the trick. You
can't feel any pain if you're out cold."
I chuckled. I didn't want to sleep, but didn't want to feel pain either. I also didn't want
Riley to leave. I was curious about him and if I fell asleep, then I couldn't talk to him. I opened
both eyes and took a brief moment to look him over. I couldn't help it. The man was stunning
even with his messy hair. Travis definitely had nothing on Riley. I had no idea towns this small
had men this gorgeous.
"So you're the guy in Bobby's store, huh? You were staring at me."
His charming grin returned. "You were staring at me too."
I laughed lightly. Ouch, my head hurt. o more laughing . "Yeah, but you started it…and
you watched me drive away."
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 45
He grabbed the desk chair and slid it toward the bed. Once he sat next to me, the room
was silent as he looked at me. When he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, I happened
to look down and notice his dirty feet. A puzzled look crossed my face.
"What can I say?" His voice brought my gaze back to his. "You fascinate me."
I swallowed nervously and averted my eyes toward the ceiling. His flirtatiousness
reminded me of Travis. "You don't even know me," I said quietly, my voice clipped.
Suddenly, he moved the chair right against the bed. I wasn't sure if my words bothered
him because his expression was hard to read.
When he smirked, I knew I didn't upset him. "Maybe so...but I like what I see."
His words bothered me , and I turned my head away. "I don't want to think about how I
look right now."
"Paige," he said softly.
I liked the way my name sounded when he said it, and I think his English accent had
something to do with it. I still didn't look at him, but in my peripheral vision, I saw him move
from the chair to the floor. Then he scooted closer until he was sitting next to me. One of my
hands rested on my stomach. I didn't expect him to hold it but he did.
"You've been in an accident."
I turned my head slowly to look at him. Unshed tears blurred my vision. My body hurt
and I felt ugly. I tried to keep my tears at bay, but they were determined to fall.
Riley's other hand reached for me. I flinched when his fingers wiped my tears away.
"Besides, I already know how pretty you are."
My cheeks flushed, but I managed to smile. In the bright room, Riley’s blond hair shone
in the sunlight, thick and healthy. His ethereally handsome face reminded me of an angel’s. The
sexual tension between us was almost tangible, but I felt uncomfortable with it because of my
physical condition. I thought it would be wise to take the focus off me.
"I noticed you and your family have accents. You're from England, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
"So, how'd you end up in Black River? This is such a small town. I wonder how anyone
finds it."
Riley smiled again, but it faded after a few seconds. "What I'm about to tell you...you
can't speak of it to anyone. Promise?"
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 46
He already had me intrigued. I nodded quickly. "I promise."
Sadness crossed his features when he said, "My mother was murdered in England." He
paused and his face turned serious. "When my father found out, he killed the men responsible."
My eyes widened in shock. I had no idea Sheriff Gray was a murderer. Riley had my
undivided attention.
"A witness saw him, and soon the police were looking for him. We went on the run,
traveling to different parts of Great Britain. We tried to get into Ireland when my father ran into
an old friend. He told him about a remote mountain town in the States called Black River. He
said we'd be safe there so we traveled across the pond to Colorado." Riley looked down at the
floor and sighed softly. "That was fourteen years ago."
"I'm sorry about your mother." He looked at me and I saw the pain behind his eyes. "I
know
can't feel any pain if you're out cold."
I chuckled. I didn't want to sleep, but didn't want to feel pain either. I also didn't want
Riley to leave. I was curious about him and if I fell asleep, then I couldn't talk to him. I opened
both eyes and took a brief moment to look him over. I couldn't help it. The man was stunning
even with his messy hair. Travis definitely had nothing on Riley. I had no idea towns this small
had men this gorgeous.
"So you're the guy in Bobby's store, huh? You were staring at me."
His charming grin returned. "You were staring at me too."
I laughed lightly. Ouch, my head hurt. o more laughing . "Yeah, but you started it…and
you watched me drive away."
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 45
He grabbed the desk chair and slid it toward the bed. Once he sat next to me, the room
was silent as he looked at me. When he leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, I happened
to look down and notice his dirty feet. A puzzled look crossed my face.
"What can I say?" His voice brought my gaze back to his. "You fascinate me."
I swallowed nervously and averted my eyes toward the ceiling. His flirtatiousness
reminded me of Travis. "You don't even know me," I said quietly, my voice clipped.
Suddenly, he moved the chair right against the bed. I wasn't sure if my words bothered
him because his expression was hard to read.
When he smirked, I knew I didn't upset him. "Maybe so...but I like what I see."
His words bothered me , and I turned my head away. "I don't want to think about how I
look right now."
"Paige," he said softly.
I liked the way my name sounded when he said it, and I think his English accent had
something to do with it. I still didn't look at him, but in my peripheral vision, I saw him move
from the chair to the floor. Then he scooted closer until he was sitting next to me. One of my
hands rested on my stomach. I didn't expect him to hold it but he did.
"You've been in an accident."
I turned my head slowly to look at him. Unshed tears blurred my vision. My body hurt
and I felt ugly. I tried to keep my tears at bay, but they were determined to fall.
Riley's other hand reached for me. I flinched when his fingers wiped my tears away.
"Besides, I already know how pretty you are."
My cheeks flushed, but I managed to smile. In the bright room, Riley’s blond hair shone
in the sunlight, thick and healthy. His ethereally handsome face reminded me of an angel’s. The
sexual tension between us was almost tangible, but I felt uncomfortable with it because of my
physical condition. I thought it would be wise to take the focus off me.
"I noticed you and your family have accents. You're from England, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
"So, how'd you end up in Black River? This is such a small town. I wonder how anyone
finds it."
Riley smiled again, but it faded after a few seconds. "What I'm about to tell you...you
can't speak of it to anyone. Promise?"
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 46
He already had me intrigued. I nodded quickly. "I promise."
Sadness crossed his features when he said, "My mother was murdered in England." He
paused and his face turned serious. "When my father found out, he killed the men responsible."
My eyes widened in shock. I had no idea Sheriff Gray was a murderer. Riley had my
undivided attention.
"A witness saw him, and soon the police were looking for him. We went on the run,
traveling to different parts of Great Britain. We tried to get into Ireland when my father ran into
an old friend. He told him about a remote mountain town in the States called Black River. He
said we'd be safe there so we traveled across the pond to Colorado." Riley looked down at the
floor and sighed softly. "That was fourteen years ago."
"I'm sorry about your mother." He looked at me and I saw the pain behind his eyes. "I
know
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