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

I've got to put things right. I can't
    have intimate thoughts about her. It's wrong. You have better for
    me. As You do Liberty. She was so quiet as I walked her home. I
    can only imagine how offended she must have been.
    Slater was sincere in his confession and planned to
    make amends, but his heart was still heavy. He had a
    feeling that it would be until he could go next door and ask
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    to speak to the woman who occupied his thoughts so much
    of the time.
    '*
    fi
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    "Here, let me try," Liberty said, as she worked on the
    button on Zach's pants. He had to leave for school soon.
    "The problem is, Zach," she continued, panting a little, "if
    it's this hard for me, how will you ever get them off to use
    the privy at school?"
    "I don't know/' the little boy worried. "Should I
    change? Do I have time?"
    "Let me work the hole for a few more seconds," Liberty
    suggested. "Maybe that will loosen it"
    "I even soaked those/' Kate said as she put a platter of
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    eggs and toasted bread on the table. "New denim pants
    should be outlawed."
    "Now you try," Liberty encouraged Zach.
    She was still watching him as he tried to unbutton and
    button his pants when his mother said he had to eat. Zach
    had just taken his place at the table when Liberty heard a
    knock at the door. Laura, fork in hand, began to rise.
    "I'll get it," her older sister said. Liberty went through
    the house, opened the front door, and found Slater on the
    porch.
    "May I see you a moment, Libby?" Slater said as soon
    as he saw her, relieved that she had answered the door.
    "Certainly. Come in."
    Slater cleared his throat. "I think out here might be
    better."
    At a complete loss as to what could be going on, Liberty
    joined him on the porch and shut the door behind her.
    She watched Slater turn his hat in his hands and waited.
    "I acted inappropriately last night, Libby, and I want to
    tell you I'm sorry."
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    Liberty's mind raced but she came up blank
    "I grabbed you in the alley and should have let go as
    soon as I knew it was you. I didn't, and that was wrong of
    me."
    Every Little Thing About You 97
    Liberty had forgotten all about it, but she was suddenly
    standing in his arms again. He was taller than she was, and
    his arms had been very gentle. The recollection was not
    unpleasant.
    "I hope you can forgive me."
    "Of course, Slater. Don't give it another thought."
    Slater studied her eyes to see if she truly was all right
    and then nodded. It was so tempting to tell her how sweet
    she was and how lovely she'd been to hold, but that would
    have canceled everything he'd just said.
    "I hope in the future you won't be afraid to be around
    me or untrusting of me because of the way I acted."
    Liberty's mouth nearly fell open, but she saw the pain
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    in his eyes and knew she had to make him understand.
    "You don't feel threatening to me, Slater, not in the
    least. And as for the hug in the alley, I had forgotten about
    it, but I can honestly tell you that I wasn't offended." Quite
    the opposite were the words in her head, but she wisely held
    them, along with Slater's eyes, as she looked up at him.
    Slater thought he could get lost in her gaze. She was so
    sweet, and unless he missed his guess, she had not objected
    to the hug. Slater was on the verge of asking when the
    verse came to mind. She was not his.
    "I was reading in 1 Corinthians this morning about the
    fact that a man shouldn't touch a woman, and I realized
    what I'd done."
    Liberty nodded. "I know the verses, the ones that go on
    to say that each man should have his own wife and such."
    Slater nodded but realized he hadn't kept reading; he
    would have to do that.
    "Thank you, Libby," Slater said.
    "Thank you, Slater."
    Slater put his hat on but still stood for a moment. He
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    had to get to work--it wasn't wise to be late--but it was
    certainly hard not to stay and talk with this woman.
    V
    -'
    *h
    ^ ' )
    , * ^
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    "Are you and Griffin still coming to dinner