Jodi Thomas Read Online Free PDF

her was confusing him more every minute.

    Within an hour Chance was given the solution to his problem. The Reverend Mr. Muller asked him to ride a few days ahead of the wagons as a scout. There were three other scouts, but a party of this size could use another man who knew the country and had a horse, and Chance knew the hills better than he’d ever known people. He welcomed the opportunity to be alone and agreed to leave as soon as all the carts were loaded.
    As he talked among the others Anna never left his side, her anger now completely vanished. Now that he had been given a role, he found the people friendly and accepting. They were hungry for any news of Texas, and having a Texan among them made their dream seem more real. However, Anna’s nearness and the light pressure of her fingers on his arm consumed his thoughts even as he talked about Texas. Once, as he drew a map in the dirt showing several men where they were headed, he was rewarded with a brief smile. For a moment, Chance was so lost watching the gentle curve of her mouth, he couldn’t have answered to his own name. Another time, with several people watching, she brushed the suede of his vest with her fingers. Chance thought he might explode with the sudden pleasure her small gesture had given him.
    By the time the last trunks were loaded onto the wagons, the sun was high, marking the hour of noon. Chance touched her fingers resting on his arm. “I need to saddle up and leave.”
    He wished she’d look up at him, but her eyes were shaded from his view as she spoke. “I will walk with you to your horse.”
    Chance glanced over to the trees where he’d hobbled Cyoty. There was no one by the creek and he knew they would be alone for a few moments before he left. His stomach was in a knot so tight the oxen hitched to the wagons couldn’t have pulled it apart. He wanted to be alone with her, but a part of him was screaming to run away before he tumbled into the bottomless depths of her green eyes.
    As they made their way toward the horse, A nna asked, “Do you have enough food, coffee?”
    Brushing the branches of a live oak to one side, Chance waited for her to pass. “I’ll be fine. How about you?”
    They were in the shadow of the trees now, where light shone in thin sheets between the barren branches. “I can take care of myself.” Her voice blended with the sounds of the stream, shallow now in winter, and the faraway cry of a bird.
    “Take care then.” He wanted to hold her close, to let her know that he cared about her safety, but when his arm encircled her shoulder he felt her stiffen. He pulled her closer, longing to hold her in his arms, but gone was the warmth she’d shown earlier; she jerked her shoulder backward as suddenly as though his touch bore the kick of a shotgun.
    Her green eyes flashed angrily. “No!” Her hand shook as she pressed his chest, shoving him away.
    “What?” Chance watched her in utter confusion. “What’s the matter?” Could she be that afraid of him? “I wasn’t planning on hurting you, Anna.”
    Wrapping her arms around her waist, Anna backed away. “I thought you understood. There will be no touching between us.” Her voice was shaking as though he’d tried to molest her right there, not thirty feet from the others. “If you touch me again,” she whispered, “I swear I’ll kill you.” She hugged herself tightly.
    Chance was more confused than he’d ever been in his life. “But all morning you’ve been touching me, standing next to me.”
    “That was for the others’ benefit. We are alone now.” Her eyes were emeralds of fury, her knuckles white with fear. She studied him for a moment and seemed to relax slightly. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but there is never to be anything between us other than our original agreement.”
    Chance slapped his hat against his leg and swore under his breath. “So that’s the way it’s going to be. We’re a couple when others are