Read Online Deborah Camp by Lonewolf's Woman - Free Book Online
Authors: Lonewolf's Woman
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her.”
“That’s why she looked so heavy! I thought you’d overfed her.”
He shifted his eyes sideways to deliver a dubious glance. The simple gesture made Elise feel like the class dunce. “The sire is out to pasture,” he said.
“And what is his name?”
“Bob.”
“Just Bob?” Elise asked, tickled by the no-nonsense name. “Not Prancer or Black Magic? Just Bob?”
He shrugged, finishing off the last of the egg. “Bob’s good enough for him. He seems to like it.”
Blade drank deeply from the jug of water, and Elise watched his Adam’s apple slide up and down his strong brown throat. A drop of sweat rolled down his face and splashed onto his shoulder, making a darker blue dot on his light blue shirt. He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his face. His scent drifted to her again—earthy, warm and, well, male.
She closed her eyes, privately amused at her thoughts. How did she know what maleness smelled like? Why, she’d been kissed on the mouth only four times in her whole life, and two of those times had been most disappointing. The other two had been pleasant—one of them had even released a little thrill in her. Of course, she’d heard from the other debutantes that Darby Rourke of the Nelson Rourkes was quite a ladies’ man, and he’d proved to be the most experienced of her beaux. Darby was the kind of gentleman who forgot his manners if a lady didn’t keep reminding him of them.
Suddenly she felt the power of Blade’s stare. She lowered her lashes and peeked at him. He studied her intently.
“What were you thinking about just then?” he asked.
“Home,” she admitted, but didn’t elaborate. “Why?”
“You looked kind of dreamy. I thought … oh, never mind.” He leaned his head back and stared at the sky. “You could go back to Baltimore. I’ll see to it that your sister is raised right.”
“You don’t understand. Where Penny and Adam are,
that’s
my home. All I have in Baltimore are memories.”
“And family. You have family there.”
“None that matter.” She watched as he peeled another egg. She wished she had more food to offer him, and hated her feelings of inadequacy. “Blade, do you think we could visit Adam tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow? I’ll be busy tomorrow.” He put the whole egg in his mouth, much to Elise’s astonishment.
“When, then? When can we visit?”
He took his time chewing and swallowing. “In a few days,” he said finally. “Give him a chance to settle in.”
A few days? Did that mean there was hope? She sent up a quick prayer. “So you’ve decided I can stay? Without a fight, I mean.”
He gave a short laugh. “Wouldn’t be much of a fight.” Directing his attention away from her, he stared moodily at the horizon. “You may stay for as long as you want—which won’t be long, I reckon.”
“Are you so hard to live with?”
He glanced at the tablecloth and the basket. “I’m no picnic and my life here is no party.”
“Perhaps I can make life easier for you.”
“How?”
“Oh, by cooking your meals and—”
“When you learn how,” he interrupted.
“Last night’s supper wasn’t so terrible, was it? You cleaned your plate.”
He met her gaze. His wide mouth dipped at the corners. “You’re still holding to the story that you cooked those vittles?”
Everything in her went still for a few seconds;then her heart kicked and sent blood flooding to her face and neck. “Wh-what do you mean … story?”
“I mean you’re lying through your teeth—as usual.”
“As usual!”
He sprang to his feet and took a final long pull from the water jug, emptying it. “Airy Peppers cooked that meal, and she’s probably heading over here right about now to cook tonight’s meal.” He corked the crock jug and dropped it onto the tablecloth. Reaching into the basket, he withdrew three hard biscuits and shoved them into his pant pockets. “Lying to me isn’t going to make my life any easier.”
Elise
“That’s why she looked so heavy! I thought you’d overfed her.”
He shifted his eyes sideways to deliver a dubious glance. The simple gesture made Elise feel like the class dunce. “The sire is out to pasture,” he said.
“And what is his name?”
“Bob.”
“Just Bob?” Elise asked, tickled by the no-nonsense name. “Not Prancer or Black Magic? Just Bob?”
He shrugged, finishing off the last of the egg. “Bob’s good enough for him. He seems to like it.”
Blade drank deeply from the jug of water, and Elise watched his Adam’s apple slide up and down his strong brown throat. A drop of sweat rolled down his face and splashed onto his shoulder, making a darker blue dot on his light blue shirt. He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his face. His scent drifted to her again—earthy, warm and, well, male.
She closed her eyes, privately amused at her thoughts. How did she know what maleness smelled like? Why, she’d been kissed on the mouth only four times in her whole life, and two of those times had been most disappointing. The other two had been pleasant—one of them had even released a little thrill in her. Of course, she’d heard from the other debutantes that Darby Rourke of the Nelson Rourkes was quite a ladies’ man, and he’d proved to be the most experienced of her beaux. Darby was the kind of gentleman who forgot his manners if a lady didn’t keep reminding him of them.
Suddenly she felt the power of Blade’s stare. She lowered her lashes and peeked at him. He studied her intently.
“What were you thinking about just then?” he asked.
“Home,” she admitted, but didn’t elaborate. “Why?”
“You looked kind of dreamy. I thought … oh, never mind.” He leaned his head back and stared at the sky. “You could go back to Baltimore. I’ll see to it that your sister is raised right.”
“You don’t understand. Where Penny and Adam are,
that’s
my home. All I have in Baltimore are memories.”
“And family. You have family there.”
“None that matter.” She watched as he peeled another egg. She wished she had more food to offer him, and hated her feelings of inadequacy. “Blade, do you think we could visit Adam tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow? I’ll be busy tomorrow.” He put the whole egg in his mouth, much to Elise’s astonishment.
“When, then? When can we visit?”
He took his time chewing and swallowing. “In a few days,” he said finally. “Give him a chance to settle in.”
A few days? Did that mean there was hope? She sent up a quick prayer. “So you’ve decided I can stay? Without a fight, I mean.”
He gave a short laugh. “Wouldn’t be much of a fight.” Directing his attention away from her, he stared moodily at the horizon. “You may stay for as long as you want—which won’t be long, I reckon.”
“Are you so hard to live with?”
He glanced at the tablecloth and the basket. “I’m no picnic and my life here is no party.”
“Perhaps I can make life easier for you.”
“How?”
“Oh, by cooking your meals and—”
“When you learn how,” he interrupted.
“Last night’s supper wasn’t so terrible, was it? You cleaned your plate.”
He met her gaze. His wide mouth dipped at the corners. “You’re still holding to the story that you cooked those vittles?”
Everything in her went still for a few seconds;then her heart kicked and sent blood flooding to her face and neck. “Wh-what do you mean … story?”
“I mean you’re lying through your teeth—as usual.”
“As usual!”
He sprang to his feet and took a final long pull from the water jug, emptying it. “Airy Peppers cooked that meal, and she’s probably heading over here right about now to cook tonight’s meal.” He corked the crock jug and dropped it onto the tablecloth. Reaching into the basket, he withdrew three hard biscuits and shoved them into his pant pockets. “Lying to me isn’t going to make my life any easier.”
Elise
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