Read Online Heart Of Texas (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, adventure, Romance, Historical, Adult, Action, Western, Native Americans, Texas, Siblings, 19th century, love, multicultural, ranch, Betrayal, Battles, secrets, Indian, stranger, American West, wagon, inheritance, honor, HEART OF TEXAS, Brazos River, 1860's, Tragic Death, Uncle, Determination, Spanish Spur, Loner, Hiring, Half Comanche, Gunslingler, Warnings
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feathered softly across her cheek. He was trembling when he realized her mouth was
just a breath away from his. Sweet torment tore at
him, and he felt like a man dying of thirst.
He had to have her, all of her, or he would drift
forever with nothing to live for. He could feel her
body soften against his, and he knew she wanted
him too. His mouth touched the edge of her full
lips, and they trembled against his.
Casey felt his breath on her mouth, and an incredible sweetness touched her heart. He hadn't
kissed her yet, but merely brushed his lips across
hers.
What would she do if he actually kissed her?
Gabe's arms tightened around her shoulders so
he could bring her closer, and she cried out, moving quickly away from him. He realized he had
frightened her with his unleashed passion.
What he didn't know was that Casey's shoulder
hurt so badly she couldn't speak for a moment.
Once the pain subsided, she bit her lip and
rubbed her shoulder. "I didn't-"
"I know. I stepped over the line, and I'm sorry."
He looked down at the ground for a moment and
took a deep breath. "It won't happen again."
When he gazed back at her, there was no sign of
desire in his eyes. His expression was flat and
cold. "I ask your pardon."
The last thing Casey wanted was for him to be
sorry he had taken her into his arms. She wanted
to be near him, to feel the hardness of his body,
and his kiss upon her lips. She stooped to retrieve the scissors where she had dropped them, trying
to hide the fact that her shoulder still hurt. She
actually welcomed the pain, because it gave her
something to think about other than the way her
heart was slamming against her chest.
"Do you want me to finish your hair? I just need
to take a little off the top."
He pushed his hand through his midnight
colored hair. "No. That's what got me in trouble
in the first place." He stared at her for a moment,
trying to find the softness he had felt in her moments ago, but she was solemn, her eyes clear,
and she had distanced herself from him.
Without another word, he turned and walked
away. She listened to the faint sound of his boot
steps, and then there, was only silence.
Casey dropped onto the chair, wishing her
shoulder would stop hurting. He had probably
thought she had pushed him away because she
didn't want him to kiss her. He didn't know about
the pain in her shoulder.
Casey sensed such a loneliness in him. She wondered who had hurt him so badly.
She heard jenny laughing with joy as she ran
toward her, so she stood, forcing a smile onto her
face.
"Look what Gabe gave me. It's my very own
puppy!"
Casey was relieved.
They had been living on the Spanish Spur for
three weeks, and so far there had been no real
trouble. In fact, she was beginning to feel encouraged because everything seemed to be going
so well.
The house felt like home to them-especially
now that Sam had built two wide wall shelves so
they could display their mother's china.
It was nice to go to bed at night without having
to move out the next morning with the wagon
train.
She stood in the doorway, her eyes going to the
loft. Kate had given her some goose feathers and
ticking and had helped her make a mattress for
Sam. Gabe had helped her brother put up a dividing wall so Sam could have privacy.
The only furniture in the front room was a
swaybacked settee and a straight-backed chair.
Casey and jenny shared the bedroom, but they
still slept on pallets. Kate was helping her make a
mattress for Jenny and herself.
The days were full, and there was so much to
do there was very little time to be idle. Most days
Sam rode out with Gabe, and he would come
home in the late afternoon excited about what
Gabe had taught him that day.
Gabe was acting differently toward her since the
day she had cut his hair. He was distant and formal when he spoke to her, and it seemed to Casey
that he avoided her whenever he could. She wondered what he could be
just a breath away from his. Sweet torment tore at
him, and he felt like a man dying of thirst.
He had to have her, all of her, or he would drift
forever with nothing to live for. He could feel her
body soften against his, and he knew she wanted
him too. His mouth touched the edge of her full
lips, and they trembled against his.
Casey felt his breath on her mouth, and an incredible sweetness touched her heart. He hadn't
kissed her yet, but merely brushed his lips across
hers.
What would she do if he actually kissed her?
Gabe's arms tightened around her shoulders so
he could bring her closer, and she cried out, moving quickly away from him. He realized he had
frightened her with his unleashed passion.
What he didn't know was that Casey's shoulder
hurt so badly she couldn't speak for a moment.
Once the pain subsided, she bit her lip and
rubbed her shoulder. "I didn't-"
"I know. I stepped over the line, and I'm sorry."
He looked down at the ground for a moment and
took a deep breath. "It won't happen again."
When he gazed back at her, there was no sign of
desire in his eyes. His expression was flat and
cold. "I ask your pardon."
The last thing Casey wanted was for him to be
sorry he had taken her into his arms. She wanted
to be near him, to feel the hardness of his body,
and his kiss upon her lips. She stooped to retrieve the scissors where she had dropped them, trying
to hide the fact that her shoulder still hurt. She
actually welcomed the pain, because it gave her
something to think about other than the way her
heart was slamming against her chest.
"Do you want me to finish your hair? I just need
to take a little off the top."
He pushed his hand through his midnight
colored hair. "No. That's what got me in trouble
in the first place." He stared at her for a moment,
trying to find the softness he had felt in her moments ago, but she was solemn, her eyes clear,
and she had distanced herself from him.
Without another word, he turned and walked
away. She listened to the faint sound of his boot
steps, and then there, was only silence.
Casey dropped onto the chair, wishing her
shoulder would stop hurting. He had probably
thought she had pushed him away because she
didn't want him to kiss her. He didn't know about
the pain in her shoulder.
Casey sensed such a loneliness in him. She wondered who had hurt him so badly.
She heard jenny laughing with joy as she ran
toward her, so she stood, forcing a smile onto her
face.
"Look what Gabe gave me. It's my very own
puppy!"
Casey was relieved.
They had been living on the Spanish Spur for
three weeks, and so far there had been no real
trouble. In fact, she was beginning to feel encouraged because everything seemed to be going
so well.
The house felt like home to them-especially
now that Sam had built two wide wall shelves so
they could display their mother's china.
It was nice to go to bed at night without having
to move out the next morning with the wagon
train.
She stood in the doorway, her eyes going to the
loft. Kate had given her some goose feathers and
ticking and had helped her make a mattress for
Sam. Gabe had helped her brother put up a dividing wall so Sam could have privacy.
The only furniture in the front room was a
swaybacked settee and a straight-backed chair.
Casey and jenny shared the bedroom, but they
still slept on pallets. Kate was helping her make a
mattress for Jenny and herself.
The days were full, and there was so much to
do there was very little time to be idle. Most days
Sam rode out with Gabe, and he would come
home in the late afternoon excited about what
Gabe had taught him that day.
Gabe was acting differently toward her since the
day she had cut his hair. He was distant and formal when he spoke to her, and it seemed to Casey
that he avoided her whenever he could. She wondered what he could be
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