Read Online Dancing With the Devil by Laura Drewry - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Drewry
Ads: Link
moaned, but she couldn’t be sure who.
The sound must have startled him, because he slowed the kiss, pulling her gently back to reality.
“Interesting,” he murmured. “It would seem we both want the same thing.”
If she could breathe, she’d set him straight on exactly what she wanted…though it seemed to have changed drastically in the last few minutes.
If only she could breathe!
Deacon gazed down at her. Dark storm clouds brewed in his eyes, a tempest that both surprised and frightened her.
“Deacon.” It was all her parched throat could manage before her tongue froze again.
“Sweet little Rhea.” He smoothed his thumb across her cheek and looked down at her with such tenderness, it made her heart ache. “You best get back to your customer.”
He staggered back a step, righted himself and retreated up the stairs to their room.
Curse him.
Or, more to the point, curse herself! She wasn’t the type of woman to swoon over any man—especially the likes of Deacon. He was a rat—a charming rat, and one who could obviously kiss the sense right out of her,but a rat nonetheless. He’d humiliated her once. She couldn’t afford to let it happen a second time.
She needed to be stronger this time. How many times had she told herself that in the last twenty-four hours?
But damn, that man could kiss!
Rhea was still standing where Deacon had left her when Ernest came in a few minutes later.
“Miss Rhea?”
She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, then stepped away from the wall, the only thing that had supported her all this time.
“Ernest,” she said, pushing through the haze she’d been in. “Were you able to help Miss Kit?”
“Yes, ma’am. She took the entire black suit, plus a new shirt, a vest and a pair of boots. She even took one of them new bowler hats your husband seems to be so fond of.”
Something niggled at the back of Rhea’s mind, but she pushed it aside. It didn’t matter what the woman purchased; all that mattered was if she paid for it.
“How did she pay?”
“Cash.”
“Really?” Rhea stared down the aisles of the empty store toward the closed door. “That’s good, then.”
It was another minute or so before Ernest cleared his throat loud enough to get her attention.
“If there’s nothing you need,” he said, “I best be getting home. Ma likes her supper early these days.”
“Of course. Thank you, Ernest.” Then, before he could leave, she lifted the small jug of milk she’d taken from Colin’s this morning and held it out to him. “Please take this to your mother. And tell her I said hello.”
“Thank you, ma’am, but it ain’t right for you to keep givin’ us things like that.”
“Of course it is,” she said, smiling. “It’ll just go bad sitting here.” The anticipation on his face was almost enough for Rhea to give him Colin’s cow entirely. “Please, Ernest. I’d hate to see it wasted, and you worked hard today—you deserve a little treat.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he bobbed his head slowly. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m sure it’ll make Ma happy.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And Ernest.” She reached out to touch his arm. “I’m sorry about Polly.”
A deep red flush shot up the boy’s neck and cheeks. “Weren’t like we was engaged or anything.”
“Maybe not,” she said. “But I’m still sorry.”
Another quick head bob and he was gone. Rhea locked the door behind him and then set to tidying up.
She swept the floor twice, washed the countertop and the candy bins, then spent a great deal of time sorting through the mess on the sewing table. Bolts of fabric, ribbons, lace, patterns and strings of beads covered the table in a giant haphazard mess. Right in the middle of that mess sat a huge glass bowl filled with buttons, every size, shape and color a person could possibly need. And if they weren’t enough, there was another box of buttons underneath the table.
It must be
The sound must have startled him, because he slowed the kiss, pulling her gently back to reality.
“Interesting,” he murmured. “It would seem we both want the same thing.”
If she could breathe, she’d set him straight on exactly what she wanted…though it seemed to have changed drastically in the last few minutes.
If only she could breathe!
Deacon gazed down at her. Dark storm clouds brewed in his eyes, a tempest that both surprised and frightened her.
“Deacon.” It was all her parched throat could manage before her tongue froze again.
“Sweet little Rhea.” He smoothed his thumb across her cheek and looked down at her with such tenderness, it made her heart ache. “You best get back to your customer.”
He staggered back a step, righted himself and retreated up the stairs to their room.
Curse him.
Or, more to the point, curse herself! She wasn’t the type of woman to swoon over any man—especially the likes of Deacon. He was a rat—a charming rat, and one who could obviously kiss the sense right out of her,but a rat nonetheless. He’d humiliated her once. She couldn’t afford to let it happen a second time.
She needed to be stronger this time. How many times had she told herself that in the last twenty-four hours?
But damn, that man could kiss!
Rhea was still standing where Deacon had left her when Ernest came in a few minutes later.
“Miss Rhea?”
She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, then stepped away from the wall, the only thing that had supported her all this time.
“Ernest,” she said, pushing through the haze she’d been in. “Were you able to help Miss Kit?”
“Yes, ma’am. She took the entire black suit, plus a new shirt, a vest and a pair of boots. She even took one of them new bowler hats your husband seems to be so fond of.”
Something niggled at the back of Rhea’s mind, but she pushed it aside. It didn’t matter what the woman purchased; all that mattered was if she paid for it.
“How did she pay?”
“Cash.”
“Really?” Rhea stared down the aisles of the empty store toward the closed door. “That’s good, then.”
It was another minute or so before Ernest cleared his throat loud enough to get her attention.
“If there’s nothing you need,” he said, “I best be getting home. Ma likes her supper early these days.”
“Of course. Thank you, Ernest.” Then, before he could leave, she lifted the small jug of milk she’d taken from Colin’s this morning and held it out to him. “Please take this to your mother. And tell her I said hello.”
“Thank you, ma’am, but it ain’t right for you to keep givin’ us things like that.”
“Of course it is,” she said, smiling. “It’ll just go bad sitting here.” The anticipation on his face was almost enough for Rhea to give him Colin’s cow entirely. “Please, Ernest. I’d hate to see it wasted, and you worked hard today—you deserve a little treat.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he bobbed his head slowly. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m sure it’ll make Ma happy.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And Ernest.” She reached out to touch his arm. “I’m sorry about Polly.”
A deep red flush shot up the boy’s neck and cheeks. “Weren’t like we was engaged or anything.”
“Maybe not,” she said. “But I’m still sorry.”
Another quick head bob and he was gone. Rhea locked the door behind him and then set to tidying up.
She swept the floor twice, washed the countertop and the candy bins, then spent a great deal of time sorting through the mess on the sewing table. Bolts of fabric, ribbons, lace, patterns and strings of beads covered the table in a giant haphazard mess. Right in the middle of that mess sat a huge glass bowl filled with buttons, every size, shape and color a person could possibly need. And if they weren’t enough, there was another box of buttons underneath the table.
It must be
Similar Books
