into Jenny’s room. Pensively, he studied her sleeping form. A surge of tenderness swept through him. With gentle fingers, he touched her silky hair and fought the urge to kiss her sweet lips. He placed his hand on her forehead. Confident she didn’t have a fever, he quietly left the room.
Jenny awakened to bright sunlight filtering into the room. She rolled over and gazed at the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly ten in the morning. She scampered out of bed, brushed her hair, and tied it at the nape with a blue velvet ribbon. Splashing tepid water over her face, she dabbed it dry with a towel and gazed into the mirror. She focused on her complexion and was pleased to see that her cheeks had regained their normal rosy color.
As she made her bed, she could smell the aroma of fresh coffee in the air. She smiled, knowing Nicholas had made it before going to the fields. Clad in her negligee, she walked to the kitchen. She felt the warmth of the sun while she gazed out the window at the vast plantation. She turned to remove a cup from the cabinet, then headed to the stove for some coffee. A movement caught her eye, and she spun around to find Nicholas standing in the doorway. “H-h-how long have you been here?”
“Long enough,” he replied, his eyes sweeping over her scanty attire. “I returned to see how you were feeling.”
“I’m much better, thank you,” Jenny mumbled. “I didn’t expect you until dinnertime.” Conscious of her thin gown, she hastened to say, “I need to get properly dressed.”
Nicholas blocked her way, his towering frame hovering over her.
Jenny saw passion in his eyes and heard his erratic breathing. No matter that she yearned for his touch, she refused to become his conquest.
Nicholas pulled her into his embrace. Hungrily, his mouth sought hers. He kissed her lips, sending fires of passion sweeping through her.
Regardless that her body begged to do otherwise, Jenny refused to succumb to his charm. Furious for weakening toward him, she shoved him away and stilled her wanton heart. She sent him a haughty stare. “Need I remind you, we have a marriage in name only? Forget any notions you might be entertaining.”
Nicholas glared at her. “Thank you for refreshing my memory, Jenny. I am only your husband on paper!” He stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.
Jenny moved to the window and watched Nicholas ride away. She’d almost given in to him. If he comes near me, my heart goes aflutter, and I have butterflies in the pit of my stomach! Still, I must be strong. I am nothing to him, and I refuse to succumb to him under these conditions! After the facade of a marriage he forced me into, I’ll not give in to him, ever!
She filled her cup with coffee, went to her room, and dressed.
She hummed as she began her chores. She grabbed a bucket from the porch and filled it with water from the well. A horse neighed in the distance, and she glanced past the willow tree. Had Nicholas returned? To her dismay, she saw Blake Preston riding toward her.
Blake dismounted and came to her aid. “Let me help you. You are doing servant’s work.” A smile lit his face as he took the pail of water from Jenny and placed it on the veranda.
Jenny studied her handsome friend in the bright sun. “I’m surprised to see you, Blake.”
He flashed her a grin and then his expression turned grim. “Your father told me you married Nicholas Grant. I could hardly believe it!”
“We married a few months ago.”
He grasped her hand. “Are you truly happy, Jennifer?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she countered. She glanced away, praying he wouldn’t pick up on her troubled heart.
“I’m sorry, Jenny. Of course you’re happy. Why else would you marry? It’s just that—”
“What?”
“I got the notion we would someday marry.” He forced himself to be cheerful and glanced about Small Timbers . “It appears I waited too long to propose, and now you are mistress of a fine
Jenny awakened to bright sunlight filtering into the room. She rolled over and gazed at the clock on the nightstand. It was nearly ten in the morning. She scampered out of bed, brushed her hair, and tied it at the nape with a blue velvet ribbon. Splashing tepid water over her face, she dabbed it dry with a towel and gazed into the mirror. She focused on her complexion and was pleased to see that her cheeks had regained their normal rosy color.
As she made her bed, she could smell the aroma of fresh coffee in the air. She smiled, knowing Nicholas had made it before going to the fields. Clad in her negligee, she walked to the kitchen. She felt the warmth of the sun while she gazed out the window at the vast plantation. She turned to remove a cup from the cabinet, then headed to the stove for some coffee. A movement caught her eye, and she spun around to find Nicholas standing in the doorway. “H-h-how long have you been here?”
“Long enough,” he replied, his eyes sweeping over her scanty attire. “I returned to see how you were feeling.”
“I’m much better, thank you,” Jenny mumbled. “I didn’t expect you until dinnertime.” Conscious of her thin gown, she hastened to say, “I need to get properly dressed.”
Nicholas blocked her way, his towering frame hovering over her.
Jenny saw passion in his eyes and heard his erratic breathing. No matter that she yearned for his touch, she refused to become his conquest.
Nicholas pulled her into his embrace. Hungrily, his mouth sought hers. He kissed her lips, sending fires of passion sweeping through her.
Regardless that her body begged to do otherwise, Jenny refused to succumb to his charm. Furious for weakening toward him, she shoved him away and stilled her wanton heart. She sent him a haughty stare. “Need I remind you, we have a marriage in name only? Forget any notions you might be entertaining.”
Nicholas glared at her. “Thank you for refreshing my memory, Jenny. I am only your husband on paper!” He stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.
Jenny moved to the window and watched Nicholas ride away. She’d almost given in to him. If he comes near me, my heart goes aflutter, and I have butterflies in the pit of my stomach! Still, I must be strong. I am nothing to him, and I refuse to succumb to him under these conditions! After the facade of a marriage he forced me into, I’ll not give in to him, ever!
She filled her cup with coffee, went to her room, and dressed.
She hummed as she began her chores. She grabbed a bucket from the porch and filled it with water from the well. A horse neighed in the distance, and she glanced past the willow tree. Had Nicholas returned? To her dismay, she saw Blake Preston riding toward her.
Blake dismounted and came to her aid. “Let me help you. You are doing servant’s work.” A smile lit his face as he took the pail of water from Jenny and placed it on the veranda.
Jenny studied her handsome friend in the bright sun. “I’m surprised to see you, Blake.”
He flashed her a grin and then his expression turned grim. “Your father told me you married Nicholas Grant. I could hardly believe it!”
“We married a few months ago.”
He grasped her hand. “Are you truly happy, Jennifer?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” she countered. She glanced away, praying he wouldn’t pick up on her troubled heart.
“I’m sorry, Jenny. Of course you’re happy. Why else would you marry? It’s just that—”
“What?”
“I got the notion we would someday marry.” He forced himself to be cheerful and glanced about Small Timbers . “It appears I waited too long to propose, and now you are mistress of a fine
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