Taming Texanna by Alyssa Bailey Page A

up, his gaze collided first with Colton’s, sliding over to Texanna’s, and back again to Colton. The expression he encountered from his almost son-in-law was one of hard granite. Colt clenched his teeth and released a deep throaty rush of air to indicate his anger. It was not lost on Texanna or her pa.
    “Mr. Grant,” Colt tossed his hat on the table next to him and started to speak before anything else damaging was said. “I need to get some dry clothes and set up a few things for this morning.”
    “You mean you’re going to get it done today? You’re still going to marry her?”
    “Yes, but your daughter needs warm, dry clothing after last night. Go on, sweetheart,” he directed her. “She needs to gather any last things, and she needs to wait for me. If she’s not here or if anything has happened to her while I am gone, I’ll hold you personally responsible. That means, Mr. Grant, that if you do anything to her or upset her at all, I promise to take care of the issue, man to man.”
    “Well, she deserves a good switching.”
    “What she does and doesn’t deserve isn’t for you to decide anymore. That is my responsibility. I’ll expect that you not lay one finger on her while she’s changing and waiting for me.”
    “Yeah, well, that will give her time to start my dinner one last time.”
    “She is not going to start your dinner. Might I suggest Mae’s Café and the washwoman down the road?” Colt turned to his drenched mouse, who had not left his side. Pushing the plastered hair out of her eyes and kissing her forehead, he encouraged her out of the room. He smiled when she shivered again.
    “Get changed and dry. I’ll come for your things as soon as I am dry, be ready for me in less than two hours.”
    She nodded her head and allowed him to push her from the room, but in her eyes, he could see she was finishing with the tears and was getting her spunk back. Her back straightened and her shoulders squared. That’s my girl.
    Colt turned deliberately in the direction of Mr. Grant after she left the room. “Sir, I feel confident she will be busy for the whole time I am gone. I assure you I’ll return, but in the meantime, let me make it crystal clear that if you lay one finger on her or disparage her in any way, I promise you will regret the act.”
      Mr. Grant looked outraged, opening his mouth to answer but closed it firmly instead.
    “It seems to me as though you don’t care about your daughter, and I have to wonder why. She’s a smart, sensitive young woman with a good heart, and you have not said two words pleasant or kind about her. I’m to be her husband, and as such, I’m obligated to inform you that I won’t stand for that type of talk or behavior concerning my wife. I shouldn’t have to tell a father to treat his daughter well.” The chastising words and tone shone through his statements.
    “Yeah, well, wait until you have had her for a bit. She’s like all women. She’ll complain, and change things, and do what they please and then look for greener pastures.”
    Colton thought a moment before he answered. “I’m guessing that is what her ma did, but I don’t see that in Texanna.”
    “She’s my daughter,” Mr. Grant sputtered as he started to take a step forward but stopped cold after looking into the marshal’s face.
    “What you say is true, which is why this is such a wretched message that I need to leave with you. But mark my words as gospel, if you touch one hair on her head or make her cry once, I’ll rain all sorts of sorrow on you.”
    “Now, see here—”
    “Never mind.” Colton yelled into the other room, “Texanna, get your clothes on, I’m taking you to Mandy's.”
    He saw she had started crying again when she ran out to him a couple of minutes later. She didn’t ask a word but grabbed her coat, her wet hat and went to the door wiping her eyes.
    “I thought you were leaving her.”
    “I changed my mind. She belongs to me now and what’s mine I