church bells.
The night he’d shot Monty, there’d been terror in her eyes and he knew he’d been the one to put the fear in her. That, he regretted. She had a good, clean heart and he hated exposing her to such evil.
But he intended to make it all right between them. Ellie deserved better than the Silver Slipper and he aimed to see she got the better things in life.
Once he found Ellie, everything would be all right. He knew deep in his bones that his Ellie was the key to the gold. She’d been holding Monty’s baby—his own flesh and blood—and she’d been the last to see Jade.
Frank didn’t blame her for running. She’d been scared.
But once he found her, he’d explain everything. And once he had his gold, he’d have the means to ask for her hand in marriage. Together, they could raise Monty’s baby.
He’d have his family back.
CHAPTER EIGHT
E LLIE SAT on the kitchen chair, her eyes closed, still combing tangles from her wavy hair. Every nerve in her body tingled at the thought of bathing with Nick so near.
She dreamed of him working the suds into her hair and over her skin. She thought about the feel of his lips against hers. The touch of his fingertips against her skin.
Her eyes snapped open. She was acting like a fool.
How many times had she vowed never, ever, to fall for a man like Nick Baron? A million? Two million?
Nick Baron’s breed of man lived by his own rules. He was driven by private demons and he did what suited him best. If she let him into her heart, he’d use her and toss her aside.
Annie’s man Mike was a rare breed: a good fellow. He showed his love for Annie in a million different ways—a touch, a look, a smile. He brought her candy from town. His gaze lingered on her when she wasn’t looking.
Nick Baron had offered Ellie money for an hour in bed. And she’d be wise to remember that the next time she started dreaming about him touching her.
“Water’s ready,” he said.
His raspy voice startled Ellie. She glanced into the kitchen and realized Nick had lifted one of the steaming pots from the stove and had started to pour its contents into the tub. The muscles in his forearms were taut.
Her pulse thrummed at her wrists as she thought about those arms around her. She swallowed, shocked by her own weakness.
She stood quickly. “I can take care of the bath from here.”
His eyes gleamed. “I’ll finish it up. Just let me mix in some cold rainwater and then you’ll be set.”
Her mouth went dry. “Thanks.”
When he’d poured the water into the tub and mixed it with his hands, he looked up at her. “Need any help getting undressed?”
The image of his hands soaping her naked back returned. “No!”
The edge of his mouth rose as if he were picturing the same scene. “Just offering.” He moved toward the door. “If you change your mind, I’ll be outside.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
He chuckled.
T HE RAIN CONTINUED to come down heavy and hard, trapping Nick outside on the porch. And as he listened to Ellie’s wet dress hit the floor, he knew the true meaning of hell. He’d said he’d stay out on the porch and give her privacy, and he’d keep his word. Even if it killed him.
But no promise could stop his mind from wandering in erotic directions.
He leaned back and closed his eyes. Ellie’s skin would be pale as porcelain and he imagined the freckles on the bridge of her nose spread all over her body. A man could spend a good deal of time counting and kissing each and every one of those freckles.
Her rosy-tipped breasts would skim the surface of the water as she lathered soap over her lean arms. Her waist would be trim and her hips and bottom gently rounded. He remembered with excruciating clarity what it had felt like to drape his hand over that waist.
Her prim-and-proper attitude didn’t fit his imageof a sporting girl. She may have had sex, but he wondered if Ellie had ever known pleasure in a man’s arms. If she’d ever moaned
The night he’d shot Monty, there’d been terror in her eyes and he knew he’d been the one to put the fear in her. That, he regretted. She had a good, clean heart and he hated exposing her to such evil.
But he intended to make it all right between them. Ellie deserved better than the Silver Slipper and he aimed to see she got the better things in life.
Once he found Ellie, everything would be all right. He knew deep in his bones that his Ellie was the key to the gold. She’d been holding Monty’s baby—his own flesh and blood—and she’d been the last to see Jade.
Frank didn’t blame her for running. She’d been scared.
But once he found her, he’d explain everything. And once he had his gold, he’d have the means to ask for her hand in marriage. Together, they could raise Monty’s baby.
He’d have his family back.
CHAPTER EIGHT
E LLIE SAT on the kitchen chair, her eyes closed, still combing tangles from her wavy hair. Every nerve in her body tingled at the thought of bathing with Nick so near.
She dreamed of him working the suds into her hair and over her skin. She thought about the feel of his lips against hers. The touch of his fingertips against her skin.
Her eyes snapped open. She was acting like a fool.
How many times had she vowed never, ever, to fall for a man like Nick Baron? A million? Two million?
Nick Baron’s breed of man lived by his own rules. He was driven by private demons and he did what suited him best. If she let him into her heart, he’d use her and toss her aside.
Annie’s man Mike was a rare breed: a good fellow. He showed his love for Annie in a million different ways—a touch, a look, a smile. He brought her candy from town. His gaze lingered on her when she wasn’t looking.
Nick Baron had offered Ellie money for an hour in bed. And she’d be wise to remember that the next time she started dreaming about him touching her.
“Water’s ready,” he said.
His raspy voice startled Ellie. She glanced into the kitchen and realized Nick had lifted one of the steaming pots from the stove and had started to pour its contents into the tub. The muscles in his forearms were taut.
Her pulse thrummed at her wrists as she thought about those arms around her. She swallowed, shocked by her own weakness.
She stood quickly. “I can take care of the bath from here.”
His eyes gleamed. “I’ll finish it up. Just let me mix in some cold rainwater and then you’ll be set.”
Her mouth went dry. “Thanks.”
When he’d poured the water into the tub and mixed it with his hands, he looked up at her. “Need any help getting undressed?”
The image of his hands soaping her naked back returned. “No!”
The edge of his mouth rose as if he were picturing the same scene. “Just offering.” He moved toward the door. “If you change your mind, I’ll be outside.”
“I won’t change my mind.”
He chuckled.
T HE RAIN CONTINUED to come down heavy and hard, trapping Nick outside on the porch. And as he listened to Ellie’s wet dress hit the floor, he knew the true meaning of hell. He’d said he’d stay out on the porch and give her privacy, and he’d keep his word. Even if it killed him.
But no promise could stop his mind from wandering in erotic directions.
He leaned back and closed his eyes. Ellie’s skin would be pale as porcelain and he imagined the freckles on the bridge of her nose spread all over her body. A man could spend a good deal of time counting and kissing each and every one of those freckles.
Her rosy-tipped breasts would skim the surface of the water as she lathered soap over her lean arms. Her waist would be trim and her hips and bottom gently rounded. He remembered with excruciating clarity what it had felt like to drape his hand over that waist.
Her prim-and-proper attitude didn’t fit his imageof a sporting girl. She may have had sex, but he wondered if Ellie had ever known pleasure in a man’s arms. If she’d ever moaned
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