Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman Read Free Book Online

head.” His strong hands balled up a piece of corn husk, making short work of the task. “Once you get it about the size you want, you fold two husks over the ball and tie it off at the neck with a piece of string. See? Hand me that yarn.”
    Livy measured off about six inches. “Is this enough?”
    “Plenty.”
    Livy rested her chin in her hand, stewing over the street kids like a cat worrying a mouse. “Have you found any of the street kids yet?”
    “No.” He squinted at her, his intense stare making her squirm. “Have you?”
    “No.”
    His brows drew together in a frown. “You been wandering around at night again?”
    She shook her head, able to answer him truthfully. This time. His scrutiny made her squirm, not because of the questions he asked but because it made her aware of her everyday dress, patched and faded, and that she’d barely had time to run a brush through her hair that morning before pinning the mass up out of the way.
    He turned back to the job at hand.
    “Okay, now we make the arms. Here.” He handed her three pieces of husk. “You’d better do this part.”
    “Me?” Livy sat up straighter. “What do I do?”
    “Just braid ’em. Like pigtails.”
    She complied, and Jake threaded the braid crosswise through the layers of the bodice. Then he picked up two corn husks and fitted them over the shoulders like a shawl, crossing and gathering the pieces at the waist. “How does that look?”
    “Perfect.”
    “Tie a piece of string here while I hold this in place.”
    Livy did as Jake instructed. Her fingers brushed against his, and she felt the warm, rough texture of his hands. Her eyes flew up to meet his gaze, and he gave her a lopsided smile. Her heart did a slow somersault in her chest, and for a moment, Livy thought she might not be able to draw breath again. For the first time, she noticed tiny flecks of gold in his green eyes. He had the most amazing eyes she’d ever seen. She could stare at them for hours. His eyes flickered, shifted, focused on her mouth. She drew in a sudden breath and looked away, breaking their connection.
    Unnerved, she blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind. “You won’t send them back to Chicago, will you?”
    He frowned. “Who?”
    “The boys. You promised to let me know if you found them, remember?”
    “I said I’d think about it.” His expression turned almost fierce. “Why are you so worried about these boys?”
    “Why shouldn’t I be concerned? They’re children.”
    Jake leaned forward. “Livy, we’ve been over this already. They’re little hoodlums. Well, they’re not so little. Mostly, they’re half-grown youngsters who aren’t interested in finding a job and contributing to society.”
    She bristled. “They are not. They’re children, just like the Hays children and Mary and little Grace.” Every child deserved a chance. Those boys were babies once. Toddlers. Some mother’s little man. Who knew what horrific incident, what horrible sickness had torn them from their families and tossed them on the streets like leavings from a slop jar?
    “You’re looking at this through rose-colored glasses. You can’t save every child that crosses your path.”
    His words pierced her heart, and tears pricked her eyes. She knew she couldn’t save them all. She couldn’t save the two who’d mattered the most. But he didn’t understand, and the only way to make him would be to tell him the truth about her past.
    And she’d left her past in Chicago.
    “I can only try,” she whispered.
    He reached out and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, then cupped her face in the palm of his hand. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”
    She froze, the warmth of his hand caressing her cheek. His green eyes darkened, and he stared at her lips. He wanted to kiss her. She could see it in his eyes, feel it in the rough texture of his fingertips. She lowered her gaze, focused on his lips.
    He moved. Or did she?
    Oh, Lord. She didn’t