Wrapped Up in a Beau by Angelita Gill Read Free Book Online

I’m going to buy this little cottage in a village called Willowcombe when I get back. It’s a start.”
    The beautiful nomad tired of moving from place to place. Too bad she lived a world away. “Where does this globe-trotting itch come from?”
    She gave this some thought. “Well, basically a couple years after high school, I became a nanny for a wealthy family. They lived in New York but I traveled with them all over Europe. I took care of two adorably rambunctious twins. The Hamiltons were good to me. Every time we went someplace new, I’d write down what I wanted to see, where I wanted to go. Over time I built up a good savings. Took forever. I wore the same clothes for years, never got a manicure or splurged on anything but the essentials. I saved almost every penny of my pay for five years then decided it was time to break away and start my own life. I’ve been living on the run, so to speak, ever since. I take small jobs here and there, save up and move on. Once you figure out what things should cost and how to get around, it’s not that hard.”
    So that’s how she afforded it. Truthfully, he’d thought she was a trust-fund girl all the way. Knowing she’d earned her comfy, wayfaring lifestyle heightened his admiration for her. Not only was she intelligent, beautiful and self-reliant, she knew what she wanted and went for it with seemingly no financial assistance. He could only respect that. “Quite the story. What made you decide to come to Swan’s Crossing for Christmas? I mean, I know my sister can be persuasive, but there has to be a reason you finally said yes.”
    Pressing her lips together, she leaned in and set the mug on the coffee table. “I suppose I longed for an old fashioned Christmas in the States. Paris, Bruges, London—they’re all wonderful and amazing this time of year, too. But there’s nothing like spending the holidays the American way. And Swan’s Crossing seemed as perfect as any place.”
    â€œIt’s far from perfect, believe me.”
    She gave a small smile. “It’s close enough.”
    â€œWhat about family?” he asked, and instantly wished he hadn’t at the way she tensed.
    â€œYou ask a lot of questions. No family. No brothers or sisters. Not even a distant cousin. Look, it’s getting late.” She pushed up from her seat, and he felt the proverbial walls rise with her. “Thanks for your help,” she told him, walking to the door.
    Chagrined, Mason got to his feet, regretting his barrage of questions. It was a natural thing to ask about family. The more he found out about her, the more he wanted to know. Not to judge or grill, but because he was fascinated by her. Now, it seemed, he’d offended her.
    â€œI’m sorry,” he murmured as he came to the door. “I didn’t mean to interrogate you like that. I don’t need to know about where you’re from or who you’re related to. I get inquisitive when I like someone. It’s not every day I meet a woman who has seen more of the world than I have.” When she raised her eyes to his, he gently added, “I don’t want to go.”
    She leaned against the jamb, hand gripping the knob, studying him. “I know you were just making conversation.” Brown eyes shifted to a point past his shoulder. “You’re lucky, Mason, that you have what you have. Your whole family is here. No matter where you go, you have some place to come back to. It’s something to be cherished.”
    His smile was wan. “So is freedom.”
    She rolled her eyes and sighed. “It’s easy for someone like you to take what you have for granted. I can tell you’ve never been without.”
    This time he was the one who tensed. “My family may be financially wealthy, but I still had to earn what I have.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You can’t make me feel sorry for