Dangerous Men (Flynn Family Saga Book 2) by Erica Graham Read Free Book Online

coffee pot.”
    “If she makes it, I’ll buy you a
new horse, son.”  Sam rode up to the wagon.  “How is she?”
    Flynn shrugged.  “I’ve done what I
can.  The rest is up to her.”
    “And the Almighty,” Sam said
solemnly.
    Flynn looked away.  Maggie cried
out in her sleep, and he climbed back inside the wagon.  He took her hand again. 
“Once—”  His voice broke.  He cleared his throat and tried again.  “Once upon a
time, there was a beautiful red-haired princess.  An evil serpent stung her,
and she fell into an enchanted sleep.  A knight came to the castle where she
slept.  An old woman met him at the gate and would not let him enter until he
had found the serpent and killed it.  And so the knight rode out for many days
and many nights until he found the serpent drowsing in the sun.  He drew his
knife and fought the serpent until the sun set.  But the night was cold,
slowing the serpent, and the knight was able to cut off its head.  He rode back
to the castle and claimed his princess.  The old woman turned into a fairy
godmother, and with her blessing, they lived happily ever after."
    Maggie smiled in her sleep and
sighed.  Her hand relaxed in his, and her breathing grew easier.  Flynn leaned
his head against a crate and shut his eyes.  He hadn’t prayed in years, but he
prayed with all of his might that his red-haired princess would live.

 
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Maggie dreamed strange dreams.  She
dreamed of an Indian woman with jet-black hair who smiled at her and then
turned into a buffalo.  She dreamed of the white house on the hill.  The breeze
on the top of the hill was cool and fresh.  Flynn sat beside her and held her
hand.  He told her about a prince who traveled the land in search of a cure for
his princess.  He brought it to her in a golden goblet, and when she drank it,
the spell was broken.  She tried to kiss him, but a woman stood between them. 
Her eyes were brown and she had golden hair, like Maggie’s mother.  She smiled
at Flynn, and he let go of Maggie’s hand.  He stood up and went to her.  He put
his arm around the woman’s waist, and they walked away from Maggie without
looking back.
    “No!”  Maggie sat up with her heart
pounding.
    Flynn sat next to the bed.  There
were dark circles under his eyes.  “Are you all right?”
    Maggie looked away and nodded.  “It
was just a dream.”
    “About your parents?”
    Maggie shook her head.  “It
was...weird.”
    Flynn laughed gently.  “Snakebite
will do that to you.  How is your leg?”
    “It still hurts a little.”
    He nodded and unwrapped the
bandage.  There was a black mark where the snake had bitten her, but the rest
of her leg was a healthy pink.
    She felt as if her illness had
stripped her of all her carefully built defenses.  She felt small and young and
vulnerable.  The feelings frightened her.  “Thank you for saving my life.”  Her
voice shook slightly.
    He shrugged.  “Now we’re even.”
    Maggie drew a deep breath, drew on
the false bravado that had kept her safe in a room over a saloon.  “Even?  Not
even close.  I saved your life when you had cholera, and I found you when you
were dying of thirst.”
    Flynn turned back to her.  Slowly,
he grinned.  “Yeah, but I saved you from freezing to death on the way back from
Lawrenceville.”
    Maggie tilted her chin up.  “I’ll
have you know that I was fine, Mr. Flynn.  I’m sure you only wanted to take
advantage of my body heat because you were cold.”
    “I’m never cold.”
    “Oh yeah?  Your hands were so cold
when you bandaged me that—”
    Flynn’s laughter cut her off.  He
sobered swiftly.  “Welcome back, Magpie.”
    Maggie nodded shyly.  “Thanks,
Flynn.”
    Flynn smiled at her, and for a
moment, she let herself hope that he loved her.  Then, he looked away.  “Get
some rest."
    “Yes, Flynn.”  She sighed and slid
into a deep and natural sleep
    *  *  *
    When Maggie woke up again, the sun
had