really married to Simon's daughter?"
"I can show you the marriage license, if you'd like, not that it's any of your business."
"It's my business if it affects the mine," Baxter said. "If you're Angela's legal husband, then what's hers is yours."
"You've got that wrong, Baxter," Rafe charged as he sent a sidelong glance at Angela. "What's Angel's is Angel's. The decision to sell out to you or keep her interest in the mine is strictly hers to make. I won't interfere. Don't get me wrong. Try to intimidate Angel in any way and you'll answer to me. Good night."
He slammed the door in Baxter's face then turned to Angela, who looked very small and lost in the oversized robe. "Where did you get the robe?"
Angela rubbed the warn places on the arms and smiled. It belonged to my father. Mama made it for him during happier times. I found it hanging on a hook behind the door."
He held out his hand. "Shall we continue where we left off before we were interrupted?"
Angela hung back. "I don't think so. The...moment is gone."
"I could bring it back."
"It wouldn't be the same. Good night, Rafe."
Another sleepless night, Rafe thought, chagrinned at his unaccustomed eagerness to make Angela his in more than name only. He must be crazy, or... No, that notion didn't bear considering.
The next day Angela and Rafe were standing near the mine entrance when Rafe sensed danger. Glancing up, he saw a boulder hurtling toward them. Rafe had noticed the boulder balanced above the mine entrance the day before but thought nothing of it. It had appeared secure, as if it had been perched in that position for generations. It happened so fast that Rafe had time for one selfless act as he shoved Angela aside and fell on top of her. The boulder clipped his right thigh then rolled harmlessly away, coming to rest against a tree.
Waves of agony contorted his features as he eased away from Angela and rolled over on his back.
Angela took one look at his pained expression and flew to his side. "Rafe! Speak to me. Where are you hurt?"
He flexed his leg. Though the pain was excruciating but he didn't think the bone was broken. "The boulder clipped my thigh." He stretched out his limb. "It's bruised but not broken. I'll survive."
"You saved my life. Can you walk?"
Baxter came running up, accompanied by a miner named Cady, Jim Cady. Idly Rafe wondered where they were when that boulder had become dislodged. "That was a close call, Gentry. Don't say I didn't warn you about the dangers that exist around a mining operation. Maybe now you'll believe me."
"Can't you see he's in pain!" Angela all but shouted. "Help me get him inside. Be careful, his leg may be broken."
Baxter and Cady hoisted Rafe up and carried him into the cabin. Angela directed them to the bedroom, where they carefully placed Rafe on the bed.
"I'll check back later," Baxter said as he headed out the door.
"Baxter, wait," Rafe called from the bed. "Where are the other miners?"
Avoiding Rafe's gaze, Baxter said, "I let them go. I told you the mine was played out. No sense paying men when there's no work. I kept Cady on to help me shut things down for the winter."
His brow furrowed in thought, Rafe was still staring at Baxter's departing back when Angela hurried over to him, her concern evident.
"I'm going to have to get your trousers off."
Rafe managed a pained grin. "I've been waiting forever to hear those words from you. Unfortunately I'm in no condition to take advantage of the fact that you want me naked."
"You know what I mean, Rafe Gentry. I can't tend to your injury until I know what I'm treating. Can you raise your hips?"
"As high as you want, sweetheart." His lopsided grin ended in a groan. "Be gentle."
She wanted to smack him. Instead, she cautiously undid his belt and unbuttoned his fly. A lump formed in her throat when
"I can show you the marriage license, if you'd like, not that it's any of your business."
"It's my business if it affects the mine," Baxter said. "If you're Angela's legal husband, then what's hers is yours."
"You've got that wrong, Baxter," Rafe charged as he sent a sidelong glance at Angela. "What's Angel's is Angel's. The decision to sell out to you or keep her interest in the mine is strictly hers to make. I won't interfere. Don't get me wrong. Try to intimidate Angel in any way and you'll answer to me. Good night."
He slammed the door in Baxter's face then turned to Angela, who looked very small and lost in the oversized robe. "Where did you get the robe?"
Angela rubbed the warn places on the arms and smiled. It belonged to my father. Mama made it for him during happier times. I found it hanging on a hook behind the door."
He held out his hand. "Shall we continue where we left off before we were interrupted?"
Angela hung back. "I don't think so. The...moment is gone."
"I could bring it back."
"It wouldn't be the same. Good night, Rafe."
Another sleepless night, Rafe thought, chagrinned at his unaccustomed eagerness to make Angela his in more than name only. He must be crazy, or... No, that notion didn't bear considering.
The next day Angela and Rafe were standing near the mine entrance when Rafe sensed danger. Glancing up, he saw a boulder hurtling toward them. Rafe had noticed the boulder balanced above the mine entrance the day before but thought nothing of it. It had appeared secure, as if it had been perched in that position for generations. It happened so fast that Rafe had time for one selfless act as he shoved Angela aside and fell on top of her. The boulder clipped his right thigh then rolled harmlessly away, coming to rest against a tree.
Waves of agony contorted his features as he eased away from Angela and rolled over on his back.
Angela took one look at his pained expression and flew to his side. "Rafe! Speak to me. Where are you hurt?"
He flexed his leg. Though the pain was excruciating but he didn't think the bone was broken. "The boulder clipped my thigh." He stretched out his limb. "It's bruised but not broken. I'll survive."
"You saved my life. Can you walk?"
Baxter came running up, accompanied by a miner named Cady, Jim Cady. Idly Rafe wondered where they were when that boulder had become dislodged. "That was a close call, Gentry. Don't say I didn't warn you about the dangers that exist around a mining operation. Maybe now you'll believe me."
"Can't you see he's in pain!" Angela all but shouted. "Help me get him inside. Be careful, his leg may be broken."
Baxter and Cady hoisted Rafe up and carried him into the cabin. Angela directed them to the bedroom, where they carefully placed Rafe on the bed.
"I'll check back later," Baxter said as he headed out the door.
"Baxter, wait," Rafe called from the bed. "Where are the other miners?"
Avoiding Rafe's gaze, Baxter said, "I let them go. I told you the mine was played out. No sense paying men when there's no work. I kept Cady on to help me shut things down for the winter."
His brow furrowed in thought, Rafe was still staring at Baxter's departing back when Angela hurried over to him, her concern evident.
"I'm going to have to get your trousers off."
Rafe managed a pained grin. "I've been waiting forever to hear those words from you. Unfortunately I'm in no condition to take advantage of the fact that you want me naked."
"You know what I mean, Rafe Gentry. I can't tend to your injury until I know what I'm treating. Can you raise your hips?"
"As high as you want, sweetheart." His lopsided grin ended in a groan. "Be gentle."
She wanted to smack him. Instead, she cautiously undid his belt and unbuttoned his fly. A lump formed in her throat when
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