The Best Bride by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online Page A

sheriff’s car parked on the side of the road by the park. Elizabeth looked around but she didn’t see Mandy.
    â€œWhen will Kyle bring her back?” she asked.
    â€œI’ll bring her home about four-thirty. There’s a parade today, and a big barbecue. Games for the kids. I thought she might enjoy it and you need the rest. I’m going to have to drop you off then head back to the park myself. Have to make an appearance. Between Kyle and myself, we’ll keep an eye on Mandy. Louise is off until Monday so you should have plenty of peace and quiet.”
    He entered a tree-lined residential area. Elizabeth recognized it from her house hunting. He drove around the high school and along a narrow two-lane road she’d never been on before. The houses got larger and farther apart from each other on oversize lots.
    â€œYou mentioned Kyle was your youngest brother,” she said. “How many are there?”
    â€œFour, counting me. Craig is the oldest, then me, then Jordan and then Kyle.”
    â€œSo Kyle is a deputy. Are you all cops?”
    â€œIt’s a family tradition. My dad used to be the sheriff in Glenwood. All his brothers are in police work. Jordan is the only rebel. He’s a fire fighter up in Sacramento.”
    â€œA real black sheep.”
    Travis grinned. “We give him a hard time about it. Yup, the Haynes family grows boys and cops. Not a girl in the last four generations. What about you?”
    â€œI’m an only child.”
    â€œToo bad.”
    â€œWhy? It’s all I know. My parents were older when I was born and they only wanted one child.”
    â€œThey got a pretty one.”
    Elizabeth chuckled. This man could charm milk out of a snake. She would do well to remember talk was cheap. But she had to admit Travis Haynes had a certain amount of style to recommend him, and his heart was in the right place. She resisted glancing at his firm body so close to hers in the confines of the car. From what she had seen, everything else was in the right place, too. But the last thing she needed was to get involved with a heartbreaker. Her heart hadn’t recovered from what Sam had done.
    They pulled off the road and onto a long driveway. Maple trees and oaks grew on either side of the path. Up ahead she saw a peaked roof, and more trees. Then the path curved around and they drove up into a clearing and parked in front of a beautiful three-story house.
    He’d told her he was restoring an old house, but he hadn’t said it was a mansion. Big windows opened up onto a wide front lawn. A porch wrapped around the front. The columns holding up the porch covering had been painted white, as was all the trim. The rest of the building was dove gray, soft and light in the morning sunshine.
    â€œYou could get lost in there,” she said, staring at the masterpiece.
    â€œI did, the first couple of days. Stay in that seat and don’t even think about moving.”
    He got out of the car and came around to her side. He opened the door, then helped her to her feet. Before she could take a step, he bent over and slid one arm behind her back and the other under her thighs.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” she asked even as he lifted her against his chest. Elizabeth grabbed his shoulders to maintain her balance.
    â€œAnd here I thought you were smarter than that.” He started toward the house.
    Her face bumped against his shoulder, and she could smell his masculine scent. He’d shaved only a couple of hours before, so his neck was smooth. She fought the urge to nestle against him. “Travis, put me down. I can walk.”
    He ignored her. There were four steps up to the porch. He climbed those easily and headed for the front door. She held on, ignoring the way her right breast flattened against his chest and the heated strength of his body. She was wearing shorts so the arm under her legs touched bare skin. Each of his fingers seemed to be leaving a