Her Sheriff Bodyguard Read Online Free PDF

firecrackers going off.
    â€œYou got me doubled over like this,” she said. “ You can get me to straighten up.”
    Too late she realized her mistake. He slapped one hand on her midsection, grasped her shoulder with the other and yanked her upright.
    Her muscles screamed and she wanted to weep with frustration. She thought about stamping her foot onto his toe, but she knew she couldn’t lift it high enough.
    â€œNow,” he instructed, positioning her hand on the gun. “Fold your fingers around the butt and slip your forefinger onto the trigger.” He laid his hand over hers and curled her fingers over the handle. She couldn’t hold up the weight, and the barrel drooped toward the ground.
    â€œYou right-handed?” When she nodded, he grabbed her left hand and pressed her fingers on the opposite side. “Hold it steady.”
    â€œI am trying! It is too heavy for a woman.”
    â€œNot too heavy for a crusader,” he said drily.
    She glanced into his face. “You think I am a crusader?”
    â€œHell, yes.” He stepped behind her, brought both hands around her body and rested them under her forearms to steady her grip.
    She didn’t like the feel of him at her back. Or the warmth of his arms around hers. Or anything. He smelled of leather and wood smoke and sweat. Well, she acknowledged, she probably smelled the same. He didn’t seem to mind, because he moved his jaw right up against her hair.
    â€œBreathe in,” he said. “Now breathe out.”
    She couldn’t. Not with him so close. Not without revealing how uneven her breathing had become all of a sudden.
    He lifted her forearms and the gun barrel leveled off parallel to the ground. “Now sight down the barrel.”
    â€œSight? What does that mean, ‘sight’?”
    He snorted. “Hell, lady, it means aim the damn gun!” With his chin he nudged her head down. “Look through those two little notches and point the barrel at something.”
    She’d like to point it at him . Instead she swung the weapon toward a low-hanging branch.
    â€œNow squeeze the trigger.”
    She heard a metallic snap.
    â€œGood. Now we’ll try it with a bullet.”
    Patiently Hawk showed her how to crack open the chamber and slide the cartridges into the slots. She was a quick study, and that surprised him. He only had to show her something once. She was obviously intelligent. Probably had attended some fancy girls’ school, maybe even college.
    When she’d loaded his revolver he instructed her about not swinging the barrel around but keeping it pointed down, then showed her how to release the hammer.
    â€œOkay, now aim at something.” Hawk stepped in behind her again and watched her point the weapon at another tree branch.
    â€œTry not to hit a bird,” he joked. She didn’t even crack a smile. “Don’t wait too long or your hands will start to shake.”
    â€œMy hands are already shaking,” she said. Her voice was shaking, as well.
    â€œBring the barrel up slowly. Now hold your breath and sight. When you’re ready, just squeeze back on the trigger.”
    The revolver discharged with a sharp crack, and the kick propelled her backward into his chest. Instinctively he grabbed her shoulders. “A gun always pushes back when you fire it, so you need to be ready.”
    He liked holding her that way, her backbone pressed against his chest. Her head just fit under his chin. Damn, her hair smelled good, like lemons and some kind of soap.
    He could feel every breath she took and he wasn’t liking his reaction one bit. He wanted to slide his fingers around to her chest, cup her breasts and feel her heart beat under his thumb.
    He snatched his hands away so fast it was as if a bee had stung him. Now, that was an interesting reaction.
    No, it was a damn worrisome reaction. He didn’t have time to dally with a woman, especially this woman,