Lone Star Lover by Debbi Rawlins Read Free Book Online Page B

dropped it. Her gaze went to his face. His eyes were open, but only to slits.
    “Jake?”
    “Is anyone else here?” he whispered.
    She shook her head.
    “Are you expecting the doctor or Kitty?”
    “Not for a while.”
    “Good.” He pushed his shoulders up off the cot.
    She leaned forward to help, but realized he’d lifted himself with little effort. He sat up, pushed back the blanket and then swung his feet to the floor. He grimaced some, and groaned once, but he looked surprisingly strong.
    “Where’s my shirt?” he asked, lightly touching the last blister that was healing near the corner of his mouth.
    “It’s ruined. I tried to scrub it but the blood wouldn’t come out.” She watched with alarm as he reached for his boots, grabbing one but missing the other. “You aren’t leaving.”
    “Damn right I am.”
    Panic gripped her. “Please, you should have some water. You should—”
    Anger changed the blue of his eyes to a stormy gray. “You’re not giving me any more of that crap.”
    “No,” she agreed quietly, knowing he meant the pain medicine. “No more.”
    He eyed her with suspicion. “Didn’t the doctor tell you to give me more?”
    “Yes.” She swallowed, and clasped her hands tightly together. “But I disobeyed him.”
    He studied her with an intensity that frightened her. “Why?”
    “Because it made you wrong in the head.”
    Jake seemed to relax, then his chest rose and fell with a deep shuddering breath. “That’s a very powerful drug, do you understand?”
    She blinked, aware suddenly that she’d been gawking at his fine bare chest. Heat crawled up her neck, and she stared down at her hands.
    “Rebecca? Do you understand that it’s not bad medicine if someone really needs it? But I don’t.”
    “I understand,” she said. “I didn’t like the way you acted, but I also know you still have pain.”
    “I do, but I’m healing, and I’ll be better soon. Some of my symptoms were from the morphine, not the accident.” He felt the side of his head, and then touched his finger to his lower lip. “My mouth is better. Did you put something on it?”
    “Yes, I—” She couldn’t admit to him that she’d used the sap from a cactus. It was good medicine, she knew from experience, but Doc Davis would be angry if he found out. “It was a salve,” she said, only half lying. “I don’t know the name. You said you had an accident. You remember what happened?”
    “I think so.” He paused, his gaze fixed on her face. “I was driving back to Houston, and my truck rolled.”
    “Oh.” Disappointment washed over her. She’d truly hoped he was better, but even Doc Davis didn’t know about this “truck.”
    “You honestly don’t know what a truck is.”
    She shook her head.
    Jake’s expression turned grim. “I have one more question.” He looked angry, confused and maybe even a bit afraid as he glanced about the room. Before he could ask his question, the pounding of horse hooves stopped just outside the door. Someone shouted Doc Davis’s name. And then there was a gunshot.

5
    J AKE FOLLOWED R EBECCA to the window, but before she had the curtains parted, the door flew open. It was Kitty, looking startled when she saw Jake standing there, and then relieved as she flung the door wide.
    “Glad to see you on your feet, Mr. Malone. It appears we’re gonna need your cot.” She picked up her skirts and swung back around to face outside. “Be real careful with him, boys.”
    Rebecca scurried to the side, holding onto the door, and Jake quickly pulled back the curtain to see who Kitty was talking to.
    Three men hovered around an old wooden wagon hitched to a pair of bay mares. All of them wore dusty jeans, boots, hats and coats. Doc Davis was with them, his weathered face a mask of bleak concern, his black bag sitting on the street while he gestured with his hands.
    Shaking his head, trying to clear his vision, Jake squeezed his eyes shut, almost afraid to open them again.