Levi (Prairie Grooms, Book Five) by Kit Morgan Read Free Book Online Page B

cheeks flamed to match their color. She set them back inside, pushed the top drawer shut, and then went on to the second drawer… trousers, shirts, a few handkerchiefs; nothing of interest there. Fina went to the third drawer. She tried to pull it open but it moved a few inches and stuck. “Oh bother,” she muttered as she shut it and heard a small thunk.
    Fina straightened and stared at the closed drawer. Was that a book she’d heard? She reached down and tried to pull the drawer open again.
    Thunk.
    “Eureka!” she whispered in triumph. She closed the drawer, opened it again, getting it to go a little further, but it was no use. The drawer was stuck and wouldn’t budge. She tried reaching her hand into it and was able to touch the wood at the bottom, but nothing else. The book was near the back. When she shut the drawer hard, she heard the book slide to the front. But when she opened it to try to get the drawer unstuck, it slid back.
    She stood up, hands on hips, and blew another strand of hair out of her face. “Right, then,” she said. “You're a book, I'm a woman, and I'm coming after you!” She bent to the drawer, put her hands on the knobs, and braced one foot against the base of the dresser.
    She was about to give it a good yank when Levi stepped into the room.
    “What are you doing?”
    Fina squeaked in alarm, let go of the knobs, and fell backwards onto her rump. “Oh! Don't frighten me like that!”
    Levi laughed, crossed the room to where she sat, and held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her up. “Are you all right?” he asked.
    “As well as can be expected, considering I've just lost a battle with a dresser.”
    “That drawer always sticks. It’s why I never keep anything in there. I'll have to fix that one of these days. You can use the bottom drawer if you'd like. At least until the armoire comes.”
    Fina stared at him in relief, realizing her actions were not under suspicion. But then, why would they be? They were married. Of course she'd want to put her things away in the bedroom. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at her own stupidity, and then remembered what he’d said. “Armoire?”
    He closed the distance between them, put his hands on her arms, and began to gently rub them up and down. “I'm having one delivered from Oregon City. I had Mr. Van Cleet order me one the last time he went there.”
    “You did?”
    He looked into her eyes. “I wanted my wife to have something pretty to put her things in. This old dresser’s good enough for me, but not for you.” He reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, in a loving manner. “Beauty for beauty,” he said in a soft voice.
    Fina swallowed hard. Everywhere he touched her, her skin tingled. He was doing it to her again. She balled her hands into fists and tried to step away, but his hands tightened on her arms as he pulled her into his chest, causing her head to tilt back. Oh no, here we go again…
    “I have a present for you, Mrs. Stone,” he whispered in her ear.
    Fina swallowed, her mouth dry, her senses breaking apart. “You… do?” her breathing began to pick up.
    “Uh huh. Come downstairs with me and I'll show you what it is.”
    “I'm so… sorry.”
    “For what?” he asked as he wrapped an arm around her.
    “I haven't anything… for you,” she breathed.
    He cupped her face. “You’re present enough,” he told her, then lowered his lips to hers in a tender kiss.
    No! Fina silently screamed as her traitorous body reacted to him once again. Heat poured through her like warm honey and, to her utter horror, she moaned.
    Levi broke the kiss and put his mouth to her ear. “Would you like to see what it is?”
    Fina could only nod. Once again, he'd managed to render her speechless. How was she ever going to fight against this?
    “Come on then,” he said as he took her hand and stepped away. “I'll show you.” He led her downstairs to the kitchen, where a large box sat on the table.
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