A Texan's Promise Read Online Free PDF

the men who'd fought next to them.
    Clayton breathed a blessed sigh of relief when they came to the ravine he'd recalled, this one with an abandoned cabin on its banks. Maybe they could finally stop for the day. He knew Vanessa desperately needed some rest. Though she hadn't said a word, he was sure the stress of the past twenty-four hours was taking its toll.
    "Vanessa, hold up. I'm going to take a closer look."
    Obediently, she reined in Coco and waited patiently, though she looked to be holding herself upright out of sheer willpower.
    After dismounting, he pulled out his Colt and scanned the area, looking closely for any signs that it had been occupied recently. Nothing was evident.
    The door, hanging precariously on its hinges, creaked an awkward greeting, but all that lay inside was a dirt floor littered with debris and the dank smell of mildew. Most likely the ravine had flooded recently.
    As Lee nosed the ground for stubs of grass, Clayton eyed the tangle of woods surrounding them. All was still, only whippoorwill cried out in the distance.
    Finally satisfied, he approached Vanessa. "This will serve for tonight." Curving his hands around her waist, he swung her out of the saddle, inhaling her scent against his will, as she leaned closer than usual, practically sliding herself against him until she reached the ground. He held her steady until she got her bearings. Worried she might collapse, he didn't release his grip. "Vanessa?"
    She shook her head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, Clay." With a faint blush, she said, "I think my backside must have fallen asleep. How may I help you?"
    "Only one thing. Sit down before you fall down."
    "I can't let you do everything. I'll help with the saddles."
    He stilled her. "Darlin', don't take this the wrong way, but I can do this faster and easier without you. Once more, I'd feel better knowing you were resting."
    "But—"
    "Another time you can help me all you want. I promise."
    Whether she was too tired to argue, or because she knew he was right, she sat. "Yes, Clayton."

    They were close enough to other homesteads to make a fire without causing undue notice. By nightfall, the temperature would drop. The last thing Clayton wanted was for Vanessa to take a chill.
    After settling the horses, he built a small fire a few feet from the abandoned cabin. The cabin would help shield them from the wind and help Vanessa warm up. Next he set to boiling coffee.
    Against his advice, Vanessa pulled out two mugs from their saddlebags and placed the apples, cheese, and bread out on a clean bandanna. Clayton knew they both were too tired to cook beans or fish, even if he had been of the mind to catch something.
    Finally, after washing up with some of the water he'd gotten from a creek they'd passed hours ago, Clayton murmured a brief prayer of thanksgiving and then they ate. As their stomachs filled, a strained silence rose between them. As well as he knew Vanessa, he'd never been alone with her for such a length of time.
    His experience on the trail had been solely in the company of men, with himself in charge. He was used to giving orders, assigning watch. He had no supply of easy conversation or amusing stories suitable for feminine ears.
    But as he saw her hugging her knees close, and a pained expression visiting her eyes, he knew something had to be said. As his reality sank in, Clayton found himself wondering just how to calm Vanessa, what to say.
    Unfortunately, no sweet promises came to mind. Everything he used to tease her about—her vast number of pretty dresses, the curls of her hair, the endless boys who tried so hard to receive a smile from her—all that was gone now.
    As if she, too, felt the tension, she unfolded her legs. "I think I'll go lie down, Clayton."
    As he watched her stand up stiffly, he remembered the ointment he'd pulled from the barn just before they left. If her swollen cheek was any indication, her back was sure to be in a bad way. He stood up, too. "I better check