Then Came You: A Prequel to The McPhee Clan Read Online Free PDF Page B

they are just bumping together because the road is bumpy."
    "A likely story." He inched over, closing the distance between them on the bench seat, driving out all awareness of the storm, until there was only his hulking manliness, just his closeness, his tantalizing warmth. "Maureen knew about the bad weather coming, I know Beckett told her about it. She shouldn't have sent you out in this. It's too cold for a lady."
    "I'm not a lady. I'm an indentured servant." Her chin went up. She had her dignity, if not her freedom. She'd traded seven years of her life for passage here to escape the misery of poverty, for a new hope for her life. A better beginning. She'd traded another seven so her sister could have the same. "I'm tougher than I look."
    "Sure you are. That's why you needed my help chasing off Lawrence today."
    "And I thanked you, right? By the way, you are a wonderful pretend beau and you make a really good wind block."
    "Glad I'm good for something." His voice dipped low, as if there was something more there than simple humor. "Don't forget you promised baked goods."
    "Did I? I can't remember." There, that made him laugh, and she laughed too, resisting the sweet tug on her heart that made her want to turn her gaze to him, to drink in every detail of this man and his kindness. Good thing she kept her eyes focused squarely on her gloves and the fraying strand of yarn that needed mending.
    "Hey, don't pretend to forget. We made a deal. If you don't deliver a plate of cookies, maybe I'll haul you over to Lawrence myself." Humor, rumbling in his voice, gentle in his tone, tugged her toward him, so that her body was leaning against her will, her gaze tracked over the granite planes of his handsome face and she couldn’t stop. It felt as if her heart had come open like a long locked window. How was she going to convince herself she didn't feel a thing for Gil now?
    "Come here." His arm came around her shoulders, strong and comforting, and he drew her protectively against him. It felt as if he wanted to protect her from more than the storm.
    Was it wrong to lean in, to snuggle into his solid heat? She couldn’t seem to stop herself. He felt so good. As she cuddled against his side, his arm came around her like an iron band. Squished comfortably against him with her cheek resting against his chest, she listened to the reliable
thump-thump
of his heart. As if that wasn't intimate enough, as if they were not close enough, he tipped his hat low and bowed in, so his Stetson protected her eyes and the uncovered part of her face from flying snow. Wow. Never had anything felt as nice as being held by him.
    Emotion pricked behind her eyes. She'd never, well,
felt
so much. It didn't help that she'd figured out the truth about Gil, how he felt about her. And she couldn’t let that knowledge change a thing. Maureen would never allow her to be courted, she'd never give her enough time off to date. With a wistful sigh, she thought of the debt she still owed Maureen, not yet half-way paid off. It was a contract that would not end with Maureen's death, which according to the doctor would be sooner rather than later. No, this was a debt Maureen could always sell to the highest bidder or could leave to her heir. Even more likely, the contract would be sold by the attorney to help pay for Maureen's debts and funeral costs, and who knew where she would be forced to go then or who she'd be legally obligated to work for.
    So no, it was better not to let her feelings get carried away. Best to be sensible about this. Gently, reluctantly, she pulled away from Gil's side, from his shelter and comfort. It was the sensible thing to do. Best to keep things friendly. That's the way it had to be.
    But it wasn't what she wanted. Nothing was harder than shimmying out of Gil's arms and scooting several inches away from him. She let the winds batter her, felt the relentless snow slap and strike her. On the seat beside her, Gil said nothing. He simply switched