Whirlwind Wedding

Whirlwind Wedding
Debra Cowan

HE'D NEARLY BLED TO DEATH ON HER DOORSTEPCatherine Donnelly had come to Whirlwind to care for her rebellious brother. Not to rescue the very man who doubted her sibling's innocence! But as the Texas Ranger recovered in her bed, she was forced to admit that Jericho Blue might be the one man who could save her. And make her the woman she yearned to be!HAD THIS ANGEL OF MERCY DANCED WITH THE DEVIL?Jericho prayed that Catherine had nothing to do with the murderous ambush. For once he'd apprehended the culprits, Jericho knew the only way to satisfy the fierce passion Catherine aroused in him–would be to make the innocent temptress his wife!

“Woman, if I stay in that house with you, something’s gonna happen between us.”

The words erupted from him.

His words sank in and her mouth formed an O. Her cheeks pinkened, but she didn’t run.

She plucked nervously at the top button of her bodice and he said tightly, “Go on back to the house.”

She didn’t. Looking uncertain, she drew in a deep breath, then said in a rush, “I wish I’d kissed you when I had the chance.”

He nearly swallowed his teeth. “You can’t say things like that to a man, Catherine. To me.”

‘It’s true.”

“I don’t think so.” Want thrummed inside him. He gripped his crutch so tightly that his knuckles burned.

Her skirts whispered around his legs, between them, and her pulse fluttered wildly in the hollow of her throat.

“Dammit, woman! Back up. I may be injured, but I’m not dead…!”

Praise for new Historical author Debra Cowan’s previous titles

“Penning great emotional depth in her characters, Debra Cowan will warm the coldest of winter nights.”

—Romantic Times on Still the One

“Debra Cowan skillfully brings to vivid life all the complicated feelings of love and guilt when a moment of consolation turns into unexpected passion.”

—Romantic Times on One Silent Night

“The recurrent humor and vivid depiction of small-town Western life make Debra Cowan’s story thoroughly pleasurable.”

—Romantic Times on The Matchmaker

Whirlwind Wedding

Debra Cowan

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

In memory of my cousin, Billye Su Watson

For our shared love of words

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter One

West Texas, 1884

C atherine Donnelly had never been adept at handling men, and now she had to admit she was no better with boys. After more than a day spent searching in and around dusty Whirlwind, Texas, until well past dark, she’d finally located her oft-missing younger brother, Andrew, and marched him home.

Now Catherine sat alone at the small dining table in the front room of what had been her mother’s house. A loud knock sounded on the door. After the harrowing span of time she had spent worrying over her twelve-year-old brother, she wasn’t inclined to be charitable to whoever was calling so late.

Picking up the kerosene lamp from the small kitchen table, she opened her door to one of the tallest men she’d ever seen. The mild May night seemed to swirl around him. He wore a dark hat pulled low, and was dressed all in black except for his blue shirt, which looked nearly white in the filmy amber glow from the lamp. Moonlight sliced a sharp cheekbone and a whiskered jaw, making him quite possibly also the most intimidating man she’d ever seen.

Eyes that might be either blue or silver stared flatly at her. He braced a shoulder on her doorjamb, regarding her as if she were the one invading his territory. His dark, ragged hair and a tangible determination gave him the look of a man unused to niceties.