Read Online Navajo's Woman by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beverly Barton
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in my bed."
"I'll be just fine on the sofa."
"Okay by me." He shrugged. "I was just trying to do the gentlemanly thing."
"I don't want you to put yourself out for me. After all, I am an uninvited and unwelcome guest."
Before he could reply, she flung open the door and disappeared outside. Joe grumbled to himself as he went into his bedroom and rummaged around in the closet, searching for a blanket and an extra pillow.
How was he going to endure days—maybe weeks—with Andi, when the tension between them sizzled?
Anger mixed with de-sire was a deadly combination.
Andi took her own sweet time retrieving her bag from the back of the Expedition. She needed a few extra minutes outside in the cool night air to clear her head, calm her nerves and let the smoldering emotions raging inside her die down a bit. Being around Joe aroused too many memories, too many old feelings that she'd thought long dead. A part of her despised him, and yet another part of her ached for him, wishing that he could erase the past and make things right again.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
If Russ's future—perhaps his very life—didn't depend on her acting as his protector, then she wouldn't put her-self through the torment of spending endless days with Joe Ornelas.
She wanted to be able to look at Joe, have a conver-sation with him, spend time with him—and not be con-sumed with emotions she could barely control. She wa-vered between wanting to pummel him with her fists and longing for him to take her into his arms. If only she could vent her frustration and demand an explanation for his actions five years ago.Why did you leave me? Why didn't you stay and fight for our relationship? Why didn't you try harder to make me understand why you betrayed my father's friendship?
Don't do this to yourself!aninner voice advised. She was not here to reconcile with Joe, to forgive him or to ask his forgiveness. She was here to help her brother. She must never forget that she couldn't trust Joe. Not when it came to her family.
Andi lifted the vinyl bag out of her SUV, closed the hatch and locked it. Squaring her shoulders, she marched to Joe's front door, turned the knob and reentered his house. The overhead light had been turned off and only the glow from the fireplace illuminated the room. She skidded to a stop when she saw him bent over in front of the fireplace, replenishing the logs. She had always loved Joe's back—wide shoulders, thickly muscled and tapering into a narrow waist. His hair hung long and straight to just below the neck of his sweater. Cut blunt and straight, itglistened a shiny blue-black in the firelight.
Without saying a word, she tossed her bag over and onto the sofa. It landed with a resoundingthump.Joe glanced back at her, then rose to his feet and replaced the iron poker in the rack alongside the other rustic fireplace utensils.
"Found you a pillow and a couple of blankets," he said. "You should be cosy enough by the fire. You re-member where the bathroom is, don't you?"
"Yes." Why did he have to look so good? Every fea-ture of his face was chiseled perfection, from high cheek-bones to a strong, square chin. And he had the most in-credible eyes.Deep, dark brown ovals, slightly slanted and extremely expressive. There had been a time when she'd known what Joe was thinking by just looking into his eyes.
"If you happen to wake before I do in the morning, how about putting on a pot of coffee?''
"Sure thing," she said.
"If you need—"
"I won't. I'll be fine."
"Good night, then."
"Good night."
She waited until he disappeared into his bedroom be-fore she rifled through her bag, searching for her pajamas. She quickly found the set—yellow cotton shorts and an oversize matching top. With the pajamas thrown over her arm, she took her small cosmetics case with her to the bathroom. It was then, just when she started to remove her blouse, that she realized she was still wearing
"I'll be just fine on the sofa."
"Okay by me." He shrugged. "I was just trying to do the gentlemanly thing."
"I don't want you to put yourself out for me. After all, I am an uninvited and unwelcome guest."
Before he could reply, she flung open the door and disappeared outside. Joe grumbled to himself as he went into his bedroom and rummaged around in the closet, searching for a blanket and an extra pillow.
How was he going to endure days—maybe weeks—with Andi, when the tension between them sizzled?
Anger mixed with de-sire was a deadly combination.
Andi took her own sweet time retrieving her bag from the back of the Expedition. She needed a few extra minutes outside in the cool night air to clear her head, calm her nerves and let the smoldering emotions raging inside her die down a bit. Being around Joe aroused too many memories, too many old feelings that she'd thought long dead. A part of her despised him, and yet another part of her ached for him, wishing that he could erase the past and make things right again.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
If Russ's future—perhaps his very life—didn't depend on her acting as his protector, then she wouldn't put her-self through the torment of spending endless days with Joe Ornelas.
She wanted to be able to look at Joe, have a conver-sation with him, spend time with him—and not be con-sumed with emotions she could barely control. She wa-vered between wanting to pummel him with her fists and longing for him to take her into his arms. If only she could vent her frustration and demand an explanation for his actions five years ago.Why did you leave me? Why didn't you stay and fight for our relationship? Why didn't you try harder to make me understand why you betrayed my father's friendship?
Don't do this to yourself!aninner voice advised. She was not here to reconcile with Joe, to forgive him or to ask his forgiveness. She was here to help her brother. She must never forget that she couldn't trust Joe. Not when it came to her family.
Andi lifted the vinyl bag out of her SUV, closed the hatch and locked it. Squaring her shoulders, she marched to Joe's front door, turned the knob and reentered his house. The overhead light had been turned off and only the glow from the fireplace illuminated the room. She skidded to a stop when she saw him bent over in front of the fireplace, replenishing the logs. She had always loved Joe's back—wide shoulders, thickly muscled and tapering into a narrow waist. His hair hung long and straight to just below the neck of his sweater. Cut blunt and straight, itglistened a shiny blue-black in the firelight.
Without saying a word, she tossed her bag over and onto the sofa. It landed with a resoundingthump.Joe glanced back at her, then rose to his feet and replaced the iron poker in the rack alongside the other rustic fireplace utensils.
"Found you a pillow and a couple of blankets," he said. "You should be cosy enough by the fire. You re-member where the bathroom is, don't you?"
"Yes." Why did he have to look so good? Every fea-ture of his face was chiseled perfection, from high cheek-bones to a strong, square chin. And he had the most in-credible eyes.Deep, dark brown ovals, slightly slanted and extremely expressive. There had been a time when she'd known what Joe was thinking by just looking into his eyes.
"If you happen to wake before I do in the morning, how about putting on a pot of coffee?''
"Sure thing," she said.
"If you need—"
"I won't. I'll be fine."
"Good night, then."
"Good night."
She waited until he disappeared into his bedroom be-fore she rifled through her bag, searching for her pajamas. She quickly found the set—yellow cotton shorts and an oversize matching top. With the pajamas thrown over her arm, she took her small cosmetics case with her to the bathroom. It was then, just when she started to remove her blouse, that she realized she was still wearing
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