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Authors: Sandra Chastain
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in my life, and I apologize if you thought I intended to now.”
“Apology accepted,” she said. “Now, if you’ll just release me.”
He rubbed her arms gently, moving up and down, touching loosely, reluctant to break the connection. “Why are you so frightened, Josie?”
“I’m not frightened.”
“There’s nothing wrong with kissing. You can leave anytime you’re ready. But I’d like to say thank you for all that you’ve done.”
His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her closer. He felt the fabric of her dress, simple, unencumbered by undergarments that foolish women wore for the sake of style. Not Josie Miller. She was what she was, with no pretense. “I bet you don’t know how to kiss a man, do you?”
“Of course I know how,” she snapped.
But she didn’t. Deep down she was a shy, hesitant girl, not the in-charge doctor or the confident lawyer that she appeared to be.
“Callahan,” she whispered, withdrawing in confusion. “You’re sick. You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“If you mean I’m out of my mind, you’re probably right. You’ve been driving me crazy, touching me for the last few days. Now it’s my turn. You owe me at least one kiss, Josie Miller.”
“But—”
He kissed her again, and for a moment she stopped fighting.
Lubina’s cheery voice came down the hall from thekitchen. “Miss Josie, your supper’s ready. I’ll come and look after Mr. Callahan while you eat.”
Josie’s eyes flared and she jerked away.
When Lubina walked into the room, Josie knew she’d been caught making a deal with the devil.
6
Normally, Josie fell asleep quickly and rarely dreamed. Tonight, she couldn’t be still.
It was the heat, she decided. Not Callahan. Not the kisses, or how they’d made her feel. She needed to breathe the night air.
Josie gathered the bottom of her gown, drawing it into a knot away from her legs, and padded through the house, across the enclosed courtyard. A full moon lit the valley, painting it with translucent silver. It was almost midnight, yet the heat was still ovenlike. The scent of roses hung sweet and heavy in the motionless air.
“Evening, Miss Josie.” Wash’s voice came out of the darkness.
Josie let the gown fall. She’d forgotten the old man was nearby. Though she was fully covered, her white nightdress made her stand out like a ghost in the moonlight. “Evening, Wash. Any word from Bear Claw?”
“Not yet, ma’am.”
“You don’t need to watch the house, Wash,” Josie said. “I’m sure my patient is no danger to me.” Her voice was a lot more confident than her convictions.
“The sheriff said Dr. Annie would have my hide if I didn’t,” Wash protested. “So I take a turn about every so often.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, grateful that the darkness hid the flush on her face, and kept walking.
Independence Day had come and gone. In another week Dr. Annie and Dan would be back, and she would have to face their censure if they didn’t approve of her actions. But that was something she would worry about later. Right now she just wanted to find a cool spot. There was no dew on the grass, no moisture beneath her bare feet. The earth seemed parched.
No sign of the black-and-white stallion either.
At the riverbank, Josie paused, listening to the whispering of the current as it beckoned to the wild creatures who sought its coolness. She stepped into the water, and the hem of her nightdress tugged away from her, hanging on her ankles and pulling her forward.
She felt very strange tonight, out of touch somehow with this land that had adopted her and given her a new beginning. She didn’t like the uncertainty of change unless she controlled the change herself. She had spent too many years turning herself into a woman who could make her own choices and carve her own way, as Dr. Annie had done. And, if the truth were told, she’d chosen a profession that gave her the right to be outspoken.
Sims Callahan signaled
“Apology accepted,” she said. “Now, if you’ll just release me.”
He rubbed her arms gently, moving up and down, touching loosely, reluctant to break the connection. “Why are you so frightened, Josie?”
“I’m not frightened.”
“There’s nothing wrong with kissing. You can leave anytime you’re ready. But I’d like to say thank you for all that you’ve done.”
His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her closer. He felt the fabric of her dress, simple, unencumbered by undergarments that foolish women wore for the sake of style. Not Josie Miller. She was what she was, with no pretense. “I bet you don’t know how to kiss a man, do you?”
“Of course I know how,” she snapped.
But she didn’t. Deep down she was a shy, hesitant girl, not the in-charge doctor or the confident lawyer that she appeared to be.
“Callahan,” she whispered, withdrawing in confusion. “You’re sick. You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“If you mean I’m out of my mind, you’re probably right. You’ve been driving me crazy, touching me for the last few days. Now it’s my turn. You owe me at least one kiss, Josie Miller.”
“But—”
He kissed her again, and for a moment she stopped fighting.
Lubina’s cheery voice came down the hall from thekitchen. “Miss Josie, your supper’s ready. I’ll come and look after Mr. Callahan while you eat.”
Josie’s eyes flared and she jerked away.
When Lubina walked into the room, Josie knew she’d been caught making a deal with the devil.
6
Normally, Josie fell asleep quickly and rarely dreamed. Tonight, she couldn’t be still.
It was the heat, she decided. Not Callahan. Not the kisses, or how they’d made her feel. She needed to breathe the night air.
Josie gathered the bottom of her gown, drawing it into a knot away from her legs, and padded through the house, across the enclosed courtyard. A full moon lit the valley, painting it with translucent silver. It was almost midnight, yet the heat was still ovenlike. The scent of roses hung sweet and heavy in the motionless air.
“Evening, Miss Josie.” Wash’s voice came out of the darkness.
Josie let the gown fall. She’d forgotten the old man was nearby. Though she was fully covered, her white nightdress made her stand out like a ghost in the moonlight. “Evening, Wash. Any word from Bear Claw?”
“Not yet, ma’am.”
“You don’t need to watch the house, Wash,” Josie said. “I’m sure my patient is no danger to me.” Her voice was a lot more confident than her convictions.
“The sheriff said Dr. Annie would have my hide if I didn’t,” Wash protested. “So I take a turn about every so often.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, grateful that the darkness hid the flush on her face, and kept walking.
Independence Day had come and gone. In another week Dr. Annie and Dan would be back, and she would have to face their censure if they didn’t approve of her actions. But that was something she would worry about later. Right now she just wanted to find a cool spot. There was no dew on the grass, no moisture beneath her bare feet. The earth seemed parched.
No sign of the black-and-white stallion either.
At the riverbank, Josie paused, listening to the whispering of the current as it beckoned to the wild creatures who sought its coolness. She stepped into the water, and the hem of her nightdress tugged away from her, hanging on her ankles and pulling her forward.
She felt very strange tonight, out of touch somehow with this land that had adopted her and given her a new beginning. She didn’t like the uncertainty of change unless she controlled the change herself. She had spent too many years turning herself into a woman who could make her own choices and carve her own way, as Dr. Annie had done. And, if the truth were told, she’d chosen a profession that gave her the right to be outspoken.
Sims Callahan signaled
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