Free Wagonmaster by Nita Wick Page B

holding her against his chest. Sorrow at the loss of the child did not compare to the relief. Addie wasn’t in danger of meeting the same fate. “It’s all right, darlin’.”
    She wept quietly against his chest. “I couldn’t save him. I tried but….” She hiccoughed through her tears. “He was just a baby .”
    He stroked her hair and rocked her. “You did everything you could, Addie. It was God’s will.”
    She cried and clung to him. Her anguish stabbed him like a rusty dagger, each whimper, every sob another twist of its jagged blade. He lifted his gaze to find Jimmy watching them. Josh waved for him to come closer. The old cook moved quickly and stood before him, his wrinkled face a mask of concern and sympathy. “Tell the others we go no further today. We’ll have the funeral tonight.”
    Without waiting for an answer, Josh slipped his hands beneath Addie and carried the heartbroken woman to her wagon. He felt the gaze of everyone on the trail following him, but he ignored their unspoken questions. When he reached her wagon, he shifted her in his arms to pull the steps down. He climbed the ladder and ducked beneath the canvas.
    There was no need to light a lamp. The midday sun filtered through the canvas cover, illuminating the inside in soft light. Josh settled Addie on her bed and bent to remove her boots. She sat motionless, tears streaming down her face. He pulled the second boot from her foot and felt her shiver. Of course she was cold, he thought irritably. She left the Adams’ wagon without her shawl. He shrugged out of his vest, removed his hat, and shed his boots. Gently, he pushed her shoulders back while he lifted her legs, encouraging her to lie on the bed.
    He stretched out next to her, and she moved into his arms, laid her head on his chest, and curled one leg over his. Her knee rested across his hip and thigh, and he cursed himself a lecherous swine for his body’s reaction to her. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “It’s all right, darlin’. Everything will be all right.”
    Her body shuddered as she sighed and snuggled closer to him. Within moments, she breathed deeply, evenly. She’d fallen asleep. Rest was no doubt the best thing for her. There had been damn little of it for her the past few days. He should cover her and leave, but he couldn’t bear to let go of her. Even in sleep, her hand clung to his shirt, as if holding on to him for dear life.
    He closed his eyes and tried to rest. Unfortunately, the stirrings of his lustful body were difficult to calm with the soft, feminine body wrapped across him. He’d been too long without a woman. That must be the problem. Hell and damnation! I’m only fooling myself. The truth was that no woman had ever affected him like this. Not even Sarah.
    A little more than an hour had passed before she stirred. He remained still, thinking she’d go back to sleep, but her hand moved to the buttons on his shirt. She unfastened one, then another button, and his breath caught. Her hand slipped beneath his shirt and set his skin afire with just a touch. It rested against him, unmoving.
    And it drove him mad with the need to touch her.
    Josh ground his teeth together. He couldn’t do this. He just wasn’t strong enough to resist the animal need building inside him. He’d have to leave. He slipped from the bed and reached for his boots.
    â€œWait. Please.” She grabbed his hand and held it.
    â€œAddie—”
    â€œI’m sorry, Joshua. I didn’t mean to…I just needed to feel your warmth, your heartbeat. I think something inside me….” She paused, visibly fighting to hold back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks again. “I feel like something inside me died with that little boy. You feel so alive. I didn’t mean to throw myself at you again like some wanton.”
    Surprise filled him, but