A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman Read Free Book Online Page A

any help, Millie. Frank already thinks of you as a woman.”
    Millie’s throaty giggle brought a hint of warmth to Lizzie’s cheeks, confirming Lizzie’s statement, and then some. Millie tossed her head back in a saucy display of modern womanism and patted her boyish bob. Her square cut and short bangs were as scandalous as her scarlet lips and pencil-thin brows. She fluttered mascara-smudged lashes in a provocative way. “I’ll say he does, Lizzie, and if you’d just follow my advice, Brady would think the same of you.”
    Lizzie gave her a lopsided smile. “I’m afraid Brady would think I’d lost my mind. He’s more of an old-fashioned type of man, Millie, and I don’t mind. To a point. But like my sisters say, Brady needs a jolt, and I fully intend to give it to him.”
    “Attagirl, you’ll have that man carrying a torch for you in no time. Why, half the men who come in this shop have a crush on you. Brady must be half blind or way more religious than you say. What did your sisters say to do?”
    Lizzie grinned and carried a hefty stack of bestsellers to a nearby table. She shot a quick glance at the front desk where Mr. Harvey was assisting a customer. Millie trotted behind, sporting a considerably smaller pile of books in her arms. Lizzie peeked up at her friend beneath sweeping lashes bereft of mascara. She blushed. “They said I have to get him to kiss me.”
    Millie whooped, and Mr. Harvey looked up with a frown. It was Millie’s turn to blush, rare color flooding her powdered cheeks. Her demeanor sobered considerably as she quickly helped Lizzie arrange the books into an attractive display. “That had to be Charity’s idea. That woman is a regular Mata Hari.”
    Lizzie lowered her eyes, aware of Mr. Harvey’s intense scrutiny. She bit back a smile and focused hard on the task at hand. “Yes, it’s always been a talent of hers, it seems. So between Faith’s prayers and Charity’s skill with men, I hope I can turn Brady’s head.” She sighed and straightened the price placard in front of the books. “But I don’t know if I can do it. Just the thought of kissing that man leaves me weak in the knees.”
    Millie chuckled and put the finishing touches on the display by fanning out several books in front of the exhibit. “You can do it. Just pretend it’s a scene in a play like you did last year in drama class. You were wonderful, as I recall. A real live wire.” She grinned. “Unlike the way you actually live your life.”
    “Thanks a lot.”
    Millie chanced a peek at Mr. Harvey to make sure he was still occupied with a customer. “But I have high hopes for you, Lizzie O’Connor. On the outside you’re this shy, demure little thing, but on the inside there’s all this passion and drama just itching to get out. Just like story time with the kids—you fairly sizzle with excitement and stimulation. Unfortunately, when it comes to men, you’re a real sad case.” She wiggled her brows and grinned. “Almost eighteen and never been kissed.”
    Lizzie propped her hands on her hips. “Have to! Must I remind you that Tom Weston cornered me on the back staircase at your party last year?”
    Millie folded her arms and arched a brow. “Did you kiss him back?”
    “No, of course not.”
    “Then you haven’t been kissed. And for the love of Mike, I still don’t know how anyone could not kiss Tom Weston back. That man is the bee’s knees. Is he still calling?”
    Lizzie wandered to the back of the store to set up for story hour, with Millie close on her heels. She sighed as thoughts of Tom Weston dampened her mood. “Every month, like clockwork. Charity calls him Plan C.”
    “Sometimes I think you’re a bit balmy. If Tom Weston looked at me, I’d say, ‘Frank who?’ ” Millie stopped in her tracks, her eyes as wide as her gaping mouth. “What do you mean ‘Plan C’?”
    Lizzie bent over to arrange a number of small, brightly colored chairs into a perfectly formed semicircle. “If