The Outlaw Valentine by Darlene Carson

Author:Darlene Carson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sweet romance, clean romance, wholesome romance, cowboy romance, historical romance, old west romance, frontier romance, christian romance, inspirational romance
Publisher: LoveBlessed
Published: 2015-10-23T00:00:00+00:00

4

SADIE KNEW THAT SOME men had a particular talent for spoiling tender moments, but she had never witnessed a man quite as talented at it as Hoyt had just shown himself to be.

“You’re here for the bank?!”

“No, I mean...I’m here for you too.”

She stepped close and stared into his eyes, as if daring him to look away. “Hoyt Mathers, you answer me one thing. Did you come back for me like you promised to do all those years ago, or did you come to rob the bank?”

He swallowed hard. “We’re here for the bank.”

Sadie slapped him on the arm, as hard as she could. Much to her surprise, Hoyt crumpled to the ground, groaning as he collapsed on the straw and clutched his arm where she’d slapped him.

“Stop kidding around,” she said. “It wasn’t that hard.”

“You hit me right where I got hurt the other day,” he croaked. Truth be told, as she looked closer at him he did look like he was in a lot of pain.

“Let me see,” she said, helping him back to his feet and brushing bits of hay off of him. He removed his coat, and as soon as she could see his shirt, she gasped. Blood was seeping through his sleeve.

“You’re hurt!” she cried.

“That’s what I told you.” He rolled up his sleeve to look. The skin had barely begun to heal, and now it was bleeding afresh. “Darn it,” he muttered. “I sure didn’t need this today.”

“How did that happen? Were you...were you shot?”

“Nah, he hardly winged me,” Hoyt said, lowering his sleeve. “I’ve been shot worse than that.”

She stared at him. “What kind of life do you have now, when you can not only talk so calmly about getting shot, but also compare it to other times? Would you listen to yourself?”

He grunted. “It happens,” he said. “Alex calls it a professional risk.”

“Oh, well, if Alex says so, then it must be fine,” she said, as she headed for the door. “I’m going to get something to bandage you up. You can’t go around like that. It’ll get infected.”

“Sadie, wait,” he said, grabbing her arm.

“I’ll be right back,” she said. “I’m just going to get some cloth.”

“Is your mom in the house?” “Of course.”

“Then you’re not going anywhere,” he said.

She glanced down at his fist, wrapped around her bicep, and stared at him with wide eyes. “What on earth has gotten into you?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t take the chance that you’ll...well, that you’ll turn me in.”

“The thought crossed my mind,” she said. “I can’t believe you showed up here, today of all days, and you’re not even here for me!” She slapped him hard on the other arm.

“Ow! Would you stop it?”

“It’s not half of what you deserve,” she muttered. “You’re making Eli Farragut look pretty good by comparison.”

“What?”

“Never mind,” she said, and she pushed Hoyt’s hand away. “Now, I’m going into the house and I’ll be back in a minute.”

“You can’t,” he said, stepping into her way.

She took him by the shoulders.

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