Angela Claire Heart of Stone (pdf)

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His green eyes were fastened on hers now. She felt such a tingle
she knew she d die if he didn t kiss her. He was going to kiss her. She
knew he was. She even went a little up on her tiptoes for it.
The shrill of the kettle singing spoiled the moment. He pulled
away sharply and headed to the door. You d better get that. I ll see
you tomorrow, Melinda.
And he was gone.
* * * *
60 Angela Claire
Jesse did stop back the next morning, if you could call right about
noon morning. He hadn t heard any more about the fire, but he tickled
Ginny under the chin and accepted Melinda s offer of warm muffins
and, just in general, acted more relaxed. Jake seemed to be eying him
with some skepticism, and when he was leaving, Melinda heard them
through the window.
You ought to get into town more often, Jake. You seem a bit
grumpy.
I was just in town yesterday.
Jesse laughed. I know. All the girls at Sally s cooed about how
cute you were with that baby in your arms.
For Christ sake, I didn t bring Ginny into Sally s.
I know because that s what all the ladies were so upset about,
that you didn t make time for them on your trips into town.
A mite hard for that with Melinda and Ginny in tow.
And Regina Winthrop hanging all over you. I heard about that
too.
Not much those gals at Sally s miss, is there? Anyways, you
know I m not interested in Regina.
Don t matter to me, Jake.
Jesse had mounted his horse and was riding out when she heard
Jake mutter, Sure it don t. Just keep telling yourself that, Jesse.
* * * *
It was some days later when Jake finally made it out to the
McGivers ranch to talk to Bill about the fire. What he heard wasn t
very reassuring. Bill had sworn there was no way that fire could have
started accidentally. He d been to the sheriff, but without any
evidence, the sheriff hadn t been able to do much. Not to mention the
sheriff was in Winthrop s pocket anyways. Everybody knew that.
Jake was feeling a little testy about the whole thing as he rode home,
but as he dismounted his horse, he heard Melinda, and somehow, he
Heart of Stone 61
felt just a little better. He smiled. That familiar lyrical laugh was
emanating from behind the barn.
Jake headed in that direction, and when he turned the corner, he
saw Melinda with that sweet smile, but she was laughing at something
Jesse Whelan was saying. Whelan s back was to Jake, but he was
leaning in real close to Melinda, one arm propped up against the barn
above her head, his other arm lingering at the side, like he was fixing
to put it on her waist.
The surge of fury that shot through Jake was not particularly
welcome.
You got some work to do, Jesse?
Jesse glanced back at Jake and took his sweet time pushing off the
barn wall and turning around to face him. Melinda meanwhile
straightened herself and peered at him anxiously.
I think I heard the baby, Jake lied.
Oh? She s awake already? Poor little thing. She s teething again,
I think. I better be going in then.
Whelan looked like he was about to do the same, but when
Melinda was out of sight, Jake stopped him with a hard hand on his
shoulder. They were about the same height, more or less matched in
terms of size and heft as well. Whelan was no pushover. That s why
Jake had hired him. But right now, he felt like he could lick the uppity
cowboy with one hand tied behind his back, he was so damned mad.
Keep away from her, Jesse.
Melinda?
Who the hell do you think I mean?
Got me. I m just getting a mite tired of folks telling me who I got
to keep away from. I can t glance in Regina s direction without old
man Winthrop sending some no-good drifter to try to try to teach me a
lesson
Jake was momentarily distracted. You had a run-in with
Winthrop?
62 Angela Claire
Just one of his henchmen. Didn t much trouble me, but it got me
to thinking. Hell, I keep getting accused of things I ain t even done
when it comes to respectable women. So I just thought maybe I ought
to start having a little fun with these respectable women.
Not with Melinda you won t. I don t know what you got cooking
up, but I saw the way you were sidling up to her just now and I m
only going to say this once. She s not here for your amusement.
No? Just yours then?
The accusation surprised him as much as it infuriated him. Jesse
had seemed to respect Melinda, and now he was as much as saying
she was Jake s plaything. What the hell had gotten into him?
Why, you fucking bastard& Jake lunged at him in a rage, but
Jesse saw it coming and dodged it handily, putting his hands up in a
defensive gesture.
Hold on there, Jake. Don t get riled at me. I m just saying what
everybody s thinking.
Everybody with a filthy mind!
Everybody with eyes in their head, Jake. You stare at that little
filly like you could wrap her up and eat her for supper.
And you don t? Leaning into her just now, sweet talking her,
making her laugh. You think you could charm her onto a haystack and
have a little fun while my baby s asleep in the house?
Don t bring Ginny into this.
Bring her into this? Why can t I get this through your thick skull,
you stupid cowboy? That girl is here to take care of Ginny, nothing
more.
Jesse laughed incredulously, and this time, Jake did catch him off
guard, planting a solid left hook that swung the other man s head back
and caused a trickle of blood to leak from his nose. Good, he hoped
he d broken it. Maybe it d mar those good looks that all the gals at
Sally s were always mooning over. That, God forbid, Melinda was
maybe mooning over. At the thought, Jake went to take another
swing, but Jesse was ready for him this time and blocked the fist,
Heart of Stone 63
nearly catching Jake with a blow to the stomach before he jumped
back just in time.
I was just talking to her, you moron! Even doing you a little
favor, asking her out to the dance on Saturday. Maybe folks wouldn t
get the wrong idea if she had a beau.
You want to be her beau, you tomcat? She s an innocent girl and
you re a horny, no-good, lying
Look who s talking! If you haven t fucked her yet, it can t be
long coming.
Jake rushed him, knocking him to the dusty ground where they
rolled around, a punch getting through each one s defenses here and
there, but they were evenly matched. The bucket of water raining
down on them caught them short, though, and they separated, each
glaring up at the holder of that now empty bucket.
I don t know what you re fighting about, Melinda said coldly,
more like a schoolmarm now than a young girl. She must ve honed
that tone to a fine degree keeping order over the little ones in that
orphanage of hers. But it s going to stop this very instant. Jesse, get
going. You have work to do.
Jesse rolled to his feet, spitting out blood and snatching up his hat,
which had been dislodged in the scuffle. He donned it coolly.
Ma am. Then he sauntered off.
Damn. He should ve fired that bastard. Jake heaved himself up as
well, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt, which came away
bloody.
For goodness sake. Two grown men rolling around on the ground
fighting like little boys. What s gotten into you?
Jake eyed Melinda sullenly as she put the bucket down.
And Ginny was not awake yet, by the way. She s sleeping
soundly, as long as this ruckus didn t wake her up. She reached a
delicate finger to the side of his lip. You re bleeding. He batted her
hand away.
64 Angela Claire
I don t want to talk about this right now. Stalking away, he
yelled over his shoulder as he went, You just stay the hell away from
Jesse Whelan.
* * * *
The dinner had been good. It was always good. Melinda was a
hell of a cook. Among other things. He heard her behind him, putting
the last of the dried dishes into the cupboard as he still sat at the table.
He looked at the purple flowers in the jelly glass she d put in the
center of the table, remembering how she and Ginny had smiled when
they d come back from picking them this morning. Ginny was sound [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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