The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas - Jodi Thomas Page 0,99

Clint sucked in his breath. He wasn’t certain if it was because the cloth was hot or the mere fact that her soft hand was resting on his chest.

Pulling back, Amelia glanced up at him. “Did I hurt you?”

Clint shook his head, but his eyes were on her hand. He needed to think about something else, so he asked, “Do you think you can eat something tonight?”

“I’ll try.” After she finished cleaning the wound, Amelia asked him to retrieve one of her petticoats from the wagon. She watched him walk away, admiring his wide-muscled shoulders. When he returned with the petticoat, she asked him to tear off a strip of cloth to wrap around his torso.

“I don’t think it is necessary for you to ruin your petticoat,” Clint told her.

“We don’t want that wound to get infected. I can repair the petticoat.” After he tore the strip of cloth, she helped him wrap it around his waist. Once the task was completed, she leaned back on her pallet, exhausted from that little effort. Within minutes she was sound asleep.

Clint covered her with a blanket and sat down and watched her for a while. He thought about her illness, wondering if everyone who contracted yellow fever was subjected to the erratic nature of the illness. Amelia would feel better for a short period of time before having another relapse. Did his mother and siblings suffer in the same way? As a man, it was his nature to want to fix things, and it was frustrating that he couldn’t do more for her. Staring at her beautiful face, Clint questioned whether his mother had asked him to find her because she knew he would be attracted to her. How could a man not be attracted to her? She was everything a man could ever want in a woman.

* * *

Clint cared for the animals before he cooked dinner, allowing Amelia time to rest. Once everything was ready, he kneeled down beside her and touched her forehead. He was pleased that she felt cool. Her eyes fluttered open, and Clint smiled down at her. “Do you think you can eat something now?’

“It smells wonderful.” She made an effort to move to a sitting position, and Clint put his arm behind her back to lend his assistance. Once she was sitting, Clint reached for a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulder.

“How’s that?”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

Amelia’s face was mere inches from his and their eyes locked. He didn’t hesitate or question his next move. His lips found hers and he kissed her, gently at first, then longingly. It had been too long since he’d given and received affection. He felt Amelia lift her arms around his neck, and in the next instant, her fingers were curling through his hair. At that moment, Clint realized he’d found what he had been searching for—Amelia. He wanted her, not for a night, or a few weeks, but forever. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. When he finally pulled his lips from hers, he was still lost in a haze of desire. After a few moments passed, he remembered his promise to her before they’d left Honey Creek. He’d told her she could trust him. He didn’t want her to think he was taking advantage of her tenuous situation. I don’t even know if she loved her dead husband, or if she is still mourning him. She could be interested in Casey. All he knew at that moment was that she was totally dependent on him for her very survival. Though he struggled with his next move, he released her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Amelia’s arms slowly slid down his chest when he pulled away. She looked up at him and blinked, stunned by her reaction to him. Even though he apologized for kissing her, she wasn’t sorry she’d kissed him back.

Clint walked to the fire, where he ladled some food on their plates. “I want you to eat as much as you can.”

Amelia had regained her composure, and even managed to give him a slight smile when he sat beside her. “I will.”

“You’re as weak as a newborn.”

“I’ll get back my strength.” She took a bite of a biscuit as she glanced his way. He was looking off in the distance and seemed to be lost in thought, making her wonder what was on his mind. Her mind was on that kiss. No man had ever kissed her that way. The only