Her Dearly Unintended Read Online Free PDF Page A

calls. I’ll step outside.”
    â€œThe outhouse is down the hill,” Josiah said.
    â€œIt’s raining,” Silas said. “With so much water around I thought I might as well just stand on the porch—”
    â€œUse the outhouse,” Josiah said. Good grief. Had he just met the only man in the hills more uncouth than himself?
    Silas grinned, but it was crooked, hairy, and more than a little creepy. This man wasn’t to be trusted. Josiah had best be on his toes and not let Katie Ellen distract him or they could both pay the price.

    She should have never let Josiah cross that bridge. She could’ve thought of some way to handle Silas without him. Some way much less complicated and uncomfortable than Josiah’s solution.
    Just like Josiah to get her into this mess. Generally he flew around like a whirlwind, but when they were younger he seemed genuinely interested in her contraptions and celebrated when she accomplished something new. His visits to her tree house were the only chance she had for companionship most days, and he was always bringing her gifts—a geode crystal he’d found, or butterfly wings. Without him, her childhood would’ve been very lonely indeed.
    But then things changed. They grew up. The little tree house didn’t have enough space for the two of them, and every time they bumped into each other there was an awkward moment that even Josiah’s jokes couldn’t erase. Neither one of them knew what to do with each other until that day three years ago at the church raising when Josiah chased her down and asked her to meet him behind the well. She’d never forget the look on his face—the only time she’d ever seen him scared.
    And what had spooked him? Knowing that he was planningto kiss her. And that’s exactly what he did. And then he didn’t speak to her again for nearly two years. Must have been completely horrified at the thought that an uptight bluestocking like her had kissed him back.
    And now he wanted to pretend that they were married? No, thank you.
    Silas stood. Josiah stood and moved his chair so Silas could pass. He’d best hurry because hot words were piling up behind her clenched teeth and they wouldn’t be contained much longer. Josiah followed Silas to the front door.
    â€œIf I catch you relieving yourself at the house . . .”
    Grabbing the tin plates, Katie Ellen rattled them into the basin so she wouldn’t have to be privy to the rest of that conversation. Honestly, where did these men come from?
    She hadn’t been joking about wanting to clean the kitchen. She sloshed water through the kettle to rinse it, then pumped it full of water to heat for washing. Dropping it on the stove, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Josiah touched her arm.
    â€œShhh,” he said. “We’ve got to talk.”
    She spun around. “You ain’t kidding. If you think I’m going to let you stay here—”
    â€œLet’s leave. You and me, now. We can get to the bluff before he knows we’re gone and back to my house before he tracks us.”
    â€œLeave him here with the house and the barn? I can’t do that. You go if you want, but my parents—”
    â€œI’m not leaving without you. It isn’t safe. This man is on his way to kill someone.”
    â€œWhat?” She rolled her eyes. “He’s just pulling your leg.”
    â€œWhy would he do that?”
    She could think of at least a dozen reasons that a person might want to pester Josiah Huckabee, but what this man heldagainst him, she couldn’t guess. All she knew was that if this sharp-boned man was as ornery as he looked, she wasn’t about to leave him to run reckless through her home. “I can’t. I was left in charge. I won’t abandon my post,” she said.
    â€œBecause you don’t want to disappoint your parents or because you really, really like being in