Read Online The Unexpected Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Joanne Walsh - Free Book Online
Authors: Joanne Walsh
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said in an awed voice.
“Think it had woken up after the winter.” Linda came into the kitchen, Bobo trotting beside her. “Livin’ in the caves at the bottom of the mountain, and probably looking for food. Better be sure the trash is safely stowed away.”
Laurent stole a look at Emma, but she had her back to him, helping Jerome out of his coat and snowy boots. The kids didn’t appear to notice that she’d been crying, though he saw Linda giving her a concerned look.
“Sounds like a great idea, Linda. Grizzlies can be very hungry at this time of year. Grrrr…” He growled playfully into Evie’s ear and tickled her, and she giggled with delight.
Emma’s pale face told him how tired and unhappy she was, and he felt another huge pang of guilt. She was already feeling shaky and insecure about what had happened to her in England and he, in a moment of madness, had piled on even more pressure. He needed to back off fast. God knew that he couldn’t afford to lose her…
Chapter Four
A few days later, Evie and Jerome were busy drawing pictures of the bear they’d seen when they’d gone walking in the woods with Linda. In fact, Evie had talked of little else since their encounter with the animal, and Jerome had begun to worry that it might come and eat him because it was hungry after its winter hibernation. So Emma had decided that a little bit of art therapy was necessary to lessen the bear’s menace in their minds.
The children were happily occupied at the large, low coffee table, splashing their brushes into pots of paint and water, and adding scribbles with crayons. Emma was sitting on the couch near them, Bobo sitting quietly for once on her lap, watching the activity as she absently tickled his ears. She was thinking about Laurent again, about that kiss, and their conversation the morning after. She had seen very little of him since; he’d retreated into his workshop, saying that he had more orders that he could handle. He’d stopped eating with her and the children, persuading Linda to make and leave him a series of snacks in the refrigerator, which he could pick up at his convenience. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was avoiding her. Perhaps he was embarrassed? Ruminating, she ran her finger along the silky cleft on Bobo’s skull and the little dog raised his head in appreciation at being stroked in his favorite place.
Visions of Laurent’s kiss and how it had heated and inflamed her body kept on returning; try as she might to think about other things, he kept filling her brain. And the admission that he’d made when he’d apologized the next day had also branded itself on her. I was lonely . Her heart had gone out to him when he’d admitted that. But, at the same time, her heart had sunk too, because of the truth that his words belied: he had reached for her to fill his emptiness, nothing more; there’d been no deep emotion involved.
Though that had to be a good thing, hadn’t it? Laurent wasn’t Sir Giles, trying to force her against her will, threatening her when she wouldn’t do what he wanted. He wasn’t Tom, either, loving and affectionate to begin with, then jealous, controlling and unpredictable, especially once her employer had started pestering her. Laurent had pitched up and said sorry as soon as he could. He hadn’t terminated her employment. In that regard, he was an honorable man.
She sighed heavily. Try as she might to not admit it, she realized that she had wanted him when he’d touched her like that. It shocked her as, until that moment in the kitchen, she’d felt like she wouldn’t want to get close with a man again for a very long time. Oh, dear; somehow, she needed to put her unexpected attraction to Laurent to one side and concentrate on what she’d come to Copper Creek to do: care for two delightful children. There was no way she was ready for another relationship with a man, even if Laurent had been willing…which she knew for sure
“Think it had woken up after the winter.” Linda came into the kitchen, Bobo trotting beside her. “Livin’ in the caves at the bottom of the mountain, and probably looking for food. Better be sure the trash is safely stowed away.”
Laurent stole a look at Emma, but she had her back to him, helping Jerome out of his coat and snowy boots. The kids didn’t appear to notice that she’d been crying, though he saw Linda giving her a concerned look.
“Sounds like a great idea, Linda. Grizzlies can be very hungry at this time of year. Grrrr…” He growled playfully into Evie’s ear and tickled her, and she giggled with delight.
Emma’s pale face told him how tired and unhappy she was, and he felt another huge pang of guilt. She was already feeling shaky and insecure about what had happened to her in England and he, in a moment of madness, had piled on even more pressure. He needed to back off fast. God knew that he couldn’t afford to lose her…
Chapter Four
A few days later, Evie and Jerome were busy drawing pictures of the bear they’d seen when they’d gone walking in the woods with Linda. In fact, Evie had talked of little else since their encounter with the animal, and Jerome had begun to worry that it might come and eat him because it was hungry after its winter hibernation. So Emma had decided that a little bit of art therapy was necessary to lessen the bear’s menace in their minds.
The children were happily occupied at the large, low coffee table, splashing their brushes into pots of paint and water, and adding scribbles with crayons. Emma was sitting on the couch near them, Bobo sitting quietly for once on her lap, watching the activity as she absently tickled his ears. She was thinking about Laurent again, about that kiss, and their conversation the morning after. She had seen very little of him since; he’d retreated into his workshop, saying that he had more orders that he could handle. He’d stopped eating with her and the children, persuading Linda to make and leave him a series of snacks in the refrigerator, which he could pick up at his convenience. If she didn’t know better, she would think he was avoiding her. Perhaps he was embarrassed? Ruminating, she ran her finger along the silky cleft on Bobo’s skull and the little dog raised his head in appreciation at being stroked in his favorite place.
Visions of Laurent’s kiss and how it had heated and inflamed her body kept on returning; try as she might to think about other things, he kept filling her brain. And the admission that he’d made when he’d apologized the next day had also branded itself on her. I was lonely . Her heart had gone out to him when he’d admitted that. But, at the same time, her heart had sunk too, because of the truth that his words belied: he had reached for her to fill his emptiness, nothing more; there’d been no deep emotion involved.
Though that had to be a good thing, hadn’t it? Laurent wasn’t Sir Giles, trying to force her against her will, threatening her when she wouldn’t do what he wanted. He wasn’t Tom, either, loving and affectionate to begin with, then jealous, controlling and unpredictable, especially once her employer had started pestering her. Laurent had pitched up and said sorry as soon as he could. He hadn’t terminated her employment. In that regard, he was an honorable man.
She sighed heavily. Try as she might to not admit it, she realized that she had wanted him when he’d touched her like that. It shocked her as, until that moment in the kitchen, she’d felt like she wouldn’t want to get close with a man again for a very long time. Oh, dear; somehow, she needed to put her unexpected attraction to Laurent to one side and concentrate on what she’d come to Copper Creek to do: care for two delightful children. There was no way she was ready for another relationship with a man, even if Laurent had been willing…which she knew for sure
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