Read Online Stay a Little Longer by Dorothy Garlock - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dorothy Garlock
Ads: Link
picnic,” Jonathan explained pleasantly. “I found the perfect spot
on the north side of the lake, a clearing surrounded by tall elms and more wildflowers than you could count in a week! When
I first saw it, I couldn’t think of anyone I would rather share it with than you.”
Momentarily taken aback, Rachel was struck mute. Previously, Jonathan had only made subtle hints of his romantic feelings
for her, certainly nothing so forward as this!
Romance was something that Rachel had never found much time for; she’d had her fair share of men attracted by her looks, but
nothing serious. With all of her responsibilities, particularly with Charlotte, she did little to encourage them. Besides,
if she did ever decide to pursue a relationship, it wouldn’t have been with Jonathan Moseley. “I thank… I thank you for thinking
of me,” she stammered, “but I’m afraid I just can’t! I have all of this laundry to finish hanging and then I have to—”
“Surely it doesn’t all have to be done this instant, does it?”
“But my mother,” Rachel struggled. “She insists that—”
“If there’s any insisting to be done here, I do believe that I should be the one doing it.” He laughed. “It would certainly
be no trouble to gather a picnic basket. Two people like ourselves need some time to be away, to be alone, and to let… things…
take their natural course.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Why it’s only the normal way of things that an unattached, successful man such as myself would wish to find companionship
with an equally single young woman as lovely as you,” Jonathan explained as he slowly stepped toward her, his tongue licking
across his lips. “That’s how all good romances begin, don’t you think?”
Rachel could feel the flush of embarrassment color her cheeks and she turned back to her laundry. Revulsion at Jonathan’s
suggestion roiled her stomach. Bending over, she grasped for another piece of laundry, anxious to do something, anything,
to lose his interest. But just as she gripped a sheet corner, she felt the hem of her skirt being lifted, followed by the
sensation of a finger running across the bare skin just above her boot. There could be no doubt what was happening.
What in the hell does he think he’s doing?
Spinning around and snatching her skirt back toward her, Rachel caught Jonathan straightening up, a patently false look of
innocence plastered across his ridiculous face, his hands clasped behind his back. The remnants of a smile still played across
his chapped lips.
“Have you lost your senses?” she shouted at him.
“You misunderstand my intentions, my dear,” Jonathan explained, his green eyes dancing with mock offense. “It was quite innocent.
I saw that your hemline was about to be snagged in one of the broken wickers of the laundry basket and I thought to save you
more work. If there had been a tear, who knows how many hours it would have cost!”
Rachel didn’t believe a single word of his explanation. All of the irritation she felt came boiling out in an instant. Angrily,
she stepped toward him, ready to give him a much-deserved piece of her mind. With his meek exterior, she expected him to retreat
as she advanced, but he surprised her by closing the gap between them. His thin fingers painfully grasped her wrists, pulling
her closer.
“This is the spirit I find so attractive in you,” he declared.
“Get your hands off me!”
“Why would I want to do that?”
As she tried to break his grip, Rachel could see that Jonathan had no intention of letting her go. From the mischievous gleam
in his eyes, she was horrified to realize that he intended to kiss her. As quickly as she could manage, she turned her face
away from his.
“You need to get away from a place such as this,” Jonathan said, his voice no more than a deep whisper in her ear. “Beauty
and talents like yours are wasted here. You need to be somewhere,
on the north side of the lake, a clearing surrounded by tall elms and more wildflowers than you could count in a week! When
I first saw it, I couldn’t think of anyone I would rather share it with than you.”
Momentarily taken aback, Rachel was struck mute. Previously, Jonathan had only made subtle hints of his romantic feelings
for her, certainly nothing so forward as this!
Romance was something that Rachel had never found much time for; she’d had her fair share of men attracted by her looks, but
nothing serious. With all of her responsibilities, particularly with Charlotte, she did little to encourage them. Besides,
if she did ever decide to pursue a relationship, it wouldn’t have been with Jonathan Moseley. “I thank… I thank you for thinking
of me,” she stammered, “but I’m afraid I just can’t! I have all of this laundry to finish hanging and then I have to—”
“Surely it doesn’t all have to be done this instant, does it?”
“But my mother,” Rachel struggled. “She insists that—”
“If there’s any insisting to be done here, I do believe that I should be the one doing it.” He laughed. “It would certainly
be no trouble to gather a picnic basket. Two people like ourselves need some time to be away, to be alone, and to let… things…
take their natural course.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Why it’s only the normal way of things that an unattached, successful man such as myself would wish to find companionship
with an equally single young woman as lovely as you,” Jonathan explained as he slowly stepped toward her, his tongue licking
across his lips. “That’s how all good romances begin, don’t you think?”
Rachel could feel the flush of embarrassment color her cheeks and she turned back to her laundry. Revulsion at Jonathan’s
suggestion roiled her stomach. Bending over, she grasped for another piece of laundry, anxious to do something, anything,
to lose his interest. But just as she gripped a sheet corner, she felt the hem of her skirt being lifted, followed by the
sensation of a finger running across the bare skin just above her boot. There could be no doubt what was happening.
What in the hell does he think he’s doing?
Spinning around and snatching her skirt back toward her, Rachel caught Jonathan straightening up, a patently false look of
innocence plastered across his ridiculous face, his hands clasped behind his back. The remnants of a smile still played across
his chapped lips.
“Have you lost your senses?” she shouted at him.
“You misunderstand my intentions, my dear,” Jonathan explained, his green eyes dancing with mock offense. “It was quite innocent.
I saw that your hemline was about to be snagged in one of the broken wickers of the laundry basket and I thought to save you
more work. If there had been a tear, who knows how many hours it would have cost!”
Rachel didn’t believe a single word of his explanation. All of the irritation she felt came boiling out in an instant. Angrily,
she stepped toward him, ready to give him a much-deserved piece of her mind. With his meek exterior, she expected him to retreat
as she advanced, but he surprised her by closing the gap between them. His thin fingers painfully grasped her wrists, pulling
her closer.
“This is the spirit I find so attractive in you,” he declared.
“Get your hands off me!”
“Why would I want to do that?”
As she tried to break his grip, Rachel could see that Jonathan had no intention of letting her go. From the mischievous gleam
in his eyes, she was horrified to realize that he intended to kiss her. As quickly as she could manage, she turned her face
away from his.
“You need to get away from a place such as this,” Jonathan said, his voice no more than a deep whisper in her ear. “Beauty
and talents like yours are wasted here. You need to be somewhere,
Similar Books
