Read Online Cole's Montana Bride (Sweet,clean Western Historical Romance)(Montana Ranchers and Brides Series Book 7) by Maya Stirling - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maya Stirling
Ads: Link
about behind the barrier. Victoria heard the saddle bag open. "Aren't you feeling the damp, Cole?" she asked.
There was a pause and then Cole replied. "I'm fine Victoria. Just a little bit a rain. Won't do me no harm," he said.
Victoria frowned. He didn't sound too sure. "I feel bad keeping you away from this warm stove," she said.
"No need to feel bad on my account," he answered. Once again there was a long, awkward pause. Victoria continued to rub her toes and she felt her feet begin to warm up nicely. It didn't feel right that he'd gone to so much trouble to make sure she was fine. She recalled the many occasions during their time together when nothing had seemed to be too much trouble for Cole, if it had meant that Victoria was safe and comfortable and secure. It looked like some things hadn't changed.
Victoria suddenly felt foolish about the fact that when they'd been out in the rain she'd even doubted Cole for one moment. She felt a mild shame that thoughts of whether she could trust him had even passed through her mind.
"I'd feel a whole lot better if you were to come around here and take a seat next to me, Cole," she said at last.
"I can't do that, Victoria," she heard him say.
"Why not, Cole. I'm only warming my bare feet."
There was another long pause and she wondered how he was going to respond to what she'd said. She was sure she could hear the sound of his breathing and she asked herself just where he was on the other side of the blanket.
"I'll let you warm yourself, Victoria. I'm fine on this side for the moment."
"But, aren't you cold?"
She heard Cole cough slightly and then she heard him try hard to contain the spasm brought on by the cough. That was enough for her to stand up and peer around the hanging blanket.
Cole was seated at the table, his hand over his mouth, and he was trying to stifle a cough. "Cole MacAllan. You get right on over here!" she exclaimed.
Cole's eyes brightened and he peered at Victoria with a querying intensity.
"I mean it," she said, raising her voice slightly.
Cole stiffened and reached into his saddle bag. "Are you hungry?"
"What?" she demanded, suddenly thrown off by his question.
"I've got some jerky and biscuits, if you're hungry," he offered, drawing out a small wrap of paper from inside.
"I'm not really hungry. Especially for jerky. I haven't had that in years," she explained.
"You've probably forgot how nice it tastes," he said with a sudden grin. He opened the paper and drew out some strips of the dried meat. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled deeply, making a show of doing so.
"Smells delicious," he stated with a mischievous grin. "Got some biscuits too," he said pulling another wrap out from inside the saddle bag. She knew he was joking with her, trying to help her feel more comfortable.
It occurred to her that he seemed to be trying real hard to get her to put any thoughts of doubting his intentions well and truly aside. And she realized he was partly succeeding. That gave her pause and she smiled at him. "I might be tempted by a biscuit," she suggested.
Cole's eyes widened and he stood. "That's the nicest thing I've heard in a long while," he said brightly.
He came over to her, the two wraps containing the food in one hand, and the chair hooked over his other arm. He set the chair down next to her own.
Victoria was abruptly aware of how tall he was now that she was standing next to him in her bare feet. She'd forgotten Cole's stature, his sheer presence and the realization of it caught her off guard for a moment. She looked up at him as he arranged the chairs next to each other. When he turned and looked down at her there was a questioning look in his eyes. He glanced down at her bare feet. "You shouldn't be standing on those bare feet like that. These wooden floors are lethal cold," he said.
The truth was Victoria had hardly noticed how cold her feet were, so intent was she on taking in the imposing bulk of the man who, she had once told
There was a pause and then Cole replied. "I'm fine Victoria. Just a little bit a rain. Won't do me no harm," he said.
Victoria frowned. He didn't sound too sure. "I feel bad keeping you away from this warm stove," she said.
"No need to feel bad on my account," he answered. Once again there was a long, awkward pause. Victoria continued to rub her toes and she felt her feet begin to warm up nicely. It didn't feel right that he'd gone to so much trouble to make sure she was fine. She recalled the many occasions during their time together when nothing had seemed to be too much trouble for Cole, if it had meant that Victoria was safe and comfortable and secure. It looked like some things hadn't changed.
Victoria suddenly felt foolish about the fact that when they'd been out in the rain she'd even doubted Cole for one moment. She felt a mild shame that thoughts of whether she could trust him had even passed through her mind.
"I'd feel a whole lot better if you were to come around here and take a seat next to me, Cole," she said at last.
"I can't do that, Victoria," she heard him say.
"Why not, Cole. I'm only warming my bare feet."
There was another long pause and she wondered how he was going to respond to what she'd said. She was sure she could hear the sound of his breathing and she asked herself just where he was on the other side of the blanket.
"I'll let you warm yourself, Victoria. I'm fine on this side for the moment."
"But, aren't you cold?"
She heard Cole cough slightly and then she heard him try hard to contain the spasm brought on by the cough. That was enough for her to stand up and peer around the hanging blanket.
Cole was seated at the table, his hand over his mouth, and he was trying to stifle a cough. "Cole MacAllan. You get right on over here!" she exclaimed.
Cole's eyes brightened and he peered at Victoria with a querying intensity.
"I mean it," she said, raising her voice slightly.
Cole stiffened and reached into his saddle bag. "Are you hungry?"
"What?" she demanded, suddenly thrown off by his question.
"I've got some jerky and biscuits, if you're hungry," he offered, drawing out a small wrap of paper from inside.
"I'm not really hungry. Especially for jerky. I haven't had that in years," she explained.
"You've probably forgot how nice it tastes," he said with a sudden grin. He opened the paper and drew out some strips of the dried meat. He lifted it to his nose and inhaled deeply, making a show of doing so.
"Smells delicious," he stated with a mischievous grin. "Got some biscuits too," he said pulling another wrap out from inside the saddle bag. She knew he was joking with her, trying to help her feel more comfortable.
It occurred to her that he seemed to be trying real hard to get her to put any thoughts of doubting his intentions well and truly aside. And she realized he was partly succeeding. That gave her pause and she smiled at him. "I might be tempted by a biscuit," she suggested.
Cole's eyes widened and he stood. "That's the nicest thing I've heard in a long while," he said brightly.
He came over to her, the two wraps containing the food in one hand, and the chair hooked over his other arm. He set the chair down next to her own.
Victoria was abruptly aware of how tall he was now that she was standing next to him in her bare feet. She'd forgotten Cole's stature, his sheer presence and the realization of it caught her off guard for a moment. She looked up at him as he arranged the chairs next to each other. When he turned and looked down at her there was a questioning look in his eyes. He glanced down at her bare feet. "You shouldn't be standing on those bare feet like that. These wooden floors are lethal cold," he said.
The truth was Victoria had hardly noticed how cold her feet were, so intent was she on taking in the imposing bulk of the man who, she had once told
Similar Books
