Lorraine Heath by Sweet Lullaby Page A

through her lowered lashes. “I need to get back to those curtains. See you later.”
    He flashed her a smile and Ruth felt her insides warm as she scurried back to the house.
    Rebecca noticed less than perfect stitches began showing up when Ruth returned from her outside excursion. Her nimble fingers were working as quickly, but not as carefully. Rebecca was certain the girl’s mind was no longer on the task at hand but was centered around something or someone else.
    A short time later, Ruth laid the final curtain down. “There, all done.”
    Rebecca handed her two dollars, the agreed-upon price. She would have gladly paid anything to get out of making the curtains herself. Her most meticulous stitch did not come close to the perfection of Ruth’s worst one. “I appreciate you doing this for me.”
    “If you need anything else done, just let me know. I enjoy sewing.”
    Ruth brought herself up on her toes, holding her hands behind her back. Then she lowered her heels back down to the floor. “Well, I’d better go find Zach.”
    “Zach?”
    “He’s going to take me home.” “I thought Frank offered.”
    “He did but … well … I’d just feel safer with Zach.”
    Raising herself back up onto her toes, she spun around and went searching for Zach leaving Rebecca with the distinct impression that trouble was brewing.
    Ruth was standing under the eaves of the porch, swishing her hips back and forth, waiting for Zach to saddle up their horses when Frank sauntered over.
    “You ready to go?”
    Keeping her eyes on the barn, Ruth said, “Zach is taking me home.”
    “Goddamn! I asked first!”
    Bringing the horses out of the barn, Zach caught Frank’s words, imagining most of the ranch had heard them, he’d yelled them so loudly.
    Frank turned on Zach. “I’m taking her home.” Frank clenched his fists almost as tightly as he’d clenched his jaws.
    With trepidation, Rebecca stuck her head out the door. “Frank, I need some help hanging these curtains.”
    “Dammit! I said I’d take her home.”
    Frank glared at Zach as though everything was Zach’s fault. Ruth hopped down off the porch, gazing up at Zach with adoration in her eyes, adoration that Zach knew could eventually mean trouble. She was too young for a man of his experience. Smiling apologetically at Ruth, he handed the reins of his horse to Frank. “I’ll help Rebecca with the curtains.”
    Zach walked over to the crestfallen girl. “I’m sorry, Ruth, but men have a code of honor. If Frank asked first, I have to step aside.”
    “But I like you.”
    “You barely know me. You can’t judge a man by a couple of dances.”
    “You’re Mr. Burnett’s brother and I like Mr. Burnett.”
    “I’m not Jake’s brother. I want to be, but I’m a fair distance away from being that right now.” He hoisted her up into the saddle. “Frank’ll see that you get home safe.”
    Ruth glowered at the beaming Frank and sent her horseinto a gallop. Frank mounted Zach’s horse and took off after her.
    Rebecca wrapped her arms around one of the rough beams supporting the roof. “Poor Frank.”
    “Yep, the boy’s in for heartache that’s for sure. I’d say she was his first love. Funny how the first time around, a person can fall in love with someone they hardly know.” Zach moved up onto the porch. “Do you remember your first love, Rebecca?”
    An image of hair the color of midnight, eyes a deep blue flashed through her mind. Her first love. Every man before Brett had been in awe of her beauty or her father’s position. But Brett had taken her down off her pedestal, had made her feel touchable.
    She had been in the stall tending her horse. She turned around and found him towering above her. Without a word, he’d pressed her against him, his mouth opening to devour hers. She’d whimpered and his arms had tightened around her. Before Brett, she’d been kissed by young men whose tongues had dashed around her mouth without the courage to touch