Compromised Hearts by Hannah Howell Read Free Book Online

had not been ready to settle there, he had marked out his lana, knowing that was where he would want to be when he grew tired of roaming. His younger brother Wolfe did settle and, for nearly three years, had kept a watch on both lots of land.
    He now felt like doing something with the acres he had marked out. The winter would give him the time to sort out exactly which of his many ideas was the best. Over the years he had gathered a nest egg he felt was large enough to let him do as he pleased.
    With thoughts of building a home to the fore of his mind, he suddenly found himself thinking of filling it. When his gaze fell upon Emily and Thornton he was a little disconcerted. The pair was having an unsettling effect upon him, threatening to soften too many of his hard edges.
    His gaze still fixed upon the woman and child curled up next to him, he reviewed the idea that had flashed through his mind. In truth, he decided it was not at all that illogical. When a man put down stakes and built a house, it was usually with a family in mind. Despite his aversion to tying himself to a woman, he had always wanted children and had reluctantly accepted the fact that a wife was needed for that.
    Emily was no frontierswoman, but she was strong and willing to learn. She had also been a virgin and, despite what he had told her, that did work in her favor. So too did that touch of puritan in her. Cloud felt confident that there would be no need to guess who’d fathered any child she gave him.
    Since he was not a man given to romantic notions, he viewed the matter with a cool practicality. It began to look a very sensible course. With a last look at Emily, he closedhis eyes, intending to get some rest before the rapidly approaching dawn arrived. It was a long way to the San Luis Valley. There was plenty of time to make a decision.

Chapter Four
    B y the time they reached a small fort set up to protect the increasing number of settlers arriving in the territory, Emily had gotten used to the horse she rode. She had even named the mare Carolynn, after her equally stubborn sister. She knew she was no rider, but it was no longer the constant battle it had been.
    She was, however, still waging a stubborn war against a certain Cloud Ryder. He was a man of exceedingly healthy appetites—he was, in fact, voracious. Emily thought that if Thornton had not been around to keep the man in control during the day, she would probably end up crawling to Harper’s. Itamazed her that she was not absolutely exhausted.
    It was neither of those things that truly bothered her, however. What was beginning to frighten her was that the small resistance she did put up was getting harder to maintain. So was an attitude of aloofness. He was slowly possessing far more than her body, and it had not been quite a full week since she met him. Sometimes the shame she felt was so strong it cramped her stomach, but it never stopped her from melting into his arms at night. She trembled to think what the state of her emotions would be by the time they reached the San Luis Valley. Nothing she did seemed to halt her heedless fall into love.
    When they dismounted near the supply depot’s meager stable inside the blockade, she got further proof of how much danger she was in. A well-formed redhead burst out of the building, flung her arms around Cloud, and proceeded to give him a hearty kiss that he did little to stop. Emily felt anger and pain knot inside of her and knew she was blindingly jealous.
    “Here now, Justine, let a man catch his breath.” Cloud gently but firmly extracted himself from the woman’s hold.
    “Asphyxiation would suit you,” muttered Emily as she began to undo her saddle.
    Cloud pretended not to hear that but took Justine by the arm and nudged her a stepcloser to Emily. “There’s someone here you ought to meet. Emily Brockinger, Justine Dubois.”
    “How do you do, Miss Dubois.” Emily saw no reason to not at least be polite.
    Justine glared at her.