Adam: Braddocks, Book Two by Starla Kaye Read Free Book Online Page A

to check for broken ribs. He wanted to hug her to him and kiss the blazes out of her. But he stopped himself from doing any of it, especially the kissing business. So he scowled instead.
    “What the hell did you think you were doing? You could have been killed.” He heard the worry in his voice mixed with the fury, wondered if anyone else noticed it.
    Angelica clearly had, she moved closer and gave him a sympathetic look.
    Faith sat there with tears glistening in her green eyes. Her creamy face was paler than normal, her brow pinched in pain, and her long red hair had fallen from the knot at the back of her head. Still she managed to tip up her chin and take him on. “I only meant to pull the trunk to the end of the wagon bed.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “Guess I pulled it a bit too far.”
    Harmon and Katherine Dogwood hurried over from the hotel. Clyde Branson from the Liquor & Cigar Store across from the mercantile joined them and a gathering of a dozen or so others who stood close by looking down at her. In annoyance, Adam had watched them all approach, but he was more concerned about Faith. Crazy woman. If she didn’t get herself killed one way or another, she just might be the death of him.
    “Let’s get you up off the road,” he grumbled, reaching for her. He was fairly certain nothing was broken because she could move, albeit painfully. But those ribs were no doubt badly bruised.
    Her eyes widened and she wriggled out of his reach, flinching at the movement. “I can get up just fine by myself, thank you very much.” The words came out bristly, but weakly.
    He raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Prove it then.”
    Determined woman, she put her arms at her sides to push up, only to hiss out a breath and grow even paler.
     Again he reached out his arms to lift her up.
    Again she kept her distance. “Don’t you touch me, Adam Braddock.” Her eyes flashed fire at him. “Don’t you dare!”
    “You are the most pigheaded woman I’ve ever crossed paths with.” He thinned his mouth, gave her a sour look, and stood up. “Pigheaded, troublesome…”
    Ben stepped forward and elbowed him out of the way. “If you’re done with the sweet–talking… Honestly, you two deserve each other.” Then he ignored the way Faith bristled and scooped her up into his arms.
    Adam watched Faith bite down on her lower lip, listened to her drawing in shallow breaths. Adam felt her pain as if it was his own. He’d had all he could take of this nonsense.
    “She needs to lie down. Do you want to carry her up to her room? Or shall I?” He saw Daniel hurrying back with Doc Carpenter on his heels. “Good. Doc’s here.”
    Contrary woman that she was, Faith tried to squirm out of Ben’s hold. “I don’t need either one of you carrying me anywhere.” She stopped for a second to frown and wave away the curious crowd that had gathered. “Go about your business.”
    Angelica quickly took over that task. “Our Faith is in good hands now. You can go on about your business, just like she said.”
    Faith tried a final time to squirm free, but Ben was having none of that. “Settle down or it’ll be Adam carrying you upstairs.”
    The threat of that had her calming down and glaring murderously. “Fine. Since you seem to think I’m helpless–which, mind you, I am not–take me to my apartment.”
    In that moment, Adam wanted nothing more than to turn her bottom up over his knee and spank the devil out of her.
     
    * * *
     
    Faith lay on her feather bed in her new apartment, aching emotionally and physically. Doc had insisted on wrapping her ribs tightly with strips Angelica had made from an old petticoat. Her ribs weren’t broken, thank God, but they were badly bruised. She would be in pain for a week at the least, he’d said. He wanted her to stay in bed for a couple of days, longer really. She’d agreed to one day. Then he had tried to give her some laudanum before he’d finally left, except she’d refused to take