Read Online The Shepherd's Daughter (Dry Bayou Brides Book 1) by Lynn Winchester - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynn Winchester
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go back to the day of the fishing derby, kiss the taste right off of Ray’s lips, and then ignore his ma’s calls to come to the house. He just wanted to go back to the way things were before Rebecca arrived and his world became so complicated.
No, maybe he didn’t want to go back to the way things were. He didn’t want to be Ray’s best friend; a friend who was more brother than actual man. He was a man who wanted Ray to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
With that thought in mind, he continued walking to Ray’s house. He knew which window belonged to her because of all the times they had snuck to the creek at night over the years. Tonight wouldn’t be much different, except he didn’t want to hunt frogs with her.
Thankful for the light of a nearly full moon, he sucked in a deep breath and tapped on the glass. He waited.
Would she come to the window? Would she come with him? Or, would she ignore him as he knew he deserved?
The questions in his mind came to an abrupt halt when he picked out movement in the shadows of her room.
She’s coming…
Ray snapped the lock and opened the window.
He couldn’t help the smile when he saw the surprised expression on her face.
Tired, annoyed, and oh, so adorable.
How did I ever think of her as boyish?
“Willem Ducharme, what in the world are you doin’ at my window at this hour?” Her whispered reprimand didn’t carry the weight she’d probably intended and that made him smile bigger.
“You missed our meeting. I figured I’d come get you so you didn’t get lost on the way.”
“I didn’t miss anythin’. I read your note and decided that anythin’ you had to say to me could be said in the mornin’. At a respectable time.” She pulled her wrapper tighter around her shoulders and withdrew from the window. “Goodnight, Billy.”
His hand was under the frame so she couldn’t close it.
“ Baby Ray, I think you owe it to me to come out and talk to me.”
That’ll get her.
Her head appeared through the opening again, but this time the expression on her face wasn’t as adorable. “You good-fer-nothin—what is it you think I owe you? I haven’t seen you long enough over the last three days for me to have done anythin’ to you.”
No, they hadn’t spent any time together and he felt that emptiness right down to his soul. “That’s why you owe me. We haven’t had any time to talk like we used to and I find there’s a lot I need to get off my chest. I could use a listening ear to help me think through all my troubles.”
He knew he was laying it on thick, but he had to—needed to—talk to her, be around her. Touch her. If it were possible, his next breath depended on her answer.
She let out an agitated sigh. “Fine. It wasn’t like I was sleepin’, anyway.”
He stepped away to give her room to climb through, and once she was standing before him in her night clothes, her fragrant hair loose, and her precious face pointed up at his, the urge to kiss her nearly overpowered him.
“Well, what’re you waitin’ for? Lead the way, lest I get lost.” She snickered openly and moved around him to start the short trek to the creek.
He laughed and turned to follow her.
He’d follow her anywhere.
Chapter Ten
R ay shook herself for her stupidity; first for coming out to the creek with Billy, and second, for not putting on her shoes first. Her feet were freezing. At least she’d thought to grab her wrapper off the chair beside her bed when she’d heard someone tapping at her window.
She’d been laying there, numb, trying to force her eyes closed and to keep her mind from overthinking everything, when she’d heard the tap, tap, tap .
It didn’t take long for them to get to the creek; they knew the way there, even in the dark. Once Ray stopped, right in front of the rock she’d claimed as hers, Ray planted her hands on her hips.
Billy stopped and she could tell he was nervous, maybe even troubled.
“Well, what did you
No, maybe he didn’t want to go back to the way things were. He didn’t want to be Ray’s best friend; a friend who was more brother than actual man. He was a man who wanted Ray to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
With that thought in mind, he continued walking to Ray’s house. He knew which window belonged to her because of all the times they had snuck to the creek at night over the years. Tonight wouldn’t be much different, except he didn’t want to hunt frogs with her.
Thankful for the light of a nearly full moon, he sucked in a deep breath and tapped on the glass. He waited.
Would she come to the window? Would she come with him? Or, would she ignore him as he knew he deserved?
The questions in his mind came to an abrupt halt when he picked out movement in the shadows of her room.
She’s coming…
Ray snapped the lock and opened the window.
He couldn’t help the smile when he saw the surprised expression on her face.
Tired, annoyed, and oh, so adorable.
How did I ever think of her as boyish?
“Willem Ducharme, what in the world are you doin’ at my window at this hour?” Her whispered reprimand didn’t carry the weight she’d probably intended and that made him smile bigger.
“You missed our meeting. I figured I’d come get you so you didn’t get lost on the way.”
“I didn’t miss anythin’. I read your note and decided that anythin’ you had to say to me could be said in the mornin’. At a respectable time.” She pulled her wrapper tighter around her shoulders and withdrew from the window. “Goodnight, Billy.”
His hand was under the frame so she couldn’t close it.
“ Baby Ray, I think you owe it to me to come out and talk to me.”
That’ll get her.
Her head appeared through the opening again, but this time the expression on her face wasn’t as adorable. “You good-fer-nothin—what is it you think I owe you? I haven’t seen you long enough over the last three days for me to have done anythin’ to you.”
No, they hadn’t spent any time together and he felt that emptiness right down to his soul. “That’s why you owe me. We haven’t had any time to talk like we used to and I find there’s a lot I need to get off my chest. I could use a listening ear to help me think through all my troubles.”
He knew he was laying it on thick, but he had to—needed to—talk to her, be around her. Touch her. If it were possible, his next breath depended on her answer.
She let out an agitated sigh. “Fine. It wasn’t like I was sleepin’, anyway.”
He stepped away to give her room to climb through, and once she was standing before him in her night clothes, her fragrant hair loose, and her precious face pointed up at his, the urge to kiss her nearly overpowered him.
“Well, what’re you waitin’ for? Lead the way, lest I get lost.” She snickered openly and moved around him to start the short trek to the creek.
He laughed and turned to follow her.
He’d follow her anywhere.
Chapter Ten
R ay shook herself for her stupidity; first for coming out to the creek with Billy, and second, for not putting on her shoes first. Her feet were freezing. At least she’d thought to grab her wrapper off the chair beside her bed when she’d heard someone tapping at her window.
She’d been laying there, numb, trying to force her eyes closed and to keep her mind from overthinking everything, when she’d heard the tap, tap, tap .
It didn’t take long for them to get to the creek; they knew the way there, even in the dark. Once Ray stopped, right in front of the rock she’d claimed as hers, Ray planted her hands on her hips.
Billy stopped and she could tell he was nervous, maybe even troubled.
“Well, what did you
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