”

She fell back against the blanket and watched as Cole filled her plate,

Danny poured coffee and trailed behind Cole.

Not wanting to be left out, Thad broke off a hot biscuit and carded it

to her.

She ate in silence while the others relished their supper.

Thad recounted every moment of his brush with the dangerous javelina,

his voice high with excitement.

Now that the danger had passed, he went over each little detail of the

adventure.

Every now and then she noticed that Cole was watching her.

But though Thad and Danny tried to get him to talk about the terrible

experience, he merely nodded occasionally while they did all the

talking.

At last they seemed to have talked themselves out.

Their thoughts turned inward.

“Would he have killed you, Cole?”

Thad asked after long moments of contemplation.

“Maybe.”

Cole finished his supper and sipped hot strong coffee.

“You were going to take him on rather than let him hurt Thad, weren’t

you?”

Danny’s voice lowered.

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