Free Callahan's Gold (Southwest Desert Series Book 3) by Mary Tate Engels

and I'll take care of anything else that happens tonight."
    "But, Dodge, I don't want any shooting over this."
    "Look, Tory, do you mind if we discuss this in the morning, when I have a clearer head and more clothes on?"
    "Oh! Yes, of course!" She blushed for the first time in years and waved one hand. "Yes, please, go. It's very disconcerting to see you standing there like that."
    "Disconcerting? Does that mean there's a real woman beneath that silky  exterior?"
    Her mouth twitched as she was torn between laughing hysterically and snapping his head off with another caustic retort. Then her emotions took over, and she responded quite unexpectedly. Large tears formed in her blue eyes as she said in a low voice, "Undoubtedly, I'm more real than most people around here realize or expect. And I'm damned upset by everything that's happened in the last two days. And now I'm damned scared." She turned her face away and quickly swiped at the tears coursing down her cheeks.
    Dodge sat down beside her and tucked a long arm around her shoulders. "I guess all this has been somewhat traumatic for you, Tory. Would be for anyone."
    She sniffled and leaned back against his shoulder. "This is stupid. Please, go on to bed, Dodge. Forget this ever happened. I—I'm just tired tonight. I'll be all right tomorrow."
    He pressed her against his rock-hard shoulder for another moment. "I'll be okay tomorrow, too, but damned if I'll forget the way I feel right now." A quick squeeze-hug, and he was gone.
    She sat on the bed's edge for a long time, thinking not of the break-in at her motel room or her father's strange friends or even the pending trek up the mountain for the gold. She could only think of Dodge Callahan and what he did to her libido and how being near him nearly wrecked her emotions. Crazily, she even marveled that a cowboy-type like Dodge would wear colored briefs and how good he looked in them. And, oh, how he filled them out.
    The man had responded to her, too. She was close enough—and aware enough—to realize he had reacted physically to her. And that thought sent a feminine thrill radiating through her.
    Although mentally and physically exhausted, Tory tossed and turned for hours. She wrestled with the mattress that Dodge's large frame had dented only a few hours before. She couldn't stop thinking about him and wondering what it would be like to make love to the man.
    With a shudder, she remembered the gun he'd so easily claimed. He could be a dangerous, violent man. How could she consider letting him touch her when those same hands had eagerly wrapped around the handle of a deadly weapon?
    But she did. She not only considered it, but dreamed it.
     
    The next day, both Tory and Dodge made conscious efforts to regain control of their hot attraction and keep their relationship on a business level. Over breakfast, they were subdued and relatively quiet. She didn't mention the dreaded gun and neither did he.
    Between sips of steaming black coffee, he muttered, "You didn't sleep much last night. I heard you rolling around. Wasn't the bed comfortable?"
    "The bed was fine. It wasn't that. Too much going on inside my head, I guess." Or in my body, she thought. "Sorry I kept you awake. That's another reason I think I should get another motel room."
    "Absolutely not. Much too risky. We don't want to take a chance on this happening again and you possibly being around next time."
    "Then how about a small apartment for a few weeks?"
    "This is a small town, Tory. There aren't any short-term apartments available."
    "But I can't just stay here with you."
    "Why not? No one will know. I want to keep your presence here as quiet as possible, now that we know someone is causing trouble."
    "I'm sure everyone knows about me after the will reading in the saloon."
    "If you check out of the motel today, maybe they'll think you've left town."
    "Is that necessary?" she asked.
    "Well, we'll be leaving for the mountains in a couple of days, and you won't need