Always a Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

been said. Before he could apologize, Lily stunned him as she continued.
    "I'll tell you, like I told him. It's nobody's damned business. I cook. I don't fraternize. I don't want to. I hope I've made myself abundantly clear."
    Case watched her gathering her wits about her like a queen. She straightened to full height, tilted her head back until the scarred portion of her face was in plain sight, and dared him to make another remark.
    "I'm sorry, Lily," Case said quietly. "And I can promise that won't happen again. I'll talk to the man myself."
    He walked out of the door with purpose in his step and left Lily standing in the middle of the kitchen. He was going to tear a strip off of Lane Turney. And then he thought, who's going to tear a strip off of me? He deserved it and he knew it. Case wouldn't admit, even to himself, that the feeling he'd experienced was jealousy, not concern that his hired hand was shirking his assigned work.
    Lily watched the door slam shut and turned away from the gust of wind that came with it. The wind was hot, an echo of her emotions. She tried to take a deep, calming breath, but when it came out, it sounded more like a sob. A strand of hair fell across her eyes, and she lifted her hand up to tuck in back in place. As she did, her fingers grazed across the tender area on her cheek, down the slow-healing gash. She began to shake. The kitchen walls began to close in on her. The hallway leading toward her bedroom beckoned. Solitude! It was just what she needed.
    Tears welled. She squeezed her eyes shut, fiercely trying to block out the pain of Lane's question and Case's angry accusation. It didn't work. For the first time since her accident and her fiancé’s betrayal, she wished she'd just gone home and let her father and brothers take care of her world. Right now, she didn't think she was able to do it herself.
    She staggered down the hallway to her room and fell onto the bed. The inviting homespun decor did not soothe her spirit, nor give her any feelings of comfort. It was nothing more than a place to hide. She buried her face in the curve of one arm, clutched the coverlet with her fingers and let out the pain.
    It was then she cried. At first there were tears, silent, swift, and sudden. But then came the sobs that deepened into gut-wrenching painful gasps for air.
    She cried for the unjustness of life that had changed her world from happy and safe into life-threatening and pain. She cried for the loss of a love that had obviously never been true. She cried for the comfort of her family's arms that were too far away to help. And she cried because if Todd had been the man she'd imagined, today would have been her wedding day.
    And then she was lifted from her bed, gathered against a wall of muscle, a fiercely beating heart and strong arms and gentle hands that held her tight and kept her from flying apart.
    Lily was too far gone to realize she was being held and, when she did, too distraught to care. All she could concentrate on was the comfort she was receiving and the knowledge that for a moment, someone made the hurt lessen.
    The sound of her crying had pulled him down the hall. And when he'd stepped into her room, it had pulled him apart, a piece at a time. The heart-rending sound of her pain was overwhelming. He'd never been so helpless and so furious all at the same time, knowing that he was partially to blame. Dear God, but he wanted to take away her hurt. He wrapped his arms around her trembling body and cradled her gently, whispering softly against her ear as he bore the brunt of her weight against his chest.
    Damn but she's soft! And there isn't a curve out of place on this lady. She feels just about perfect in my arms.
    His wandering thoughts startled him. He had no business letting his imagination run riot like this. It didn't seem right to be enjoying this when she was so unhappy.
    "Stop," Case begged, as he held Lily's shaking body in his arms. "Please, Lily. Stop crying. You're going