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Authors: Merry Farmer
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explained.
“You can say that again,” Eric agreed. She had the feeling he was speaking from experience.
“Naughty boys just need a little extra guidance and affection,” she said.
“Well, I had about as much of both as you could ask for as a boy and it didn’t stop me,” he confirmed her suspicions. His broad grin faltered. “Of course, Pop was always busy with the ranch and Mama had her hands full feeding and washing for us and for the ranch hands. I pretty much only had Curtis to keep me company.”
“No brothers or sisters?” Amelia asked.
Eric shook his head. “Nope. I always envied people with big families too. Truth is, nothing sets me to smiling more than the thought of a whole mess of kids like this one running around the ranch getting into trouble.” He smiled and ruffled Christopher’s hair as they walked.
The eager, pulsing draw that Amelia almost had under control flared to new heights.
“I’ve always felt that large families are a blessing to those who are a part of them. They provide more support and companionship when times get hard.”
“But you’re not close to your family,” Eric said.
“No.” She lowered her eyes. “But I always wanted to be.”
Eric chuckled in sympathy, squeezing her arm as she held Christopher. “I like the way you think.” His smile took on a whole new shade of warmth. He blinked as though just realizing it and lowered his hand to the small of her back before dropping it entirely.
If it weren’t for the child in her arms, and the one growing inside of her, Amelia would be in serious danger of throwing herself at Eric. She would have to help him and then separate herself from the temptation he presented as soon as possible.
On the trip over to England Eric’s days had been filled with nothing but expectation. Now, on the way back, he had no expectations and no hope of better days whatsoever, but he had Amelia. And Amelia had a way of keeping him tickled pink with every move she made.
“After the … confusion with Christopher this morning, I decided to learn about this game,” she explained to him and Ben Chase as they walked down the stairs from first-class into second. “Apparently Henry VIII used to play it at court, and he hated to lose. I would love to see a game in action, so I will teach you what I have learned and you can demonstrate.”
“Shuffleboard?” Eric drawled. He shot a sideways look to Ben.
Ben shrugged. “I watched it being played for a while yesterday. Seems like it’s all the rage.”
“That’s what I was told.” Amelia smiled as she led the two men to a wide section of the deck where several triangles had been painted on the boards in rows facing each other. That smile was all the encouragement Eric needed.
A couple of games were already in progress. The three of them stood and watched as competitors pushed small discs across the boards from one end to the other with big sticks. One older man shouted in victory as his disc came to rest in the tip of the triangle.
Eric rested his weight on one hip and rubbed his chin. “I dunno,” he said. “It looks a might delicate to me.”
Amelia stepped to his side and took his arm. “Challenge Ben to a game,” she spoke softly near his ear.
The sea breeze freed wisps of her hair, blowing them around in spite of the hat she wore. White-gold strands framed her face like a halo. As if he needed anything else to convince him.
“Well….” He feigned reluctance to keep her clinging to his arm a little longer.
She pressed closer. “Trust me on this. I have an idea.”
Those words sent shivers of excitement through him, including places that were hellishly inconvenient on an open deck full of people.
“If you say so.” He winked at Amelia then turned to Ben. “How ‘bout it, Ben? Wanna try your hand at this?”
“I don’t see why not.” Ben smiled and patted his rotund belly. You
“You can say that again,” Eric agreed. She had the feeling he was speaking from experience.
“Naughty boys just need a little extra guidance and affection,” she said.
“Well, I had about as much of both as you could ask for as a boy and it didn’t stop me,” he confirmed her suspicions. His broad grin faltered. “Of course, Pop was always busy with the ranch and Mama had her hands full feeding and washing for us and for the ranch hands. I pretty much only had Curtis to keep me company.”
“No brothers or sisters?” Amelia asked.
Eric shook his head. “Nope. I always envied people with big families too. Truth is, nothing sets me to smiling more than the thought of a whole mess of kids like this one running around the ranch getting into trouble.” He smiled and ruffled Christopher’s hair as they walked.
The eager, pulsing draw that Amelia almost had under control flared to new heights.
“I’ve always felt that large families are a blessing to those who are a part of them. They provide more support and companionship when times get hard.”
“But you’re not close to your family,” Eric said.
“No.” She lowered her eyes. “But I always wanted to be.”
Eric chuckled in sympathy, squeezing her arm as she held Christopher. “I like the way you think.” His smile took on a whole new shade of warmth. He blinked as though just realizing it and lowered his hand to the small of her back before dropping it entirely.
If it weren’t for the child in her arms, and the one growing inside of her, Amelia would be in serious danger of throwing herself at Eric. She would have to help him and then separate herself from the temptation he presented as soon as possible.
On the trip over to England Eric’s days had been filled with nothing but expectation. Now, on the way back, he had no expectations and no hope of better days whatsoever, but he had Amelia. And Amelia had a way of keeping him tickled pink with every move she made.
“After the … confusion with Christopher this morning, I decided to learn about this game,” she explained to him and Ben Chase as they walked down the stairs from first-class into second. “Apparently Henry VIII used to play it at court, and he hated to lose. I would love to see a game in action, so I will teach you what I have learned and you can demonstrate.”
“Shuffleboard?” Eric drawled. He shot a sideways look to Ben.
Ben shrugged. “I watched it being played for a while yesterday. Seems like it’s all the rage.”
“That’s what I was told.” Amelia smiled as she led the two men to a wide section of the deck where several triangles had been painted on the boards in rows facing each other. That smile was all the encouragement Eric needed.
A couple of games were already in progress. The three of them stood and watched as competitors pushed small discs across the boards from one end to the other with big sticks. One older man shouted in victory as his disc came to rest in the tip of the triangle.
Eric rested his weight on one hip and rubbed his chin. “I dunno,” he said. “It looks a might delicate to me.”
Amelia stepped to his side and took his arm. “Challenge Ben to a game,” she spoke softly near his ear.
The sea breeze freed wisps of her hair, blowing them around in spite of the hat she wore. White-gold strands framed her face like a halo. As if he needed anything else to convince him.
“Well….” He feigned reluctance to keep her clinging to his arm a little longer.
She pressed closer. “Trust me on this. I have an idea.”
Those words sent shivers of excitement through him, including places that were hellishly inconvenient on an open deck full of people.
“If you say so.” He winked at Amelia then turned to Ben. “How ‘bout it, Ben? Wanna try your hand at this?”
“I don’t see why not.” Ben smiled and patted his rotund belly. You
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