Justice Reborn (Cowboy Justice Association Book 8) by Olivia Jaymes Page A

wanted photos for a good laugh later.
    “Just go limp. I’ve got you.”
    She placed her hands on his biceps to steady herself but couldn’t bring herself to obey. She’d break his back.
    “Um, just brace me as I try to sit down.”
    “No, just listen–”
    Of course she didn’t listen. She tried to sort of roll back onto her bottom but somehow her legs – which were painfully stiff – tangled with each other and she fell against Evan’s muscled body.
    He didn’t budge. He didn’t even breathe heavy or wince.
    His hold tightened and he simply grinned down at her as if he helped half-sitting, muscle-hurtin’ women every day of his life. Maybe he did for all she knew. He was darn good at it. His arms were like steel bands and his powerful thighs strained against the denim of his jeans, adding to her already flustered state.
    “Will you listen to me now? Just go limp. Trust me, I won’t drop you.”
    “I don’t want to hurt you. I’m…heavy.”
    “In the Army I carried packs heavier than you up mountains. Limp. Do it.”
    His tone brooked no argument and her legs were beginning to give out anyway so she did as he ordered, letting her entire form relax which it turned out lessened the shooting pains down her calves. She let out a sigh of relief as his strong arms lowered her gently to the blanket.
    “Thank you, but I think we have an even bigger problem,” she said as he settled next to her. “How the hell am I going to get back up? I can feel my muscles tightening already. I may be stuck here for days. Is it supposed to rain?”
    Evan handed her a paper plate and plastic fork. “I think I can lift you up without too much effort, although I think I should be insulted that you thought I wasn’t strong enough to help you sit down. My leg isn’t that bad.”
    Frowning, Josie eyed his legs for some tell-tale sign of what he was referring to but they both looked perfectly normal. She probably should just let the remark pass but that wasn’t who she really was. Too curious to shut up, she plunged forward, hoping she wouldn’t upset the man she’d grown quite fond of this week.
    “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I don’t see anything wrong with your legs.”
    Evan scowled for a moment but didn’t seem upset with her. He slapped his left thigh, which only served to draw her attention there, but it didn’t look any different than the other. In fact, it looked nicely muscled, thank you very much.
    “Actually, that’s the kindest thing you could have said to me. It means that my limp isn’t that noticeable, which is good news. I’ve been working hard on that.” He rubbed the denim over the flesh, his expression suddenly far away. “I got shot and they had to put a steel rod and some screws in there. I can tell when it’s going to rain.”
    Sucking in a shocked breath, Josie had to run over the words in her head several times before she could formulate a coherent reply. “Shot? That’s not something you hear every day. What the hell happened? Were you in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
    Evan chuckled as he set out the chicken, rolls, and thick slabs of chocolate cake for dessert. “I was transporting a prisoner from Canada to a supermax prison in Colorado. The leader of a drug cartel attacked our convoy to break the guy out. I was shot in the process. Luckily, I was wearing a vest so my leg was the only thing that sustained any damage. That and a concussion when I fell off the roof of the armored vehicle.”
    Transporting a prisoner? Evan was…a cop?
    I have the worst luck in the world. How did I not know this?
    Josie coughed and cleared her throat a few times. “You’re some kind of police officer?”
    Evan bit into a drumstick with relish, oblivious to her discomfiture. “I worked for the Marshal Service. Transporting prisoners, witness protection, fugitive retrieval. That sort of thing. I’m retired now.”
    Her chest squeezed so tightly she forgot about the pain in her