Without Saying a Word Read Online Free PDF Page B

from her toes up. Seeing Rhean in her room brought a smile to her face. Her mind had been going around in circles, and feeling the emotions Rhean’s kiss awakened in her hadn’t helped any.
    “What the heck are you doing here!” she exclaimed, pulling up the bed covers. “It’s...” she glanced at her clock, “only eight o’clock.”
    “I come bearing gifts,” Rhean said. He held up two large mugs of tea and sniffed one. “Ah ’tis nectar of the Gods as someone told me,” he teased.
    Laura smiled at him.
    “I suppose we cannot let the first mug of tea of the day go to waste,” she replied.
    Rhean walked over and placed it on her bedside table. He sat down on the bed, his eyes fixed on her as she took a long gulp of the strong fragrant brew.
    “Good is it?” he asked. Laura closed her eyes as though she savored the flavor and heat of her drink and nodded.
    “Can’t talk. Drinking,” she mumbled. Then it hit her. “What on earth are you doing here and at this time of the day?” she asked with mock severity. “It’s bad enough James caught you kissing me last night, and now here you are at this early hour. What will the others think?”
    He smiled and crossed his legs under him, as the bed creaked with his weight.
    “Not a lot. James asked me to bring this up to you.” He indicated her tea. “As for what I’m doing here... I thought we could spend the day together.”
    Laura drew her bedclothes up around her breasts. Her cream nightshirt slipped down over one shoulder and she shivered—not from the chill of the room, but from the sensations he awoke in her.
    “Where? All of us?” Laura asked immediately, thinking of her children.
    “I have to go to Mum and Dad’s for the day and it would be a great if all of you came with me,” he suggested. “I have to organize the Ball and Fayre for them this year.” He batted his thickly lashed eyes at her.”Will you help?”
    “When will they be back from the cruise?” Laura asked and chuckled at his antics. “You need lessons in that from Maisie, and even that doesn’t work on me,” she told him with mock severity, enjoying their banter.
    “A couple of days before the Fayre,” he said..
    Laura shifted in the bed uncomfortably.
    “Come on mister, hoof it. I need to get up,” she said, desperately feeling nature’s call.
    Rhean grinned and got up from the bed.
    *****
    When he went downstairs, Laura’s offspring lounged in the living room watching Horrible Histories on the TV and munching toast. 
    “All sorted. We are going to the grange,” Rhean told them. “I’ll go and make your mum some breakfast.”
    Theo and James, who were on the floor, stuck their thumbs up without tearing their faces away from the screen.
    “Not sure about Maisie, though,” Theo said.
    Rhean sat down on a chair. “Guys, are you okay with what I asked you this morning?”
    Theo scooted round on his stomach to face his headmaster. “About dating Mum?” When Rhean nodded, Theo stood up, pushing his hands into his pockets.
    “Well, as the man of the house, I suppose I’d better ask what your intentions are toward my mother.”
    Rhean inclined his head at the question
    “Honorable,” he replied. “As to what happens in the future, that’s up to her. I will tell you something, though.” He looked up at Theo. “I won’t stay here nights, nor will I interfere with the way the family works.”
    Theo was silent for a few moments.
    “You won’t hurt her will you?” he asked. “Physically or—?” He left the rest of the question unspoken.
    “Never,” Rhean stated firmly. He stood up and walked toward Theo. “I would never hurt the woman I love—ever,” he reassured the boys and left the living room.

    The car swept up the path to Kirkleigh Grange, past extensive grounds and a smaller double-fronted cottage. The wide driveway was lined with majestic oak trees shedding gold, crisp leaves. It was a beautiful house, four stories high and made of gray stone.