An Improper Situation (Sanborn-Malloy Historical Romance Series, Book One) by Sydney Jane Baily Read Free Book Online Page B

hearts the same way.” She clasped her hands, realizing that they were trembling and unsure of the reason why.
    “ And can’t they find that here?” So silently he had approached from behind that she jumped slightly at his deep voice inches from her ear.
    She didn’t trust herself to speak for there again was that urge to cry. A lump sat solidly in her throat. A part of her cried out silently that it was her turn to be given a home and love. Didn’t she deserve that, too? In the end, she only shook her head.
    “ I believe you are wrong, Miss Sanborn. I think you have a world of love to give.” She felt his hands on her shoulders—warm, strong hands that turned her to face him. He looked into her overly bright eyes, shining like green emeralds, and smiled. “I know you are capable of that love, even if you haven’t realized it yet.”
    The timbre of his voice was shaking her very soul, and the blue spark in his eyes seemed to have lit a fire deep within her in that instant of standing so close and of touching and speaking of love. For she felt a warmth start in the pit of her stomach, and it heated up as it spread through her.
    She knew in that instant that all the years of feeling proud of her self-sufficient isolation were a sham. She was a coward, afraid to love because of the pain that it caused. Afraid, indeed, of this exact feeling that encompassed her now.
    God help her—to love and be loved was what she wanted more than anything else in the world if only she could conquer the fear. She held her breath as the swirl of knowledge and sensations coursed through her mind and her body at his nearness.
    A frown crinkled the soft skin between his dark eyebrows. He was looking into her eyes and probably seeing her whole soul laid bare in their green depths. The frown deepened a moment and then he lifted his hand to cup her gently pointed chin.
    It was a bold touch, but he looked as mesmerized as she felt, as if he wasn’t even aware of what he did. The shock of his fingertips on her skin made her gasp, and the spell was broken. They both stepped back.
    “We should return. I left the children to come look for you.”
    His voice sounded gruff to her ears and he was already striding ahead of her. She had to move almost at a run to keep up with him.
    “They should be all right,” she called after him. “Nothing much ever happens in Spring City,” she said more to herself, except for the thrilling arrival of Reed Malloy.
    “ Still,” she added, “there are a few critters to worry about if they’re playing outside.”
    They arrived at Reed’s horse. One horse.
    “I’ll walk home,” she offered immediately, taking hold of her hair and beginning to twist it so she could make a knot.
    “ Nonsense,” he said, his voice firm again. “The horse is a good strong one. I’m sure it can take both our weights.”
    Charlotte started to protest, looking behind her in case someone from the town should see her there with a strange man, but the road was deserted.
    Before she knew it, his hands were at her waist and he lifted her onto the large mare. She landed gently but had to let go of her hair to grasp hold of the pommel. She could still feel the heat of his hands where they seemed to have seared right through her blouse to her skin.
    While his back was to her, untying the horse, she quickly lifted her right leg over the horse’s neck and tried desperately to arrange her skirts before he turned.
    As he did, she saw his eyes go to her slim ankle above her leather high-lows, but he said nothing, merely handing her the reins before swinging himself up behind her.
    She gulped. It was peculiar, the feeling of his thighs, muscled and firm, against her own. She sat up straight to keep from resting against his broad chest, but there was nothing she could do about her rear end pressing intimately against his inner thighs.
    She felt her cheeks burn at the thought of his body so close to hers. Then unexpectedly, Reed’s arms