A Hero's Heart by Sylvia McDaniel

Author:Sylvia McDaniel [McDaniel, Sylvia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780991623846
Google: -B-QAwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 16200043
Publisher: Zebra
Published: 1997-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The noise of people stirring outside woke Rachel, though the inside of the wagon remained dark. She stretched and yawned, the chill of the morning air caressing her arms, sending her scurrying back under the covers. The mountain nights were cold, and she wondered how Wade had faired beneath the wagon in last night’s storm.

Memories of the previous evening assailed her, leaving her shaken. She’d kissed him. Reached up and planted her lips on his like some wanton hussy clamoring for his attention. But she had no feelings of shame this morning, only a sweet yearning.

When he’d kissed her back, she’d wrapped her arms around him, hungrily accepting his embrace. Although the rain had dampened their ardor, the longing had persisted, leaving her wanting and reeling with passionate intensity. How much longer could she fight this temptation? How much longer could she pretend to be his wife and not allow herself the intimacies of marriage?

The mention of Wade’s name made her skin tingle with anticipation, with reckless abandon. She wanted Wade to do more than kiss her, to do more than touch her. She wanted him the way Eve had wanted Adam, the way Rebecca had wanted Isaac.

Yet fear held her back. Just as Wade was holding back. She could feel it, could see it in his eyes. He was afraid of any lasting commitment and the apprehension had something to do with his childhood.

But what could have happened to cause him to dam up his emotions behind a barrier?

For her to understand Wade, she had to know all of him. Because, when he left, she wanted no regrets, no doubts about the kind of man who had broken her heart. And he would leave her. Her time with Wade was but a brief trip across the country, just long enough to find out he filled some need she hadn’t even known existed. Just long enough to fill her hollows and make her realize what she was missing.

Rachel sighed. She’d left Tennessee believing she was a self-sufficient woman. With the subsequent death of her father, every day on the trail made her realize how dependant she really was on her fellow travelers. How much she needed a strong man beside her. How much she wanted that man to be Wade.

The girl who’d left Tennessee had been filled with dreams of a different life. The woman who traveled the trail had endured great hardships and losses, and now prayed she’d reach its conclusion without further heartache.

But she would have to be on guard against falling in love with Wade because he would break her heart into little pieces and leave her behind to put it back together without him.

The thought chilled her deeper than the early morning cold.

Though the sun was only a thought in the eastern sky, she jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed.

As Rachel crawled out of the wagon, the sight that met her eyes left her gasping. Wade stood before a mirror hung on the side of their wagon, wearing nothing but his pants in the cool morning air.

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