Read Online Deborah Camp by Lonewolf's Woman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lonewolf's Woman
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cried like that since the night I heard of their deaths.”
He placed a hand alongside her face and his thumb stroked beneath her eye, wiping aside her tears. “Saying good-bye is hard.”
“Yes, so very hard.”
He knows. He knows about this pain, this horrific loss. His parents. His wife. So much loss in his life
. She glanced toward Penny andoffered a shaky smile when her sister held up a clutch of dandelions. “Those are pretty, honey.”
Reluctantly, Elise opened her fists, releasing Blade’s shirt. She tried to iron the wrinkles from it with the flat of her hand, and in doing so discovered the interesting contours of his chest muscles. His smile was no longer gentle. Now his mouth curved in a knowing grin and his eyes darkened to cinnamon.
The intimacy of what they’d just shared caught up with her, and Elise felt her face and throat grow even warmer. She brushed her hands across his chest once more, something wanton within her demanding one last contact, and then edged away from him. As his arms released her, she knew a moment when she wanted them back around her, holding her, shielding her from a world that had been cruel of late.
“I’m not given to hysterics,” she said with an embarrassed laugh as she wiped away the vestiges of her tears. “You were kind to allow me to dampen your shirt.” Now that her composure had slipped back into place, she felt awkward, so she scooped up the basket and tablecloth. “Come along, Penny. We’ve taken up enough of Blade’s time.” She directed a mischievous smile his way. “Besides, Airy Peppers will be at the house soon.”
Blade backhanded his mouth, smothering a lusty chuckle.
“See you at supper,” she called cheerfully to him as she took Penny by the hand.
“I’m partial to Airy’s beans and corn bread,” he drawled as he moved with long, easy strides to his patient mules. “She stirs up a tasty bread pudding, too.”
“Sounds like a wonderful meal to me.” Elisestood there for another moment, watching the grace of his stride, the proud width of his shoulders, the cocky angle of his head. He wasn’t such a bad sort, after all. And he was quite attractive.
Her palm tingled as she recalled the rigid muscles of his chest. Heat engulfed her and she whirled away in a wild tangle of skirts.
“Come on, Pen! I’ll race you back to the house!”
And she ran, letting the air cool her hot skin and blow out the flickering flame of forbidden desire.
Chapter 5
I t was a good thing Homer and Sam knew the fields instinctively, because for the first hour after Elise’s visit, Blade was in a fog and offered them no guidance.
He kept remembering how she looked—as if she were flying across the field, her hair fluttering against her back like autumn leaves, her skirts flashing up to provide tempting glimpses of her slim ankles and shapely calves.
His mind drifted to how she’d felt in his arms, so small and fragile. Her heartbeats had tapped against his chest and her body had trembled with her heart-wrenching sobs. She’d smelled of spring—honeysuckle and tea roses—and her hair had been warm and soft against his cheek, in his hand.
Holding her in his arms had not aroused him, but his heart had opened to her … just a little. He wasn’t given to overt displays and he wasn’t the type to make friends easily, so he’d surprised himself when he’d reached out to her, cleaved to her, comforted her. She had a way about her. Like a newborn kitten, she was hard to resist.
“Whoa, Homer and Sam.” He pulled on the reinsand the mules stopped. Homer swung his head around to look at Blade. They’d come to a halt in the middle of a row. Blade gazed out at the fields to check their progress and focus again on the task of plowing under the winter wheat.
He removed his hat and ran a handkerchief over his face. “I know, I know,” he said to Homer. “We’re not supposed to stop here, but I’m getting my bearings.”
That gal sure had rattled
He placed a hand alongside her face and his thumb stroked beneath her eye, wiping aside her tears. “Saying good-bye is hard.”
“Yes, so very hard.”
He knows. He knows about this pain, this horrific loss. His parents. His wife. So much loss in his life
. She glanced toward Penny andoffered a shaky smile when her sister held up a clutch of dandelions. “Those are pretty, honey.”
Reluctantly, Elise opened her fists, releasing Blade’s shirt. She tried to iron the wrinkles from it with the flat of her hand, and in doing so discovered the interesting contours of his chest muscles. His smile was no longer gentle. Now his mouth curved in a knowing grin and his eyes darkened to cinnamon.
The intimacy of what they’d just shared caught up with her, and Elise felt her face and throat grow even warmer. She brushed her hands across his chest once more, something wanton within her demanding one last contact, and then edged away from him. As his arms released her, she knew a moment when she wanted them back around her, holding her, shielding her from a world that had been cruel of late.
“I’m not given to hysterics,” she said with an embarrassed laugh as she wiped away the vestiges of her tears. “You were kind to allow me to dampen your shirt.” Now that her composure had slipped back into place, she felt awkward, so she scooped up the basket and tablecloth. “Come along, Penny. We’ve taken up enough of Blade’s time.” She directed a mischievous smile his way. “Besides, Airy Peppers will be at the house soon.”
Blade backhanded his mouth, smothering a lusty chuckle.
“See you at supper,” she called cheerfully to him as she took Penny by the hand.
“I’m partial to Airy’s beans and corn bread,” he drawled as he moved with long, easy strides to his patient mules. “She stirs up a tasty bread pudding, too.”
“Sounds like a wonderful meal to me.” Elisestood there for another moment, watching the grace of his stride, the proud width of his shoulders, the cocky angle of his head. He wasn’t such a bad sort, after all. And he was quite attractive.
Her palm tingled as she recalled the rigid muscles of his chest. Heat engulfed her and she whirled away in a wild tangle of skirts.
“Come on, Pen! I’ll race you back to the house!”
And she ran, letting the air cool her hot skin and blow out the flickering flame of forbidden desire.
Chapter 5
I t was a good thing Homer and Sam knew the fields instinctively, because for the first hour after Elise’s visit, Blade was in a fog and offered them no guidance.
He kept remembering how she looked—as if she were flying across the field, her hair fluttering against her back like autumn leaves, her skirts flashing up to provide tempting glimpses of her slim ankles and shapely calves.
His mind drifted to how she’d felt in his arms, so small and fragile. Her heartbeats had tapped against his chest and her body had trembled with her heart-wrenching sobs. She’d smelled of spring—honeysuckle and tea roses—and her hair had been warm and soft against his cheek, in his hand.
Holding her in his arms had not aroused him, but his heart had opened to her … just a little. He wasn’t given to overt displays and he wasn’t the type to make friends easily, so he’d surprised himself when he’d reached out to her, cleaved to her, comforted her. She had a way about her. Like a newborn kitten, she was hard to resist.
“Whoa, Homer and Sam.” He pulled on the reinsand the mules stopped. Homer swung his head around to look at Blade. They’d come to a halt in the middle of a row. Blade gazed out at the fields to check their progress and focus again on the task of plowing under the winter wheat.
He removed his hat and ran a handkerchief over his face. “I know, I know,” he said to Homer. “We’re not supposed to stop here, but I’m getting my bearings.”
That gal sure had rattled
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