Mail Order Match Maker Read Online Free PDF Page A

shot through her at his touch.  And her cheek was still tingling from where he’d kissed her earlier.  How would she react when he actually kissed her good night?  And would he be angry if she responded to his kisses?
    Arthur had never wanted her to respond to him.  The one time she’d kissed him back, he’d used his belt on her bare back, telling her she was acting like a whore and she needed to be modest.
    She bathed quickly and brushed her waist-length hair dry before slipping into the bed and taking a quick nap.  She hadn’t slept well at all on the train, whether from the constant motion or worrying about meeting Max she didn’t know. 
    When she woke it was five minutes before six and she rushed as fast as she could to be ready.  Arthur beat her when she wasn’t ready on time , and in the back of her mind she was afraid Max would do the same thing.  She had to be ready.  After a moment she deliberately slowed down.  She didn’t want to be late to meet Max, but she needed to prove to herself he was a different man from her late husband before she married him.
    She didn’t leave her room until ten after six, moving slowly down the stairs, her leg stiffer than it had been in years.  She was halfway down the stairs when she caught sight of Max, leaning against the front desk watching for her.  She searched his face for signs of anger, but saw nothing.
    When he saw her stiff movements, he took the stairs two at a time and swept her up into his strong arms.  He hadn’t been joking about the amount of work he did in his lumber camp.  His arms were steel bands around her as he carried her down the last of the stairs and set her on her feet.  “Your leg is hurting you.  Are you sure you want to go to dinner?”
    She smiled, grateful that he wasn’t angry she was late and was instead concerned about her.  “Moving around will make my leg feel better.  It’s only this bad because I wasn’t able to stretch it as much as I should have on the train.”
    “If it hurts too much, just let me know.  I can carry you.”  
    She blushed.  “It’s not proper for you to carry a woman you’re not married to.”   She couldn’t let go of her ideas of propriety, even though they were much different in the West and he didn’t seem to mind.
    “I don’t much care about propriety.  You’ll find few people who do out here.  It’s a different place than back East.”
    She took the arm he offered her and walked along slowly beside him toward the restaurant next door to the hotel.  “Thank you for helping me back there.”  She had never imagined she would thank a man for picking her up and carrying her in public.
    He smiled and nodded.  “I couldn’t let you be in pain when I could help you.”   He stared down at her as they walked.  “You’re more beautiful than I expected.”
    She blushed.  “Thank you.”  She looked up at him.  She had really expected a plain looking man, and although not handsome, Max’s strong features and rugged looks were appealing to her.  “I like the way you look too.”
    “Glad to hear it.”  They stepped into the restaurant and followed the maître d who took them to a small table off to the side.  He held her chair out for her and waited for her to sit before he took his place across from her, immediately taking her hand and holding it in his own.  “I’m so happy you’re finally here.”
    Her eyes met his hesitantly, but then her face split into a smile.  “I am, too.  I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”   She suddenly was no longer certain why she’d made him wait.  She wished she’d agreed to marry him a year sooner so they could have already started their lives together.  Now that she’d met him she knew that he was nothing like Arthur, and she really had nothing to fear.
    “None of that matters now that you’re here.”  His eyes looked into hers as he said the words, making her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the