Read Online Shotgun Bride by Lauri Robinson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lauri Robinson
Ads: Link
lightning?"
Jessie snuck a peek their way.
"No." Joe shook his head. "Was it planned?"
"No." Kid took another swallow of coffee. "Any strikes near?"
"No. A few way off, nothing close." Joe's pause was slight.
"How?"
"The regular way, with a preacher. Are the rest of the boys still out there?"
Jessie set the dishes on the counter, her mind weary from trying to follow their conversation. Goose bumps rose on her arms, wondering what else Kid would say about their marriage. She twisted toward the table, rubbing at the cold tingles, and waited.
"Yes, the rest of the boys are still out there. I rode in to see where you were. You're over an hour late. We thought something might have happened." Joe set his cup down and looked at Jessie. "I guess something did."
"Yes, something did." Kid also looked her way. Both men were silent, their gazes floating over her. Self conscious, her hands went to her hair. She must look a mess. Between the wind and the rain, the unruly mass probably 68
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
looked like a bird's nest. Her fingers caught on long, snarled strands. Embarrassed, she flipped around and covered her face with both hands.
"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes, Joe," Kid said. Within seconds, the sound of a door closing echoed in the room and large hands fell on her shoulders. The heat of his fingers penetrated through the material of her dress as they gently massaged her tight muscles. "Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded.
The pressure on her shoulders increased and forced her to turn toward him. "You must be tired. Let me show you to one of the rooms upstairs."
"No, if I go to sleep now, I may sleep all day." She glanced around, trying to find something to focus on, anything except his face.
His hands touched her cheeks, making her look at him.
"And what would be wrong with that?"
"Well, well, I can't sleep the day away. There must be chores around here for me to do."
"Not really."
"The dishes, I could do the dishes, and sweep the floors, and you must have laundry..."
Kid's arm was around her shoulder again. The feeling was so gentle, so kind, she had to swallow a sob forming in her throat.
With slight pressure, he forced her to walk across the kitchen beside him. "Maybe tomorrow you'll feel up to doing 69
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
some of those chores. But for today, I think a good sleep is in order."
"I couldn't sleep right now."
"I think you could, and I think you will." Kid stopped every protest she tried to make as he led her through the house and up the stairs. He pushed open a door, and the beauty of the room made her gasp again, her tired mind incapable of taking in much more.
Kid patted her upper arm. "You are not allowed downstairs until after you've rested. Understand?" Part of her wondered what would happen if she disobeyed. Would she see the wrath the sheriff talked about and his brothers feared? The other part of her was too exhausted to think any longer. "Y-yes," she murmured, and when he left the room, thankfully fell onto the bed covered with a flower print quilt.
[Back to Table of Contents]
70
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
Chapter Five
Hours later, Kid pulled the hat from his head and let it fall to the ground. Cupping his hands, he splashed a few handfuls of water from the horse trough on his face. It was lukewarm, but refreshing nonetheless. One cheek stung, he ignored it and wiped the water from his face, pushing the droplets back to mingle with the sweat in his hair then bent to retrieve his hat. He forced the dust from the rim by slapping it against his knee before pushing it onto his wet hair. Faint light from the setting sun bounced off the glass panes of the ranch house. Joe said Jessie was still in there, had only ventured outside a couple times during the day. He'd asked the foreman to work at the homestead today, assuring she wouldn't be
Jessie snuck a peek their way.
"No." Joe shook his head. "Was it planned?"
"No." Kid took another swallow of coffee. "Any strikes near?"
"No. A few way off, nothing close." Joe's pause was slight.
"How?"
"The regular way, with a preacher. Are the rest of the boys still out there?"
Jessie set the dishes on the counter, her mind weary from trying to follow their conversation. Goose bumps rose on her arms, wondering what else Kid would say about their marriage. She twisted toward the table, rubbing at the cold tingles, and waited.
"Yes, the rest of the boys are still out there. I rode in to see where you were. You're over an hour late. We thought something might have happened." Joe set his cup down and looked at Jessie. "I guess something did."
"Yes, something did." Kid also looked her way. Both men were silent, their gazes floating over her. Self conscious, her hands went to her hair. She must look a mess. Between the wind and the rain, the unruly mass probably 68
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
looked like a bird's nest. Her fingers caught on long, snarled strands. Embarrassed, she flipped around and covered her face with both hands.
"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes, Joe," Kid said. Within seconds, the sound of a door closing echoed in the room and large hands fell on her shoulders. The heat of his fingers penetrated through the material of her dress as they gently massaged her tight muscles. "Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded.
The pressure on her shoulders increased and forced her to turn toward him. "You must be tired. Let me show you to one of the rooms upstairs."
"No, if I go to sleep now, I may sleep all day." She glanced around, trying to find something to focus on, anything except his face.
His hands touched her cheeks, making her look at him.
"And what would be wrong with that?"
"Well, well, I can't sleep the day away. There must be chores around here for me to do."
"Not really."
"The dishes, I could do the dishes, and sweep the floors, and you must have laundry..."
Kid's arm was around her shoulder again. The feeling was so gentle, so kind, she had to swallow a sob forming in her throat.
With slight pressure, he forced her to walk across the kitchen beside him. "Maybe tomorrow you'll feel up to doing 69
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
some of those chores. But for today, I think a good sleep is in order."
"I couldn't sleep right now."
"I think you could, and I think you will." Kid stopped every protest she tried to make as he led her through the house and up the stairs. He pushed open a door, and the beauty of the room made her gasp again, her tired mind incapable of taking in much more.
Kid patted her upper arm. "You are not allowed downstairs until after you've rested. Understand?" Part of her wondered what would happen if she disobeyed. Would she see the wrath the sheriff talked about and his brothers feared? The other part of her was too exhausted to think any longer. "Y-yes," she murmured, and when he left the room, thankfully fell onto the bed covered with a flower print quilt.
[Back to Table of Contents]
70
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
Chapter Five
Hours later, Kid pulled the hat from his head and let it fall to the ground. Cupping his hands, he splashed a few handfuls of water from the horse trough on his face. It was lukewarm, but refreshing nonetheless. One cheek stung, he ignored it and wiped the water from his face, pushing the droplets back to mingle with the sweat in his hair then bent to retrieve his hat. He forced the dust from the rim by slapping it against his knee before pushing it onto his wet hair. Faint light from the setting sun bounced off the glass panes of the ranch house. Joe said Jessie was still in there, had only ventured outside a couple times during the day. He'd asked the foreman to work at the homestead today, assuring she wouldn't be
Similar Books
