Read Online Hidden Gifts (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance) by Elena Aitken - Free Book Online Page B

 
    “Maybe you should be the one lying down,” she said. He caught the touch of humor in her voice.
    “I’m fine,” he managed to choke out.
    She gave him a look. The type of look that meant, yeah right, but thankfully she didn’t say any more. Instead, she went back to tending Ella’s cut. She rolled up her jeans and with expert hands, she washed the wound, which he had to admit, was little more than a scrape. She gently removed the dirt from the skin and applied a salve of some kind before pasting on a bandage  
    “There,” Morgan said, “good as new.” She pulled Ella’s pant leg back into place. “But it looks like you’ll need some new pants.”  
    She pointed to the hole and Bo nodded.
    “And, Bo,” Morgan was still talking, “these shoes are totally inappropriate for the mountains. And if I’m saying that, it’s really bad.”  
    She was right. Ella needed new pants and new shoes, and some toys, he thought, looking at the ever-present clay deer clutched in her hand.
    “You’re right,” he said. “She needs a lot of things.” Things I can’t give her, is what he wanted to say, but didn’t.
    Morgan looked at him for a beat, her eyes questioning him. She turned back to Ella, who was staring up at both of them. “All better, kiddo?”  
    Ella nodded.  
    “I thought so,” Morgan said. “Why don’t you go and pick out a game that we can do later? There’s some new kids coming today and I thought it might be a good way to get to know everyone.”  
    Eager to please, Ella jumped up, and without favoring her sore knee at all, went in search of the puzzles and games.
    When she was out of earshot, Morgan turned to him. “Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”
    “What?”
    She tipped her head at him and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t play dumb,” she said. “I don’t have time. But I have never seen a grown man react to a little cut like that. Especially one that’s trained in advanced first aid. You do realize that kids get hurt, right?”
    “Of course I know that.” Bo crossed his arms. He did know that, but what he couldn’t tell her was that when he’d seen Ella hurt, it’d just about killed him. He’d had no idea what to do. He felt helpless. But he couldn’t tell Morgan that. “And I didn’t freak out.”
    “Whatever you say. But you should probably make sure you have a first aid kit close by. Kids do have a tendency to need a lot of bandages. Even quiet little girls.”  
    “Maybe I should,” he admitted. Along with a lot of other things, he thought. “I’ll put it on the list,” Bo muttered under his breath.
    “Pardon?”
    “Nothing.” He cleared his throat and relaxed his posture. “I was just thinking of some things I need to do.”
    Morgan tided up the leftover supplies and stood. She was standing close, but he didn’t move. And she smelled good. His gut tightened in response. Was it cherries? No, something else. Less fruity. But nice.
    “Are you okay, Bo?”  
    The question caught him off guard, and he took a step back. He knew it was a bad idea to act on whatever feeling it was that he was having for Morgan. Especially as he was pretty sure that she thought he was a total jerk. He was aware of the fact that he’d been a total ass to Morgan when they first met and he couldn’t figure out why. Probably because she didn’t fall all over herself like every other woman at the Lodge. In fact, if it weren’t for Ella, Morgan wouldn’t have anything to do with Bo at all. It bothered him. And it intrigued him. But he still couldn’t figure out what it was about her that put him on guard.  
    Before he could answer, Morgan added, “I mean, are you okay with Ella? It must be overwhelming, and I just wanted to you to know, that—“
    “I don’t need your help,” he snapped. He regretted his words as soon as he spoke them; she was just trying to be nice. But it was too late. The softness in her face was gone, replaced by the hard expression