His Heartbroken Bride (The Brides of Paradise Ranch - Spicy Version Book 4) by Merry Farmer Read Free Book Online

can’t imagine how terrifying it must be to lose your husband, to find out you’re carrying his child, and then to pick up everything and move.” He stroked a hand over her hair. “What possessed you to up and move away from Oregon, to come all that way alone with two boys, anyhow? You could have gone to Ma and Annabelle up in Seattle.”
    She tried not to give away too much of the truth by tensing, but her body wanted to be rigid as she answered his question in her mind. She had to go, had to run. If she had stayed, the terror would have been too much. Hector would have sunk his claws into her, or worse—a thousand times worse—into her children.
    “I couldn’t stay,” she told him. “Not after…what happened.”
    “Did anyone help you out when Teddy died? I don’t know about your camp, but in Pa’s camp, everyone stuck together like family.”
    “It was like that where we were too,” she admitted. “We did have several offers of help. More than one of the other loggers offered to marry me right then and there.”
    He tensed. “Did they?”
    She nodded, then swallowed. “Most of them were just being kind.”
    “Most of them.”
    She shut her eyes, looked down. If she told him about Hector, he would only be angry. Worse, he might go looking for revenge. But there was no point in seeking revenge for something that was as much her fault as Hector’s, especially if there was any chance Petey and Matthew might end up in the middle. God willing, she’d left Hector and his too-friendly smiles and strong, binding hands behind forever.
    If only she believed that was true. Hector knew about the baby. He wouldn’t rest until he found her and laid claim to what he considered his.
    “You know,” Mason began slowly when they’d been silent too long. “Those other loggers might not have had a bad idea.”
    The muscles in his chest had hardened while she was lost in her thoughts. His heart beat faster. She peeked up at him to find a blush on his handsome face. His eyes flashed with intense longing—longing that drew her in.
    “Why don’t we get married?” The question rushed out so fast that Libby wondered if he knew he was going to ask before he did.
    “You and I?”
    Mason broke out in a nervous smile. “Yeah, you and me. I’ll take care of you and the boys and this new baby. Howard Haskell has this thing where he’s giving away houses over there in The Village to any of his ranch hands who get married. I’m sure he’d give one to us.”
    Libby glanced off across the field to the cluster of new houses and houses under construction about a mile away. The ghost of hope filled her heart. A house of their own? A home her children could grow up in?
    “I promise I’d do my best to keep the fear from getting too big,” he went on. His shoulders softened. “I’m not Teddy, and I don’t expect that you could love me like you loved him, but I…” He pressed his lips shut and stared at her for a moment before going on with, “I’d be a good husband to you.”
    He would. She knew it as sure as she knew the cold breeze making her shiver would blow itself out and turn into spring in a few months. In a few months when she would be round with child, ready to give birth to an innocent baby conceived in shame. She feared she would never be able to love that baby, but Mason would. Mason might be the only chance the baby had.
    Mason might be the only chance she had. Even now, with the shame of what she’d done pressing down on her, she found herself wanting to bury herself against Mason’s solid chest. Her lips tingled with a decade-old desire to kiss him. It was so different from the threat she’d felt every time Hector came near her that her mind could barely comprehend it. Mason was exciting, desirable, even. Hector was…
    Hector. If Hector figured out where she’d gone and came after her for the sake of his child, Mason might be able to protect her. He might be able to protect Petey and Matthew where she