Read Online A Texan’s Honor by Shelley Gray - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shelley Gray
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time. Are you ready, Jamie?"
"I am." Her caramel-colored eyes, so warm and pretty, met his. "I'm just supposed to stand outside, right?"
"Right. All you have to do is stand there, and don't say a word."
When she nodded to show her understanding, Will fought the urge to give her a reassuring smile.
He couldn't trust her. He could only imagine that she was guileless. Because if she decided to act up or escape, he wasn't going to be able to be responsible for what would happen next. If Scout didn't shoot her dead, he'd be forced to do anything he had to in order to get her back.
Even if it meant hurting her or worse. It was either that or ruin his reputation. And no matter what, he couldn't afford to let anyone think that he was less than a full-fledged member of the Walton Gang.
As Jamie steeled herself, Will held onto her arm with one hand, then reached out and grabbed the lever to the door with the other. The door's handle was cold to the touch, reminding Will just how bitterly cold and windy it was outside. "All right now," he murmured. "We better get you out there."
She took one step forward.
"Hold on. She needs to take off the coat," Scout ordered from behind them.
Will turned to him in surprise. "It's freezing out there. She'll catch her death."
"No. She'll catch her death if she gets shot."
Under his hand, Jamie's trembling intensified.
Will narrowed his eyes. "She's frightened enough—she doesn't need you making things worse."
"McMillan, you know Boss wants her standing in only her dress. Are you refusing to follow orders?"
"Of course I'm not. It's just that I've got a brain, you know. It's as cold as—"
"She's wearing a dead man's coat," Scout interrupted. "From a distance, some of the Marshals might even get to thinking she's a man. Might get trigger-happy. It needs to come off."
Will thought there was no way any man looking at Jamie's form was going to mistake it for anything masculine. She was a tiny thing. Petite, yet curvy too. Remembering how she'd felt when he'd carried her, Will knew for a fact there was little angular about her body.
However, he wasn't going to push. James Walton had issued his orders, and no one had ever made the mistake of thinking that the gang was a democracy.
Well, they didn't make that mistake twice.
Just as important, Scout seemed more dangerous than ever at the moment. His gray eyes looked even closer to black and his manner was even more surly than usual.
"Jamie, that coat needs to come off for a time," he said.
Still in the open doorway, Jamie didn't meet his gaze as her shaking hands unfastened four buttons. She then slipped the heavy wool from her shoulders, revealing her black gown once again. Though it should have made her look less beautiful, the opposite was true.
And in that minute, Will knew Scout's orders had had merit. The gown made her small waist look tiny and the bustle and petticoats made the gentle flare of her hips more pronounced. She was everything feminine that men dreamed about.
She was everything he'd ever fantasized about.
"All right. Let's get this over with."
Immediately, a fierce cold breeze slapped them in the face, making his eyes water. "Step out and stand still until I tell you otherwise."
She raised her eyes to his. "You'll be here too, right?"
Her words softened his heart and nearly made him weep, there was such trust there. "I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."
She stepped forward, standing with both feet on the platform.
Will was right behind her, his hands loose and easy, ready to reach out and grab her the moment she was in danger of losing her balance.
When Jamie rested her hands in front of her, Scout issued another order from the portal. "Nope, that won't do. Miss Ellis, you keep your hands behind your back. If you even attempt to make a hand signal, you'll regret it."
To Will's surprise, Jamie turned to Scout and glared. "I won't make a hand signal, Mr. Proffitt. Believe me, I have no wish to die
"I am." Her caramel-colored eyes, so warm and pretty, met his. "I'm just supposed to stand outside, right?"
"Right. All you have to do is stand there, and don't say a word."
When she nodded to show her understanding, Will fought the urge to give her a reassuring smile.
He couldn't trust her. He could only imagine that she was guileless. Because if she decided to act up or escape, he wasn't going to be able to be responsible for what would happen next. If Scout didn't shoot her dead, he'd be forced to do anything he had to in order to get her back.
Even if it meant hurting her or worse. It was either that or ruin his reputation. And no matter what, he couldn't afford to let anyone think that he was less than a full-fledged member of the Walton Gang.
As Jamie steeled herself, Will held onto her arm with one hand, then reached out and grabbed the lever to the door with the other. The door's handle was cold to the touch, reminding Will just how bitterly cold and windy it was outside. "All right now," he murmured. "We better get you out there."
She took one step forward.
"Hold on. She needs to take off the coat," Scout ordered from behind them.
Will turned to him in surprise. "It's freezing out there. She'll catch her death."
"No. She'll catch her death if she gets shot."
Under his hand, Jamie's trembling intensified.
Will narrowed his eyes. "She's frightened enough—she doesn't need you making things worse."
"McMillan, you know Boss wants her standing in only her dress. Are you refusing to follow orders?"
"Of course I'm not. It's just that I've got a brain, you know. It's as cold as—"
"She's wearing a dead man's coat," Scout interrupted. "From a distance, some of the Marshals might even get to thinking she's a man. Might get trigger-happy. It needs to come off."
Will thought there was no way any man looking at Jamie's form was going to mistake it for anything masculine. She was a tiny thing. Petite, yet curvy too. Remembering how she'd felt when he'd carried her, Will knew for a fact there was little angular about her body.
However, he wasn't going to push. James Walton had issued his orders, and no one had ever made the mistake of thinking that the gang was a democracy.
Well, they didn't make that mistake twice.
Just as important, Scout seemed more dangerous than ever at the moment. His gray eyes looked even closer to black and his manner was even more surly than usual.
"Jamie, that coat needs to come off for a time," he said.
Still in the open doorway, Jamie didn't meet his gaze as her shaking hands unfastened four buttons. She then slipped the heavy wool from her shoulders, revealing her black gown once again. Though it should have made her look less beautiful, the opposite was true.
And in that minute, Will knew Scout's orders had had merit. The gown made her small waist look tiny and the bustle and petticoats made the gentle flare of her hips more pronounced. She was everything feminine that men dreamed about.
She was everything he'd ever fantasized about.
"All right. Let's get this over with."
Immediately, a fierce cold breeze slapped them in the face, making his eyes water. "Step out and stand still until I tell you otherwise."
She raised her eyes to his. "You'll be here too, right?"
Her words softened his heart and nearly made him weep, there was such trust there. "I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere."
She stepped forward, standing with both feet on the platform.
Will was right behind her, his hands loose and easy, ready to reach out and grab her the moment she was in danger of losing her balance.
When Jamie rested her hands in front of her, Scout issued another order from the portal. "Nope, that won't do. Miss Ellis, you keep your hands behind your back. If you even attempt to make a hand signal, you'll regret it."
To Will's surprise, Jamie turned to Scout and glared. "I won't make a hand signal, Mr. Proffitt. Believe me, I have no wish to die
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