Read Online White Dove's Promise by Stella Bagwell - Free Book Online

to work at getting a woman’s attention, much less in making her like him. With Kerry it seemed like everything he did was wrong.
    â€œUh—yes, I did. I didn’t think you’d want to refuse the newspaper. Especially when the whole area is interested in reading about Peggy’s rescue.”
    Her soft lips compressed together and Jared wondered how it would feel to take her in his arms and coax her lips apart with a kiss.
    â€œGiving the story to the newspaper has nothing to do with it,” she clipped. “We could have met him at the library, a restaurant, anywhere but your home!”
    Jared looked truly offended. “And what’s the matter with my house? You probably don’t even know where I live.”
    She heaved out a breath as she focused her gaze on Peggy. At the moment, the two animals were stretched out on the grass near Peggy as she tempted both cat and dog to catch the dandelion in her hand. Her daughter was safe and healthy because this man had risked his life, Kerry thought. And now she was playing and giggling because this man had brought her a special gift. She couldn’t be annoyed with him. Even if she tried.
    â€œI didn’t even know you lived around Black Arrow,” she admitted.
    â€œWell, I only live here when I’m not away on a job,” he conceded. “But I keep a place south of town. The old Wafford farm. Know where that is?”
    Kerry nodded, surprised to hear he chose to keep residence in an old farmhouse rather than an easy-living apartment in town. “I rarely have any reason to go out that way. I thought the house was empty.”
    He grinned. “Oh, I show my face around here every so often. If I didn’t my brothers and sisters would disown me.”
    The idea that he was only here in Black Arrow temporarily was enough to allow Kerry to relax her guard. The man would be gone soon, she reasoned with herself. He wasn’t trying to get involved with her. And she knew not to let herself get interested in him. There wouldn’t be time enough or a reason for anything heartbreaking to happen.
    â€œOkay, Peggy and I will be there,” she told him. “What time?”
    â€œThe reporter will be there at seven. Make it a few minutes before so I’ll have time to show you around the old place.”
    She turned her head toward him and as soon as their eyes met, her heart leaped with forbidden excitement. “We’ll be there at a quarter till,” she promised.
    Â 
    â€œKerry, I don’t want you to do this. Call the man right now and tell him you’re not coming.”
    Kerry continued to study her image in the mirror rather than look at her mother who’d entered the bedroom moments ago. “Don’t do this to me, Mom. Not now.”
    Shaking her head, Enola sank onto the foot of Kerry’s bed. “You’re making a big mistake.”
    Kerry sighed. Ever since her mother had learned about the interview at Jared’s house tonight, she’d been treating Kerry as though she were sixteen years old rather than twenty-six. “I’m going to do an interview for the newspaper, Mom. This isn’t some life-or-death mission.”
    Enola clamped her jaws together. “It isn’t like you to be disrespectful, Kerry. Is that what this man is doing to you?”
    Kerry adjusted the soft beige blouse she’d tucked into a broomstick skirt which was printed in narrow stripes of black, beige and turquoise. The clothes were feminine, she decided, but casual enough so as not to appear she’d gone to pains to dress up for him.
    â€œJared Colton hasn’t done anything to me. Except save my daughter’s life.”
    Enola tossed her hands into the air. “He wasn’t theonly man there that night. The firemen, the lawmen, the emergency people were all working to get Peggy out.”
    â€œThat’s right. And I’ll always be grateful to them,” Kerry agreed,