Unexpected (11 page)

“It’s not what you think,” she stated seeing his angry expression.  “He didn’t touch me
like you think—he, well—just threatened to.” Now she knew why he rushed them out of town so quick. “Why would he confess that to you?”

Cogan clenched his jaw and didn’t answer her.
“What did he say?”

“I handled it.” There was no way she could repeat what Butch had said to her.

“It was suggestive then.”

It wasn’t a question and she should have known he would figure it out because it was probably the only reason she wouldn’t answer him.
That and she could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks again. “I pulled my derringer on him.”

He looked surprised then
chuckled. Of course she did.  Then he became serious. “Josie, I meant what I said.  Do not go to town alone.”

“All right.”
  Josie didn’t know what was said between him and Butch, but Cogan certainly wasn’t going to be forthcoming, so whatever it was, wasn’t good.

Absently his thumb caressed her palm and she snatched her hand back while looking up at him.  Obviously she had forgotten that he still held her hand.

“My apologies,
” he said not meaning a word of it.  He would break any and all forms of etiquette for a woman like this.

She took a deep breath, nodded and stepped around him to
quickly go into the house.  It wasn’t that she didn’t like him to touch her, it was just the opposite.  There was something about it that warmed her, just like the feeling she got from looking into his dark eyes.  Not once in her life did she feel that way before when a man touched her.  It made her uneasy.

Cogan chose not to watch her go into the house because he was feeling the same thing.  He was unsettled.  Josie was beautiful and he was definitely attracted to her, which, as Butch discovered, was his weakness.
In that gown trussed up like a lady, she was especially stunning and he wanted her. 

“What
the hell are you doing Cogan?” he muttered to himself as he took the mare’s reins to lead her toward the barn to unhitch the wagon.  He was a drifter and a pretty lady caught his eye changing the way he did things.  Now he was suddenly strapped with the responsibility of protecting a family.  It wasn’t like that was unusual, it just had been a long time since he had a cause or was distracted by a beautiful woman. Now, after meeting Butch McAllister, he had more reason to stay.  He didn’t like the man. In fact, he pretty much despised him.  Men like that were poison and infected with greed.  He’d dealt with plenty of them in his lifetime and the results were always disastrous to the innocent.

He rubbed down the mare
and put her in the corral before he paid attention to his stallion who was still hitched to the back of the wagon waiting patiently.

Tomorrow he’d have to send off a few telegraphs after church.  He grinned at the prospect of walking into church and shook his head.  What the hell was he thinking? 
He reached up around his neck and pulled out the necklace he wore under his collar.  His fingers went over the old gold cross caressing it.  Yes, it had definitely been a long time since he’d been to church.  He believed in religion and even fought for his beliefs, but things had changed since those days. He tucked it away and finished settling his stallion for the night.

When he came out of the barn an hour later the sun had set.  He placed his hands on his hips and looked up at the clear night sky and inhaled deeply.  He could smell rain in the air. 
Tomorrow night most likely.  It was good, the land could use it.

Chapter three

“Cogan! Wake up!”  Josie gripped his thick shoulders and shook him.  Well, as much as she could shake him.  He was large and heavy. Suddenly his eyes popped open and he sat up quickly. Startled at the movement, she stepped back and watched him rub his forehead.  The blanket fell from his chest and bared his torso.  It was then she realized that he slept naked. It was hard not to look.  His body was tan and thick with muscle.  His eyes went to hers and she felt her face heat up from embarrassment at staring at him.

“I woke you.”

“I think you were having a nightmare.”

“Just bad dreams, memories.
  Not a nightmare.” He corrected.

“What’s the difference?”

“Nightmares are for children.” He gave her a half smile.

“And?”
she lifted a single delicate brow.  Men always deemed themselves so tough.

“They fear them.  I don’t fear my dreams, they only remind me of things—people from my past.”

“Oh.” Well, that made sense. Her eyes darted to the far wall so she could keep her eyes away from him and he hopefully couldn’t see her discomfiture.

“Go back to bed Josie.
I’m fine. This is nothing new.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and she could see that they were bare too.
  Now there was just a blanket covering his groin.  His legs were thick with muscle like the rest of him and she quickly looked past him to the window. She pretended to be looking at something outside, but it was pitch dark out. It was for her own self-preservation.  He was a magnificent specimen of a man and she felt unusually, and uncomfortably, warm seeing him like that. He reached up and bent his head while rubbing the back of his neck.

“Are you going to be all right?”
she asked after she cleared her throat uncomfortably.

“I always am.”

“Did you want something to help you sleep? Like warm milk or a shot of whiskey?”

His
smoky eyes slowly went over her form. He actually hesitated before he answered her. “No.” She was wearing a thick conservative white cotton robe over her nightgown.  It was amusing because his experienced eyes were able to pick out the subtle curves of her body that told him everything he needed to know.  She was clutching the gown at her throat like it would suddenly fly off her.  More disturbing was her feminine reaction to his naked form.  She was doing everything to avoid looking at him. His acute senses could pick up other things; the rapid intake of her breath, and thudding heart. “Josie.”

Her eyes went to his.

“Leave. I’m fine.”

His tone seemed a little terse, but his eyes
appeared to have darkened and she could feel her stomach clench like the other day. It was hard to tear her eyes from him, and even more difficult to move her legs.  He was built so powerfully—beautifully. She nodded and left closing the door behind her.

Cogan dipped his head and rubbed the back of his neck
again.  “Christ, she
was
carved from perfection.” He sighed heavily and laid back down propping and arm behind his head and staring at the ceiling.  This would be a long night.

