Along Came Merrie by Beth D. Carter Read Free Book Online Page A

wanted to kiss him. She had no clue when he’d gone from savior to sexy but Braden McClintock was one piece of male who stimulated all her buttons. Just as she moved closer so she could put her mouth on his, he blinked and straightened. He abruptly left her—left the room—leaving her wondering what the hell had just happened. She thought they were about to share a wonderful moment, but obviously, she’d read him wrong.
    Story of her life. Always a day late and a dollar short, as her Great Uncle Clarence said. The Walden’s had terrible luck, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that she was attracted to a man who didn’t seem to want her back. She picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels, trying desperately not to replay the almost kiss in her head.

Chapter Six
     
     
     
    Listening to Braden bang around in the kitchen forced her to give up any hope of concentrating on the television. Soon, the aroma of breakfast permeated the air and her stomach rumbled. She’d been on a diet of soft foods such as oatmeal and soup, so when Braden appeared with eggs and toast, Merrie felt as if she’d been shown heaven.
    He set the plate on the coffee table. She picked up the toast then bit into it, closing her eyes in pleasure.
    “Mmm,” she said. “That is so good. Thank you, Braden.”
    He shrugged. “Just let me know if you start feeling nauseous.”
    “Aren’t you eating with me?”
    “Actually, I have to get going,” he told her. “I’m meeting with a client to look over some of my horses.”
    “Oh. Is this a big horse ranch?”
    “No, a small one, but it keeps me busy.” He gestured to the front door. “Leo is at the clinic. He should be there until lunch or if he gets an emergency call. The ground floor bathroom is under the staircase.”
    “I’ll be fine, Braden,” she assured. “I’m sore but there’s no longer any sharp pain.”
    “Good,” he murmured. He stared at her for a long moment before he brushed one tanned finger down her bruised cheek. “You’re safe here, Merrie.”
    Her mouth dried up as she stared into his eyes. “I know,” she whispered.
    Braden gave her one last searing look and withdrew his finger. She keenly felt the loss of his touch. At the doorway, he hesitated before reaching in his back pocket to take out his cell phone. He touched the screen then laid it on the coffee table near the plate.
    “I’ve unlocked it,” he told her. “Leo is speed dial number two if you need anything.”
    “Okay.”
    The sound of the closing door echoed through the house, or at least it seemed that way to her. Alone for the first time since she’d woken up in the house. Rooted to her spot, she craned her head to listen for the truck engine. Once the rumble faded, a stillness, void of any white noise or hum of nature, hung in the air. The men had explained she’d be safe in their home, but the unpleasant, dead quiet of the house unsettled her, made her imagination want to run to dark corners and reveal the boogeymen waiting for her there.
    She rubbed her arms and shook off the imagery. It dawned on her what a long day it would be in the house alone, although it had been an interesting morning. In the few days she’d known Braden McClintock, she’d come to learn he was a stoic man. He rarely smiled and usually only talked when he needed to say something.
    He was not the type of man she typically dated. Most of her boyfriends were closer to her own age, fun loving party boys whose brains were located in their pants. It was one of the many reasons why she’d decided to move away. She came from a small town and after dating most of the eligible bachelors, she’d managed to get a reputation and the last thing she wanted was to be compared to her mother.
    She’d gotten sick of boys but Braden was not a boy—he was all man. Of course, there was the fact that he’d rescued her, which left her confused. Was she attracted to him because he’d helped her, taken her in and