Shelter in a Soldier's Arms by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online Page A

he stepped into her room and put the toy back on the bed. Then, because he couldn’t stop himself, he moved through the connecting bathroom and into Ashley’s room.
    Her sleep was more troubled than her daughter’s. She moved under the covers. Her face was slightly flushed, but when he touched her forehead, he didn’t feel any heat.
    Who was this woman with no family and such dire circumstances? From what he could observe, she was bright and capable. What had happened to bring her to the place where she needed to depend upon his good graces?
    Knowing he wasn’t going to get any answers, he left her room and walked downstairs. In the living room he walked to the windows and stared out into the night. For the first time since he’d moved into the house, he wasn’t alone. How strange. He was always alone. No one came here. Certainly no one had spent the night. When there were women, he visited them. He had an animal’s need to protect its territory. Yet he had been the one to invite Ashley and her daughter here in the first place. What did that mean?
    He asked the question and received no answer. So he moved into his study where he turned on his computer. Ashley Churchill intrigued him. So he would find out what he needed with his special programs and secret information. When all was revealed to him she would cease to be anything but a woman and then he could easily let her go.

Chapter 4
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    The normally silent morning was filled with changes. Jeff stood in his kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee made in a coffeemaker he hadn’t known he owned until he went looking for it a half hour before. Generally he simply got up, showered, dressed and left for the office. He was usually the first one in the building and made coffee when he arrived. He felt strange still being at home when it was almost seven-thirty.
    From upstairs came the sound of movement and laughter. Brenda had shown up promptly at seven and was getting Maggie ready for preschool. Jeff glanced at his watch and realized he should check on Ashley before they left. He needed to make sure she would be all right on her own during the day.
    He set his coffee mug on the counter then headed for the stairs. Sleep had taken longer than usual to reclaim him the previous night. He’d been unable to forget he had guests in his house. He couldn’t decide if their presence was good, bad or simply different.
    He paused outside of Ashley’s door and knocked once. A muffled voice invited him to enter. He stepped inside and found Ashley sitting on the edge of her bed. She looked sleepy and flushed. Her hair was mussed and weariness tugged at her mouth, but she held clothes in her arms as if she planned on getting dressed and starting her day.
    “How do you feel?” he asked.
    “Great. Much better. Thanks.”
    She was such a lousy liar, he nearly smiled. “Sell it somewhere else. You look dead on your feet and you’re not even standing.”
    She brushed her hair off her face. “I have to get up. Maggie has school and so do I. She needs to get dressed and have breakfast. I have my own classes to attend. Plus, you’ve already been so kind. I don’t want to impose any longer.”
    Determination stiffened her small frame. She raised her chin slightly, in a gesture of defiance that reminded him of a kitten spitting at a wolf. It looked great and accomplished nothing, except possibly amusing the wolf.
    Instead of answering Ashley directly, he called for Brenda to join him.
    Brenda bustled into the room. His assistant, a fifty-something blonde of medium height, was dressed in tailored slacks and a silk blouse. She looked efficient and ran his office with the precision and attention to detail of a neurosurgeon at work.
    She walked to Ashley and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Brenda Maitlin. You must be Ashley. Your daughter is such a sweetheart. And you look like death, honey.”
    Ashley had responded to Brenda’s greeting by shaking hands with the woman. As Jeff watched, his