***

As usual, Cogan rose before the rest of the house and went outside to work before Hattie rang the breakfast bell.  When he walked into the dining room he saw Ryker sitting at the table, sweat dusted his brow.  Obviously he was still dealing with some pain but was determined to join the living.  He stood up, rather unsteadily, forced a smiled through the discomfort, and held out his uninjured hand in greeting. His other was still in a linen sling to keep his shoulder steady. Cogan walked around the table and shook it.

“I owe you my life,
” Ryker said genuinely.  He still had trouble seeing out of his eye, and his voice was still raspy, but that was the least painful of his injuries.  His ribs still hurt like hell and he still felt dizzy when he stood.  It took him ten minutes to get downstairs, but by hell or high water he was going to sit with his family this morning.

“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.” Cogan could still see the rope rash around his neck but it was healing along with the
rest of him.  The bruising on his face was starting to turn yellow around the edges and the swelling was going down.

“I feel like I was run over by a stampede.
  I mean, I’ve been trampled by a rogue stallion or a protective heifer delivering a calf, but this takes the cake.”

“
I don’t doubt that.”

“I bet I looked like shit when you found me.”

Cogan smirked. He wasn’t going to disagree.  He’d seen dead men look better.

“Gus
give you much trouble? He’s protective of the townsfolk and Josie said you worry him.”

Cogan shook his head as Josie and Thomas came in the room.

“He tried,” Josie said overhearing while setting a tray of fresh baked biscuits on the table. “Cogan sent him off.”

“Good job.” Ryker said equally impressed.

“He’s not the one I’d worry about.”  Hattie came in and set a platter of scrambled eggs and bacon down before she seated herself.  “He’s a decent man.  He knows what’s going on.”

Cogan seated himself next to Thomas placi
ng himself across from Josie while Ryker sat at the head of the table. He spared her a glance but she bowed her head to say Grace.  When she was done, everyone dug in.  Cogan couldn’t remember having such good food. He’d been on his own for a long time.

“Josie said Butch called you in,
” Ryker continued.

“He did.” Cogan said sparing her a glance.  She flushed a little obviously thinking she spilled a secret.
  He didn’t mind.  They were a close family and it was expected for her to talk to her brother.

“He
offer you a job?”

He swallowed a mouthful of eggs
before he answered. “Yes, he tried.”

Silence fell around the table.
Josie kept eating to try hiding her smile. She already knew the outcome of Butch’s offer.

Cogan shifted his eyes to everyone
else’s worried expressions. “I’m not a gun for hire.” His attention went to Josie. “I’ve told you that.”

“Mr. Reid,” said Ryker
drawing his attention. “If you were a gun for hire, you certainly wouldn’t be with us.  I believe we’re worried that if Butch can’t have you, he’d just as much have you killed.  He knows what an asset you are by now.  You’ve killed half his men.”

“First of all, Cogan’s my name.  I’m not much older than you and never was much for formalities.  Secondly, I’m not easy to kill. Many men have tried
, but I appreciate the concern much the same.”

You didn’t have to tell Ryker that men have tried to kill him before.  He’d seen the man shoot. He was an ace shot. “We just want to make sure you know how dangerous this can be. It’s quite a risk for a man with no ties to this family.”

“Your advice does not go unheeded,” Cogan said appreciatively while digging back into his breakfast. He was right about this family.  They were decent people.

They ate the re
st of their breakfast with light conversation. Ryker wanted to know what was going on in his absence and what still needed to be done.  He was impressed that Cogan had been able to deal with some pressing things that He hadn’t been able to deal with himself.  It lifted the burden somewhat.

“We are really indebted to you.  I certainly don’t think we could pay you what you are worth.”

“The food is more payment than I deserve.” The compliment made Hattie’s cheeks pinken up.

After the table was cleared Ryker asked Cogan to stay for a moment so he could speak to him alone. Josie told Thomas to go and get washed up for church.
  She then excused herself to do the same, but did give Cogan an extra-long look before she left.  She couldn’t help it.  There was something about him that she found herself growing increasingly attracted to. He also practically won over her resistive aunt with that charming look and statement about her food too. She doubted Hattie would say anything else about him after that.

Hattie gave
both the men a fresh cup of coffee, scolded Ryker for staying up too long and then left.

“I don
’t know you all that well Cogan,” Ryker said after everyone had gone, “but I know you’re an honorable man because of what you did for me, and what you’re doing for us.  There’s no cause for you to stay on.” He paused and took a deep breath to halt the rising discomfort in his ribs. “Now, I don’t know what Butch had to say, but I’m sure it had something to do with the way he covets my sister.”

“You’ve noticed that?”

“Hell, every man seems to.  She’s got my mother to thank for that,” Ryker stated, adjusting himself in the chair to take the pressure of his ribs. Then he locked his sharp blue eyes with Cogan’s. “I know what you told Josephine. However, I want to know what he
really
said to you?”

After a moment Cogan told him.
He also told him about the incident when he got Josie alone. Ryker had a right to know how much danger Josie was really in.  Like Butch said, he couldn’t be there all the time.

Ryker’s face reddened in anger.
“That son of a bitch.” Rage vibrated through him, so much so, that the pain was momentarily forgotten. “Josie is a lot tougher than she looks.  Our father made sure she could handle a rifle as good as I can.  Maybe he was a little paranoid about war breaking out again and wanted to make sure we could look after ourselves if he was called away.  Who knows why he took time to do that, but I’m sure as hell glad he did.”