Read Online Cowboy of Mine by Red L. Jameson - Free Book Online Page B

black fur ball had finally come out and watched him with gleaming yellow eyes from a nearby stack of hay bales.
    Jake held Meredith by the waist and hefted her on the hay close to the cautious kitten. He pointed a finger at the cat.
    “I’ll win you over yet.”
    The kitten blinked.
    Jake smiled as he pulled his horse into an available stall, unsaddled his gelding, then curried the big horse’s fur too.
    “Can I have some straw for my horse?”
    “Yes. Please, take as much as you need.”
    He nodded his appreciation at Meredith, her eyes always watching him. He wondered what she saw. A man in black, as if he’d just come from a funeral. He felt like it. Ever since his brother died in the battle at Worcester, he felt like he was constantly leaving a burial. He’d had to grieve the loss of his brother, the loss of his country, his mother, so much. Jake also wondered if he looked disgusting to her. She’d never once flinched from him. Never tried to get away from his touch. Never looked at him as if she might wretch.
    But reading behind her sad eyes was difficult to do. He felt her melancholia roll off her. And if he wasn’t mistaken, she was awash in shame too. Couldn’t help but wonder why.
    He was finished with watering the horses and tending to them, so he slipped up to Meredith, scooped her in his arms, then marched toward the house, two little black kittens in tow.
    “I can walk, you know.”
    “I’m not going to let you. Not with the frozen ground under your wee bare feet.”
    She didn’t say anything, and he had to look at her to see her reaction. She just stared. As usual.
    “I’ll put you inside, then I’ll be on your porch, watching for—”
    “No, you can’t stay on my porch.”
    He was going to argue. Again. But she beat him to the punch.
    “You’re doing me the favor of staying with me, making me safe. You have to stay inside.”
    He somehow opened the door to her warm house, took a few steps inside, then placed her on the wood floor. Her cabin was tiny, clean, and smelled like savory food. It was only the one room, one bed.
    He licked his lips, trying so hard not to look at her. Or her bed with the white blankets and pillows. But when she closed the door, all he could think about was that damned bed and her.
    “I’ll keep watch on the chair.” He voice came out as a hard rasp. And he wanted to roll his eyes at the absurdity of what he’d just said. Of course he’d keep watch on the chair. There were only two chairs in her home. Where else would he keep watch? On top of her body as she lay in her bed.
    He pulled off his Stetson and slid a hand up the back of his head, trying to calm his thoughts. In his own time, his hair would be considered short. But in this era, it was in need of a cut, and he wished he looked a little better for her.
    He wished so many things then.
    The kittens had stolen inside and romped around a pillow close to the stove. But they were obviously getting tired of attacking each other, and Jake guessed they’d clean each other, then sleep on that pillow.
    “You look tired.” Her voice was back to that haunting sound of hers—rough yet feminine. Lovely and a bit wild. “Are you tired, Sheriff Cameron?”
    “Jake. Call me Jake.”
    “Are you tired, Jake?”
    He didn’t answer. Didn’t want to lie to her, but at the same time...he couldn’t just tell her he was so tired his brain ached. Besides, he’d take breaks and walk outside, the cold would help. And thinking about her seemed to keep him invigorated too.
    Meredith pursed her boysenberry dark lips. “I think you’re very tired. Why don’t you sleep?”
    “I should—”
    “You’re here. If someone came on my property, even if you were sleeping, you’d wake in time, don’t you think?”
    He wasn’t thinking. He made the mistake of looking at her. In the flickering candlelight her dark eyelashes looked glossy. Her cheeks took on a pink hue. So bonny.
    “I’m very tired,” she said, her voice