Kat watched Levi slouch in the saddle. He put on a good face, but she knew he needed to get to a doctor. With some coaxing, he agreed.
They’d be discreet. She didn’t any want gossip to reach Jake.
They arrived in town an hour later and found the doctor’s office. She dismounted. No sooner did her boots scuff the ground, than her ankle rolled. Pain, hot as fire, shot through leg. She tied her horse to the hitching rail and limped over to help Levi down.
Although he swayed on the dismount, he stood under on his own.
“Don’t come in.” Levi’s tone was calm but serious. “I don’t want you to ride herd on me if I can’t . . . take care of myself.”
Was this his way to protect her from idle talk? “You know it doesn’t matter.”
“It matters,” he said. …show more content…
“This is the woman you’d throw me aside for? She’s a harlot, Jake. Leave her with this . . . this mongrel.”
Levi stood. His body leaned to the left, somewhat off balance. “I swear there’s nothin’ between Kat and me.” Sweat covered his face.
Jake stared at Levi and planted his legs wide. “You son of a bitch.”
“I take offense to that,” Levi said, making a sluggish lunge at Jake’s midsection.
Both men pummeled the other, Levi taking the brunt of it.
Kat crow-hopped to Angela and ripped the parasol from her hands, spinning toward Jake. “Will you,” she said, slamming the parasol over his head, “listen to me?” Wispy pieces of black lace flew in the air. “A scorpion stung him.”
Levi fell to his knees, pale and shaky.
Kat hovered beside him.
Jake lowered his fists. He looked at her, and his jaw line hardened. “Get out of the way.” He half-carried Levi inside.
Angela grabbed the parasol, popping open the bent, skeletal remains. Her head jerked up, and a dark smile crossed her face. “He will always choose me.”
Kat turned her away from the woman. Tears threatened, but she blinked them back before they could fall to her cheeks. Why was Jake in Farlow—with Angela? More lies, her brain …show more content…
She took a deep breath and slid from the saddle. It went without a hitch, and once her boots touched the grass, she shifted her weight to the uninjured foot.
Jake dismounted and stepped around Red.
Kat ventured a step, stopping short as tears misted her eyes, and excruciating pain stabbed her ankle.
Without a word, Jake lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house.
She expected him to put her down at the stairs. He didn’t. “You can’t carry me up there. Please don’t.” It was a weak protest, even to her ears.
Rachel ran in from the kitchen. “Oh, my.”
Jake didn’t falter. He ignored Kat’s plea and holding her in a delicate balance, climbed the steps. At the top of the stairs, he snapped his heel against the bedroom door, splitting the wood by the doorknob. Another kick thrust the door open.
With a gentle tsk-tsk, Rachel darted past him and turned down the quilted bedspread.
Jake laid Kat on the bed and hesitated before releasing her. “Let me help you with the boot.”
Still angry she shoved a pillow behind her. “Don’t bother. Rachel will help me. I’d rather rest for a few minutes.”
“It’s obvious you’ve hurt yourself.” He crossed his arms and glared down at her hands.
She pressed them behind her back. “I have a simple sprained
They’d be discreet. She didn’t any want gossip to reach Jake.
They arrived in town an hour later and found the doctor’s office. She dismounted. No sooner did her boots scuff the ground, than her ankle rolled. Pain, hot as fire, shot through leg. She tied her horse to the hitching rail and limped over to help Levi down.
Although he swayed on the dismount, he stood under on his own.
“Don’t come in.” Levi’s tone was calm but serious. “I don’t want you to ride herd on me if I can’t . . . take care of myself.”
Was this his way to protect her from idle talk? “You know it doesn’t matter.”
“It matters,” he said. …show more content…
“This is the woman you’d throw me aside for? She’s a harlot, Jake. Leave her with this . . . this mongrel.”
Levi stood. His body leaned to the left, somewhat off balance. “I swear there’s nothin’ between Kat and me.” Sweat covered his face.
Jake stared at Levi and planted his legs wide. “You son of a bitch.”
“I take offense to that,” Levi said, making a sluggish lunge at Jake’s midsection.
Both men pummeled the other, Levi taking the brunt of it.
Kat crow-hopped to Angela and ripped the parasol from her hands, spinning toward Jake. “Will you,” she said, slamming the parasol over his head, “listen to me?” Wispy pieces of black lace flew in the air. “A scorpion stung him.”
Levi fell to his knees, pale and shaky.
Kat hovered beside him.
Jake lowered his fists. He looked at her, and his jaw line hardened. “Get out of the way.” He half-carried Levi inside.
Angela grabbed the parasol, popping open the bent, skeletal remains. Her head jerked up, and a dark smile crossed her face. “He will always choose me.”
Kat turned her away from the woman. Tears threatened, but she blinked them back before they could fall to her cheeks. Why was Jake in Farlow—with Angela? More lies, her brain …show more content…
She took a deep breath and slid from the saddle. It went without a hitch, and once her boots touched the grass, she shifted her weight to the uninjured foot.
Jake dismounted and stepped around Red.
Kat ventured a step, stopping short as tears misted her eyes, and excruciating pain stabbed her ankle.
Without a word, Jake lifted her into his arms and carried her into the house.
She expected him to put her down at the stairs. He didn’t. “You can’t carry me up there. Please don’t.” It was a weak protest, even to her ears.
Rachel ran in from the kitchen. “Oh, my.”
Jake didn’t falter. He ignored Kat’s plea and holding her in a delicate balance, climbed the steps. At the top of the stairs, he snapped his heel against the bedroom door, splitting the wood by the doorknob. Another kick thrust the door open.
With a gentle tsk-tsk, Rachel darted past him and turned down the quilted bedspread.
Jake laid Kat on the bed and hesitated before releasing her. “Let me help you with the boot.”
Still angry she shoved a pillow behind her. “Don’t bother. Rachel will help me. I’d rather rest for a few minutes.”
“It’s obvious you’ve hurt yourself.” He crossed his arms and glared down at her hands.
She pressed them behind her back. “I have a simple sprained