Read Online Out of Control by Mary Connealy - Free Book Online Page B

and I hope you don’t come with me, because I’m ashamed to have you for my husband.”
    Then she watched in horror as Wendell slowly sagged to his knees, then tipped and sprawled backward on the floor.

Chapter
6

    Julia fell off her horse. She grabbed at the saddle horn just as strong arms came around her.
    Her heavy eyelids popped open to see Ethan lifting her out of the saddle. His face was cast dark blue in the starlight. The moon had set. Dawn must be approaching. But for now it was the darkest hour of the night.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    He smiled at her. “You fell asleep.”
    She looked at his handsome face, took in his charming smile. He was an easier man than Rafe. So why did she regret that Ethan held her?
    And then he was. Holding her. Rafe.
    Rafe dragged her out of Ethan’s arms. Looking between them, Julia saw Ethan resist letting her go. Rafe tugged harder. Ethan smiled as if his only objective was to torment his older brother.
    Then Rafe had her. “You lead her horse if you need something to do so all-fired bad.” He spurred his horse forward. He’d been leading, which came as no surprise to Julia. She suspected the man took charge of every situation.
    â€œI can ride.” She rubbed at her burning eyes and was coherent enough to notice she was sprawled across Rafe’s lap. She pushed at her skirts and found her legs decently covered. She only hoped the darkness had concealed any immodest situation when Rafe and Ethan had been playing tug-of-war with her.
    â€œJust rest. You’ve had a hard day.”
    â€œI’ll say.” Julia tried to sit straighter. “But you’ve got to be exhausted, too. I don’t want to add to your burden.”
    A humorless laugh escaped Rafe’s lips. “Too late.”
    â€œWill we be at the cavern soon?”
    Rafe grunted but didn’t say anything.
    He shifted his arms and tipped her toward him until her head rested on his chest.
    Looking up at his square jaw and straight nose, his skin cast in the blue of moonlight, his determination shining out of fog-shrouded eyes, she had no doubt he could ride all night with no sleep. And carrying a weak woman didn’t even slow him down. Clearly, burdens were to be borne with no shirking if you were Rafe Kincaid.
    But the way he’d taken her away from Ethan was too possessive, and she’d liked it too much. Which reminded her of something she didn’t like.
    â€œWhat do you mean the rope was moved? Who would have done such a thing?”
    â€œI intend to find out. Whoever harmed you did it on Kincaid land, and that makes it my business. I’m not apt to forget it.”
    Julia didn’t like the determination in his voice. Rafe sounded a bit too much like her stubborn pa. But he looked better and smelled much nicer.
    They rode on.
    Julia decided to stay awake so she could enjoy the feeling of his strong arms.

    She dozed off almost instantly. It suited him that she felt safe enough to sleep in his arms.
    She stirred just as the cavern came into sight. Her eyes blinked open. It was dark enough that their color didn’t really show, but he remembered. They were grass green. Spring green, like reborn life. Her fiery red hair glinted in the starlight and seemed to dance in the mountain breeze. It surrounded her face with a riot of curls.
    She was pure color and life and vitality and heat. All things Rafe found he craved.
    He’d never considered much of a future with a woman. There weren’t any women around to consider such a thing with. But now he had one in his arms, and the thought of keeping her appealed to him something fierce. The thought of a lifetime of protecting her pressed on the cold place at his core and warmed him a bit. And Rafe, who refused to fear anything, felt a frisson of fear. He didn’t want what was frozen inside to thaw and be let free.
    The temptation to have her warmth in his life was staggering.
    He spoke to