Read Donovan's Bed: The Calhoun Sisters, Book 1 for Free Online Page B

made Papa bring me to town just so I could see you. Then she decided to come along.”
    “Is that so?” He tried to glare—the same expression that had made armed men back away with shaking hands. But the girls appeared oblivious to the subtle shift. Reckless youth, he thought with a sigh.
    “It was my idea.” Minnie attached herself to his arm, and he glanced with shock from her small fingers gripping his shirtsleeve to the look of ardent admiration on her face.
    “No, it was mine .” Mabel leaped forward and latched on to his other arm. “I would make a better wife than you, anyway. She always burns the biscuits when it’s her turn to cook supper.”
    Minnie glared at her sister. “Well, at least I don’t giggle all the time. You’d probably drive him crazy with all your little girl antics.” Giving Donovan a look from beneath her lashes, she said throatily, “She’s just a child. I’m all woman.”
    He was out of his depth. He knew it and had no idea what to do about it. “Where’s your father?”
    “Oh, he’s down at the bank.” Mabel sighed and linked her elbow through his. “He’ll be there for hours .” She smiled meaningfully.
    Donovan cleared his throat and took a step away. Unfortunately, that brought him into contact with Minnie, who was on his right. He flinched as he felt her press her budding breasts against his arm. Jerking his head around, he grew even more alarmed at the blatantly passionate look the girl gave him.
    “I sure wouldn’t mind a closer look at that gorgeous bed of yours, Mr. Donovan,” she murmured.
    Mabel gaped at her sister, blue eyes wide with shock. “Minnie Jean Turner!”
    Minnie cast her twin a superior look. “Oh, go play with your dolls!”
    Enough was enough. Donovan slipped from Minnie’s grasp and dodged out of the way as Mabel surged forward, face red.  
    “You take that back!” Mabel yelled.
    “You’re such a child.” Minnie sniffed.
    Unsettled by the commotion, Senseless chose that moment to shift and bumped Mabel. She squealed as she tripped and flew into her sister. The two of them landed in the dirt in a flurry of petticoats and screeches. Senseless snorted, further startled by the noise, and tossed his head. At that moment, Donovan could have kissed the animal.
    “You ladies had best get out of the way,” he said, moving to help first one, then the other, to her feet. “Senseless here gets a mite riled at loud noises.”
    Mabel clutched her skirts and scrambled for the walkway. Minnie brushed off her dress, then leveled a contemptuous look at the bay. “When we get married, that horse is going to go .” She shifted her glare to Donovan, then stalked after her sister, who had fled toward the bank.
    Donovan took off his hat and combed his fingers through his hair. “What the heck was that about?” he muttered. With a shrug, he replaced his hat, patted Senseless on the flank, and slipped him a piece of carrot from his pocket. “Thanks, pal. I think you just saved me from a heap of trouble.”  
    Still bemused, he set off for the saloon. It had been a long dusty ride, and now he really needed a drink.
    By the time Donovan got to the saloon, two more marriage-minded females had accosted him. One had offered to cook him supper; the other had offered something of a more intimate nature. And both had remarked on how much they liked his new bed. What the hell was going on?
    Stopping outside the swinging doors, he took off his hat and slapped it against his thigh to shake the dust loose. The checker players, sitting in their usual spot outside the Four Aces, looked up from their checkerboard.
    “Hey there, Donovan,” Mort called.
    “Mort, Johnny, Gabriel.” The latter two nodded in greeting and went back to their checker game, but Mort tilted his chair on to its hind legs and gave him a wide smile.
    “Haven’t seen ya around.” Mort clenched a toothpick between his teeth, his blue eyes twinkling. “Heard ya were on the market for a