Rocky Mountain Wild (Rocky Mountain Bride Series Book 6) by Lee Savino

hands, she pressed her lips to his and kissed him.
    A second later, his arms clamped around her, pulling her into a closer embrace. She had no choice but to fall into his lap, her arms now twining around the back of his head as their lips sought to devour each others. It was her first kiss, and it went on and on.
    Even when it ended, she didn’t want to leave the warm circle of his arms. So she did what she’d wanted to do since she’d met her handsome employer for the first time: hugged her arms around his strong body, laid her head on his hard chest, and sighed. She relaxed there, safe and sound, feeling the weight disappear from her own chest. Even her leg felt better, as if he’d taken on her burden, and all her pain with it. She felt like she could go right to sleep.
    One of his hands came up to tease her hair out of her face, then dropped to her hip and tucked her against him more firmly.
    She remembered herself. Her horrible family was after her; they would come for her and maybe hurt him if they thought he would stand in their way. She couldn’t possibly ask him for help.
    Calum squeezed her tighter, as if he could feel the stiffness return to her body, and wanted to stop it, but when she raised herself up, he let her go.
    His cool, grey eyes regarded her.
    “I’m sorry,” she said.
    A bemused smile appeared. “For what?”
    “For… everything.” She started to push away and get down.
    “Not so fast, lassie. You can’t just kiss me like that and leave me hanging.”
    She froze, and he sighed.
    “I didn’t mean it like that, lass.” Lifting her by her hips, he helped her to get to her feet in front of him, but kept his hands at her waist, holding her between his legs. “I only want to help you. I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s wrong.”
    “Nothing’s wrong,” she said automatically, and his eyes narrowed.
    “Now, see that’s a lie. Telling tales gets wee lassies spanked.”
    “I’m not lying.” She crossed her arms in front of her, even though there wasn’t much space for her to do it. “It’s none of your business.”
    “Wrong again. It became my business the minute you climbed into my lap and sought comfort.” She squirmed, and he held her still. “It’s my pleasure to help you. So tell me what’s wrong.”
    “I got a letter from home.”
    “Mrs. Covey?”
    “My family.”
    His eyes narrowed. “The clan?”
    She nodded.
    “Your grandfather wrote to you? The one who called you cursed?”
    “The letter was written by my uncle, but yes, my grandfather is behind it.” She stopped but he didn’t let her go. Instead, he drew her up onto his lap again, and she went willingly, relishing the feel of his strong body cradling hers.
    “Now, Phoebe, tell me it all.”
    Safe in his arms, Phoebe couldn’t resist anymore.
    “I was born cursed. My grandfather said it was because my father and mother went against his wishes and joined without his permission. He sent her away, and made my father marry another.”
    She fell silent, feeling his hand curl down her back, playing with her hair.
    “Did they mistreat you?”
    “Not my father and stepmother. They had a few more children, and most of them died. My father passed with sickness too, and my stepmother was forced to marry my uncle. He was cruel to me.”
    “Your stepmother married your father’s brother? She was forced—by your grandfather?”
    “Yes. My family all must marry within the clan, and by my grandfather’s direction. Tis the only way to avoid corrupting the blood line. Except for me. I was corrupted already.”
    “Phoebe…”
    “My foot was only the first sign of the curse. After I was born, many children were stillborn or were born disfigured and didn’t live long. They wanted to send me away.”
    “Did they?”
    “They just treated me worse than a dog. I waited as long as I could and ran away.”
    “And went to work for Mrs. Covey.”
    She nodded. “I was safe there, but then my grandfather found me