Read Online Jodi Thomas by The Tender Texan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: The Tender Texan
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voice called. Another twig moved. “Anna.”
Her eyes flew open as her own name registered, just as Chance spoke again. He was only a few feet from her, the sun shining off his damp, black hair, worry filling his dark blue eyes. His strong arms were carefully pulling the branches away from her.
Her terror transformed into joy as Anna jumped toward Chance. He was alive! Somehow he was alive! She threw her arms around him and hugged him as if he’d just rescued her from hell itself.
“Chance!” Anna couldn’t let go. “Chance, I thought he’d killed you!”
Slowly, Chance pulled away from her enough to see her face. His smile dimpled his left cheek and mirth twinkled in his eyes. “So that’s why you ran. I thought you were just tired of married life.” His laughter was low and a little nervous. He seemed to have trouble knowing just where to touch her shoulders.
Hugging him again, Anna realized that only a day ago she wouldn’t have cared if Chance lived or died, but suddenly she was very thankful he was standing beside her trying to make light of her fears. He was little more than a stranger, but as much as she hated being dependent, she knew without him she’d never live long in this savage land.
All her fears of the past days tumbled forth. The docking, the walk, the rain, the fever, the Indians. Her pride seemed to crumble like a house of cards. Anna moved into the warmth of Chance’s arms and cried. For the first time since the night William had raped her, Anna cried.
Chance stood without moving as she pressed against him. Slowly, he embraced her, and he felt her sobs shake him to his very core. Although he wasn’t sure what to do, he rubbed his cheek against the top of her silky hair and held her tightly, allowing the pain of her private hell to pass from her onto his strong shoulder. How could he tell her not to cry or that he’d protect her from whatever she feared? Chance wasn’t even sure Anna wanted his sympathy, though she clung to him now.
Finally, Anna moved away from his shoulder, though his arms still held her waist against him. “I’m sorry.” She lifted her chin and swallowed back her last sob. “I’ve never cried like that in front of anyone.”
Slowly, Chance lowered his hands to his sides, suddenly feeling as though they’d grown three sizes. He didn’t know what to do with them. Here she was apologizing for clinging to him and saying she’d never done anything like this. Did she think he had? Touching her was as new to him as legs to an hour-old calf. How many times did she think he’d held a woman? It had been so many years since his mother last hugged him, Chance couldn’t even remember the feeling of a woman’s arms. The few saloon girls who’d rubbed against him with their large, loose breasts and whiskey perfume were worlds away from Anna. He wanted to tell her that he’d do anything to see that she never cried again, but his arms ached even now to feel her pressed closely to him once more. There she stood, looking at him with those wonderful eyes, expecting him to say something. His tongue felt like it was nailed down flat to the bottom of his mouth.
Anna wiped her face on her sleeve like a child and Chance smiled. Her action reminded him that she was very young and very new to this land. He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket.
“You’re a mess.” He dabbed at the blood already drying over the small cut on her forehead. “Are you hurt anywhere except here?”
Anna smiled back and Chance felt his heart roll in his chest. Here she was, standing before him with her hair tumbling around her and full of twigs. Dried blood had made a small stream along the side of her face, and the dirt mixed with tears on her cheek was as thick as war paint, but still she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. No matter what, she was a lady, a grand lady, and a little dirt could never hide that fact, just as a bath would never make him worthy of standing
Her eyes flew open as her own name registered, just as Chance spoke again. He was only a few feet from her, the sun shining off his damp, black hair, worry filling his dark blue eyes. His strong arms were carefully pulling the branches away from her.
Her terror transformed into joy as Anna jumped toward Chance. He was alive! Somehow he was alive! She threw her arms around him and hugged him as if he’d just rescued her from hell itself.
“Chance!” Anna couldn’t let go. “Chance, I thought he’d killed you!”
Slowly, Chance pulled away from her enough to see her face. His smile dimpled his left cheek and mirth twinkled in his eyes. “So that’s why you ran. I thought you were just tired of married life.” His laughter was low and a little nervous. He seemed to have trouble knowing just where to touch her shoulders.
Hugging him again, Anna realized that only a day ago she wouldn’t have cared if Chance lived or died, but suddenly she was very thankful he was standing beside her trying to make light of her fears. He was little more than a stranger, but as much as she hated being dependent, she knew without him she’d never live long in this savage land.
All her fears of the past days tumbled forth. The docking, the walk, the rain, the fever, the Indians. Her pride seemed to crumble like a house of cards. Anna moved into the warmth of Chance’s arms and cried. For the first time since the night William had raped her, Anna cried.
Chance stood without moving as she pressed against him. Slowly, he embraced her, and he felt her sobs shake him to his very core. Although he wasn’t sure what to do, he rubbed his cheek against the top of her silky hair and held her tightly, allowing the pain of her private hell to pass from her onto his strong shoulder. How could he tell her not to cry or that he’d protect her from whatever she feared? Chance wasn’t even sure Anna wanted his sympathy, though she clung to him now.
Finally, Anna moved away from his shoulder, though his arms still held her waist against him. “I’m sorry.” She lifted her chin and swallowed back her last sob. “I’ve never cried like that in front of anyone.”
Slowly, Chance lowered his hands to his sides, suddenly feeling as though they’d grown three sizes. He didn’t know what to do with them. Here she was apologizing for clinging to him and saying she’d never done anything like this. Did she think he had? Touching her was as new to him as legs to an hour-old calf. How many times did she think he’d held a woman? It had been so many years since his mother last hugged him, Chance couldn’t even remember the feeling of a woman’s arms. The few saloon girls who’d rubbed against him with their large, loose breasts and whiskey perfume were worlds away from Anna. He wanted to tell her that he’d do anything to see that she never cried again, but his arms ached even now to feel her pressed closely to him once more. There she stood, looking at him with those wonderful eyes, expecting him to say something. His tongue felt like it was nailed down flat to the bottom of his mouth.
Anna wiped her face on her sleeve like a child and Chance smiled. Her action reminded him that she was very young and very new to this land. He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket.
“You’re a mess.” He dabbed at the blood already drying over the small cut on her forehead. “Are you hurt anywhere except here?”
Anna smiled back and Chance felt his heart roll in his chest. Here she was, standing before him with her hair tumbling around her and full of twigs. Dried blood had made a small stream along the side of her face, and the dirt mixed with tears on her cheek was as thick as war paint, but still she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. No matter what, she was a lady, a grand lady, and a little dirt could never hide that fact, just as a bath would never make him worthy of standing
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