A Soldier Finds His Way Read Online Free PDF Page B

“She’d be glad to pile up in the bed with you. Would you like that?”
    Zoe stood, sprinted toward the bed and belly-flopped onto it. “Come on, Cricket.”
    Cricket leapt on the bed next to her and claimed a spot near the pillows.
    Edward covered Zoe with the blanket and walked away.
    “Hey, aren’t you even going to say good night?” Zoe called after him.
    “Good night. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” He pulled the curtain closed behind him and headed for the rocker.
    Audra looked up from the recliner and cast a glance toward the bedroom. “Zoe had quite an adventure today. An adventure that was entirely my fault.” Her chin quivered and she looked as though the floodgates were about to open.
    Women. They sprang a leak at the least bit of trouble in their lives. Any old thing could set them off in tears, sad stories, sappy movies. Why couldn’t they buck up and bear stuff? It was a wonder men could be attracted to such emotional creatures .
    “I know my sister is worried sick, along with my parents. We looked at the forecast, but Vanessa and I thought it wouldn’t be as bad as they predicted. We were wrong. I almost killed Zoe, and I feel horrible.”
    Edward couldn’t deny his attraction to this particular woman. When he’d checked her pupils earlier to make sure they were dilating equally, he noticed green specks sprinkled throughout her blue eyes. A guy would have to be a blind not to be captivated by eyes like hers. “Don’t beat yourself up. You and your sister don’t have a crystal ball. You couldn’t have known the day would end up like it did.”
    “Thank you for saying that.”
    “From here on out I have to put my energy into thinking about how to get you guys out of here. You probably should be seen by a doctor. How’s your arm? Mind if I take a look?”
    “It throbs now and then, especially if I bump it. And, no, of course I don’t mind if you look at it.” She supported her arm with her other hand. “Thank you for being so nice.”
    He had tied the stick he’d been whittling to her forearm after padding it with a towel and made a sling from one of his long-sleeved pullover shirts. Now, he carefully removed the crude splint from her arm and pushed her sleeve up. Her arm was still swollen. “I could ice it down if you think you could can stand it. It might help the swelling go down faster. What do you think?”
    “That may help, I guess. But where are you going to get ice?”
    “Where am I going to get ice? Are you kidding? I’ll step into the outdoor meat locker and get all the ice we need. I’ll be right back.”
    Edward went outside with a pot from the kitchen, and came back a few minutes later with a pot full of icicles he’d pulled off the eves of the cabin. He broke them into smaller pieces, put them into a Ziploc bag and wrapped the bag in a towel. “Here, put this on your arm for a while.”
    “Thank you. You’ve been good to us. I can’t even let myself think about how this day would have turned out without you.”
    A peaceful quiet fell on the room, accentuated only by the sound of logs crackling in the fireplace.
    Audra’s eyes closed, and her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. Light from the fire quivered around the room and seemed to stop to investigate Audra’s beauty. Shoulder length hair, straight and dark blond, framed her delicately featured face. Smooth, feminine skin gave her a look of grace and gentility. The fingernails of her slender hands were painted a soft pink.
    A high-caliber babe like Audra probably had a man in her life and several more waiting in the wings to take his place.
    She stirred, and he turned away. It wouldn’t be right to be caught studying her.
    “I must have drifted off.” She sent him a small, tired smile.
    “Oh, I hadn’t noticed. I think that’s enough ice for now.” He lifted the bag from her arm. “You look tired. It’s been a rough day for you. Do you want me to help you get to the bed with Zoe?”
    “I think