Learning To Love (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Carson Hill Ranch series:Book 1) by Amelia Rose

through at the edge of the blanket. Casey’s hand shot out and grabbed the arm, ready to snap it in two. Only the feel of his long fingers closing together over the thin arm stopped him. He snatched the thick cover off his face and stared into the near-darkness, ready to do battle with this unseen assailant.
                  “Casey, stop. It’s me,” Miranda cautioned. Casey’s tense shoulders relaxed, but she noticed his firm grip on her thin wrist didn’t ease. He breathed heavily for a moment, trying to get his bearings, trying to remember how he had ended up in this room.
                  “Where am I?” Casey demanded.
                  “You’re back in the house. In my room,” she answered quietly, certain that his injuries must have left him with a horrible pain in his head.
                  “Why am I in your room?” he asked, still confused by the events.
                  “Well, it was that, or nurse your wounds in front of your brothers’ snoring bodies,” Miranda said, smiling a little. “I, for one, had no desire to sit by anyone’s bedside, let alone with a crowd like those boys create. Besides, this room already had two beds because they brought one in for my sister. I could keep watch over you better this way.”
                  Casey didn’t say anything for a long moment, so long that Miranda wondered if he had slipped into unconsciousness again. Finally, she asked, “Do you remember what happened?”
                  He nodded a little bit, surprised by how much even that small motion hurt. “I was thrown from my horse this morning, chasing the coyotes away from the Aubrac herd.”
                  “Well, you’re only partly right. Only it didn’t happen this morning. It happened two days ago.”
                  “Two days!” Casey nearly shouted, starting to sit up but then thinking better of it when a wave of nausea hit him full force. “I’ve been asleep for two days?”
                  “Yes and no. You were in and out a good bit, but we had to keep you calm until the doctor could come set your collarbone. It’s broken, I’m afraid. You’ve been asleep from the pain pills he left. They knock you out cold.”
                  “I remember that. I felt a sharp pain after I fell off my horse.”
                  “What else do you remember?” Miranda asked, concern creeping into her voice.
                  “Why? What’s so important about falling off a horse?” he demanded, not very kindly.
                  “Maybe I should let your father speak to you,” she suggested. Casey grabbed her arm again and pulled her by the wrist until she was close to his face.
                  “No. Tell me what’s wrong. I can tell that something’s wrong.”
                  “Um…it would seem that maybe there was an accident,” Miranda began hesitantly.
                  “What kind of accident? Where’s Carey?!” Casey demanded, remembering that his brother had gone with him to protect the cattle.
                  “Oh, Carey’s fine, don’t worry. He actually helped bring you back here. No, it’s the ranch hand who went around the creek with you…Thomas, I think they said?” she asked for clarification.
                  “What about Thomas?”
                  “I’m afraid he was killed.” Miranda waited for Casey to explode but even in the darkened room, she could see that his face was concentrating, processing what she’d said. He shook his head for a moment before remembering how badly that motion hurt.
                  “That can’t be right. Did he fall too?” Casey asked, sadness evident in his voice at the loss of the young hand.
                  “I really should get your father, and let him know you’re