Give My Heart to Kaitlyn (2nd in Outlaw Series)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Pete groaned and his jaw dropped with the realization of the amount of pain currently filling his head. If he didn't know any better, he'd say there was an entire herd of cattle up there running around.

He realized he was somewhere a hell of a lot warmer than a frozen snowbank and he wondered exactly where that somewhere was. He took a deep breath and smelled the scent of antiseptics. That had to mean he was in a doctor's office which meant he wasn't dead.

Pete's mind went back to the dreams he'd been having; dreams that he had thought were glimpses of heaven since he'd assumed he was no longer breathing. There had been a golden haired angel in his dreams with big green eyes and pale skin—too bad she had only been a dream.

Soft feminine humming reached his ears and Pete frowned. That sounded an awful lot like the woman in his dreams... was he still asleep and simply didn't realize it?

Pete opened his eyes and squinted against the light of the glowing lamp. He turned his head to the side and realized that it was indeed daylight outside but the sky was covered in angry gray clouds and the snow was pouring down.

The humming grew louder and Pete looked toward the sound to see a woman standing at a table across the room. Her back was to him and she appeared to be folding towels. She was short and dainty. Her waist was small beneath her long-sleeved gray wool dress and her golden hair was laying in waves down her back.

Golden hair? Pete's dream woman had had golden hair. Or had they been more than dreams? Maybe he hadn't been imagining that soft voice or those tender touches.

Pete tried to speak but his mouth and throat were too dry and wouldn't allow him to form words. Instead he made little more than a croaking noise. At the sound, the woman turned quickly and Pete found himself completely captivated by her beauty.

She had a heart-shaped face, a tiny upturned nose, full pink lips and big green eyes. Her skin was pale but her cheeks had a pink glow about them that gave her a look of innocence. A purely male protectiveness within him came away as he gazed at her.

"You're awake!" she greeted brightly.

Pete's heart did a slow roll in his chest. This was his dream woman. This was his angel. The woman who had saved his life. Pete attempted to speak once again but still couldn't do so. The woman left the room and returned moments later with a glass of water.

As she approached the bed, Pete saw a change come over her. She suddenly looked less happy and bright and more afraid. Why would anyone be afraid of him? He remembered the scar on his face and it felt as if a rock fell into the pit of his stomach...That explained that.

Pete struggled to sit up a bit and he took the water from her outstretched hand. After taking several small sips, Pete glanced down at the crisp white bandage around his middle.

"I cleaned and dressed your wounds," the angel woman said, folding her hands in front of her.

Pete put his lips to the glass and took a long sip as he studied her. She was simply standing there and staring back at him. Her eyes were as green as emeralds and Pete knew they were the kind of eyes a man could lose himself in.

"What's your name?" he asked. His voice was still raspy but, thanks to the water, it was at least working again.

The woman tilted her head slightly. "Kaitlyn," she replied as if he should already know that.

Pete thought back. Did he know that? The name was familiar.... Blurry images flashed through his mind he groaned when he remembered her telling him her name... and he was pretty sure he'd said some sappy things and made a fool of himself.