Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page A

heard feet pounding up the walk outside. A few moments later Rick and Buzz burst into the room. Rick wore his boots and jeans, but his shirt was half unbuttoned. He carried a pitchfork. Buzz was behind him with a shovel in his hand.
    Rick stared around the room. “Where’s the snake?”
    She pointed. “There, in the corner. But what about Clay? Did you bring an EpiPen?”
    He handed it to her. “You’d better give it to him while we take care of the snake.”
    Taking the pen, she opened the gray tab, then jammed the tip into Clay’s thigh, holding it there for several seconds. Clay flinched but didn’t open his eyes. His lips were blue.
    Eden dropped the EpiPen and took his hand. It was cold and blue too. “Clay? Stay with me, Clay!” She clutched his fingers and watched the men approach the corner.
    It took only moments for them to dispatch the snake. Mumbling under his breath, Buzz carried the snake out on the shovel.
    Rick came to the edge of the bed. “He’s got a little more color,” he said. “What happened?”
    “I’m not really sure. I woke up when he said he’d been bitten.”
    Clay coughed and opened his eyes. The scary whiteness was receding from his skin, and his pupils were looking more normal. His fingers tightened on hers, and he struggled to sit up. Something tight in her chest loosened, and she inhaled deeply, suddenly aware she’d been holding her breath.
    “The snake,” Clay whispered.
    “Is gone,” Rick said.
    Eden stuffed some pillows behind his back. “You look like you’re going to live.”
    “We still need to get that bite treated,” Rick said, withdrawing another vial from his pocket. “I keep antivenom in the fridge.”
    “Where were you bitten?” Eden asked.
    “My left ankle.” Clay moved his foot out from where it had been entangled in the sheet. He closed his eyes. “It hurts.”
    She winced at the puncture wounds crusted over with blood. And even worse at the bruise beginning to travel up his leg. All thought left her. He couldn’t die!
    “Honey, you’re crushing my hand,” he said, lifting one lid.
    She loosened her grip on him. “Where’s the nearest hospital?” she asked Rick.
    “Allie called the doctor. He’ll come to us.”
    Eden injected the antivenom into Clay’s other thigh. “IV is the best administration, but this will help for now. And the wound needs to be cleaned. I’ll do it if you can get me some soap and water. Alcohol too.”
    Rick nodded and went to fetch the items.
    Wheels crunched on gravel outside. “I think the doctor’s here,” she said to Clay, nearly giddy with relief.
    Footsteps hurried toward the door, and Buzz ushered in an older man with hair that stood on end as if he’d gone from the bed straight to the car. He carried an IV bag and pushed a metal stand.
    “This must be the patient,” he said. Eden climbed out of the way while he got to work on Clay. She was suddenly self-conscious of her skimpy nightwear in the presence of these men, so she grabbed one of Clay’s shirts from the closet and slipped into it while the doctor examined the wound. “One side looks dry. I don’t think you got a full dose of venom, young man. You’re very fortunate.”
    Rick touched her arm and motioned her back toward the door. “There’s something weird about all this,” he said.
    She walked with him out of Clay’s earshot.“Weird? We’re in the desert. Snakes get inside sometimes, don’t they?”
    “Not all that often. I’ve never had a rattler in the house.” He put his hand in his shirt pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. “This was on the door.”
    She took it from his hand and stared at the letter. “‘You shouldn’t have brought her.’” Wrinkling her forehead, she glanced up at Rick. “What does that mean?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “The kids are too little to do something like this.”
    He nodded. “Obviously.”
    “Did any of your other employees want this position?”
    “Most of the cowboys have been