Change of Heart by Fran Shaff Read Free Book Online Page A

glad she’d see him again in a week. “Your leaving will be
easier on Zack that way.”
    “I think so too.” He paused, but he didn’t
look away. “I suppose I should leave.” he said, his words taking on
a reluctant tone.
    “Already?” Marietta feared her shaky,
disappointed response gave away her heart. She didn’t want him to
leave.
    “Would you like me to stay a little
longer?”
    When she didn’t reply immediately, he shifted
closer to her
    His sudden movement caused her to inhale
sharply. “Mr. Kent... ”
    He reached toward her and cupped her cheek in
his palm. “Miss Randolf... ” He blinked, pulled his hand from her
cheek, and wiped his knuckle over his lips.
    Marietta took hold of his wrist. “Mr. Kent,
thank you for taking care of us in the cabin. I’ll never forget our
time together there.”
    “Nor will I,” he said huskily as he touched
her cheek with his free hand.
    She closed her eyes and savored the sensation
of his warm fingers on her skin.
    “Miss Randolf…
    When she felt him move closer to her, she
opened her eyes to look at him. He was so handsome. The provocative
look in his eyes stirred her heart. “Mr. Kent, perhaps--”
    An object crashed in the kitchen. Marietta
blinked and released her grasp on Jase’s wrist as Amy entered the
parlor.
    “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Clumsy me, I
dropped a cast iron skillet to the floor. You two just go on with
what you were doing.” She rushed back into the kitchen.
    Marietta looked at Jase. “I’d better help Amy
with supper. If I’m going to be a guest, I should earn my
keep.”
    He stood and took her hand to help her to her
feet. “And I should go make arrangements for the night with the
colonel.” He held her gaze a moment longer before he reached for
his winter wear, donned it and went outside.
    Marietta felt more alone than ever when Jase
stepped out of the room. She scolded herself for letting his
absence make a difference, but she couldn’t help the way she felt.
She would have to learn how to deal with the foreign feelings he
stirred inside her. After all, she’d be seeing him time and again
over the course of the next month.
    All at once, she realized the thought of
seeing more of him gladdened her heart in a way she’d never known.
Jason Kent was no ordinary man, and Marietta wasn’t going to hate
having the opportunity to get to know him better.

Chapter Five

    Jase thought the week would never come to an
end. Between waiting for word from the consortium, the anticipation
of seeing Marietta again, and the emptiness in his house brought on
by Zack’s absence, the week since he’d left Fort Kearney moved as
slowly as a steer stuck in a snow drift.
    As he rode toward the fort, his heart began
to beat a little faster. He nudged his stallion to pick up its
pace. Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to see Marietta. He knew he had no
right to feel anything for her. She’d be leaving in a few weeks and
obviously couldn’t wait to get back to her city life. She’d made
that as clear as she’d made her distaste for the territory that now
held her captive. Yet, he couldn’t help aching for another glance
into her emerald eyes or wanting to inhale the lilac scent that
drifted around her on the first evening they’d shared a meal at the
Carson home.
    The last time he’d seen her, he’d thought for
a moment that he might be bold enough to lace his fingers through
her cinnamon hair. If Amy’s kitchen accident hadn’t diverted their
attention, he might have taken Marietta into his arms and held her
as he’d wanted to hold her in the cabin.
    He shook his head and decided he had to put
such thoughts out of his mind. He switched his train of thought to
the land business again. He hoped someone from the fort had word
for him from the consortium. Had they even met, and was there
another meeting date set? He could hardly stand not knowing what
was going on.
    He wished he could go on to Red Rock Junction
from the fort and find out if