Then Came Alexandra (Southern Love #1) by E. L. Todd Read Free Book Online

not shoveling it into his mouth like a typical man. When he smiled, his eyes naturally lit up at the same time. There were so many details she noticed in the hours she’d spent with him. It was hard not to notice his features.
    “Alexandra, do you like living in Georgia?”
    “You say my name a lot.”
    He stared at her. “It’s your name, right?”
    She said nothing.
    “It’s polite to address someone by their name.”
    She smiled. “Blaise, yes, I like living here.”
    He chuckled. “There are a lot of sights to see if you know where to look. How long are you staying?”
    “Permanently.” The words flew from her mouth. Now that she finally said them, she knew it was true. She was never going back.
    He nodded. “I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”
    She hoped they would. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask why I moved here.”
    He finished his plate then pushed it away. “That’s a personal question.”
    She was surprised by the response.
    “And you probably get that question from every person you meet.”
    “It gets a little old,” she said with a smile.
    “Your aunt is lucky to have you for help.”
    “And we’re both lucky we have you.”
    He smiled. “I think your aunt should sell the property and get a house in the suburbs. I would offer to buy it but I already have plenty of land. I don’t need anymore.”
    Alex raised an eyebrow. “You own land?”
    He nodded. “Cunnings Cotton. My family has owned it for a long time.”
    “Oh. So you’re a bit of an expert.”
    “You could say that.”
    “So, you think she should sell it?” Alexandra asked. “I think the same thing. She’s hurt her back too many times.”
    “When I brought it up, she said she couldn’t leave. Her husband tilled the soil every day of their marriage. She said she couldn’t give it up. It’s all she has left.”
    Alexandra felt her heart tug at the revelation. She had no idea what it was like to lose a spouse, the person you spent almost all your time with. It was obviously devastating, but her aunt put on such a strong façade that it was easy to forget about her inner pain. “I completely understand.”
    “But it still isn’t good for her.”
    Alexandra sighed. “I don’t think I could ever convince her otherwise.”
    Blaise leaned back in his chair and stared at her. The look he gave her was heated and frightening at the same time. His bright eyes cut through the surface of her skin, making her feel vulnerable and exposed. She was innately intimidated by him, but also very comfortable at the same time. And she was very attracted to him. It was the first time she felt that way since she first spotted Paul.
    Blaise grabbed his plate and took it to the sink. “Tell your aunt I said thank you for breakfast.” He cleaned his dishes then stacked them.
    “Of course.”
    He dried his hands then walked toward the door. “It was nice meeting you.”
    “Will you be here tomorrow?”
    “I’ll be here every day until your aunt is well again.”
    She stared at him. “But don’t you have your own fields to attend to?”
    “But she’s family. And family comes first.”
     

8
    Alexandra tried to concentrate on her classes but she kept thinking about Blaise. Something about him unnerved her, consumed her thoughts. He was easy to talk to. Their conversations flowed like a wild river. Rocks and debris didn’t restrict it. It was free.
    When she was in her advanced composition class, Gabe kept glancing at her every few seconds. She didn’t pay attention to him and kept her gaze glued to the board. After he asked her out, it was awkward, but she tried to forget about it. When she said no, he backed off, which is more than what most guys would do.
    After the class was finished, they walked to the library. Alexandra had a break before the rest of her classes and she wanted to go somewhere quiet. When they sat down, Gabe looked at her.
    “You’re still uncomfortable around me.”
    She flinched at his