Every Little Thing About You (Yellow Rose Trilogy 1) by Lori Wick Page A

gun."
    Liberty nodded, her eyes on the ones that watched her
    so sternly. She stood still while he removed his finger and
    even when he brushed that finger gently across her chin,
    but her heart was trying to beat a hole in her rib cage.
    "How long did Griffin say he would be?" Slater asked.
    "Thirty minutes."
    'Til stick around and walk you back.*
    "All right. Slater?"
    "Yeah?"
    "How did you happen to be in the alley?"
    Slater explained where he'd been, and Liberty worked
    hard to quell an emotion she'd never before experienced:
    jealousy. For a moment, all she could see was Betsy Caron's
    face. Betsy was a good friend--a remarkably sweet
    woman--but Liberty had a hard time seeing her with
    Slater. Liberty almost shook her head. She had no right to
    picture Slater with anyone. His life was not her business.
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    "Did I hurt your neck just now?" Slater asked.
    "No," Liberty said with some surprise. "Why did you
    ask that?"
    "You got so quiet all of a sudden."
    "I'm not hurt. I was just thinking, and before I forget to
    say it, thank you, Slater, for going up and helping Griff."
    "You're welcome. I was glad to do it." I would do it all
    the time if I could just figure out a way.
    "Where'smywhip?" was suddenly slurred from the
    cell, and both Liberty and Slater heard a thump. Investigating
    the noise confirmed to them that Leonard had rolled
    onto the floor. Liberty began to get the key, but Slater's
    voice stopped her.
    "I would leave him there. He'll be stiff in the morning,
    but this way he won't fall off again and possibly hurt him-
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    "All
    right/' Liberty said, but she couldn't help but
    notice the way he spoke. He was so confident, more so than
    she would have thought he would be. Her mind recalled
    the way he had climbed that ladder going to Griffin's
    defense, seemingly without a qualm. Was there something
    they were all missing?
    "Okay, Libby/' Griffin called as he came back through
    the door. "Oh, Slater, you're still here."
    "I told Libby I would walk her home."
    "Well, be my guest. I'm going to make sure Leonard is
    settled and then head home myself."
    "He fell off the bunk," Slater put in. "He's probably
    safer there."
    Liberty nodded. She knew that if Leonard woke and
    caused a fuss, someone would just head to Griffin's house
    and shout him out of bed.
    "Thanks again, Slater," Griffin said.
    "You're welcome."
    Slater and Liberty headed out the door then, both a
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    little quiet. Slater was still thinking about the way Liberty
    seemed to withdraw from him just before Griffin returned,
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    and Liberty was still speculating on the way Slater handled
    himself. Griffin, staying back at the jail for a few minutes
    longer, reminded himself not to start matchmaking when
    clearly he was no expert.

    Slater woke early. It was still dark out, but his body told
    him he was done sleeping. Thankful for an untroubled
    night, he rolled to his side, lit the lantern, and reached for
    his Bible. He was still studying Nehemiah's life, wanting to
    keep up with Pastor Caron, but he was also spending time
    in 1 Corinthians. The early church was teaching him a great
    deal. Slater was now in the seventh chapter and began to
    read there. Reading verse one, he was ready to move on but
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    got no further. Slater read it a second time.
    Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is
    good for a man not to touch a woman.
    Slater felt his breath leave him in a rush. The verses
    right before this had spoken of the sacredness of the body.
    Because a believer was bought with a great price--God's
    blood--his body was God's temple.
    So what were you thinking in the alley last night, Rawlings?
    You knew immediately that it wasn't a man, and as soon as you
    figured out it was Liberty, you hugged her and held her as if you
    had the right. Slater rolled to his back and looked at the
    ceiling.
    She was so soft and smelled so good, but she's not mine, Lord.
    I've got to apologize to her.