Read Online The Outlaw Bride by Sandra Chastain - Free Book Online
Authors: Sandra Chastain
Ads: Link
flag can’t wave.”
“Flag?” he said in disbelief. “Darlin’, it’s been called a lot of things, but never a flagpole.”
“Well, my apologies for insulting Old Glory.” She gave a mock salute and left the room. This time, the door closed firmly behind her.
Callahan groaned again. How in hell was he supposed to react? She just kept coming back, touching him, her strands of blonde hair skimming his body when she bent over to dress his wounds. His response was intense and unexplainable. Everything about him hurt. Still, thiswoman reached out to him, her blunt words and honesty overriding his condition, invading his dreams, and teasing his body.
Josie slipped back into the room. “Put this nightshirt on.”
Callahan took one look at the white garment she was holding and scowled. “You want me to wear a lady’s nightgown?”
“This is not a nightgown,” she said patiently. “This is one of Dan’s … nightshirts.”
“He wears this to sleep?” Callahan asked incredulously. “Tell me the truth, Josie. Have you ever seen your father in this garment?”
“Well, no,” she admitted, feeling a flush of embarrassment color her face. “But I’m certain he would wear it if Dr. Annie asked him.”
“The only kind of man who would wear something like this is a man who doesn’t have a woman and isn’t going to get one, angel.”
Josie planted her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “Well,” she said, “I guess that fits your situation pretty well, doesn’t it? Now, put it on or I’ll do it for you. And don’t call me angel.”
“Give me that nightshirt,” he said reluctantly, holding out his hand.
Josie placed the white nightshirt in it and smiled, then pulled her lips into a fine line. The nightshirt was a small victory.
Callahan found the bottom of the shirt and threaded it over his head. He might call her angel, but Josie Miller
was
a temptation. He joked about it, but it was a truth he ought to recognize and accept. He managed to get one arm inside the shirt, but the other one refused to lift itself.
“Here, let me help,” she said, coming to his side. She threaded the shirtsleeve over his arm and the neck over his head, but smoothing the garment behind him wasn’t going to be as easy. “Do you think you could lift yourself if you put your arms around my neck?”
“I’ll try.” He forced himself to a sitting position, hanging his arms around her neck and drawing his good side against her.
Reaching around him was a stretch for Josie because he was so big, but she finally tugged the gown down his back and braced herself with her hands on the bed. He was too tall, too intense. The clean scent of her soap on his body was almost intoxicating, that and his male smell. Helplessly she leaned against him.
He lifted himself against her and she jerked the nightshirt under his bottom, then reached away to brace herself. But his arms were still around her neck, and his hands were threaded through her hair.
Josie’s breath caught in her throat, along with her voice. She gasped. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” He fell back to the bed, pulling her with him.
“Don’t …” But she didn’t know what to say.
Callahan’s mouth covered hers, and Josie instantly knew what it was she wanted. Just for one moment Josie forgot everything she’d ever told herself she didn’t need or wouldn’t allow. In that moment she allowed herself to enjoy his mouth on hers.
Callahan told himself he hadn’t intended to kiss her. He must have gone light-headed or he would never have done it. God only knew how long it had been since he’d kissed a woman. Since a woman’s mouth had opened shyly beneath his lips. But suddenly this one went stiff as a board and began to struggle. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you dare try to take advantage of me, Callahan. I don’t kiss men.”
He stopped trying to pull her back into his arms and softened his hold. “I’ve never taken advantage of a woman
“Flag?” he said in disbelief. “Darlin’, it’s been called a lot of things, but never a flagpole.”
“Well, my apologies for insulting Old Glory.” She gave a mock salute and left the room. This time, the door closed firmly behind her.
Callahan groaned again. How in hell was he supposed to react? She just kept coming back, touching him, her strands of blonde hair skimming his body when she bent over to dress his wounds. His response was intense and unexplainable. Everything about him hurt. Still, thiswoman reached out to him, her blunt words and honesty overriding his condition, invading his dreams, and teasing his body.
Josie slipped back into the room. “Put this nightshirt on.”
Callahan took one look at the white garment she was holding and scowled. “You want me to wear a lady’s nightgown?”
“This is not a nightgown,” she said patiently. “This is one of Dan’s … nightshirts.”
“He wears this to sleep?” Callahan asked incredulously. “Tell me the truth, Josie. Have you ever seen your father in this garment?”
“Well, no,” she admitted, feeling a flush of embarrassment color her face. “But I’m certain he would wear it if Dr. Annie asked him.”
“The only kind of man who would wear something like this is a man who doesn’t have a woman and isn’t going to get one, angel.”
Josie planted her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “Well,” she said, “I guess that fits your situation pretty well, doesn’t it? Now, put it on or I’ll do it for you. And don’t call me angel.”
“Give me that nightshirt,” he said reluctantly, holding out his hand.
Josie placed the white nightshirt in it and smiled, then pulled her lips into a fine line. The nightshirt was a small victory.
Callahan found the bottom of the shirt and threaded it over his head. He might call her angel, but Josie Miller
was
a temptation. He joked about it, but it was a truth he ought to recognize and accept. He managed to get one arm inside the shirt, but the other one refused to lift itself.
“Here, let me help,” she said, coming to his side. She threaded the shirtsleeve over his arm and the neck over his head, but smoothing the garment behind him wasn’t going to be as easy. “Do you think you could lift yourself if you put your arms around my neck?”
“I’ll try.” He forced himself to a sitting position, hanging his arms around her neck and drawing his good side against her.
Reaching around him was a stretch for Josie because he was so big, but she finally tugged the gown down his back and braced herself with her hands on the bed. He was too tall, too intense. The clean scent of her soap on his body was almost intoxicating, that and his male smell. Helplessly she leaned against him.
He lifted himself against her and she jerked the nightshirt under his bottom, then reached away to brace herself. But his arms were still around her neck, and his hands were threaded through her hair.
Josie’s breath caught in her throat, along with her voice. She gasped. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” He fell back to the bed, pulling her with him.
“Don’t …” But she didn’t know what to say.
Callahan’s mouth covered hers, and Josie instantly knew what it was she wanted. Just for one moment Josie forgot everything she’d ever told herself she didn’t need or wouldn’t allow. In that moment she allowed herself to enjoy his mouth on hers.
Callahan told himself he hadn’t intended to kiss her. He must have gone light-headed or he would never have done it. God only knew how long it had been since he’d kissed a woman. Since a woman’s mouth had opened shyly beneath his lips. But suddenly this one went stiff as a board and began to struggle. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you dare try to take advantage of me, Callahan. I don’t kiss men.”
He stopped trying to pull her back into his arms and softened his hold. “I’ve never taken advantage of a woman
Similar Books
