Page 24 of Conveniently Wed
A very faint rattling noise told Edgar that the situation was dangerous. It was a rattlesnake.
If Seb rolled over in his sleep, the snake might decide to strike. And that could be deadly for his brother.
If Edgar tried to wake his brother, there was a chance Seb might move wrong and get bit.
And, less important but still a concern, where was that pup of Breanna’s? He didn’t need his sister’s pet getting itself killed.
He couldn’t trust that the reptile would keep moving.
But he could save his brother.
Edgar swung out his arm with a yell, sending the snake flying away into the darkness, but a sharp sting in his hand told him the move hadn’t been entirely successful.
“Wha—” Seb woke with a confused yawn.
“Rattlesnake,” Edgar bit out. He scooted closer to the fire, trying to see the puncture wounds in the meaty part of his palm, just below his thumb.
Seb came instantly awake, as did Chester, the hired cowpoke on his other side.
“Where?” Seb asked.
“What’s going on?” Fran poked her head out of the back of the wagon.
“I tossed him back thataway.” Edgar jerked his good thumb over his shoulder.
“I’ll get him.” Chester unsheathed a long, deadly-looking knife from its leather scabbard.
“Didn’t know he was sleeping with that beneath his pillow,” Seb muttered. He untangled himself from his bedroll and joined Edgar near the fire.
“Tossed who?” asked Fran. She sounded genuinely concerned.
“A rattlesnake.” Seb leaned in close to Edgar’s hand. “It don’t look too bad.”
“Well, it hurts something awful.” Edgar thought his hand was swelling, and pain radiated up his arm.
“How bad is it?”
Edgar looked up. Blinked. The bite must be worse than he thought, because he was hallucinating that his pretty wife—the little liar—was kneeling at his side in her rumpled, ugly dress, her dark hair down around her shoulders.
With bare feet.
“Woman, didn’t you hear him say ‘rattlesnake’? Put some boots on.”
She furrowed her brows at him, managing to communicate displeasure, but it struck him as funny.
“We should put a tourniquet on,” she murmured to Seb.
“I’ll get some rope.” Seb was off and running.
“Where’s Ricky?” she asked, holding on to his wrist. Her hands were soft and cool against his skin.
“Out with the cattle. Him and Jack and Matty. Why?” Pain was traveling all the way up his arm now. He gritted his teeth against it, a metallic tang filling his mouth.
A loose lock of hair fell across her cheek. He was mesmerized by how it danced there in the slight breeze.
“Here’s the rope.” Seb skidded to a halt beside him, dirt and grass dusting up beneath his feet. He held out a coil.
“If ya ain’t gonna put manure on it, need ta suck out the poison,” Chester said.
