Give Me A Texan. Jodi Thomas

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СКАЧАТЬ Stockton, but Hank still found it hard to believe any man would try to kill another over a woman he’d just met.

      Then he looked at Aggie with her beautiful hair and shining eyes and he knew it must be true.

      “When did the man insist on having a drink with you?” she asked.

      Hank tried to remember exactly the order. “He was standing behind me when I bought our two tickets.”

      Aggie frowned. “So he knew you were expecting me?”

      “He also knew I didn’t have time to wander over to the saloon.”

      She leaned closer. “Do you think, when the offer for drinks didn’t work, that he pulled the knife thinking one way or the other he’d make sure you missed the train?”

      Hank didn’t want to admit it, but she made sense. The fellow hadn’t acted all that drunk at first, then as soon as he’d slipped the knife over Hank’s arm, he’d run away. “Maybe,” Hank admitted. “He knew if I wasn’t at the station you wouldn’t be going anywhere that night.”

      Aggie finished the thought. “And if you weren’t there, I would have turned around and gone back to Dolly and Charlie’s place.”

      Their eyes met. Hank felt like he could read her thoughts. There was no need to continue piecing the puzzle; they’d both seen the picture it made.

      Lacing her fingers together, she leaned an inch closer and whispered as if saying her words too loud might make them come true. “Do you think the hired gun might come back?”

      Hank wished he could say no, but he didn’t want to lie to her. “He might,” was the best he could do.

      Aggie swallowed and nodded. “Then, would you mind if I slept in next to you? I’d planned on making a pallet in the kitchen, but I’d feel safer here.”

      Hank wouldn’t have trusted any words. He simple lifted the covers beside him.

      She smiled and joined him.

      When he stretched and turned out the light, she whispered, “Thank you, dear.” As if he’d done her a favor.

      Hank wouldn’t have been surprised if lightning came through the second floor and struck him any moment. He wasn’t worried about anyone trying to kill him; his shy little wife was going to give him a heart attack by doing something as simple as trusting him.

      This time she didn’t wait for him to pull her next to him. She snuggled against him and laid her hand on his bare chest.

      Then, before he could think to breathe, she laughed.

      He covered her hand with his. “What’s so funny?”

      “Your chest hair tickles.”

      “Aggie?” His fingers stilled her hand.

      “Yes, dear?” she answered.

      “Kiss me good night,” he whispered as she looked up.

      This time, when his mouth covered hers, he couldn’t hold back. He had to kiss her the way a man kisses a woman…the way a man kisses his wife.

      His arm pulled her against him. The thin layer of flannel did little to mask the feel of her. He kissed her long and hard, drinking her in, needing to end the drought in his life, needing to need another.

      When he finally let her go, Hank rolled an inch away and tried to think of something, anything to say, but no words would come.

      He could feel her tugging at the covers, pulling a blanket over her shoulders, snuggling into her own pillow. “Good night, dear,” she said in almost a whisper.

      “Good night?” he answered. “Don’t you have anything else to say after what just happened?”

      She rose to one elbow. “What just happened?”

      Hank closed his eyes and swore beneath his breath. She was going to make him say it, then there would be no doubt what he was apologizing for. “About the way I kissed you. I didn’t plan it, but I’ll not say I’m sorry.”

      “All right,” she said as if she’d given it no thought.

      He had the feeling she was staring at him in the darkness. Probably thinking of ways to kill him herself since he was stepping way over the line of being partners.

      “You’re not mad about the kiss?”

      She laughed again. “No, dear,” she answered. “I rather liked it. I’m surprised that something I’ve given little thought to in my life could be so pleasant.”

      He was back to step one of trying to understand Aggie. “Then you wouldn’t mind if we did it again?”

      This time she rolled toward him. “I wouldn’t mind at all. I rather like the feel of you.” Her lips lowered above his before he had time to move. With her mouth brushing his, she whispered, “I find I like kissing you very much.”

      This time he didn’t try to hold her to him. He let her lead. Her kiss was softer, sweeter than his had been. But the weight of her breast resting on his chest drove him mad. “I love this shirt,” he whispered against her mouth. “I love the way…” She didn’t let him finish. She was busy learning.

      When she finally raised her head, she stared down at him. Even in the darkness he could see the devil dancing in her eyes. She shifted, using his chest to lean on and propped her head on one elbow. “What comes next, dear?”

      “You really want to know?”

      She nodded. “I didn’t think I ever would. I thought things between a man and a woman were for the man’s pleasure, never the woman’s. Since you kissed me I’ve been reconsidering.”

      “I’ll show you,” he said, wondering how she could possibly want him to be her teacher. “But how fast we go down this road, and when we stop, will be up to you.”

      “Fair enough.” She nodded as if they’d made an agreement.

      She waited.

      He hesitated. “Aggie,” he finally said. “What do you know about how it is between a man and a woman?”

      She shrugged. “Mostly what my sister told me. About how it’s something to be endured. I wanted no part of that. But your kisses don’t seem that way.” She looked down, embarrassed by her own boldness.

      Hank placed his hand on her waist. “And my touch? Would you welcome my touch?”

      She nodded slowly.

      “Aggie,” he whispered, “look at me.”

      She raised her head and he saw her eyes in the moonlight. Nervous. Shy, but not afraid.

      His hand moved slowly up her ribcage, a light touch against soft material and softer flesh beneath.

      Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move.

      His СКАЧАТЬ