Over the Edge by Mary Connealy Read Free Book Online Page A

temper out on her. “We’ve got a decent life here. I don’t want to go back to what I was before.”
    Well, maybe just for a short time, until he got his money.
    “Then give up on that money. It’s blood money, Jasper. It’s only yours in the most sinful sense of the word. Losing that money is going to save your life and if you’ll let it, your soul.”
    He was married to a preachin’ woman for a fact. He took a few steps and it brought him all the way across the room. He’d owned a beautiful mansion in Houston. He wore silk shirts and smoked fine cigars. Now he lived in a house the size of his bedroom back home. He wore broadcloth that itched every time he moved. With a derisive laugh he admitted he didn’t want to smoke anyway.
    There was a flash of fear in her eyes as he approached and it shamed him. “I’m not going to hurt you. Don’t even think it, Bea.”
    He reached out and rested two hands on her strong shoulders. He drew her close, then closer. “I know you’re right. A man just has a bad moment now and again.” He kissed her and she was the only fine and silky thing he needed.
    She was as generous as always.

    Seth got to the room just as Connor fell asleep in his arms. He found Callie up and wearing a clean white dress, her dark hair washed and braided in a way that covered most of the damage done by the doctor’s clippers. She was so darkly tanned it was hard to judge if she was weakened by blood loss or fatigue, but how could she not be?
    Callie set a fork down on an empty plate as Seth came in.
    “How is she, Mrs. Frew?” Seth had a hard time taking his eyes off his pretty wife. Callie was looking right back, but Seth thought he saw something other than admiration in her gaze.
    “Better. The bath and clean clothes helped. A good meal and a good night’s sleep, too. I’ll go along now.” Mrs. Frew gathered up the dishes from the small table where Callie sat.
    They said their goodbyes and thank-yous. Seth laid Connor down on the folded blankets, where the boy had spent the night. Then he sat on the bed. Callie was on a chair pulled up to a bedside table.
    “How are you?” They were only a few inches apart.
    “I’m steady. Not full strength but I’ll survive. The doctor came while you were out. He thought I needed to rest a few days because of the blood I lost, but I’m ready to get out of this town.”
    “We can head out, then. It’s a long ride home, and if you wear out along the trail, we can camp for the night. Ethan’s house is closer than mine, so if you last long enough we can stop there. I’ve got supplies at the general store and horses to carry things home. Some of the trails are too narrow and too hard a pull for a wagon.”
    “Did you have a good time carrying my son around town?” She had enough strength to shoot arrows at him with her eyes.
    “He’s a fine boy, Callie. I’m sorry I—”
    “I’ve heard ‘ I’m sorry’ enough,” Callie cut him off. “Let’s get on for home.”
    Seth hesitated. There was something about the fire in her black eyes that drew him like a moth. “You’re hurt. Can I say I’m sorry about that?”
    She shrugged. “Saying you’re sorry doesn’t change anything.”
    “I know. And wishing I’d gotten there sooner so I could help you doesn’t do a bit of good. But I’d have spared you the danger you were in if I could.” He lifted a hand and drew it along a scratch on her cheek. “The town is buzzing about the woman who stood off a band of outlaws. The stage driver and the man riding shotgun are well known and well liked. They’re both going to live because of you.”
    “I’m glad. They were tough men. They put off the moment when I’d be fighting on my own. And the driver got us closer to town than he might have. That gave the parson a chance to get away and to protect his wife and Connor. We all worked mighty hard to survive that holdup yesterday. It wasn’t all my doin’.”
    They were so close, it was easy to