Unexpected by Lietha Wards Page A

was good, the land could use it.
     
    Chapter three
     
    “Cogan! Wake up!”  Josie gripped his thick shoulders and shook him.  Well, as much as she could shake him.  He was large and heavy. Suddenly his eyes popped open and he sat up quickly. Startled at the movement, she stepped back and watched him rub his forehead.  The blanket fell from his chest and bared his torso.  It was then she realized that he slept naked. It was hard not to look.  His body was tan and thick with muscle.  His eyes went to hers and she felt her face heat up from embarrassment at staring at him.
    “I woke you.”
    “I think you were having a nightmare.”
    “Just bad dreams, memories.   Not a nightmare.” He corrected.
    “What’s the difference?”
    “Nightmares are for children.” He gave her a half smile.
    “And?” she lifted a single delicate brow.  Men always deemed themselves so tough.
    “They fear them.  I don’t fear my dreams, they only remind me of things—people from my past.”
    “Oh.” Well, that made sense. Her eyes darted to the far wall so she could keep her eyes away from him and he hopefully couldn’t see her discomfiture.
    “Go back to bed Josie. I’m fine. This is nothing new.”
    He swung his legs over the side of the bed and she could see that they were bare too.   Now there was just a blanket covering his groin.  His legs were thick with muscle like the rest of him and she quickly looked past him to the window. She pretended to be looking at something outside, but it was pitch dark out. It was for her own self-preservation.  He was a magnificent specimen of a man and she felt unusually, and uncomfortably, warm seeing him like that. He reached up and bent his head while rubbing the back of his neck.
    “Are you going to be all right?” she asked after she cleared her throat uncomfortably.
    “I always am.”
    “Did you want something to help you sleep? Like warm milk or a shot of whiskey?”
    His smoky eyes slowly went over her form. He actually hesitated before he answered her. “No.” She was wearing a thick conservative white cotton robe over her nightgown.  It was amusing because his experienced eyes were able to pick out the subtle curves of her body that told him everything he needed to know.  She was clutching the gown at her throat like it would suddenly fly off her.  More disturbing was her feminine reaction to his naked form.  She was doing everything to avoid looking at him. His acute senses could pick up other things; the rapid intake of her breath, and thudding heart. “Josie.”
    Her eyes went to his.
    “Leave. I’m fine.”
    His tone seemed a little terse, but his eyes appeared to have darkened and she could feel her stomach clench like the other day. It was hard to tear her eyes from him, and even more difficult to move her legs.  He was built so powerfully—beautifully. She nodded and left closing the door behind her.
    Cogan dipped his head and rubbed the back of his neck again.  “Christ, she was carved from perfection.” He sighed heavily and laid back down propping and arm behind his head and staring at the ceiling.  This would be a long night.
    ***
    As usual, Cogan rose before the rest of the house and went outside to work before Hattie rang the breakfast bell.  When he walked into the dining room he saw Ryker sitting at the table, sweat dusted his brow.  Obviously he was still dealing with some pain but was determined to join the living.  He stood up, rather unsteadily, forced a smiled through the discomfort, and held out his uninjured hand in greeting. His other was still in a linen sling to keep his shoulder steady. Cogan walked around the table and shook it.
    “I owe you my life, ” Ryker said genuinely.  He still had trouble seeing out of his eye, and his voice was still raspy, but that was the least painful of his injuries.  His ribs still hurt like hell and he still felt dizzy when he stood.  It took him ten minutes to get downstairs, but by