Charlene Sands by Taming the Texan Read Free Book Online

copse of trees, her eyes closed shut and her head fell loosely against his shoulder. Her position, nestled up against his body, all curves and woman scents, might have sparked his desire had she not been injured. But Clint didn’t like seeing injury to animals—and he supposed that held true even for beautiful, deceitful, stubborn widows.
    “Tess, you with me?”
    She made a small female sound in answer.
    He figured being upright didn’t sit well with her, so he hastened his steps until they reached the rows of trees. Still holding her, he reached for the woolen blanket rolled up on Midnight’s saddle and spread it out enough to lay Tess down.
    He lowered her upon the blanket, then took off his shirt and bunched it up until he had a thick pillow to put under her head. “Still dizzy?”
    She opened her eyes and looked at him, the impact of her grateful stare striking a chord within him.
    “I feel better now, out of the sun.” Then she added softly, “Thank you.”
    Clint nodded and then looked around, puzzled. “What happened to you?”
    “Maple got jumpy.”
    Maple was one of the tamest horses at the Double H. “Maple doesn’t have a jumpy bone in her body.”
    “She does when there’s gunshots.”
    He arched a brow, surprised by the news. “Gunshots?”
    She closed her eyes briefly, contemplating, then the words flowed slowly. “I remember hearing two shots. That’s when Maple startled.”
    “She threw you?”
    “I managed to hang on for a time,” she said in a defensive tone that made him smile.
    His smile seemed to annoy her and she turned her head away. Gratitude only lasted for so long.
    Gently he pushed away the hair that had fallen into her face. “You’ve got two ripe apples for cheeks,” he said, then poured water over a clean spot on his bandanna and dabbed her face with the cloth. “This will help.”
    “Why are you being so nice to me?” She searched his face with a perplexed look.
    “Would you rather I pull you by the hair and drag you back to the ranch?”
    She chuckled at the absurdity of the thought. “No.”
    He grinned and they shared a genuine moment of amusement. He continued to cool down her cheeks, chin and forehead as she watched him.
    He poured water again and this time cooled her neck with gentle dabs. When he dipped farther to where her collar opened, he glimpsed her soft shoulders and began to dab there, as well, watching her face redden brighter than any damage the sun could do.
    She reached for the bandanna and their fingers brushed. “Thank you, Clint. I can do the rest.”
    He released the cloth and nodded. Seeing her lying there, her riotous long waves spread out and her body prone, for a second he knew what his father must have felt for this woman. For a second he felt true temptation, not created by lust and vengeance but by pure male instincts.
    “Stay put and rest a while.” He rose and peered at her. “I’m going to take a look around.”
    And he walked off to search for the source of those two gunshots that had spooked Maple and made her throw her rider.

Chapter Four
    C lint returned to her with a frown on his face. That was more like the man she’d come to know. Yet slight pangs of awareness had stirred within when he’d tended to her injuries, his eyes concerned and his touch ever so gentle. He’d given her his shirt to use as comfort under her head, and she couldn’t help admire him, the broad expanse of his chest, the strength he displayed, the raw masculinity that Tess thought she was immune to, jumbled up in her dizzy brain.
    She’d seen him with the ranch animals. They were drawn to him. They trusted him. She’d never seen animals respond to anyone the way they did Clint. Witnessing this compassionate side of him confused her and made her wary.
    “It was a wolf.”
    “Wh-what?”
    “There’s a downed wolf about fifty yards from here. Shot twice.”
    “Oh,” she said, attempting to sit up. Clint watched her struggle, standing over her,