Read Online Sunset Embrace by Sandra Brown - Free Book Online Page A

bouquet of Indian paintbrushes and buttercups. "We brung you some flowers, Lydia," Marynell said, grinning a jagged smile. Two days before, she had shown Lydia the bloody tooth Zeke had pulled the night before.
    "How lovely," Lydia exclaimed, taking the damp and drooping cluster of wildflowers from the girl's extended hand.
    "Smell," Marynell instructed, pushing the flowers toward Lydia's nose.
    "They sure smell sweet," the more shy Atlanta piped up.
    She knew what the girls were up to, but wouldn't spoil their fun. She brought one of the buttercups to her nose and pretended to take a whiff. When she lowered the bouquet, she could see the sticky yellow pollen clinging to the tip of her nose. The girls shrieked with laughter.
    "We tricked you, we tricked you," they chanted.
    "Oh, you! What have you done?" Lydia remembered that once she and her mother had played this game. She had never had anyone else to play with. It felt good. She rubbed at the buttery smudge on her nose.
    "Them flowers would look right pretty on your dress," Marynell said. "Wouldn't they, Atlanta?" She nudged her sisters ribs.
    "Sure would."
    "I guess they would at that." Lydia undid the topmost button Ma had been able to pull together and fasten. She breathed easier, but was alarmed by the amount of bosom that swelled up between the fabric. By pushing the stems of the flowers into the buttonhole, the blossoms filled the space nicely and partially covered her cleavage.
    If she had looked in a mirror, she would have seen what a sensual contribution the Bowers made to her appearance. But then she wouldn't have recognized it as sensual or seductive. She had had a man; she had borne a child. But of romantic matters she was innocent. Mating had been something forced on her. She couldn't imagine any woman actually inviting it.
    Ross, still on the other side of the wagon, was aware of the chattering, but he was distracted by his own thoughts. It had been pleasant to return to his wagon and find supper cooking and fresh coffee brewed, but the girl owed him at least that much. He had taken her in, hadn't he? When she didn't have a roof over her head, hadn't he taken her in and let her languish away her days and nights in his bed?
    He pulled on a clean shirt. She was doing all right by Lee. He couldn't fault her for that. The boy was growing a little each day. He had filled out since she had been nursing him. He didn't look so shriveled and sickly.
    Holding up his shaving mirror, Ross combed back his wet hair. When had he last combed it? He didn't remember. And for the life of him he couldn't imagine why he was bothering to now. Except that Victoria had taught him that a gentleman went to some effort to make himself presentable at dinnertime, even if he was still wearing his work clothes. It sure as hell had nothing to do with the girl who had spruced herself up. Nothing to do with her at all. Still, they might be living close together for a while. He supposed it would make life easier if they could be nicer to each other.
    Ma had called to her girls from across the camp and they had skipped away. Lydia dipped a tasting spoon into the stew and sipped at it. It was delicious and almost ready.
    "Evenin'."
    The voice was masculine and melodious with the slow drawl of the South. There was nothing intimidating about it. Nevertheless, Lydia's heartbeat accelerated. She didn't want anyone talking to her. Only moments before, Leona Watkins and an adolescent girl Lydia presumed to be her daughter had stalked by, their eyes forward, their noses high. The girl had risked a curious glance at Lydia. Mrs. Watkins had pinched her daughters arm hard in remonstra-tion. If the man who had just spoken to her meant only to ridicule her, she would just as soon he not have.
    Not wanting to show her fear, Lydia raised her eyes with open challenge. The man was young, maybe a few years younger than Mr. Coleman. He swept a wide-brimmed hat from his head to reveal soft brown hair that curled