Read Online Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online

her as
deeply as this man did when he merely touched
her.
    "Thank you," she said, withdrawing her hand
from his and rushing up the steps and into the
house.
    Gabe stood there in the darkness for a long
moment, the soft, sweet scent of her still lingering
in the air. He was treading ground that he had
never trodden before, and that little gal was beginning to get under his skin. He watched a shadow move across the moon like a bad omen.
Casey was going to need him in the days to come.

    Gabe had been away from the ranch most of the
morning. He dismounted, struggling with a wiggly
white pup that was trying to climb up his shoulder
and lick his face. He smiled as he carried it into
the barn, threw a blanket down in the tack room,
placed the pup on it, and partially closed the door
so the little scamp wouldn't escape.
    When Gabe walked to the ranch house, he
heard voices coming from the backyard. He went
around the corner to find Sam sitting in a chair
while Casey trimmed his hair. Since they hadn't
noticed him, he was able to observe them in a
private moment. He heard the loving exchange
between brother and sister and became more
aware of the closeness they shared.
    He found himself wishing he could be a part
of this family. But that was not possible.
    His gaze, as always, went to Casey. She wore a
yellow print gown that made the red of her hair
seem alive. Her scissors snipped at the hair over
Sam's ear while jenny sat on an overturned
bucket with a book on her lap.
    "Now, Jenny," Casey urged, "read me the next
page. And don't skip any words, because I'll know
if you do."
    The little imp traced her small finger across the
page. "`The boy... ran to...'" She glanced
up. "Casey, I can't read this. It's too hard."

    "Go back to the beginning .of the page and try
again. We don't give up when things are difficult,
Jenny. We try harder."
    The child nodded and started over again.
"'The boy... ran to his h... house.'"
    "That's enough. You can read two pages tomorrow."
    "Why do I have to read? It's hard, and I like it
better when you read to me. Besides, Milly, on the
wagon train, said I'm too young to be reading."
    Casey turned her attention to her sister. "You
did start reading young, but you were ready to
learn. And Sam and I don't want you to grow up
without an education."
    "Who made you and Sam read?"
    "We went to school. But they don't have a
school here. I already asked Kate. So you will have
to be satisfied with me as your teacher."
    "You'd better listen to her," Sam said, adding
his support to Casey.
    "If your hair had gotten any longer, I could
have braided it, Sam," Casey remarked, putting
the comb in her mouth and holding up a long
strand. With a last snip, she nodded in satisfaction. "Now you look presentable again." She tilted
his chin up and smiled. "You are very handsome,
Samuel. When you grow up all the girls are going
to come after you."
    He actually blushed. "Aw, Casey, don't say
things like that. I'm not handsome."

    She turned and winked at Jenny. "We certainly
think he is, don't we?"
    "I want my hair cut like Sam's," the child stated,
putting her book aside and sliding into the chair
that Sam had just vacated. "I don't like long hair."
    At that moment Casey realized they were not
alone. Her gaze collided with a silver one, and she
stared at him for a moment before saying, "You're
next, Gabe."
    He walked toward her like a marauding tiger,
and the thought of actually touching his hair was
very provocative. She shook herself. If she
thought that way, she'd never be able to cut his
hair.
    "What do you mean, I'm next?"
    She lifted jenny off the chair. "You need a haircut."
    A slow smile curved his mouth. "And you are
going to give me one?"
    "There's no one else here who can."
    He bent down to jenny and touched a soft curl.
"Is your sister always like this?"
    Jenny's eyes widened and tears gathered in
them. "She won't let me have short hair like
Sam's. And she