Read Online Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense) by Danica Chandler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Danica Chandler
Ads: Link
swing, but didn't sit down beside her. He leaned against the railing, not wanting to seem too bold.
Amelia nodded. "Just a lot on my mind." She bit her lip and looked out into the pasture. "Your family know you're working here on this ranch?"
The word family was like nails on a chalkboard to Nick. The only family he had really had were his brothers in the army. Just like everything else, they were ripped away from him. "Don't really have much family to tell it to." He didn't want to burden her with his problems. It seemed she had something of her own going on, but he wasn't sure what else to say.
She looked at him, her eyes widening. "No? I'm sorry. Sometimes I can say the dumbest things, Nick." She patted the swing beside her. "Why don't you sit down? You're making me nervous with your pacing."
Was he pacing? He didn't even realize it until she had mentioned it. Sitting down, he smelled her scent - floral mixed in with the fresh air. It was relaxing. "You didn't say anything dumb, Amelia. It's just a fact of life I have to face. If you ever wanna know anything, ask away. I don't want to be this man of mystery who is around your kid. That's gotta be uncomfortable."
Amelia nodded and looked back out into the yard. It was obvious that something was bugging her, but Nick wouldn't pry, even if she said he could. "You mentioned foster families."
"Yeah. Had a ton before I enlisted."
"If I ask something that strikes a nerve, just tell me to shut up," Amelia said as she placed her hand near his leg. "What happened to your parents?"
It did strike a nerve, but Nick didn't care. He usually kept things quiet, but with Amelia, it was different. He felt he could tell her anything. He still wasn't sure where it was coming from, but he was going to enjoy how free it felt. "Honestly, I couldn't tell you, Amelia. I was put into the system as a young kid. I don't remember much, if anything, about either of them."
"That's gotta be hard, Nick. I can't even imagine."
"It's all I've known, so it's okay, Amelia. I'm fine." He watched her body language, and though he didn't thoroughly know this woman, he knew something was weighing heavy on her. "What's bugging you? I can tell something is on your mind."
"How can you tell?" She arched her eyebrow and let out a quick giggle.
"You're sitting out here on the porch after midnight and I know you're up early."
She ducked her head, the flirtatious smile still on her face. "How do you know this isn't want I do every night, Nick? Maybe it's my routine." She moved her hand closer, this time putting her palm in his. It was like electricity was between them, but neither pulled away as her fingers latched onto his. "I'm just thinking about things. Money, the ranch, Noah and my dad. And I can't forget you and how much of an answered prayer you are to us. In just one day you're really helping out."
Nick loved the way her smooth skin felt against his. His was like sandpaper, but it was the perfect contrast. "I haven't done much yet, but I intend to."
They both fell silent and the sound of crickets chirping took over. The cool air was humid, and though Nick was exhausted, he had no plan to go back to the bunkhouse until Amelia either told him to, or until she was ready to go in. Holding her hand felt right and it was comfortable, and neither tried to break the embrace, even if it just meant something friendly to comfort each other in the middle of the night. He felt the swing shift, and in the corner of his eye, he saw Amelia turned to face him. Following her lead, he did the same. Reaching out, he cupped the side of her face and she leaned in, closing her eyes.
It was still quiet. Nick wasn't sure how it happened or how he even had the courage to do it, but when he opened his eyes again, his lips were inches away from hers. She didn't pull away. Her grasp on his hand got tighter and he could feel her warm breath on him. Leaning in closer, he was about to kiss her when a loud explosion erupted in the
Amelia nodded. "Just a lot on my mind." She bit her lip and looked out into the pasture. "Your family know you're working here on this ranch?"
The word family was like nails on a chalkboard to Nick. The only family he had really had were his brothers in the army. Just like everything else, they were ripped away from him. "Don't really have much family to tell it to." He didn't want to burden her with his problems. It seemed she had something of her own going on, but he wasn't sure what else to say.
She looked at him, her eyes widening. "No? I'm sorry. Sometimes I can say the dumbest things, Nick." She patted the swing beside her. "Why don't you sit down? You're making me nervous with your pacing."
Was he pacing? He didn't even realize it until she had mentioned it. Sitting down, he smelled her scent - floral mixed in with the fresh air. It was relaxing. "You didn't say anything dumb, Amelia. It's just a fact of life I have to face. If you ever wanna know anything, ask away. I don't want to be this man of mystery who is around your kid. That's gotta be uncomfortable."
Amelia nodded and looked back out into the yard. It was obvious that something was bugging her, but Nick wouldn't pry, even if she said he could. "You mentioned foster families."
"Yeah. Had a ton before I enlisted."
"If I ask something that strikes a nerve, just tell me to shut up," Amelia said as she placed her hand near his leg. "What happened to your parents?"
It did strike a nerve, but Nick didn't care. He usually kept things quiet, but with Amelia, it was different. He felt he could tell her anything. He still wasn't sure where it was coming from, but he was going to enjoy how free it felt. "Honestly, I couldn't tell you, Amelia. I was put into the system as a young kid. I don't remember much, if anything, about either of them."
"That's gotta be hard, Nick. I can't even imagine."
"It's all I've known, so it's okay, Amelia. I'm fine." He watched her body language, and though he didn't thoroughly know this woman, he knew something was weighing heavy on her. "What's bugging you? I can tell something is on your mind."
"How can you tell?" She arched her eyebrow and let out a quick giggle.
"You're sitting out here on the porch after midnight and I know you're up early."
She ducked her head, the flirtatious smile still on her face. "How do you know this isn't want I do every night, Nick? Maybe it's my routine." She moved her hand closer, this time putting her palm in his. It was like electricity was between them, but neither pulled away as her fingers latched onto his. "I'm just thinking about things. Money, the ranch, Noah and my dad. And I can't forget you and how much of an answered prayer you are to us. In just one day you're really helping out."
Nick loved the way her smooth skin felt against his. His was like sandpaper, but it was the perfect contrast. "I haven't done much yet, but I intend to."
They both fell silent and the sound of crickets chirping took over. The cool air was humid, and though Nick was exhausted, he had no plan to go back to the bunkhouse until Amelia either told him to, or until she was ready to go in. Holding her hand felt right and it was comfortable, and neither tried to break the embrace, even if it just meant something friendly to comfort each other in the middle of the night. He felt the swing shift, and in the corner of his eye, he saw Amelia turned to face him. Following her lead, he did the same. Reaching out, he cupped the side of her face and she leaned in, closing her eyes.
It was still quiet. Nick wasn't sure how it happened or how he even had the courage to do it, but when he opened his eyes again, his lips were inches away from hers. She didn't pull away. Her grasp on his hand got tighter and he could feel her warm breath on him. Leaning in closer, he was about to kiss her when a loud explosion erupted in the
Similar Books
