A Texan's Promise Read Online Free PDF Page B

on your back."
    Vanessa swallowed hard. "There's no need."
    Clayton felt her same discomfort. Now that blinding anger no longer guided his thoughts, he was far more conscious of their isolation—and of the uncomfortable new awareness he felt in her presence.
    During their ride, he'd taken notice of all the things he usually tried so hard to ignore. Her purely feminine form, the smooth line of her jaw. As the hours passed, he'd found himself thinking about the calluses that were sure to be forming on her soft palms. Had they blistered? "I'm afraid there is every need.The cuts on your back need to be cleaned," he explained. "I have balm that will help with the scarring, too."
    "Oh. I . . . I hadn't thought about that."
    Mentally, Clayton chastised himself. He should have known better than to give her something else to worry about.He motioned to the large rock in front of the fire. "Sit down, now. This won't take long."
    He stood behind her, giving her at least the illusion of privacy.Once she'd finished unbuttoning his shirt, he carefully knelt down behind her, his knees creaking with the motion.Lord, he felt old.
    Luckily, the wounds hadn't festered too terribly and he was able to slip the shirt off her shoulders without causing her discomfort.But still, her back looked no better in the waning daylight. Bruised and swollen, the skin puckered around the sores, cracking as scabs attempted to form.
    She held herself motionless as he washed off the day's sweat and grime, knowing the fresh air would do her injuries good.
    Until that minute, he'd never wanted to be anything other than the man he was. However, as he eyed the glob of salve on his hands, he wished he had softer fingers, skin that wasn't quite so rough.
    Vanessa turned her head, her eyes widening as she witnessed him eyeing her back, his right hand raised in uncertainty."It'll be okay, Clay," she whispered. "They really don't hurt too bad."
    Too bad? Slowly, he dabbed the salve along her cuts, taking care to reach each part but not hurt her in the process.Inadvertently, he rubbed the smooth silkiness of her back as well.
    Vanessa had the type of skin that only years of coddled living could give a woman. Pale, creamy-soft. Covering the gentle mix of muscles and bones that made men go into battle.
    Even hurt and cut, Vanessa was beautiful. And he wasn't unaware that he was the first man to spy her bare back, to caress her at all.
    His hand jerked at the direction of his thoughts. Was he no better than Price?
    Vanessa exhaled roughly, bringing him back to the present."All done?"
    After one more pass, he dropped his hand. "All done."
    She moved to pull his shirt back up, but he stilled her. "I think it'd be best to try and sleep in just your camisole, if you can. The cuts might heal better in the air."
    She winced at his tone. Once again, his efforts to remain detached had made his voice rougher than usual.
    Curving her arms over her chest, she looked like she was a lost soul. "Where . . . where will we sleep? In there?" She motioned to the abandoned cabin.
    "No." He rolled out two bedrolls, pulled out the blanket she'd packed as well. "We'll sleep here, by the fire. Come lie down, Vanessa."
    She unlaced her boots, then stretched out on her side.Gently, he covered her, like he would a child.
    Except she was far from that. Her bare shoulders glowed in the moonlight, reminding Clayton that Vanessa had become a beautiful woman before his eyes. He needed to be man enough to acknowledge the fact as well as the fact that she was offlimits to him. He'd promised her father to watch over her, not dream of things that could never be possible.
    As the fire crackled, illuminating their area and casting a warm glow over their sorry circumstances, Clayton stretched out his legs and sipped his coffee. He'd sleep in a little while.For now, all he wanted was a few minutes' silence.
    But Vanessa had other ideas.
    "Clay?"
    "Hmm?"
    "Remember when I went to that barn dance two years ago?"
    "I