The Tender Texan by Jodi Thomas

Author:Jodi Thomas [Thomas, Jodi]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 0425243435
Publisher: Diamond
Published: 1991-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

I’m not wearing the damn thing!” Chance stormed bare-chested from the bedroom and pitched the white nightshirt at Anna.

“But every man wears a nightshirt to bed.” Anna looked up from braiding Maggie’s hair. “What will Maggie think?”

Chance winked at his little sister. “I doubt Maggie cares what I wear. Right, sweetheart?”

Tittering, Maggie answered, “Right.” Her love for her brother shone so strongly in her eyes it was obvious the child could love him no less if he were in bearskins.

Anna stood, one hand on her hip, the other pointing a comb at Chance as she frowned in her best imitation of the sisters at boarding school. “Well, you can’t sleep naked with women in the house. Besides, it’s not healthy. You’ll catch a cold.”

“I don’t see what you’re so upset about. You act like you’ve never seen me without clothing.” He watched the blush rise in Anna’s cheeks. “And besides, I haven’t had a cold in ten years. I doubt this frilly shirt with the lace around the collar will save me from one.”

Anna had heard Tobin bedding down earlier on the porch. He was probably snickering like a hyena right now. They would likely become part of his stories for the next folks he met. She took Maggie by the hand and crossed to the bedroom, trying to keep her voice low. “I don’t care what you sleep in, Chance Wyatt, because you’re sleeping out here on the cot. Maggie and I will do just fine in the bed.”

Chance’s mouth fell open as she dropped the curtain over the doorway leading to the only other room in the house. Briefly, he thought of changing his mind or storming in and telling her she was mistaken about the sleeping arrangements, that he’d be damned if he was going to sleep in the kitchen on a cot while his wife slept in the bedroom. But he thought about how that would make Maggie feel if he kicked her out. He’d seen her love for Anna all evening. The child had never left his wife’s side. He couldn’t come between them. They were like two lost souls who had just found one another. No matter how much he wanted to hold Anna, he couldn’t hurt his little sister.

Storming out of the house, Chance slammed the door loud enough to wake the neighbors. He almost tumbled over Tobin, who was sitting on the porch downing a bottle of whiskey. The evening was murky black, with only spots of tiny lights flickering in the distance. Chance fought the urge to run hard and fast into the night until he slammed into something and shocked the frustration from his mind. Pain, anger, even hardship, he could deal with, but not the feelings that churned inside him whenever he fought with Anna.

Chance plopped down beside Tobin and silently took a swallow. For once he hardly noticed the fiery liquid burning its way down his throat. Every night for the past month he’d thought about how it would feel to sleep next to Anna.

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