Read Online Jodi Thomas by In a Heartbeat - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: In a Heartbeat
Ads: Link
spend hours telling me of your love for others.”
Milton looked down at his feet. “I was a fool in love with first one then another before I realized what was best for me. Marry me, Joanna. I’ll make you a good husband. Our families are alike. We were made for one another.”
Joanna looked him straight in the eyes. “One important question. What day is it tomorrow?”
Milton smiled as if he never doubted the answer. “February fourteenth. The same day the train will pull out of the nearest station for home.”
Joanna looked past him and saw Sergeant Buckles and her aunt holding hands across the table. He’d given her a paper valentine, Joanna realized. One he’d carried all day—waiting for the opportunity.
Joanna took a deep breath, clearing her mind. She wanted that kind of love. The kind that’s willing to take a chance of being a fool. She wanted it so badly she was willing to wait until she was Aunt Etta’s age to get it.
Milton was talking about the ride home, but she wasn’t listening. Joanna was formulating a plan. She’d force Colt’s hand tomorrow and one way or the other she’d know if it was meant to be between them. She was twenty-five and it was time she took full control over her life.
If Colt didn’t love her, she’d go with Milton and tell him on the train that she would never marry him. Then she could go home and pull her life together.
Milton leaned and kissed her cheek, putting a wet period to any thought she’d ever had of marrying him.
Chapter Eight
An hour before dawn Joanna slipped from her bed. She’d heard Colt leave the house for his morning dip in the creek and knew she didn’t have much time. She’d thought about her plan all night and knew she couldn’t leave him without taking with her one last memory of his touch. Even when she’d told Milton she’d be going back with him on the morning train, she knew she’d spend one last time in Colt’s arms. If he didn’t declare his love, at least she’d have a memory to carry into her spinsterhood.
Silently she tiptoed across the room and opened her door. She moved without hesitation the few steps to Colt’s room.
Once inside his private quarters, she felt suddenly cold and wished she’d brought her robe, but there was no going back now. She only had time enough to add a log to the small fire before she heard Colt returning.
He stepped into the room, drying his hair as he moved. Firelight danced off his bare chest and sparkled in his damp hair as he closed the door and turned to face her. At first he didn’t react, but only stood staring at her as if seeing a dream take form.
She wanted to tell him how much he’d changed her life. She thought of begging him to hold her one more time and not send her back to her room without a memory. But Joanna couldn’t make herself speak.
Even now his gaze touched her far more deeply than any other man’s hands ever would. He was stubborn and cynical, and yet he made her feel not only wanted and needed, but loved.
Silently he moved toward her. When he was only a foot away, Colt pulled the towel from his neck and tossed it aside. Firelight danced in his dark eyes as he looked at her.
Joanna raised her chin slightly, as though steeling herself for his order for her to leave, but he slowly raised his hand and lightly touched her hair.
Colt wished he had the words to tell her that her hair reminded him of sunshine. He thought of a hundred things he wanted to tell her about how important she was to him and how she’d brought happiness into his life. But he’d heard her tell Milton she’d go back with him, and Colt was too proud to beg any woman to stay.
He moved toward her, loving the way her eyes welcomed him with growing need. Somehow in the predawn light the world seemed unreal and magical, made up of only the two of them. He knew if he spoke of his love, it would somehow shatter the perfect world.
Gently he bent and lifted her into his arms. In long strides he
Milton looked down at his feet. “I was a fool in love with first one then another before I realized what was best for me. Marry me, Joanna. I’ll make you a good husband. Our families are alike. We were made for one another.”
Joanna looked him straight in the eyes. “One important question. What day is it tomorrow?”
Milton smiled as if he never doubted the answer. “February fourteenth. The same day the train will pull out of the nearest station for home.”
Joanna looked past him and saw Sergeant Buckles and her aunt holding hands across the table. He’d given her a paper valentine, Joanna realized. One he’d carried all day—waiting for the opportunity.
Joanna took a deep breath, clearing her mind. She wanted that kind of love. The kind that’s willing to take a chance of being a fool. She wanted it so badly she was willing to wait until she was Aunt Etta’s age to get it.
Milton was talking about the ride home, but she wasn’t listening. Joanna was formulating a plan. She’d force Colt’s hand tomorrow and one way or the other she’d know if it was meant to be between them. She was twenty-five and it was time she took full control over her life.
If Colt didn’t love her, she’d go with Milton and tell him on the train that she would never marry him. Then she could go home and pull her life together.
Milton leaned and kissed her cheek, putting a wet period to any thought she’d ever had of marrying him.
Chapter Eight
An hour before dawn Joanna slipped from her bed. She’d heard Colt leave the house for his morning dip in the creek and knew she didn’t have much time. She’d thought about her plan all night and knew she couldn’t leave him without taking with her one last memory of his touch. Even when she’d told Milton she’d be going back with him on the morning train, she knew she’d spend one last time in Colt’s arms. If he didn’t declare his love, at least she’d have a memory to carry into her spinsterhood.
Silently she tiptoed across the room and opened her door. She moved without hesitation the few steps to Colt’s room.
Once inside his private quarters, she felt suddenly cold and wished she’d brought her robe, but there was no going back now. She only had time enough to add a log to the small fire before she heard Colt returning.
He stepped into the room, drying his hair as he moved. Firelight danced off his bare chest and sparkled in his damp hair as he closed the door and turned to face her. At first he didn’t react, but only stood staring at her as if seeing a dream take form.
She wanted to tell him how much he’d changed her life. She thought of begging him to hold her one more time and not send her back to her room without a memory. But Joanna couldn’t make herself speak.
Even now his gaze touched her far more deeply than any other man’s hands ever would. He was stubborn and cynical, and yet he made her feel not only wanted and needed, but loved.
Silently he moved toward her. When he was only a foot away, Colt pulled the towel from his neck and tossed it aside. Firelight danced in his dark eyes as he looked at her.
Joanna raised her chin slightly, as though steeling herself for his order for her to leave, but he slowly raised his hand and lightly touched her hair.
Colt wished he had the words to tell her that her hair reminded him of sunshine. He thought of a hundred things he wanted to tell her about how important she was to him and how she’d brought happiness into his life. But he’d heard her tell Milton she’d go back with him, and Colt was too proud to beg any woman to stay.
He moved toward her, loving the way her eyes welcomed him with growing need. Somehow in the predawn light the world seemed unreal and magical, made up of only the two of them. He knew if he spoke of his love, it would somehow shatter the perfect world.
Gently he bent and lifted her into his arms. In long strides he
Similar Books
