Read Online Christmas Male by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jillian Hart
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way, I could see her again. It would be wonderful to be with her for Christmas, and I could see her new house."
"That plan makes you mighty happy," Pops said warmly. "Then that's what you should do. With any luck, the storm will be gone by morning. We'll make sure Miles gets you on the first train east."
"Thank you." Tears stood in Maggie's eyes, her whole heart shining there. It was a beautiful sight. "Miles, you'll have to tell me what your favorite meals are so I can fix them before I leave. I mean, since you're giving me a ride to the train and all."
"Sure," he said gruffly, but he didn't care about his favorite meals. She smiled at him in her gentle way, and as beautiful as she was, that gentleness made her even more stunning.
Okay, that moved him, it just grabbed hold of his heart. Miles shoveled a big bite of buttery potato into his mouth so he wouldn't have to say more. He hadn't felt anything in a long time, and he wasn't going to start now. His heart was stone.
* * *
Maggie slipped a sparkling clean plate out of the rinse water and attacked it with a soft dishtowel, swiping it dry. The McClintock kitchen was spacious and beautiful with honey oak cabinets and marble counters, even a water pump was handy in the sink. She didn't need to haul water from a well and pack it into the house. The McClintocks had every convenience.
How her sisters would love this kitchen, she thought, with a sharp ache. She missed them. Underneath, where she didn't want to look, there were feelings she didn't want to admit. Hurt and betrayal, the remnants of her broken dreams. She needed Emma's mothering, Abby's comfort, Dee's reassurance.
But she would see Callie soon enough, she reminded herself, putting the plate away in the fancy cabinets. Callie who was quick to laugh and always so understanding. Maggie couldn't wait to see her sister and laugh. Just the thought brightened her heart.
Footsteps knelled behind her, beating out a confident, no-nonsense gait. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Miles because the room changed. First the shadows seemed to deepen and then the light appeared to dim. Without a word, he strolled to the fancy cook stove in the corner and retrieved the rumbling tea kettle. He kept his broad back decisively turned toward her as he reached down two ironware mugs from the cabinets.
"Let me guess," she began, stealing another plate from the hot rinse water to dry. "You're okay with me staying here, as long as you aren't alone with me in the same room?"
"Yep, that's pretty much it." He pried the lid off the tea canister. "It's not you, so don't take it personally. I traveled all the way here, to Montana Territory so I wouldn't have to be around your kind."
"My kind?" She would have taken offense except for the hint of a smile in his tone. Maybe that meant he didn't think too badly of her for being a
certain kind.
"I'm so sorry I'm offending you with my presence."
"That's all right. I'm tough. I can take it." He offered her more of that smile, showing off a hint of good humor. He was relaxed, at ease, his movements unhurried as he measured tea into a ball and dropped it into the teapot. "As long as we set some ground rules."
"Ah, I should have known this was coming." She rubbed the plate until it squeaked and put it away. She studied the mountain of a man making tea. He was tough, strong and masculine, with a thick sweep of dark hair tumbling over his forehead.
Oh my, she thought, her heart fluttering. Was it her, or had it suddenly become too hot in here? She bit her bottom lip, considering the nearby stove spewing out heat, a likely culprit, but maybe that wasn't the reason her body felt uncomfortably warm.
Fine, so perhaps she was a little attracted. Who wouldn't be? Likely any woman in the entire territory would be a little heated in close proximity to Miles. He really was magnificent, cast in shadow, his iron-shoulders limned by lamplight. His black hair shone almost blue as he settled the
"That plan makes you mighty happy," Pops said warmly. "Then that's what you should do. With any luck, the storm will be gone by morning. We'll make sure Miles gets you on the first train east."
"Thank you." Tears stood in Maggie's eyes, her whole heart shining there. It was a beautiful sight. "Miles, you'll have to tell me what your favorite meals are so I can fix them before I leave. I mean, since you're giving me a ride to the train and all."
"Sure," he said gruffly, but he didn't care about his favorite meals. She smiled at him in her gentle way, and as beautiful as she was, that gentleness made her even more stunning.
Okay, that moved him, it just grabbed hold of his heart. Miles shoveled a big bite of buttery potato into his mouth so he wouldn't have to say more. He hadn't felt anything in a long time, and he wasn't going to start now. His heart was stone.
* * *
Maggie slipped a sparkling clean plate out of the rinse water and attacked it with a soft dishtowel, swiping it dry. The McClintock kitchen was spacious and beautiful with honey oak cabinets and marble counters, even a water pump was handy in the sink. She didn't need to haul water from a well and pack it into the house. The McClintocks had every convenience.
How her sisters would love this kitchen, she thought, with a sharp ache. She missed them. Underneath, where she didn't want to look, there were feelings she didn't want to admit. Hurt and betrayal, the remnants of her broken dreams. She needed Emma's mothering, Abby's comfort, Dee's reassurance.
But she would see Callie soon enough, she reminded herself, putting the plate away in the fancy cabinets. Callie who was quick to laugh and always so understanding. Maggie couldn't wait to see her sister and laugh. Just the thought brightened her heart.
Footsteps knelled behind her, beating out a confident, no-nonsense gait. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Miles because the room changed. First the shadows seemed to deepen and then the light appeared to dim. Without a word, he strolled to the fancy cook stove in the corner and retrieved the rumbling tea kettle. He kept his broad back decisively turned toward her as he reached down two ironware mugs from the cabinets.
"Let me guess," she began, stealing another plate from the hot rinse water to dry. "You're okay with me staying here, as long as you aren't alone with me in the same room?"
"Yep, that's pretty much it." He pried the lid off the tea canister. "It's not you, so don't take it personally. I traveled all the way here, to Montana Territory so I wouldn't have to be around your kind."
"My kind?" She would have taken offense except for the hint of a smile in his tone. Maybe that meant he didn't think too badly of her for being a
certain kind.
"I'm so sorry I'm offending you with my presence."
"That's all right. I'm tough. I can take it." He offered her more of that smile, showing off a hint of good humor. He was relaxed, at ease, his movements unhurried as he measured tea into a ball and dropped it into the teapot. "As long as we set some ground rules."
"Ah, I should have known this was coming." She rubbed the plate until it squeaked and put it away. She studied the mountain of a man making tea. He was tough, strong and masculine, with a thick sweep of dark hair tumbling over his forehead.
Oh my, she thought, her heart fluttering. Was it her, or had it suddenly become too hot in here? She bit her bottom lip, considering the nearby stove spewing out heat, a likely culprit, but maybe that wasn't the reason her body felt uncomfortably warm.
Fine, so perhaps she was a little attracted. Who wouldn't be? Likely any woman in the entire territory would be a little heated in close proximity to Miles. He really was magnificent, cast in shadow, his iron-shoulders limned by lamplight. His black hair shone almost blue as he settled the
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