Shotgun Bride Read Online Free PDF Page A

goose bumps raced across her skin. The gratifying sound of doors slammed against wood and the rush of footsteps in the hallway greeted her ears. Several men, some half-dressed, rushed inside. A few had guns drawn. The thief ran and dove out the window as a couple of younger cowboys whooped and took up the chase.
    “You all right miss?” an older man asked, stepping up beside her.
    Fury and fear swirled through her as she nodded and sucked in a calming breath. She peered passed the man’s shoulder to see if that horrid man who had accosted her in the hall still lurked around. Instead, sable eyes stared at her as the tall stranger she’d bumped into earlier slowly slid his gun into his holster.
    The corner of his lips turned down. He shrugged and ran a hand through his neatly trimmed hair. His unbuttoned shirt revealed a patch of curly brown hair on his muscled chest. A gut-wrenching desire to run her fingers through that patch of hair and across his chest smacked into her. So enticing . She clutched her hands together. Oh, yes, she must have developed a fever of the brain .
    Kathleen glanced around. Was anyone else in this crowd involved? The older gentleman appeared kind and fatherly, but looks could deceive.
    “Excitement’s over boys.” The older gentleman waved them all out the door.
    Distant shouts floated up through the window and intertwined with grumbles about outlaws bothering young women as the men dispersed and her room emptied except for the gray-headed man. He patted her on the shoulder.
    “I’ll have the manager get you a different room for the night. You’ll sleep better.”
    “Thank you, mister.”
    Taking a deep breath, Kathleen rubbed her arms as the rapid thumping of her heart slowed. The awful man in the hall had gone; the thief had been chased away.
    “Call me Bill, everybody else does. Come on, I’ll walk you down.”
    The dark-eyed cowboy waited in the dimly lit hallway, arms crossed over his chest, expression unreadable. “Anything stolen?” he asked.
    Kathleen stumbled. The will . Hand slapped to her mouth, ice filling her veins, she tore inside the room and flung the pillow off the bed. Her knees turned to jelly as she sank on the edge, fingered the papers, then released the breath she held. She could not lose these.
    “Well?” Bill asked.
    “No.” She replaced the pillow, debating whether or not to let the will out of her sight. Concern laced Bill’s eyes, but she glanced past him to the tall, broad-shouldered cowboy. He dominated the doorway of her room. A shudder hit her. How safe was she? She sighed and rubbed a hand across the back of her neck. She was so tired of having no one to depend on and being forced to do everything herself. So tired of being alone.
    “Would you like me to find someone to stay with you tonight?” The kindness in Bill’s voice brought a smile to her lips.
    “Hang on a minute, Bill. I have a better idea.”
    Kathleen glanced up at the deep voice that flowed over her like honey.
    “I’ll switch rooms with you, ma’am, so no one else knows.” He shot her a measured look. “That way if the thief returns, he’ll get more than he bargained for.”
    “Good thinking.” Bill raised a brow at her. “Sound good to you, miss?”
    “I guess.” Wary but grateful, she accepted the offer.
    “It’s settled then. You try to forget all this fuss and get some rest.” Bill nodded a goodnight and strode off, leaving her with him . An annoying rush of excitement flooded through her.
    He smiled and waved a hand at the mess. “Want any help?”
    What she wanted was to bury her head on his exposed chest, soak up some of his tranquility. “No, give me a minute.”
    “Sorry some varmint tried to steal your stuff.”
    She scooped up her clothing and stuffed it into the bag. “Guess the town’s living up to its reputation of wild.”
    He laughed. “Good to have a sense of humor.”
    Straightening, she went to the bed and laid the will inside her bag.