Read Online Faith (Goldwater Creek Mail-Order Brides 1) by Leighann Dobbs - Free Book Online Page A

the buggy. He was wearing a nicely tailored charcoal black suit and starched white shirt. He hadn’t been home all day, and Faith wondered where he had changed. At the saloon? Maybe he frequented the rooms upstairs where some of the saloon girls worked. For all she knew he had a whole wardrobe stashed there. Was that where he snuck off to in the middle of the night?
    As he turned around, she couldn’t help but notice how the suit made his shoulders look broader than ever. Even though it was made from good cloth, she could still see his muscles bulging underneath it. Her eyes drifted up to his face. And in the slanted afternoon light coming in from the door she was struck by how handsome he was. He had taken a half inch off his dark hair, so that it curled now not at his collar but just below his ears, accentuating his chiseled jaw. In the light from the window, his eyes took on a golden hue, like the maple syrup Maisie had had her taste test just yesterday.
    His gaze stopped on her. His eyes widened as they drifted from her ivory slippered feet to her hips, then her waist, her bust and finally her face. Their eyes locked, causing the jolt of electricity to flow through Faith and stab her right in the heart.
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    F aith looked so beautiful in the ivory dress that it took Jax’s breath away. Maisie had done a good job. The dress fit like a glove. It accentuated her tiny waist which Jax’s palms now itched to encircle. The bodice was cut lower than her day dresses. It was still demure, but made Jax realize he hadn’t fully appreciated his new wife’s figure in those dowdy old dresses she wore. He made a mental note to make sure she went dress shopping to pick out suitable clothes that she liked for everyday wear.
    His gaze drifted upward, noticing his grandmother’s cameo at her neck. Since his mother died, the only other woman who had worn it was Mary. He should have felt a prickle of betrayal, but somehow, the cameo looked like it had been made for Faith’s neck. He hardly had time to give it a thought, though, as he was distracted by the way it highlighted how long and graceful her neck was, the hollow of which suddenly seemed incredibly … kissable.
    His gaze flicked up to her face and their eyes locked. A coil of warmth settled in Jax’s stomach, his heart beat kicking up a notch. As he had expected, the color of the dress enhanced Faith’s pale complexion, giving it a luminous glow like the petals of a white rose in moonlight.
    Her golden blonde hair framed her delicate face perfectly and he had to resist the urge to reach out and tuck one of the silky loose tendrils behind her ear. Her flushed cheeks added a hint of color, but it was her eyes that had him mesmerized. In the late afternoon light, they appeared more of a pale blue than usual, reminding him of the reflection of the creek on a cloudless summer day.
    “You look good.” Was that the best he could do? He felt like a stumbling schoolboy and reminded himself that the last thing he had wanted was a beautiful wife. But looking at Faith, he could barely remember why.
    “Thanks.” Her tone was uncertain as her gaze flicked out to the buggy. “Is it a far ride?”
    “No. But too far to walk.” Jax wondered why she would ask. “Is something wrong with the buggy?”
    “No, it’s just that I’m not too fond of horses. There was an accident when I was a child and…” Faith’s voice trailed off as she glanced out the window again. “Anyway, sometimes one has to face their fears, don’t they?”
    Her words struck a chord in Jax’s heart. He knew she was talking about her fear of the horse, but in his mind, he thought of his own fear. His fear of loving someone and having them taken away. The truth was, while he loved horses, he wasn’t that keen on buggies. He, too, had an accident in his past, a terrible tragedy that had ruined his life.
    Or had it? Maybe his life could be salvaged if he could face his fears. Maybe Faith was the person to help