Free Matt (The Cowboys) by Leigh Greenwood Page A

her practically scared her to death.
    “Anything you want to tell me about today?” he asked.
    “Like what?” She didn’t know where to begin. She was married. She’d promised to help him adopt Orin and protect Toby. She’d committed herself to sleep next to him. She didn’t know if she could survive that. Next to sharing his bed, everything else seemed easy.
    “I know you didn’t want to marry me,” Matt said. “I want to make being here easier. Like I said before, if you have anything you want to change, let me know. I discuss everything with the boys, but we want you and the children to be happy.”
    The sincerity in his voice touched her. She knew he had to be as uncomfortable as she was.
    “We’ll get along all right. It’ll just take a little time to adjust.”
    A silence ensued.
    “You sure there’s nothing bothering you?” he asked.
    “Yes, I’m sure.”
    “Then good night.”
    “Good night.”
    She heard him turn, felt the mattress move as he shifted positions. He must have put his back to her. She wanted to reach out and be sure but didn’t dare. If she touched him, he’d probably think she wanted a whole lot more. Still, she had to know.
    “Did you turn your back to me?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    “Nothing. I just wanted to know.”
    She rolled onto her side, her back toward Matt. She couldn’t go to sleep if he was facing her, maybe staring at her while she slept. It was hard enough knowing he lay just a few inches away, possibly naked.
    But she found as she relaxed, as fear melted away to be replaced by the heaviness of fatigue, her awareness of his being so near became more intense. She tried hard to think about what she had to do tomorrow, how to make the children happy living on a ranch, how to get to know Orin better, even how to overcome her dislike of Toby.
    But it didn’t work.
    Nothing made her forget Matt lying within arm’s length. How could any woman calmly drop off to sleep knowing that? She thought of what Tulip said and turned warm all over. She had to forget Tulip’s comments. She needed sleep. She had to face her in-laws tomorrow.
    Matt woke out of a dead sleep. Someone had hit him.
    “You said you wouldn’t touch me,” Ellen said. She punched him in the chest. “You’re just like every other man. You’ll promise anything to get your hands on a woman.”
    “What are you talking about?” he asked, struggling to understand what was going on.
    She punched him once more before rolling out of bed. “I’m talking about you grabbing me the minute we fell sleep.”
    He couldn’t see her expression in the dim light filtering through the window, but he saw her outline in the shadows, her hand clutched to her bosom, a blanket pulled around her to shield her body from his gaze.
    “I didn’t touch you.” He couldn’t have. He didn’t even touch people in his adopted family unless he had to.
    “You most certainly did. I knew I shouldn’t have let the sheriff talk me into sharing a bed with you. And he thinks you’re shy. You’re just as brazen as any other man.”
    “I must have rolled over in my sleep.”
    “Don’t think I’m going to believe that story. You can march right up to the loft and sleep with the boys.”
    Matt didn’t know how to convince Ellen any touching had been innocent and accidental, but he did know their scheme would be ruined if they started sleeping in separate rooms. “We have to talk.”
    “We’ll talk tomorrow when it’s light and I can watch your hands. Tonight you sleep in the loft.”
    “I can’t.”
    “Then I’ll sleep with Tess.”
    “You can’t.”
    “What are you going to do, pull me back into bed?” She backed closer to the door. “If you try, I’ll scream loud enough to be heard in Bandera.”
    “Light the lamp.”
    “I’m not staying in here with you.”
    “If you leave this room, all four children will know something is wrong. One of them is bound to say something that will get back to Wilbur. If you really